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Rob Pitingolo · Put a Nail in RTA’s Coffin
November 17th, 2009
As if the last few rounds of fare hikes and service cuts haven’t already crushed RTA and its riders, the proposed round of service cuts for next April will be absolutely devastating.
It’s not just that some routes are being eliminated or cutback and frequency again reduced. If you look at the anticipated service changes, one key component is that several routes that currently serve as direct links to downtown will become feeder routes for rapid stations. This might be more acceptable in a world in which Cleveland had excellent rapid transit coverage with very frequent headways, but we don’t. This means that what is, for many, a one-seat ride downtown will become a two-seat ride, even during rush-hour. Further, because of the way our rail-system was developed more than a half-century ago, we have a single rapid station serving the entire downtown area (the proposed cuts will finally kill the Waterfront line). If you need to get to CSU?.. Or the Warehouse District?.. Tack on another bus ride or a nice walk.
Both service cuts and rate hikes have been detrimental to RTA’s ridership, and it’s a big reason why we got into this death spiral in the first place. Remember, in fact, that the original “fuel surcharge” was spun by RTA as a temporary solution to high fuel prices, according to this PD article from October, 2008:
RTA officials call the increases a fuel surcharge, imposed because of the rising cost of diesel. These higher fares are expected to continue until September 2009. The surcharge could be eliminated if the cost of diesel drops below $3 a gallon or if additional state money is provided. However, it could go up if fuel costs keep rising.
Diesel prices have been under $3 per gallon since about mid-November 2008.
Every quote from Joe Calabrese seems to emphasis the fact that the agency’s hands are tied, and that cuts and hikes are the only possible means of balancing the budget. We shouldn’t accept this at face value.
Last week I asked why RTA can’t move to a tiered system of fare pricing. Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and numerous other agencies across the country already use it. Do we have anyone who can put together a fancy financing deal to buy the agency some time, like they’re doing in Chicago? A year or two might be enough time to divert some of the expected casino windfall over to transit service. Even if we can eventually establish a better source of funding or pry some cash from the statehouse, re-expanding service will be difficult to justify because ridership will experience another negative shock and many will ask why we ought to provide funding for a service that nobody uses anymore (many are already asking this question).
If you never use RTA and you’re still reading, you might be thinking, who cares?.. why should I care? Consider these two facts: first, strong cities have strong transit systems. Even under-the-radar cities like Dallas and Houston are fast on pace to have more comprehensive and useful transit service than Cleveland. And second, think about cities you’d like to visit; when you’re there, it’s likely you’ll use public transit to get around. Ed made a great point along these lines on a recent trip to Barcelona. Transit service doesn’t directly impact every person in Cleveland, but it is an integral part of any city.
Last 5 posts by Rob Pitingolo
- The Cleveland International Film Festival: Thinking Ahead - March 29th, 2010
- Omitted Variable Bias - February 18th, 2010
- Deciphering Another Nonsense Forbes List - February 10th, 2010
- A Downtown Cleveland Fantasy - December 23rd, 2009
- Modeling RTA Ridership - October 18th, 2009
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:08 am
Thank you–Rob. You have a new fan. Well done work here.
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Enjoy the RIDE!
November 24th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Less is better, busses are by no means efficient they gobble fuel.
Attempting to satisfy everyone with the current system will bring about a world of pain, the system; the network needs to be built then people need to be encouraged to move onto it.
The rail does need a comprehensive review and that simply is not happening, it all exists in tight little box.
The girls do not talk; RTA does not talk with RITA, if they did then every one of us could be a line; a defined line from employer tax ID (point A) to employee parcel number (point B). Then that number would function as a demand determinate as well; allowing us to define a list parcels we can afford. The employer ID is a parcel number as well and our income is a determinate of what the other end node can be. The shorter the distance between them the lower the cost of living as a function, defined as a mathematical value.
The cost of traversing that line, the affordability is a function of one node (were we are employed and what we earn) and that defines the ability to attain the other end node (were we can afford to live).
That defines the component variables in a pretty basic optimization model. It takes the cost of living and transportation needs and the relativity of it all, it defines it as a function.
It all requires process review, then in that it reveals the need for linked relational data sets. In data it is best to have categories as sorting levels. That’s about splitting it in to section that are more easily and clearly addressed. Districts as in subsets of the whole, then metric that are valued within a district and then compared across those separated districts.
Then RITA can say here are your rates, within one of my districts. If both nodes (were you live and were you work) are in the same district then the cost of traversing the line (getting around) falls. That because it is a short distance, if individuals and commerce cluster on nodes then greater efficiency is attained (you need less routes) If rates are less for those that have both nodes within one district then it is then advantageous for them to do that. When the work district is the same as residence district; the tax rates should be less.
Define the districts, then define rail within each holistically. Not just commuter, commercial as well. These are related as commerce and people are related, were you work were you live and the goods and people moving about.
The rail occupies land, it cuts through in continuous line, they need to be optimized the use of the land the sue and functions as to how it all relates. Within a district, the total costs of managing and operating a systems to meet the needs of people with ideals.
December 11th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Amtrak runs a red eye out of Cleveland, it stops at Sandusky and then Toledo.
Thinks about that; think about that as a tourist. Each city is building a casino and in between are islands and a very well known amusement park.
Toledo/Lucas County is also building a maritime cruise terminal, Cleveland and Sandusky should build one as well.
The Mall C location could be a rail hub and connected to the convention center. A station for GCRTA and also Amtrak and also the Cuyahoga Valley Rail line.
Amtrak does not have a day train running to and from Toledo to Cleveland, nor do we have a cruise line traversing the western shore….but we could.
Searching Cruise ships for sale or even locomotives for sale….you can see that transport can be offered that is not high speed. It could be tourism oriented and perhaps the Amtrak track could be integrated into a short run commuter line serving the western suburbs?
The location is actually ideal for a second hub, the convention center should be integrated with that hub, its a loop. It would be more cost effective than attempting to integrate any new rail into Tower city, which is already linked.
The waterfront line could be extended west and east as well, linking and defining nodes on a line. That’s efficient and could also be very entertaining and present desirable alternatives to many.