1.  I think 95% ontime is the min. UPS alows on its transport contracts.

2.  Need new hybird artics.

3.  Need METRO on Google transit.

4   Take that 6% operating amount and get the buses fixed.  Or at least feed the pigeons....

<i>As Wilson pointed out, our performance will be akin to general traffic conditions in Houston.</i>

How can a city's traffic be so unpredictable from year to year that 46% of Metro's schedule trips are late this year? Did this agency learn nothing from all of last year's late trips?

Good grief!  That on time performance is dismal!  Metro was doing better with RTS buses and dollars slowing down progress.  I remember Metro was setting ridership records with a whopping 96% on time performance.

METRO's web based comment screen could be better.  You are required enter a valid e-mail address but when you hit "Submit Comment" there is no confirming e-mail or tracking number that is sent back to the commentor for tracking purposes.  This needs to be corrected.

Since we're doing numbers, let's try these as-yet-unasnwered questions:

What percentage of Fare Media was forcibly transferred to Q Cards in (possible?) violation of the Texas Fair Trade Practices Act?  How much value is still on fare media that never got transferred, creating additonal possible liabiltiy for Metro under the TFTPA?  

How much will Metro be forced to pay for compensation and fines for that illegality?

How many times did Metro ignore consumers who complained about the unfairness and who questioned the legality of the action?

Now, if METRO would had built waht was proposed inthe late 1970's, a lot of the problems we have now would not exsist.

Concept proposed was to have elevated "transitways" along all the freeways.  These were to be "busways" which could be converted to rail later. (This was before the term "BRT" came into use.  Anywaty, did we not here about this type of ides within the past two years?) Think of the HOV lane near NW Mall, or the KATY HOV at IH 45.

Stations would be every few miles, kind of mini-TC's, or P&R's.

Now, to me:

1.  Such staions could be added to the Katy HOT, with METRO getting air rights from the HCTRA.  I'm thinking here Bogata in South America.

2.  Pre-plan this into the US 290 HOT.

3.  METRO has rights on the West Park Toll Road.  Build the University line BRT.  West of the Hillcroft TC, buses could use the lanes of the WPTR until they come to the exits for their TC's/P&R.  Buses migrate over to the Westpark Guideway once ridership builds up.  Goal:  BRT to Katy Mills either via WP or Katy HOT.

4.  Get something built now!  Gas prices are so high now, I have nothing to feed the mascot with.

At least we could have gottten a pic of the new MC1 hybrid 5000!

In defence of the full-time urban bus operators, it is my understanding that a huge problem exists with the suburban routes, subcontracted to First Transit.

If that is the case, First Transit is dragging down the on-time performance.

That raises the question, if METREAUX can not control First Transit insofar as the on-time goal, just how bad will the service be in the FIVE corridors for the tram extensions when METREAUX allows a 3rd party to build, own, and operate the boondoggle tram lines?

Ms. Sit,

Maybe you can help, since METREAUX claims to be transparent, yet appears to be quite Orwellian.

I have not received any of the routine monthly data yet, even though the deadline for MTA # 2008-0120, was 4/15/2008, and, it is after the Board of Director's meeting, with today being the 27th day after March ended.

M'neeka, A colleague told me he saw that Metro will re-open transfers from old magnetic media to the Q-Card.  Not sure where he saw it, but maybe Mary Sit can check it out and comment here.

I say this with all the love and loyalty in my heart, but....

Running 54% on time is ridiculous. That's basically saying every other bus is on time, which explains why two buses show up back-to-back. The 70% rate on the P&R buses is not much better considering all you do is drive through Downtown, get on the freeway, and get back off.

Clearly the answer is somewhere Downtown. Oh, I know! Maybe it's the HORRIBLY timed traffic lights! If the buses could get more than 2 blocks without hitting a red light, it would help.

As a matter of fact, I fully support re-arranging the stops so that they only occur every 3 blocks instead of two. This will put fewer buses at each stop, thus fewer people at each stop. For example, on Travis/Milam, divide it so that the 240's are at one stop, the 250's are at the next stop, and the remaining P&R buses (202, 204, 209, 212, 236) are on another stop. Then put the 102, 108, and 137 at separate stops, and divide up the rest.

There are too many buses on Lamar/Dallas, and that creates 3 or 4 buses back-to-back during rush. Move some of them down to Polk/Clay, specifically ones that have to turn onto Louisiana/Smith, like the 20, 85, and 131. Once the Houston Pavilions opens in Fall, there will be even MORE traffic on Dallas, so moving some buses to Polk/Clay would help congestion.

ChloeMireille, most of them just run the red lights and sit in the intersections, blocking the pedestrians from crossing.

As for running on time--I'm not even sure why Metro even has schedules anymore.  The commuter busses at night for 274 are basically grab-n-growl.  If they show, they show.  If they don't, they don't.  And sometimes, they show, but don't even stop at the stops.  Calling the complaint line does absolutely nothing so I've stopped wasting my minutes trying to do so.

I have many questions: How do you measure on-time performance?  What criteria do you use?  If a bus is 2 minutes late, is it still considered "on time"?  Certainly there is a difference between 2 minutes late and 15 minutes late.  How about 2 minutes ahead of time?  And where are the points you measure the time (the beginning and the end of each route, or also some points in between)?  Do you keep records of every single route every single day?  If so, this data should tell you about possible reasons and help you to find ways to improve on-time performance.  Certainly there is a lot of room for improvement.

And some suggestions:

1. Consider running 2 minutes ahead of schedule or 3 minutes late (and everything in between) as on-time performance (in the future you may narrow it down to "1 minute early - 2 minutes late" range)

2. If, for any reason, the bus (or train) does not run within the above-suggested 5-minute (or 3-minute) time frame, notify the public (it should be up-to-date information easily accessible to the public through cell phones and www).

Ms. Pants said:  

"As for running on time--I'm not even sure why Metro even has schedules anymore."

----------------

I certainly agree with that statement.  I take the 132, and I don't even look at a schedule.  Buses often run back-to-back, or even three at a time.  I just get to the stop and know one will be there eventually.  Thankfully I can take either the Cook Road or Mission Bend, so I don't often wait too long, but it's not very consistent, particularly in the evenings.

Derrick it has been reported to me that metro does not consider a local bus officially late unless it is running ten minutes behind schedule. As for your second question all metro and first transit buses are equipped with gps units that are connected to the Q box. Whether you are charged a fare or given a transfer depends on the gps location and traveling direction of the bus. Metro has almost over two years worth of gps data for most routes and one  and half years data for the rest. The scheduling group has this info in some format we dont know. Whatever format metro has this information you can bet that it  is almost overwhelming as one does nnot know why a bus is running late ( traffic, accidents, broken bus, detours, trains, ect) and metro is most definately not looking at this information in realtime. I remember Mr Wilson stating that metro dispacthers were to get training on how to utilize this information realtime from a previous blog entry , whether that has occured is anyones guess.

As your suggestion that metro drivers run early and still be considered on time; my driver sits at intersections because he is early only to be late the rest of the route. The driver states that metro does not take into consideration that 80% of the route will be late if the driver sticks to the schedule, metro never wants a bus early. Whats ridiculous is that one time point all buses crossing the route have passed and the driver will not budge until his allotted time. The driver complains that all discretionary time has been removed from nearky all routes. He states that there is no more catch up time left. If they are late the driver must decide whether to skip his alloted break and continue driving or take a smaller break and continue on or take his full alloted layover and run the route late. Do you skip all of your breaks at work every day? ;)

Chloe:

I think you have something there abiut the stops.  Can I take your train of thought and run with it?

1.  I would go with stops every 4 blocks in downtown.

2.  Buses which generally run to the same location should stop in the same place.  Example:  As the 53/82 do now.  The 9, 66, 79 and 108 should stop in the same places bacause a lot of each of these routes overlap.  Say the North Freeway comes to a dead stop inbound in the PM, at least I can take (forever) and use the 66.

3.  Why does the 50 take that long loop in downtown.  Back in the HouTran era, the 50's stayed on Texas and Capital.

4.  I agree.  Some E/W routes are going to have to moved away from the Macy's area.

5.  With this high desity stuff coming in to downtown, is it time to pur the circs. back in, instead of having the mainline bus/train routes handle it?

6.  You are going to meed more railcars to handle theloads at Main Street Square once that new complex gets finished "SE" (compass, I think it is moore S) of Macy's.

7.  Not downtown, but the developement along Wasjingto Ave. and Almeda Dr. are going to affect those routes.

More stray current:

Can't spell Washington!

8.  The Eastex routes, the 25x's need to go back to Fannin and San Jac!

All buses that are less than 5 minutes late are considered on-time?

I can roll with that. Five minutes is roughly how long it takes to get a wheelchair on and off the bus.

Also, if a bus on a non-branched route is running so late that the next bus catches up to it, it should radio their supervisor and go out of service/drop-off only until it's on schedule again. If a bus on a branched route is running that late, then it should proceed as normal.

However, if a bus is running one or two minutes early, I don't see a problem in terms of the entire run. On an individual level, I'd be P.O.'ed if my 9:30 bus showed up at 9:28, but I should have been there at 9:28 anyway so I wouldn't have to run.

Also, could we get the 42-Holman schedule adjusted? It is NOT a 50 minute trip from Montrose to 5th Ward. The 2:44 from Montrose has to stop repeatedly to avoid running early prior to Eastwood TC. This is not a route that encounters heavy traffic, so extra time does not need to be added. You could shave off 2-4 minutes, trust me.

-------

Dominic,

1) I picked 3 blocks because I didn't want to traumatize anyone by having them walk more than a block to change buses. (sarcasm) With the ABC system, a person who gets off at stop B can simply walk a block to stop A or C. If you throw in a 4th block, ABCD, getting off at stop B means you have to walk 2 blocks to stop D. One block's a nightmare in heels after a long day, let alone 2.

2) I like your idea, that's what I was aiming for. By that logic, either the 240's need to move back to Louisiana/Smith or the 88-Hobby needs to move to Travis/Milam.

3)It wouldn't be a bad idea to move them back to Texas/Capital, but isn't that where the Southeast rail line is going to run?

4) The idea of moving the 20, 85, and 131 stems from point 2. They all take the freeway to Northwest TC after going down Louisiana.

5)I think if they did everything else we suggested, reviving the trolleys wouldn't be necessary.

6)No, you're right the Houston Pavilions is SE of Macy's. (I just call it adjacent or cattycorner.) The projected completion date is October, which means December. http://www.houstonpavilions.com <--- GO LOOK!!!

7)I think development everywhere is going to affect routes.

The 42 definitely needs a schedule adjustment.  It is common for the buses to run 10mph or less along Holman from UH to Montrose.  That's ridiculous.  Metro needs to update alot of their routes and schedules to reflect 2008 and not 1978.  There's still no Sunday service on the 25 - Westchase branch?  Come on guys!

Chloe:

1.  High heeel problem:  Many women (and men) wear shoes more adapted to transit, and then slip into the toe killers at the office!.  BTW, I have walked from the 82 to catch the LRT.

3.-5.  Yes, but we don't have the SE Whatever yet.  (Started out to be LRT, then BRT, now LRT.....)

Maybe the 20, 36, 48, 50, 53, 82, and 131 could run on couple of e/w streets just N or Main Street Square.  Could provide cir service to GRB and the two stadia, and be walking distace of the new developements, but not be in them.

42 Holman/78 Alabama

Cut the 78 south of the Downtown Transit Center.  Run the 24 down Alabama west of Montrose.  Continue route W of Greenway to Galleria.  Killer X-town.  Breview of the U-Corridor?

AS FAR AS EARLY AND LATE BUSES.....WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS ALL THE GUR'S AT 1900 NEED TO RIDE!!  FREQUENTLY AND OFTEN NOT JUST THE ROSEY ROUTES, BUT ALL OF THEM!!  ALL TIMES OF DAY AND NITE.

THEY NEED TO SEE THE LONG LINES OF LOCAL BUSES AND P&R'S DOWN TRAVIS LOUISIANA, SAN JAC, FANNIN, SMITH AND THE EAST AND WEST STREETS DOWNTOWN!  

THEY NEED TO SEE US PIC UP 6 OR 7 WHEEL CHAIRS IN A TRIP.  ALONG WITH BEING CAUGHT BY ONE TRAN THAT CATCHES YOU 4 TIMES!!!  AND THE SCHOOL KIDS, SCHOOL ZONES, AND THE TRAFFIC!

THE BEAT GOES ON AND ON!

HONESTLY THEY(UPPER MGMT. AND SCHEDULING)  ARE CLUELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE STATS ON FIRST TRANSIT HAVE BEEN "DOCTORED" UP SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN IN EXISTANCE!

AND I THINK IT WAS CHLOE STATING THAT IF BUSES ARE RUNNING BACK TO BACK THEY SHOULD BE "CUT IN"?  

WELL TO ANSWER THIS YES IT IS LOGICAL....AND IT USED TO BE A COMMON OCCURENCE, UNTIL OUR "NEW REGIME" TOOK OFFICE.  NOW THEY JUST TELL US TO "RUN A TRIP LATE"  WHAT IS THE LOGIC IN RUNNING A TRIP LATE WHEN THERE ARE 3 BUSES GOING TO THE SAME DESTINATION?

AGAIN, CLUELESS!!!!!!!!!

I AM A 13 1/2 YEAR VETERAN OF METRO, NOT FIRST TRANSIT AND THIS IS THE "WORST" I'VE SEEN IT!

GUR=????

Back in the non-radio HouTran era, the 25-airline Hahl-site (think 56 from Aldine Mail route to downtown, LOCAL!  Gag!) would have the same problems.

Guess what?  Bus one would take people to the point where the bus would be back on time on the return.  Buses behind would take passengers non-stop to the point the first bus turned around.  

Houston, what is the problem?

Yes I know about the Houston Pavillions.  Rode by it on the LRT last Friday, and went past in on Fannin today while on ambulance.

Speaking of wheelchairs:  These folks need to get around.  That I don't have a problem with.  But small lift vans can get them from FRONT DOOR to FRONT DOOR safely, with shopping items.  Some of these folks have to push/motor themselves across crazy parking lots, or cross roads like Westheimer or Post Oak in Uptown.  It is insane to WALK that intersection.

Those lifts are heavy, and labor intensive to maintain.  On small lift trucks, they will be used more often.

I wonder if you REALLY asked those who have serious mobility needs, whether they would rather have more METROLift and contract cab units or lifts on mainline services.

Some of this came from those who work inside the Beltway.  Not 8, but IH-495.

J,

I think that a lot of routes need Sunday service, even if it's just once an hour. It's better than nothing. There are people who are stuck in their unwalkable neighborhoods on Sundays because there's no bus.

Dominic,

Yeah, the SE Line may never get here at this rate. I'm just one of those, "Why move it if we're just going to have to move it again later?" kind of people.

I was thinking that the 18-Kirby needs to move off of Walker/Rusk to Dallas/Lamar, provided they move some of the other routes already there. It's more of a straight shot to Allen Parkway.

The 20 and 50 could go on Texas/Capitol. Nothing's on it at the moment, except the 70-Memorial.

As for breaking up the 78, that could work. I like the idea of being able to walk to my stop, get on the 42, and go directly to the Galleria. The only issue is that W. Alabama dead-ends at 610. It'll have to move to either Richmond or Westheimer before then, most likely before it gets to the railroad tracks. That'll put it on Weslayan because past that is Afton Oaks, and I'm sure they won't enjoy the prospect of another bus route going through their precious upper-middle-class neighborhood.

And as for the wheelchairs, I understand they need an affordable way to get from point A to point B. However, if the two wheelchair slots are full, and a third one needs to get on the bus, AND it's a branched route, they're screwed. I have actually seen drivers tell a chairbound patron that he was full and couldn't take him.

If Metrolift were more reliable, they might get on. If the cab program were advertised more, they might ride. I certainly don't want to wheel myself across 8 lanes of traffic on Westheimer. Would you?

Mizz_porkie,

I agree that upper-management needs to ride the buses more often, and not the P&R's or the freeway portion of a Limited or Express Route. Who needs to be on it even more is the Scheduling department. The people that make the routes should ride the routes. Anytime there's discussion of changing a route AT ALL, someone from Scheduling needs to spend a round trip on that route.

I've almost got myself into a wheelchair by crossing Westheimer at Post Oak.  Now I cross at a point farther west on Westheimer.

Mizz Porkie-- GUR = GURU, right?

And I agree.  Using Metro should be mandatory for Metro management.

GURU=?  Something from StarWars

Metro also needs to fix "The Impossible Dream" that is the Sunday schedule on the 2 - Bellaire.  Let me break it down for you.....

A 2 - Bellaire leaves Mission Bend at about 6:24am on Sunday.  It is scheduled to arrive at the TMC TC at 7:22am.  It is scheduled to leave IMMEDIATELY and run to Westchase.  It should be at the end of the line by 8:07am.  It is also scheduled to leave at that time and be back at the TMC TC by 8:52am.  It is then scheduled to leave at 8:52am and head back out to Mission Bend where FINALLY the driver can layover.

Is this bus ever on time?  No.  Is the schedule possible to keep?  Yes, on the 42 - Holman Crosstown maybe.  You're asking a driver to attempt to keep an impossible schedule with no layover for three hours?!  Meanwhile, the 4 - Beechnut is taking breaks at each end of it's run.

yes i meant GURU'S!!!  typo!

also i'd like to add, i have no BEEF with the wheelchairs....I was taught by my mom and dad"YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU BEEN, AND NEVER WHERE YOU ARE GOING!!  COULD BE ME TOMORROW!

J. Liggins said:  

"Metro also needs to fix "The Impossible Dream" that is the Sunday schedule on the 2 - Bellaire.  Let me break it down for you.....A 2 - Bellaire leaves Mission Bend at about 6:24am on Sunday.  It is scheduled to arrive at the TMC TC at 7:22am.  It is scheduled to leave IMMEDIATELY and run to Westchase.  It should be at the end of the line by 8:07am.  It is also scheduled to leave at that time and be back at the TMC TC by 8:52am.  It is then scheduled to leave at 8:52am and head back out to Mission Bend where FINALLY the driver can layover."

----------------------

Good grief!  I don't think I could do that in my car let alone have to pick up riders.  What are the schedule makers at Metro thinking with such a ludicrous schedule?

I remember back in the day when I had no car and had to give up church for a while.  It ate up over half my day trying to get there and back, and that was just waiting on one bus to take me there (the 65).  I feel for people in this city who don't have access to a car on the weekends, I really do.

DominicMazoch said:  "2.  Need new hybird artics."

If you must know, add me to that list.  I know of a couple of bus builders who can give us hybrid artics.

Schedules like "the Impossible Dream" build driver resentment and apathy.  The average bus driver knows they can't follow that schedule so they disregard it completely.  I watched each Sunday as one particular driver went from being 8-10 minutes late to being 45 minutes late.  He gave up running the schedule.  As I had to get to work and he was making me late; I repeatedly called in and reported him when he was more than 10 minutes late. Eventually he improved and would only run 7 or so minutes behind.  He had to haul behind just to do that.  

well mr. liggins, it was him making you late...it was METRO! when we can't adhere to them we just run them and whatever happens happens!  got to go to the bathroom?  go 5 more minutes late!!  train?  10-15 more minutes late etc!!!

This blog gradually tends to explore the problems related to on-time performance.  It seems to be the most serious problem for METRO now and we all need to try to do something in order to improve the system.

First of all,  we need to realize that achieving 100% on-time performance in Houston conditions is not realistic (due to traffic and weather conditions).  However, 54%, 56% or even 61% obviously is not acceptable.  So...?  What can we do to create more reliable system?  In my opinion METRO should:

1. Reevaluate current schedules (do not ask the drivers to do unrealistic jobs)

2.  Consider creating a system with true distinction between local and express routes in which none of the routes takes more than 60 minutes one way (drivers will be allowed to take breaks only at the final destinations)

3.  Consider creating a reward system (extra cash) for drivers who stick to the schedule

4. Make it possible for ordinary riders to access information about late buses or trains through world wide web (cell phones or computers)