Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

[FISHMANPET]

I think my 2 was actually ahead of schedule this morning, my driver was pretty crazy and I thought we were gonna crash a bunch of times, but we didn't.

And yeah, every single winter storm tweet from Metro Transit has been basically "buses are all late, blue line and Northstar on time." Telling perhaps that they lump the Red line in with their bus service rather than their rail service.

[mattaudio]

http://www.minnpost.com/political-agend ... sportation
A discussion of how local transit is crucial for jobs and economic opportunities in the community will be held Tuesday night in St. Paul......The event begins with a dinner at 5:30 p.m. The program from 6 to 8 p.m., is free, but registration is required.

[twincitizen]

Assuming the Route 30 is successful and builds ridership in that corridor, I'd eventually like to see it interlined with the existing Route 2 to form a full loop around the Minneapolis CBD. I don't think it's too far fetched. Between the existing Route 2 and proposed Route 30, the only missing link would be between Hennepin/Franklin and Broadway. Run that portion of the route via Van White and you've got yourself a connection to both Bottineau and Southwest LRT without going downtown.

I'm feeling pretty smart right now, as I came up with my Route 2 loop plan without even knowing about the Route 30 proposal. It essentially follows the same exact route.

[HuskyGrad]

For what it's worth, this morning I got to the Franklin Station at 7:45 to catch the 7:50 southbound train. A train didn't come until 8:04. Nineteen minutes of waiting. Two northbound trains went during this time period.

I was on a Northbound train at about 7:10 and had to switch to a different train at Franklin due to apparent issues with the first train. This probably slowed down the trains heading southbound as your train was probably my northbound train.

[Tcmetro]

Assuming the Route 30 is successful and builds ridership in that corridor, I'd eventually like to see it interlined with the existing Route 2 to form a full loop around the Minneapolis CBD. I don't think it's too far fetched. Between the existing Route 2 and proposed Route 30, the only missing link would be between Hennepin/Franklin and Broadway. Run that portion of the route via Van White and you've got yourself a connection to both Bottineau and Southwest LRT without going downtown.

I'm feeling pretty smart right now, as I came up with my Route 2 loop plan without even knowing about the Route 30 proposal. It essentially follows the same exact route.

I've thought about this in the past, too. Perhaps the proposed #8 (Broadway/Emerson - Van White Station) could be integrated with the #30 proposal. I think this could even be extended to the Lowry Hill terminus of the #2, but I think a loop line could get pretty unreliable. That's my two cents, anyways.

[xandrex]

I think my 2 was actually ahead of schedule this morning, my driver was pretty crazy and I thought we were gonna crash a bunch of times, but we didn't.

And yeah, every single winter storm tweet from Metro Transit has been basically "buses are all late, blue line and Northstar on time." Telling perhaps that they lump the Red line in with their bus service rather than their rail service.

A co-worker in Apple Valley just told me that they actually took the Red Line to the Blue Line to get into downtown instead of the usual express bus that goes direct from AV to DT. Apparently it's a quicker option during bad weather, which is the first I've heard of people opting for that Red Line with a transfer when they had a choice.

[mattaudio]

Interesting, since when I took the 477 for many years the trouble spots were usually 77 climbing out of Apple Valley, and then the area near the river bridge.

[xandrex]

It certainly seemed strange to me. Perhaps they just assumed the light rail portion would speed up the commute. It doesn't sound like they had an issue on the Red Line either, though.

[Tcmetro]

MVTA ridership reaches new record: http://www.mvta.com/mvta_s_operation_of ... level.html

- Ridership on route 446 (46th LRT - Eagan) increased by 50% since 2008, with no service improvements.
- 475 (Apple Valley - Cedar Grove - Minneapolis - U of M) increased by 79% since last year; however many trips were added, and all extended in 2013.
- 465 (Burnsville - South Bloomington - Minneapolis - U of M) increased by 31% since 2008, and 5% from 2012. Service was increased in 2012 to 15 minutes in the peak direction and 30 minutes in the midday, as well as extending an hour later in the evening.
- Top routes by ridership were 460 (Burnsville - Minneapolis express), 477 (Apple Valley - Minneapolis express), and 444 (Savage - Burnsville - MOA local).

2014 may see further improvements to express service from Rosemount to Minneapolis and on routes 440 (Apple Valley - Cedar Grove) and 445 (Eagan - Cedar Grove).

The MVTA Board will have their first meeting on January 22nd. Big topics include the 2014-2019 Capital Improvement Plan, which includes information about the bus fleet and new stations in South Burnsville (35W BRT) Rosemount, Savage, and Northern Apple Valley, as well as a $19.5 million expansion of Apple Valley Transit Station. Also to be discussed is the proposed merger of the Shakopee and Prior Lake transit services into MVTA. If all goes according to schedule, the merger should be enacted on January 1st, 2015.

http://www.mvta.com/uploads/january_201 ... packet.pdf

[FranklinAveFixation]

I'm a MVTA customer 3-4 days a week and just wanted to chime in..

MVTA ridership reaches new record: http://www.mvta.com/mvta_s_operation_of ... level.html

- Ridership on route 446 (46th LRT - Eagan) increased by 50% since 2008, with no service improvements.

I find myself on the 446 more often lately, just because the 445>transfer>Red line and vice versa is so time consuming.

2014 may see further improvements to express service from Rosemount to Minneapolis and on routes 440 (Apple Valley - Cedar Grove) and 445 (Eagan - Cedar Grove).

Their most glaring needs imo.

]Big topics include the 2014-2019 Capital Improvement Plan, which includes information about the bus fleet and new stations in South Burnsville (35W BRT) Rosemount, Savage, and Northern Apple Valley, as well as a $19.5 million expansion of Apple Valley Transit Station.

Hope all these newfangled stations are pedestrian/bicycle friendly.. Unlike the Eagan Transit station which has zero sidewalk access, you literally have to walk in the road to get there from the "sidewalks." Not that Eagan is big on snow removal on these "sidewalks" but still.

[Tcmetro]

Southwest Transit is having their first meeting of the year on Thursday.

- SWT is working with SWLRT on the proposed station. Two of the three options would require the demolition of the bus station and offices.
- The park and ride on Jonathan Carver Parkway should be opened at the end of the year or early next year. SWT is working with Carver on service options.
- SWT wants to start new talks with Minnetonka and Plymouth about mergers or consolidation.
- 4 new buses this year, and 16 new buses next year.
- Shady Oak Park and Ride will close permanently in May for a road project.
- New local circulators and a modification to Rt. 684 to serve the new UHG campus could happen this year.
http://www.swtransit.org/sites/default/ ... .23.14.pdf

[phop]

Customers boarded Metro Transit buses and trains nearly 81.4 million times in 2013, an increase of more than 300,000 rides (0.4%) over 2012. The Northstar Commuter Rail line had a particularly strong year, with ridership up more than 12 percent.

“Only twice in 32 years has Metro Transit ridership reached this level,” said General Manager Brian Lamb. “We thank our customers – both long-time and new – for this fourth consecutive year of growth. In 2013, we provided five million more rides than just four years ago.”

http://www.metrotransit.org/metro-trans ... 4-million-

[mattaudio]

Bob "Again" Carney is working on Phase II of the "Transit Revolution" (jitneys) and is also filing a patent for a "transit cloverleaf."
http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/mp ... Ck4hOwka0H

[VAStationDude]

Everyone needs a hobby horse. #multiway

[Nick]

Sometimes I'm embarrassed by UrbanMSP, but then there's E-Democracy.

[FISHMANPET]

That reminds me, I should put my name in my signature.

[Snelbian]

Sometimes I'm embarrassed by UrbanMSP, but then there's E-Democracy.

Yup.

[Tcmetro]

Metro Transit and MTS (contracted routes) to purchase 83 articulated buses from New Flyer. 88 options are also available:
http://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meeting ... 014_2.aspx

Transportation Committee 2014 work plan:
http://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meeting ... bined.aspx

[Tcmetro]

Automated announcements on all routes by the end of the year.

a. Metro Transit Internal and External Bus Announcement Project
Gary Nyberg and Jason Podany spoke to the TAAC committee. They currently do have automated
announcements on routes 10, 17, 18 and the Red Line BRT service. Those routes were used for a
test. They wanted to see how it worked and get feedback. They have staff to support it with available
staff. By the end of next year they are planning to implement this on all of the Metro Transit and
Metropolitan Council bus routes. There will be next stop automated announcements. The entire Metro
Transit fleet will be announcement ready by 2017 as new bus procurement occurs. Currently 577 of
958 buses or 60% of the fleet is announcement ready.

There is also another initiative. There is a LED “stop requested” sign used for scrolling safety
messages. They have the ability to scroll other types of messages also. Onboard announcements are
currently made by bus operators who are to make announcements per Metro Transit policy and ADA
guidelines.

External announcements. The way the onboard announcements work is when you open the door it
triggers the external announcement to occur. Then it will say welcome aboard, the route, branch, the
direction and the destination. At certain busier bus stops the announcement may be said a second
time for the people at the back of the line to hear. The threshold is to be determined. There are over
1,200 unique route branches equating to over 1,200 external phrases that have to be put together to
make this work.

Related ADA Guidelines. “Where vehicles or other conveyances for more than one route serve the
same stop, the entity shall provide a means by which an individual with a visual impairment or other
disability can identify the proper vehicle to enter or be identified to the vehicle operator as a person
seeking a ride on a particular route.”

All of the buses are equipped with global positioning systems. The buses know where they are at all
times. The bus is using the automated vehicle location system to know where it is in relation to each
stop along the route. So each of the bus stops are in the system as well. The system is set at a default
of 600 feet. The announcements are made on the bus when the bus enters the designated bus stop
zones.

Internal announcements. Announce transfer points with other fixed routes. Announce signalized and
major intersections (stop signs and traffic lights). Announce major destination points. Announce
intervals along a route to help people be orientated to their location. Announce other stops upon
request of an individual with a disability.

These are some examples of announcement solutions. At a typical bus stop the announcement would
say “Humboldt Avenue” as they approach the 600 foot distance before the stop. Then there is the mid
block stops. For that they would have “Dakota Avenue and Colorado” for example. After the bus turns
they would announce the next intersection would be announced as “Hennepin and Lagoon”. They
would announce “approaching the next intersection (Hennepin Avenue)”. They would announce all of
the transfer points. For any location that would have five or more routes they would say “this is a major
transfer point.”

They would announce landmark information. Some examples of landmarks are: established retail
centers, government centers, high schools and universities, hospitals, office complexes, major activity
centers like the Mall of America, convention centers and event venues. They are still working on the
logistics. They are looking at a recording studio. They are also looking at text-to-voice solutions. A
female voice is used on Routes 10, 17, 18 and the Red Line. They are evaluating software and voices.
Potential future phases: announcements for public outreach, announcements for advertising, induction
loop implementation (to enhance the sound and make it clearer), onboard computer screen of bus
movement and next trip information on connecting routes and other information.

At this time, during detours, they will have to depend on the driver to do the announcements.

They spoke about buses in a line at a bus stop that has various routes and destinations.
Imdieke Cross said there is a law that says if somebody is standing at a bus stop with a service dog or
a white cane that no matter where that bus is in its loading process, it is obligated by law to stop in front
of that individual and ask them if they are looking for that particular bus.

Pam Steffen said that the Metro Transit drivers are trained to do this.

Andy Streasick said that the Opt Outs are also trained to do this.

http://metrocouncil.org/getdoc/bf562eae ... nutes.aspx

[FISHMANPET]

I rode a bus once in Chicago that had automated announcements, but even with the small speaker a few inches from my ear, I couldn't actually here it over the din of the crowded bus.

But I was on a 2 bus that was using the announcements from another route, and it was fairly easy to understand. I also appreciated that the next stop was listed on the LED screen.