Was anyone else expecting Columbus to be mentioned along with the other cities that have neglected mass transit through the years?

HERE’S another video from NBC’s Today Show about the rails being packed for 4th of July travel.

Jeff at Urban Infill has some pretty good posts, but his latest is too good to miss.  He reflects on his COTA Challenge, which after 6 months is now more of a habit.  He had a car and would use it frequently, so his default mindset before the challenge was to use his car.  He mostly used it to get to work and do some shopping.  He still has the car today, but it gets much less use.

As I adjusted to the new schedule I found that I was reading more because I had dedicated time for it - my daily 55 minute commute to and from work offered that. I spent less time chatting with friends on Yahoo Messenger because I was actually seeing them around the neighborhood and we started doing things together, live, face to face. I was walking more, to and from the grocery store for example, and walking to the bank, the hardware store, library or Blockbuster rather than taking the car and I shed twenty pounds within five months.

Twenty pounds in five months ??  There are so many people who would like that diet plan.  Keep the car parked, walk as much as you can, and take COTA.  I can picture the TV/youtube ad now, ala Jenny Craig, complete with Jeff’s before and after photos (or pants).  Sure it may not work for everyone, but that’s why they have the “results may vary” disclaimer in small print.  Seriously, way to go Jeff!

Best of all, year to date, I’ve spent just $221.89 in gas and used only about 63 gallons of gas.

Now wait, I lose weight, get more time to read and visit with friends, AND I save money ??  Now it sounds like one of those late-night ginsu knife commercials.  Too good to be true, right? But he’s serious.

I went far beyond what I’d originally set out to with the COTA Challenge. Its no longer a challenge. It’s become a more relaxing way to live…

Go read the full post now!  COTA marketing, are you listening ? There are so many benefits to the COTA Challenge.  (I will give them a small clap for their Expense Calculator, I believe John W here on Xing Columbus - and possibly others on Columbus Underground - suggested they get one.)

That was my initial reaction when I stumbled upon these quotes from Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md)…

We are in desperate need of significant transit improvements. We’ve got to have the facilities and we don’t today, and then we need the fare-box and economic policies that reward people for taking public transportation. Some try to say that it should be “self-sufficient” or have a certain percentage return through the fare-box. We don’t do that on our roads, and public transportation is much better for so many reasons — not just the environment or the quality of life. We should be providing much stronger incentives for people to use public transportation, but first you need to have the facilities.

I’m a big, big supporter of dramatic change in public transportation. It includes more than just the bus and rail systems in our urban areas. It includes a commuter rail and inner-city rail — the whole gamut of services that get people out of their personal vehicles. I don’t want people driving their personal vehicles the way they are today.

Isn’t it refreshing to hear leaders propose solutions to our energy crisis that don’t involve things like gas tax holidays (cough…gimmick…cough), windfall profits taxes (while oil majors only make a 10% profit), and the scapegoating of “speculators”?

If he would have had the cajones to say this around $2 gasoline, he would have been publicly strung up. I guess it’s ok to speak freely as a politician when your constituents are ready to burn you at the stake for letting gasoline creep up past $4. If there’s a silver lining to all of this pain folks are feeling, it’s that we tend to find real solutions when we’re in a crisis.

In related news — on June 26th, the U.S. House passed H.R. 6052: Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act of 2008, which would provide $1.7 billion in grants for public transit over the next 2 years. Local Reps Pryce (D), Tiberi (R), Hobson (R), and Space (D) all voted Aye on the resolution.  Gotta like the bipartisan love.  Now it’s onto the Senate for a companion bill.

Transit agencies hate raising fares. It hurts the mission of providing affordable transportation to as many people as possible. However, sometimes it’s necessary to balance the budget and maintain service.

How long will it be before COTA follows GCRTA’s lead? A rumor was posted in April that said COTA may raise fares in Summer, 2009, but it was made clear that this is only a rumor/speculation. Would anyone be surprised though? COTA hasn’t raised fares since January, 2006, when the price of gas was roughly $2.25 per gallon. If the cost of fuel nearly doubling in two and a half years has hurt your budget, imagine what it does to a huge fleet of vehicles running for 16 hours a day at 3 miles per gallon.

How many people would quit riding if their monthly local pass were $50 a month instead of $45? Historically, transit agencies lose about three to four percent of riders for every 10% increase in the fare, but I think the ridership loss might be much lower now that gas is so expensive. I ride Metra every day. They increased fares in February and are still setting record ridership numbers.  They could double the cost of my monthly pass to $180 and it would still be a bargain.

I would argue that a fare increase could be exactly what is needed. It’s basic economics. If the demand for a good is greater than the supply, the price is too low. An increase could help thin out some of the overcrowding on buses, raise some money to offset diesel prices, and allow COTA to continue with the service expansion outlined in the long-range plan. I think this is the time when most people would rather have more service than inexpensive, limited, and overcrowded service. And if the people are willing to pay for better transit, I say give it to them.

RTA could raise fares by $.50 and cut services
Posted by Sarah Hollander July 01, 2008 11:47AM
Categories: Breaking News, Traffic

Bus and rapid trips could cost up to 50 cents more as early as this fall.

A Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority committee has recommended looking into adding a fuel surcharge as early as October to cover rising costs and dropping revenues.

The committee also suggested a 3 percent cut in service and a 2.5 percent cut in payroll next year.

“We’re going to have to take some probably drastic action from what I can see at this time,” said Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough, chairman of RTA’s finance committee.

If RTA makes no changes, expenses would outpace revenue by more than $20 million in 2009, according to the authority’s projections.

The timing couldn’t be worse, committee member and Euclid Mayor Bill Cervenik said. With the price of gas skyrocketing, more people are looking to public transportation. But services are getting harder and harder to provide, he said.

RTA expects to pay $8.4 million more for diesel fuel this year compared with last. And the authority expects Cuyahoga County sales tax revenue, its biggest source of income, to increase only slightly, if at all.

Lakewood resident and frequent bus rider Mark Madan said he’s fed up. “When are you going to stop raping this city?” he asked the committee. If he had to choose, he said, he’d rather see higher fares instead of more service cuts. “If they have to raise the fares, fine, but keep the buses on the streets!”

Dora McKeever, 85, said elderly and disabled passengers already have a tough time riding crowded buses and waiting for long periods in bad weather.

RTA last made a round a systemwide service cuts in December. And the last systemwide fare increase kicked in over two phases- the first in 2006 and the second this January.

A 50 cent surcharge would bring the regular one-way fare to $2.25.

Committee members said they will continue to lobby the state for more money for public transportation. But in the meantime, they need to start thinking about creating a realistic 2009 budget.

Public hearings will be scheduled for later this summer.

When I’m old and gray, will I be telling my grandkids about how I used to be able to buy a gallon of gasoline for only $4?  If people keep bidding up the price of this finite resource like they are today, I might be able to tell that story before my first gray hair even grows in.

Envisioning a world of $200-a-barrel oil
By Martin Zimmerman, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
June 28, 2008

Three months ago, when oil was around $108 a barrel, a few Wall Street analysts began predicting that it could rise to $200. Many observers scoffed at the forecasts as sensational, or motivated by a desire among energy companies and investors to drive prices higher.

But with oil closing above $140 a barrel Friday, more experts are taking those predictions seriously — and shuddering at the inflation-fueled chaos that $200-a-barrel crude could bring. They foresee fundamental shifts in the way we work, where we live and how we spend our free time.

“You’d have massive changes going on throughout the economy,” said Robert Wescott, president of Keybridge Research, a Washington economic analysis firm. “Some activities are just plain going to be shut down.”

Besides the obvious effect $7-a-gallon gasoline would have on commuters, automakers, airlines, truckers and shipping firms, $200 oil would drive up the price of a broad spectrum of products: Insecticides and hand lotions, cosmetics and food preservatives, shaving cream and rubber cement, plastic bottles and crayons — all have ingredients derived from oil.

READ MORE

I wonder if Mayor Mike is feeling like a visionary right now. I remember sitting in City Hall back in April at the Streetcar Hearing and listening to him state that there is a possibility we could see European gas prices soon. Of course, it was greeted by chuckles and open mockery from the two crotchety old guys sitting behind me (Robert Weiler - Developer of Polaris, and Harrison Smith - Sprawling Land-Use Lawyer).

I think a little Darwinism is in order…

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
- Charles Darwin

I’m not sure this is any more useful than a Segway, but it sure does look cool.

Uno and only
Start with a motorcycle, add ‘Star Wars’ and give the Segway a run for its futuristic money
By James F. Quinn | Special to the Chicago Tribune
June 29, 2008

…When he saw the incredible pollution in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, much of it produced by smoky two-stroke scooters and motorcycles, he knew that electrics would make ideal substitutes—if they were cool. There, of course, have been electric motorcycles and scooters before. He put college plans on hold and set out to create a practical, non-polluting vehicle with style.

Working with his grandfather’s tools, he built an angle-iron frame, attached wheelchair motors, batteries and gyroscopes, and arrived at the moment of truth – the test ride. He had never ridden a Segway or a motorcycle, and he had no idea what he was in for.

…A Segway rider tilts its LeanSteer tiller to turn left or right. With no controls except an on/off switch, the Uno’s electronics respond to a rider’s slightest lean forward, backward or to the side quickly with no need for a throttle, brake lever or swiveling handlebar.

A Segway tops out at 12.5 miles per hour, while Gulak has coaxed 15 m.p.h. out of the Uno. He estimates that it could travel as fast as 40—with a little more work to ensure stability at higher speeds.

READ FULL ARTICLE
READ RELATED ARTICLE ON GIZMODO.COM

I was one of about 20 interested citizens at tonight’s COTA public hearing convened by Councilwoman O’Shaughnessy (Transportation Committee Chair) and Councilwoman Tavares.  I’ll summarize my “minutes” of the meeting below, but the overall message I got was:

1) COTA is a “prudent, cautious, and measured” organization.  Probably to a fault.

2) COTA is on sound financial footing for the first time in a decade, and is implementing it’s long range plan.  This plan consists of increasing the bus hours on the streets.

3) COTA is struggling with high fuel prices, Bill Lhota believes they’ll go higher over the long term, but doesn’t have a concrete plan on how to deal with them.

4) COTA is still luke warm about the streetcar plan, so long as they have a significant seat in the design, implementation, and a good plan regarding future phases of a multi-modal system.

5) Google Transit will be up and running for Columbus on July 3rd.

If anyone else got any thoughts from the meeting, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

The notes I took, and random thoughts I had, are below the fold…

- After Councilwoman O’Shaughnessy kicked off the meeting, Bill Lhota got busy with the powerpoint slides.  I grabbed a hardcopy, so I’ll post it up in the next day or so.

- Mr. Lhota kicked off the meeting by looking back at the past few years.  It definitely gives me a lot of respect for the way he turned around the mess he inherited.  As a sidenote: I can’t count the number of times he used the words “prudent”, “cautious”, and “measured” when referring to COTA’s organization. In my opinion, that’s part of the problem.  The best transit organizations are at the tip of the spear!  They have a comprehensive, progressive vision, and set the agenda for the region.  COTA’s been in a “prudent, cautious, measured”, and dare I say “reactionary” position for too many years.  More thoughts on this later.

- The buses are currently using 100% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.  As was covered by the Dispatch a month ago, the soy boidiesel blends have been axed due to the high price.

- Ridership is up 7.8% in 2008.  Mr. Lhota anticipates continued ridership growth into the future.  He believes there is huge pent up demand for mass transit in Central Ohio based on history.  Ridership peaked in Columbus in 1946 at 18 million boardings (we’re on target to approach 15,000,000 this year and our population has grown considerably since then).

- Mr. Lhota said, “I’m not sure a fixed route system on rubber tires can handle that growth”.  Sidenote: it’s interesting to note that COTA’s Long Range Plan doesn’t have anything but a fixed route system on rubber tires.  My head hurts.

- Mr. Lhota said that he knows that extended hours must be addressed.  Existing customers complain about this all the time.  This seems to be especially important to service industry workers who need to get to work early and leave work late.

- Mr. Lhota said, “We also need to go where we don’t go.”  He went on to suggest that the new hospital in Dublin and Rickenbacker were two of those places.

- Mr. Lhota acknowledged that the “younger generation” expects Intelligent Transportation Systems (smart cards, real time passenger information at stops, and signal priority).

- Later in the presentation Councilwoman O’Shaughnessy pressed Doug Moore (COTA) on when some of these Intelligent Systems would be deployed.  At first he said that they are “not too distant on the horizon, but nothing near term”.  Later he clarified that to mean roughly 2-3 years out.  Meh.

- Expect to see more buses on the freeway shoulders in the coming years.  It appears that ODOT is cooperating a bit and should be converting around one freeway per year for the next few years.  The barriers of deployment are: 1) a 10 ft shoulder, and 2) pavement depth of a regular freeway.

- Councilwoman O’Shaughnessy, being the savvy transportation advocate she is, cited the BRT system in Curitiba, Brazil being something of a model used by many planners.  She asked Doug Moore if pre-boarding payments were an option to speed up the boarding process.  Mr. Moore replied that you need space on the sidewalks, and it would be ideal if an exclusive right of way existed.  He said that Bus Rapid Transit is something that might be considered in the future for areas like Cleveland Ave., Broad St., and N. High St.

- COTA planning folks are meeting with City of Columbus planing folks to look at fixed guideway right of way acquisitions, but were careful to point out that this is part of long, long range future plans.  They have tabbed a certain right of way for acquisition, but it’s premature to disclose it at this point.  Sounds like it could be years away at best.

- Mr. Lhota seems to be “on board” with the streetcar…so long as it is part of a broader transportation vision for Central Ohio.  More on this later.

- Mr. Lhota said that COTA is “putting a lot of effort in the appearance cleanliness, and safety of busses to retain customers that are just beginning to ride”.  There are obviously no more ads rusting the sides of the buses, and most buses have gotten new paint jobs.

- A big obstacle is finding additional operators, so if anyone knows people looking for a job, let them know.

- Mr. Moore of COTA said that he looks at streetcars like an upgraded bus route.  My opinion: This seems like a common theme among transit engineers.  They’re more interested in moving people from A -> B rather than developing dense walkable areas surrounding permanent transit lines.  They often see things in completely utilitarian terms and ignore the attractiveness of streetcars to non-traditional transit riders.

- COTA is performing ridership surveys to figure out where people are going.  Councilwoman Tavares asked, “are you only looking at existing riders in your survey, or are you looking at prospective riders as well?”  Mr. Moore responded by stating that COTA is only looking at existing riders and the output will be fed into ridership models.  Again, we aren’t seeing a ton of progressive vision here.  For years, COTA has failed to market themselves to people who don’t already ride the bus.  Looks like more of the same in the future.

- Mr. Lhota eluded to ODOT’s 21st Century Transportation Committee, which is in progress.  He didn’t wan to prejudge the outcome, but so far, there is a huge emphasis on multi-modal transit systems.

- Tomorrow…the COTA Board will vote on a resolution to adopt Google Transit.  It will be up and running on July 3rd!

- Mr. Lhota thinks COTA needs to be a big part of any fixed guideway system.  Riders need to be able to seamlessly transfer from one mode to another.  He thinks that the city needs to build a streetcar system to a light rail standard.  Doug Moore added that you don’t want to force someone to transfer from a light rail to a streetcar for the last mile of transit.  That’s the “kiss of death” for transit.

- A public/private partnership is being looked at for Rickenbacker.  The system might consist of privately operated employer shuttle buses from a fixed waiting area provided by COTA.  There was a meeting last Thursday between COTA and the Rickenbacker folks (over 70 people) to discuss employment issues and moving people.  There is a follow up meeting tomorrow afternoon with a subcommittee to discuss solutions.

- Bill Lhota said that we desperately need a vision for the future.  He then immediately followed that up by saying something to the extent of, “certainly COTA needs to be a part of that, but we’ve got our plate pretty full with rolling out the long range plan right now”.  Translation:  it’s important that we have a vision, but we don’t have the time or desire to take the lead on creating one.  We’re doing our own thing.  Call us if you’re going to make some decisions, because we’ll criticize what you’re doing.  This goes back to my “tip of the spear” comment that I made above.

- Councilwoman O’Shaughnessy did a magnificent job of pressing Lhota on fuel costs.  She mentioned that streetcars don’t have that issue because they run on electricity (historically more stable cost).  She also pressed him about electrifying buses.  It’s apparent that COTA is completely afraid of the capital costs of doing so, and that they haven’t put any thought into electrifying the system.  Lhota did mention that sometime in the future they might look at hybrid buses.  The finance people will look at hybrids this year.  I wonder what took so long?

- Mr. Lhota seems to have a good grasp on the gasoline crisis.  He mentioned that in the 1970’s it was a political problem (Arab Oil Embargo), but now it’s a production issue.  He said that he expects fuel costs to keep going up in the long term, but other than having his finance people looking at hybrids later this year, he didn’t offer a plan on how to deal with the high fuel costs.  Electrification isn’t part of the picture.

- Councilwoman O’Shaughnessy, who is clearly pushing a complete streets policy, really pressed Lhota on the future of COTA being a multi-modal system.  Lhota hemmed and hawed a bit, and responded that COTA is currently only focused on implementing the long range plan. This was part of it’s “promise to voters” in 2006, and it would be dishonest to voters to stray off that course at all (even though he offered a quote from the worst transportation planner in history — Eisenhower — which spoke of the worthlessness of planning).  To quell the Councilwoman’s desire for a multi-modal system, he offered that COTA will probably go back to the ballot box in 2014  because the current levy expires in 2016.  He said, “hopefully by that time, the voters trust us enough to offer a more comprehensive multi modal transit system”.

So it looks like more of the waiting game for a comprehensive multi-modal system.  I’m only 27, but it appears that I’ll be old and gray before we make some headway on this issue.  Until we get a new culture installed at COTA, I think that’s the hand we’re being dealt.  We should have a bus system that rivals Indianapolis’ for the next decade though.  So there’s your silver lining transit fans.

While the press release is dated June 20th, I just heard about it today (June 23rd).  However, I’m out of town so maybe this has already made the rounds.  Tuesday at 5 PM Councilmember O’Shaugnessy is holding a public service and transportation committee meeting.  Some highlights from the press release:

At 5:00 PM the committee will hear from Public Service Director Mark Kelsey and City Engineer Randy Bowman regarding changes to Columbus bicycle laws proposed in the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan.  

At 5:30 PM O’Shaughnessy will moderate a public forum led by Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) president and CEO Bill Lhota.  Lhota will discuss proposed service improvements, long range transit plans, and how streetcars and light rail fit into COTA’s future transit improvements.

Full press release (with not many more details) below the fold…

For Immediate Release              

June 20, 2008

Contacts:

John Ivanic, 645-6798

Lelia Cady, 645-8529

COUNCILMEMBER O’SHAUGHNESSY TO CONVENE PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING ON BICYCLE LAW AND COTA SERVICE PLANS

(COLUMBUS)—Columbus City Council member Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, chair of council’s public service and transportation committee, will be joined by committee members Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at 5:00 PM in City Council Chambers.

At 5:00 PM the committee will hear from Public Service Director Mark Kelsey and City Engineer Randy Bowman regarding changes to Columbus bicycle laws proposed in the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan.  

At 5:30 PM O’Shaughnessy will moderate a public forum led by Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) president and CEO Bill Lhota.  Lhota will discuss proposed service improvements, long range transit plans, and how streetcars and light rail fit into COTA’s future transit improvements.

Who:

Public Service and Transportation Committee Chair Maryellen O’Shaughnessy

Members of the Public Service and Transportation Committee

What:

Public Service and Transportation Committee Meeting

When:

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

5:00 PM

Where:

City Council Chambers

City Hall, 2^nd Floor

90 West Broad Street

Parking is free on City Hall surface lots after 5:00 PM

LeBron James’ King for Kids Bikeathon draws 2,000
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Stan Donaldson
Plain Dealer Reporter

…LeBron James invited several of his celebrity friends and NBA brethren to help raise money for the Akron YMCA, Akron Urban League and his own foundation that supports youth services, said Jakki Nance, executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation.

“This is a wonderful community event that promotes physical fitness and also honors children who are doing the things important to LeBron: academic achievement, trying their hardest and being community leaders,” Nance said.

The event was expected to raise $150,000, Nance said. State Farm Insurance, the main sponsor, gave away more than 400 Huffy bikes to Akron-area children. The children were selected to receive the bikes based on academic and physical fitness goals they met, Nance said.

James led more than 300 children who received the free bikes on a 1-mile ride through the city before the main ride, which was for eight or 16 miles, depending on how far participants wanted to pedal…

READ FULL ARTICLE

SEE EVENT WEBSITE, INCLUDING MAPS, PHOTOS, AND VIDEOS

So much about this story put a big smile on my face:

• 2,000 people biking safely around downtown Akron
• More than 400 free Huffy bikes for kids that met academic and physical fitness goals from State Farm Insurance
• More that 300 kids get to ride around with LeBron James before the official event
• Celebrities like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Troy Smith, and Kenny Lofton using their fame for a good cause

These kids will remember the chance to meet the celebrities for a long time. Hopefully they’ll keep biking for a long time too.

At least that’s what your friends at AutoZone want you to think…

Personally, I think that kid would have been smarter if he would have kept pedaling. That Torino probably gets 12 mpg, and he probably spent hundreds on repairs.

Decisions like that are gonna put you in the poor house, son.