ITP - The Rapid

[Rizzo]

Just a little heads up - this transit bill, you know the one with pork, will probably get a lot leaner. Pet projects will go down the tube if that happens, you know the bridge in Alaska. Forget ear marking now.

[GRDadof3]

The $14 million is still there. We just need the matching funds bill at the State level to receive it. I don't think there would be any money in the current bill from Bush for a rapid transit system for this area yet, because the Rapid is still years away from having a final price tag yet.

[Rizzo]

http://www.mlui.org/downloads/gettingthere.pdf

[GRDadof3]

I'm dropping a link to this article here too (in addition to Gary's post on the Toyota thread). Sounds like things might be moving in the right direction:

Deal near to help mass transit, U.S. 131

[GRDadof3]

It sounds like Granholm has come forward with a new deal altogether to fund a ton of transporation projects, including funding to pick up our share of Federal Transit funding:

http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192--137817--,00.html

Don't know what needs to happen to make this a reality (or if it is a good plan)?

[quoteme3]

Not to throw the new bus station under the bus.... but

cut and paste this into the 2006 predictions thread, the rapid staging area has been the scene of

several fights and flat out brawls this past summer... more than I can count on my fingers.

The press is going to catch on to this if something is not done about it, and its going to be a...

black eye. The high school kiddies are doing a modern rendition of West Side Story there

the hour after they get out of school. Local cops refer to it as "babysitting hour".

[GRDadof3]

OK, since when did the RAPID become a babysitter for a bunch of kids after school? Why are they obligated to provide a "hangout" for afterschool activities? Why should any kind of security, whether it be ITP, the school or local police, be required here?

It's a bus station, go home!

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss....xml&coll=6

Am I the only one missing something? I've got a solution, double the cost of the bus pass for students. Maybe they'd take the "school buses", you know, the yellow ones that are free, or walk to school.

[Prankster]

Am I the only one missing something? I've got a solution, double the cost of the bus pass for students. Maybe they'd take the "school buses", you know, the yellow ones that are free, or walk to school.

[GRDadof3]

Didn't they eliminate bussing for GRPS high schools? Or am I misinformed.

[dtown]

Heres a question. Why the hell would you want to hang out at a bus station? I know i wouldnt.

[ModSquad]

Ah, true true Prankster. However, that doesn't change my stance that I don't think the bus station is set up for or has the funding to be a "Community Center" for afterschool kids. Don't these kids have jobs or homework? Every 7-11, BK and Little Caesars seems to have "help wanted" signs.

[Rizzo]

I went to the station to check it out once... I'm telling you its pretty awesome for a city bus station. Its the center point for all the routes that terminate downtown. Since this is a terminal I'm assuming many of these kids are transferring routes. So this would explain why many of them are there. I lay blame on those who loiter there that aren't utilizing the facilities as shelter before their transfer. Its that small minority that is wrecking it for the folks who really need to be there.

[GRDadof3]

GRAND RAPIDS -- D'Marqiun Best has not been a Grand Rapids Public Schools student since 2005, but said he still comes down to The Rapid's Central Station on some afternoons when hundreds of city students arrive to change buses on their way home.

"It's just a good place to hang out with some friends, and, you know, the ladies are here," he said Thursday, smiling.

That sounds like it's becoming a hangout to me. Maybe the Press just happened to interview the ONE guy who doesn't even ride the bus but goes down there to loiter, but I doubt it.

What's the average "layover" time at the Central Station? 10 minutes tops? Anyone want to make a bet these kids are skipping the next transfer bus and are just hanging out there for an hour or two? To me, maybe harsh, but NO ONE should be allowed to loiter at the bus station.

Dave, maybe I'm imagining things, but there seem to be a lot of "help wanted" signs by where I live, and the RAPID stops less than a mile from my house. They can't ride the bus to work? Yes, they're probably minimum wage, but minimum wage is more than $0.

[ModSquad]

GRAND RAPIDS -- D'Marqiun Best has not been a Grand Rapids Public Schools student since 2005, but said he still comes down to The Rapid's Central Station on some afternoons when hundreds of city students arrive to change buses on their way home.

"It's just a good place to hang out with some friends, and, you know, the ladies are here," he said Thursday, smiling.

That sounds like it's becoming a hangout to me. Maybe the Press just happened to interview the ONE guy who doesn't even ride the bus but goes down there to loiter, but I doubt it.

What's the average "layover" time at the Central Station? 10 minutes tops? Anyone want to make a bet these kids are skipping the next transfer bus and are just hanging out there for an hour or two? To me, maybe harsh, but NO ONE should be allowed to loiter at the bus station.

Dave, maybe I'm imagining things, but there seem to be a lot of "help wanted" signs by where I live, and the RAPID stops less than a mile from my house. They can't ride the bus to work? Yes, they're probably minimum wage, but minimum wage is more than $0.

[GRDadof3]

I was just asking the question of "why are these kids hanging out at the bus station after school"? If that's too much to ask or expect, perhaps we shouldn't care and we'll just let it slide. Keep sticking band-aids on the problem like providing security to corral the "animals" (like they're treating all the kids).

I support the RAPID for locking the doors. If they don't know whether these kids that are fighting are GRPS students or not, how do they know whether to call the GRPS Superintendent? Maybe they go to CC, maybe they go to Charter Schools, maybe they aren't even in school anymore (like the interviewee)? If someone's breaking into my house, I'm not going to ask him his place of residence before I call the cops, to make sure the right jurisdiction answers the police call. I take action.

It's not like they've stopped the bus service, or are kicking kids off the property and out of the tent. They're just not allowing them to congregate inside the building.

From the articles, I get the impression that GRPS is more concerned about how this makes them "look", vs. addressing the core issues.

Here's a solution, give the kids "transfer" passes from one bus to their connecting bus at the central station that is only good for the next connecting bus. If they miss it, they can't get on any other bus that day. For example, if your bus arrives at ITP station at 2:30, and the next bus that heads out toward your home is at 2:45, your transfer pass is good for THAT BUS ONLY. You miss it, you walk home. No need for security. No loitering.

[GR_Urbanist]

As a former student of the GRPS up to 1997, I can tell you that the school system, even if they had every bit of information they could get, would just cover for these brats or at best give them just a slap on the wrist. When I was at the receiving end of this chaos, the lack of will by the school system just made my school years miserable. I've seen it many times then, and even during my work day now, countless acts of total disregard by these kids only to be ignored by people in higher positions in the school system. As far as their concerned, if it's not in their face, let someone else take care of it!

The ITP has a great facility, and they have worked too hard to build a great transit system just to have a horde of out of control kids wreck it. I feel bad that everyone has to take it under the chin, but what else can you do? Keep the students out the front door and invite lawsuits in the back?

Let them sit in the cold and maybe they will learn to show some respect for these places or at the least start some real peer pressure to deter the worst form acting out.

[ModSquad]

I was just asking the question of "why are these kids hanging out at the bus station after school"? If that's too much to ask or expect, perhaps we shouldn't care and we'll just let it slide. Keep sticking band-aids on the problem like providing security to corral the "animals" (like they're treating all the kids).

I support the RAPID for locking the doors. If they don't know whether these kids that are fighting are GRPS students or not, how do they know whether to call the GRPS Superintendent? Maybe they go to CC, maybe they go to Charter Schools, maybe they aren't even in school anymore (like the interviewee)? If someone's breaking into my house, I'm not going to ask him his place of residence before I call the cops, to make sure the right jurisdiction answers the police call. I take action.

It's not like they've stopped the bus service, or are kicking kids off the property and out of the tent. They're just not allowing them to congregate inside the building.

From the articles, I get the impression that GRPS is more concerned about how this makes them "look", vs. addressing the core issues.

Here's a solution, give the kids "transfer" passes from one bus to their connecting bus at the central station that is only good for the next connecting bus. If they miss it, they can't get on any other bus that day. For example, if your bus arrives at ITP station at 2:30, and the next bus that heads out toward your home is at 2:45, your transfer pass is good for THAT BUS ONLY. You miss it, you walk home. No need for security. No loitering.

[ModSquad]

As a former student of the GRPS up to 1997, I can tell you that the school system, even if they had every bit of information they could get, would just cover for these brats or at best give them just a slap on the wrist. When I was at the receiving end of this chaos, the lack of will by the school system just made my school years miserable. I've seen it many times then, and even during my work day now, countless acts of total disregard by these kids only to be ignored by people in higher positions in the school system. As far as their concerned, if it's not in their face, let someone else take care of it!

The ITP has a great facility, and they have worked too hard to build a great transit system just to have a horde of out of control kids wreck it. I feel bad that everyone has to take it under the chin, but what else can you do? Keep the students out the front door and invite lawsuits in the back?

Let them sit in the cold and maybe they will learn to show some respect for these places or at the least start some real peer pressure to deter the worst form acting out.

[fiest from the window]

2 words.

krispy kremes.

problem solved. cops will be up in there like farmy ants in the amazon rain forest...

whats the big deal, this is no different than the mall. add a cop and deal with it.

why should everything be a gang war....perople in Gr are getting over sensitive. quick to cancel and close over one fight...Gus MAcker?

i blame Geha.....shes the Al Sharpton of Grand Rapids

[Yankee Fan]

I would agree that the "out of control" label is wrong. But I would agree that there is a lack of discipline occuring. And it is missing long before the kids (where ever they are from) get to the bus stop.

There is a general lack of respect for businesses, pedestrians and fellow students by quite a few of the students that walk or arrive at the Rapid Transit Station. Twice last year we saw fights in our parking lot two blocks away from the ITP where 4 or 5 kids would jump 1 kid. It is unacceptable and ridiculous. And, from what I know, in both cases the schools were made aware of the incidents.

There needs to be more focus on teaching respect and disciplining those who choose to act other ways. I am a parent and it starts with me. My kids would never be permitted to behave that way. If they did, I would not hesitate to act to set them straight.

Sometimes it is not the kids; sometimes it is. But there is too much aggression occuring and it needs to be confronted on all fronts.

I would rather not see another 14 year old girl laying in the parking lot crying and bleeding because she looked at someone the wrong way. It just does not need to happen that way.

[fiest from the window]

I would agree that the "out of control" label is wrong. But I would agree that there is a lack of discipline occuring. And it is missing long before the kids (where ever they are from) get to the bus stop.

There is a general lack of respect for businesses, pedestrians and fellow students by quite a few of the students that walk or arrive at the Rapid Transit Station. Twice last year we saw fights in our parking lot two blocks away from the ITP where 4 or 5 kids would jump 1 kid. It is unacceptable and ridiculous. And, from what I know, in both cases the schools were made aware of the incidents.

There needs to be more focus on teaching respect and disciplining those who choose to act other ways. I am a parent and it starts with me. My kids would never be permitted to behave that way. If they did, I would not hesitate to act to set them straight.

Sometimes it is not the kids; sometimes it is. But there is too much aggression occuring and it needs to be confronted on all fronts.

I would rather not see another 14 year old girl laying in the parking lot crying and bleeding because she looked at someone the wrong way. It just does not need to happen that way.

[GR_Urbanist]

That is total crap. I take great offense to labeling GRPS kids brats. "hordes of out of control kids"...you better check yourself. I am all for honest logical debate dealing with the facts. If you are going to post comments like that here, you better be able to back it up. Sweeping indictments and stereotypes are not going to cut it.

[twoshort]

As for this issue, they need to all be outside. I feel sorry for the innocent, but the situation was judge to be too out of control for the ITP to have such a powder keg in such a small space. Outside they can concentrate on keeping warm and getting on the bus and going home.

[Landscape1]

Dave-

I agree with you that there is no proof (or video) proving that these are GRPS students but we do know that hundreds of those students pass through there every afternoon. And don't the middle school and high school kids now qualify for discounted RAPID passes since their bussing was discontinued?

I also find it interesting how the media and others (ndluding the RAPID if I remember correctgly) slammed the mall for moving a bus stop due to unruley riders. But in this instance everyone is going directly after the kids.

[GR_Urbanist]

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing (I don't know enough about the situation), but what happens when it gets warm out?