tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4840511756286055487.post4400663557923613029..comments2024-03-27T20:04:53.585-06:00Comments on Illinois Transportation Issues: "I Have No Damn Idea"Tom Bamontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08257129333713108323noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4840511756286055487.post-60180614472243624732007-06-11T12:10:00.000-06:002007-06-11T12:10:00.000-06:00Thank you, 11:29, for parroting the MBC line. That...Thank you, 11:29, for parroting the MBC line. That apparently wasn't the case on Harlem Avenue. Also, I know from personal experience that overlapping service resulted in worse service on outlying areas of a route. As part of the North Shore restructuring, Pace eliminated route 212, because CTA instituted competing service on the segment from Evanston to Old Orchard via route 205. As a result, the outlying portion (from Old Orchard to Northbrook Court) was made part of route 422, resulting in a 15 minute longer ride for riders in the outlying area to connect to the Purple Line (or another transfer, and assuming that CTA wants that business, which it doesn't appear to). Now it is just easier to take Metra and walk to a destination in the Loop (a result that will become necessary for most Metra commuters if CTA eliminates the station express buses, because they don't run on Sunday).<BR/><BR/>This is just one example why the regional planning element of SB 572 is essential. Why allow this type of competition, Pace's reaction to it by rerouting service, and then CTA's Doomsday threat to remove the competition by eliminating all local bus service in Evanston? None of this makes sense, but is fostered by the kind of thinking reflected in MBC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4840511756286055487.post-55123843657873930852007-06-11T11:29:00.000-06:002007-06-11T11:29:00.000-06:00Oerlapping/duplicate service is a specious issue, ...Oerlapping/duplicate service is a specious issue, good for politians who want to hammer transit agencies. Overlapping service is not necessarily duplicate service. Rather, overlapping service may serve different functions and/or travel markets - local versus long distance travel for example. Overlapping service can also be an effective way to increase overall service levels in critical high density travel corridors to the benefit of customers who can then catch the first bus to arrive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4840511756286055487.post-2353292706512908312007-06-11T11:26:00.000-06:002007-06-11T11:26:00.000-06:00Regarding the RTA amendments to SB 572, what happe...Regarding the RTA amendments to SB 572, what happened to all of the governance reforms? Changes to RTA Board composition/representation are conspicously absent from SB 572. And were are all of the good government groups - MPC, Metropolis 2020, etc. SOld out for more money for transit that's where.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4840511756286055487.post-59814397445733966182007-06-10T10:20:00.000-06:002007-06-10T10:20:00.000-06:00I would want to see Huberman's initiatives in elim...I would want to see Huberman's initiatives in eliminating overlap with Pace first. I would not make the leap you did to one bus company until the bus board were restructured. (There is no justification for Daley's puppets on the CTA Board running suburban bus, since they have proven they don't care about it, by making CTA suburban routes the first thing cut in any Doomsday plan, and adding the Skokie Swift this time).<BR/><BR/>Also, one must note that in such plans as the South Cook-Will Restructuring, Pace has shown an intention to move to a more community-based system, with proposed Dial-A-Ride programs, flex routes, and the like. While I don't know whether that is pie in the sky, I am sure that a CTA Board running a 6 county bus service would have no interest in it. I am also sure that CTA would have no interest in the Pace Vanpool program, which, according to the Tribune and the Pace budget, actually makes money while making some contribution to reducing congestion.<BR/><BR/>One might ask whether an MTA model, with the MTA board itself running separate bus, rapid transit, commuter rail (and in its case, bridge and tunnel) subsidiaries would work here. However, since there is no political consensus on the proposals to restructure the RTA and CTA boards (let alone merge Pace with something else), I don't see that happening.<BR/><BR/>In this case, it seems like Huberman is saying the right things, something <A HREF="http://sicktransitchicago.blogspot.com/2007/06/hubermanreilly-what-were-they-thinking.html" REL="nofollow">you accused him of not doing a couple of days ago</A>. As for Reilly, he should have realized a long time ago that the <A HREF="http://movingbeyondcongestion.org/downloads/MBC_FINAL_REPORT.pdf" REL="nofollow">Moving Beyond Congestion</A> plan was dead, at least from when the Auditor General's report came out (if it ever had any traction). The AG set the agenda, not the contrary portions of MBC, such as: "There are a number of corridors in the region where there appears to be service overlap but, in many cases, the services are serving different markets. ... Services in these shared corridors are usually designed to address multiple transit markets and improve the overall level of service, rather than simply compete for the same customers." (page 25) Nobody buys that now (according to you, not even Ron).<BR/><BR/>Finally, with regard to capital, the legislature's position has always been that a capital bill is a separate issue that also needs to be done, in conjunction with school and highway construction.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4840511756286055487.post-59957890647674621272007-06-10T08:19:00.000-06:002007-06-10T08:19:00.000-06:00Pace's operating deficit jumped up dramatically wh...Pace's operating deficit jumped up dramatically when they were "induced" into taking on CTA's paratransit service--a slick move--tailor made for the AG's windshield appraisal cum audit.<BR/><BR/>At any rate, if there is no "damn idea" at this point, why don't they ask Ice Miller Bob for some.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4840511756286055487.post-71053218795600253392007-06-10T07:08:00.000-06:002007-06-10T07:08:00.000-06:00It's good to read that Huberman was discussing reg...It's good to read that Huberman was discussing regionalism. And that Reilly pointed out that PACE's operating deficit percentage is higher than the CTA. From my understanding, the CTA operating deficit is 3.8% of their total operating budget, while PACE's operating deficit is 19.1% of their total operating budget.<BR/><BR/>I'm also delighted to read that the CTA is looking to address the duplicity in bus services in suburban Cook. The auditor general's report pointed this out, but it wasn't discussed in the Audit Commission and Mass Transit committee hearing a few months ago. If we are truly moving beyond congestion, the duplicity in services needs to be addressed, since it doesn't make any sense to have multiple buses serving the same street!Moderatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17530839976396310808noreply@blogger.com