Riders want better service from RTA
By Jeff Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published Dec. 14, 2005

Al Phillips tells RTA officials that riders expect good service. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

Bus riders want the Regional Transit Authority to get out of reverse and move forward in providing better service to area residents.

About 50 citizens sent that message Dec. 8 to a group of RTA officials led by General Manager Joe Calabrese at a public meeting at North Olmsted City Hall. City officials set up the meeting with RTA officials after many residents complained about different aspects of the bus service having gotten worse since this spring when RTA took over services previously provided by the North Olmsted Municipal Bus Line.

A variety of public and private citizens spoke at the meeting with many of the complaints fielded by the RTA officials centering on buses being late, with some not showing at all. Others spoke about some drivers -- including many substitute drivers -- not knowing where to go on different routes through the area. Some spoke about how many of the buses are dirty. Some speakers also expressed concern about safety issues for riders and drivers on buses. Several former NOMBL drivers also spoke, saying some of the training is inadequate for new drivers handling some of the former city bus line's routes.

Calabrese acknowledged there have been some problems, but indicated RTA has already taken some steps to deal with them while also saying the improvements will continue.

"We will get better," Calabrese said. He also said the system will follow through on getting additional parking for Park-N-Ride commuters from North Olmsted until the Great Northern Lot addition is completed.

Doug Sebring, assistant superintendent for the North Olmsted City Schools, said when he checked with officials at the city schools served by RTA, the timeliness of the buses seemed to be the major problem. He said the administrators and parents have concerns about the pickup of the students at the bus stops and about students being left out late or not being able to find rides if a bus did not show. Some residents also expressed concern about the students and other riders being left out in the cold during winter months

School board member John Lasko said the RTA drivers and staff have to be aware that they are transporting children.

"These may be high school students, but they are still children and they are vitally important to us," Lasko said.

North Olmsted resident Al Phillips said he has been on buses for many years and along with other speakers noted that NOMBL had provided a high level of service to North Olmsted and the rest of the Westshore communities that bus line served. He said because of that, the riders are expecting RTA drivers and staff to provide comparable service.

Some of the speakers said the regular drivers are good, but noted that problems come about with some of the substitute drivers.

"Our regular driver is great, but when he's out after Thursday we have problems," one woman said.

Some former NOMBL drivers now working RTA routes said there are some training and other issues on the buses.

One said that the training hadn't been enough for them when they had to go to new routes when RTA drivers with more seniority took the North Olmsted and Triskett bus garage routes. Both a driver and a resident cited some problems with maps provided to the drivers. The resident said a driver who didn't know where to go showed the resident his map when the resident tried to tell the driver where to drive to be on the proper route. Others indicated that some of the drivers feared repercussions if they deviated from the map routes.

One of the former NOMBL drivers also said that the scheduled times on the routes might cause some of the problems. He said sometimes drivers might have to either drive faster or slower to try and stay on the posted schedule. He said the times also don't always allow for the driver to be able to go to the bathroom.

Calabrese said RTA has provided training for new drivers on routes and will continue to do so, including having some former NOMBL drivers go with the new drivers to show them the right way. He also said the all the drivers' maps are supposed to have been corrected but said they would check into that.

Another woman asked why RTA could not have phased in new drivers on the former NOMBL routes gradually over one or two years instead of after just a few months. Calabrese explained that because of the contract with the driver's union, RTA waited as long as it could before allowing the NOMBL routes to go to other drivers. He said the union actually showed some flexibility in waiting as long as it did on the route changes.

North Olmsted resident Cindy McGinty, who has communicated regularly with Calabrese, indicated the various problems are frustrating to longtime bus riders.

One of the frustrations voiced by citizens and drivers were buses which had urine and trash left on them, causing unhealthy conditions for passengers and drivers. Others spoke about unruly school children on bus routes, with one woman noting she had sustained a black eye and bruises when pelted by snowballs while another complained of having soda poured on her.

Paul Barker, Ward 2 councilman in North Olmsted, noted that many citizens are like his wife, who relied on the bus system for years to get to work.

"I could count on one hand the number of times I worried about her because she was late getting home when NOMBL had the routes," he said. "People expect to get to and from work in a timely fashion."

Other people complained of sending e-mails to RTA and not getting a response. Calabrese said officials do try to respond, including himself, but said he would have the system checked.