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Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

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Matt
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Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by Matt » Sat Nov 05, 2016 7:29 am

This applies only to Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne, but we're all voting against this waste of money, right?


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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by Deleted User 8570 » Sat Nov 05, 2016 10:24 am

Matt wrote:This applies only to Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne, but we're all voting against this waste of money, right?
No. An RTA is something every other major city has. Voting against it would be ignorant.



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audiophile
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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by audiophile » Sat Nov 05, 2016 11:35 am

A bus driver voting for regional busing?

Would we expect different?


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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by Deleted User 8570 » Sat Nov 05, 2016 11:48 am

audiophile wrote:A bus driver voting for regional busing?

Would we expect different?
Probably not.. but I was really thinking of Chicago's suburban system as a good model, not the loyalty to the buses...



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TC Talks
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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by TC Talks » Sun Nov 06, 2016 1:30 am

Matt,

When should Detroit begin taking steps to join the rest of the globe in how they move around. I personally can't think of a city the size of Detroit that doesn't have a Rapid Transit option from the airport.

Of course, Metro Detroit area keeps shrinking despite all the hipsters moving in, maybe that's the answer: just lower the tax base.


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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by craig11152 » Sun Nov 06, 2016 6:44 am

As a Washtenaw County resident I will vote no. I am happy paying for the AAATA, a service I never use because it helps a small number of my neighbors. A large number of those buses are mostly empty most of the time. Only a couple runs at prime commute time actually fill up. I do not want to pay for people who are NOT my neighbors.
Plus in the case of Washtenaw County we aren't getting much in the package.


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audiophile
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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by audiophile » Sun Nov 06, 2016 6:57 am

Outmoded.

Use Uber or other private carpooling systems.


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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by Circle Seven » Sun Nov 06, 2016 7:47 am

I'm voting no.
I'm convinced no matter how much is spent, and how much is built, and how many grand plans come to fruitation, the seats on the busses and trains will be mostly empty.



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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun Nov 06, 2016 9:00 am

I'm voting HELL NO.

In concept, I support regional transit, but this plan is poorly thought out and outrageously expensive.

A plan with bus lanes on select streets during certain hours of the day, "normal buses" (as opposed to the Rolls Royce still of buses this plan envisions), and a full merger between SMART and the Detroit bus system would be far more economical than what is proposed here.

If my tax bill were to rise by, say, $75 a year -- I'd support this proposal in a heartbeat.

As proposed, my tax bill would rise by about $180 a year, which is outrageous.

The fact operating budget & construction cost figures are so difficult to find online, along with a forecast of funding sources between residential homeowners, commercial property owners and system users, is all the more reason to vote this thing down. The devil is in the details, and the powers-that-be who are behind this plan seem to be concealing the numbers on purpose.

I also am not convinced by the stats thrown about pertaining to economic growth. Would love to see the actual studies as opposed to sound bites.

BTW, Midtown and Downtown Detroit are coming along JUST FINE without the RTA. Woodward Ave. looks marvelous from the riverfront all the way to the Fox Theatre district and beyond. All the young folks just use Uber when needed, as Audio noted earlier.



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audiophile
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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by audiophile » Sun Nov 06, 2016 9:05 am

The corporate tax bill would be H*** - that can't be good for companies wanting to locate there.

A town near me is full of automotive shops - could it be lower taxes? Probably.


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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by Matt » Sun Nov 06, 2016 4:31 pm

craig11152 wrote:As a Washtenaw County resident I will vote no. I am happy paying for the AAATA, a service I never use because it helps a small number of my neighbors. A large number of those buses are mostly empty most of the time. Only a couple runs at prime commute time actually fill up. I do not want to pay for people who are NOT my neighbors.
Plus in the case of Washtenaw County we aren't getting much in the package.
Agreed. I have no idea why Washtenaw got dragged into this nonsense. The AAATA vote awhile back was a joke too.


What's more pathetic: harassing an old man who is paying to do a radio show or supporting a grifter like Trump?

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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by Deleted User 8570 » Sun Nov 06, 2016 5:02 pm

craig11152 wrote:As a Washtenaw County resident I will vote no. I am happy paying for the AAATA, a service I never use because it helps a small number of my neighbors. A large number of those buses are mostly empty most of the time. Only a couple runs at prime commute time actually fill up. I do not want to pay for people who are NOT my neighbors.
Plus in the case of Washtenaw County we aren't getting much in the package.
You obviously don't understand how the mechanics and economics of busing works...



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craig11152
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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by craig11152 » Sun Nov 06, 2016 5:19 pm

NS8401 wrote:
craig11152 wrote:As a Washtenaw County resident I will vote no. I am happy paying for the AAATA, a service I never use because it helps a small number of my neighbors. A large number of those buses are mostly empty most of the time. Only a couple runs at prime commute time actually fill up. I do not want to pay for people who are NOT my neighbors.
Plus in the case of Washtenaw County we aren't getting much in the package.
You obviously don't understand how the mechanics and economics of busing works...
actually I do understand the economics of busing at the AAATA. Each fare only covers about 17% of the cost of the ride. BUT as I indicated I am OK with that in my city in my county.

Now tell me what I don't understand about the mechanics?


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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by Deleted User 8570 » Sun Nov 06, 2016 5:23 pm

craig11152 wrote:
NS8401 wrote:
craig11152 wrote:As a Washtenaw County resident I will vote no. I am happy paying for the AAATA, a service I never use because it helps a small number of my neighbors. A large number of those buses are mostly empty most of the time. Only a couple runs at prime commute time actually fill up. I do not want to pay for people who are NOT my neighbors.
Plus in the case of Washtenaw County we aren't getting much in the package.
You obviously don't understand how the mechanics and economics of busing works...
actually I do understand the economics of busing at the AAATA. Each fare only covers about 17% of the cost of the ride. BUT as I indicated I am OK with that in my city in my county.

Now tell me what I don't understand about the mechanics?
I was speaking of why the buses run empty sometimes and don't go back to the garage. There's a logical and logistical reason for it even if it appears inefficient on the surface. Many of the runs get full more than twice a day by the way. It's a well used service.

Washtenaw county gets connected to the other two systems. The whole point is to unite everything so the region has a seemless pubic system. It's the way every large city except us does it. AAATA is now a county wide entity too so it's not just your city anyways. That ship has sailed.



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Re: Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan

Post by MWmetalhead » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:26 am

Why aren't the proponents being forthright with regard to the economic projections of the RTA???

How come we aren't seeing how much money is projected to come from homeowners versus business owners?
What is the reason for the Detroit and SMART bus systems not merging?

Seems to me the proponents are trying to "ram this through" with as few details as possible. What are they hiding?



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