[CDL.TO]

Transit takes a hit on Twitter: We even like the airlines more

http://news.usc.edu/75039/public-transit-is-less-popular-than-irs-on-twitter-2/

Twitter has not been kind to public transit, a recent USC study shows.

The nation’s top agencies earn more ire on the social media site than airlines, evoking as much disdain as police departments. Many systems had more angst directed at them in 140 characters than did the Internal Revenue Service.

The USC study, published in the Journal of the American Planning Association, used algorithms to analyze 64,000 comments on Twitter about public transit agencies, as well as police departments, parks and airlines.

...

Vancouver’s Translink system fared the best, followed by Portland’s TriMet and Toronto’s TTC systems, which all had more positive Twitter sentiment on average than the other transit agencies.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

TTC faring third best? I find that very, very hard to believe.

AoD

 

[nfitz]

TTC faring third best? I find that very, very hard to believe.

But it wasn't just about service, one comment was "Negative and racist comments about transit patrons are a larger part of the negative comments about transit". It shouldn't be a surprised that the US system fared worse than here in Canada, given how racist some people there are.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

But it wasn't just about service, one comment was "Negative and racist comments about transit patrons are a larger part of the negative comments about transit". It shouldn't be a surprised that the US system fared worse than here in Canada, given how racist some people there are.

About 100%* of people who use Atlanta's MARTA system are black. White people refuse to use it. So yes, racism is an issue down there.

* No, not literally 100%.

MARTA is up there on the list of most bizarre things I've experienced in my life.

 

[aquateam]

MARTA is up there on the list of most bizarre things I've experienced in my life.

This merits further elabouration.

 

[LNahid2000]

About 100%* of people who use Atlanta's MARTA system are black. White people refuse to use it. So yes, racism is an issue down there.

* No, not literally 100%.

MARTA is up there on the list of most bizarre things I've experienced in my life.

Moving Africans Rapidly Through Atlanta

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

But it wasn't just about service, one comment was "Negative and racist comments about transit patrons are a larger part of the negative comments about transit". It shouldn't be a surprised that the US system fared worse than here in Canada, given how racist some people there are.

Good point - yeah, I could see why it would have skewed the results given the class/race divide.

AoD

 

[Johnny Au]

Moving Africans Rapidly Through Atlanta

It is a nickname so common, it ended up on Wikipedia.

It is often argued that racial politics also play a role in the operation and future service planning for MARTA. Opponents of Georgia's transportation policies have alleged a race-based two-tiered system, where billions are spent by the state on highway expansion to aid the commutes of mostly White residents of the suburbs and rural areas (like GRIP), while service cuts at MARTA have hurt mostly African Americans.[SUP][35][/SUP] Proponents contest that a portion of state funding for highways comes from the gasoline tax, a user fee analogous to the fare MARTA riders pay. Supporters of MARTA have alleged that the lack of participation by other metro Atlanta counties is rooted in racism and classism.[SUP][35][/SUP][SUP][66][/SUP] In 1987, David Chesnut, then chairman of MARTA, stated, "The development of a regional transit system in the Atlanta area is being held hostage to race, and I think it's high time we admitted it and talked about it."[SUP][67][/SUP] A 1999 MARTA rider survey revealed that 78 percent of MARTA riders are African American.[SUP][3][/SUP] Furthermore, MARTA is sometimes sarcastically said to stand for "Moving Africans Rapidly Through Atlanta", a replacement backronym, due to the relatively low number of white riders, particularly after peak commuting hours.[SUP][68][/SUP][SUP][69][/SUP]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrop...rity#Effects_of_race_on_expansion_and_funding

Bolded for empahsis

 

[W. K. Lis]

Those so-called "gasoline tax" in Georgia is at 44.9¢ per U.S. gallon. Unfortunately, that tax (including our Ontario version) has not been adjusted up for inflation for decades. The funds for highways, in both places, actually comes from the state/provincial general revenue.

 

[Electrify]

The TTC refuses to expand its 10 year old 2 hour transfer "pilot program," which would greatly reduce conflicts with drivers, strengthen local economic opportunities, and make transit infinitely more appealing to those who do not ride enough to justify a monthly pass, because it would cost them $9 million they don't have. Meanwhile...

Audit finds 'unacceptable' spending practices at TTC

Toronto's auditor general is concerned about financial mismanagement of a fleet of TTC vehicles not used to transport passengers.

The so-called non-revenue fleet — not buses or streetcars — takes up $2 million in fuel expenses every year. An additional $7 million per year is spent to maintain the fleet of vehicles, even though some are rarely used.

Beverly Romeo-Beehler's audit states that sloppy and incomplete records make it impossible to track whether the millions of dollars for the non-revenue fleet are being properly spent.

The city can't track how more than 400 fuel cards are being used. More than 2,000 staff have access to the cards, which are not assigned to specific vehicles.

She said many of these same issues were raised more than a decade ago.

TTC Chair Josh Colle called the findings of the audit "unacceptable" and warned "there is more to come."

Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong, who also sits on the TTC committee, was outraged.

"Employees that have left the organization still have cards assigned to them. We have staff members going with jerry cans and half of the receipts analyzed show no proof that this gas being used for TTC business," said Minnan-Wong.

TTC CEO Andy Byford agrees there is potential the system could be abused.

"We should design systems that are smart, not reliant on human beings picking up a receipt," Byford said.

The audit shows that the TTC's non-revenue fleet can often cost more to maintain than to buy the vehicle outright. The TTC also rents 81 personal vehicles, three of which have been on the books for more than nine years.

"I can't explain why we would rent a car for that long," said Byford.

Byford says he is in year three of a five-year plan to revitalize the TTC. But he acknowledges issues like this should have been fixed a long time ago.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/audit-finds-unacceptable-spending-practices-at-ttc-1.2967594

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Now that's real wastage we can all agree on getting rid of. Honestly, gas cards with no tracking that would allow someone to show up with a can to fill up? Sounds like a potential case for fraud to me. Perhaps they can start by IDing cards issues to individuals who are no longer TTC employees and track where and how they are being used for investigation and potentially restitution.

AoD

 

[wopchop]

Not surprised. People will act like this is a government thing, but the reality is that gas/employee credit cards are always a potential major problem. I've worked at a few different private-sector companies that have had major issues with abuse of either or both.

 

[rbt]

Not surprised. People will act like this is a government thing, but the reality is that gas/employee credit cards are always a potential major problem. I've worked at a few different private-sector companies that have had major issues with abuse of either or both.

Agreed. This is definitely one time when you don't want government to act more like the private-sector.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I just wonder how many of the private-sector vehicles operators fill a jerry can when they fill those company vehicles? Of course with diesel that would not be much of a problem, unless their private home vehicles also uses diesel.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I was reading the print edition of the March, 2015 issue of Toronto Life. On page 72, they had write-up on Denzil Minnan-Wong. They printed a 10 part list on the councillor, where he shared his "10 things he can't live without".

Denzil #1?

My Car

I'm a car guy. I used to have a Porsche 928 S4 and a BMW 328. Those days are gone (I'm a family man now), but I love driving alone in my Subaru Forester. I come into the city from North York every morning and watch the sun glint off the towers.

This from a Toronto Transit Commission commissioner? Doesn't use public transit. According to him, it seems, North York is not part of the city of Toronto.

We need commissioners who sit on the TTC board to actually use the TTC. That should be a prerequisite. I wonder about the other current members. See link.