tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58214857268150446572024-02-20T07:12:12.621-06:00Fare-Free MichiganUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-74327754532310095062020-04-26T07:31:00.000-05:002020-04-26T07:31:29.904-05:00Candidate for US Congress MI-12 supports #freepublictransit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn69fcF8jRggI-XbGro64bMX-YVM3MXmW7swA_rZJW9z2nC89xyJ_hq3iGWyh2PgJmqGt6KCnP1KqYwl2SqC8kBhqO36L9HLAcOf-LFDvWeoVzZTcyfxgUgMLoQDupFqrmjrdkUmsO8CaE/s1600/SolomonRajput2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="537" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn69fcF8jRggI-XbGro64bMX-YVM3MXmW7swA_rZJW9z2nC89xyJ_hq3iGWyh2PgJmqGt6KCnP1KqYwl2SqC8kBhqO36L9HLAcOf-LFDvWeoVzZTcyfxgUgMLoQDupFqrmjrdkUmsO8CaE/s400/SolomonRajput2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/VoteForSolomon" target="_blank">@VoteForSolomon</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-62513381633068240012020-02-17T17:20:00.004-06:002020-02-17T17:20:50.959-06:00One third of society does not drive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Cars are expensive. Wheelchair accessible vehicles cost upwards of $50,000, so many wheelchair-users can’t afford their own vehicle. Add to that people who can’t drive because of vision impairments or physical injuries, because they are too young, or because they’ve aged out of driving (an ever-increasing population). <b>So how can public transportation provide no benefit when one third of society doesn’t drive?</b></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.detroittransit.org/tru-leader-responds-to-north-oakland-transit-opposition/">https://www.detroittransit.org/tru-leader-responds-to-north-oakland-transit-opposition/</a> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-30484217911511573602019-07-15T21:26:00.000-05:002019-07-15T21:26:02.769-05:00Fare-free buses a success at Traverse City Cherry festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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BATA says their buses provided more than 29,000 rides at the event.<br />That’s a 60-percent jump compared to last year.<br />BATA says all those rides helped cut down on car trips by almost 19,000.</blockquote>
<a href="https://www.9and10news.com/2019/07/09/bata-buses-provide-29000-rides-during-national-cherry-festival/">https://www.9and10news.com/2019/07/09/bata-buses-provide-29000-rides-during-national-cherry-festival/</a> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-28765882661294898702018-06-14T22:57:00.002-05:002018-06-14T22:57:22.780-05:00Grand Rapids providing fare-free public transit along Medical Mile<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-7c28e409-dfee-2a52-b4e1-5aab741da553"><a href="http://www.grbj.com/articles/90846-city-approves-free-medical-mile-bus-route">grbj.com </a> A three-way pact providing fare-free public transit along Medical Mile now has city approval.</span><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c28e409-dfee-2a52-b4e1-5aab741da553">The Grand Rapids City Commission recently approved a three-year pilot partnership between the city, Spectrum Health and the Interurban Transit Partnership (The Rapid) aiming to provide fare-free busing with improved service times along Route 19. The new plan will take effect Aug. 27.</span></blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-73098667975539962692018-03-08T09:47:00.001-06:002018-03-08T09:47:22.651-06:00Free transport arranged for public to attend Battle Creek Transit meetings<a href="http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/local/2018/03/07/free-transport-arranged-public-attend-battle-creek-transit-presentations-next-week/404652002/">battlecreekenquirer </a>: "Battle Creek Transit has arranged a series of public meetings to present possible future service scenarios.<br />
<br />
The meetings will be held at the Department of Public Works, at 150 S. Kendall St.<br />
<br />
There will be two meetings, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 12, and 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, March 13. The time for the Tuesday meeting has been changed from some previous promotions and flyers because of an overlapping meeting.<br />
<br />
There will be a shuttle from the downtown bus transfer center to Public Works and back. The shuttle will leave the transfer center at 5:20 p.m. on Monday and at 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday. The shuttle will return meeting attendees to the transfer center, and they will be provided with a trip ticket for the ride home."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-62862958283957811072018-02-03T22:39:00.001-06:002018-02-03T22:39:00.589-06:00Want jobs? Get #transit.<a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2018/01/30/dan-gilbert-detroit-must-expand-public-transit/109949494/">Detroit must expand public transportation, Dan Gilbert tells Washington audience</a>: "“A lot of people were blaming it on talent and transportation. I definitely believe the transportation thing,” said Gilbert, who worked on Detroit’s Amazon bid. “But talent, there’s all sorts of talent. We’re Detroit ... people come... This generation in particular, when I talk to them, they want to impact the outcome of the world. We’re a big sort of magnet.”"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-71178667223204695382018-01-23T00:01:00.002-06:002018-01-23T00:01:51.138-06:00Macomb, Oakland, Washtenow, Wayne counties: Contact your county executive. Hopefully there will be another opportunity to put mass transit funding on the ballot.Action Network is facilitating contacting L. Brooks Patterson and Mark Hackel, the executives of Oakland and Macomb counties, respectively, concerning their non-support of the ballot proposal back in 2016 for funding the <abbr title="Regional Transit Authority">RTA</abbr>. A handy email form is supplied <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/letters/supportregionwidetransit">here</a>. Here's the message I sent to Mark Hackel:
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<blockquote>
I'm quite disappointed that you lobbied against the RTA ballot proposal in the 2016 election. You have done our county inestimable harm by doing so. This is one of the most car-dependent counties in America and it may surprise you that that is a bug rather than a feature, unless your goals actually include social filtering. If you think that means higher property values, you are a fool. If you took the side you did as a way to pandering to the up-county McMansions 'n' SUVs set, you're really a fool, because the northern Macomb County vote will go Republican no matter what you do. Your career is best served by following your conscience (which I hope is the conscience of the Democrat you run as), not pandering to the media stereotypes concerning Macomb County public opinion. Please do better if similar measures appear in the future. It is an investment we can't afford not to make. It is not in our best interest to be the county standing in the way of progress on mass transit.</blockquote>
Lorrainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13567383019731167967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-35671356891511552862017-07-02T04:48:00.001-05:002017-07-02T04:48:54.346-05:00Grand Rapids, Mi, proves you can beat the oil-trolls and have #publictransit locally<a href="http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/12348493/the-rapids-board-unanimously-approves-decision-to-put-public-transportation-systems-millage-renewal-on-november-2017-ballot">masstransitmag </a>: "The Rapid averages nearly 1 million rides every month and provides approximately 12 million rides annually."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-75648520437704832032017-05-13T04:09:00.001-05:002017-05-13T04:09:49.169-05:00Michigan - Join your local #publictransit advocates<a href="https://motorcityfreedomriders.org/">Motor City Freedom Riders</a>: "We’re demonstrating because we’re tired of waiting for real regional transit. For too long, the political and corporate leadership of metro Detroit has been kicking the can down the road, and that has to change. We’re calling on Mayor Duggan and other regional leaders, including Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, and Washtenaw County leaders, to support putting a revised regional transit ballot measure before the public in November 2018, so we can start building the truly regional transit system we need."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-70827377467327258972017-02-14T20:51:00.000-06:002017-02-14T20:51:39.906-06:00BWAT Commuters Pass One Million Mark Using Regional Bus Routes & Extended Hours<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/12305334/bwat-commuters-pass-one-million-mark-using-regional-bus-routes-extended-hours">masstransitmag </a>: "“Once they get used to it, commuters tell us they enjoy starting their morning by reading the news, thumbing through Facebook and planning their day,” said Jim Wilson, BWAT general manager. “Riding the bus to work can also offer a significant cost savings.”<br />
....<br />
A person who takes public transit instead of making a daily commute by car will experience an annual savings of $9,712, according to the American Public Transportation Association. These savings are based on the cost of commuting by public transportation compared to the cost of owning and driving a vehicle (based on the December 21, 2016, national average gas price of $2.25 per gallon and the national monthly parking rate of $166.26)."</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-65801506963320889982017-02-14T20:43:00.001-06:002017-02-14T20:43:35.772-06:00Car culture means people in Benton Harbor can't get to work<a href="http://www.heraldpalladium.com/news/local/community-leaders-push-for-better-public-transportation/article_09ff4898-856b-584b-a8ea-57a0196296f9.html">The Herald Palladium</a>: "“Unfortunately, there are way too many low income people in Berrien County who don’t have reliable cars or available transportation,” he said. “Many times, well paying jobs are located far away from their neighborhoods and homes. Without a means to access that reliable transportation, they’re having a very difficult time escaping the circumstances that they have.”"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-65968619139425451692017-02-08T20:27:00.001-06:002017-02-08T20:27:42.005-06:00Gaylord, MI, Car owners want more buses<a href="http://www.petoskeynews.com/gaylord/featured-ght/top-gallery/survey-most-value-public-transportation/article_34836d44-ed48-11e6-9904-5bbaa0dca26d.html">petoskeynews.com</a>: "Most survey respondents expressed an interest in other forms of transportation outside of only driving a personal vehicle.<br />
<br />
Even though 96 percent of those who responded said they have a vehicle that works, 68 percent also said public transportation is an important topic in Otsego County."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-21884133813204981962016-12-26T22:03:00.001-06:002016-12-26T22:03:47.484-06:00Free public transportation available New Year's Eve<a href="http://www.petoskeynews.com/charlevoix/news/community/free-public-transportation-available-new-year-s-eve/article_3364613a-7eda-58a3-aec9-57e3ada286cc.html">petoskeynews.com </a>: "CHARLEVOIX — Charlevoix County Transit announced that they will be offering free county-wide transit service from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. The service will be provided on a first come-first serve basis and it’s suggested that reservations be made in advance, although same evening calls will be accepted based on vehicle availability."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-65181711583504366392016-11-27T15:00:00.002-06:002016-11-27T15:00:33.088-06:00TRU survey concerning the recent failed ballot proposal for regional mass transitJust filled out <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScLgoXfTRPbUbJzSeqQzzJDkkO7GregQ_FQ-7uOA4I1co9jEA/formResponse">a survey</a> conducted by <abbr title="Transit Riders United">TRU</abbr> as a sort of post-election post-mortem.<br />
On page 2 of 5:<br />
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<blockquote>
<strong>What ideas or recommendations do you have for how to make a future regional transit ballot measure more likely to succeed?</strong></blockquote>
My response:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>Don't make it a charity appeal for the "deserving carless." ( see http://n8chz.blogspot.com/2007/09/time-for-mitten-to-bite-hand-its-time.html ) Detractors will say, fine, let the charitable sector provide shuttle vans or whatever. Make it about dragging southeast Michigan kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Make it clear that at least some forms of economic development won't come if we don't build it.</i></blockquote>
On page 4 of 5:<br />
<blockquote>
<strong>Please explain other recommendations you have about how TRU and the regional transit community should proceed, including why you feel your recommendations would be successful. </strong></blockquote>
My response:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>What there's a screaming need for is a denser transit grid. Every section line road ("mile road" in local parlance) should be a bus route. Maybe down to every other mile in the -far- outer suburbs. This is far more important than introducing new forms of transportation.</i></blockquote>
Lorrainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13567383019731167967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-50307422397587816772016-11-02T21:48:00.001-05:002016-11-02T21:48:18.014-05:00Wayne Co. employees to get free public transit passes<a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2016/11/02/wayne-county-give-transit-passes-employees/93166108/">detroitnews </a>: "Wayne County plans to provide its employees who use public transportation to commute to work with free transit passes.<br />
<br />
The move is designed to encourage ridership of public transportation, said County Executive Warren Evans."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-49667406462740602016-10-15T00:41:00.001-05:002016-10-15T00:41:33.921-05:00Saginaw bus system offers all riders fare-free service on Election Day<a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2016/10/saginaw_bus_system_offers_all.html">MLive.com</a>: "SAGINAW, MI — Saginaw's public transit system is offering local riders free rides this Election Day.<br />
<br />
But the free rides are not just for voters headed to and from the polls. Anyone riding buses on Tuesday, Nov. 8, or using on-demand transit services after the buses stop running will not be asked to pay the normal fares."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-16139602088759945872016-09-19T17:24:00.001-05:002016-09-19T17:24:05.310-05:00Four Metro Detroit hospital systems push for public transit millage<a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2016/09/healthcare_professionals_push.html">MLive.com</a>: "Detroit-area health professionals gathered at Eastern Market on Monday to advocate in favor of a regional transit millage to go before voters in November.<br />
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Four major southeast Michigan hospital systems announced support for the costly plan, hoping improved transit can cut down on missed appointments. <br />
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In 2015, 3,000 patients canceled appointments and cited a lack of transportation as the primary reason, according to Bob Riney, executive vice president and COO of Henry Ford Health System."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-51769422986847682992016-09-02T20:04:00.001-05:002016-09-02T20:04:12.407-05:00Pipelines will stop when demand for oil stops. Not before.<a href="http://www.sooeveningnews.com/news/20160902/environmental-awareness-concert-hits-straits">Sault Ste. Marie, MI</a>: "“We didn’t want it to be a political issue, but you’ve got to get people’s attention at the same time,” added Easterday.<br />
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“It’s important for people to realize there’s no recovery from this pipeline.”<br />
<br />
Some of the scheduled speakers include United States First Congressional candidate Lon Johnson, Michigan Senator Rick Jones, Sault Ste. Marie City Commissioner Jay Gage and Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Chair Aaron Payment. There’s also other local speakers that will be sprinkled in throughout the performances."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-48046703664317451992016-08-17T19:09:00.001-05:002016-08-17T19:09:14.879-05:00Michigan - Vote ‘yes’ on public transit<a href="http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2016/08/17/opinion/doc57adf1648ab8e965095921.txt">Press and Guide</a>: "The ballot proposal will bring bus rapid transit, a rail line between Ann Arbor and Detroit, an airport shuttle service, a regional fare card system and other transit service upgrades to a non-existent system today.<br />
<br />
The tab is as big as the need: $4.6 billion of your, mine and our tax dollars. It adds up to a 20-year, 1.2-mill property tax increase, if voters approve it – as we should!<br />
<br />
Clearly, this is an investment worth making. The tax would cost the average homeowner about $95 per year. These plans cover a lot of ground for about $100."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-70923213037938350402016-08-03T16:53:00.001-05:002016-08-03T16:53:51.141-05:00Leaders reach agreement to get Metro Detroit transit plan on...<a href="http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/leaders-reach-agreement-to-get-metro-detroit-transit-plan-on-november-ballot">clickondetroit </a>: "DETROIT - Leaders in southeastern Michigan reached an agreement Tuesday which will place the Regional Transit Authority's public transportation plan on the November ballot. "Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-78259972997928986282016-07-11T23:23:00.003-05:002016-09-19T17:26:13.712-05:00Map: New Detroit Regional Master Transit Plan 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://detroitography.com/2016/06/01/map-new-detroit-regional-master-transit-plan-2016/"><img alt="New bus route map for greater Detroit area" height="300" src="https://detroitography.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/rta-foldout-map_1464612396571_6448641_ver1-0.jpg?w=637" width="400" /></a>
It's still (looking at this map) a shockingly sparse transit grid in the suburbs. I'm guessing that no more need to transfer between systems going between city and suburbs is the -only- real change, plus maybe more frequent runs on some lines. Still looks like the Woodward corridor is the only part of suburbia with a meaningful level of mass transit (and bike lanes, and walkable retail districts, and all the other cool kid stuff). That, and the infamous "opt out" community of Livonia is still a conspicuous gaping hole in the grid, save that gray north-south line (what, Farmington Road, I'm guessing?). Part of the problem, no doubt, is because feasibility of mass transit and feasibility of high-density development are mutual prerequisites, so there's a bootstrap problem for converting a whole metropolis from car-dependent to mass-transit-feasible. I worry about that, because extrapolating current trends, "suburban ghetto" is probably going to be a real thing at some point in the 21st century. Getting a unified system is an important baby step that is probably necessary before taking the 5,279,999 additional steps needed to become a real city with real transportation options. Hopefully at some point Michigan politics will evolve to the point where the mass transit issue can be framed as something other than an almost charitable gesture from society to the "deserving carless" such as the elderly, differently abled, students, etc. I don't see the yes campaign for the upcoming ballot proposals playing that gambit (transit as menu item other than car); instead they seem to be opting for pulling the usual voter heartstrings for deserving-carless ("walking man") narratives, or else appeals to business case for higher level of workforce utilization. Since I'm assuming the people running the campaign have researched the opinion climate and therefore know what they're doing, I'm still a bit pessimistic.
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Lorrainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13567383019731167967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-40577089151141872952016-06-18T15:37:00.001-05:002016-06-18T15:37:15.996-05:00The underwater pipeline that could break the Great Lakes<a href="http://theweek.com/articles/630558/underwater-pipeline-that-could-break-great-lakes">theweek </a>: "According to the company's own reports, Enbridge has been responsible for more than 800 oil spills across North America since 2000.<br />
<br />
That sticky trail of spews and spills leads us to the present, and to the latest of Enbridge's controversial pipelines. This one, known as Line 5, includes a pair of metal tubes that run through Michigan's Upper Peninsula, underwater across a wild, weather-beaten portion of the Great Lakes, and into the state's more populous lower region. A portion of the pipeline sits on the bottom of our country's most important fresh water resource, along a pristine and economically precious stretch called the Straits of Mackinac. It carries up to 20 million gallons of crude oil and gas every day."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-47535489707362512112016-06-01T02:00:00.001-05:002016-06-01T02:00:14.985-05:00Motor City Freedom Riders, "Transportation is Freedom"<a href="https://motorcityfreedomriders.org/2016/02/16/metro-detroits-big-four-must-support-a-strong-regional-transit-plan/#more-583">Must Support a Strong Regional Transit Plan</a>: "With the exception of the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA), all of the region’s bus systems have drastically reduced service over the past decade – not for lack of need, but in consequence of limited available revenues (see above). We believe a regional transit plan should reserve half of all new regional transit revenues for the existing bus systems, including DDOT, SMART, and AAATA. As the RTA’s “State of the System” report indicates, not only is existing local bus service limited in its coverage area, but only a handful of bus routes – primarily those on major roads such as Woodward, Gratiot, and Grand River – provide the frequent service necessary for convenient transit access. We must not only enhance those routes, but expand crosstown service as well."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-72597827527602995962016-04-21T17:06:00.001-05:002016-04-21T17:06:38.301-05:00Washtenaw County, Michigan, expanding #publictransit<a href="http://wemu.org/post/issues-environment-expanding-public-transportation-washtenaw-county">WEMU</a>: " On May 1st, the Ann Arbor Area Transit Authority (AAATA) is planning to more than double the number of routes in eastern Washtenaw County, including doubling the number of Ypsilanti bus routes and increasing frequency. This is the largest expansion of bus services in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area since 1979."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5821485726815044657.post-31704897310730951662016-04-01T08:18:00.001-05:002016-04-01T08:18:21.162-05:00Study: Potential oil spill threatens 700 miles of Michigan coast<a href="http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/michigan/study-potential-oil-spill-threatens-700-miles-of-michigan-coast/111901673">WZZM13.com</a>: "If Canadian oil transport giant Enbridge's twin, 62-year-old underwater pipelines in the Straits of Mackinac were to burst, areas from Harbor Springs on the Lake Michigan side down to Saginaw Bay and the Thumb area on the Lake Huron side could be affected by the escaping oil, the latest computer modeling research shows."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0