Greyhound suggestions

http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/localviews/stories/PE_OpEd_Opinion_S_op_murrell_11_loc.3ba130b.html

A local resident shares some suggestions for keeping the Greyhound running in Riverside, though I'm not sure what our options are at this late in the game.

A minor correction though, Mr. Murrel. I like all of your suggestions, but to say that Greyhound shares space with Victorville's public transportation is misleading. The "Victor Valley Transportation Center", which houses the Victorville Greyhound and Amtrak station, is served by only two VVTA routes, with the system's primary transfer point a much-less-attractive bus shelter at 7th and Lorene a few miles south. (I've spent quite a bit of time on VVTA.) Also, the Greyhound station IS within Victorville's city limits, so I'm not entirely sure why you thought otherwise. But overall, a well-thought-out and well-written article that will undoubtedly go ignored by the City. Thank you.

Why I Ride, Part 2- It's Not Easy Being Green

Part two to my slow-news-day series, "Why I Ride". Part 1 available here.

The people reading this blog are likely to be American liberals (not necessarily Americans, but liberals in the American sense rather than the classical one), though I welcome all types here. I, as I state in my profile, am a proud liberal. Anyone who's been on the left-hand side of Western politics has heard a thing or two about global climate change. It is real, it is happening, and we need to do something about it NOW. Most respectable scientists claim that it's not really a matter of IF climate change is happening, but rather of HOW MUCH will happen, and that depends entirely on us. While there are serious structural changes that need to be made in our society before we can truly claim that our economy is sustainable, there are a few things that can be done about the impending global calamity individually and immediately.

One of those is riding the bus.

First of all, public transit is more efficient. Think about how much metal is in your car. Even if you drive a small vehicle, you're probably moving a ton or two of metal for every hundred pounds of person when you drive alone. Filling your car to capacity helps this, but even a 5-person two-ton car doesn't compare to a fully loaded transit bus, with 80 or so souls crammed into it. Add in the fact that RTA has a fully CNG-powered fleet, excepting the cutaway vans, and you can see that operating a bus is better for the environment than driving a car.

Second, the buses will run anyway, whether you're on them or not. The incremental environmental cost of carrying your particular behind is next to nothing when compared to the cost of moving the bus itself. Since the bus is already moving, emitting the pollutants that it does (because they're not completely clean), it makes more sense to fully utilize the capacity of that vehicle, rather than adding another vehicle, with it's own pollutants, to the road.

Third, public transit is more easily converted to alternative fuels than the private vehicle fleet. San Francisco's Muni, as well as Vancouver's TransLink, King County Metro in Seattle and the MBTA in Boston, use electrically-powered trolley buses for their more popular routes. In the cases of San Francisco and Vancouver, this electricity comes primarily from large hydroelectric generating stations, which have their own problems but nevertheless are a renewable source of energy. (I'm not saying Boston's power doesn't, but I don't know.) Nearly every large urban transit agency has some experience with running electrically-powered rail vehicles, be they light rail (like Metro's Blue and Gold lines and Muni's Metro lines), mid-capacity rail (like Vancouver's SkyTrain), or heavy rail (like BART and the Metro Red Line). Contrast this with efforts at getting consumers to convert to electric cars, and you can see how it'd be easier to convert a heavily-used transit system to green power. (And don't talk to me about hybrid cars. Even plug-in hybrids are a stop-gap measure at best. They're more a response to high fuel prices than to green issues.)

In the coming years we will all be called to make changes in our lives to ensure that our civilization may live. Start now, and ride the bus.

A brave, new world!

Well, the new Ride Guide is effective today. Actually, it was effective yesterday. RIP route 39, and Saturday and Sunday service all over the place. Welcome to the "economic downturn" folks. Our near-sighted funding priorities have essentially dried up all the money for bus service. Either the Obama administration steps up to the plate and actually takes public transit funding seriously (as the federal government currently spends $0 for transit operations), or it's going to get worse before it gets better.

The Transit Rider's Toolbox

In a perfect world, you could just walk to the nearest RTA "The Bus Stops Here" sign, hop on the next bus, and go hassle-free anywhere in the IE. This is not a perfect world. Therefore, I decided to write this post on what you need to have a satisfying public transit experience out here in the suburbs.

This post is not intended for long-suffering transit riders. You guys already know. This post is intended for new converts to less-car or car-free living, for whatever reason, be it the expansion of UPass, the roller coaster that is gas prices, a new eco-consciousness, or perhaps their recent employment (or lack thereof). The right preparation goes a long way towards having an enjoyable ride.

So, on to what you ought to bring along. First thing's first:

1. A good, sturdy bag.
   To be honest, this one is very much an individual decision. I prefer messenger bags myself, for their simplicity and utility. My wife has a backpack that works well for her. However, I'd say that SOME sort of container is important for you to bring along. Riding the bus, you don't have a trunk or back seat that you can simply throw things in. If you can afford it, invest in a bag that will take a little abuse. (I did the $30 Wally World bag thing... they break after a few months.) Ladies- maybe you can get away with just a purse. Business folk, maybe you need something that looks a bit more professional than what I'd carry as a college student. But the point stands, that you ought to have something to put all the other somethings in.


2. Schedules
   Personally, I like to carry a copy of the schedule for all the transit agencies that serve the area. This affords me a level of spontaneity that I feel is crucial to life. If I need to suddenly rush off to Hemet, LA, San Francisco or Chicago, I have the requisite information in my bag. You therefore want to carry:
   The RTA Ride Guide. (Mandatory. Get it on board, at pass outlets, around the UCR campus or at the RTA headquarters.)
   Metrolink's combined schedule brochure. This is a nifty little brochure, it's about half the size of their normal schedules, and it has every Metrolink line within its tiny covers. (On board, at either Metrolink station, or at UCR's Transportation and Parking Services office.
   And either:
   The Amtrak California timetable. This has times for all Amtrak trains in California, is small, easy to carry, and informative. (Any staffed Amtrak station. LA Union, Fullerton, or Anaheim come to mind. You're also supposed to be able to have one sent to you via mail, by requesting it on their web site. Mine never showed up.)
   Or:
   The Amtrak System timetable. This has times for ALL Amtrak trains. Period. It is a magazine-like 100 or so pages, and is slightly harder to use, but the sheer weight of information make it worth considering. (Request it online via their contact form here.)
   And, if your travels take you north, the Omnitrans Bus Book. This one's a big one, so I'd only suggest getting it if you need it. Otherwise, just printing out the schedule for route 215 should be enough, as you can figure out the rest once you're on said route. (On board Omnitrans buses, one of which stops at the Downtown Terminal.)
   With all of the above schedules, you'll have information on all the transit providers that serve Riverside, allowing you all the spontaneity that public transit affords.


3. A good book.
   Good, in this case, refers not only to the book itself but to the form factor. College students, the bus is a good time to get some extra studying in. Everyone else, if you find you don't have time to read... if you ride the bus, now you do. The best thing you can do for bus reading is get a paperback, preferably smaller than 4 or 5 inches wide. You can, of course, read what you want, but that form factor is probably the best for both carrying in your bag all day, and for keeping in your space on a crowded bus. Again to students, if you have a course that requires reading any classics (Shakespeare, Plato, any older literature, classics in the field like Hobbes and Locke for poli-sci), you can probably get a svelte paperback edition of these. Keep an eye out.


4. Cell phone, with appropriate phone numbers.
   This is useful in two ways. One, the obvious, is that you can call transit companies for information, and taxi companies and friends to bail you out if the need arises. I'll provide phone numbers. But the second is something that's helpful and that you might not have thought of. While waiting at a dark bus stop at night, it's sometimes difficult for the driver to see you, and that is NOT the time you want to be passed by. Turning on your cell phone screen and waving the bus down with it in your hand is a sure-fire way of getting the driver's attention, and therefore getting you on the bus instead of waiting in the cold another hour. Anyway, on to phone numbers. Most of these are in the schedule books, but if you've forgotten your schedule books it's good to have them programmed into your phone.
   RTA- 951-565-5002
   Metrolink- 1-800-371-LINK (5465)
   Omnitrans- 1-800-966-6428
   Amtrak- 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245)
   511-  Provides transit information for all operators in the Greater LA Area.
   For when things don't go as planned:
   Yellow Cab (800) 829-4222
   AA Inland Empire Cab (888) 333-8294
   And BTW, your cell phone 911 dials out to CHP, which may not be who you want to call in most cases. For emergency response:
   Riverside PD/FD (951) 787-7911
   UCR PD (951) 827-5222


5. Portable audio player
   I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, I think our society is isolated enough, and I think the constant plugging of earbuds in to your ears diminishes the likelihood of meeting interesting people. On the other hand, there have been people on the bus that I have no interest in meeting. Headphones are a clear "Don't bother me" signal. Plus, you can rock out. So, if either of those sounds appealing, bring your iPod or non-Apple-trademarked music delivery device.


6. Bus Pass
   Sounds kind of obvious, but I suggest getting a bus pass if at all possible, and carrying it with you always. (UCR, RCC, La Sierra U students, you already have one.) Even if you're not using the system very often, get a Ten Tripper pass. This frees you from the need to carry exact change, speeds up boarding, and allows you flexibility. For example, say you were going to ride the 16 downtown to catch the 1 to a point just south of Tyler Mall. Your friend is driving you home. You bring $2.50 accordingly. When riding the 16 and flipping through the bus book, you notice that you could connect to the 149 Express and catch the 1 at Tyler Mall, saving you time but costing you another $1.25. You don't have $1.25, so you end up sitting on the #1 for an hour you didn't have to. If you had a bus pass, you would be flexible enough to take the alternate route.
   Unlimited passes also have the advantage of allowing you to take any bus, for any length of time, for any reason. If you're walking down a street for a couple of blocks, and you see a bus coming your way, you can jump on and ride it two blocks. Probably not something you'd spend money on, but not a problem with a bus pass. So I HIGHLY recommend getting a pass if it makes sense at all.


7. Patience
   Facts of life: The bus is not faster than driving. The train is only faster than driving during rush hour. Sometimes you get stuck at a railroad crossing and miss your transfer. Sh!t happens. It doesn't happen all that often, but when it does, be patient and reasonable. Check your schedule book for alternate routes. Enjoy a little more time to read/listen to your music. Accept that it's no more in your control than traffic is, and nothing is really that important. Keeping this in mind will make your ride more enjoyable than anything else on this list, so just relax.

A little preparation, a little patience, and a little luck will lead you to a good experience riding the RTA.

Welcome aboard, La Sierra!

La Sierra University students can now (as I previously reported) use their student ID cards as a free bus pass on all RTA buses. They join RCC and UCR students in the RTA's UPass program, which is modeled on successful similar programs all over the country and globe. I think this is an excellent thing, that focuses on two social problems at once. First off, it provides access to college in a way that's affordable. I spend enough on books and tuition every quarter to have to toss in gas and a parking permit, so having a free bus ride to school just plain makes things easier. Making college more affordable ought to be on everyone's mind (though I think the RCC program does this better than the one at the expensive, private La Sierra U, but I digress).

Second, and more importantly, these programs make a significant investment in the future of transit. They get young people (many of whom have never been on a bus- trust me, I see them everyday) out of their cars and used to using timetables, bus passes, stops and the yellow strip of tape between the window to make the bell ring. They get used to making transfers, scheduling their trips, and the whole way that public transit actually works. Sure, most of them probably won't end up being riders for life, but many of them just might. UPass is training the next generation of bus riders, so the more UPass there is, the better.

Intermodal... what's that?

Another story in the local paper about bus service. Great headline: "Agency to add six bus stations"... sounds fantastic, eh? Always nice to get a transit center. But wait! There's always trouble lurking beneath the service.

Remember how RTA was going to move the downtown terminal to the Metrolink station in 2009? Yeah. That's not happening. So says RCTC. In a cost-cutting measure, RTA and RCTC decided that it would be better to simply refurbish the existing bus station on Fairmont. I'm curious as to what refurbishment the DT can handle. There's already not enough capacity there, which is visible every time two #1's pull up to one bus bay. There's no available space for parking or more bus bays, unless the city plans on giving up their parking lot next door. Express buses already park on the street, and that option is purely untenable with the planned 212 and 214 routes. Five buses parked on Fairmont Ave. is bad enough. I'm not looking forward to seven. Plus, there are no facilities at the downtown terminal, as anyone who has ever had to pee while waiting for a transfer knows. Oh, and the removal of Greyhound will make the Fairmont location completely disconnected from... anything else.

RTA, I'll give you a chance. If it really will keep the cost down, and you really put some work into that terminal... like tearing out that useless parking lot and laying down some more bus bays, and starting a Trolley #53 with service to the train station for all trains... then I'll let you off the hook. Otherwise... dumb move, guys.

Happy New Year!

Welcome, everyone, to 2009. May this new year bring you happiness and progress. And late-night RTA service, damnit!

Remember- RTA buses are running on Sunday schedules, and the call center is open 06:00 to 18:00.