What success?

The majority of "forced" boardings are merely bus transit dependent riders, with September's TVM revenue/boarding ratio a mere 13-cents.

According to METREAUX's own latest report to the NTD:

http://tinyurl.com/2jh3yf

*******

Looking at virtually every of Operating Expense ratios, the boondoggle tram far exceeds the costs of Bus when compared to the 7.5 mile "Transit Backbone."

Operating Expenses/Vehicle Revenue Mile

Bus    $6.34

Tram  $17.51

Operating Expenses/Vehicle Revenue Hours

Bus    $92.48

Tram  $241.24

Unlinked Passenger Trip/Vehicle Revenue Miles

Bus    $1.96

Tram  $12.70

Unlinked Passenger Trip/Vehicle Revenue Hours

Bus    $26.63

Tram  $175.07

Why not just divert EVERY bus rout to the transit platforms, and force all riders to board the glorious Utopian tram, so as to say it is a "WORLD CLASS" Socialist success.

Now I have something against Royko and (somewhat) this particular post.

To Royko,

         Do you even know what you're talking about?  I hope you're not trying to brainwash people because I'm seriously not in the mood for any brainwashing here.  Speaking of people trying to have their hands full, I'm already having my hands full trying to defend METRO's paint scheme on some furom called BusChat.

To Mary (and METRO),

                    I really don't think anybody would need to celebrate big time for this because people like me are just wanting to get from point A to point B---whether by train or by bus.  What would make me happy is METRO getting more and more buses.  If several of you people think that buses "run rings around rail," then force METRO to get more AND BETTER buses.  Otherwise, that comment might as well get buried in the dust.  Thank you!

~Cedric Collins~

** So who's riding the train? **

Great question.

Apparently, not so many paying customers, given the revenue/boarding ratio that Tom Bazan points out.

Instead, there are lots of forced, artificial "boardings" from the diminished bus service that dumps riders onto the light trail, forcing riders to ride the rail for a short distance before transferring to another bus (incidentally, the bus service was supposed to increase by 50%, according to the 2003 referendum -- another promise not kept by METRO).

Congratulations, Metro!

I'm proud to have been one of the first of those 40 million to ride the train. I remember going down to the southernmost station to ride the train the first weekend it was available. Although it was late, there were still hundreds of people waiting at the station to take what would be the last trip of the day.

And what a day it was!

We sat in front of a family who drove all the way in from Katy to ride the train. As we accelerated past Sam's, everyone applauded! Luck was with us when they discovered that all of the return bus shuttles were full: we got to ride the train back from UH Downtown as well.

Congratulations, again.

Metro, like so many companies, tends to exaggerate or say false things in order to hype their product.

Mary wrote (and will say it was an honest mistake);

"That's a huge number. Forty million is about the population of Spain. And it's the capacity of Reliant Stadium five times over."

Now, Metro's news release promo says;

"How big is that number? It’s about the population of Poland; or, Reliant Stadium filled to capacity 560 times."

Mary's link was to a site that dies not provide information on seating and is not the true website to view.

According to the website http://www.reliantpark.com/stadium/

Reliant has a capacity for 71.500.  Metro management's promo is correct.  Mary's is totally wrong.

Interesting that the blog promo and Metro's seem to be very similar but not the same?

Mary then wrote;

"Every day, METRORail carries 45,000 boardings - a statistic METRO didn't anticipate achieving until 2020. That makes us the nation's most successful light rail line."

....and Metro's news release is written as;

"The most successful light rail line in the country, METRORail carries about 45,000 boardings each weekday - a number METRO didn’t expect to achieve until 2020."

Metro claims their 45,000 number is "each weekday" aka Mon-Fri.  Weekend average is claimed at 12-15,000.

So, in Mary's desire to reword Metro's other posting, she states that the 45,000 is "every day"

On another note, Metro's news release, dated 9 Nov btw, says;

"Since then, METRORail has spawned new businesses along the line and allowed METRO to retool its bus system to remove 600 buses from downtown streets each day."

I would like for Mary, or Mr. Wilson, to name the businesses that the light rail line has spawned?  Also, is it 600 buses removed or 600 bus trips on the corridor?  Since Metro only has some 12-1500 buses total for the entire Metro area?

On another side note, deception is sometimes uncovered by news sources that are not biased towards Metro and light rail. The Houston Press did a story on Metro last year. Here is one small excerpt;

http://www.houstonpress.com/2006-03-30/news/run-over-by-metro/full  Run Over By Metro

Metro frequently brushes off complaints about its operations by pointing to statistics that indicate an exemplary safety record. A closer look at the numbers and the faces behind them reveals a grimmer story.

"Metro has one of the lowest accident rates in the country," George Smalley, Metro's vice president of external affairs, boasted in January after a Metro bus killed a pedestrian. Metro's record of 0.68 accidents per 100,000 miles, Smalley said, "is unheard of in the transit industry."

This statistic is deceptive, since Metro makes a distinction between "accidents" and "incidents." An "accident," according to Metro, is when a pedestrian or passenger either dies or is transported from the scene to a hospital, or when a vehicle sustains damages exceeding $1,000. An "incident" covers everything else.

http://search.houstonpress.com/2002-05-30/news/a-fixer-upper/  A Fixer Upper

The above article is a must read for those who prefer to see all sides of the story.  My daughter had a problem with HISD at Jones HS which she attended where they did not give her a Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Scholarship worth $12,000.

She was virtually guaranteed and the Press took the time to write on the problems and as a participant, the Press was accurate and correct.

If you have children in school, or are interested in how things happen, this is an interesting story (off topic but pertinent to deceptive practices.

BTW, the principal of Jones at that time was Lawrence Allen. Allen is in a run-off for District D in City Council and that scares people like me.  He basically bribed my family with a Worthing Scholarship.

What is the Worthing Scholarship?  It was meant for black students from lower income areas to help them get to college (my daughter and the other recipient with Katie, are white.

Back to Metro.  Yes, so who does ride Metrorail?  As I had taken from Metro's own analysis of the rail line, "PRIOR" to it even being built, Metro showed as 'FACTS' that the bus lines (maybe those 600 bus trips per day?) that ran on the corridor had a weekday average ridership of 38,000.....JUST (hate that we cannot underline or hot link like the blogger can on the primary post!).

Some claims like the one Mary stated;

"....54 percent of rail riders transferring to or from a bus."

are of concern then since they had 38,000 that would have HAD to either be forced to take the train instead of their bus, or....

they chose to take another means of transportation....perhaps a car? 54% of the current claimed average is 24,300.  

What happened to the other 13,700? 56% loss of riders?

The link to the HGAC does not link to any survey done.  I, for one, would also like to see the method used and questions asked of the passengers?

Don G,

I seem to recall METREAUX's MIS stated that they eventually expected over 92% of tram boardings to be "forced" (my view) bus transfers, AND that they only expected a measely 55 "new" riders annually!

Of course, none of this information, or the original "Solutions" scheme promises are available on METREAUX's seemingly Orwellian website.

Don G,

Mr. Wilson gave me the following info, being page 10 of some presentation to the BOD in August 2007.

Summary - FY07 Ridership Decline

* Three factors account for the decline in local bus trip-making:

* Street Closings & Construction:    236,200

* Route Simplification, net of Rail: 182,500

* Fare System Changes:               413,000

* Weather Impacts:                   842,000

                                SUBTOTAL: 1,673,700

* Express, P&R and Rail gain:       (293,000)

                              NET CHANGE: 1,380,700

I disagree with the low-ball numbers, as it conflicts with other data where local bus boardings for FY2007 fell 12 consecutive months, -7.84%, or 5,350,048 boardings.

Ms. Sit,

Regarding this comment: "METRORail is averaging more than 10 million boardings per fiscal year. At this pace, METRO would reach 50 million boardings during 2008 -  its fifth year of operation. To the naysayers insisting no one is riding the train, these are powerful statistics."

In the real world, you quickly reach a peak or saturation point.  I suggest METREAUX has likely seen the peak of tram boardings, unless more bus routes are diverted to the transit centers (tram platforms) forcing them to also ride the tram.

Tram boardings actually declined 0.7% in September 2007 from the same monthly period in 2006.

Also, METREAUX forced many more Houstonians attending functions at the former Astrodome property to board the tram by limiting shuttle buses.  This next Rodeo, we will see if the same folks want to be herded like "Sheeple" again.

...and the moral of the story is.................................?

Mr. Collins,

The moral would be, not to make ludicrous tram boarding forecasts.

Ms. Sit is not fully informed, and is from the Houston Chronicle, ergo, hyperbole one would expect to see from a pro-urban rail editor.

Mr. Collins,

Allow me to add a little explanation to the last comment for context.

The bus boardings have declined each month for the past 12 months (I have yet to receive the October data, but the trend is negative), and four of the last 12 months of tram boardings were declines from the prior year.

The businesses along Main Street are performing poorly, and with a recession looming, the Christmas season will likely be below expectations.  If football and Rodeo attendance is off, there is no way METREAUX will acheive the same level of tram boardings.

Therefore, with a reduction in bus service, coupled with declining bus boardings, which will result in  reduced numbers of transfers which feed the tram, coupled with an economic recession, and possible reduced numbers of boardings for special events, one might reconsider betting the tram sees it's 50 millionth "forced" boarding in 2008.

Remember, in February 2006, there was a premature failure of an 8-inch CRP water line, which happened to be on the day METREAUX celebrated the 20-millionth "forced" boarding, which inturrupted service.  There were no major waterline failures along the tram line in 2007.

If, as I suspect, cummulative stray current corrosion caused by the tram were to cause additional infastructure failures, the tram will remain unattractive to most Houstonians as it will still be deemed unsafe and unreliable.

As a former resident in Houston.

I wouldn't called a successful achievement at this point. The numbers are not that impressive at all consider that statics shown. If METRO wants to be successful, it needs lots of advertisement on this one freaken light rail in the city. It also needs lots more expansion on this light rail. FAST. The city is growing and Houston's public transportation still lacking for the residents of Houston.

Royko,

     Somewhat understood but what's with this "forced" boarding business?  Allowing me to go offtopic for a moment here about this "forced" business.  It doesn't have to do with trains; rather---it has to do with buses.

People like me are forced to ride with CERTAIN---not all---drivers who may not even NEED to drive.  Regardless of the conditions outside the bus, they NEVER come on time and NEVER take you where you need to go---yup---on time.  I would like for someone to tell me (you, too Mr. Royko)---what's up with that?  I would like to be picked up on time and taken where I need to go on time---thanks.  METRORail would probably do better if you give it a chance.

Royko,

     There may be times where we would strongly disagree on lots of things but for once, I would like to agree on one thing:  If expect to get what we asked for from METRO, good luck.  You may get lucky by getting what you need but not I.

Just recently, I have asked for a certain info (PLEASE e-mail me so I can forward you what I'm talking about) that shouldn't of taken long to update and give to me but METRO claims that they don't have time right now and that they're busy running the 4th largest transit agency in the nation!

I was also informed that by asking for things, I'm wasting "staff time."  I smell a POOR excuse (or more) ten---no---20 miles away.

How are you able to obtain info that you use to discuss against METRO?

I ask because soon, even I may lose my patience with these delays.

Thanks.

~Cedric Collins~

It's "forced" because simply buses stop running downtown like they used to in most cases.

Also noone pays for the train(except taxpayers) and every bum in the world gets on and some of them can't stop harassing other passengers who are trying to get from Point A to B. But endup having to go thru points a,b,c to end up D (which was originally point B).

Need to start charging that dollar for the train.

Mel

And how many accidents?  Last I heard, it was twice the national average.  

Chronical hasn't updated in a while:  http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/special/04/lightrail/index.html

And still less than 1% of commuttership.

I used to drive the train route near the Dome becuase that where the traffic wasn't.