Saturday, March 7, 2009

Missed opportunities

So, due to my hedonistic automotive ways (the ONE time I go driving...) I got a ticket last August. After an agonizing court process that ended in what can only be called a mockery of justice, I'm stuck doing community service to pay off the ticket that I can't afford. Consequently, I'll be spending my next 6 Saturdays at an anonymous location in the Hunter Industrial Park area and, since today was the first day, I decided to look in to my travel options.

The answer? Eh... nothing. There is no service in that employment center until after 8 am... you know, the time that jobs generally start? The two routes that serve the area, routes 13 and 25, roll through for the first time at 8:12 and 8:10 respectively. And don't tell me shift workers don't go in on Saturday... this is the new, cash-strapped American economy, with shiny new schedules to go with it. In my previous life as an oppressed industrial worker, I worked Tuesday-Saturday.

Ya see, RTA? This is (just one of many reasons) why people don't ride the bus. It doesn't take them to where they want to go, when they want to go there. And this is a pretty simple one, too... if you have a big concentration of jobs in your city, make sure the buses get there BEFORE 8 in the morning.

We can talk about nightlife later.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hope you don't mind, I will be posting your text and a link to your site on Inland Empire Craigslist in the Politics Classified ads http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pol/ and also in Craigslist transit discussion forum.

You are doing the citizens of Riverside a great service, and I hope to encourage more to visit and put comments on your blog about transit issues and about Saving Riverside Greyhound.

It seems like Riverside City Council persons, at least those in the even wards, are hoping to be reelected before Greyhound leaves town on the current vacate the downtown Riverside location on June 30, 2009.

At least one Council member says there is action behind the scenes related to saving Riverside Greyhound, but sorry I cannot believe it if they are not talking about it.

The upcoming Riverside City Council Transportation agenda for Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. in the Mayor's Ceremonial Conference Room on the 7th floor of Riverside City Hall, located at 3900 Main Street at 10th Street near Market in Riverside, does not include any agenda item for Greyhound, but citizens can comment on Greyhound during public comments, and also could comment on the need for night time service on RTA. I myself would use RTA if it was reliable and you could get a bus home.

Currently I believe the RTA service may still be lacking for citizens to reach City Council meetings and to also return home. Some citizens stopped going because they could not get home because buses did not run late. Food for thought.

Those special buses even with reservations, sometimes lack the capacity to pick folks up as well. I was surprised to hear that during a meeting of the Disability Commission at Riverside City Hall

Anonymous said...

This is the link to the Inland Empire Craigslist post.

This post will expire and will not be accessible 30 days after posted.

Anonymous said...

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pol/1073637998.html

Well now you have the link