This isn’t a complete blow by blow or all the agenda items, but here’s some highlights – Bus depot, route changes, Carl DuRocher, etc.
CARL DUROCHER
I walked in about 7 minutes late, Amanda White was in the chair (I don’t think she was yet elected, but I consider that a good sign! And, for what it is worth, she did a really good job throughout the meeting.) and Carl DuRocher was there to speak to items not on the agenda. I missed most of it, but he was gracious and shared all the credit he had gotten over the last few weeks as the Mayor booted him off the TPC. They will have an honoring resolution next month.
BUS DEPOTS
Former Alder Webber talked about problems at Memorial Union with the buses, including the ruts in the streets and asking why the bus companies don’t pay for the damage to the street and concerns about where they park and how hard it would be to get out of the
Some questions about the UW (Rob Kennedy) and their discussions with the bus companies. John Meyer, Badger Bus representative didn’t have much to say, but available to answer questions. Mike Timman? from Greyhound, says Mr. Meyer’s change in business will affect them alot, they will still facilities. They can do street corner operations but need to have other opportunities for those who are not internet savvy. Still need a facility. He asks for help to relocate to the best place and would like to locate with Metro, they can be rent paying tenants and will pay their fair share. VanGalder has a rep there too, no comment, no questions.
Susan DeVos spoke on behalf of MABAA. (Madison Area Bus Advocates) The official statement is here. They are urging delay of closing the Bus Depot.
Royce Williams also spoke for MABAA. He thinks that the real model we need to have is to have a multi-modal terminal and can’t believe that we would be without a innercity bus terminal. Worried that this is going to the plan commission on Monday.
Ed Blume from the Peak Oil group spoke, complete with visuals.
Tim Wong also spoke against – we need a replacement and the condo market isn’t really in need. Talked about experience riding bus and the small towns that have multi-modal stations. Wants city to take more interest in building a terminal. Says if high speed rail doesn’t come downtown, if it is at the airport, then the feds should pay for a train link to downtown and then get trains to run downtown from the airport. People who are most likely to not have own transportation will be downtown and we should have transit available to the train.
Keith Pollack gave his update on the bus depot, works for City Engineering. Thanked the bus companies for sending representatives from long ago. Framed issue as being about closing the bus depot and the parking lot at Memorial Union. But he says bigger issue in that the TPC sets the intercity bus stops. This body will have the oversight. Says the approved current routes are on a website. Has a handout. Also hands out ordinance that gives TPC oversight. Says bus stop at Memorial Union was operating at capacity, it can handle two buses but they looked after school was out. But it doesn’t look like it could handle additional buses.
Ken Streit asked what other cities were doing and if roadside pick ups were a trend. He said he’d have to look it up.
Gary Poulson asked how the routes were determined. Staff said that they would make a proposal.
Margaret Bergamini asked about staging issues. He said no discussions.
White explains it is just an update and they don’t need to take action.
BUS ROUTE PRESENTATION
I think they basically presented this information – the overall map and the route by route information. The presentation was quick, lots of info, lasted 15 minutes or so.
Explains trying to use buses on the street to help heavily traveled areas. Extra buses for 2, 14, 15 etc. Some 15 minutes services. Timing is based on counts of riders. Sounds like most of the extra service is going to Sheboygan Ave, UW Hospital, etc.
Route 28 has 7.5 minutes service and they shifted some of those buses to route 9. Extra morning and afternoon routes for Johnson St. Also extra routes on Jenifer St. Most of the east improvements are not during summer hours.
Route 10 is back during the day – same except bus doesn’t go to Union South, Mills St. instead. Should have buses every 15 minutes. Some confusion in the schedule but runs when 28/38 doesn’t run.
Route 18 between West and South transfer points and can’t get there in 25 minutes, so they cut the headway. This year, they added a bus and making connections at the south transfer point and at West there are more options.
Route 39 East to Dean Clinic/Dempsey. Adding trips.
Missed what he said about 34.
56 & 57 adding two trips in the morning to serve Toki Middle School and restores 57 routes lost last year.
Route 7 on weekends lost a few years ago, trying to get East to West transfer points in 41 minutes. Realigning the buses to have them be the first buses out, ahead of the pulse. They now have 45 – 47 minutes. Recovery time taken by changing route 68. 68 won’t lose service.
Fitchburg also got more service out to Star Cinema.
Dave Tolmie asked about services further West, so get paratransit services to various housing places. Colin says it would be expensive, has looked at it, but its not viable.
[This presentation was SERIOUSLY on an overhead projector. Seriously!! And he kept putting the overhead pages backwards. I suppose it worked, but wouldn’t a power point presentation have been better? Seems odd.]
BUS ROUTE PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Sharon Williams – you know, the bus driver lady that usually testifies. (THANK YOU!!!) Talks about recovery time and how bus drivers can’t use restrooms and get breaks. She says after 10 years, she expects to have a good run, but still waiting. Says drivers won’t call in sick if they have better runs and we’d save money. Says some drivers forced to speed or run lights to keep unrealistic schedules. Route 7, says if bus is late, how will they leave 3 minutes early if they. Says she’d rather have 17 than 18. Wants to get to Woodmans – from North to East. Wants 5 to go back to bottom of state to relieve 4. She has suggestions about 13 and how it could be improved, but I missed it. Also says she can’t do the 3 in 45 minutes and some people get stranded. She says what looks good on paper isn’t what happens in real life. Says she speaks for many drivers who are very frustrated.
Bergamini asks Williams what mechanism there is for drivers to have input. She says she’s never been asked. Would like a driver on the TPC. Says supervisors might ask. They just wait for the fall ride guide to find out if it works. There are some good changes (6 & 20), but still very stressed. Thinks system was better when she first started (10 years ago)
Tim Wong says renumber 7 to 3. Supports 10 coming back. Supports expansion of service all the time, Jenifer is served well, would be even more riders if had every 5 minute service. Asks where the money is coming from. Asks to work towards a free service, paid for by property tax. He says he thinks we can do it with a modest increase in property taxes. He thinks ridership would increase greatly.
Laurie Wermter – only there to speak about the 10. Very much in support! Also added that the old route 8 circulator was also very helpful on the Westside. Says it is a big need and would have the same affect as adding the 10.
West side resident who used Metro for 9 years and has had lots of contacts with Metro staff. Wants route 15 and 14 expanded. Says nearest stop is 1.5 miles and not easy to walk in winter and can bike to stop if necessary. Has one car and his wife drops him off. They finally bought a second car because the routes never expanded. Says if the buses were more convenient, they will ride the buses in his neighborhood. He drives to bus stop and then takes the bus in. He only has one bus and it only comes every half hour. He lives in Valley Ridge.
Andy Lindgren – in support, available to answer questions. Written comments, would like later bus to airport. Works at airport and last bus leaves at 10:40. Also if buses ran later in the evening it would reduce driving and driving.
DISCUSSION ON ROUTE CHANGES
Poulson asks if street construction is taken into consideration with the bus routes. Does he build in time? He says if the schedule gets too soft, people get upset about having to wait. Only factors it in with temporary changes.
Poulson also asks about drivers needs. Open door policy, but not active solicitation of their feedback, but says he probably should. He says he basically responds to complaints and good ideas.
Kamp says that they are trying to figure out a more formal process.
Streit asks about driver accidents and if time schedules were a contributing factor. They have a safety committee looking at it. Colin Conn says that if he hears complaints he can look at it, but he doesn’t know what is going on in the buss es. He says he tends to round up from .3 instead of .5 and tries to give them more info. She says that system was designed in 97 for 10M people, now 13M and some of the routes were gotten rid of to save money and it has a ripple affect. Says that there is a new attitude about fixing some of the problems in the system.
Susan Schmidt, says this is only her second meeting, but she asks if there is a wish list or priority list of what he wants? And asks how he gathers the info, not just ridership info but increasing service. He says through the feedback system.
Tolmie asks why East side gets more service and why West keeps losing service. Colin says he hears the same complaints from the East side. Reality is that everyone has lost service.
Tolmie asks about fare increases and how much money this is going to cost. Kamp says that these increases are covered for this year and when annualized, with the unlimited ride pass rates going up in 2010, they will be able to cover the costs.
Bergamini asks about cash revenues being down and several other questions about how this is going to be financed by the fare increases. Ridership up 2% in April, but it was spring break. He thinks that they will see an overall increase and is confident in their numbers. Kamp says that April isn’t a good indicator.
Tolmie asks if it would be better to postpone expansions until have solid numbers? Kamp says that yes, better information always better. However, delay in decision in the fares and yet commitment to implement services. He says that they can move forward, and if they delay they won’t be able to implement in August, and then it would be implemented in October, but that causes staffing issues. Kamp says there are some risks with the proposal, but some positives, State budget still has a 2% increase. In very difficult economic times, investments in public transit become more important.
Bergamini asks specific questions about a few routes on Old University and Johnson and Walter St. Colin also reiterates that this needs to get done for August and have a tight timeline.
White asks some questions on route 10. 4th most productive route, was the schedule similar to what is propsed today in regard to time of day. Says 3 & 4 just didn’t hold as many people who want to ride the bus, and says it is close to what was needed. Also asks about how changes will be communicated and marketed. Says after Colin is done, need 3 to 4 weeks to get guides done. Flyers on buses, text message (I think he said 1,000 people?), Twitter, ride updates, some ads on buses, also some trades in advertising with television stations etc.
No discussion at all, just voted. I belive it was unanimous.
PARATRANSIT FARES
Kamp says they are looking at it to figure out how it could be revenue neutral.
Poulson asks why went to dual fare structure to spread out the riders, not to make money. Anne Gullickson said that goal of discounted fare off-peak time was to shift riders who had choices. Did have some affect for cash payers. Two factors that led to less success was that many have agencies that pay their fares and many need to travel for work. Didn’t get the impact they really wanted.
I left after that . . . not much more of interest to me, routine items left.
