Saga of a 30 Day Bus Pass Rider - My observations

[JohnH_in_OKC]

For the third straight year I have purchased a 30 day bus pass. This year I've decided to to chronicle my observations. Today marks 2 weeks of bus travel & I will update this thread during the final 2 weeks. I own a car & normally drive, but I'm retired & one of my avocations is to improve our local transportation systems. (I'm a member of APT - the Oklahoma Alliance for Public Transportation.)

The first day I noticed that the FREE Downtown Discovery Bus (Bus 50) which replaced the downtown trolleys had the same metal mesh windows that are on about 80% of the other city buses. Big Mistake. The Discovery Bus is supposed to show off the best of our downtown to visitors, but it is VERY difficult to view our new buildings & amenities like Boathouse Row & the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial through the mesh windows. The former trolleys did NOT have covered windows. The Metro Transit Authority should remove the window coverings on the Downtown Discovery buses ASAP!

During the last 2 weeks, I've noticed how much more efficient it is to catch a bus transfer. The schedules have not changed since last year, but buses are now usually on time & not 10 minutes early or 10 minutes late which causes heck with trying to make bus connections. The reason is a GPS tracking device on each bus which keeps the buses on schedule (that has just been added this year). Waiting a half hour to an hour for the next bus which was SUPPOSED to be at a bus stop at a certain time is apparently a thing of the past. HOORAY!

Most bus riders are dependent on the bus. They have to schedule their jobs, shopping and all travel around their bus schedules. There is still no evening nor any Sunday bus service. This wreaks havoc with our low income and disabled citizens who would like to attend evening sports events. They complained to me about having to turn down good jobs because of our lack of Sunday bus service and evening service. All other major cities that I know of have evening & Sunday bus service except for Oklahoma City & Tulsa. We are depriving our poor & disabled from basic services that they deserve. Come on city council, give Metro Transit enough money to expand our bus service to Sundays & evenings.

-----------To be continued----------

[zookeeper]

This is great! I'll be following your observations. I have an idea as well, could you make note of the friendliness of the drivers? (Did they greet you? Smile?). While in another city using public transportation I was always amazed at how much a simple "Good Morning! Come on in!" could make a difference, and how the lack thereof stood out after friendly staff.

Look forward to your observations, John. Thanks for doing this!

[kevinpate]

Routes I've ridden in recent years:
24 (sooner express) Off and on 2006-13
20 (S Shields / CRM ) Off and on 2007-09
07 (DT to N May /NW 63 area) Aug. 5 2013
DT trolly Off and On 04-11

Never had a surly driver. Did have a somewhat tired driver once on the trolly at the end of a weekend shift one summer night a while back.
Not really surly, but yeah, he was on the verge of acute GAD deficiency. We were the last off that night and his give a dang was purt near broke.

[CaptDave]

Hmm - great thread. It got me thinking; I do not recall anyone writing about their experience using transit to get from Edmond to OKC. Several Norman-OKC trips have been chronicled. I think I will pick a day next week and see how a downtown Edmond resident could get to downtown OKC without a car.

Full disclosure - I am actually in North OKC but have an Edmond address. So I will still have to drive to the Edmond transit stop at the Farmer's Market.

[CaptDave]

I want to give a trial run at what an Edmond-OKC commute might be like. Since I have taken an interest in improving metro transit, I think I need to spend some time on the system we have now. Reading about it can only do so much......

[kevinpate]

I've taken the Link many times. It is really simple. No fare too.

Seen the Link, never hopped on it as I have no need to go into Edmond. It is a smaller bus than the CART/METRO express between Norman and OKC, but I strive to not make short bus comments. Frgot or wasn't aware the Link was a free ride. The Norman/OKC Sooner Express is 2.25 each way, and no transfer slip to another bus (at lease to any OKC located bus. Uncertain if they do so back in Norman as I do not go to its hub point.

[CuatrodeMayo]

My bro lives near UCO and takes the Link every day to his job at the Capitol complex. He loves it.

[LetsTalkTransit]

Great feedback! COTPA staff are diligently working to implement subtle but impactful changes. The next 9-10 months will likely prove to be a major era of transition for the agency and transit in OKC. As always, please also provide any suggestions, comments or complaints to us via Online Action Center | METRO Transit Providing Central Oklahoma Transportation & Bus Service Options. As shown here, transit is very much about community. ^ms