HarveyK400I've been up to Milwaukee a couple times in the last few weeks, at least on the highways. The express bus park-n-ride lots were pretty full and there still are about a dozen routes that I perused in the schedule rack at the Milwaukee Transportation Center, so Freeway Flyers, or whatever they're called now, can't be a total failure. Maybe bus ridership isn't up to TM days, but neither is the CTA. Incidentally, I couldn't find any intercity bus schedules, or even an arrival/deprture board, for the half-dozen buses loading or waiting to load.
I've been up to Milwaukee a couple times in the last few weeks, at least on the highways. The express bus park-n-ride lots were pretty full and there still are about a dozen routes that I perused in the schedule rack at the Milwaukee Transportation Center, so Freeway Flyers, or whatever they're called now, can't be a total failure. Maybe bus ridership isn't up to TM days, but neither is the CTA.
Incidentally, I couldn't find any intercity bus schedules, or even an arrival/deprture board, for the half-dozen buses loading or waiting to load.
The park n ride lots are a shadow of what used to be with the Freeway Flyer system before the freeways became congested and developed a nasty rush hour. I think the schedules are on the Internet. Wisconsin is a little ridiculous when it comes to posting schedules at curbside or at a bus station, so I sympathize with the difficulty of use for a non-resident.
One of the main Freeway Flyer routes Milwaukee-Oconomowoc along I-94 was operated by a private firm into the 1980's. I think it is subsidized now though. The private bus company did a good job though and I used them a lot while in college to commute back to my Parents house from the city Interestingly they were also opposed to a rail alternative along the same route in the 1980's and fought it over concern of loss of revenue and ridership. When they brought in the Budd SPV-2000 for a two week demo along the same corridor, this firm screamed. I can understand it in part because it was a private and for profit company. I think their lack of management is what led to the route becomming unprofitable for them after 1990. They were acquired by a larger bus company and the larger company management was less in touch with the locals AND they started to loose ridership and money..........the state stepped in to subsidize.
Charlotte also has been holding the line on property taxes while experiencing rapid growth. Just a few years ago we voted for a bond issue to build 14 new schools. But Charlotte is home to a Federal Reserve Bank and the national headquarters of two of the largest banks in the country, Bank of America and Wachovia. When the banking industry began to crash in late 2007 and 2008 we were hit very hard. Thousands of very high paying jobs were lost and the Feds forced the sale of Wachovia to Wells Fargo, costing us that headquarters. That triggered the bankruptcy of several very large high end condo and office building projects in City Center. Things are recovering, but sales tax revenue is still way down. Since sales tax revenue is a major part of CATS capital budget, new rail construction has also slowed way down. At the same time, CATS operating budget has to deal with rising fuel prices for their fleet of hundreds of buses.
The loss of sales tax revenue is also causing fiscal crisis in the School, library, and other city and county systems.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
CMStPnP.... They were acquired by a larger bus company and the larger company management was less in touch with the locals AND they started to loose ridership and money..........the state stepped in to subsidize.
.... They were acquired by a larger bus company and the larger company management was less in touch with the locals AND they started to loose ridership and money..........the state stepped in to subsidize.
I saw a Coach USA bus at one lot - no idea if they are the operator or leasor.
CMStPnPOne of the main Freeway Flyer routes Milwaukee-Oconomowoc along I-94 was operated by a private firm into the 1980's. ....Interestingly [bus operator] also opposed ... a rail alternative along the same route in the 1980's and fought it over concern of loss of revenue and ridership. When they brought in the Budd SPV-2000 for a two week demo along the same corridor, this firm screamed. ...They were acquired by a larger bus company and the larger company management was less in touch with the locals AND [when] they started to loose ridership and money..........the state stepped in to subsidize.
One of the main Freeway Flyer routes Milwaukee-Oconomowoc along I-94 was operated by a private firm into the 1980's.
....Interestingly [bus operator] also opposed ... a rail alternative along the same route in the 1980's and fought it over concern of loss of revenue and ridership. When they brought in the Budd SPV-2000 for a two week demo along the same corridor, this firm screamed. ...They were acquired by a larger bus company and the larger company management was less in touch with the locals AND [when] they started to loose ridership and money..........the state stepped in to subsidize.
Not light rail and following the discussion of Freeway Flyers, I'm wondering if Hiawathas could provide a de facto suburban service from Kenosha to Madison, adding a couple more suburban stops about ten miles apart. It's not like it would slow travel significantly to Madison or at all to La Crosse and the Twin Cities.
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-06-25-charlotte-does-light-rail-right/
R.N.C PEACE :->
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