Monday, December 29, 2008
City Happy Holidays!
Posted by Erica C. Barnett on Mon, Dec 29, 2008 at 1:17 PM
UPDATE: OK, here's how you can tell which buses aren't coming: Go to Metro's web site. (Yes, this is only a solution for those of you at your computers or with wifi-enabled mobile phones). Look up the timetable for your route. Every trip marked with an "H" is canceled; other trips remain on their regular schedules. Metro spokeswoman Linda Thielke notes that Metro has been planning service reductions around the holiday since September, and says the extra days were added because so many buses are out of service. "We needed a couple of extra days to get all the repairs done." About 200 Metro buses are currently undergoing maintenance. By 2010, Thielke says, every Metro bus should be equipped with a GPS transponder that will allow the agency to track them in real time. Currently, sites like MyBus and OneBusAway rely on transponders attached to poles at bus stops; if a bus is rerouted or doesn't run, those tracking systems (which all rely on the same database of information) break down.
Original post follows:
Didn't know December 29, 30, and 31 were holidays? Neither did I, until I discovered that most Metro buses are operating on a "reduced weekday schedule" during "this holiday period." Wondering what a "reduced weekday schedule" is? You won't find out from Metro, whose web site doesn't define it anywhere. (Sunday, Saturday, and regular "holiday" schedules do have specific meanings). The nearest I can tell, "reduced weekday" service seems to mean that many routes (particularly South End routes; see the list here) are running less frequently but on no discernible schedule.
Why is today considered a "holiday"? Why does Metro's web site have no specific route information for people who actually need to get to work at a certain time? (This service reduction was in the works long before last week's snowstorms, so Metro had plenty of time to let riders know it was coming and w3hat it meant). What is a "reduced weekday schedule," and why does it seem to impact South End routes the most? I have calls into Metro to find out.
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2
On some schedules, there is an "H" next to some buses and a note that says those buses don't run on "Partial Holidays" (day after Christmas, MLKJr., etc). But why Metro thinks this whole week qualifies is a mystery to me.
Oh, and insert snarky attack on ECB right here>>
Oh, and insert snarky attack on ECB right here>>
3
Metro in the past spent a gazillion dollars to equip all its buses with transponders so they could instantly update things like websites and phone information lines.
Yet, the timetables were hopelessly wrong, and the phone service had a "we give up" message on it!
Meanwhile, rail in Portland was brought to a standstill by frozen switches.
Answer? Hummer taxis propelled by hydrogen fuel cells.
Yet, the timetables were hopelessly wrong, and the phone service had a "we give up" message on it!
Meanwhile, rail in Portland was brought to a standstill by frozen switches.
Answer? Hummer taxis propelled by hydrogen fuel cells.
6
well.. it is posted on the bus themselves.. 'rider alert' in the area near the front. years of riding metro has taught me to ALWAYS take a glance at them even when i don't think the info pertains to me..
and while i'm at it..
i've also learned that the metro website is the least efficient way of gettin info from them..unless you're joe connely and need a # 3 during snow days..
and while i'm at it..
i've also learned that the metro website is the least efficient way of gettin info from them..unless you're joe connely and need a # 3 during snow days..
8
#5,
It's because most, if not all, of the states are broke.
And the federal government is in debt up to and above its eyeballs - more of that owed to China, now, than to Japan.
Shitty bus service is, sadly, the least of our worries right now. Get your legs in even better shape - we'll all probably be doing a lot more walking. Which is perhaps as it should be after an orgy of American SUV driving.
Or get a bike.
In all likelihood, it's not going to get better for a while.
It's because most, if not all, of the states are broke.
And the federal government is in debt up to and above its eyeballs - more of that owed to China, now, than to Japan.
Shitty bus service is, sadly, the least of our worries right now. Get your legs in even better shape - we'll all probably be doing a lot more walking. Which is perhaps as it should be after an orgy of American SUV driving.
Or get a bike.
In all likelihood, it's not going to get better for a while.
9
http://transit.metrokc.gov/up/holidays/h…
1. You ridiculed Joel Connelly for not looking online to see if his bus was running, but you can't look on your schedule to see if there is an "H" next to the time? I looked at several online schedules and found "H" easily, indicating that the bus does not run at that particular time.
2. Many workplaces are closed or on reduced hours this week, and quite a few people take extended leave during this period. I'm at work, but most people at my office are gone this week. I doesn't really make sense to run empty buses all day during the between-holiday week.
3. "Rider Alerts" alerting riders to this change have been posted in the buses and at some stops, as well as being front and center on their web site in big red letters.
Please see the online or paper timetable for your route. Trips marked with the letter 'H' do not operate this week.
Routes that are designated as not operating on Dec 26 or Jan 2 are also canceled Monday through Wednesday this week.
1. You ridiculed Joel Connelly for not looking online to see if his bus was running, but you can't look on your schedule to see if there is an "H" next to the time? I looked at several online schedules and found "H" easily, indicating that the bus does not run at that particular time.
2. Many workplaces are closed or on reduced hours this week, and quite a few people take extended leave during this period. I'm at work, but most people at my office are gone this week. I doesn't really make sense to run empty buses all day during the between-holiday week.
3. "Rider Alerts" alerting riders to this change have been posted in the buses and at some stops, as well as being front and center on their web site in big red letters.
10
Seattle is for drugged-out "green liberal" losers who elect incompetent officials, and then complain about it.
12
This city is such a joke. The south can blame the civil war for setting them back 30 years, what do we have?
13
Woops, @9, didn't see your post. You just said it all. ECB's municipal standards only apply to others.
15
I also found out from a notice on the bus itself. Metro's whole web setup is tragic; pretty cutting edge for 1998 but near-useless today, especially when you're trying to figure out which of the seventeen different pages on reduced services applies to you. And, of course, there's the stupid futility of trying to find a cross-town route; if you're not headed downtown, Metro doesn't really want to know about it.
16
I have to take the 64 today that is on reduced routes...guess I will find out what that means in a few hours....
17
@1, I would like to see heads roll too. I'd like Metro to hold public hearings more frequently to deal with rider complaints about service. I'd like someone at Metro or the county to be held accountable. But then I realize that will never happen. Remember when someone on Slog suggested the Stranger hold an open house with the public and Metro? Yeah, never happened.
We love to bitch but nothing will change.
We love to bitch but nothing will change.
18
@16, look at the 64 schedule. If you see an "H" next to the time, the bus doesn't operate at that time.
http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/sche…
http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/sche…
21
Also, the reason it seems to impact South End routes the most is because your solipsism is showing. If you don't ride North End routes, they won't seem to be affected to you, will they?
23
Well, I'm glad we've established that it is *possible* to determine this week's schedule. How many buses did you miss while navigating the convoluted website/instructions?
I'm just happy busview is working again. That sucked.
I'm just happy busview is working again. That sucked.
24
This time I have to side with ECB. Those of you saying it was posted on the buses? Guess what, many of the routes (mine included, which isn't running at all this week) haven't run for the past 10 days.
Reduce some trips during a slow period, fine. But completely eliminating a bunch of routes (see below) doesn't meet any decent standard of service:
Routes not operating: 2 EX, 7 EX, 9, 32, 34, 45, 46, 53, 76, 77, 79, 114, 126, 133, 152, 157, 161, 162, 167, 170, 175, 191, 192, 196, 197, 201, 205, 206, 207, 208, 210, 217, 219, 237, 243, 247, 250, 256, 260, 261, 265, 266, 268, 272, 277, 291, 304, 308, 316, 355, 372, 373, 885, 886, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 912, 925, 935, 952, 981, 982, 984, 986, 987, 988, 989, 994, 995 & Group Health Express.
Reduce some trips during a slow period, fine. But completely eliminating a bunch of routes (see below) doesn't meet any decent standard of service:
Routes not operating: 2 EX, 7 EX, 9, 32, 34, 45, 46, 53, 76, 77, 79, 114, 126, 133, 152, 157, 161, 162, 167, 170, 175, 191, 192, 196, 197, 201, 205, 206, 207, 208, 210, 217, 219, 237, 243, 247, 250, 256, 260, 261, 265, 266, 268, 272, 277, 291, 304, 308, 316, 355, 372, 373, 885, 886, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 912, 925, 935, 952, 981, 982, 984, 986, 987, 988, 989, 994, 995 & Group Health Express.
25
What is 71's "unpublished route". What the FUCK is an unpublished route.
And the 64H IS NOT ACCURATE PER METRO!!!(I Just called them and they said that the H does not apply for this week)
ENJOY!!!!!
And the 64H IS NOT ACCURATE PER METRO!!!(I Just called them and they said that the H does not apply for this week)
ENJOY!!!!!
26
Haha, was anyone else on the 70-something Express yesterday, from Campus Pkwy to downtown, around 730am, on which the one guy in the back started yelling at the other guy, "Right NOW...give it to me NOW...NOW...NOW...give me my FUCKIN'...NOW...NOW...GIVE IT TO ME...NOW...WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH YOU MOTHERFUCKER...RIGHT NOW...GIVE ME MY FUCKIN'...BEER!!!!!!"
That was hilarious, if a bit spooky.
That was hilarious, if a bit spooky.
28
The previous Rider Alert was slated to be published in the buses from Thanksgiving to MLK day. I depend on Metro to get downtown from Northgate daily. I took note of this schedule as often my commuter hours only bus is cancelled on those "partial holidays." Pre-snow storm, Metro had only scheduled the day after Thanksgiving, the day after Christamas, the day after New Years day, and MLK day as "partial holiday schedule."
I noted this morning there was a whole new Rider Alert that was two very large paragraphs telling me that everything was partial holiday. Must have appeared over some other Metro-delcared holiday as everyone waiting for the 316 and 303 were waiting for hours with no clue this was happening. I was an hour late to work because of the nonsense and hundreds of stranded riders at the Northgate TC.
Metro did a decent job of alerting local media of service reductions during the snow, why didn't tell call KOMO, KING, and KIRO today??
I noted this morning there was a whole new Rider Alert that was two very large paragraphs telling me that everything was partial holiday. Must have appeared over some other Metro-delcared holiday as everyone waiting for the 316 and 303 were waiting for hours with no clue this was happening. I was an hour late to work because of the nonsense and hundreds of stranded riders at the Northgate TC.
Metro did a decent job of alerting local media of service reductions during the snow, why didn't tell call KOMO, KING, and KIRO today??
29
I remember, long, long ago, when I was a whippersnapper in the seventies, metro was a decent system. Now it is an incomprehensible piece of shit, an unmitigated, bureaucratic nightmare of truly Kafka-esque proportions. It is good only for trips from downtown to Capitol Hill, the U-district, the CD. Using metro to access any other part of town, or heaven forbid, any of the other communities in the metro area is nigh fucking pointless.
Tear it down, lynch the current crop of imbeciles in charge, and start fresh.
Tear it down, lynch the current crop of imbeciles in charge, and start fresh.
31
The Metro schedules aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Whatever team of buffoons is in charge of disseminating information about bus schedules should be taken out back and shot.
32
As a frequent bus rider through all neighborhoods of Seattle, I have to say that in my experience the 36 is one of the most heavily used buses during ALL times of the day. I have never known a bus route that has had to skip stops because it is over capacity on such a regular basis. It is a route that many low income families and elderly people use to to get around. Why would Metro ever reduce this heavily used route?
33
@3:
Two of the first half-dozen cars I saw sliding back down E Union on the 17th were Hummers, so I wouldn't exactly point at them as being the solution vis-a-vis poor weather transit alternatives.
Plus, they make much bigger dents in your parked car when they careen into it.
@12:
We blame Californians. Everything bad that has happened in this city in the last 20 years is a direct result of Californication.
Two of the first half-dozen cars I saw sliding back down E Union on the 17th were Hummers, so I wouldn't exactly point at them as being the solution vis-a-vis poor weather transit alternatives.
Plus, they make much bigger dents in your parked car when they careen into it.
@12:
We blame Californians. Everything bad that has happened in this city in the last 20 years is a direct result of Californication.
34
I told you that at 11:33. As it says (if you follow the BIG RED LINK on the front page), "Trips marked with the letter 'H' do not operate this week."
UPDATE: OK, here's how you can tell which buses aren't coming: Go to Metro's web site. (Yes, this is only a solution for those of you at your computers or with wifi-enabled mobile phones). Look up the timetable for your route. Every trip marked with an "H" is canceled; other trips remain on their regular schedules.
I told you that at 11:33. As it says (if you follow the BIG RED LINK on the front page), "Trips marked with the letter 'H' do not operate this week."
36
SDOT, which shovels the snow (hah!) doesn't talk to Metro. If they did, SDOT would tell Metro it had cleared, say, 10th West, a modest slope where Metro runs the #1. Then Metro could run the bus. But noooo, SDOT didn't follow its own snow plan and Metro didn't run any buses to speak of. A pox on them both.
And taking half the buses off for "maintenance"? What, because they suffered so much damage last week?
And taking half the buses off for "maintenance"? What, because they suffered so much damage last week?
37
I wonder how many people will waste time complaining to Seattle City Council about bus service when most of the impact is still due to the KING COUNTY COUNCIL allocating only 20 percent of the transit budget to Seattle bus routes from our 40 percent of taxes for the highest-ridership area of the entire county?
Want action - phone and email EVERY COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER IN EVERY DISTRICT and complain.
And THEN do the same to every Seattle City Council member and every member of the mayor's staff.
Actions speak a lot louder than online postings.
Want action - phone and email EVERY COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER IN EVERY DISTRICT and complain.
And THEN do the same to every Seattle City Council member and every member of the mayor's staff.
Actions speak a lot louder than online postings.
38
Until we start overturning SUVs and Hummers on the streets and lighting them in big bonfires, nothing will change.
Grab your torches!
Grab your torches!
40
That service alert has changed in the last four days, too. Check the Google cache of how it looked on the 25th. And if you check the cache of the home page, you'll see that the "Adverse Weather" alert was featured prominently, not the "Metro service - week of Dec 29" alert that's there now. So it's not like that information has been linked to in big red letters on the site for the last few weeks.
Even the alert that's there now is confusing. Try to figure out from that if the 167, 197, 205, 272, 277 and 372 are running. One section says to look in the timetable to see which trips aren't running, and another section says the route isn't running at all.
Even the alert that's there now is confusing. Try to figure out from that if the 167, 197, 205, 272, 277 and 372 are running. One section says to look in the timetable to see which trips aren't running, and another section says the route isn't running at all.
41
"Look up the timetable for your route. Every trip marked with an "H" is canceled; other trips remain on their regular schedules."
This, sadly, is only half the solution. The 372 has SOME trips marked "H", but in fact, ALL trips are cancelled. The second sneaky stipulation: if the route doesn't operate on December 26th OR January 2nd, then it's canceled December 29th through the 31st as well.
Thanks, Metro. I love how your "rider alerts" and "holiday service alerts" conveniently neglect to mention this sneaky addition. There weren't any updated rider alerts of service notices at any of the bus stops or transit info centers I was at.
Also, they claim the Trip Planner has been updated to only give you trips that exist today, but it looks like it's still telling you that you can take the 372.
This, sadly, is only half the solution. The 372 has SOME trips marked "H", but in fact, ALL trips are cancelled. The second sneaky stipulation: if the route doesn't operate on December 26th OR January 2nd, then it's canceled December 29th through the 31st as well.
Thanks, Metro. I love how your "rider alerts" and "holiday service alerts" conveniently neglect to mention this sneaky addition. There weren't any updated rider alerts of service notices at any of the bus stops or transit info centers I was at.
Also, they claim the Trip Planner has been updated to only give you trips that exist today, but it looks like it's still telling you that you can take the 372.
42
If Metro had GPS transponders on all of their buses, you'd be able to see how completely fucked the information on their web site is. For now, you'll have to wait at a stop and observe the bus not showing up even though the site says it's running.
43
Greg: If MyBus shows "No Info" for a particular trip, chances are good the bus isn't running. Normally "No Info" is caused by technical failures in the tracking system, but this week it's more likely that the buses simply don't exist.
45
Did I mention that the electronic bus schedule at the Northgate park and ride was totally frozen? As in, no bus information displayed at all, and the system clock stuck on 2 AM?
46
Karl: I don't see _any_ trips marked with an "H" on the 372 timetable. There are a bunch marked with a "D", though. Not that it matters, since it's not running anyway.
48
And let's talk about something else. These fun programs like BusMonster, MyBus, OneBusAway, etc. are pretty useful, aren't they? So how come these useful databases - using Metro's own technology and data! - are homebrew apps cooked up and run by third parties, rather than something Metro has integrated into their information service? Imagine if Metro's trip planner used any of this information. Of course it doesn't, because Metro's information people are incompetent, lazy morons who haven't upgraded the Goddamn website since 2000.
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