Thank you to WOIO for this listing--please mark your calendars to attend at least one of these hearings or email at public-comment [at] gcrta [dot] org.
Yesterday, on my way to the market, I saw a 79 bus posting an unusual message...the screen flashed EMERGENCY...DIAL 911. I happened to have my cell phone (a rarity), so I called in the emergency and was immediately patched to GCRTA police. It seems that that operators have a panic button they can push in the event of emergencies.
As I was not on the bus flashing the emergency message, I can only speculate the cause of the emergency, but later in the day...when I did ride the bus, I noticed that patrons are making a statement to RTA management. This is a civil rights issue. There are crazy-ass ticket machines that don't work, fare cards that don't work and Gestapo riding the trains to harass certain people, but not others. Second-class bus riders are crammed in on some routes like cattle, while the emphasis has been to direct service to the mostly suburban trains.
I watched several people deposit invalid old transfers, or deposit a bit of change for the disability fare (upon which the machine alerts the operator to check RTA disability pass)--the driver just kept driving.
Do I blame him/or her? Is it worth the hassle, especially as RTA wants to demonize the union employees for not making concessions? Who wants to press the panic button?
Someone relayed a tale of woe to me this week: a person who had an appointment at the Free Clinic took the RTA "Health Line", on the Euclid corridor, to his appointment, and was found without his ticket on the bus. The RTA police cited him, and now the poor guy has an appointment in Municipal Court on Christmas Eve at 8:30 AM. The fine is $195.
When I saw a man hauled off the train one Saturday, I should have offered to go, too. I need the courage to stop this. How many of us will let ourselves be arrested to protest? This has to stop.
The following public hearings have been scheduled to receive input regarding RTA's proposed 2010 Fare & Service Changes. If you are unable to attend any of the hearings, written comments may also be e-mailed to%20public-comment [at] gcrta [dot] org. You can also send your comments to RTA, Marketing and Communications Dept., 1240 W. 6th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113. Comments on the fare and service proposal will be accepted until January 21, 2010.
Date: Monday, Jan. 4
Time: 12:00 noon - 2:00pm
Location: Cleveland Public Library Auditorium, 325 Superior Avenue
Date: Monday, Jan. 4
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: East Mt. Zion Baptist Church Conference Ctr., 9990 Euclid Avenue
Date: Monday, Jan. 4
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: La Sagrada Familia Gymnasium, 7719 Detroit Avenue
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 5
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Euclid Public Library, 631 E 222 St
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 5
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Lakewood United Methodist Church, Daniel Hall, 15700 Detroit Avenue
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 6
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Cleveland Heights Community Center, One Monticello Blvd.
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 6
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Parma Memorial Hall, 6617 Ridge Road
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Time: 9:00am - 11:00am
Location: RTA Board Room, 1240 W 6 St.
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Maple Heights Library, 5225 Library Lane
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Fairview Park City Hall, 20777 Lorain Road
** People who register at the meeting, prior to the ending time, will be allowed to speak**
I am commenting as a resident of Cleveland and long-time commuter and rider of public transit. I regularly use routes 20, 35, 51 and 79 and the Red Line.
Service on these primary routes needs increased service--not a service reduction. All of these routes are regularly over-crowded and, at most times of the day, they are inhumanely crowded.
I do note that most of RTA's proposed route changes largely affect suburban riders more than residents living in the city, but I am protesting ANY service cuts that would affect ANY employee's ability to reach their employer. Has RTA addressed this question?
Also, given stimulus funding recently allocated to RTA and the gross expenditure of funding towards suspect contracts (i.e. malfunctioning fare machines along Healthline), high administrative staff salaries, and the ability to run some services without fares (smile trolleys)--I believe that GCRTA still has much room to reduce costs without passing along the pain to employers, residents and riders.
I would like to see evidence that GCRTA has addressed all efficiency shortfalls, before the implementation of this latest service cut.
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Dial 9-1-1
Yesterday, on my way to the market, I saw a 79 bus posting an unusual message...the screen flashed EMERGENCY...DIAL 911. I happened to have my cell phone (a rarity), so I called in the emergency and was immediately patched to GCRTA police. It seems that that operators have a panic button they can push in the event of emergencies.
As I was not on the bus flashing the emergency message, I can only speculate the cause of the emergency, but later in the day...when I did ride the bus, I noticed that patrons are making a statement to RTA management. This is a civil rights issue. There are crazy-ass ticket machines that don't work, fare cards that don't work and Gestapo riding the trains to harass certain people, but not others. Second-class bus riders are crammed in on some routes like cattle, while the emphasis has been to direct service to the mostly suburban trains.
So, people are just not paying their fares.
I watched several people deposit invalid old transfers, or deposit a bit of change for the disability fare (upon which the machine alerts the operator to check RTA disability pass)--the driver just kept driving.
Do I blame him/or her? Is it worth the hassle, especially as RTA wants to demonize the union employees for not making concessions? Who wants to press the panic button?
All aboard!
RTA Gestapo, muny court, Christmas Eve
Someone relayed a tale of woe to me this week: a person who had an appointment at the Free Clinic took the RTA "Health Line", on the Euclid corridor, to his appointment, and was found without his ticket on the bus. The RTA police cited him, and now the poor guy has an appointment in Municipal Court on Christmas Eve at 8:30 AM. The fine is $195.
BUS Boycott of 2010
When I saw a man hauled off the train one Saturday, I should have offered to go, too. I need the courage to stop this. How many of us will let ourselves be arrested to protest? This has to stop.
We must also protest the garbage tax that will affect all of us living in the City of Cleveland.
Some REALNEO members have already faced court dates, imposed fines and possible jail time. JeffB--we need to talk.
--Tell me what you would make of this sign, if you could not read English (or even if you can read English...)
RTA public hearing
Public Hearings
The following public hearings have been scheduled to receive input regarding RTA's proposed 2010 Fare & Service Changes. If you are unable to attend any of the hearings, written comments may also be e-mailed to%20public-comment [at] gcrta [dot] org. You can also send your comments to RTA, Marketing and Communications Dept., 1240 W. 6th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113. Comments on the fare and service proposal will be accepted until January 21, 2010.
Date: Monday, Jan. 4
Time: 12:00 noon - 2:00pm
Location: Cleveland Public Library Auditorium, 325 Superior Avenue
Date: Monday, Jan. 4
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: East Mt. Zion Baptist Church Conference Ctr., 9990 Euclid Avenue
Date: Monday, Jan. 4
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: La Sagrada Familia Gymnasium, 7719 Detroit Avenue
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 5
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Euclid Public Library, 631 E 222 St
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 5
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Lakewood United Methodist Church, Daniel Hall, 15700 Detroit Avenue
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 6
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Cleveland Heights Community Center, One Monticello Blvd.
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 6
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Parma Memorial Hall, 6617 Ridge Road
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Time: 9:00am - 11:00am
Location: RTA Board Room, 1240 W 6 St.
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Maple Heights Library, 5225 Library Lane
Date: Thursday, Jan. 7
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Fairview Park City Hall, 20777 Lorain Road
** People who register at the meeting, prior to the ending time, will be allowed to speak**
My comments to RTA--feel free to lift