WRTA Service

[Towntalk]

Yes they were. If memory serves me right, there was only one entrance. Of course the bus barn was not a pick up location so there was no real conjestion. By the way, does anyone remember all the bus routes ie. 1 Elm, 2 Oak, 4 North, 12 Steel, 11 Logan, 9 Mahoning, 8 Market? Also, how many of these routes used trolly buses? I do know that both West Side routes used them as well as the Market Street, the Idora route, and the Campbell route.

[northside lurker]

How did WRTA manage when they were running trolley buses? The city was much larger then and Mahoning Avenue had a large number of businesses such as lumber yards near the bus barn as well as a couple of bottling plants and a couple of car dealerships not to mention Railway Express and the B and O RR. Then further up Mahoning was Islays plant and Ward Bakery. Needless to say there was a lot more traffic during the day. (I'm referring to the 1950's.) And also, there were more buses on the road, and more routes being serviced.

I don't know.  Were the buses stored at the same spot they are now?  If they were at the same site, was the entrance at the same location?

[Towntalk]

How did WRTA manage when they were running trolley buses? The city was much larger then and Mahoning Avenue had a large number of businesses such as lumber yards near the bus barn as well as a couple of bottling plants and a couple of car dealerships not to mention Railway Express and the B and O RR. Then further up Mahoning was Islays plant and Ward Bakery. Needless to say there was a lot more traffic during the day. (I'm referring to the 1950's.) And also, there were more buses on the road, and more routes being serviced.

[northside lurker]

If the WRTA makes a bus entrance at the intersection of Mahoning Avenue and Hogue Street,  the city will probably have to also install a traffic signal there.

I think that is the intended plan, though I can't say whether the city will follow through.

I've been told that the buses have a hard time entering and exiting at the current entrance.  So, technically, this will help the WRTA save money on fuel because the buses won't have to sit and idle while waiting to enter or exit their facility.

[jay]

If the WRTA makes a bus entrance at the intersection of Mahoning Avenue and Hogue Street,  the city will probably have to also install a traffic signal there.  That is a bad intersection which will be made worse with buses entering it from the north.

[northside lurker]

We need better transit services for our residents.

I couldn't agree with this statement more.

But I don't see how this is related to making, or not making, physical improvements to their facilities. 

The demolition of the Salvation Army building has been "in the works" for at least a year.

[jay]

The WRTA should concentrate on transportation.   We need better transit services for our residents.

[northside lurker]

With the WRTA recently eliminating Saturday bus service, why is the transit authority now spending money to demolish the SA building and take on another project for that site?  What is the proposed use for that site?

Generally speaking, the WRTA is given money for capital improvements, and they have to spend that money ONLY on capital improvements. (new buses, construction, site improvements, etc.)  Running buses on Saturday, or in the evening, is an operating expense, not a capital improvement.

I don't know very much about what they want to do with the site.  But I do know they want to move their bus entrance to the intersection of Mahoning Ave and Hogue St.  Unfortunately, I think the remainder of the site will just be landscaped, or paved. (AFAIK, no new buildings)

[jay]

With the WRTA recently eliminating Saturday bus service, why is the transit authority now spending money to demolish the SA building and take on another project for that site?  What is the proposed use for that site?

[jay]

The bus fare for a senior citizen is very reasonable.  It costs more to insure a car than to ride the bus.

[jay]

WRTA Transit Fares

Adult                                        $1.25
Disabled/Senior (62 and older)     $ .60
Student                                     $ .75

WRTA Monthly Passes

Adult Monthly Pass                    $38.00
Disabled/Senior Monthly Pass      $19.00

[AllanY2525]

I think that the city/county should bring in some auditors - and find out exactly why WRTA is so
broke.... I understand that "ridership" isn't what it used to be, but there have to be some cost
cutting measures that could be implemented to make the public transportation system
operate more efficiently with whatever resources they DO have.

They also need to do a public survey, to find out which routes are the most crucial ones
for folks who don't drive (whether they just can't afford to drive, or because they simply
don't for whatever reason).  That way, they could increase their ridership in areas where
there is a demand for bus routes, creating more revenues for WRTA - while cutting costs
by eliminating (or simply scaling back) bus service to areas where there is little or no
"ridership".    In order to do the survey inexpensively, they could set up "polling"
booths at schools, libraries, churches, the University, etc with computers connected
to the Internet - and send the survey results to a web server to be compiled and
analyzed.  Hell, they could use a few laptops with wireless Internet, which would
make moving the "polling places" around very, VERY easy - and inexpensive.
They could even round up some volunteers from WRTA to man the "polling
places".

I also agree with the excellent point that Jay made - Youngstown needs
Saturday service in town more than it needs bus service to the (wealthier) suburbs
like Boardman, Austintown, etc...the folks living in the burbs have more money, so
they can afford to drive instead of riding the bus.  Many living within the city simply
CANNOT AFFORD to drive - which is why they ride the bus in the first place.

The next thing they could do is find someplace that sells Bio-Diesel fuel (since most
of the WRTA buses [sp?] STILL use diesel engines.  With gas prices skyrocketing
once again, they could CERTAINLY save a BUNDLE by changing over to B-15 or
B-20 Bio Diesel mix (15% bio diesel mixed with 85% petroleum diesel, and so forth...). 
There are absolutely NO MODIFICATIONS REQUIRED to diesel cars, trucks, or
buses in order for them to run using B-15 or B-20 mix.  The monies saved by
switching fuels could be re-invested back into the coffers at WRTA, thereby
reducing operating expenses.

If WRTA wanted to take things further, they could set aside some of the savings
from the fuel switch in order to retro-fit the diesel engine buses so that they could
run on mixtures of Bio Diesel/Petroleum Diesel that are even higher (more Bio,
less Petroleum). This would save even MORE money for WRTA, after the initial
cost of re-fitting the buses.  From what I have read on the internet, the only real
modifications required for higher mixtures are:

1) Some of the synthetic rubber seals on the engine (in the fuel delivery systems)
need to be replaced with a different type of synthetic material, as Bio-Diesel mixtures
above 20% w. 80% petroleum tend to soften and erode the original rubber seals.

2) Bio Diesel tends to "Gel" more easily than Petroleum Diesel in cold weather
conditions, so a fuel line heater is usually recommended.

Could someone forward this info to the idiots in charge of the WRTA?  Who
knows....someone MIGHT actually PAY ATTENTION and save some MAJOR
BUCKS over there.  Having a reliable, efficient, and COST EFFECTIVE
public transportation system is absolutely critical to rebuilding the city of
Youngstown, and its local economy. 

:::stepping down off my wooden soap box::::

Allan

[jay]

One of my friends depends on the WRTA for transportation.  The elimination of Saturday bus service has prevented him from attending any community meetings and events.  I would rather have the WRTA discontinue some trips to the suburbs and reinstate some Saturday service in the city of Youngstown.