Jump to content

The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread


TopTenn

Recommended Posts


Actually, Nashville is the largest metro area without Amtrak service, its a shame that there aren't two lines crossing Nashville. There should be an east-west line from the Carolinas that goes through Tennessee, from Raleigh-Greensboro/WS-Asheville-Knoxville-Nashville-Memphis-Little Rock-Dallas. There should be a north-south line from Chicago-Indy-Louisville-Nashville-Atlanta-Florida. Its a shame America has a 3rd rate rail network.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not so sure that I buy into the "absolutely NO!" answer to working with CSX. I do understand that it would be extraordinarily difficult to get trains running on the tracks, but I do believe they would at least consider proposals. After all, they are a for-profit business. Money talks.

If the government could ever get them to cooperate, I'm sure it would involve some serious, publicly funded upgrades to their infrastructure (like turning the single track into double, or more). I understand some of this might be prohibitly expensive, I'm just saying that I don't think it's literally impossible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not so sure that I buy into the "absolutely NO!" answer to working with CSX. I do understand that it would be extraordinarily difficult to get trains running on the tracks, but I do believe they would at least consider proposals. After all, they are a for-profit business. Money talks.

If the government could ever get them to cooperate, I'm sure it would involve some serious, publicly funded upgrades to their infrastructure (like turning the single track into double, or more). I understand some of this might be prohibitly expensive, I'm just saying that I don't think it's literally impossible.

That's what I think. If the track is to stay as it is, I can completely understand their position. I think I mentioned earlier that on a rail report I read they were at about 98% capacity in Nashville. Adding commuter trains (or Amtrak) would push them over the top. But if a deal can be made with them, where they have to deal with commuter trains certain times of day on one single track, but having the luxury of using two tracks and potentially expanding their overall capacity by a bit...I think they would go for it. The deal would have to make sense for them.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was able to drive around downtown on Monday and see everything under construction, I took my mom with me since she had not been downtown in years.  We were both amazed at all the development since we last saw it.  Even in the middle of the day it was obvious that west end already needs a transit line and will greatly benefit from it with the new developments going up. 

 

Music City Center looks amazing but seeing it up close led me to a question.  

Why does a Street run through the middle of it?  Does it currently serve a function? Or was it pre planning for future transit?  This thought occurred to me because the LRT in Charlotte runs through part of their convention center with a station inside.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was able to drive around downtown on Monday and see everything under construction, I took my mom with me since she had not been downtown in years.  We were both amazed at all the development since we last saw it.  Even in the middle of the day it was obvious that west end already needs a transit line and will greatly benefit from it with the new developments going up. 

 

Music City Center looks amazing but seeing it up close led me to a question.  

Why does a Street run through the middle of it?  Does it currently serve a function? Or was it pre planning for future transit?  This thought occurred to me because the LRT in Charlotte runs through part of their convention center with a station inside.  

 

The street running through the convention center is primarily to serve as access to the parking underneath. I think another consideration is that the convention center is so massive that cutting off all of the streets would be a big negative for the area (think farther in the future when the area around there is more developed).

 

I don't think it's really designed with transit in mind, though rerouting one of the Music City Circuit free buses through there would be a fantastic idea IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

This is absurd. So MegaBus tries to accommodate the city's wishes by moving loading/unloading off the city streets by actually trying to use a federally funded mass-transit location and MTA says thanks but no thanks. 

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/megabus-business-model-hits-roadblock-metro

"Megabus realizes that loading and unloading at curbside isn’t the solution for Nashville, Chamberlain said. The company scouted the Clement Landport, an MTA-owned structure behind Cummins Station off the Demonbreun Street Bridge, which was originally built for buses in 1997. MTA, which is currently using the site for parking, wasn’t receptive to the idea."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ridiculous.  I cannot fathom why metro would be so hostile to a company that makes a Nashville vacation far easier to manage, even for people with limited budgets.

I don't get it, either. I can understand not allowing it on a busy street, but there are plenty of places, even downtown, where they could be accommodated without bending over backwards.

The Clement Landport (the one on Demonbreun in question) seems ideal, since it is under-utilized, and relatively centrally located (within the context of the city). If there's some other reason they can't allow it there, I would think the stadium lot at LP Field would be perfectly suitable.

I don't like the message that they must find a private lot to offload the buses....because that more than likely means they'll be pushed farther from the core, which will probably hurt their business. Like I said, Metro doesn't have to bend over backwards, but I think it would actually be good for the city to encourage integration with our own public transit network...because why say no to extra fares when they're out there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 am with you 100% on this Brandon. The number one concern for Metro should be the safety of the residents and in this case I see nothing but disregard, Baffling to me for sure and seems as if the Land port on Demonbreun should be perfect. I know they say it is used for parking, but I say that is a crock. I have walked by there many times and I have never, never, never seen a car or bus entering or leaving the facility. It always looks deserted. The only noise coming from the location is the stupid distressed bird sounds they play from the loud speaker to keep the pigeons away. The pigeons ignore it more than I can. Its very annoying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If that is the case, then someone should phone the MTA and say "look, you have a nearly unused bus port so lease it out and make it profitable" and get the job done. Maybe the mayor can make that call? LOL

Yeah...I'm not sure the reasoning behind it.

I say charge them a reasonable rate to use that site, and perhaps run a couple of buses by there to collect passengers. It would work great for travelers to the city.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's an easy call. Megabus ( a private for profit company) wants to use publicly funded and maintained roadways to make a profit for their private firm. They do not pay for the use of or contribute in any way to the public entity that has the economic burden of paying for not only the roadways and land but the services that they require. Contribute like everyone else or move on and find private space, Iike every other private company.

Edited by producer2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Except that they really kinda do contribute funds in a big way by bringing hundreds of thousands of people right into the center of the city for cheap to then spend untold amounts of money at local hotels, shops, eateries, bars etc...but, I guess that's not important, because dammnit, they want to use our roads and a small sliver of sidewalk!  I mean, just who do they think they are?  A bus company?  The audacity!

Edited by BnaBreaker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you quantify the spend of those folks they "bring"? We are the first ones to complain when Metro wants to provide us with mass transit because we have to pay for it and without those paying their fair share to utilize our facilities we have to pay more.

And I think the number is closer to hundreds than thousands

Edited by producer2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

^But, Megabus would pay MTA leasing rights which turns a little bit of profit for MTA. I don't think there's any harm in leasing a public good to a private company especially if its sitting vacant.

Right. I believe somewhere in the article there was mention of leasing space. Any money you're making from that is more money than you were making before.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't help but think there's something else going on under the surface. MTA is supposed to be an organization that promotes mass transit in and around Nashville, especially since they are now managing RTA. MTA is also in need of funds to expand service in Nashville. If they truly wanted to support mass transit in Nashville why would they be so vocal in their opposition to Megabus, which is by many accounts a success in getting people to Nashville without relying on their personal vehicle? And why would they be so adamant in their opposition to megabus using otherwise underutilized real estate? Leasing them MTA space at Cummins Station or at Music City Central would generate revenue that MTA otherwise would not have and would increase MTA ridership because of the ability of Megabus users to access the vast majority of the MTA system.

Is there some sort of jealousy on the part of MTA that megabus is providing a mass transit service that is paid for entirely by their riders? Are they in cahoots with Greyhound? If I were in charge of MTA I would be rolling out the red carpet for them because it is a good development in terms of transit options for Nashville's residents and visitors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^I would lean toward it being a turf war (basically the egos of management since there's no turf to defend here) or an issue with Greyhound. Although I don't know enough about the MTA/Greyhound relationship to comment.

 

I did just do a quick search about Greyhound, and they invested into a new terminal down on 5th Ave South, so maybe MTA is just upset that Megabus can't make the same investment in a downtown block?

Edited by BrandonTO416
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are all assuming MegaBus has agreed to pay a reasonable fee to lease space. That would not fit into their business model. If you google MegBus you will see they are having similar issues in other cities across the country. How can we so vehimently complain when Metro provides assistance to companies that are actually spending their own capital and bringing jobs and growth and then turn around and want Metro to give another private company something for virtually nothing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are all assuming MegaBus has agreed to pay a reasonable fee to lease space. That would not fit into their business model. If you google MegBus you will see they are having similar issues in other cities across the country. How can we so vehimently complain when Metro provides assistance to companies that are actually spending their own capital and bringing jobs and growth and then turn around and want Metro to give another private company something for virtually nothing?

 

Are you saying that you have more information than we're privy to?

 

If we're just working on assumptions and random thoughts, are you assuming that MTA is providing them a competitive lease rate and not some very high figure that is out of range for what MegaBus does?

 

What we know is that Megabus offers very low rates for pre-booking buses, that they offered to pay to lease the site and were turned down. We know nothing more/nothing less. They weren't offering zero dollars, but with roughly 6 cities served by Megabus from Nashville I assume that means they probably have a minimum of 12 buses in/out during the day, which if each passenger pays a small fee the lease could easily be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. That's enough to contribute to MTA's operations in a serious way, enough to maintain the facility at least. Net benefit to MTA and the taxpayer.

Edited by BrandonTO416
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.