Metro changes: it just gets worse

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  • #772183

    Gina
    Participant

    I just picked up a new 56/57 schedule. You have to see it to believe it.

    #772184

    anonyme
    Participant

    Oh Gina, I’m already a believer. I don’t take those buses, but I understand they took hits almost as bad as Arbor Heights/Route #21. West Seattle really needs to secede. These crumbs are not acceptable given the population of West Seattle.

    #772185

    moose2
    Member

    I finally went and picked up physical timetables since they aren’t online (which would be easy to do – it is terrible that metro are so bad at getting this vital info out to people).

    Anyway, the news is awful for anyone who currently uses the 55.

    There are five 55 trips inbound from 6:30 to 8am, and 5 back from 4 to 6pm. But outside those times, yikes!

    You have to get a 50 or 128 to the jct and on to a RapidRid C, and vice versa. The horrible news is that the connection from RR to 128 is awful on the way home. The BEST connection involves a wait of 13 (those RR C trips miss the 128 by 2 minutes – who plans these things?). Other RR C trips involve a 30 minute wait at the junction – cold, wet and hanging out in the not-very-desirable Alaska/44th area.

    There have been two big problems with this schedule change:

    1. Much poorer/reduced service to many locations (arbor heights and admiral in particular) and no attempt at mitigations (e.g. timing RR C to 128 connection)

    2. Appalling lack of communication and information via the web site which combined with #1 will lead to immense frustration by riders come Monday.

    I used to love riding the bus (I’ve done it ever day for over 10 years) but this changes have me seriously reconsidering my enthusiasm for metro services. Sorry to say.

    #772186

    Betty T
    Member

    A few days ago I received the following info from Metro:

    Starting Wept.29 Route 21 will end at westwood Village and will no longer serve Arbor Hights.

    Alternatives are Route 21 Express, which will provide service during peak periods, and 22 which will serve 35th between SW 106th ans SW Roxbury streets.

    There will be no evening services to Arbor Heights.

    Route 21 peak-period, midday and Saturday service frequency will improve by every 15 minutes between Westwood Village and downtown Seattle. Most Route 21 rtrips will be connected to northbound route 5 to Shoreline Community College via Phinney Ridge, Greenwood and Broadview.

    One morning and one afternoon peak-period trip on Route 21 Express will be deleted.

    I received the gold flyer for IN Motion, confusing. Map for 21 to Westwood is confusing. They have been encouraging people to ride the bus, walk or bike but it sounds rediculous! It also tells what was eliminated and what to use instead of. It pays to read our “junk” mail sometimes.Where I live a lot of those ended up in the Recycle basket at the mailboxes.

    I am a senior and things are easily confusing as it is.

    #772187

    dapuffin
    Participant

    So, how does one know they are boarding a 21 that *does* service Arbor Heights (EGH)? Do you have to ask the driver every flippin’ time, or will there be some sort of sign? Or????

    I hate this

    #772188

    Betty T
    Member

    There’s always been a sign”Express” in front window of bus. Still?

    #772189

    Betty T
    Member

    I feel sorry for the driver’s that have deal with the public all day with all that’s going on I wouldn’t want to have to.

    #772190

    dapuffin
    Participant

    My bus driver says that there are no schedules for the new 22. What’s up with that? Inquiring Arbor Heights minds want to know…

    #772191

    dapuffin
    Participant

    I agree Betty T. The drivers are likely to be on the receiving end of a lot of frustration. They, themselves seem to be pretty frustrated.

    #772192

    anonyme
    Participant

    It’s true; the drivers are getting just as much last minute, incomplete, contradictory information as riders. I don’t envy them.

    I’ve been looking for a new Route 22 schedule as well, and can’t find one. With less than two days to go before a radical change takes place that will require Arbor Heights residents to take this new route, you’d think Metro would provide this info. What a friggin’ mess.

    #772193

    Magpie
    Participant

    I have been catching the same bus for over 20 years. In looking at the schedules, I am not sure what Metro was trying to do! The 55 is completely decimated (and was mostly full by the time it got to the junction today.) These new routes will be great if we want to go to Sears or to the VA hospital, not so great if you go downtown. The other crazy thing is that the times that the 55 does go downtown, don’t necessarily coincide with people who work normal hours.

    And as several posters have noted, if you take the rapid ride or whatever from downtown, there is no longer an immediate connection to the 55 (and the last run from downtown is now 6:05 pm)and the wait is over 10 minutes at the junction to transfer. Currently there is a 55 at 5, 5:15 and 5:25, all full from downtown..there will now be one at 5:05 and 5:35. Wouldn’t you think that Metro might think that people might get off work at 5 or 5:30?

    It will now take me 3 buses to get to work in the morning and I will have to leave 10 minutes earlier and I will get home a half an hour later.

    Those rocket scientists at Metro appear to feel that south of the junction was underserved and north of the junction was overserved. I picked up the schedules and shook my head. I am trying to figure out what was wrong with the 55 as is? Even the 6:42 pm had tons of people on it. Now, if I want to stay downtown and shop, I have to transfer. Good grief!

    #772194

    miws
    Participant

    Metro hasn’t put Rt 22 schedules on the buses yet?

    I picked one up the other day, as well as for other routes, at the downtown library.

    Mike

    #772195

    Gina
    Participant

    The metro schedules have pretty much vanished. And metronome doesn’t replenish them.

    #772196

    Westygirl
    Participant

    Admittedly I’m late to the party on looking into changes in my morning commute on route 57. I ride the 57 with my 4 1/2 year old, and drop him at his daycare in the Pioneer Square area before heading to my office downtown. My son loves taking the bus in the morning, it’s great quality time for us together, exposes him to lots of different people and experiences and teaches him the value of public transportation.

    Turns out the 57 will now take the viaduct directly downtown, with no stops along 1st and 4th Ave. in the southern vicinities it used to serve, like SODO and Pioneer Square. A transfer is now required, which frankly with a preschooler in tow (and a baby on the way!) is more than I’m up for. Metro’s “improvements” just added another car commuter to the roads, and now I’ll have to pay a small fortune to park downtown.

    If other 57 riders are similarly frustrated that their stop is no longer served, please contact Metro (206-553-3000) and let them know. I know my kiddo and I weren’t the only ones getting off at stops before downtown, and I’d like to think Metro might reconsider this routing if enough people express their concern…

    #772197

    anonyme
    Participant

    A driver told me today that almost all of the printed schedules are already GONE. More brilliant planning by Metro, who did not print extra schedules for routes with big, big changes. What the hell is wrong with these people? When are they going to get that most riders are not connected to Metro’s psychic hotline?

    Westygirl (and others) I think everyone adversely affected by these changes, especially those who will now be forced to drive cars rather than ride the bus, should repeatedly call and write to the Mayor. Call it a “One more car BACK on the road” campaign.

    #772198

    miws
    Participant

    Side note to Westygirl; have you ever visited BusChick’s Blog?

    http://www.buschick.com/

    She has a four year old girl, and toddler boy, that she has pretty much raised, so far, riding buses.

    If you dig around her site, you could probably find some helpful info. If nothing else, you could probably relate to plenty of her stories.

    Mike

    #772199

    dapuffin
    Participant

    That’s weird, MIWS, because my 21 driver says that there are no 22 schedules to be had – even for the Metro drivers. Is the 22 schedule you got at the library one of the new blue ones?

    #772200

    anonyme
    Participant

    Just used trip planner to see how I’ll be getting to and from my doctor at Greenlake from now on. Minimum trip: 3 buses, 2 hours. Four hours round trip. That’s itinerary #1. Itinerary #2 has me wait almost two hours past my appointment time, then catch 3 buses with a trip time of almost 3 hours. Third version sends me from Greenlake to BURIEN (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)then back to Westlake, then to Arbor Heights – 3 buses, 3.5 hour travel time. SEVEN HOURS ROUND TRIP.

    It would be laughable – except that it’s not funny.

    #772201

    dapuffin
    Participant

    No. It’s not one bit funny.

    #772202

    miws
    Participant

    dapuffin, yep it’s a new blue.

    (I was beginning to think I’d just imagined picking it up!)

    Mike

    #772203

    dapuffin
    Participant

    How strange. Curiouser and curiouser. So even my bus driver is in the dark. Thanks,

    Mike.

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