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In transit-ion
By John Ross
May 8, 2008
If you’re a regular bus rider in Franklin County, you might’ve noticed small improvements instituted on Monday by the Central Ohio Transit Authority.
One of three yearly service upgrades, COTA’s May changes included a number of small-scale modifications to scheduling, frequency and service hours resulting from an ongoing analysis of the county’s transportation needs, spokesman Dan Liggett said.
“We look at ridership on the different routes and listen to customer concerns and comments,” he said, noting that total rides in April increased more than 14 percent over the same month last year. “We also take a look at the changing market conditions out there.”
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COTA’s new service upgrades rolled out in May
By: Walker
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My favorite part:
“Just from talking to people, they want the service personalized — but this is a huge city,” said Liggett, noting that COTA increases its fleet each year by about 12 buses. “It’s a risk to increase service. We want to make sure we’re spending the taxpayers’ dollars wisely.”
Anyone wondering why there is criticism of COTA?
Slow and steady growth is usually the best kind.
I can understand why they wouldn’t want to try to go off like gangbusters if part of their new revenue is only a temporary tax increase. Decreasing service after it’s up would be quite the gaffe.
Know what? What a big friggin deal!! Who cares about their new improvements, its a biggest joke.. I want expand hours and more service not to boring current routes. COTA is a biggest joke ever I seen in my life.
Okay, all right… I’m sorry: please use correct grammar. I’m not talking the Queen’s English, here. Typos are one thing. I’m just saying: possibly proofread.
I like you! I really like you. Just… you know, it’s not a text message in the Ukraine.
And I should know… my family’s from there. I like the cut of your jib, just check your stuff out before you press “send” on your deepest emotion.
I understand slow gradual growth, but come on. Obviously there is a demand. The streetcar open forum brought up a lot of criticism and suggestions for COTA.
Not only that,, when change to service is included in the sentence that also mentions their long range plan up to 2030, it does not live one with a lot of confidence. A time table or a mention of something within the next 5-10 years is one thing. But at an arbitrary time, some time in the next 22 years, that we might see an increase in hours and later runs on some routes? That is one whole generation lost that could have grown up using a vastly improved COTA system and a better understanding (not to mention support) of mass transit.
I like you! I really like you. Just… you know, it’s not a text message in the Ukraine.
And I should know… my family’s from there. I like the cut of your jib, just check your stuff out before you press “send” on your deepest emotion.
I glad there are others of this ilk that are irked by sub-par grammar.
2030?!
Excelent. I’ll enjoy the benefits of improved public transportation when I am 60!
WOOHOO!
I like you! I really like you. Just… you know, it’s not a text message in the Ukraine.
And I should know… my family’s from there. I like the cut of your jib, just check your stuff out before you press “send” on your deepest emotion.
Oh really? Should I care? *scoffs*
I like you! I really like you. Just… you know, it’s not a text message in the Ukraine.
And I should know… my family’s from there. I like the cut of your jib, just check your stuff out before you press “send” on your deepest emotion.
Oh really? Should I care? *scoffs*
Don’t be a dick, now. we all pretty much like Manatee. She was being as nice as possible and we all have to read through this stuff, so it’s just a respect issue for people who have to decipher sometimes. You didn’t have to come back like that. Completely unnecessary. Shame, and so close to Mother’s Day even. This is when you’re suppossed to show those good manners momma taught.
I like you! I really like you. Just… you know, it’s not a text message in the Ukraine.
And I should know… my family’s from there. I like the cut of your jib, just check your stuff out before you press “send” on your deepest emotion.
Mandy, Mandy, Mandy Rose. I love you. But really? And in a grammar rant?
- “The Ohio State University” = YES
- “The United States of America” = YES
- “The Ukraine” = NO
Just because it’s a part of “The Former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics” doesn’t mean it’s “The Ukraine”. Prof. I traveled to Russia with was INCREDIBLY irked by that one.
A la wiki:
:wink:
That being said – I think small, slow and steady are all fine for COTA. At least they are steps in the right direction. But it’s going to be rough in a few years when few can afford to drive and we don’t have enough bus lines or any other form of mass transit. Le sigh. :roll: Guess I’ll keep riding my bicycle.
Cota’s biggest problem is the public’s perception. Invest in the marketing, the look of the bus interior, the signs, the website, the stops…
Have named lines like “The Scarlet Line”. Then make maps that resemble metro maps. You could even paint a scarlet line on the road. Techniques usually associated with a more permanent transportation system. Similar to Cleveland’s new bus line.
I gotta admit, COTA did do a good job of covering the bus widows with ads and/or tint so you can’t see what is going on inside the buses. kinda makes me think they dont’ want you to see in there. also they do society a favor by not showing us what is inside the buses.
that might not be reality of it, but I had that thought yesterday.
that might not be reality of it, but I had that thought yesterday.
I saw that yesterday. Things like that are cool, but more like you are being used as a billboard than apart of a cool transportation line.
haha… Oh the things they could do with the ad that makes it look like people sitting inside the bus.
Have named lines like “The Scarlet Line”. Then make maps that resemble metro maps. You could even paint a scarlet line on the road. Techniques usually associated with a more permanent transportation system. Similar to Cleveland’s new bus line.
I agree. I’m a fan of this design and how it’s applied to promo material:
http://xingcolumbus.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/the-big-picture/
I’ve forwarded it to COTA who said they love to see concepts like this. Hopefully they’ll get around to taking action sooner or later.
Have named lines like “The Scarlet Line”. Then make maps that resemble metro maps. You could even paint a scarlet line on the road. Techniques usually associated with a more permanent transportation system. Similar to Cleveland’s new bus line.
You’re post got me thinking about what a color-branded, metro-like, bus map could look like today without adding a huge number of service hours or re-routing many bus routes. Oh, and I LOVE the idea of painting a line on the street. Is it as good as rails? No, but it would reduce confusion in the same way without much cost.
I think good candidates for re-branding would be the five busiest routes, which I am assuming to be the #1, #2, #6, #10, and #16. These five routes could be made ‘”Frequent Service Routes,” much like Portland’s (we all love Portland, right?) system of frequent service routes that runs every 15 minutes or better during the day, every day. I’m not sure exactly what hours “during the day” encompasses in Portland, but COTA could probably come close to this 15-minute headway standard on these five routes from about 6 AM to 8 PM on weekdays.
So what if COTA threw a few more buses out on the street towards the end of the day and on weekends to provide 15-minute headways or better from roughly 6 AM to 8 PM Monday – Saturday and maybe 8 AM to 6 PM on Sunday? I realize this still wouldn’t be ideal, but it would be a good start. Like Portland says, it’s “so often that you don’t really need a schedule” most of the time. Best of all, it wouldn’t require a ton of new service hours. Here’s what I imagine the map could look like:
http://columbusbusplan.googlepages.com/FrequentServiceMap_Starter.pdf
I took the liberty of slightly re-routing things and eliminating some stops. After all, you really can’t draw a map of the current COTA service showing ALL the current stops. I did try to minimize changes.
The next phase could get a route out to Grandview and Arlington, maybe to Tuttle too. I would love to connect OSU to the airport, but that’s not even a regular COTA route right now.
Outstanding. Well done.
If we had something like that, with the maps available at every stop serviced by those routes, COTA would be much more user friendly.
I know I am probably repeating myself, but this is not new. This is the service they had before the levy was voted down years ago and they cut back service. Now they are bringing it back claiming it’s new and it’s not. It’s returning things they took away due to levy not passing for their money shortage. So it’s part our fault for not voting for it, but I feel part theirs for lying and making it look like their adding service rather than bringing back what we voted against or rather not giving them more/extra funding.
This is a great example of how a group as a whole knows what is best even if none of the individuals could have found a solution by themselves.
Cota can easily take advantage of crazy CU bloggers to come up with design solutions or visions for the future.
Michael Tyznik’s design is a great steeping stone for conversation. Design students at the Ohio State University also recently did a cross-discipline study on transportation in Columbus for their 40th anniversary project which hasn’t found its way on here specifically dealing with Cota’s bus lines. >>> It makes sense for Cota to work with CU and Design departments to create ideas and visual material for what we can work towards. This benefits everyone.
OSU’s design department LOVES to do real projects.
Have named lines like “The Scarlet Line”. Then make maps that resemble metro maps. You could even paint a scarlet line on the road. Techniques usually associated with a more permanent transportation system. Similar to Cleveland’s new bus line.
COTA recently overhauled the look of its fleet, removing the brash ads and such. People have responded positively. I think your second point is absolutely fantastic. I’d love a simpler map and memorable names. That’s a great idea!