Well there are a few things that I feel I should preface this next launch of essays.
First, there are a few factors which went into the decision to prolong this experiment in transit, and a few things that I have discovered about using transit in general.
Im healthier, if more frustrated.
Over the past 40 days or so, I have lost about 26 pounds. This is directly a result of depending on transit for transportation. Having to walk a few blocks (at least) in order to make it to the various stops and stations at least 8 times a day has really increased the amount of general activity. Of course additionally having to walk up to a mile or more in order to get to some of the harder to reach destinations increased that even more.
So, a remarkable amount of weight loss has ensued. (which obviously I can well afford to say goodbye to)
And not just that but all of the other benefits that go along with it.
Also I have found that I have a much better appreciation of the city itself. As a passenger on the bus you really get to pay attention to the unique beauty of each side of town. The lushness of the west and northsides, the manicured elegance of the southside, the rugged natural sandiness of the beaches and the classic grungy beauty of the historic district.
Being able to read or sketch or simply chat with the other passengers has been a real treat actually, and in the process Ive picked up quite a bit of gossip from the central area, art chatter on the southside, and a tremendous amount of sheerly criminal advice that while one hopes will be forever useless, one never knows when having insight into criminal process might come in extremely handy.
Also to be frank, while it is possible to get some basic ideas and opinions of the overall system, it is not possible to even plumb the middle regions of the beer barrel on only thirty days.
The first month was however enough to convince one that the entire machine needs to be replaced and revamped. It doesnt serve the needs of the people nor does it conduce itself to easy or rapid transit.
There are projected changes. They are supposed to take place at the end of this month. Beginning on the 25th in fact. I am going to see and chronicle this process. And I am going to continue on past this month through the next one.
It seems as though the principles of mass transit are not that elusive.
Adequate intelligent coverage that connects people to all possible destination.
Customer service that informs and aids people to easily utilize the system in comfort and safety.
Sufficient hours of service and fequency that it provides a real alternative to automobile travel.
How to translate these goals into reality?
As I have found, this is a definitely healthier lifestyle. I know that its better for the world around me. And a working transit system would radically change our city for the better.
But it cannot be a simple spiritual and health committment. It also has to serve a real function for all of those fit and busy people who have other more realistic priorities.
Quote
I know that its better for the world around me.
While the buses you ride on get 3 and 4 miles to the gallon, and pollute far worse than your car.
One more reason for light-, commuter-, and mono-rail over buses. Or at the very least, hybrid- and alternative-fuel buses over the dirty diesels.
I know, I know... baby steps. :D
Here's a question I have for you, Stephen:
Did you notice particular times and/or routes that were consistently 'more full' than others? It seems that every time I see a bus (at night, obviously, when you can see *in* to them), they're virtually or literally empty.
Lost 26 lbs - good for you.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/CRITICAL%20Special%20Effects%20Images/doncarSUV.jpg)
The new Doncar SUV, (Coming to a showroom near you) is the only vehicle to equal a JTA bus in economy.
A new "community bus" such as JTA's planned local hub bus, like the 35 foot/34 passenger Gilligs get 224 Passenger-miles-per-gallon. Nothing to sneeze at. In fact the heavier your auto the more MPG you would have to get to equal this... For example a full size GM sedan would have to get about 350 MPG to do what JTA can do with one bus.
Now y'all know me as the "TROLLEY MONSTER" but you know what? I cut my teeth at TRAILWAYS! VIVA THE MOTOR COACH!
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/Transporte%20Bus%20Truck%20HIGHWAY/Eagle15.jpg)
New Silver Eagle 15.
BTW, a Trailways, Eagle 10, seating 43 passengers in at LEAST airline comfort (most Eagles, sold today under the SILVER EAGLE name, go to Hollywood stars as highway PV's) with a Detroit 350 HP engine, would have no problem getting 9 MPG, fully loaded with passengers and baggage. ...And for those longer commuter runs we need? Oh yes, JTA, I AM IN TOUCH, and trying to get us an Silver Eagle 15 demo here, to show you. Anyone want to drive back from Texas with me?
OCKLAWAHA
Congratulations! You are the first person since grammar school to make soda come shooting out my nose. :D
Quote from: stephendare on August 07, 2008, 07:09:34 PMWildly mistaking my situation for a disney film, I held out my hand and made clucking noises, fondly believing that this would charm the young deer to approach and let me pet it. Perhaps we would become friends, and I would come back out to these very woods. We would grow old together, although of course I would eventually outlive the poor beast. I would sadly plant beautiful flowers in that distant time, reminiscing over all our many quiet times in the woods together.
As soon as I made the first clucking noise, the young deer panicked and bolted with great desperation.
Dismayed, I heard crashing noise coming from behind me. I turned to see another young deer charging directly towards me. As I took it in, I realized that this new deer was not alone. There were a few others, wildly bolting in my direction.
Then I noticed a monstrously angry looking buck with horns.His head was lowered as he ran straight at me, his intention to jab those horns directly into my vital organs crystal clear and getting clearer with every nanosecond.
Im not a hundred percent certian, but Im pretty sure I screamed like a bitch and began hauling panicked ass.
Stephen, this is the funniest thing I've read in a long time...once I cleaned off my monitor (from spitting my drink all over it) I had this image that just kept me laughing and I'm sure my neighbors wondered what the hell was going on...thanks, you made my day!
QuoteI had probably scared the buck as much as he scared me.....Ok probably not, since I don't think that Bucks were subject to embarrassing screaming.
What were the chances of that having happened, after all?
(http://oldtoolsforsale.com/smiley3/haha52.gif) Stephen...you're killing me! You really do have a flare for descriptive writing!
That is some hilarious stuff about the deer encounter. Really pisses me off about people throwing crap at someone walking down the road though.
This is terrific!! I mean, knowing in hindsight that you have survived, of course.
I lived in Deercreek for many years and, yes, there are deer living in the "wild" in Jax. Of course, my only encounters with these creatures came from the seat of a wheeled vehicle, whether a car or bicycle.
Quote from: 02roadking on August 07, 2008, 10:19:34 PM
That is some hilarious stuff about the deer encounter. Really pisses me off about people throwing crap at someone walking down the road though.
One would think pennies thrown from a moving vehicle would qualify as a deadly weapon.
If you just would have retired to the rear of the bus you probably would have been OK, assuming that you were not consumed in the resultant fire.
For sure there would have been one less surly JTA busdriver on this Earth.
Shame on you Stephen, distracting this driver like that from tossing you into the street and almost causing an accident. All these damn tax payers and they all think JTA, or the City owes them something, I really thought you were more liberal minded. Reminds me of people that would call Postal Dispatch, back when we had posted phone numbers, and complain that "Aunt Gertrudes letter was in a van with 360,839 other pieces of mail, and they didn't mean to be so mean, so would we just pull the letter out and send it back..." AFTER ALL THEY PAID OUR SALARY! NOT! LOL~!!!
Keep up the good work, I'm glad to see JTA is open to this and is taking notes, let's give the old semi-scheduled system the heave-ho, and re-create it in a modern customer driven service image. It might interest the JTA management team that the Silver Meteor Arrived on the second, out at Amtrak at 5:00 pm Sunday afternoon. Only the JTA Amtrak service pulled away from the station at 10 till. Now granted it COULD have brought folks to the train... The station was far more crowded then I've ever seen the Airport. But why the hell doesn't the driver have a lay-over (bathroom break) at Amtrak. Standing instructions, ask is the Meteor or which ever train is due (and make sure he knows those trains) is running on time. If yes, or down 15 minutes then flex the bus time so he can hold for connections. A radio call to dispatch, JTA XXX holding at Amtrak for connections, ETA Rosa Parks XXXX. If it becomes aparent that the train is getting later, then simply pass it to the next bus in 45 minutes or an hour. If it's the last bus of the day, he can hold as long as his service hours allow.
Ditto for the Airport. Did the guys at Air JTA EVER think that the airlines even in non-hubs, still use a micro-hub schedule trick? Notice how all Delta, or USAir flights will be on the ground around the same time, then leave back to back? That's for connections... and yes, lot's of people connect in Jacksonville. In fact this is a growing trend. WHY don't we get into their heads and have AIR JTA, custom tailored to those groupings, hold as needed. And BTW, Jax is the home base of many flights and turn-arounds. We collect them from all around the East at 10:30 pm-12:30 am or so, then pretty much close the place until those same flights originate out in the early morning hours of 5:00-6:45 am. Is Air JTA serving this little known market? If not why not?
LETS DO IT JAX.
OCKLAWAHA
:D :DI have been away for a few days and read your new thread from beginning to end. I cannot remember the last time I laughed so hard. I am glad I did not read this at work... :D I have spent the better part of my life in the woods and am very familiar with white tail deer and their habits... They can be aggressive but 99% of the time will give humans a wide berth. I can only assume it was the presence of the fawn that caused the reaction.
I am also very familiar with the humans who live at that end of Normandy and their reaction to you walking on the side of the road is not surprising... sadly, while we should expect animals to behave as such... we should expect human behavior from humans...
Quote from: BridgeTroll on August 11, 2008, 09:26:02 AM
:D :DI have been away for a few days and read your new thread from beginning to end. I cannot remember the last time I laughed so hard. I am glad I did not read this at work... :D I have spent the better part of my life in the woods and am very familiar with white tail deer and their habits... They can be aggressive but 99% of the time will give humans a wide berth. I can only assume it was the presence of the fawn that caused the reaction.
I am also very familiar with the humans who live at that end of Normandy and their reaction to you walking on the side of the road is not surprising... sadly, while we should expect animals to behave as such... we should expect human behavior from humans...
I have hunted deer a lot too and have never seen quite this reaction. Usually they hightail it when they see any sign of a human nearby, especially in areas with hunters. The fawn may have caused it although bucks are not noted for their fatherly protective instincts.
One time, I did shoot one of a pair of does in a field and the other doe just stared me down. I thought about shooting her too but decided I didnt want to deal with 2 dead deer so I waved my arms and shouted and she ran off. So, I guess anything can happen with a wild animal.
Quoteand joined the public meeting of Metrojacksonville.com at HOLA.
Which by the way, was one hell of an experience.
Be careful Stephen, those meetings at Metrojacksonville can be downright dangerous! ROFLMAO!OCKLAWAHA
I can assume you will not be visiting the westside anytime soon???? :D :D :D :D
Not to keep throwing pennies at a dead horse, but I must raise my voice here. I am absolutely flabbergasted at all the stories of "penny-throwing" and "soft drink showers" for pedestrians and cyclers who are peaceably trying to share the roads with the vehicles. This is insanity! What possible motivation is there for doing this? Is this some sort of twisted local custom ... a sport ... or just some vicious time killer for mouth-breathers? I mean really, I come from one of the most inhospitable points on this crowded planet (NYC), where hostility is a birthright and aggressive behavior is an accepted form of communication, but this kind of sh*t would just never be done!! It is abhorrent to me and everyone I know. What kind of ignorant, knuckle dragging, empty headed low life would do this and why? Does it make them feel superior? Is it somehow sexually gratifying? Fear? Envy? What? Please, somebody, help me understand this.
Oh, and by the way, Stephen, this is great stuff. Please keep it up.
Quote from: pwhitford on August 11, 2008, 05:18:48 PM
Oh, and by the way, Stephen, this is great stuff. Please keep it up.
I concur, but not sure if my body can take it I am wracked with pain from all the laughing, it is almost unreal!!!!
Can we expect an equally fair side-by-side of your Amtrak Journey through Florida. Perhaps a nice mirror for the JTA experiences?
The Stations "WERE" all still standing when Amtrak took over, but at the time they didn't (and still don't in most cases) have title to the land. So the railroads, being so friendly to passenger rail back in the day, simply tore many of them down, or the communities ("PALATKA" is a prime example) rallyed to get themselves back in the game. In Palatka's case they had a horrible tumble down statiion and were left completely off the system. Trains blew right through town. They bought the property, installed a historical preservation group, rebuilt the depot and grounds, installed a small museum, allowed a model railroad club to have a room, and lobbied and got "Experimental Stop" status. Within a couple of years, Experimental Stop, became one of the better stops in Florida. A great lesson for Auburndale/Haines City, Green Cove Springs (depots gone).
OCKLAWAHA
I've heard of similar stories out in LA. Some people are just nasty and look down on pedestrians who, in such car-dependent locales, are generally of less means than they. At least there is a degree of self-sacrifice for the motorist in sharing the road with a cyclist (albeit still very unjust for motorists to run bicycles off the road) so I agree, these stories about pedestrians are ridiculous.
Quote from: pwhitford on August 11, 2008, 05:18:48 PM
Not to keep throwing pennies at a dead horse, but I must raise my voice here. I am absolutely flabbergasted at all the stories of "penny-throwing" and "soft drink showers" for pedestrians and cyclers who are peaceably trying to share the roads with the vehicles. This is insanity! What possible motivation is there for doing this? Is this some sort of twisted local custom ... a sport ... or just some vicious time killer for mouth-breathers? I mean really, I come from one of the most inhospitable points on this crowded planet (NYC), where hostility is a birthright and aggressive behavior is an accepted form of communication, but this kind of sh*t would just never be done!! It is abhorrent to me and everyone I know. What kind of ignorant, knuckle dragging, empty headed low life would do this and why? Does it make them feel superior? Is it somehow sexually gratifying? Fear? Envy? What? Please, somebody, help me understand this.
So friend Stephen, are you ready to open a new thread and give us the skinny on Amtrak? (I already think I know the answer...hee hee) but just wanted the masses to be able to get a grip on what it would be like to ride to Palatka, Green Cove, Orange Park, St. Augustine by train rather then say, JTA, or the big MCI "express" motorcoaches, or Greyhound, or even Piper Cub or Fokker. Strike while the iron is hot!
BTW, could you include a "food experience" on train vs bus depot or airplane?
PLEASE don't take this wrong guys, I'm not being my usual Smart A-- here, we have a very talented blogger that just made a fairly long train trip after weeks of riding various other modes, let's hear how they stack up!
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: pwhitford on August 11, 2008, 05:18:48 PM
I am absolutely flabbergasted at all the stories of "penny-throwing" and "soft drink showers" for pedestrians and cyclers who are peaceably trying to share the roads with the vehicles. This is insanity! What possible motivation is there for doing this? Is this some sort of twisted local custom ... a sport ... or just some vicious time killer for mouth-breathers? What kind of ignorant, knuckle dragging, empty headed low life would do this and why? Does it make them feel superior? Is it somehow sexually gratifying? Fear? Envy? What? Please, somebody, help me understand this.
PW, There are some really good folks that own property out on the westside, but unfortunately the Inbred, Oxycontin, zanax,Meth,+Alcohol Rowdies that havent been caught yet are still cruising around. They wouldn't last 2 weeks around the DUI predator Cops in Riverside...
Quote from: stephendare on August 13, 2008, 11:45:02 AM
Vicious time killer for mouth breathers is my guess.
As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that it is the answer.
I would have said that it made the white trash feel better about things, but some of the items were thrown from very nice cars, and not everyone who tossed something was white.
Its going to take a few cops patrolling the streets to put an end to this bullshit.
There is absolutely no reason that we should wait until there is a serious or fatal injury to stop this practice.
Maybe a hidden camera and some exposure on the evening news would make a difference.
I REALLY want to see those deer on hidden camera...possibly Stephen running in terror.... :D
How exciting. I need to take a train somewhere just for the heck of it. I've not been on a train since the Amtrak Accela from Boston to New York trip in 2000. Has much changed since then?
I took Amtrak to NYC several years ago when my flight was canceled and it was a lot of fun. The bar car was great (and it helped with sleep later). The food was good. We met some European travelers and some interesting Americans also. It was fun. And we were in NYC in the morning.
Now, train travel to an area without its own mass transit system would not be so good. You would have to rent a car when you arrived, I guess.
I can't wait for an express Amtrak to Miami. I wish they would bring back the New Orleans run.
QuoteHow exciting. I need to take a train somewhere just for the heck of it. I've not been on a train since the Amtrak Accela from Boston to New York trip in 2000. Has much changed since then?
(http://photos.igougo.com/images/p165920-Pennsylvania-Amtrak_Train.jpg)
Where's the baggage car? In a line of 200 other junk cars? yep!
Oh yes, the BUSH that followed CLINTON/GORE years at Amtrak. Let's look at 16 years of decay.
How much has changed?
Car Fleet has shrunk due to non-available maintenance funding, minor accidents (like switch yard scrapes and bumps = the railroad equivalent to parking lots), have greatly reduced the number of train cars, resulting in shorter trains and premature sell-out of seat stock.
Schedules have been cut to bone, in attempts to save money, the system has gone from connectivity to abandoned routes, stations and time slots. Leaving many communities and many route options dead.
Under Clinton/Gore the "Roads and Bridges" nonsense only hastened the Republicans attack on rail. Nationwide a creative system of "out of the box" thinking called AMTRAK EXPRESS was killed. Hundreds of road-railers, baggage cars, express high speed box cars, platforms, forklift stations, rail-truck agreements, new refrigerator express companies, food service and electronic firms were left at the platform. A major source of revenue for the passenger train was killed with a spin called "We are a passenger carrier, we shouldn't be in the freight business..." Got news for y'all, pull the US MAIL or express out from under your local US AIR, SOUTHWEST or DELTA flights and see how long they last.... Bottom line, the DEATH of Amtrak Express.
A national bi-partisan bill went sailing past that put Amtrak on a ruler of profit and loss per route, by the first years of Bush, the PALMETTO, Tampa-Jax-NYC; The Silver Star (split) Jax-Waldo (Gainesville)- Ocala- Tampa were both abandoned. Ocala, where the state spent MILLIONS rebuilding the old Union Station into a "Transportation Center" suddenly had a fancy bus station. CSX claimed it needed this, because all of the freight would now go down the center of the State... BULL ****. Meanwhile the facilities to maintain the PALMETTO or turn it in Jacksonville, the dining car commissary, food freezers, express loading docks, lifts, crew base etc... sit in decay. The train now runs NYC to Savannah!
Salt Lake City - Vegas - Los Angeles
Salt Lake City - Boise - Portland
New Orleans - Jacksonville - Orlando (it should have NEVER gone to Orlando, rather used our connections in JAX)
Jacksonville - Tampa (via central Florida)
ALL ABANDONED to improve Roads and Bridges.
Schedules continued to go to hell in a hand-basket. Try riding that train out of Austin, Texas. Amtrak is at the mercy of UNION PACIFIC, an openly hostile host. So U.P. (AKA: "Uncle Pete") has gotten used to being horrible and getting away with it. Run it late, run it sloppy, cause it to crawl, and the passengers (and thus the support) will just go away. Suddenly we hear talk that Amtrak LAW might get enforced! MIGHT!??? Enforced? Wow, that would make a change. Funny when Uncle Pete has PV on the train, it can run up to the second...
The new Amtrak funding is the first and ONLY time that the system has EVER gotten close to what is needed. Miles of "bad order" passenger cars in long dead lines wait at the shops. This is going to be very interesting. We MUST be pro-active to get our service back and make Jacksonville the hub it has always been.
OCKLAWAHA
What is JTA's operating plan for Tropical Storm Fay? There doesn't seem to be any updates on their website about it.
Quote from: stephendare on August 18, 2008, 12:10:14 PM
I had to find out from sources other than the JTA that the cause of this egregious behaviour is NOT the fault of the JTA management, but rather from the Bus Driver's Union.
Apparently, the union does not feel that customer service or actually providing the public with the service we are paying for is in the top 10 list of concerns that they should be having.
The Union rules, rather than JTA policy, are what make this shocking exchange possible in the first place.
It seems like there should be a public advocate at these contract negotiations.
Unbelievable really.
Another example of Unions benefiting only those within the union... Business and consumers suffer at the hands of unions...
$.02
Quote from: stephendare on August 19, 2008, 01:30:24 PM
Im afraid in this case I have to agree with you, bt.
:D Dont sound so sad for agreeing with lil ol me... :D
Quote from: stephendare on August 19, 2008, 01:39:34 PM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on August 19, 2008, 01:32:35 PM
Quote from: stephendare on August 19, 2008, 01:30:24 PM
Im afraid in this case I have to agree with you, bt.
:D Dont sound so sad for agreeing with lil ol me... :D
lol. no sadness at all. I only question my sanity when I agree with River on anything besides etiquette and order of precedence. (and occasionally the weather, although clearly not long term.)
I wonder how to inject a public advocate into these damned negotiations.
I understand... :) Clearly there needs to be a ombudsman or rider advocate within JTA if they are serious aboit mass transit...
Quote from: Lunican on August 18, 2008, 12:03:25 PM
What is JTA's operating plan for Tropical Storm Fay? There doesn't seem to be any updates on their website about it.
JTA has a lot of information about hurricane preparation and procedures, how the storms are monitored, and the evacuation desicions are made, etc. on the Making Moves TV show on their website. Its in episode #3.
Quote from: stephendare on August 26, 2008, 07:32:42 PM
My prediction proved true. There were angry frantic women everywhere at the bus station.
I couldnt even get through to customer information (630-3100) until after 1.
amazing! how did the men handle the situation? or is it that only women ride the bus?
you obviously haven't ridden a bus lately apv. Lol. My observation is the women are always more frantic. The men are usually stoned or something. Honestly, the women must have kids and thus want to be more on schedule.
I tried the transportation system this week for the first time.
I like the Riverside trolley - I don't care if it's not on a rail. It had strong AC, and I only had to wait 6 minutes to catch it and get back to the Landing.
I caught a bus from the central depot to San Juan area also. I would prefer something that shoots straight down 95 and doesn't have to snake around downtown, but it didn't take long to get where I needed to be.
Stephen, I thought you were kidding with the deer thing. Now, I found out Matt Laurer from the Today show was attacked by deer as well. Maybe you could go on the today show and discuss this with Matt. Lol