30 Days of Plight. Stephen Dare goes JTA every day.

[thebrokenforum]

Since your meeting have you heard anything else from JTA? Are they checking on your progress?

[thebrokenforum]

As a matter of fact, the JTA has kept in touch pretty much all the way through.

Today I was asked if I would present a speech with a meeting of the drivers to address some of the customer service points.

That is excellent. I admire what you're doing with this. I truly hope this causes some positive changes. I'm very interested to hear how the speech goes.

One of the most consistent things I've heard since moving here is that you cannot get around the city without a car. I don't think most people even consider the bus an option because of everything you have experienced.

[brainstormer]

I think the whole system needs to be reimagined.   It seems like we are endlessly perfecting a system that at its best could only serve a fraction of the "mass" population.

basic uses for Mass Transit seem to be missing.

Using the busses to get back and forth from the campuses around the city for example....
Or connecting the town centers with each other (five points, san marco, springfield, Avondale, Murray Hill etc) Connecting the entertainment centers like tinseltown and the malls and the nightclub districts in order to provide reasonable night time service options. Never mind night students or late shift corporate work

I mean, something as simple as addressing the reasons people travel and use their cars and providing a mass alternative.

What do people use their cars for that buses would be a better alternative?

Many excellent points Stephen! 

First, I think the huge success with the downtown-riverside trolley system is that JTA created a quick and easy way to access two destination points.  Why hassle with driving when you can make it to lunch in less time and for less money on a trolley. 

Second, Jacksonville has grown tremendously since the original bus routes were designed.  Starting from scratch would force JTA to take a look at where people live, where they want/need to go and then find an easy solution for how to get there.  It would take a lot of research and surveys but in the end if done correctly would probably boost ridership tremendously.  They would need to keep in mind all methods of mass transit (Bus, Trolley, Skyway, and hopefully very soon streetcars and light rail.) so as not to duplicate routes.  People want simplicity and efficiency or they won't even try it as an option.

[BridgeTroll]

   Welcome to the Westside...

[BridgeTroll]

Westside deer are killers...

[gatorback]

did you catch any mass transit down in the swamp stephen?

[BridgeTroll]

Westside deer are killers...

Well I can certainly see why people are so eager to shoot them.

After two attempts on my life, the vicious pack of them tired of chasing me through the woods.  I can only surmise that they finally tired of such poor sport and went on to more diverting prey.

ROFLOL... Your killing me....

[gatorback]

did you catch any mass transit down in the swamp stephen?

I caught a whole lot more than transit, gator.

Lol. I bet you did.

[BridgeTroll]

I wait in breathless anticipation for the posting...

[rjp2008]

Do we really need a system whose only purpose is to provide work transit only to the poorest?

Wow. That completely echoes the impression I've had since coming here.

[BridgeTroll]

I wait in breathless anticipation for the posting...

I was breathless while being pursued by the damned deer.

[lewyn]

I have gone carless for about 3 months (because I wanted to keep my car in Atlanta while I spent every other weekend there) and haven't had any adventures nearly as exciting as Mr. Dare's.  (The closest I came was one bus breakdown).

Lesson: Obviously I need to spend more time on the Westside! 

[lewyn]

JTA constantly tinkers with its routes to maximize efficiency, ridership, etc.

Which I suppose is a good thing in itself.

But the downside is you lose predictability, which in turn maximizes ridership. 

There aren't any right or wrong answers to this kind of tradeoff - though I personally prefer more predictability.

Ah.  The Bus Stops.

Who the hell needs the Da Vinci Code in order to build a sense of anxiety, dread and suspence.

L7 B7 R5 E4.

Do these numbers mean anything to anyone?  Is it part of the Navahoe Code?

Im sitting here, looking at the various incomprehensible alpha numerics wondering what in the hell do they mean.  A fellow passenger is certain that they are in the right place at the right time.  They are catching the B7 to San Marco.  "B", my limitedly informed benchmate informs me, stands for Baymeadows.

This gives me a certain sense of relief, since San Marco is also my intended destination.

I stare holes in the rest of the letters trying to divine what their true inner meanings might be.

R.  R.   R........
Riverside?  dunno.  Rogero?  maybe.  Can't tell.

E.

E.

E?

Eastside maybe? 

Where are the schedules for any of these routes?  where do they go?

James (the fellow B-7 passenger) can only answer two things with certainty.  That b-7 goes to San Marco and "B" stands for baymeadows.

[Dog Walker]

ZOMBIE THREAD ALERT!  ZOMBIE THREAD!

[Dog Walker]

The mental image of you running through the woods being chased by Westside deer will never leave my mind.  It's a great read.  It's necessary to wipe away tears of laughter ever time I think of it.