Main Street MAX

[ignatius]

Good news and bad news....

The MAX late nite schedule has only 30 minute intervals when originally they said 15 minutes.  The good news is that the 57 line will also run along generally the same path and also run at 30 min intervals, so a 15 minute wait max at late night if schedule is properly coordinated.  Even better is that MAX will have 9 minute service during the day in the core with 57 also running on that path every 30 minutes, so will sometimes cut wait time for a ride.  The bad news is that only locals will know about the 57 bus as visitors will tend to stick with MAX.

Nevertheless, nice to see that two bus lines will run down the same path.  I do wish they had more internvals for Fri/Sat late nights though.

http://kcata.org/_kcatadata/What%27s%20 ... llsOut.htm

[staubio]

Good news and bad news....

The MAX late nite schedule has only 30 minute intervals when originally they said 15 minutes.  The good news is that the 57 line will also run along generally the same path and also run at 30 min intervals, so a 15 minute wait max at late night if schedule is properly coordinated.  Even better is that MAX will have 9 minute service during the day in the core with 57 also running on that path every 30 minutes, so will sometimes cut wait time for a ride.  The bad news is that only locals will know about the 57 bus as visitors will tend to stick with MAX.

Nevertheless, nice to see that two bus lines will run down the same path.  I do wish they had more internvals for Fri/Sat late nights though.

http://kcata.org/_kcatadata/What%27s%20 ... llsOut.htm

Well, lets get our butts on those busses.  I'm sure adoption on weekend evenings will bring us more frequency.  Right now, they probably don't know if anyone is going to use it.

[shinatoo]

30 min is too far apart on the weekends. People will opt out of it. Needs to be every 15 min from 8 am on.

[ignatius]

Read again, between MAX and 57 line, there will be 15 minute service.  But yeah, ideally MAX should be 15 minute itself.

Email max@kcata.org

[bahua]

I love taking the bus when I'm going to a distance part of town to booze, but it's a shame that there aren't any late night buses that can get me back downtown at 4 or 5 AM, or even at 2 or 3 AM. I hope the MAX is enough of a success that such a schedule is adopted.

[KCPowercat]

that's not just an issue here Bahua.....even cities like Boston their trains and buses shut down at 1a.  The big reason there is the fight from the taxi companies.

I usually take the bus somewhere and then cab it back downtown...$8 cab ride is a ton better than a DUI.

[ignatius]

Was on the elevator home from work with a realtor apparently showing someone a unit in my building.  Overheard her... "...and MAX, a rapid bus line, is starting this month so you can take it to work or for more nitelife downtown."

[bahua]

Boston has abnormally puritanistic city-shutdown times. It has one of the highest percentages of moneyed young residents of any city in the country, but they are basically restricted to daylight hours and a little bit at night, to do anything. The transit systems run all night in Chicago and New York.

I understand that KC is none of these cities, but it would be just grand if the city wouldn't cowtow to the cab companies.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Why would the city cowtow to the 3 or 4 cabs that operate in KC.  I mean seriously - its not like we have a thriving taxi industry to damage in the first place. 

[ignatius]

^There are about 500 cabs in KC.  I use them once or twice a month.  Many of the older people who live in my building don't drive and take a cab almost daily. 

On Chicago, I think all but one L lines runs only til 1:30AM with shuttle service afterwards on some lines.  Don't recall.  The Red line may run all night.  Bus service is probably 24 hours on some lines.

[dangerboy]

Even the London Underground stops running around 1:30am, although they do have a good night bus system.

[KCPowercat]

Why would the city cowtow to the 3 or 4 cabs that operate in KC. I mean seriously - its not like we have a thriving taxi industry to damage in the first place.

I've never had an issue hailing a cab.  So those 3 or 4 must follow me around.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I went to a wedding reception at the clubhouse on Baltimore several months ago and tried to hail a cab afterwards to head to midtown.  The doorman told me there was a 45 minute wait for a cab.  Frankly any city where it takes 45 minutes for a doorman to find a cab while standing outside a building in the heart of downtown is not a taxi city.  500 cabs divided by 2 million people seems pretty pathetic.  I can't think of the last time I saw a cab available for hire that wasn't in Westport or the airport.  I am not sure I ever have. 

[Critical_Mass]

I'm still T.O.'d that MAX doesn't go down Broadway.  Who wants to be dropped off at Westport & Main if you're trying to go to Westport?  What's on Main Street?  Developers have already nearly destroyed it's former urban character (Home Depot, McDonalds, etc.).  Broadway is more walkable.  You've also got the Uptown Theater and cluster or restaurants around there....

[Tosspot]

I went to a wedding reception at the clubhouse on Baltimore several months ago and tried to hail a cab afterwards to head to midtown.  The doorman told me there was a 45 minute wait for a cab.  Frankly any city where it takes 45 minutes for a doorman to find a cab while standing outside a building in the heart of downtown is not a taxi city.  500 cabs divided by 2 million people seems pretty pathetic.  I can't think of the last time I saw a cab available for hire that wasn't in Westport or the airport.  I am not sure I ever have. 

There's usually a line of cabs outside the Westin Crown Center hotel, but other than that, you're right I think.

[ignatius]

I keep two cab company numbers in my cellphone and usually get one within a few minutes if between Plaza/Downtown.

If there is a large convention going on, it might take 15 or so.  Actually 500 cabs are not that many for conventions that may have 15,000 or more people. East Coasters especially will automatically take a cab w/out thinking about it. 

Most cities under 3M have under 1K cabs.

[ignatius]

I'm still T.O.'d that MAX doesn't go down Broadway.  Who wants to be dropped off at Westport & Main if you're trying to go to Westport?  What's on Main Street?  Developers have already nearly destroyed it's former urban character (Home Depot, McDonalds, etc.).  Broadway is more walkable.  You've also got the Uptown Theater and cluster or restaurants around there....

I too would've preferred MAX down Broadway and then cut to Main to downtown at Armour or Linwood.  I wonder if the Main St. decision was about pushing for needed development along that corridor.  A walk to Broadway from Main isn't much though.  Not really a biggy.

[ignatius]

There's usually a line of cabs outside the Westin Crown Center hotel, but other than that, you're right I think.

There are cab lines in front of many hotels in midtown/downtown/plaza.  Marriotts, Westin, Hyatt, etc.  There is also a cab stand on the Plaza in front of Penguin Courtyard (near the theaters).

BTW, in San Fran I've always had a hard time hailing a cab.  Typically have to walk to a hotel.

[KCPowercat]

I went to a wedding reception at the clubhouse on Baltimore several months ago and tried to hail a cab afterwards to head to midtown. The doorman told me there was a 45 minute wait for a cab. Frankly any city where it takes 45 minutes for a doorman to find a cab while standing outside a building in the heart of downtown is not a taxi city. 500 cabs divided by 2 million people seems pretty pathetic. I can't think of the last time I saw a cab available for hire that wasn't in Westport or the airport. I am not sure I ever have.

500 divided by 2m does suck.  Of course 1.5M are burbs and you are right, when I'm in the burbs I never see a taxi.

People that actually take taxis know how to get them....no doubt this is no NYC when it comes to getting a cab.  Put yellow in your phone like Ig said and know where the cab stands are.

I didn't know the clubhouse even had a doorman....next time you are in that situation, walk two blocks to the marriott and you are on your way.

[Tosspot]

I too would've preferred MAX down Broadway and then cut to Main to downtown at Armour or Linwood.  I wonder if the Main St. decision was about pushing for needed development along that corridor.  A walk to Broadway from Main isn't much though.  Not really a biggy.

I know that there was some contention concerning MAX's looping around downtown, instead of proceeding in a straight north-south line to the Plaza, perhaps making the line accessible from more stops downtown, but compromising the "rapid" part of Bus Rapid Transit. I suspect the same reasoning was employed in planning the MAX line concerning cut-throughs between Broadway and Main.