Columbia Transit

[waccamatt]

Maybe if we can demonstrate that the Confederacy invented mass transit he'll get behind it.

Krazee, that is the best line I've heard in a LONG time

[sonofaque86]

Maybe if we can demonstrate that the Confederacy invented mass transit he'll get behind it.

::DEAD::

[803metlife]

"Although Lexington County Council had considered a property tax increase, the popularity of funding the bus system has been low. Just 13 percent of service is in the county, mostly in West Columbia, Cayce and Springdale."

But the way Lexington County is growing in years to come the percentage rate will rise. I think Lexington County needs to think in the future. One day the bus routes will expand to the Lexington Court house. I think were just going to have to play this one out and see how everything goes.

[Spartan]

I agree. Lexington is not doing what is best for its citizens if it doesn't fund the bus system.

[Spartan]

I have merged 3 threads:

Columbia Trolley

Columbia LRT

Funding for CMRTA

This topic is now dedicated to all things transit in the Columbia area.

[Spartan]

I wonder if this story from the State today will have any impact on anyone in Columbia? I recall reading that at least one guy in Columbia lives without a car and uses the bus... voluntarily. I think he lives and works downtown? I dont recall that story very well though.

[sonofaque86]

I wonder how he travels when he wants to go out of town

[Mr.Marc]

I wonder how he travels when he wants to go out of town

He probably rents a car or catches a plane.

Edited September 12, 2006 by HAMMETTM

[Captain Worley]

As a resident of Cayce, I don't want Cayce to foot the bill for the bus system. Columbia screwed up when they let SCANA off the hook for the bus system, and they should figure out how to pay for it. I don't see very many people in Cayce riding.

[CorgiMatt]

As a resident of Cayce, I don't want Cayce to foot the bill for the bus system. Columbia screwed up when they let SCANA off the hook for the bus system, and they should figure out how to pay for it. I don't see very many people in Cayce riding.

Think regionally, not provincially. What's good for Columbia is good for Cayce.

[Captain Worley]

Think regionally, not provincially. What's good for Columbia is good for Cayce.

It's not good for Columbia. It is, and always will be a money loser. They never should have taken it from SCANA, and I don't think everyone else should have to bail them out after a bad decision.

[TheSuperPope]

I also used to live in Cayce, and always saw people either on the bus or waiting to ride it... I don't know what you were talking about when you said no one rides it. And its good that Cola took the bus system from SCANA... if they hadn't who would have picked it up and continued the service. Theres just something about Cayce and WCola, for some reason they all seem to want the benefits of living in the metro without having to pay for it. The system probably will always be a money loser... but the money the system will make wont be seen in profits to the busses themselves but to companies all over the metro that can shuttle workers who don't have cars to their jobs and will help commerce by helping these same people without cars to go shopping in retail all over the area. The list goes on and on with ways the system will help our area... now if the naysayers would just move farther out into the burbs and deal with the traffic they're helping to encourage more often

rant over...

[CorgiMatt]

It's not good for Columbia. It is, and always will be a money loser. They never should have taken it from SCANA, and I don't think everyone else should have to bail them out after a bad decision.

The SCANA-Columbia transit arrangement was the very last of its kind in the nation. The end of the arrangement was inevitable. One of the worst things that could possibly happen to a city of any size would be to have no public transportation. Cayce would have more unemployed people than you realize if they had no way to get downtown to their jobs. We are all one metro region. The river is supposed to unite, not divide.

[803metlife]

As a resident of Cayce, I don't want Cayce to foot the bill for the bus system. Columbia screwed up when they let SCANA off the hook for the bus system, and they should figure out how to pay for it. I don't see very many people in Cayce riding.

I see a lot of people in Cayce riding the bus system. Everyone is not fortunate enough to have a car. Captain Worley if you read some of the last post you sound like most of the people in Lexington Co. Want all the advantages that comes with living in the city with no cost. I don't see what's the big deal!!! Lexington Co is waaaayyy more wealthier than Richland Co. We need to think as a region instead of being selfish. With all the growth and developments we need something solid for the future. And the bus system will not always be a money loser. The more the city grows the more people you'll find using mass transit. When dealing with situations as such it's impossible to have tunnel vision you have to think farther than you can see.

[waccamatt]

I agree with 803; Lexington County would still be a poor, rural county if not for the proximity to Columbia. Certain institutions in the metro have located in Richland County, some in the city and some in Lexington County. It is not fair for the city and Richland to have to pay for everything. You don't see people in Columbia complaining about footing the bill for the airport, which is located in Lexington County, but Lexington County complains any time they are asked to contribute to a worthy project and transit is a necessity for a growing city.

[Spartan]

The only transit system in the world that makes money is located in Hong Kong, which is one of the most densely setted cities in the world. Even vaunted systems like the New York MTA or the CTA in Chicago don't actually make a proffit.

Transit in and of itself is not designed to make a proffit. Its designed to circulate people throughout the city. You could make it proffitable by eliminating unproffitable lines and increasing fares, but then it would not be public - which implies access to all. Though these systems don't make money, their existance actually nets more money into the economy because it allows people to get to work. Studies show that a transit sytem's contribution to the economy is several times what the community puts into it.

You can also look at it this way- you pay for roads for 'everyone' to get to work. Why would, as an American, not want to also pay for alternative modes of transportation to access work? I thought we were about equality and fairness in this country?

Besides, Cayce is not footing the bill. It should only pay its share (as should West Columbia), which is still considerably less than Columbia.

Welcome to the forum Captain Worley, we haven't had a new member get us so riled up in some time Good posts, and I look forward to reading more of them in the future!

[BryCola]

"I thought we were about equality and fairness in this country?"

That's not the America I know...but that's a topic for another forum.

[Captain Worley]

I sure did seem to raise a little ruckus, didn't I?

Anyway, y'all are right, I shouldn't have said I've never seen anyone riding the bus because I occasionally see a bus in Cayce with someone in it. Once, I saw a bus in Colatown with five people on it. Maybe its the hours and routes I see them on. <shrugs> I don't know...just seems underutilized to me.

Columbia did not have totake over the bus system. SCANA had to maintain a bus/trolley system since the early part of the last century because they had a monopoly on electricity. They still do in this area, don't they? I could be wrong.

I really think the bus system would be better served with 15 passenger vans.

[803metlife]

I sure did seem to raise a little ruckus, didn't I?

NO. Not really... The only thing I was saying In order for Columbia to be a progressive city and a thriving metropolitan area we have to stop thinking so small townish. Richland County pays for everything when Lexington needs to chip in.We are never going to move ahead without cooperation from Lexington County.

[BrasilnSC]

A city the size of Columbia without a bus system would be a huge set back and quite embarrasing in my opinion. We want the bus system to expand, increase ridership, and better serve the entire metropolitan area. That's not going to happen by cutting routes and using cabs (which I think is ridiculous). Lexington County and it's communities need to pay their share and support their residents that need this system. People need to stop having negative attitudes about public transportation. It is a necessity now and can you imagine in 10, 20 years.

Keep'm Rolling

[803metlife]

A city the size of Columbia without a bus system would be a huge set back and quite embarrasing in my opinion. .

It would definetly be embarrasing

[Spartan]

I sure did seem to raise a little ruckus, didn't I?

Anyway, y'all are right, I shouldn't have said I've never seen anyone riding the bus because I occasionally see a bus in Cayce with someone in it. Once, I saw a bus in Colatown with five people on it. Maybe its the hours and routes I see them on. <shrugs> I don't know...just seems underutilized to me.

Columbia did not have totake over the bus system. SCANA had to maintain a bus/trolley system since the early part of the last century because they had a monopoly on electricity. They still do in this area, don't they? I could be wrong.

I really think the bus system would be better served with 15 passenger vans.

I think everyone should read this article from The State today. It highlights some of the major problems with the CMRTA and transit systems in mid-sized towns everywhere. They all suffer from a chicken & egg problem. They need more funding to increase awareness and provide better serivce, but they need more riders before they will get more money. This article points out that the CMRTA doesn't have shelters at all of its stops and MAPS so that non-regular users can figure out where they are going. Bus shelters that are done well can help show that the governmnet is commited to the stop by making it appear to be more permanent.

The guy in this article is definitely a pioneer in Columbia.

The agreement with SCANA was not intended to be permanet. All transit systems in the area had similar arrangements. Now, cities with urbanareas of more than 200,000 must fund their own systems, while those with less than 200,000 get federal money.

The good news is that money for transit has more than doubled in the past ten years. Hopefully the government will begin to see that OPERATING COSTS are required to make transit work.

[Spartan]

Conveniently, the State has outlined exactly what SCANA was required to provide to the city. Since this is just a list of facts, I will post it in its entirety. The article can be found here Article

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SCANA provided bus service in Columbia for more than 85 years before ending its transit role in October 2002. The city of Columbia and SCANA agreed the company would provide:

[NcSc74]

I agree. A train seems, and most likely is, much more reliable than a bus. Also, I think people tend to look "down" on busses more so than trains.

Only in the south does this even hold water. I don't know why this assumption has taken root here but it has and the only way to turn it around is better system. A great bus system will work wonders for a region. On top of that if it is integrated with rail or subway one could work, play, and live wherever you need without even owning a car. This stigma of the bus needs to stop. Actually having a successful bus route should one of the conditions of funding a rail line. I for one want most major metros to have mass transit options but it seems in America that thinking hasn't filtered down to the second and third tier cities and metros yet. Even ATL has had ridership problems with MARTA. It is high time for rail transit to come about in the US but not funding a bus system is death to a regional economy.

[Captain Worley]

NO. Not really... The only thing I was saying In order for Columbia to be a progressive city and a thriving metropolitan area we have to stop thinking so small townish. Richland County pays for everything when Lexington needs to chip in.We are never going to move ahead without cooperation from Lexington County.

I don't think I'm thinking small townish. I peronally don't want to pay for it because:

a) I don't use it, and won't because it isn't at all convenient for me

b) I watch Columbia City Council and Richland County Council fumble, and screw things up, and don't want to put money into their hot little hands

c) Columbia has too much sprawl for a truly effective bus system

Now the bus system has done some really good moves over the past few years:

a) Dump the trolleys, except special times like f-ball games

b) Bike racks up front

c) Reducing routes with low ridership

d) New buses

e) Raise fare to a more appropriate level.

If the bus system keeps on making improvements, who knows...I could change my mnd.