12 replies to this topic

[MAX BRT]

http://www.washingto...ransit-to-work/

Most people don’t live within easy reach of a transit stop. They live in suburbs with poor access to transit.

On the other hand if one lives in the city, transit is often quite good. For example, my commute via bike and bus is only about 25 minutes (7 miles).

[D40LF]

I can fully understand that. When I lived in the Detroit area I never ever took the bus, and the only transit I did take was the People Mover downtown, mainly because my father worked on it.

I do remember that the bus was nowhere near where I lived, infact I think it was a ten minute walk to get there. Even my school bus was a five minute walk!

[vivablue5215]

Simple. The late 20th Century suburban sprawl and the evolution of the automobile meant that many areas where people moved are all spread out, low density neighbourhoods. You can't provide good transit there without incurring a high cost.

It also doesn't help that many governments are reluctant to pitching in money for transit, because "it will lose money". Well duh it will lose money, but transit is meant to provide a public service, not operate as a business.

The article sums it up quite well, though most of the facts there are already well articulated in other places.

[armorand]

The sprawl in Atlanta is a fine example of how bad USA suburbia is. Calgary has suburbia, but at least they can plot a bus route into it...

[MAX BRT]

It sure speaks to the need for planning, something we Americans do not do well as a rule.

[Ramirez]

The same study, but for Southern California only
http://m.presstelegr...ntguid=vAnpXj8f

[MAX BRT]

This is a great article that profiles a couple of real people who need transit but it does not go where they need to go.

One can also imagine the way that the problem negatively affects our economy and society as workers are disconnected from jobs.

http://www.huffingto..._n_1660344.html

[captaintrolley]

A job I applied for, and may have ultimately gotten, had rotten bus service. It didn't run late enough or early enough or on Sundays. I had to turn down the job.

[FYBklyn1959]

I live in South Florida and am in the same boat. Problem is, my job is in what could be considered a suburb, several miles west of downtown Miami. I live in southern Broward County. There is actually an express bus not far from where I lived (would be a 10 minute drive and there is a free park-n-ride lot), but the bus goes to downtown Miami, then I would have to take another bus all the way back west. I calculated the commute time to be about 2 hours one way. Won't work for me, as driving takes 35-40 minutes, door-to-door. Too bad, as I always commuted by mass transit when I lived in Southern California, it helped that I worked at USC, whcih is right under downotwn L. A. and has several express buses going downtown that stop near the campus (and now this year, the new Metro Expo Line).

[RailBus63]

There is a lot that goes into this. In some of the largest cities with good transit service, the real estate in desirable transit-dense neighborhoods is very expensive. Conversely, most city school systems are poor. It's OK if you're a couple with both making six-figure incomes who can afford a house and can send their kids to private schools, but many people can only afford to live in the suburbs if they want to buy a home and give their children a good education.

[MAX BRT]

The Atlanta region ranked 87th in the report that started this thread and they just voted down an increase in transit spending.
As a transit fan, I'm glad I don't live there.

[armorand]

MAX BRT, on 01 August 2012 - 11:27 AM, said:

The Atlanta region ranked 87th in the report that started this thread and they just voted down an increase in transit spending.
As a transit fan, I'm glad I don't live there.

Especially with their sprawl. It's horrendous.

https://maps.google....ted+States&z=13

https://maps.google....ted+States&z=12

[highfive]

One positive note is Salt Lake City, Utah and the Wasatch Front in general are the city and region #1 in accessibility to Public Transit.

Its somewhat intriguing as the bus service typically is only at 30 to 45 min. intervals on the major lines, however the network is extensive and covers alot of area. The resources seem to be utilized toward peak demand but there also seems to be redundancy in the form of "flex routing."

The commuter heavy rail train network is also expansive covering as much as 30 miles in each direction from Downtown Salt Lake City. The LRT system was also expanded recently to West Valley City and Daybreak Parkway in the south.