Fewer buses through WOTB?
Tipster Kristen sent us this plea to keep buses running through WOTB…
I wanted to bring your attention to the GRTC’s current plan to eliminate nine bus routes in the City of Richmond and surrounding counties by September purportedly due to low ridership. While I’m sure cancellation of any of the nine routes will cause hardship on many riders, I personally can speak to the hardship the cancellation of Westhampton 16 and the Main Street/Church Hill 13 will cause, not to mention GRTC’s absurd timing, in light of the pressing need for improved public transportation. The Westhampton/16 travels from University of Richmond, downtown, with most of its route on Grove and Hanover Avenues, and Franklin and Grace Streets. The Main Street/13 travels from Church Hill through downtown, out to River Road on Cary Street, and then back through Carytown on its way downtown. I have been riding both buses to and from work for the past four years and can assure you that ridership is up substantially in the recent months.
There is a public forum on the matter next Monday 7/28 Tuesday 7/29 at 6 pm. I don’t want this travesty to merely slip through the cracks without attention. I am trying to raise awareness amongst bus riders and local groups that may have interest.
Thank you for your time.
Kristen
After spending months looking for a new apartment based specifically on their proximity to these routes? This takes chutzpah. (Or maybe it just takes foolishness?)
It would be interesting to see GRTC’s ridership stats. If it’s true that ridership is bad and the buses aren’t paying for themselves, that’s the end of the story. Regardless of the perceived pressing need for public transportation, the bus line should go.
I don’t see anything in it for GRTC to cause a ruckus if the bus line is actually substantially used. Ridership might be up because of gas prices right now, but that doesn’t make ridership *good*, particularly if it was really depressed before this whole gas situation.
Correction, one of the sessions is July 28th on Monday, not the 29th on Tuesday (see GRTC notice).
http://www.ridegrtc.com/documents/Route%20Elimination%20Public%20Meeting%20Notice.pdf
Here is the actual notice from the website.
I for one ride the 16 line literally everyday – with 20+ other riders – and have been using that, the 13 and 6 for over four years. I’ve spoken to drivers before about the line. Less than half of the GRTC’s budget is covered by bus fares. This isn’t a money making venture here, never was. To argue that it’s unprofitable is a bit moot. They’ve tried increasing the fare before but got a lot of push back. Maybe people would be ready for it now? We got rid of one of our cars because of the 16. I would be more than happy to pay more fare than buy another effing car.
I ride rt 13 when it rains and I can’t take the bike.
The other thing is, their comprehensive plan started probably about almost two years ago, before gas prices spiked.
But they got to do something; GRTC is pressured from so many sides: Chesterfield doesn’t give them a farthing; fuel costs are on the rise; people who choose to ride the bus are looked upon as impoverished or unwashed –never thrifty and environmentally conscious, and general consensus–by those who don’t use transit and fear catching coodies — that transit ought not receive subsidy for operation, yet roads and highways require constant spending for maintenance and improvements.
This is the same kind of thinking that allowed our trolley system to first, deteriorate, and second get ripped up, paved over and burnt up in 1949, due to pressure by Goodrich Tire and Rubber and General Motors on all municipal transit systems. They formed a dummy corporation that bought up rail transit in various cities and dismantled it. They were successfully sued for monopoly in the Illinois Federal court, but, too late to do any good.
Problem in Richmond was, way back, the city allowed outsiders to own the system while Virginia Power supplied the juice. In Europe, municipalities retained ownership of their lines.
If this was a just world, the Richmond trolley system–the first in the nation and one of the first in the world–would be celebrating its 120th year in 2008.
Interesting context Harry.
I’ve heard that rapid-transit buses are in the works for Richmond – ones with a dedicated lane and can synchronize stoplights – which seems far superior than street cars.
Sam: You’re right, GRTC is considering BRT on certain lines — one even going to Short Pump. In cities where this has been tried, BRT is often a precursor to fixed rail transit.