Slog
News & ArtsFriday, February 27, 2009
City Dear Metro,
Posted by Erica C. Barnett on Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 11:24 AM
I understand that you're under pressure. Really, I do. Your budget's fucked, your buses don't function well in the snow, you don't have a GPS tracking system in place to let people know when their bus is running late..
But seriously: Yesterday, when commuters were relying on you to do a better job than during the last snowfall (remember that?), was there any excuse for providing commuters seeking information about their bus routes with this message, hours before routes were back to normal?:
P.S. to SDOT: Thanks for sweeping some bike lanes after the last storm—even if you only did so after the Stranger, followed a few days later by the other local media, raised a ruckus. But Seattle Likes Bikes would really like it if you finished the job.
1
I'm just astounded that yesterday morning's service to the University District area was actually WORSE than the service during December's snowstorm. Hard to have sympathy for their budget difficulties when half of their drivers are functionally crippled by an inch of rapidly-melting slush.
2
The 44 bus didn't even run to Ballard.
I mean, that's a pretty flat line on a major arterial.
Not good.
I mean, that's a pretty flat line on a major arterial.
Not good.
3
WTF. The roads were clear when I got up at 6:30 am. Atleast in the greenwood area. What's their excuse for the terrible service yesterday?
4
Over on 5th and James there's still piles of sand in the road on the pedestrian walkway. When it's raining you really have to watch your step. At least the salmon are ok.
7
Speaking as a driver- how the fuck can I drive a bus that doesn't exist? Buses exist, so do snow chains- so what the fuck? Here is what it is like to be a driver- I sign in for work, but they don't have equipment for me. I can't just take a bus AWOL to take your ass to work.
Wow, the snow fell the day before-- can't imaginne why they would ok OT for mechanics to put chains on the buses- before the drivers arrive to work. Subsequently, many Metro drivers can't drive in snow- they don't even train us for it!
Fuck you Seattle- the problem is management - KEVIN DESMOND. Of course it is so much easier to bitch at a website, at drivers, to the media- then ask the county council for Desmonds neck. Here goes December all over again- enjoy your own agnosticism.
Wow, the snow fell the day before-- can't imaginne why they would ok OT for mechanics to put chains on the buses- before the drivers arrive to work. Subsequently, many Metro drivers can't drive in snow- they don't even train us for it!
Fuck you Seattle- the problem is management - KEVIN DESMOND. Of course it is so much easier to bitch at a website, at drivers, to the media- then ask the county council for Desmonds neck. Here goes December all over again- enjoy your own agnosticism.
8
rode my bike from U-dist to capitol hill, 5:30 am.
zero issues. if i could do it the bus could have too!
zero issues. if i could do it the bus could have too!
9
The driver I had said she has been driving for 30 years and knew she didn't need chains for her (very major road) route. They wouldn't let her take an unchained bus and instead made her wait for 20-30 minutes after she was supposed to leave for her route.
10
@2
Well, not quite flat. There is that hill between Phinney and 8th Ave. NW.
But really even with that, the snow wasn't that bad for pete's sake. I use to live in Rochester, NY and the bus drivers there would have laughed at such an over reaction to snow.
Well, not quite flat. There is that hill between Phinney and 8th Ave. NW.
But really even with that, the snow wasn't that bad for pete's sake. I use to live in Rochester, NY and the bus drivers there would have laughed at such an over reaction to snow.
11
There is a GPS system to track buses in Seattle. It was developed at the UW.
http://trackermap.kingcounty.gov/tracker…
http://trackermap.kingcounty.gov/tracker…
12
Funny how people whom lived in FLAT, cold areas claim that seattle over reacts to snow. Ever drove something that weighs 23 tons up Queene Anne, James, or even Phinney ridge? As for the 44- it is a trolley- they don't take the freeway to get there- they take the 43 routing- aka mountlake. Funny how metro doesn't substitute a handful of diesels as snow only trolley replacements. But of course it is so much more important to get out the 179 express from midway- or the 17 express on top of local service. Priorities people- two zone commuters- that actually pay their fare.
13
@11, that system isn't GPS, it's RFID at selected points. No good for reroutes or areas without the transponders.
16
@2, the thing about the 44 is that it's a trolley line. A trolley line has zero flexibility for reroutes. 98% of the route can be clear, but if 2% is blocked, they have no choice but to close the entire route. Especially if that 2% happens to be the turnaround.
17
I'm sympathetic to the drivers this time around. My driver yesterday explained about how the terminals wouldn't let the drivers go, and he only got out early (at 8:30, three and a half hours after he was supposed to leave) because he grabbed a bus himself and got it chained. Good explanation for why it was the second southbound/downtown-bound 43 I saw all morning. Then at Broadway there was a long backup while a couple of trolleys worked their way out of a wire deadzone. Shitty equipment + shitty policies = shitty service, and none of that is the driver's fault.
But Metro could have put on their website which routes were DELAYED and wouldn't get going for X hours, for chrissakes. Yes the 43 wasn't canceled, but it sure as hell was AWOL for many hours.
But Metro could have put on their website which routes were DELAYED and wouldn't get going for X hours, for chrissakes. Yes the 43 wasn't canceled, but it sure as hell was AWOL for many hours.
18
*sigh*
a bunch of bus-bashing comments. how shocking!
"rode my bike from U-dist to capitol hill, 5:30 am. zero issues. if i could do it the bus could have too!"
Yeah, because your little fixie is exactly like a bus.
There is a GPS system to track buses in Seattle
Others have already pointed out your mistake. They don't currently use gps. For some more info on real-time data during reroutes, read http://code.google.com/p/onebusaway/wiki…
Why did my express bus from the U to downtown decide not to take the freeway today?
Did you ask the driver when departing the bus? Usually they're friendly and will gladly tell you what's up (i.e. "There was a accident blocking the on-ramp").
a bunch of bus-bashing comments. how shocking!
"rode my bike from U-dist to capitol hill, 5:30 am. zero issues. if i could do it the bus could have too!"
Yeah, because your little fixie is exactly like a bus.
There is a GPS system to track buses in Seattle
Others have already pointed out your mistake. They don't currently use gps. For some more info on real-time data during reroutes, read http://code.google.com/p/onebusaway/wiki…
Why did my express bus from the U to downtown decide not to take the freeway today?
Did you ask the driver when departing the bus? Usually they're friendly and will gladly tell you what's up (i.e. "There was a accident blocking the on-ramp").
19
@7, 12: I have no problems with drivers. Your dumbass superiors aren't out on the routes, they're the ones who made the 12 magically disappear yesterday morning. I love my drivers, and I make sure they know it. But Metro's communication tech is ten years out of date-- if they're part of the biggest county government in the state, you'd think they could spend less money on bus poetry and more on accurate reporting.
21
The problem is indeed the management - not the dirivers - not the mechanics.
If there are issues with getting buses on the roads during bad weather conditions, that's understandable.
What is not understandable s not INFORMING THE FUCKING PUBLIC!
Therein lies the anger. If Metro had the competence to post something on their website - listing which routes weren't running at full capacity, then we riders could make adjustments accordingly.
If there are issues with getting buses on the roads during bad weather conditions, that's understandable.
What is not understandable s not INFORMING THE FUCKING PUBLIC!
Therein lies the anger. If Metro had the competence to post something on their website - listing which routes weren't running at full capacity, then we riders could make adjustments accordingly.
22
Sorry about the tiny image. Our software won't let me resize. It says, "Metro is not updating this table at this time. Please see the message at the top of the page or call 206-553-3000 for information about any known service disruptions currently in effect."
25
I checked Metro's website before leaving for work and the only buses listed as being re-routed were the 5 and 28. Nothing else was posted, and since the roads were mostly clear on Capitol Hill except for some wet slush, I assumed things would be running as usual. When I got to my bus stop at 15th and John, there were so many people waiting, I knew something was wrong. The girl standing next to me said she'd been waiting for half an hour.
I had to be at work at the UW by 9am and it was 8am at that point, so I decided it'd be safer to walk, as I've had to do the rest of the snow days this year. I walked the 43 bus route from Capitol Hill to the UW Medical Center, which took an hour, and not a single bus passed me (48 or 43). Their website is so ridiculously useless, it's infuriating. GPS or not, they had to have known that many of their buses were experiencing delays of over an hour, and they should have posted something to that effect.
And to the bus driver who posted, I don't think anyone blames the drivers at Metro. It's obviously severely mismanaged and has been for the 13 years I've been a rider in Seattle.
I had to be at work at the UW by 9am and it was 8am at that point, so I decided it'd be safer to walk, as I've had to do the rest of the snow days this year. I walked the 43 bus route from Capitol Hill to the UW Medical Center, which took an hour, and not a single bus passed me (48 or 43). Their website is so ridiculously useless, it's infuriating. GPS or not, they had to have known that many of their buses were experiencing delays of over an hour, and they should have posted something to that effect.
And to the bus driver who posted, I don't think anyone blames the drivers at Metro. It's obviously severely mismanaged and has been for the 13 years I've been a rider in Seattle.
26
@ 2, 10, et al: The comment about 2 percent makes sense, so I would agree with that. As well with the mmgt and comm issues. *Also*, though, there *are* at least *a couple* of hills on the 44 route, the hill on 15th ave from NE Pacific Street to NE 45th St, another one from 15th to the Ave, from Brooklyn to 11th, from I-5 to Djan's Thai place, . . .
Wow, actually, there are quite a few steep parts on the 44 route, not to mention the big one from Phinney westward on down (don't remember where the hill ends on the other side).
Can't be fun for bus drivers, or any passengers on the bus . . .
Wow, actually, there are quite a few steep parts on the 44 route, not to mention the big one from Phinney westward on down (don't remember where the hill ends on the other side).
Can't be fun for bus drivers, or any passengers on the bus . . .
27
This is why my husband drives me to work every morning.
Husband + car = @work in 10 minutes no matter what the weather (he has a kickass Subaru that seriously drives in everything).
Going to work on the bus = 70 minutes in the most optimal conditions (Madison Valley-transfer downtown-Eastlake), and with extremely smelly drugged-out freaks the entire way, or zero minutes in snow, because the bus never shows up in Madison Valley.
Fuck Metro and public transit in Seattle. I'm laughing every day on my 10-minute ride to work.
Husband + car = @work in 10 minutes no matter what the weather (he has a kickass Subaru that seriously drives in everything).
Going to work on the bus = 70 minutes in the most optimal conditions (Madison Valley-transfer downtown-Eastlake), and with extremely smelly drugged-out freaks the entire way, or zero minutes in snow, because the bus never shows up in Madison Valley.
Fuck Metro and public transit in Seattle. I'm laughing every day on my 10-minute ride to work.
28
Onebusaway.org or mybus.org both give you realtime bus arrival info using the GPS, and can be used via cell, and sms.
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