I noticed this attitude displayed on the local news. What is their problem with CATA? Yes it seems like mistakes were made and they were corrected. Why do we let this little township control the discussion? If they don't want CATA let them create their own transit system with their own money.
I think it may have already been pointed out here that with an improving economy people can afford to get their own transport and thus a down turn in ridership. I think CATA needs to find a market in the folks who drive, as at least in Lansing I don't think the number of people who do not own a car will be growing. Getting that one in twenty out of their car and onto CATA is where the growing market might be.
We can't have a successful transit system without involvement from all in the region. Look at the struggles of SMART and DDOT to see how separate systems doesn't work.
Ridership increased when gas prices were increasing. Car ownership isn't the only predictor of CATA ridership. If gas prices go up again we should see increased demand again.
The recent downturn in ridership, though, has been the most in years. While car ownership and gas prices are certainly factors, and sometimes significantly so, something else is going on and it has to do with dysfunction and a lack of imagination at CATA. Your ridership shouldn't be seeing this kind of decline with this kind of regional growth, particularly since much more of our growth is infill than it used to be. This isn't CATA just using the most choice riders.
I've been pretty ignorant of CATA's issues as of late, but it's sad to see another public entity potentially slipping into dysfunction. IT'd be great to see CATA expand into Eaton County, but I don't know what else they could do to improve ridership.
@MichMatters I cant find CATA's ridership numbers, do you know what they are?
I was actually thinking of the Eaton and Clinton county systems when I made the comment about Meridian. If they had to do it all on their own maybe they would understand that being part of CATA is much better. I think expanding into outer communities could be an area to find more riders. Routes within the towns that feed a Lansing bound bus, with stops at commuter lots.
It's always been a dream of mine that Clinton and Eaton counties get folded into CATA. Eaton had a small window when the Dems controlled the county board of commissioners, but that has passed. Clinton is out of the picture for the forseeable future. The politics simply won't let it happen.
Fortunately, Delta Township since 2008 has become a like-minded community to the ones in Eaton County, so we made a fairly significant deal with them a few years back that got rid of the two-tier fare structure one the two routes that go into the community. But, since you have to do county deal to get the full benefits of membership, there is only so much you can do with agreements on a municipality-by-municipality basis.
I've been complaining forever that service should at least go out to Market Place. The township does have EATRAN, but it's a middling service at best.
Nobody here has mentioned Uber, but this past year I've started taking Uber for some trips where I would have used CATA before, especially in lieu of catching very late buses after a long day of teaching. How many like me I don't know.
That is an interesting point. How much does the average ride cost on Uber? The number of riders lost to CATA could add up. I wonder if CATA could offer a similar on demand service, maybe something like you hale a bus ride and go to your nearest bus stop a ride comes within a few minuets and they take you to the stop nearest to your destination. I have not really thought out how something like that would work or what kind of vehicle they would use, maybe other passengers could be picked up and dropped off a long the "open" route. Charge a decent but competitive fare. Just brain storming!
that sounds a lot like the evolution of a bus to me
In New York they have "dollar vans" which are not run by the MTA but they have unofficial routes that they ride on and they pick up people and drop them off along the route, usually going on routes that the subway or bus don't frequent as often (or connecting points not easily connected through the official system).
Comments
I noticed this attitude displayed on the local news. What is their problem with CATA? Yes it seems like mistakes were made and they were corrected. Why do we let this little township control the discussion? If they don't want CATA let them create their own transit system with their own money.
I think it may have already been pointed out here that with an improving economy people can afford to get their own transport and thus a down turn in ridership. I think CATA needs to find a market in the folks who drive, as at least in Lansing I don't think the number of people who do not own a car will be growing. Getting that one in twenty out of their car and onto CATA is where the growing market might be.
Ridership increased when gas prices were increasing. Car ownership isn't the only predictor of CATA ridership. If gas prices go up again we should see increased demand again.
The recent downturn in ridership, though, has been the most in years. While car ownership and gas prices are certainly factors, and sometimes significantly so, something else is going on and it has to do with dysfunction and a lack of imagination at CATA. Your ridership shouldn't be seeing this kind of decline with this kind of regional growth, particularly since much more of our growth is infill than it used to be. This isn't CATA just using the most choice riders.
I've been pretty ignorant of CATA's issues as of late, but it's sad to see another public entity potentially slipping into dysfunction. IT'd be great to see CATA expand into Eaton County, but I don't know what else they could do to improve ridership.
@MichMatters I cant find CATA's ridership numbers, do you know what they are?
I was actually thinking of the Eaton and Clinton county systems when I made the comment about Meridian. If they had to do it all on their own maybe they would understand that being part of CATA is much better. I think expanding into outer communities could be an area to find more riders. Routes within the towns that feed a Lansing bound bus, with stops at commuter lots.
It's always been a dream of mine that Clinton and Eaton counties get folded into CATA. Eaton had a small window when the Dems controlled the county board of commissioners, but that has passed. Clinton is out of the picture for the forseeable future. The politics simply won't let it happen.
Fortunately, Delta Township since 2008 has become a like-minded community to the ones in Eaton County, so we made a fairly significant deal with them a few years back that got rid of the two-tier fare structure one the two routes that go into the community. But, since you have to do county deal to get the full benefits of membership, there is only so much you can do with agreements on a municipality-by-municipality basis.
I've been complaining forever that service should at least go out to Market Place. The township does have EATRAN, but it's a middling service at best.
Nobody here has mentioned Uber, but this past year I've started taking Uber for some trips where I would have used CATA before, especially in lieu of catching very late buses after a long day of teaching. How many like me I don't know.
That is an interesting point. How much does the average ride cost on Uber? The number of riders lost to CATA could add up. I wonder if CATA could offer a similar on demand service, maybe something like you hale a bus ride and go to your nearest bus stop a ride comes within a few minuets and they take you to the stop nearest to your destination. I have not really thought out how something like that would work or what kind of vehicle they would use, maybe other passengers could be picked up and dropped off a long the "open" route. Charge a decent but competitive fare. Just brain storming!
In New York they have "dollar vans" which are not run by the MTA but they have unofficial routes that they ride on and they pick up people and drop them off along the route, usually going on routes that the subway or bus don't frequent as often (or connecting points not easily connected through the official system).
It is an interesting mind game to play. Try to figure out how a public bus haling service could work.