See two stories added at the bottom.
By: Diane Benjamin
There was no March Connect Transit meeting, so stats aren’t available for February. Reports showing revenue and expenses for the month weren’t issued either.
This statement is on their website: https://www.connect-transit.com/news
I FOIA’d ridership for 2 weeks. The numbers show this happening on a few routes, the negative numbers show the increased ridership for the week:
This statement was included in one of the FOIA’s:
PDF page 22 – https://www.connect-transit.com/documents/Februrary%202020%20CT%20Board%20Packet%20V2.pdf
In January 2020 Connect reported 212,194 riders. Being off up to 5% means being off up to 10,610 riders.
Either riders pay to ride or they scan a card. How is that possible?
Below is one more chart to estimate how much ridership has decreased. The first three columns are actual numbers received by FOIA. Doubling those numbers estimate ridership for March. Comparing those totals to actual January ridership shows a decrease of well over 50%.
ISU announced extending spring break on March 11. Connect reduced routes starting 3/25: https://www.connect-transit.com/news/reduced routess
Since Connect Transit suspended fares until April 14th, how are riders being counted? Maybe they aren’t? If reports are ever issued – they will tell that story.
At least one city in California has shut down transit: https://abc7.com/city-of-carson-suspended-transit-service-prevent-spread-covid-19/6071422/
A city in Indiana has switched to call in service only: https://www.washtimesherald.com/news/city-transit-moves-to-call-in-service-only-starting-monday/article_275230aa-74eb-11ea-8489-db605107b9f3.html
Noted the Pantagraph article about limiting the number of riders to 10.
My question is where they will find the extra riders?
I just added two links to the bottom of the story.
My question here is: Will the Pantagraph be able to survive this economic shutdown? I believe that many papers around the country will not survive it.
Maybe Renner and Koos can come up with some public money to help them out? It would be a tragic blow to both cities’ narratives if the primary propaganda outlet for both cities was gone.
I still don’t understand why Connect will not give the number of trips they provide. Their numbers are meaningless when they count transferring to another bus as an additional ride. I.e. someone may have to transfer twice to get to work meaning they touch 3 buses, and the same on the way home. Connect counts this as 6 rides, when normal logic would say it is 2 rides.
Connect does not get any additional money from the government for inflating ridership numbers. It just inflates numbers to inflate egos and makes it way less transparent to see how our money is being spent.
Maybe trying to say empty buses aren’t empty?
It has been done on purpose for years to inflate numbers. The local social engineers wet dream has been to get you out of your personal automobiles in order to limit your personal freedom. They always thought that by selling the made-up government numbers would convince you and I to park your car in favor of public transit, bicycles, and walking like social Democratic countries in Europe. In their mind, you are too stupid to make rational decisions for yourself and need elitists to tell you what to do. They also see public transit as ecological decision to save the planet. I worked among them. They are selfish egotists that have nothing better to do because they have no interest in raising a family or no diversions. Their leftist politics are the only reason they can get up in the morning.
Correct on every point. I’m so glad someone else gets it.
I have witnessed Mike McCurdy and the Connect board make disabled and lower income public commenters literally break down and cry. They were begging for service over giving more frequent service to ISU. That board, except for Bowman, cares nothing for anyone outside of State Farm and ISU.