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EMTA director let go

The board of the EMTA voted to not renew the contract of executive director Dennis Solensky. The Board said the decision was not related to the controversial change of bus routes in the downtown area.

News coverage of this story:

WJET/Fox66  EMTA Looking for New Executive Director

Erie Times-News EMTA leader let go

WICU/WSEE EMTA boss out

"Our View" comments on State Street changes

In the Oct. 19, 2013 "Our View" feature of the Erie Times-News, EMTA was criticized for the way it handled the June move from State Street. They mentioned that that was being considered for downtown Pittsburgh, but..."Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said that riders will be invited to give their views. Riders' voices weren't heard before Erie bus routes were changed."
You know something? If anyone had asked me, I would have been one of the few passengers who would have said I liked the idea of the change. The problem I have is this: I've never been asked anything by the EMTA, and that makes me a very typical passenger.

Anyway, here is the whole item from the paper...

Buses change course:
We criticized the way the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority, at the urging of Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott, moved buses off State Street and onto Peach and French streets from 10th Street to Perry Square. The change, effective June 8, caught riders by surprise and raised concerns about accessibility for riders with handicaps. We still wonder how riders will fare when days get shorter and winter comes.
Now the Port Authority of Allegheny County has a plan to remove buses from the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, according to an Oct. 4 story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The process of changing bus routes began in 2010, the story said, and an advisory group of government and business leaders is working on the next phase. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said that riders will be invited to give their views. Riders' voices weren't heard before Erie bus routes were changed.

Out of town bus updates ~ Good news!

GREYHOUND
Greyhound has announced it will expand its express service to Erie Oct 31.  
• Cleveland – Erie – Buffalo 

MEGABUS
A lady who travels between Erie and Buffalo sometimes uses Megabus -- she said the best way to save is when you buy well in advance of your trip, that that is where the savings are.  I typed in an inquiry for leaving two weeks from now and prices started at $1, $9, etc.... when I did an inquiry for leaving two days from now, the prices started at $28.

Check out the fall foliage

If you want to check out the fall foliage, consider taking one of the county buses for a round tip.
You will want to check the fares over carefully, because they are all different.

County schedule (includes schedules for Albion, Corry,  Harborcreek and Edinboro. If you want a hard copy pick one up rather than printing it out at home, as the home printer version will come out ridiculously small and next-to-unusable.
Mercyhurst North East (Route 11) This is a "college" route but is used by community members as well.

Suggestion: 9th & Peach stop should explain changed bus routes

The 9th & Peach stop (Avalon hotel) needs to be a place that provides good, easy to understand explanations of the change. And a big, easy to read map that shows the "change" area would be part of that.

 

I've been on the bus many times at 9th & Peach  to see that there is still a big need for a lot of explanation. For people who are new to Erie, who haven't used the EMTA for awhile, for people who may have some confusion issues, or otherwise need to know about "the change," suddenly turning north on 9th and Peach can be disorienting and sometimes even startling.

 

This is where they realize something has changed. Yet what greets them there? A blank wall.

 

A driver may or may not have the patience to completely explain the changes to each confused passenger. Other passengers might try to explain the changes, but sometimes the information is bad or not well-explained.

 

Adding to that confusion is that there are still trolley cars on State street, so it may give some the impression that there is still bus service on State. They may not realize that buses are doing one thing and trolleys are doing something else.

 

So, how about a really good information panel that is welcoming and patient and easy for the confused passenger.

 

This is what greets the newcomer as the bus leaves them off on 9th & Peach. A blank wall with nothing explaining the changes:

 

 

Stroller rule enforced

Glad to see the "e" is finally enforcing the rule that strollers need to be folded.
Unfortunately, things had really gotten out of hand with the number of strollers in the aisles sometimes completely blocking it. I wrote about this subject last year.
A "papoose" sling carrier might make it easier to keep the little one close while stroller is folded.
Lightweight strollers can make travelling with strollers a lot easier. Years ago, that's what a stroller was, but apparently parents are applying the SUV attitude to strollers as well.
Check out this article on lightweight strollers and this one.
Here's an article from another community that takes a more in-depth look at strollers on busses.

 

 

Photo from http://www.babyktan.com/ 

Stuff ~ 5/10/2013

by Deb Spilko
The lady at the 7th & State bus stop had  dignified and neat appearance. Not a wrinkle on her raincoat, nor a hair out of place. As she waited for the bus, she nibbled delicately on her sandwich, cradled in a tidy bouquet fashioned from wrapper and napkins.
When her bus pulled up, it seemed to catch her by surprise. Her eyes got wide and she let out a "WHOOP!" flailed around not sure what to do with the napkins and remainder of her sandwich, finally deciding to bunch them up shove them under one of the nearby bushes and hightail it towards the bus.
Whoop!
~~~
The M3 pulled up and I found an empty seat. A 70-ish guy decided to sit next to me and gab away. He was pleasant enough but I wasn't in the mood. I pulled out my phone. I was only deleting messages, but I needed it to get some privacy. He looked around the bus and made the startling observation, "Everybody got a phone these days. Yep. Everybody got a phone."
~~~
At St. George's the driver ordered everyone off the bus. "Fire alarm," he said. Some passengers were indignant. "I didn't smell nothing," said one. Others insisted they didn't hear anything. One woman immediately got on her cell and found someone at home with whom she could bitch a blue streak about this inconvenience. "I fuckin hate this!" she said, "Just fuckin' hate it!" Didn't seem like there was any real problem, but they have their procedures. At least it was nice out.
~~~
I was lucky because this happened right in front of where my errand was. I took care of business, and, twenty minutes later, I came back out, and found the passengers still waiting. I went to cross the street, and the pleasant, gabby gentleman who sat with me on the way up pushed the light for me to cross. The girl with the potty mouth was nearby, and still cussing, though on another subject. "I fuckin' hate people, she said. "Just fuckin' hate them." The gentleman smiled at me, "Everybody got a phone," he noted again.
"Yeah," I said, crossing the street, "It's a wondrous thing."























copyright 2013 Deb Spilko

Because I'm too ignorant to care if you have gum and crap on your pants when you go for your job interview

Seriously...Who does this?

Check out the Old Time Erie blog

The Old Time Erie blog has some great old photos and clips... check out this photo of an Erie Coach Company bus in front of the Federal Courthouse in 1945.
The buses replaced the trolleys, and in the 1960s the Erie Coach Company became the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA).
Also at Old Time Erie, check out Erie Public Transit History 1867 to 1967 Erie PA ... horses, trains, trolleys, buses. It's fairly short and very interesting.
Lots of other old items on that blog as well.