CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines

[monsoon]

...... I bit the city wished they asked for 1 cent rather than a half cent a few years ago.

It's not a city tax. It is a Mecklenburg county tax. It's the county commission that will decide if the tax gets asked for or not and only if the NC legislature first grants them the authority. The Charlotte city council has no political skin in the game when it comes to raising the transit tax which is why they were so quick to vote to ask for it.

[ChiefJoJo]

I can't speak to those other systems, but Parker's surprise departure seems to be a slap in the face to CATS and the 2030 plan given the accolades what he was given as the hand picked successor to Tober. We were told he was CATS future, that he would get the203 plan constructed, etc etc. IMO, he is getting out while the getting is still good.

Maybe he just took a better job for his personal situation, career & family. Did you ever consider that?

[monsoon]

Maybe he just took a better job for his personal situation, career & family. Did you ever consider that?

Isn't that what I just said?

[Norm2]

The way I, and maybe some others interpret your quote Monsoon, it sounds like you are saying that he took the job to get out of CATS before the sh*t hits the fan rather than taking the job because it makes more sense for him and his family. Maybe I am just misunderstanding you.

[Neo]

The way I, and maybe some others interpret your quote Monsoon, it sounds like you are saying that he took the job to get out of CATS before the sh*t hits the fan rather than taking the job because it makes more sense for him and his family. Maybe I am just misunderstanding you.

That's what I gathered. Likely from the following line: "Hence run from the burning barn. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise." Obviously Parker's new job will offer more money for him and his family (quite a bit more), but when the words "run from the burning barn" are put in place, it is hard to know what is being said.

If I were offered 30% more pay for my job at a company elsewhere and I took it, would that mean the company I currently work for had some major issues? That's essentially the same situation, yet Monsoon is throwing in the line "run from the burning barn" which IMO is unwarranted.

[hokiehigh]

True. Plus it could be a new challenge which a lot of people like to jump on. Hopefully he can take the mistakes from Charlotte and make SA's system better! Best of luck to him.

[monsoon]

.....

If I were offered 30% more pay for my job at a company elsewhere and I took it, would that mean the company I currently work for had some major issues? That's essentially the same situation, yet Monsoon is throwing in the line "run from the burning barn" which IMO is unwarranted.

This of course assumes that he asked and was turned down by the Charlotte city manager (or city council) for a similar salary increase. If this did happen you might have something. If it didn't, then it means he is doing a runner. We also don't know how the entire benefits packages compare between the two places as they have not been published.

The point I was making was that while we were being told all these wonderful, but in my estimation unrealistic things, about CATS future, the guy making the claims was secretly making plans to leave Charlotte. These kinds of positions don't normally get filled overnight so I would say that it was probably going on for a while. Maybe I am missing something here, but if he was so valuable to this plan, as put forth by Tober, the Mayor, the city council, and everyone else that took his words without question, then there should have been an effort to retain him. I don't see any evidence of that. If any of you questioning my opinion have something that would prove otherwise, then of course I am willing to be educated.

[Spartan]

You don't have any evidence of either point.

All anyone knows for sure is that he took a higher salary job in San Antonio, Texas. I think it is unwise to speculate as to what his reasons were for the move. You are assuming some secret/nefarious motive when there is no evidence to support that assumption, just as there is no evidence to support the contrary.

[New Name]

I just heard an interview with Parker on WFAE and he said (paraphrasing) "It was for the money and what's best for my family. It happened very quick and I didn't bother to ask CATS to counteroffer, because I know that money is tight and it's not within the scale for CATS." Now, I know you can argue that he would never come out and say "Ya'll are f*%#@ed, I'm outta here!!" either - so I guess we'll never know.

[Norm2]

His salary in SA will start at $200k and will increase to $300k over over 4 years. Charlotte would not have been able to match that. We're not as big as SA anyway so naturally the pay here would not be as high. He did say that he is looking forward to possibly building a rail line in SA from the ground up rather than having to follow a plan that is already in place like Charlotte does. Monsoon, considering that he did not even ask the city for a counter offer, it is most definitely possible that he was looking to get out of here. That IMO though, can not be proven is debatable. Any more discussions that we have on his motives would just be fruitless assumptions or guesses.

Does anyone actually have any info on the guy that will be taking his place temporarily?

Edited May 21, 2009 by norm21499

[ChiefJoJo]

The assumption underlying monsoon's comments about Keith Parker's departure and basically anything CATS seems to be that it is a poorly run operation and that the long range transit plan is dead, and anyone in charge must be trying to get out before the ship sinks. The reality is quite the opposite. All transit agencies, from Cary Transit to the mighty NYC MTA, are struggling with revenue in this downturn, and are being forced to reevaluate their future plans. Both regionally and nationally, CATS is widely viewed as being a well run, successful transit organization, and is often held up as an example for other regions to follow. Numerous visits from delegations from Atlanta to Raleigh/Durham to Tampa and mentions in all manner of TV programs, and planning/transit publications speak to the positive reputation CATS has earned. In light of recent events, I thought some context might be valuable.

[hokiehigh]

I agree. I can't think of a transit system with adequate funding. MARTA, CTA, Metro, etc... are always screaming for more funding. I even read where DART (Dallas) may get a slap in the face if the burbs stop supporting it.

[monsoon]

....His salary in SA will start at $200k and will increase to $300k over over 4 years. Charlotte would not have been able to match that......

I don't see why not. First of all CATS is the only organization in Mecklenburg county to have it's own dedicated tax. Not even the school system gets that. Second Peter Gorman, the head of CMS, gets paid $320,350/year in salary and benefits. Plus he has a clause in his contract for personal bodyguards paid for by the county in case the need arises. Surely if the head of the schools can get this, then the county is more than able to fund the head of CATS to the same level, if it so desired.

[Norm2]

I don't see why not. First of all CATS is the only organization in Mecklenburg county to have it's own dedicated tax. Not even the school system gets that. Second Peter Gorman, the head of CMS, gets paid $320,350/year in salary and benefits. Plus he has a clause in his contract for personal bodyguards paid for by the county in case the need arises. Surely if the head of the schools can get this, then the county is more than able to fund the head of CATS to the same level, if it so desired.

Hmmm....possibly, if it is so desired. Although I would rather see an extra 100k going towards something for efficient that someone's salary.

[Spartan]

I don't see why not. First of all CATS is the only organization in Mecklenburg county to have it's own dedicated tax. Not even the school system gets that. Second Peter Gorman, the head of CMS, gets paid $320,350/year in salary and benefits. Plus he has a clause in his contract for personal bodyguards paid for by the county in case the need arises. Surely if the head of the schools can get this, then the county is more than able to fund the head of CATS to the same level, if it so desired.

Well, it would not have been politically popular given the economic climate and budget cuts within the City and more specifically within CATS. The City could match that salary with no problem... though he never gave them the opportunity so it's really a moot point.

[monsoon]

^That wasn't what was being addressed nor do we know if he gave them the chance or not. The telling tale will be in what is offered to his eventual replacement.

[New Name]

^That wasn't what was being addressed nor do we know if he gave them the chance or not. The telling tale will be in what is offered to his eventual replacement.

Refer to my last post. ^^^ Parker said that he did not give CATS a chance to match the offer.

[Spartan]

Yeah that was in the Observer article.

I agree that it will be interesting to see what his successor makes, but it will also be interesting to see WHEN they start the selection process. I'm betting that John Muth will be interim director for 6-8 months before they start looking.

[InitialD]

If the Metrolina Speedway and Sports park gets built, would it be worth looking into adding a North line station here? The Metrolina expo and proposed track are almost half way between the proposed WT Harris station and the Derita station. It might would work better if this was a light rail line, but could it work with it being a commuter line? There would probably need to be either a pedestrian stop light or pedestrian bridge here. What do you think about this idea?

On this map, the station would be where the patch of trees are located between the tracks and Old Statesville Rd.

Edited June 2, 2009 by InitialD

[southslider]

^I think Commuter Rail would have the lowest special-events ridership of any mode (LRT, Streetcar, BRT, Enhanced Bus, CR) used in the System Plan. Plus, Metrolina is surrounded by a sea of asphalt.

[monsoon]

^I think Commuter Rail would have the lowest special-events ridership of any mode (LRT, Streetcar, BRT, Enhanced Bus, CR) used in the System Plan. Plus, Metrolina is surrounded by a sea of asphalt.

There is no reason that CATS could not run special events trains. In most places where this is done, trains are filled to capacity. All it takes is a little "out of the box thinking". Opps. we are talking about CATS, so never mind.

[InitialD]

There is no reason that CATS could not run special events trains. In most places where this is done, trains are filled to capacity. All it takes is a little "out of the box thinking". Opps. we are talking about CATS, so never mind.

Yeah, you're right on that, but there would be the added cost of building a station. I admit I'm not aware of what a potential schedule would be for the North line, so I don't know if trains would run frequently enough to make this worthwhile.

[southslider]

In most places where this is done, trains are filled to capacity.

Please name which systems actually run special-events service on commuter rail. Metra in Chicago, for example, may see more patrons on days with Cubs and White Sox games, but they still keep their usual schedule.

[monsoon]

Please name which systems actually run special-events service on commuter rail. Metra in Chicago, for example, may see more patrons on days with Cubs and White Sox games, but they still keep their usual schedule.

From right here on UrbanPlanet. See this link. And this is from a commuter rail agency of much more modest means than CATS. They also run trains for ballgames and special downtown events. This is something that I have almost never seen CATS do with trains or buses. Case Closed.

[Andyc545]

Please name which systems actually run special-events service on commuter rail. Metra in Chicago, for example, may see more patrons on days with Cubs and White Sox games, but they still keep their usual schedule.

This may not be totally relevant, but the MARC commuter train opens up certain stations that may not typically be served during times if there is a certain event going on. I know there is a race track that has a station that isn't used on the Penn Line except during races. I'd suspect that if we ever get the North line built that it will see an influenced schedule during Panther's games (more frequent trains at the beginning and end of a game as well as staging) to accompany the 80k+ fans.

Edited June 3, 2009 by Andyc545