Rocker goes on roll for RTA

Akron rocker Chrissie Hynde rode a bus to add some star power to the campaign for a sales tax increase for Metro Regional Transit Authority.

[Class of 73]

Just wondering ... When was the last time any of you have used a bus to go downtown??? The last time I used a metro bus was in 1973 to go downtown to get my graduation pictures taken at Oneil's.( No Lie )

[mots]

why not raise the fares and let those that ride the bus pay for the increase....or are the "less fortunate"?

[reaching out]

we will all be on the bus,did you look at cnbc ,gas is up 7 cents this morning,we are looking at 4 bucks a gal,vote no

[Speaker of Truth]

reaching out wrote:

we will all be on the bus,did you look at cnbc ,gas is up 7 cents this morning,we are looking at 4 bucks a gal,vote no

And IF gas hits the 4 dollar mark, you can bet MORE people will be taking the bus. Why doesn't anybody encourage Metro to re-evaluate their routes and eliminate those that are not frequently used and to consolidate others. In other words, be more efficient. But threatening they're going to flat-out eliminate service after certain times and all weekend long is not a very effective way to get your point across.

[Ryan]

Exhippie wrote:

Sure a county-wide tax, paid for in large part by folks who are unserved or under-served by Metro.
Perhaps a proportional tax based on Merto service in the locality.
Just a thought.

Perhaps METRO riders should just pay more for a ticket? A novel concept, isn't it...paying for the services you receive. Maybe I'm just ahead of my time with my ideas.

[Miss Tia]

"Standing inside a bus shelter, Hynde began interviewing riders for the benefit of the media."

Hynde might want to be a reporter for a day....watch her have an op-ed next week!

i still say she should offer diners to her place a discount who've taken the bus....and she should encourage other business' to do the same....

[Betamax]

Hmmm, I wonder iff'n Chrissy's restaurant isn't doin' well and she felt it necessary to jump into the public eye for a little publicity.

Or she's a kook, whichever comes first.

After this issue is voted down, Metro will trim some routes and raise fares, as they should have done, instead of askin' for an additional handout from the taxpayers.

[Lord Crafton]

Ha! What a laugh. When's the last time Hynde ever used public transportation? Rich kids at Firestone High certainly didn't need to ride the bus. As for her ill-conceived line about car riders missing out on the pleasures of walking around the city, let me remind her: this is Akron, not NYC or Chicago. There's nothing to walk to! Can you imagine someone walking from, say, Kenmore or Firestone Park to downtown? Number one, you're setting yourself up to be mugged. Number two, it would hardly be a picturesque stroll.

[Suppoter]

reaching out wrote:

we will all be on the bus,did you look at cnbc ,gas is up 7 cents this morning,we are looking at 4 bucks a gal,vote no

We need to vote "yes" for the sales tax increase if gas is going up. Voting no is against the bus service and more for gas.

[The Big Lebowski]

The national media actually picked this story up, because I heard it on WNIR this morning during ther CBS Radio News at the top of the hour on my way to work this morning.

[Speaker of Truth]

Betamax wrote:

After this issue is voted down, Metro will trim some routes and raise fares, as they should have done, instead of askin' for an additional handout from the taxpayers.

This is what they should have done NOW, then come asking if that's still not enough. At least people (with brains and common sense, which I know lacks tremendously by many on this blog...minus me) would be more receptive knowing they tried cutting back.

[Speaker of Truth]

Akron Anarchy wrote:

Keep your ass in Tallmadge, Grump

He doesn't have a choice, which is why he trolls on here all day. He's on house-arrest, actually, for trying to lure many school-aged children to his (parent's) house with bags of candy. He finally got busted when that "cute 12-year old boy" was an undercover cop. LOL

[Speaker of Truth]

Old Man Grump wrote:

METRO users should have to pay the full fare cost of their trips. Why should those of us who never use the buses have to pay for them? This is not a socialistic country. It makes absolutley no sense. Vote NO on the levy if you agree with me.

Why would anyone agree with the Forum Idiot (that being you)?

[JLA]

Tell Chrissy that riding as bus doesn't make you rail thin...but her restaurant is very good...

[Betamax]

Speaker of Truth wrote:

<quoted text>
This is what they should have done NOW, then come asking if that's still not enough. At least people (with brains and common sense, which I know lacks tremendously by many on this blog...minus me) would be more receptive knowing they tried cutting back.

Agreed. Iff'n they tried any amount of reasonable changes or reductions, before comin' to the voters for more money, their pleas for more money probably wouldn't have fallen on deaf ears.

[AppleJack]

Actually here restaurant is doing very well... been there 4-5 times and always about 2/3rds or more full. Might be nice if some of the detractors let-be-let-be.

[Lisa Bostwick]

Kirk wrote:

A big ole publicity stunt. Neither Hynde or Bostwick take the bus, so there attempt to get their pic in the paper is worth about as much as the paper. vote NO.

Kirk wrote:

A big ole publicity stunt. Neither Hynde or Bostwick take the bus, so there attempt to get their pic in the paper is worth about as much as the paper. vote NO.

I do take the bus, and my family takes the bus when we go to downtown events, it's easier and more convenient. My husband takes it to work every day, Monday through Friday, for the last two years on METRO. We are a one car family and the METRO offers us a choice and a great service, we have been able to save over $7000 a year. Well, not so much a savings, as we've been able to easily pay our gas bill without feeling too much of a pinch.

I know it's easy to look at the Pro METRO ride as a stunt, because it was. We wanted to raise awareness about the important roll METRO plays in helping revitalize the greater Akron area.

Summit County needs METRO to be able to compete in the future. Cities all over the country are investing in public transportation because people of all economic standings are demanding transportation options. And those cities are the fasting growing metropolitan areas in the U.S.

Before people start in on the "one bus with only a few people on it" thing, I used to think the same. After researching the fuel efficiency aspect, I found that one bus with just a few people on it is more fuel efficient than one car. Also, when the bus only has one or two people on it that is only for a short time, the number of riders fluctuates through out the route.

For the people who have not ridden the bus and have posted what can only be considered racist comments about the riders, unless you have given METRO a chance, and more than once or twice, you have no credibility. I'm sure there is a certain amount of crime, but I feel safe and I'm comfortable taking my kids on the METRO. Public Transportation is just like any part of the urban environment, the more law abiding citizens are involved the better the community becomes.

As with all services, the more it's used the better it gets. I think its safe to say that METRO does need to improve it's services, but it can't do any thing without the levy passing.

I know its fun to take shots at people from the safety of hiding behind the website, and anonymous opinions do not have to be burdened with the facts, but given that easy access to studies and research on public transportation are available on the internet, I would hope that at some point people would take the initiative and use the internet to learn about the pros and cons of public transportation( or any subject) to post more educated and responsible opinions, keeping more in line with the purpose of this website, a forum for intelligent debate on the issues.

Lisa

[Use Common Sense]

SWV...

I think this is up to date.

http://www.akronmetro.org/Meetings.html

[RLB]

Board members are: Bernard Bear-President, Ms. Elizabeth Britton, Ms. Mary E. Dougherty-Vice President, Mr. James L. Fisher, Ms. Saundra Foster, Mr. David Incorvati, Ms. Heather Heslop Licata, Mr. William Lutz, Mr. Stephan Kremer, Mr. Scott C. Meyer, Mr. Mark S. Salchak.
While I was looking that up, I saw many other services that, I think, probably go unnoticed by the general public, such as the paratransit service offered to those with disabilities.
I used the bus for a time when my car had lost its transmission and I was working downtown. It was very handy. I was in Chicago recently and used public transportation the entire time I was there. I've used the transit in Cleveland as well. It is a great way to save yourself grief in morning traffic. If there was some way for me to take the bus now, I would.
I agree that the bulk of the expense of this service should be shouldered by those who use it. Surely they receive some monies from local and federal government sources? Those monies essentially come from us. Perhaps they should look into other funding options if they are coming up short. Or, as was suggested in another post, find ways of being more efficient.

[Ryan]

Lisa Bostwick wrote:

<quoted text>
<quoted text>
I do take the bus, and my family takes the bus when we go to downtown events, it's easier and more convenient. My husband takes it to work every day, Monday through Friday, for the last two years on METRO. We are a one car family and the METRO offers us a choice and a great service, we have been able to save over $7000 a year. Well, not so much a savings, as we've been able to easily pay our gas bill without feeling too much of a pinch.

You saved $7000 a year. Meanwhile people like me have to pay more for purchases of cars, televisions, products, clothing, etc.

Since I don't need to ride the bus, it did me no good to pay this sales tax. It took money out of my pocket and put it into yours.

How is that right or just in any way? Shouldn't the riders pay more for their tickets if they need more money?