Columbia Transit

[803metlife]

People from all walks of life ride the bus when they are able to give up their automobile. In cities like Columbia, where this is very difficult to do, almost anyone of any means owns an automobile. In these situations where it is easy to drive to your destination, the bus will never win out and what mainly rides the bus are people who can't afford a car.

I agree, and that almost true for all cities in the Carolinas. People would rather drive a car.

[monsoon]

I agree, and that almost true for all cities in the Carolinas. People would rather drive a car.

I don't think it is as much that people would rather drive a car, but rather, they have to drive a car. They have gotten used to it now that we are 3-4 generations into this kind of development and most people now living don't know anything else. In the early 60's it was quite common for everyone to ride the city bus in most Southern cities.

[CorgiMatt]

Because I'd rather spend time with family and friends (if I wasn't an inconvenience to them) than ride with a bunch of strangers. Additionally, even though I live close to the end of a bus route, the places I tend to go are generally pretty far from the bus routes.

If "a bunch of strangers" rode with each other more often this world would be a lot better off.

[Captain Worley]

If "a bunch of strangers" rode with each other more often this world would be a lot better off.

A lot better off than with family and friends? I doubt that.

And it really is my choice, isn't it? That's kinda what gets stuck in my craw over the whole bus thing. I hate people telling me what's good for me, and what I should support. I don't like riding the bus, I've told you why.

[Spartan]

Because I'd rather spend time with family and friends (if I wasn't an inconvenience to them) than ride with a bunch of strangers. Additionally, even though I live close to the end of a bus route, the places I tend to go are generally pretty far from the bus routes.

Worley- nobody is saying you should have to take the bus. Its ultimately your choice. Besides that, nobody who has posted here takes the bus at all. Well, I do, but not Columbia's system(Clemson's CATbus, despite all that tacky orange, does work fairly well). Anyway, nobody has any right to make any judgements if they can't practice what they preach. But I don't think anyone was insinuating that you should take the bus.

What I am trying to get at with my previous post is the reasons why you choose not to, because I feel they are probably common amongst all of us. Your quote at the top of this post exemplifies a major reason why people do not take the bus! The routes do NOT provide access to the places that most people need to go, which is to home, to work, and to shopping, to friend's houses, etc. You could easily take the bus with your friends, but I'm guessing that it doesn't go near their house either.

I'm willing to wager that a fair number of you don't live within a half mile of a bus line, and if thats the case, the odds are you don't live in the City. If you do then PLEASE speak up, and let us know why you don't take the bus, even while living in close proximity to it! I think if we can get to the root of the problem we can begin to understand and enlighten people. Transit systems DO serve a purpose, even if you don't use it!

I think you can see what I'm getting at here. I'm not judging people, and I don't want to, but I am judging the system. The unfotunate chicken and egg paradox comes into play with transit... it won't get funing unless people ride it, but people won't ride it unless it takes them where they need to go- which requires more money to start with!!!

[waccamatt]

Time...it takes too long to wait for the bus and too long to get where you need to go.

[digihoop]

Time...it takes too long to wait for the bus and too long to get where you need to go.

Agreed. I live DT within a block of a route that would take me to within 3 blocks of work (as far as I can tell). I'd consider this bus but 1) it passes by once an hour and 2) it stops running around 5:45. Once an hour is too infrequent and I most always work past 5:45 which means I'd be stranded. I consider myself to be lucky though as I'm close enough to walk to most places during the week and only drive on the weekends. We would have a popular system if it was easy to use, as fast or faster than taking your car, and priced such that most everyone could afford to use it.

Perhaps having smaller buses to better handle the shift in ridership demand throughout the day (and into the night!), more frequent stops and more routes to provide better coverage would be a way to improve the system. Also, having electronic payment would be nice (swip your driver's license, get a bill monthly). We could also go hitech and have an automated system that don't require drivers and that automatically adjusts routes based on rider demand. I know nothing about public transit so these ideas may be ineffective.

Additionally, they need to make riding easier (mentioned before). So, for anyone out there that wants more into, here's their website http://www.gocmrta.com and a map of the overall system.

[Spartan]

Good points. Though you'd be hard-pressed to find a bus system that is faster than a car. Its about convenience, and jsut like you said, for you it is not.

I think that buying poasses online, online payment, and all of that, just as you suggested, would help alot.

An idea that I have seen that will be coming to CARTA is to create maps for iPods. Their version is currently not up, but examples can be found here:

http://www.isubwaymaps.com

I downloaded it to mine. Its pretty cool. Granted these are subway lines and not Bus routes, but the principle is the same. All you need is an image table with route times at key locations and your set.

They definitely need to embrace technology though.

[Spartan]

I think one of the problems is that the Columbia Metro is not as densly packed as most cities with successful systems. One has to travel long distances to get to his destination, and bus rides would be overly time consuming. Imagine riding a bus from you home in the Summit all the way down town. Plus you have to pick up your kids after work and stop by a store to purchase food to prepare for dinner. Most people who work downtown, currently, don't live downtown. Time and the current new developments may change this but until then maybe the auto inspections should be re-instated. I seriously hate that i cant ride with my windows and roof open without choking on someones exhaust or fumes from their car burning oil. Can anyone tell me why those were eliminated anyway?

I'm not sure why i missed this post

The emissions inspections (and thats all they were) did not do their job. They were something like $3 and it was a scam, and a waste of the inspector's time. Like the previous poster said, they would just tell you something is broken and you'd pay out the ass for it so they could make up their lost money. They need to reinstate safety and emissions inspections in SC, but make it worth the inspector's time. They need to have registered inspection places, and random enforcement of them with high penalties for those that don't follow the rules.

Columbia's system is the most used traditional public transit system in SC. Nearly 2 million riders annually. Charleston is at 1.5ish, Greenville at 700k, Spartanburg at 600k, Florence, 500k.

Also, busses are not designed for quickness, they are designed for convenience, in theory. You should take the bus so that its not a hassle to drive, to park, etc. Transit systems offer a thing called Commuter Choice, adn the government will reimburse you and your employer for using tranasit to get to work. Its a good idea in principle. I generally agree that the operating hours are one of the major problems with all transit systems in this state.

But think about everything you just said... the root of the problem, like monsoon said is that our society assumes that you cant function on a bus on a daily basis because we aren't raised that way anymore. And to a certain extent its not possible because all of our growth is designed for the car. Nobody thinks about putting a daycare next to a grocerystore near a bus stop. And even then, why would you want to live within walking distance of these things? Why would anyone do something so rediculous, hmm?

[monsoon]

.....

Columbia's system is the most used traditional public transit system in SC. Nearly 2 million riders annually. Charleston is at 1.5ish, Greenville at 700k, Spartanburg at 600k, Florence, 500k.

.....

But think about everything you just said... the root of the problem, like monsoon said is that our society assumes that you cant function on a bus on a daily basis because we aren't raised that way anymore. And to a certain extent its not possible because all of our growth is designed for the car. Nobody thinks about putting a daycare next to a grocerystore near a bus stop. And even then, why would you want to live within walking distance of these things? Why would anyone do something so rediculous, hmm?

It can be done however. CATS which provides bus service to Mecklenburg county and express bus lines to the surrounding counties is now carrying 25,000,000 people/year. Based on this, the cities should be carrying a lot more people on their buses but I feel the reason that it isn't happening is because there hasn't been sufficient investment in the systems to make them that useful.

[803metlife]

Agreed. I live DT within a block of a route that would take me to within 3 blocks of work (as far as I can tell). I'd consider this bus but 1) it passes by once an hour and 2) it stops running around 5:45. Once an hour is too infrequent and I most always work past 5:45 which means I'd be stranded. into, here's their website http://www.gocmrta.com and a map of the overall system.

The buses have ran every 30 minutes for the last two years and they usually stop running around 8pm. Actually I've rode the bus numerous of times. Only once lately because I didnt want to become stranded. But it's always nice to have that option.....

[Spartan]

Thats true, but CATS benefits by the horrendous traffic in Charlotte when compared to SC cities, which aren't as bad as a whole. I think that is what will have to happen in Columbia.... traffic will have to get much worse.

[digihoop]

The buses have ran every 30 minutes for the last two years and they usually stop running around 8pm. Actually I've rode the bus numerous of times. Only once lately because I didnt want to become stranded. But it's always nice to have that option.....

The times depend of the route I believe. For example, http://www.gocmrta.com/content/pdf/28.pdf, passes hourly in each direction until 5:45. Other routes run later, such as http://www.gocmrta.com/content/pdf/26.pdf, however.

[Spartan]

They need to make it more consistant. They should at least run it regularly through 7pm.

I think that they should run it into the evening and make sure to set up the lines so that they serve Five Points and the Vista. I mean, not everyone will use it, hell most people probably won't, but if you see the bus driving around, you might consider it an option if you are slightly enibriated.

[emerging.me]

Hmmm... I think we need some "buses" like THESE that the Dutch are building!

But seriously... part of the reason the stigma remains about our buses is that they are ugly and they have tiny windows.

[sonofaque86]

wow. i'll ride that bus. lol

[803metlife]

But seriously... part of the reason the stigma remains about our buses is that they are ugly and they have tiny windows.

But you have to admit the buses owned by RTA look a hell of alot better than the ones ran by scana.But I do agree the windows are small

[803metlife]

A hybrid-electric fuel-cell bus should be on the streets of Columbia by the time the National Hydrogen Association convenes here for its annual meeting in the spring of 2009. Columbia is one of four cities where the 37-passenger bus, powered by batteries and automotive fuel cells, will be demonstrated. The other cities are Birmingham, Ala., and Hartford and New Haven, Conn. The Federal Transit Administration awarded $5.67 million to a 16-member development team for the project through the Center for Transportation and Environment in Atlanta. The total price tag on the hybrid-electric fuel-cell bus project is $13.1 million.

[krazeeboi]

The fee imposed by Richland County to keep the buses afloat temporarily might not fly. From the latest edition of the Free Times:

The S.C. Attorney General's Office recently released an opinion that could put plans to finance the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority in peril. On Oct. 3, Richland County Council approved an increase in road-maintenance fees to help pay for shortfalls in the bus system's finances. On Oct. 16, the Attorney General's Office clarified what state law requires before the county can impose that additional maintenance fee: "In areas with regional transportation authorities in existence on the effective date of this act, a vehicle registration fee increase for the purpose of financing a regional transportation authority must be approved in referendum by a majority of the electorate in the area to which the vehicle registration fee increase would apply." It means the county may have to reconsider its options. The CMRTA warned it would cut bus services by 85 percent in January if it does not get additional money.

[monsoon]

A hybrid-electric fuel-cell bus should be on the streets of Columbia by the time the National Hydrogen Association convenes here for its annual meeting in the spring of 2009. Columbia is one of four cities where the 37-passenger bus, powered by batteries and automotive fuel cells, will be demonstrated. The other cities are Birmingham, Ala., and Hartford and New Haven, Conn. The Federal Transit Administration awarded $5.67 million to a 16-member development team for the project through the Center for Transportation and Environment in Atlanta. The total price tag on the hybrid-electric fuel-cell bus project is $13.1 million.

The only problem with this and the reason you see support from the federal government on these kind of projects, is that the only way today to produce hydrogen in quantities needed for transit is to get it from oil. In other words, these vehicles will use more oil than a regular bus would because using oil to get hydrogen isn't an efficient process.

[Spartan]

The only problem with this and the reason you see support from the federal government on these kind of projects, is that the only way today to produce hydrogen in quantities needed for transit is to get it from oil. In other words, these vehicles will use more oil than a regular bus would because using oil to get hydrogen isn't an efficient process.

True, but they recently created a new way to make hydrogen that is significantly less expensive. I forget where I read about this, but I will post more as soon as I find that article.

[Captain Worley]

^^It was in Popular Mechanics and it is still substantially more expensive than fossil fuels. Unless there is a radical breakthrough in obtaining hydrogen, it is a technological dead end.

[MikesLogic]

There is a ton of research going on with regards to fuel cells. Many different ideas are being put to the test. Bush has allocated over $600 million for fuel cell research through the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative in the past 3 years which is awesome. Companies are not taking the risks(big oil/future profitability) by investing in this research so right now it is being done mainly by academics which need that government funding. Estimates put competitive/sustainable fuel cell use entering the market around 2010.

[Captain Worley]

Actually, I just finished reading a government sponsored study that outlined the infrastructure needed and the amount of vehicles sold. There is going to have to be an awful lot of government subsidies because they are predicting there will only be 187,000 hydrogen fueled vehicles produced in 2025 out of a total vehicle production of 17,000,000.

They were shooting for a refueling station every 50 miles.

[CorgiMatt]

With research being one of the cornerstones of the United States's future economy, sounds like Columbia stands to become an increasingly busy place for a good while to come.