Greenville Transit

[GvilleSC]

Possibly not - it doesn't transport people between ICAR and the Candlewood Apts.

Maybe I'm confused as to where Candlewood is located...?

Edited July 26, 2012 by GvilleSC

[gman430]

Possibly not - it doesn't transport people between ICAR and the Candlewood Apts. But if the free shuttle utilization numbers were too low, there would be no reason to continue it.

The St. Francis/CU-ICAR Shuttle is the result of a previously awarded JARC grant from the FY2010 funding cycle. The shuttle has been a success, experiencing significant ridership and high levels of satisfaction from both private partner organizations. However, one weakness which has been identified in the existing route is the hours of operation. The current hours of operation are shorter than the twelve hour shift typical among many St. Francis Hospital employees, making it difficult for them to utilize the shuttle service. This project will expand the current hours of operation to better accommodate those employees.

Source: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/RideGreenlink/forms/JARC/FY2012JarcProjects.pdf

[bikeoid]

Maybe I'm confused as to where Candlewood is located...?

Oops - I should have checked my memory; One of the stops is the http://www.candleton-apts.com/ Candleton Village Apartments on Woodruff Rd near the Beck Academy.

[gman430]

Start of Mauldin and Simpsonville service to start October 15th. The route is slated to be expanded to Fountain Inn in 2014. Oh and it looks like Greenlink and Clemson Area Transit could join services very soon:

Mark Rickards, the new director of public transportation for the city of Greenville told GreenvilleOnline.com that the service could start as soon as January, when Clemson students return for the second semester, or as late as the start of fall semester next year.

He said preliminary plans call for the route to stop at Clemson’s various satellite locations in Greenville: the University Center, the International Center for Automotive Research, Greenville Hospital System’s Patewood Campus and Clemson at the Falls downtown.

The route would also go to One, the office-and-retail development under construction on Main Street where Clemson plans to move graduate business programs it now houses at Clemson at the Falls.

Rickards said the route might include other stops in Greenville as well.

Rickards said he envisions the buses arriving hourly and operating year-round except for holidays and Sundays.

Following Greenlink’s existing schedule, they’d likely run between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., “and there could be later trips in the evening because there are night classes too,” he said.

Edited September 26, 2012 by citylife

[Gville29601]

Federal study on high-speed rail connecting Atlanta to Charlotte, with *possible* stop in Greenville. 

 

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20130529/NEWS/305290014/

 

What are the chances our city, county, business, and state leaders will strongly advocate for a route connecting our current downtown Amtrak station to this proposed high-speed rail line? (there are six proposed routes, and only one travels through our downtown).

 

This could be a huge economic win for downtown. A high-speed rail stopping downtown will bring tourists, conventions, and possibly skilled workforce commuters from Atlanta/Charlotte and funnel them directly to the downtown area. This benefits downtown hotels, restaurants, shopping, and business. Not to mention it could lure retirees downtown who want a smaller town, but access to shopping, etc. found in Atlanta / Charlotte.  And, it will get more traffic off of I-85.

 

Anyone know if Greenville is pushing for this, how, and if not - who to petition?

[johnpro318]

 

Federal study on high-speed rail connecting Atlanta to Charlotte, with *possible* stop in Greenville. 

 

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20130529/NEWS/305290014/

 

What are the chances our city, county, business, and state leaders will strongly advocate for a route connecting our current downtown Amtrak station to this proposed high-speed rail line? (there are six proposed routes, and only one travels through our downtown).

 

This could be a huge economic win for downtown. A high-speed rail stopping downtown will bring tourists, conventions, and possibly skilled workforce commuters from Atlanta/Charlotte and funnel them directly to the downtown area. This benefits downtown hotels, restaurants, shopping, and business. Not to mention it could lure retirees downtown who want a smaller town, but access to shopping, etc. found in Atlanta / Charlotte.  And, it will get more traffic off of I-85.

 

Anyone know if Greenville is pushing for this, how, and if not - who to petition?

 

 

Found a meeting time on the site!

 

June 5

4PM-7PM

301 East Poinsett Street

Hall C

Greer, SC 29651

 

Hopefully some dedicated members of this forum can go and add their input. I'm not too familiar with trains and their construction but I would think a huge revamp of our Amtrak station would be needed. The distance from the station and Main Street is exactly a mile, so a 4 min drive or a less than 20 minute walk. This could really help development around the new park by the Swamp Rabbit trail and encourage renovations to that neighborhood (long neglected). Thoughts?

[ausrutherford]

Found a meeting time on the site!

 

June 5

4PM-7PM

301 East Poinsett Street

Hall C

Greer, SC 29651

 

Hopefully some dedicated members of this forum can go and add their input. I'm not too familiar with trains and their construction but I would think a huge revamp of our Amtrak station would be needed. The distance from the station and Main Street is exactly a mile, so a 4 min drive or a less than 20 minute walk. This could really help development around the new park by the Swamp Rabbit trail and encourage renovations to that neighborhood (long neglected). Thoughts?

 

The city has already started plans for a Southernside/West Greenville master plan to help the community and add residents. Part of the plan of course includes the park. Im sure this would help it even more.

[Gville29601]

I can't make the meeting. Hopefully someone, or group, in Greenville that has more influence and/or connections has this on their radar...

[ausrutherford]

If it went through Clemson, that would certainly help game day traffic.

[Gville29601]

High speed rail project:   dot.ga.gov/AtlantaCharlotteHSR

 

Meeting documents, video, and maps are now available to review. I was not able to attend the meeting so I can't comment on which route was given emphasis. I believe Greenville would benefit the most from 'Alternative 1'. This route has a stop at our downtown Amtrak station. However, there are several alternative stops, and even several that do not go through Greenville county at all. 

 

Please review the information and complete a survey. Getting a high-speed rail stop 1 mile from our downtown would be very beneficial for our city in the long-term!

[GvilleSC]

I heard from someone that the trolley service might start going all the way to Arlington Street in order to serve residents of Pendleton West. Can anyone confirm this? I think it's a great idea! Building ridership on this current service will only further drive and strengthen Greenlink's aspirations to create downtown trolley service of its own.

[gman430]

Fantasic:

Staff seeks approval to authorize the GTA Board Chair to sign and execute the Clemson Service Contract currently in the City Legal Department. August 5 is the scheduled start-up date. The Clemson Connector route is a shuttle route that connects the Clemson University Greenville campuses (CUICAR, University Center, Project One and Reedy Falls Campus). The Clemson Service Route is for service back and forth between Greenville and Clemson University. GTA will use the Vehicle Acquisition Program to purchase the two vehicles for this service. VAP is a state grant that requires that the state contract be used to purchase vehicles. It is reimbursable at 83%. We have budgeted 17%. Clemson University is paying operations cost for the life of the one year contract which has an option to renew. The bus will stop at least once in Easley with no more than five stops. The total cost of the vehicles for the Clemson Service/Connector Route is $300,000. Staff will send the contract to all board members before the Chair signs the contract. The shuttle agreement will be consistent with our express bus system. Clemson University sought this service based on their demand. It will be commuter subsidized at standard fare; we anticipate $30,000 per year. Later we will look at zone fares. Marketing is crucial. CU will pay the deficit on an auditable monthly basis not to exceed $500,000. This is calculated to be 25% for supervisor and 25% for mechanic. This route will operate Monday through Friday. A public hearing is required. Federal funding is an option in the future. Our VAP funds would have expired June 30 of this year had we not obligated them. Buses used for this route must be manufactured in SC in order to get VAP funds. We are looking at obtaining some preventative maintenance from the Feds. The Board will receive a monthly update.

Mr. Matt Carter made a motion to authorize the GTA Board Chairman to sign the Clemson Service and Commuter Contract subject to Board/Legal review. Mr. James Smeaton seconded the motion. There is no opposition. The motion carries.

[gman430]

I heard from someone that the trolley service might start going all the way to Arlington Street in order to serve residents of Pendleton West. Can anyone confirm this? I think it's a great idea! Building ridership on this current service will only further drive and strengthen Greenlink's aspirations to create downtown trolley service of its own.

There are a few revised completion dates on the Marketing Milestone report. The Downtown Trolley expansion to neighborhoods is projected to be 7/1/14, and the implementation date for the downtown trolley is projected to be 7/1/13. The Greer Connector Route was revised to 7/1/15. The Travelers Rest Shuttle and the Furman Shuttle was pushed back a year. Everything else is on target.

[GvilleSC]

Will Greenlink be buying their own Trolleys? I hope they do and they have a nice color scheme.

[gman430]

Will Greenlink be buying their own Trolleys? I hope they do and they have a nice color scheme.

Two:

We have a verbal agreement with the Greenville Drive where they will have exclusive advertising rights on the two trolleys we are purchasing for the current service. Advertising on the other trolleys that will be purchased will be up for discussion. The cost per trolley is approximately $196,000. The Greenville Drive will pay the local capital match of 20%, which is approximately $77,000 dollars for both trolleys. The Drive will transfer their two trolleys to GTA July 1. Greenlink will operate the current trolley route. The Accommodations Tax will pay the cost to operate this route, and it will be fare free. The Neighborhood Trolley Service is scheduled for the second year.

Edited July 16, 2013 by gman430

[GvilleSC]

Thanks! So this will now be counted as people who ride Greenlink. Awesome!

Edited July 16, 2013 by GvilleSC

[gs3]

All these Greenlink little tiny changes and still no route to GSP for the business community? Sad.

Must smile as I step off DART rail at Mockingbird Station, up the escalator for a latte and an art flick at the Angelika.

[ausrutherford]

All these Greenlink little tiny changes and still no route to GSP for the business community? Sad.

Must smile as I step off DART rail at Mockingbird Station, up the escalator for a latte and an art flick at the Angelika.

 

Yea...Greenville should be more like Dallas...the very definition of sprawl.

[GvilleSC]

I actually rode the bus last week for the first time. The way the bus station is setup makes for a good first-time experience and nice ease of use. The buses are very clean and well taken care of. I'll be riding more soon when it starts to cool off.

I believe more renovations are coming to the bus station as well...

[Danmire]

I think the comment about no service to GSP is a fair comment.  The only way to get to the airport if you don't have a car is by taxi.  I think a shuttle service between downtown and the airport would be a great amenity.  Not sure what the ridership would be but it could be the "Build it and they will come" kind of scenario

[RiverWalker]

While I was in Fort Worth for a conference recently, I thoroughly enjoyed having public transit available to travel between various parts of the city. "Molly the Trolley" is free within the downtown area for traveling between and among hotels and restaurants and the convention center, while paid service was available for travel to the stockyards district on the north side and to the arts district on the west side. Had I wanted to, I could have used inter-modal transit to travel from and to DFW airport. Yes, the DFW area is the very epitome of sprawl, but there are still lessons to be learned from visiting there. (Also of interest is that the city is trying to make plans to revitalize the tourist areas in the stockyards district that flank a small river, for which they might want to take some cues from Greenville's success at RiverPlace and Falls Park.)

[motonenterprises]

I agree that transit to GSP would come in handy, and I'm sure it's been talked about. Places like Dallas are big cities. Greenville is just a small up and coming city. Let's keep this in mind here. Can't compare apples to watermelons, it doesn't make sense.

[ausrutherford]

I agree that transit to GSP would come in handy, and I'm sure it's been talked about. Places like Dallas are big cities. Greenville is just a small up and coming city. Let's keep this in mind here. Can't compare apples to watermelons, it doesn't make sense.

 

Something that has been considered in the past is a rapid bus transit line from Clemson to GSP passing through downtown.

[Greenville]

Something that has been considered in the past is a rapid bus transit line from Clemson to GSP passing through downtown.

 

This is a great idea.  There are certainly Clemson students who need a ride to GSP, and this would also provide downtown visitors transportation back to GSP.  The only issue with this specific route is that I bet it wouldn't be very frequent (at least at first).  Would once or twice a day frequency really be used much by Clemson students?  And would that be enough to allow visitors to use it to get back and forth from downtown?

[RiverWalker]

Places like Dallas are big cities. Greenville is just a small up and coming city.

The difference in size was acknowledged. However, most of us here are thinking regionally.