Shelter leak fixed with no drama

This past fall I noticed that the shelter across from the ball park had a leak, where the roof had been damaged.
 Someone had duct taped it, but the tape was worn out and torn out.
On October 1, I contacted Meaghan at EMTA and she passed it along to maintenance department to check it out, and they fixed it pretty quickly.
If you see a leak or other issue in a shelter, you can contact her at 814-459-8922 x122
mcousins@ride-the-e.com
Suggestions

• Company can post a notice somewhere in each shelter of where to contact to let the company know about an issue with a shelter.
• Would be preferable to have sealant match the roof color

BEFORE

AFTER

New shelter a big improvement

New shelter on 10th & Parade is big improvement.

• “Watch-window” is kept clear so that riders can watch for bus. (very important in helping riders be ready for bus when it arrives, and this helps drivers keep to schedule.
• Schedules and other info are kept on the back and sides so they don’t interfere with bus-watching.
• Large ramp from street with gentle slope.
• Area for mobility device to wait.
• Dedicated announcement panel, which hopefully means no more festooning bus stops with announcements and info.
• Announcemement panel is translucent.
• Bright green and blue colors go well with the minipark that the Benedictine sisters maintain on that corner, and make the stop more attractive as well as being more visible.

A couple concerns:

• Front of shelter is wide open, which leaves riders more exposed to adverse weather. Maybe the open front has a purpose (crime and loitering deterrent?), just wondering.
• If they are considering color scheme for all stops, it might be worth consulting with businesses right near it who might find it overpowering their own schemes. Those bright colors work nicely on that corner and at 18th & State, but maybe not so much in other places.

Also worth noting is that there are two other places to sit... a bench on the corner, and a rock bench in the mini-park.
I am told the new shelter was installed to replace one that had been hit by a vehicle.
Before I learned this, I had asked the Benedictine Sisters if they were involved with the installation. Sister Pat Lupo OSB has given me permission to reprint her response:

The Neighborhood Art House Green Team has adopted the lot at the corner of 10th & Parade. We did not have anything to do with the new bus shelter itself, as far as I know that was routine maintenance by EMTA. The property is owned by the City of Erie Redevelopment Authority. We have planted 3 trees and prune all the trees occasionally with the City Arborist Sarah Galloway. We take care of the flower beds, we weed, plant new flowers and mulch them; we occasionally enlarge them. We try to maintain the path that cuts through the property. We also cut the grass when the City lets it get too long.
The Green Team would like to have trash cans at this Bus shelter and the one at 10th and Holland. We also care for the 7 trees in that block between Holland and French Sts  (Pat Lupo, OSB via email 10/10/2017)

~~~

Also worth noting is that there are two other places to sit... a bench on the corner, and a rock bench in the mini-park. 

Candidates debate transportation issues on CATV

Erie's cable access channel CATV  is now airing the candidates debate hosted by All Aboard Erie and BikeErie.
The first airing was Saturday, but here are future dates.
They are  now on Spectrum Cable channel 1021.
They also stream the show from their website as it airs. http://catverie.org/watch-us/

The forum also includes All Aboard Erie's membership meeting. I don't know which comes first.

This information copied and pasted from CATV website:

Show Detail: 2017 All Aboard Erie and Bike Erie sponsored Candidates' Forum

ShowID	6808
Event Date:	10/12/2017
Length:	01:12:30
Category:	Educational
Producer	West, William
First Run Date:	10/13/17
Disposition:	MP
Schedule Information:	10/17/2017 at 9:00 AM 10/20/2017 at 7:00 PM 10/24/2017 at 9:00 AM 10/27/2017 at 7:00 PM

Click to enlarge

 

A ride on the Route 14 - Edinboro

I had some things to do in Edinboro on Tuesday  so I took the Route 14.
I hadn't taken the Edinboro bus since the early 1980s, and found that the route was pretty much the same. 
I thought I would share a little of my trip, especially for those who are thinking about using that route.

It arrived on time at 10th & French. They used the smaller, newer CNG bus.
~~~
I was hoping to see some foliage on the way down but oh my gosh, thick fog most of the way! The fog lifted about 10:30am and I was able to enjoy some great small town fall color.
~~~
SHELTERS/BENCHES To the best of my knowledge, in Edinboro there is only one bus shelter for Route14 and that is in front of the student center (on campus). I didnt see any EMTA benches... if anyone knows of something I missed, put it in comments below. People who have some trouble standing would appreciate knowing where they might be able to wait while seated, and everyone likes to know how to get out of the bad weather.
~~~
TIMING On the way back, I learned how tight the schedule was from Mall to downtown. The one I took leaves Mall at 2:03, get to downtown at 2:15... seems a little unrealistic. You have your Peach Street traffic, plus people who are waiting for the inbound Route 3 know they can catch the 14 into town... both of these will slow down the 14.
~~~
THERE ARE TWO EDINBORO ROUTES. Route 14 is the Erie-Edinboro route that serves all. The Edinboro Express, however, is a campus shuttle sponsored by Edinboro's student government.
~~~

MORE DETAILS PLEASE The service schedule could benefit from a little more detail. Although I'm very familiar with Edinboro, I was a little confused about where to wait for the trip back, and where the bus went. There are a few signs here and there, and I didnt realize it, but you can catch the Route 14 on any corner, just like in the Erie. You just have to figure out which way the bus is coming from.
Presently the Route 14 schedule features a route map that shows the span of the route, which is roughly 20 miles. If you want to see what the bus does once it gets to Edinboro, you just see a little bean-sized thing at the bottom of the map, with a big old number 7 plopped on top of it. This lack of detail appears to be an issue on all the county maps, and the odd thing is, all county maps have all kinds of unused space where you could fit a detailed map and a description of what the bus does, where it turns, etc. written in Basic English. I'm not suggesting getting rid of the long map, just include a detailed one too, please.
~~~
Also I took some photos. Click if you want to enlarge.

UPDATE: This post was updated and edited on October 12, 2017. 

Ken got on in McKean. I recognized  him from the EMTA Riders Discussion group, so I introduced myself, and we chatted. He was going shopping in Edinboro.

The shelter in front of the student center

Mallory Lake

Some residents of Mallory Lake

Mallory Lake

Mike Onda Beach at Edinboro Lake

Entrance to Edinboro Cemetary

Edinboro Cemetery

Edinboro Lake

There's a bench at Flip, and the place comes recommended for tasty cheap eats.

Opaque window ads: proceed carefully

Opaque ad at 11th & Liberty

Oh please let's not do this.
I do understand about the need for advertising ... it can be an important source of revenue for a transit company. And may be even more important if the state legislature decides to cut funding for mass transit.
And EMTA certainly has acres and acres of unused bus and shelter surface that can be used for revenue-generating ads.
But please let's not put it in places where riders need to see out.
People making decisions about where to put signage need to gain some understanding of what passengers do with their eyes. For instance, everyone waiting for a bus watches to see if it's coming. Even the guy who is too cool to look like a bus person sneaks a few peaks in that direction.
If you need me to explain why it's good that they do this, let me know.
Apparently though, somebody does not understand why it's a problem if you can't see in that direction.
I get that you want the ad to be close to traffic, so more people see it, but then you need to use see-through vinyl, not opaque. If the advertising customer insists on opaque, it should either be toward the back of or on top of the window.
And as for opaque ads on bus windows...A few years ago, the bus company tried opaque signage on some bus windows. That was a total disaster, and it didn't last long. It made the bus dark, people couldn't see where they were, and some were getting queasy. It was removed, and I am guessing that it ended up actually costing them money to have it removed and then re-done. Hope they don't try this.
Seriously, there are a couple reasons this opaque thing could end up costing money. First, if it bugs riders enough that the company ends up removing and/or redoing them. And second, one can easily imagine the ads blocking vision becoming targets of vandalism... which again, would cut into the revenue aspect of it.

Beware of Flood Cars

At any given time, a certain number of bus riders are looking around for an affordable vehicle.
Be aware that right now a huge wave of flood damaged cars is hitting the market. How to know what to look for:

• CARFAX has a page that lets you look up the background of a vehicle and raises awareness of what can happen when a car has been flooded. 
• There is also a helpful list on the Pennsylvania Insurance Department Facebook page. 

A ride on the Presque Isle Express shuttle

I finally tried the free EMTA shuttle service around Presque Isle. 
It was a pleasant trip. I was the only one on the ride out, and of course that was great for me ;)
They use a CNG gas bus that is smaller and quiet. The one I was on was one of newer buses that some call “blue buses.” 
The seats are hard plastic, which is a lot easier to keep clean and sand-free. 
A broom was kept by the door, probably to keep up with the sand. 
Driver was pleasant and helpful. And the bus was on time. 
Recorded announcements were made at various points, announcing the various beaches and other spots of interest. Not that many to be annoying, and this would be especially helpful for people who are not familiar with this seven-mile long park. 
The bus went all the way around the park, stopping shortly at Beach 11, which is near the eastern tip of the park. From there it turns around and heads back. I got off in the Waterworks/Cookhouse/Beach 7 area to relax and take some photos. 
I regret not using it earlier in the season. The trip, though relatively short, was quite enjoyable.
I do have a few suggestions and thoughts.

• Park bus stops should have a printed schedule on them. The ones I saw omitted good old reliable print but included stop ID text info and QR barcode. There's nothing wrong with having those things, though since reception on the park is iffy, this seems a questionable first and second choice.  Also, plenty of people still can’t or don't feel comfortable doing that “that other stuff” with phones.
• Passengers should be made aware that there are reception problems at the park, so that they can prepare accordingly. 
• Print schedules for that route should be provided on the bus itself. Although I understand they were there at the beginning of the season, there weren’t any available on the day I took the shuttle. There was one taped to the wall.
• I would like to have known where the other stops were. I got off at a popular location and took note of where the stop was. But I was really in the mood for a walk, and decided against it when I realized I didn’t know where I would find the next stop. This could be a little distressing especially for those unfamiliar with the park or who got off in one of the more remote areas.
• Pocket park map on shuttle would be nice, as it offers a fuller understanding of the park. It is a pleasantry, yes, but also people venturing into the remote areas might be encouraged to take a map with them so they don’t become disoriented and panic, especially if they realize they can't call or they miss the last bus out.
• The many businesses in and around the shuttle area might be a source of targeted advertising. Places like restaurants and stores might find it appealing to advertise to people who will be right in their locale when they come back from the shuttle.
• Feedback and suggestions from riders—those who used the shuttle, and those who meant to but couldn’t or didn’t should be emcouraged.. I would suggest an online space where people could make suggestions, comments, observations, etc. Yes, they will get comments that are less than helpful and sometimes obnoxious, but that shouldn’t prevent the effort to find out what people think. Also, sending out the appeal beyond the Facebook followers and people who normally use the bus would probably yield some different outlooks.
• Lately there has been increased concern about the human congestion on the peninsula, and bus service there needs to connect with that concern and those who have expressed it. 

Look at all that white space! What could we put there?

Easy to clean seats for sandy passengers

Bus stops at Waterworks/Cookhouse area by Pedestrian X-ing

x

Fares going up, still lower than many across state.

EMTA is raising its basic cash fare to $1.55 in October.
Although nobody likes to pay more, it still compares well against other fares across the Commonwealth.
For comparison, here are the basic fares for some similarly-sized communities. I have left the link for the fare page, in case you want to look further.

• Allentown...$2.00    http://www.lantabus.com/fares/
• Harrisburg... $1.75    https://www.cattransit.com/fares/fixed-route/
• Reading... $1.70    http://www.bartabus.com/bus-services/fares
• Scranton... $1.75    http://coltsbus.com  

Also "List of  public transit authorities in Pennsylvania" if you want to check other PA transit
systems: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_public_transit_authorities_in_Pennsylvania 

Why doesn't EMTA use email for announcements?

I recently made another request to EMTA to consider using email for making their important announcements.

I guess I just don’t understand why they don’t already have it.

Email’s been around in its current form since the 1990s, most people know how to use it or have access to it. You don’t meed a smartphone—though you can receive it on one. If you don’t have access at home you can have a family member receive the messages or use the free computers at one of the libraries. 

Riders, drivers, parents, caretakers… if we had "E"mail we’d all learn about the changes at the same time and with sufficient notice.

We'd also pretty much be guaranteed the possibility of actually seeing the message. Which is more than I can say for signs or Facebook posts.

~~~

Don't get me wrong. Facebook and sign postings are all well and good. 

And to be sure, over the past couple years, the EMTA Facebook page has really improved. And they are pretty good about getting the important stuff posted on there. But FB doesn’t deliver all messages (check here for an explanation of why that is). You can choose a setting that tells Facebook to always deliver posts from a certain page or a certain person, but it will be competing with the torrent of other posts in your news feed… the baby pics, the memes, cat videos, the status updates, the game invitations and so on.

If your email account is in good functioning order, you should receive all your emails. If you aren’t getting your emails reliably, the problem is with your account, not email per se. Also, you can receive those messages on your phone if you prefer that.

About signs. The first problem is they haven’t been all that good, though that seems to be improving. They aren’t generally very conspicuous, and they aren’t everywhere, often aren’t well-placed

And if you’re not on the bus or in the shelter when they put the sign up you’re not going to get the message.  

Also, sometimes, you might not notice a sign.

Recently, there was some street construction downtown, and buses were not stopping in those affected areas. Signs in the shelters instructed people on where to wait during the construction… and yet there were still some people waiting at those unserved shelters. Why would this be?
Actually, any number of reasons. For one thing, there’s a lot of signage in the shelters already, so another sign isnt always noticeable, and believe it or not, passengers do not peruse the walls of shelters looking for new postings. There are other explanations why someone might not notice the signs:: the person stressing about a life situation, the mother watching her toddler, young people distracted by their devices. A person with vision issues may not see it. A person with intellectual disabilities may not understand or notice it. A person struggling  with English may not understand what it says. And some people are just not that aware of their surroundings, for whatever reasons.

Signage is really an old, inefficient way of making announcements. It’s okay to keep doing the signs, but EMTA relies on it too much. It’s funny, because I sometimes wonder if the resistance to having an email list is that some people consider it an antique technology. And yet they rely heavily on sign postings… which is just about the oldest way to make announcements.

Email allows everybody an equal chance to get an announcement. The person struggling with English can have it translated. The person with intellectual disabilities can have their caretaker explain it to them. A person with vision issues can maybe have it adapted for legibility, or have someone read it them. The person on their device could receive it on their screen. The parent could look at the message when they don’t have to worry about their kid being so close to the street. The person with a lot on their mind could look at it at a time that might be better for attention. The busy person, the spaced out person...they all get a chance to know what's going on.

~~~

Look… Email is free, it’s accessible to everyone, it’s the easiest way to reach the most people.  And instead of me explaining why we need it, I would like to know EMTA’s reasons for not using it.