‘Transit’ Archives
Metro Transit – How about FREE public transit as a great alternative in blizzards?
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON Our weather hasn”'t behaved itself so far this year: March went in like a lamb and out like a lion, and the April showers that are supposed to bring May flowers came in frozen form. In adverse weather, public transit shines as an alternative to getting in your car and risking an accident. Of course, the best thing to do is stay home during a blizzard, but when you absolutely, positively have to get somewhere, and neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night can keep you from doing something important, transit is one of the best options. (more…)
Transit – Safety and comfort, real and perceived, is needed equally for all routes
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON Even though this month is the quarterly schedule change, it”'s a fairly slow month for transit news. In Phillips, only Routes 9 and 19 had any changes, and they were just minor adjustments to make the scheduled bus times more closely align with how long the route really takes. That said, I convinced my roommate to try taking the bus to a May Day volunteer meeting at In the Heart of the Beast Theatre (and he encourages everyone to donate $5.00 to the May Day parade). He told me his story: (more…)
Metro Transit – ABRT “D” Line to travel faster, less stops on Chicago Av
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON Do you, like so many other Phillips residents, ever have occasion to ride Metro Transit”'s “legendary 5”, the Chicago Ave. bus? If so, do you dread the long, slow ride with stops every single block, the overcrowding, the likelihood of having to listen to yet another belligerent commuter who may or may not happen to be drunk or high? Well, the Met Council has a proposal for you! It”'s called the D Line and it promises a 20-25 percent faster ride using all articulated buses with three doors each for more comfort and easier boarding and alighting. Fare payments will work like they do on light rail; you will tap your GoTo Card or buy a ticket before you get on the bus. That means less having to listen to someone argue with the driver about the fare. If they don”'t pay, any confrontation will be with the Transit Police, who usually take the person off the bus or train to deal with them. (more…)
