I have heard of schemes to put film players on buses to entice ridership, or systems at transfer points so those waiting know about how soon their bus will arrive, among other schemes to attract riders. Metro Transit wants to expand to other communities in a desperate bid for ridership, yet I do not see these communities paying for the added costs. These are all noble wishes, but you cannot run a bus system on hopes. There comes a time to admit things are tough, we have only this amount of money and we have a mission to Madison. What seems always to be forgotten is listening to what the ridership wants. We used to have "peak service" buses running every 15 minutes. It now takes me an hour to get to work and an hour back, if I don't miss a transfer with the reduced transfer times imposed. It is past time to admit the transfer-point system has largely failed, in spite of all the spin from Metro management. If there is still federal money coming to Metro for the poor, it is time it was dedicated to the intended population, even as I read that now we are going to sell lighted advertising at the transfer points to add revenue. And if Metro will not pay attention to the poor, this money should stop -- it has covered for idle hopes way too long. |