I'll also share this:
The bus systems in Columbus (at least the last time I used it, which was about a year and a half ago now) and Akron do not go out of their way to accommodate white collar passengers. Specifically, they don't have the rechargeable tickets that the metro systems of places like D.C. and New York offer, which means that they operate on a cash-only, exact-change basis. In addition, my profession, at least, operates in a world of deadlines; the frequency with which buses fall behind schedule is professionally risky, and most in my profession consider it an unnecessary risk.
I live in downtown Akron not far from the Transit Center from which almost every single Akron Metro bus route leaves. Two routes go right by the doors of my apartment building. Several more pass right by my office, which is on a main street named Main Street. Another 10+ go within four blocks of me. I still seldom ride the bus.
I decided to experiment with it. I did the legwork to figure out the route maps. (They aren't on Google Maps the way Columbus is. They need to be.) Despite needing to make a trip of only about 10 blocks, with two potential buses to choose from, both were late. I ended up being 15 minutes late to a brown bag luncheon with a federal judge. I was glad I didn't end up experimenting with it for a court appearance.
I would love to say that I had a sufficiently positive experience with the bus to be able to spread the good news around the office and encourage some people to try it, at least at lunch or for runs right up the road to the federal and state court complexes. Sadly, I am not in a position to be able to do that, and this is after giving them a chance. If they want my business, they will do the following:
(1) Get on Google Transit or design an in-house route planner of comparable ease of use (good luck). Akron Metro's Web site right now is almost criminally underdeveloped. I can download a bunch of PDFs of the various routes, and a full-system map (in tiny print unless I blow it up to 400%). I can't actually access a dynamic map of the system. (Columbus, at least, is on Google Transit, so this criticism is Akron-specific. I believe the others here apply equally to both systems.)
(2) Produce iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Web-based apps that can track all the buses. I want to be able to walk out of my office with exactly one minute to go before the bus arrives. I don't care if it's behind schedule, actually--as long as I know. Standing and stewing at the bus station for fifteen minutes was one of the most grating parts of the experiment, however.
(3) Install a fare card system. I don't want to carry around a bunch of quarters. I want to pay $10 or $20 at once and be able to ride until it's used up. Even better would be the option to buy a fare card online and have it mailed to me.
The bottom line: riding the Akron Metro made it very clear to me why the overwhelming majority of the people who do so, at least to outward appearances, are the people for who are forced to do so for financial reasons.
I'm not. I *can* afford a car. I will be able to afford a car even if Peak Oil turns out to be much worse than I anticipate. I am also one of the most enthusiastic boosters for the urban lifestyle in my office. I make no secret of the fact that I live downtown and walk to work along the bike trail that goes by both my apartment and my office. That said, if the bus system wants to be a part of the case for urban living that I make to my coworkers, it needs to make some serious changes to be compatible with the lifestyles of busy, tech-savvy, 21st-century professionals. I'm not going to sacrifice my own credibility overselling the buses just out of some blind loyalty to all things urban.
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Launched in August 2010, TheMetropreneur.com is a local online resource devoted to small business development and entrepreneurship. Its aim is to tell the stories of Central Ohio's business community, foster regional economic development and assist entrepreneurs with its resource-heavy focus.