Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[tozmervo]

I have been told explicitly that the LYNX service change is directly tied to demand, but there is a secondary strategy in trying to make the headways more consistent through the day. (20 minutes is actually an improvement for some hours.) I think a LYNX and express bus restoration won't happen until Wells and BAC announce a return to offices. I think it sucks for sure, but LYNX more than the busses is reliant on non-dependent ridership, and non-dependent ridership simply hasn't returned yet. 

This happening at the same time as many local bus routes are having their schedules fully restored (some are even improved beyond) to pre-covid service. 

[JRCLT]

^^^^ that is why I believe this years proposed referendum on a massive transit expansion is not a good idea

Optimistically speaking with the vaccines rolling out I think we will be in a better place November 2021. Yeah I’m sure masks will be worn and should be worn anyway because not 100% of everyone would be vaccinated I’m guessing and even if you were it would be best to avoid all together anyway. Who knows what the future will be considering this is the first pandemic of the 21st Century and technology and Vaccine development has come a long way. We’ll just have to wait and see how conditions are in the appropriate months during the Fall and worry about it then. It’s only the beginning of the year and so many things can happen in a year.

[Desert Power]

On 2/11/2021 at 6:34 PM, tozmervo said:

20 minutes is actually an improvement for some hours.

Have we really slipped that far from the 7/15 minute headways?

[tozmervo]

5 hours ago, Desert Power said:

Have we really slipped that far from the 7/15 minute headways?

For that I'm mainly referring to  very early AM all days and late saturday/sunday, when you'd get 30 minute headways. I'm pointing out a silver lining, but it's a very very thin silver lining. 

[Desert Power]

59 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

For that I'm mainly referring to  very early AM all days and late saturday/sunday, when you'd get 30 minute headways. I'm pointing out a silver lining, but it's a very very thin silver lining. 

Good point. How much I miss the halcyon days of complaining about delayed trains and lack of real-time tracking.  I really wonder how different everything will be by the time the big banks go back into the office.

[kermit]

Said for the umpteenth time:

There is no reason CATS can’t provide etas and/or countdown timers on the dot matrix screens in stations. I just missed my train home from OMB and the 30 minute wait for the next one is a huge pain.  The PA announcements are worse than useless, they said my train was arriving 10 minutes ago, but it was OOS.

Do better CATS.

[LKN704]

Didn't the dot matrix signs provide ETAs at one point? I seem to recall that being a feature before the BLE opened. 

Having dot matrix signs that just display the name of the station you are currently located at (as they have done for some reason since the BLE opened) serve no purpose and frankly are a waste of electricity. 

Modern PIDS that have a countdown clock and display other necessary info (elevator out of service at XYZ etc) are relatively cheap and simple to install...but then again so are smart fare cards and CATS hasn't seemed to figure that out either. 

[tarwater]

Anyone know when they're going to increase the train frequency? As of today UNCC has ended remote work and resumed normal operations.

[InTheYear2000]

On 7/6/2021 at 12:19 PM, tarwater said:

Anyone know when they're going to increase the train frequency? As of today UNCC has ended remote work and resumed normal operations.

"CATSRideTransit

39 points·13 days ago

We plan to increase service within July once we have the proper amount of personnel needed to accommodate more frequent service. Stay tuned! Thanks!"

 

This was a comment a few weeks ago from the  CATS's official reddit account. Maybe they should have taken all that government money and, you know , not fired anyone. 

Edited July 8, 2021 by InTheYear2000
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[jtmonk]

1 hour ago, InTheYear2000 said:

"CATSRideTransit

39 points·13 days ago

We plan to increase service within July once we have the proper amount of personnel needed to accommodate more frequent service. Stay tuned! Thanks!"

 

This was a comment a few weeks ago from the  CATS's official reddit account. Maybe they should have taken all that government money and, you know , not fired anyone. 

I don't think CATS's laid off or furloughed anyone.  

[InTheYear2000]

2 hours ago, jtmonk said:

I don't think CATS's laid off or furloughed anyone.  

Well if that's true than I gather they did not backfill driver vacancies otherwise they wouldn't need staffing to resume the pre-pandemic headways. 

[KJHburg]

4 hours ago, jtmonk said:

I don't think CATS's laid off or furloughed anyone.  

they didn't but they cut back employees hours.  I know a bus driver for CATS and his hours were severely cut mainly because of people not going back to work uptown in offices. 

[kermit]

While I am reluctant to suggest that my personal needs should be presumed to be representative of the remainder of the city....

I gotta go back to the office 5 days a week soon and this every 20 minutes (even at rush hour) Blue Line schedule really aint working for me CATS....

[InTheYear2000]

On 8/7/2021 at 1:08 PM, kermit said:

While I am reluctant to suggest that my personal needs should be presumed to be representative of the remainder of the city....

I gotta go back to the office 5 days a week soon and this every 20 minutes (even at rush hour) Blue Line schedule really aint working for me CATS....

Rest assured your personal needs align with at least one other's. Please. Please.. join me in complaining to CATS and the City at large. I am back now most days and I am going to invest in a parking spot now due to the additional ~30 minutes added to my daily commute. 

Also, here's another brain dead move CATS just did: They are releasing a new App later this month and shut down the old app 2 weeks prior. That means no mobile pass purchases period for a minimum of 2 weeks. This is nitpicking but I really hate using the (often broken) ticket machines.

[Blue_Devil]

Anyone know when they are going to start the Publix stop in South End? I read it was fully funded. 

[tozmervo]

@kermit  @InTheYear2000 I can tell you with certainty that every call and email is given attention and consideration. Especially if you know about offices reopening, etc, CATS really wants to know that information to stay ahead of the changes. They are actively surveying employers for this info.

704-336-RIDE / [email protected]

[kermit]

1 hour ago, Blue_Devil said:

Anyone know when they are going to start the Publix stop in South End? I read it was fully funded. 

CATS has been very quiet about everything lately....

I have heard they are currently negotiating the design contract so we are not going to see any dirt moving for a while.

[kermit]

I am back on the regular Blue Line grind (daily commute). Its the first time since March 2020 that I have been north of NoDa. I was shocked by:

• An explosion of new apartment units around U City station (last time I rode past there were large wooded lots across from the parking deck, they are now all 4+1s)
• A small gaggle of UNCC sorority girls was walking near Tom Hunter station. They looked very out of place to me, but they were acting like they belonged there
• The Ellis looks FANTASTIC. I hope they can get that retail rented. The tower fills a good gap when looking at the skyline from Mathesion Bridge
• Land clearing is underway at the Crossland / Herrin Ice site (Herrin Ice building appears to be gone) See very crappy photo below
• The apartments off Matheson (on the N Tryon Side) at Atando are coming along (see below)

 

Edited August 23, 2021 by kermit

[Blue_Devil]

Just now, kermit said:

I am back on the regular Blue Line grind (daily commute). Its the first time since March 2020 that I have been north of NoDa. I was shocked by:

• An explosion of new apartment units around U City station (last time I rode past there were large wooded lots across from the parking deck, they are now all 4+1s)
• A small gaggle of UNCC sorority girls was walking near Tom Hunter station. They looked very out of place to me, but they were acting like they belonged there
• The Ellis looks FANTASTIC. I hope they can get that retail rented. The tower fills a good gap when looking at the skyline from Mathesion Bridge
• Land clearing is underway at the Crossland / Herrin Ice site (Herrin Ice building appears to be gone) See photo below
• The apartments off Matheson (on the N Tryon Side) at Atando are coming along (see below)

I think the Ellis is going to lease out once the publix and the Library projects are built out (hopefully before). I bet if the Library Apartment tower gets started we see another apartment tower go up within the year. 

[kermit]

It appears that CATS has decided to leave switch clean out tools on site now? OK….

[CLT2014]

What does ridership feel like for those using the light rail for regular commuting again? My employer delayed return to work to late Q4 so I haven't gotten a feel for ridership on weekdays. Ridership looks low on weekends / later in the evening when it rolls past largely empty, but wondering if weekday is picking up?

Edited August 25, 2021 by CLT2014

[Blue_Devil]

7 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

What does ridership feel like for those using the light rail for regular commuting again? My employer delayed return to work to late Q4 so I haven't gotten a feel for ridership on weekdays. Ridership looks low on weekends / later in the evening when it rolls past largely empty, but wondering if weekday is picking up?

I'll let you know in November... 

[CLT2014]

4 minutes ago, Blue_Devil said:

I'll let you know in November... 

I should be riding in November too.... in theory... losing confidence we are going back to the office as the date has shifted 20 times now and it is the boy that cried wolf. 

Edited August 25, 2021 by CLT2014

[kermit]

18 minutes ago, CLT2014 said:

What does ridership feel like for those using the light rail for regular commuting again? My employer delayed return to work to late Q4 so I haven't gotten a feel for ridership on weekdays. Ridership looks low on weekends / later in the evening when it rolls past largely empty, but wondering if weekday is picking up?

I have 2.5 days in. It generally looks like the photo below (taken just now  between 9th and Parkwood) Most seats have one occupant, so it ain’t empty, but I would be surprised to ever see it standing room.  Afternoons have not been significantly different.

Needless to say the Brooks brothers crowd ain’t riding, it does feel like the train has more UNCC riders than pre-pandemic. Parking lots have been empty, Old Concord has had maybe 10 cars in it.

Mask compliance is pretty mediocre, it’s probably about 85%, but those non-mask wearers really stick out.

20 minute frequencies SUCK and CATS is not sticking to the timetable very well (trains seem to have been about 5 minutes late — NEED REAL TIME TRACKING!!!!!!)

Edited August 25, 2021 by kermit

[videtur quam contuor]

Brooks brothers means something different in Charlotte and NoDa.

10 minutes ago, kermit said:

I have 2.5 days in. It generally looks like the photo below (taken just now  between 9th and Parkwood) Most seats have one occupant, so it ain’t empty, but I would be surprised to ever see it standing room.  Afternoons have not been significantly different.

Needless to say the Brooks brothers crowd ain’t riding, it does feel like the train has more UNCC riders than pre-pandemic. Parking lots have been empty, Old Concord has had maybe 10 cars in it.

Mask compliance is pretty mediocre, it’s probably about 85%, but those non-mask wearers really stick out.

20 minute frequencies SUCK and CATS is not sticking to the timetable very well (trains seem to have been about 5 minutes late — NEED REAL TIME TRACKING!!!!!!)