Bus Rider Suggests Improvements
Wisconsin State Journal :: OPINION :: A6
Tuesday, July 5, 2005
Thomas Mackey, Madison
As one who depends on Metro bus service to get to work, I urge city leaders and Metro administrators to think before increasing fares again. There are several options to consider.
First, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz may need to set aside his streetcar fantasies, which have little support. Vending at transfer points would only spread the litter problems. More ads equals more ugliness, and the buses are usually ugly enough as is.
To keep current riders and attract new ones, listen to the drivers and police the buses to end behavior problems, litter and graffiti. Enforce the "No Smoking" signs in bus shelters. Eliminate the three-way bus stop location system now in use; the bus should stop where the sign is, period. Change whatever law it is that compels drivers to allow obnoxious drunks to board the bus. And clean the buses, please!
How can we pay for that without a fare increase? We could quit piddling away tax dollars on fantasy water-parks and just build the pool the Goodman Brothers gave money for, insist that the Overture boondoggle support itself without public money, quit giving TIF financing to developers who don't need it. Finally, we could realize that streetcars and trolleys will have all the problems which plague Metro buses, with the added expense of track building.
City leaders must realize that many of us have to ride the bus. I invite them to ride the buses and see what we see. |