What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

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KCPowercat
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by KCPowercat »

lock+load wrote: 39th & Main and Armour as well.  Nothing worse than waiting while someone pumps the fare box full of $1.25 worth of nickels and dimes.

10.  Straighten out the MAX.  Get it off 12th Street.  It is a mess whenever there is an event at the Sprint Center.
Yes...and quit cutting over to Grand at Crown Center...people can walk one block...run down Main.
12.  Encourage use of the rear-door.
- Yes, very annoying.
13.  Sell advertising in the bus.
Yes, never understood why not...we have blank ad space everywhere...I'd much rather read ads than stare at nothing.


others...


get with the city to actually tow cars in the bus only lanes.

Move some stops to before the stop light....so when stopped at a light, the boarding can take place.

better wireless access and realtime info on the site

stop having layovers on Main street downtown...I don't drive but I can't count the number of times I've walked by 10th & Main and saw one lane of traffic blocked by a bus on it's layover...it's idiotic.

More visitor friendly signs downtown, crown center, and plaza.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by DaveKCMO »

KCPowercat wrote:Move some stops to before the stop light....so when stopped at a light, the boarding can take place.
i've always thought that there might be a really good reason why certain stops are before or after the light, but i'm coming up empty! this is a good one!

i would echo the signage thing, especially at the art museums stop. if i were a visitor, how would i know how to get to the nelson? it's certainly not a direct path!
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by lock+load »

At the same time, it slows things down when you stop before the light when it is green, and then have to sit through a whole cycle instead of going through the green light and making the stop on the other side.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by markf »

Suggestion # something-or-other

Have the drivers be more aggressive with policing the behavior on buses.  I've seen people harassed, verbally abused and witnessed other unacceptable behavior on buses.  I don't think anyone should have to feel intimidated when they ride transit.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by MidWestSider »

markf wrote: Suggestion # something-or-other

Have the drivers be more aggressive with policing the behavior on buses.  I've seen people harassed, verbally abused and witnessed other unacceptable behavior on buses.  I don't think anyone should have to feel intimidated when they ride transit.
transit cops?
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by markf »

MidWestSider wrote: transit cops?
In Minneapolis I saw drivers routinely toss people (mostly belligerent drunks).  If they needed backup they would radio ahead.

I know it sucks to make that a part of the job but I don't think it's too much to ask for people riding transit to behave themselves.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by jaysonv »

Number 27 ? - Change some of the routes that have so many different "alternatives" to their own routes.  For example, the 51 has these major changes throughout the week:

See Route Map
"Regular" Route
Summit & Bannister Rd Route
Night & Sunday Service on Summit and SWBlvd
Nichols & Jefferson
50th & Oak
Roanoke Parkway

Most of those are significant differences from the "Regular Route." Why can't they be 51A, 51B, 51C, etc?  At least then you'd know what to expect without having to consult a schedule, a map, and a legend. 

It is humorous to hear the bus announce itself at stops... "51 Ward Parkway to 50th & Oak  Via Summit Via Roanoke Parkway Via Nichols & Jefferson Via Broadway Via Kansas City Via.. Oh, we're already moving again..."

Speaking of consulting a schedule, map, and legend:

Number 28?  On the website, put the legend on the maps, not just the schedules!  It's crazy to have a legend on a time-table and not on the map. 
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by enough »

29 - the jo should post schedules at its major stops in downtown, crown center, and the plaza.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by dangerboy »

*The JO should stop running empty buses and offer service on their return trips.  We have increasing issues with reverse commuting and pursue special grants to pay for it, yet empty buses are already running on those routes.

*The JO ought to put its schedule data into the ATA trip planner.  This has been "in the works" for years, so get it done.

*The ATA and JO should embrace new technologies like a trip planner for mobile devices, put real time "next bus" info online, etc.  A technology-forward image would help with marketing bus service to riders who have a choice to use the bus or their own automobile.

*Expand the "next bus" displays to busy bus stops on other routes, such as the 10th & Main Transit Center, Crown Center, Plaza, 39th and Troost, etc.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by DaveKCMO »

jaysonv wrote: Number 27 ? - Change some of the routes that have so many different "alternatives" to their own routes.  For example, the 51 has these major changes throughout the week:

See Route Map
"Regular" Route
Summit & Bannister Rd Route
Night & Sunday Service on Summit and SWBlvd
Nichols & Jefferson
50th & Oak
Roanoke Parkway

Most of those are significant differences from the "Regular Route." Why can't they be 51A, 51B, 51C, etc?  At least then you'd know what to expect without having to consult a schedule, a map, and a legend. 

It is humorous to hear the bus announce itself at stops... "51 Ward Parkway to 50th & Oak  Via Summit Via Roanoke Parkway Via Nichols & Jefferson Via Broadway Via Kansas City Via.. Oh, we're already moving again..."
the 51 is a major source of irritation for me -- very useful on weekdays, pointless and mind-blowingly confusing at all other hours. the 39 is also irritating, which jogs through the plaza for every other westbound run leaving only hourly service to west 39th restaurants and KU med.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by LenexatoKCMO »

dangerboy wrote: *The JO should stop running empty buses and offer service on their return trips.  We have increasing issues with reverse commuting and pursue special grants to pay for it, yet empty buses are already running on those routes.
I pass at least one out of service JO on my reverse commute everyday.  There is also usually one stopped for coffee at Coffee Girls when I head out in the morning. 
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by jaysonv »

the JO can also not introduce random route changes without notifying riders or posting the changes online.

I'm on the route R and we normally exit 35 at 119th but apparently yesterday they started exiting at Lamar and stopping for 15 min at Lamar and 61st-ish all to pick up one person.  The riders are angry as this is new to them and the driver apparently thinks it's silly too but she said they had some meeting yesterday and told them to change the route. 

If we still make the usual remaining stops, we'll end up in Olathe past 8 with what's usually a 35 minute car ride taking an hour and 15min ride...

This is fine if it serves people more efficiently but it sounds like most of these riders are upset that it says express on the front of this bus and that they had no warning they will now be late to work daily.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by KCMax »

Great ideas all around. I particularly agree with (a) off board ticketing; (b) exiting the back of the bus; (c) education efforts; (d) improved bus stop terminals.

I'd also add making MAX a traffic light priority on the traffic grid to give us the system we were promised that runs on time and breezes through red lights.
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by DaveKCMO »

KCMax wrote: I'd also add making MAX a traffic light priority on the traffic grid to give us the system we were promised that runs on time and breezes through red lights.
maybe we can do a petition initiative to make this happen? how many signatures needed?
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by bahua »

1) Pay more than lip service to the legal right the bus has to its dedicated lanes where present. Aggressively ticket and tow offenders. Put the ticket/tow money toward police pay bonuses for enforcement.
2) Offer reverse express service. Plenty of people commute out of downtown too.
3) NIGHT OWL
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by GRID »

Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Till the "jo" merges back with the ATA the jo will be nothing more than "the joke"
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by enough »

on the whole, we're doing pretty good.  keep them coming.  [posted dec19-0053cst]
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Re: What can the ATA (and the JO) do for transit?

Post by simplyklb »

I use the Metro when I am working.  Right now I am not working.

The transit system for Kansas City is much too fractured.  We have the KCATA, The Jo, and the Bus (Wyandotte County). 

1.  To combine all the metro mass transit agencies into one agency.

 
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