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SMART ridership, transit ridership, "Guaranteed Ride Home", etc.
Author: Margaret_SP_fan
Date: 09-08-2017 - 15:46
BOB2 --
Thanks very much for your excellent post about
what, exactly, goes into forecasting transit
ridership. That was quite interesting. But one
very important variable you omitted was personal
safety. No one who has any choice in the matter
will ever ride a bus or train that they perceive
puts them in danger of being robbed or attacked.
This is extremely important.
To anyone who knows --
How, exactly, does SMART get accurate and factual
ridership counts? Data from Clipper Cards? TIA!
And some general comments --
Urban transit systems must operate on BART-level
frequency if they want to get lots of riders.
And there must be a "Guaranteed Ride Home" system
for all commuters. That is what was in place when
I was commuting to work, and although I never needed
use it, it was wonderful it was there for those who
needed it. (I never needed it because I commuted only
on Caltrain and Muni and AC Transit and BART, all of
which run a lot of trains or buses all day long, so I
was never in danger of being stuck at work with no way
to get home. I had no idea exactly how that "Guaranteed
Ride Home" actually worked -- where they would get
drivers and vehicles for those who needed rides home,
but setting up something like that is not exactly rocker
science. It is just work. BTW -- Uber and Lyft will
not take anyone more than 50 miles by road one way. And
some folks' commute is longer than 50 miles.
I would appreciate comments on what I have said. Thanks!
Thanks very much for your excellent post about
what, exactly, goes into forecasting transit
ridership. That was quite interesting. But one
very important variable you omitted was personal
safety. No one who has any choice in the matter
will ever ride a bus or train that they perceive
puts them in danger of being robbed or attacked.
This is extremely important.
To anyone who knows --
How, exactly, does SMART get accurate and factual
ridership counts? Data from Clipper Cards? TIA!
And some general comments --
Urban transit systems must operate on BART-level
frequency if they want to get lots of riders.
And there must be a "Guaranteed Ride Home" system
for all commuters. That is what was in place when
I was commuting to work, and although I never needed
use it, it was wonderful it was there for those who
needed it. (I never needed it because I commuted only
on Caltrain and Muni and AC Transit and BART, all of
which run a lot of trains or buses all day long, so I
was never in danger of being stuck at work with no way
to get home. I had no idea exactly how that "Guaranteed
Ride Home" actually worked -- where they would get
drivers and vehicles for those who needed rides home,
but setting up something like that is not exactly rocker
science. It is just work. BTW -- Uber and Lyft will
not take anyone more than 50 miles by road one way. And
some folks' commute is longer than 50 miles.
I would appreciate comments on what I have said. Thanks!
