No Transit, No Transit Center, NO TO JTA! Ock's Rant!

[Timkin]

I think that would prove to be a wise move for JTA

[CS Foltz]

Tim.......it makes sense, so forget it! Ock could do a better job than the clowns in charge, but would not have free reign to do so! He would have bozo's over him and that would tie his hands!

[Timkin]

I know.. I was simply stating it would be a wise move   Not that the clowns at JTA are wise . I know nothing about transportation and I THINK I probably could do a better job... I would at least have common sense enough to ask someone (like OCK )  who does have experience.

[tufsu1]

JTA has had 2 recent job openings for transit-related positions....wonder if anyone on this site applied?

[stjr]

I just hope Ock doesn't go over to the "dark side".  JTA swallows people whole.  Beware of the brainwashing machine. 

[DeadGirlsDontDance]

All I know is SOMEBODY needs to fix this, because it should not take 80 minutes to get from Springfield to Riverside on the bus. Crispy fried Christ on a hoagie roll with lettuce and onions, it's ONLY FOUR MILES. Almost an hour and a half and two buses to go FOUR MOTHERF**CKING MILES?!?

I know for a fact I can WALK there faster. I timed myself the last time I did. It took me 52 minutes to walk from the bus stop at the corner of 6th and Main in Springfield to Five Points in Riverside, strolling at a leisurely pace through downtown and along the Riverwalk.

It's an outrage! [insert 35 minutes of indignant, largely uninformative spluttering here] ... and in conclusion, I feel that everybody at the JTA (except for the friendly, helpful bus drivers, of whom I have encountered a total of THREE over the last 20 years) should be buried alive in pickle relish and stomped on by dwarfs. That would be about as useful as whatever the hooha they're doing right now.

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day. Unless you need to take a bus somewhere, in which case nobody gives a fig for you. You might as well walk, it's probably quicker. Seriously.

[brainstormer]

How sad that Ock's awesome tirade from 2007 is the same discussion we are still having today.  What has JTA been doing for the past three years?  That's right...building roads and more roads.  In that same amount of time other cities have built commuter rail systems from scratch, streetcar lines like crazy and embraced mass transit as a viable source of creating development.

This isn't how things have to be.  My old home of Madison WI applied for Amtrak funding in 2009.  After getting the money, they decided last month to put a station downtown by the capital and convention center.  Last week they chose the exact location and by the end of the month they want conceptual drawings after public input on the station.  By the end of this year they will select a master developer and the trains will roll in by 2013.

[Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said the city will soon seek a master developer for a two-block area across Wilson Street from the station site on what is now the dilapidated Government East parking ramp.
"This is not just about a rail station. This is about economic development and the redevelopment of this whole district," Cieslewicz said. "We're going to use this as a catalyst to completely reimagine that side of the Capitol Square."]

Our government leaders should not be allowed to operate at a such a slow pace.  We pay you to MAKE IT HAPPEN!  Do your job JTA!

[fsujax]

For the love of God people....it is not the day to day grinders at JTA that dont know what they are doing. It is as Stephen said above a top down issue. Maybe if some of you would contact the JTA Board members or come to board meetings and express your feelings then you might see some change. It is worthy to note JTA has completed streetcar and commuter rail studies in the past two years with cold reception from the BOARD!!!!!. JTA will soon be spening up to a million to move commuter rail forward. Now, if all of this planning would have started 5-8 years ago, then maybe Jax would have been in a position to recieve federal dollars to build a streetcar line or commuter rail line. I just think its a little disingenious to say JTA is doing nothing. I know for a fact there are a few over there who want this stuff as much as anyone on this board.

[brainstormer]

You make a good point fsu.  I was able to find a list of the board members on the jta website, but there doesn't seem to be any way to contact them.  I also could not find meeting dates.  Perhaps you have some info you could share.  I'm guessing as all of the members are appointed, there isn't a lot of interaction with the citizens of Jacksonville or much opportunity for us to have a say.  Perhaps a group of us could attend a meeting and voice our concerns.

[CS Foltz]

fsujax.......the issue is not with the "day to day grinders" at JTA, but the people in the positions of power and those that have a say in the planning aspect! I could also point out the "Shelter" escapade and changing of schedules every six months or so and on and on! Those in the seats of power seem to have a penchant for more and more concrete and that is not the most cost efficient or productive answer to sprawl! I won't say JTA is not doing something, because right now it looks like they are just perpetuating their existence!

[Timkin]

just as the issue is with the top ,down, in City management, I concur that it is not the people who actually WORK at JTA but those in managment and planning.  I hope Ock does apply and does get into the planning and development , if not some of the key management positions.  The man has more common sense than the lot of those people.

[CS Foltz]

Tim .....I agree! Ock does know what to do and how to do it but JTA does not want someone who knows how to achieve an end result..............most of the JTA upper management are nothing but clones of the Nifty Fifty and their ilk, just more concerned about taking care of them and theirs! You know if everyone from Middle Management up were required to ride a bus to work, I wonder just much bus service would improve, not to mention how many shelters would be built?

[Timkin]

God forbid that someone at the top at JTA be shown "HOW" its done!  That would be nearly as insulting as showing Mayor Johnny how to run a city the fair and honest way.

[Timkin]

You know if everyone from Middle Management up were required to ride a bus to work, I wonder just much bus service would improve, not to mention how many shelters would be built?

Good question!  Maybe these fools need to be required to ride a bus to work. My Grandmother did it from the time her husband passed in 1961 ,til she retired in 1994. So if she could do it, these bozos should be able to.  If Stephen can do it, I think the Upper management of JTA needs to put their asses on one of the busses and get to and from work... You're right... They might make some changes.

[tufsu1]

fsujax.......the issue is not with the "day to day grinders" at JTA, but the people in the positions of power and those that have a say in the planning aspect!

some of the "day-to-day grinders" are heavily involved in the plannig aspect!

btw, who are the nifty fifty?