By: Diane Benjamin
It should be more than obvious that Connect Transit is not meeting the needs of people who MUST have public transportation.
Proof:
- Buses that are too big to run in places formerly served – mobile home parks, neighborhoods with narrow streets
- cutting routes and increasing fares
- political appointments to the Connect Transit Board with no representation from riders who rely on the service
- Empty buses
The latest rumor has Tari Renner planning to appoint Amelia Buragas and/or Justin Boyd to be Bloomington’s representatives on the CT Board. Both were on the downtown task force and both would push ahead with a downtown transfer station instead of providing essential services to the people who need it. Both are Renner buddies hell-bent on downtown revitalization without regard for what citizens want.
You probably missed Scott Black’s comments about the local transit system at last Monday’s Council meeting. Both cities would force people to ride the bus – if they could. They think they won’t have to spend as much on roads if more people rode. They are ignoring more obvious – the huge buses are destroying infrastructure. Scott thinks the City can’t afford more cars. Not a problem Scott, people are fleeing Illinois and Bloomington-Normal. Figured out why Scott?
Black goes on to say “free rides” needs to be explored so more people will ride and therefore save money on roads in the future. Buses evidently won’t need roads, or maybe the plan is “buses only” lanes.
Roads are an essential service government must provide. Not listening to citizens is why last April the “preferred” candidates lost in Normal. Keep ignoring citizens and the current representatives in Bloomington will be replaced too.
The vast majority of people will never ride the bus. It’s inconvenient, time consuming, and unproductive. Connect Transit should be meeting the needs of people who are forced to need their service. It isn’t an engine of economic development. A downtown transfer station will not revitalize downtown anymore than the Coliseum and the BCPA did.
If you use Facebook, Like the page: Citizens to Ensure Fair Transit.
The people on this page are the actual users and people standing up for them. They have tried talking to Connect Transit. They have tried talking to both City Councils. If Renner makes political appointments he will prove his ideology is more important to him than serving citizens. These people will not be happy they have been ignored yet again.
Just hit play to hear Black’s comments:
Well, since the majority of the homeless hang out in or near Downtown, perhaps they can pick up a bus more easily and sleep on the bus all day, after being provided with free ride cards of course, which could even free up sme shelter beds and they can sleep all day in relative safety and comfort and then sit around and/or wander all night. Yes, I’m getting a bit silly, but then sometimes silliness is the last refuge before anger or insanity sets in due to frustration. I used to see this St. Louis sometimes and I’m sure other cities have taken advantage of this fairly cheap and reasonable solution to the wandering homeless marring up the lovely downtown areas during the day…
I know ‘buses as homeless shelters’ is not a serious proposal, but it’s a worse one than you probably know… which based on experience, probably means the city will latch onto it.
When I lived in Chicago and regularly took mass transit, there were times when I changed seats due to the smell of nearby people who were presumably homeless. On one occasion, it was literally making my eyes water. If CT wants to cut their already anemic ridership by half or more, one quick way is to add ‘eau-de-beer-both-stale-and-processed’ to their list of amenities.
Exactly, and it is exactly as bad as I know, I’m surprised they haven’t thought of it yet. Just be glad we do not have a warmer climate or our homeless problem would be far worse than it already is and they possibly would have thought of it already – if the “downtown station” ends up happening and it is nice and cozy enough it may serve as a shelter as well..I am just at the point of “you have to laugh” at this mayor and this council, at least until enough people wake up and make a sincere effort to get rid of them. The few that do see what a liability they are are just not enough yet, hopefully it’s yet and not never.
What’s the history of this Justin Boyd character? What’s his background and where did he come from? Other than being a Renner confidant, most people know nothing about him.
He was Tari’s campaign manager and helped Emig get on the ballot at the last minute when Amelia decided late not to run again.
Personal political operative. Got it. Thank you.
Thanks for clarifying who/what the Justin Boyd character is – they do just pop up out of nowhere these days it seems, and quickly become up and coming key players. They will also continue to import many in from the Chicago area I’m sure since most of them are already well indoctrinated with socialist type values.
He is also a local insurance agent which gives him plenty of time to pursue outside interests since he really doesn’t answer to anybody on a day-to-day basis. He has already been anointed by the local millennial power structure as an “up and comer.” He has a bio you can read on his business website by googling his name and following it with “of Bloomington, I’ll.” You soon find out he is more than happy to tell you about himself and everything he’s done.
Boyd is currently the chairman of the Planning Commission (political appointment) and was recently reappointed for a 3-year term.
He managed both Renner campaigns.
This entire community is an absolute joke. Counting the days to my kids’ high school graduation.
I’m here at least through kids’ college. Hoping and praying that things will turn around before then, but worst case I’ll at least have plenty of time to research out-of-state alternatives…
Typical government – Free Rides is a more-harm-than-good solution to a problem-they-created-in-the-first-place.
As Ronin alludes to above, free rides will make buses into mobile homeless shelters, which will Discourage ridership.
I happened to read an article recently looking into why public transit works where and why. The biggest factor is obviously ridership, and the biggest factor with that is convenience. Back when my work commute warranted it, I looked into taking the bus, and I wouldn’t have done so even if They paid Me – taking the bus more than tripled my commute time, even if the half-mile-or-more-a-day walk might have been a nice weight loss bonus.
If CT is ever going to be successful, it needs a complete overhaul to become a Public Service for likely riders rather than a Public Trough for the politically connected. The next few elections will decide…
No joke Karl, why don’t you run for mayor? Renner can be beat easier than he thinks. Easy peasy.
He lives in Normal.
Thank you for the vote of confidence!
I did run for Normal town council, and I’m told I would have succeeded if I had just decided early enough to have gotten my name on the ballot instead of being a write-in. Thinking about running again, or more than happy to help out good candidates on either side of Division.
When the time comes, please help out good candidates with a little time or money or both – it makes more difference than you think.
When everyone on the Connect Transit board decides to ditch their car and take the bus as their main mode of transportation in Bloomington and Normal, then maybe I’ll warm up to the idea of a transit center in downtown Bloomington.
When the two city managers who sit on the Connect Board decide to give up their car allowance paid for them compliments of the taxpayers and take the bus to get to wherever their car allowance is supposed to take them, then maybe I’ll think about riding the bus with them.
When Justin Boyd stops making a living selling, of all things, car insurance, then maybe this board might have some credibility.
But, until then I think whatever decisions the Connect Transit board make are seriously laking any credibility and represent a misguided government program run amuck that does nothing more than suck tax dollars at every level, federal, state and local.
By the way, anyone notice how the Pantycrap has disbanded comments on the story about Tari and the Connect Board? They did the same thing for the Alderman changing to Alderperson, or whatever their new name is.
When the time comes Karl you can count on me for some dough.
The buses I see are always empty or 1 person.. Do they have real numbers posted online somewhere or requirements to meet to have a transit bus system? I’m from a small town & it didn’t have any bus service. I guess people got around somehow if they didn’t drive.
Nobody cares until the money runs out!
That will be fun to watch. The local lefties are already turning on each other. Pass the popcorn, please.
This just shows the citizens that Tari and Koos want only one thing from they masses. MONEY! Shut up , sit down and give us your money. You all know that phrase “FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE” That’s Tari’s and Koos’s mantra. Hey, I just gave them their new slogans for BLONO!
IN the future these boards will be replaced with aritificial intelligence. But wait,,,I repeat myself.
During the cold and flu season where do you want to be? Using public transportation where people are coughing and sneezing and not washing their hands? Or in the comfort of your own non-contaminated automobile?
Connect Transit is a crony organization that exists to create and employ friends of government. The only reason for the proposed transfer station is to create jobs for the local unions. Members of both groups support and donate heavily to Renner and his political allies. That’s it, plain and simple.
Wonder if Amelia will get her transit station & library combo anyway.