Long Day's Journey Into Plight. Stephen Dare Wrassles the Transit System.

[stephendare]

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.

[Doctor_K]

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. 

[Doctor_K]

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.

[rjp2008]

Lost 26 lbs - good for you.

[Ocklawaha]

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!


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

[pwhitford]

Congratulations!  You are the first person since grammar school to make soda come shooting out my nose.

[jbm32206]

Wildly 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!

[jbm32206]

I 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?

Stephen...you're killing me! You really do have a flare for descriptive writing!

[02roadking]

That is some hilarious stuff about the deer encounter. Really pisses me off about people throwing crap at someone walking down the road though.

[ProjectMaximus]

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.

That is some hilarious stuff about the deer encounter. Really pisses me off about people throwing crap at someone walking down the road though.

[urbanlibertarian]

One would think pennies thrown from a moving vehicle would qualify as a deadly weapon.

[Midway ®]

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.

[Ocklawaha]

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

[BridgeTroll]

  :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...   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...

[RiversideGator]

: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...   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.