Skyway ridership down 20 percent over last 21 months!

[thelakelander]

Now for our vision to work, it can't be a Monorail vs Trolley vs Bus fight, it is rather a mass transit vs auto fight. Mass transit works great in layers, imagine for example a fine blanket covering the city. Every line of stitch is another transit line.

No doubt.  But we need to match sure we're not stitching the same paths with multiple layers, leaving other areas exposed and incomplete.

[Charleston native]

I guess I've been jaded with the many vacations my family and I have taken to Mickey-land...the monorail system there is so well-tuned that it makes the bus system (at least in the Magic Kingdom part of the resort) supplemental.

I agree that multi-modal is necessary, but just like WDW's system, if enough is invested into the monorail, it would become the foundation of a better transit system, then trolleys and buses can supplement it.

Ock, I don't know about the bumpiness being a problem. If vacationers can deal with it, I would think that commuters wouldn't even mind. As far as speed, I do think that the system should be upgraded with larger, more powerful cars. The current design is fine (of course we don't want them to look like Disney's).

[KenFSU]

The firm I work for just finished a six week inspection of the Skyway. After spending several days out there filling in for a coworker, I honestly believe (as Stephen mentioned) that broken turnstiles and lazy enforcement could easily account for the 20% drop in ridership. Firsthand, I observed every second or third rider at the Skyway doing the half pullback/slip through. Enforcement is an absolute joke.

[Captain Zissou]

I believe the Disney system is set up how a well planned city should be.  Disney's mass transit leads from one walkable scaled hub of development to another.  This could be accomplished with a 5 points, stadium, San Marco, Springfield system, but that's quite fanciful.

[Charleston native]

I can completely agree with Stephen here.  Great point, Captain.

[Jimmy Olsen]

I have been on the skyway twice now.... Once with my dad when we went to the Landing together (around 2002) and  then again a few months back while taking pictures. I thought it was awesome the first time (because I had not been to a city with light rail) The second time, I was stuck in it for 20 minutes. The power went out (along with the AC) and it was horrible. After it started back we went over the Acosta where there was another one stuck right on the top, with the doors open (scary).

I think the Idea of extending it to Riverside and Springfield are great! It would be great if it could also go to the San Marco Square.... But truly, we need light rail if we are ever going to compete with larger cities.

[Steve]

Agreed - I wouldn't invest a dime into the thing (other than maintenance) until we had rail transit to the burbs (and I don't mean a streetcard to Riverside or Springfield).  When we have the commuter rail up and running to OP, then knock it out.

[Ocklawaha]

zissou, this brilliant point, while certainly made many times over the years is made more poignant by your inclusion of the correlation to planning, walkability and the specific sites you mentioned.

I believe the Disney system is set up how a well planned city should be.  Disney's mass transit leads from one walkable scaled hub of development to another.  This could be accomplished with a 5 points, stadium, San Marco, Springfield system, but that's quite fanciful.

Y'all should be let in on an industry secret, nobody and I mean NOBODY takes Disneys transit as a tourist toy. In fact they, their leadership, design teams, contractors and idea guys are in front of the Mass Transit press constantly. The new Monorail cars are an "off the shelf product" they have left everyone in California asking why only the cab has AC!?!? The gallop errupts at about 45 to 55 MPH and can get pretty serious. The bus system is one of the top 10 in the nation, as are the ferrys. The steam trains are the real deal, coming from my beloved South America, or Southern Plantation Railroads and rebuilt in the Disney shops.

What kind of guy climbs in the smokebox of a 1911 model BALDWIN 2-6-0 (Mogul) steam locomotive with a wire brush, ash pail and a giant white smile? Okay BESIDES Ocklawaha? Try the late Walt Disney and his sidekick cartoonist Ward Kimball. Both of these guys were regular fixtures around the Southern California, "Los Angeles Live Steamers" of which I was a young member back in the 1960's-1980. Disney and Ward even went out and found the original engines somewhere near New Orleans on a sugar plantation. Ward had a few thousand feet of narrow gauge track down the side yard and into an extensive shop in his backyard/mini-orange grove. All of the LALS BOYZ busted our knuckles on those basket cases.

The moral of the story is, if you are SERIOUS about transportation, there is always a need for your help, no matter what walk of life you hail from. Disney is about some serious transportation, and they do a LOT of pioneering.

Ocklawaha

[Charleston native]

^ Absolutely, Ock. I've always felt that cities should look to Disney for leadership and ideas to develop an awesome transportation system. It seems like many cities scoff at the idea, thinking that it's nothing but a kiddie park.

[BridgeTroll]

I would use the skyway every day if it was more like Space Mountain!!

[cline]

Disney is about some serious transportation, and they do a LOT of pioneering.

And Disney has a lot of money, which tends to help.

[JeffreyS]

Disney is about some serious transportation, and they do a LOT of pioneering.

And Disney has a lot of money, which tends to help.

So it would be wise to use that money they have spent on research of their transit systems.

[Coolyfett]

After looking at Ock's website that shows a video of the Skyway, I think it is amazing that the Skyway does not have more numbers. It really is like having a monorail that goes around the downtown core. It is a tremendous asset!!

I say the hell with light rail or BRT...you guys need to expand Skyway, giving it more stations, so more people will use it. That video really showed how cool it is to ride the system.

Ock and others have been screaming that forever lol!!

They could easily build 1 station every 4 years, Instead of 2 here 3 there like they did. Every 4-6 years a new station should open in a place people are and go. IE...Riverside, Springfield, Sport - Entertainment Complex & San Marco Square. removing it would be a waste.

Someone says get rid of the parking garages...hmm thats an idea.

[Coolyfett]

They can start with fixing the turnstiles and allowing train wrap advertising.  It also wouldn't hurt to start using some of the larger stations for special event sites where attendees can use the skyway to "event" hop.

Isn't wrapping allowed? I think it is Lake, but many of the business are not really aware of the option. I never saw a Jax based company wrap any of the buses, vehicle wraps is still a new concept for Jax IMO. The only wraps I ever saw were from TV Stations or radio..mostly Clear Channel wraps.

[brainstormer]

I think one of JTAs priorities should be extending the Skyway to the Stadium/Arena/Baseball Park.  And then of course fixing the whole turnstile mess.  I think probably 1 in 3 people actually pay.  I bet with access to the Sports complex, ridership and revenue would double in 1-2 years.

And I am also in huge support of banning any new parking garages downtown.  If we made all city employees ride mass transit instead of giving them a free parking space, I bet things at JTA would change in a hurry.