Thank you for putting the transit system on the table. It needs a lot of work if we're to truly develop as a city.
Widening the roads is unnecessary. More buses per route is the solution.
Having spent the last several years relying heavily on Tulsa Transit, my impression is that an additional two buses per route, (not just the 105), would help immensely.
If you take a trip which requires one bus, plan for a minimum of 30 minutes transit time, including time waiting at the stop.
If your trip requires two buses, a minimum of 2 hours (each way) should be planned for, including time waiting at stops.
The reason for this is that most buses come along once every forty minutes to an hour. Get that down to once every ten to twelve minutes and ridership will increase.
But this isn't the way TT works. An example: the 471 is the 71st street bus. It used to come along about every 50 minutes. As a result it wasn't particularly useful so folks found other ways to get around. The schedule was changed. The 471 came by once every 70 to 90 minutes - "because of low ridership" according to the TT signage at the time.
This is the same thing as opening a store for only one hour a day, at 7am, say, and then when the customers don't show up the owner makes a decision to only be open for fifteen minutes at 7am. Pretty bad planning, there. Almost as if they want the service to have to go away.
Additional buses need to be placed on each route. An up-front investment, yes, but one which would pay off in increased ridership. Until that happens I am skeptical of the seriousness of Tulsa's attempts to change things.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing. No refunds are issued. Back issues are available for $10/copy.
We accept Visa, M/C, checks and money orders. Call to charge by phone 918-592-5550. Enter your contact information in the form below and we will contact you.
If ordering by mail, make checks and money orders payable to Urban Tulsa Weekly. Send your payment along with your complete postal delivery address to Urban Tulsa Weekly, Attn: Samantha, PO Box 50499, Tulsa, OK 74150
Address:
Address2:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Email:
Phone:
Comments:
Urban Tulsa Weekly
1924 E. 6th St.
Tulsa OK 74104
Phone: (918) 592-5550
Fax: (918) 592-5970
e-mail: Subscriptions
COMMENTS
Re: A Defining Moment
2 comments total
Sort Comments: Most Recent | Oldest First
Re: A Defining Moment
Re: A Defining Moment
Widening the roads is unnecessary. More buses per route is the solution.
Having spent the last several years relying heavily on Tulsa Transit, my impression is that an additional two buses per route, (not just the 105), would help immensely.
If you take a trip which requires one bus, plan for a minimum of 30 minutes transit time, including time waiting at the stop.
If your trip requires two buses, a minimum of 2 hours (each way) should be planned for, including time waiting at stops.
The reason for this is that most buses come along once every forty minutes to an hour. Get that down to once every ten to twelve minutes and ridership will increase.
But this isn't the way TT works. An example: the 471 is the 71st street bus. It used to come along about every 50 minutes. As a result it wasn't particularly useful so folks found other ways to get around. The schedule was changed. The 471 came by once every 70 to 90 minutes - "because of low ridership" according to the TT signage at the time.
This is the same thing as opening a store for only one hour a day, at 7am, say, and then when the customers don't show up the owner makes a decision to only be open for fifteen minutes at 7am. Pretty bad planning, there. Almost as if they want the service to have to go away.
Additional buses need to be placed on each route. An up-front investment, yes, but one which would pay off in increased ridership. Until that happens I am skeptical of the seriousness of Tulsa's attempts to change things.