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Why don't more people use RIPTA?

Cotuit

By Cotuit
in Rhode Island

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KBagley Whistle-Stop

KBagley

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So the Ferry was funded by "Demonstration Grants" which are obviously not something that should be relied upon to sustain a program in perpetuity...

So what has been learned over this 9-year "demonstration"? Was it not feasible to create a business plan to operate the ferry without federal funding? How much effort did RIPTA put into finding other sources of income to continue operating the ferry?

This announcement seems kind of abrupt - "We can't get anymore money from the feds, so we give up - no more ferry service"

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JimmyGreaves Hamlet

JimmyGreaves

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I know it's disapointing but I'm willing to cut RIPTA some slack on this. They have major issues related to operating within a tight budget, and I give them credit for managing the system well over the last 6 years that I've lived here and growing bus ridership, which is the higher priority.

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frymasterspeck Hamlet

frymasterspeck

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Was it not feasible to create a business plan to operate the ferry without federal funding?
I'm not sure that I know of any business model for public transit that is not subsidized. I know that in the heyday of US rail, the passenger lines were subsidized by the freight operations of the railroads as a public relations gesture. When heavy trucking took its share of freight, the passenger rail system became untenable.

The NY subway system was also begun as separate private enterprises (IRT, IND), but it, too, became unworkable. The legacy - an overly complicated, highly redundant system - took decades to unwind into the relatively simple system in use today.

Europe and developed/developing Asia subsidize their public systems.

Anybody...?

This announcement seems kind of abrupt - "We can't get anymore money from the feds, so we give up - no more ferry service"
I agree with the thought that they might want to look harder for private or public/private funding. It clearly ties into the emergent maritime cluster. There is private money out there for smart, progressive projects.
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ruchele Hamlet

ruchele

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I'm not sure that I know of any business model for public transit that is not subsidized.

I think it's pretty well accepted world-wide that public transportation is not self-sustaining, and needs to rely heavily on government funding to operate well. In other places, it's considered a public good that is well worth the expense. That's why I find it so infuriating when Amtrak, RIPTA, etc. go through their annual bdget crises and the message we all get is that they just have to operate more efficiently and figure out how too be profitable. Public transportation is not profitable or even self-sustaining, but has other value to society. Unfortunately, profit is how we measure value here.

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ruchele Hamlet

ruchele

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RIPTA now on the google.

In reply to the title of the thread, "Why don't more people use RIPTA": Google tells me that the best way to get from the Armory to Broad Street via public transportation is to walk to Broad Street- 20 minutes. And the best way to get from Broad Street to the Lowe's or Stop and Shop in the Cranston Parkade is to walk 31 minutes. Hmmm.

I am a huge supporter of RIPTA and think that it is an under-appreciated public resource that does a great job with insifficient finances. HOWEVER, "you can't get there from here" is not an acceptable answer right in the middle of the city. We need better cross-town routes!

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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In reply to the title of the thread, "Why don't more people use RIPTA": Google tells me that the best way to get from the Armory to Broad Street via public transportation is to walk to Broad Street- 20 minutes. And the best way to get from Broad Street to the Lowe's or Stop and Shop in the Cranston Parkade is to walk 31 minutes. Hmmm.

I am a huge supporter of RIPTA and think that it is an under-appreciated public resource that does a great job with insifficient finances. HOWEVER, "you can't get there from here" is not an acceptable answer right in the middle of the city. We need better cross-town routes!

that's the biggest problem with RIPTA. i want to take the bus from federal hill to elmhurst (i live a mile and a half from where i want to go) and i have to go through KP. it sucks.

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ruchele Hamlet

ruchele

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Google tells me the bus to work is 24 minutes -or- I could walk to work in 26 minutes. :lol:

I usually walk

This Google Public Transit thing could prove to be a public relations disaster for RIPTA. Or else, it could prove to Joe Public how badly we need to invest more in public transit. The latter seems too much to hope.

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matt Hamlet

matt

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Good points. It seems that to get from point A to point B, one typically has to route through KP. However, if points A and B are not North and South of each other, gTransit doesn't seem to offer the option of going allllll the way to KP first. At least, from what I've seen.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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Good points. It seems that to get from point A to point B, one typically has to route through KP. However, if points A and B are not North and South of each other, gTransit doesn't seem to offer the option of going allllll the way to KP first. At least, from what I've seen.

yeah, it's strange. i tried going from my place to work and it has me walk half an hour (though it'd probably take half an hour to go through KP). but to do the reverse, it suggests the bus to some stop downtown that isn't KP.

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mr2448 Whistle-Stop

mr2448

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RIPTA's new summer schedule will start June 21. The highlights include The #40 Butler/Elmgrove now going both directions on Elmgrove Ave. There was no mention of service on Blackstone Blvd or to Butler Hospital. Also, more #26 Atwells will be going thru the Promenade. It is nice to see two former routes (41 and 59) getting more service. Maybe their old route numbers will return like the 51 Charles.

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webbage Hamlet

webbage

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This is good news though not very surprising. Amtrak ridership from Providence (Kingston too) has been increasing at a steady pace the past few years.

You would think that the train station would get some more attention in the maintenance dept. with all the new ridership though.

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