Saturday, September 19, 2009

TVM problems, particularly TRAX and MAX.

This one is about a problem that is germane to the transit industry and practically par for the course for all agencies that use TVMs for fare collection.

TRAX: There has been an apparently persistent problem at the Sandy Expo Station of the TVMs at both ends of the platform not taking fares inserted by riders, in particular we know for sure that at times the machines will not take any dollar bills. August 28th and 29th were two instances, and in talking about the next item we found that there was an additional report of trouble at the same platform since.

MAX: At 56th West on 35th South, just east of the intersection is a MAX station with a TVM. Got on one on 11 September and observed that he had to have everyone pay their fare upon boarding. What may have happened, is that the TVM had already been confirmed to malfunction, and so the driver needed to take fares. 15 people including myself got on. This problem obviously resulted in lost time for everyone taking the trip further down on the 35M Eastbound.

Again, these appear to be general but not too frequent problems, any agency will have these, due to the moving parts within the TVM to take the change or bills inserted and to print your ticket, so these things are bound to happen. Just be ready to pay fare on MAX, and to go to the other end of the platform on TRAX, although in the case of 94th South (Sandy Expo) the rider I saw who had the problem ended up not being able to pay fare until he caught the 811 at Sandy Civic Center.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Is the ATWU becoming a problem?

Is the ATWU becoming a problem while they are engaging more co-operatively with management?

That is the question after UTA cut a stop that has been used by a route in Utah County for 24 years, although it has been renumbered since 2000.

The route in question is currently known as 833, and was originally route 5 when UTA first started serving Utah County. The stop in question is on University Parkway, just below the Carterville Road overpass going east/southbound. (this road was originally called the 'BYU Diagonal' due to its NW/SE orientation to this point). This affects 833's headed for the YMount Terrace/NE BYU/MTC/Provo Temple area.

The stop has been in continuous service for that route since it was first designated as such in 1985. Now the ATWU local members claim that it is 'a problem' for them, and somehow persuaded UTA management to discontinue it for Route 833. If nothing else, traffic has actually grown in the area in terms of riders, due to many more businesses there now than in 1985, and the riders most seriously impacted will be the disabled and anyone with a load of groceries, etc., from the albertsons that is just out of view because of the business pad just behind the stop.

UTA claims that there are still two newer routes that service the area, 832 and 830. True, there's more frequent service, but the people that are left out are those needing to go quickly to Edgemont and the areas northeast of BYU that I mentioned earlier. Why should they have to lug groceries clear around through BYU then get off and cross another busy street to get on a second bus that comes less frequently (the same 833) to do their shopping? Doesn't this run counter to best practices for designing bus transit systems and bus stop locations? It may actually result in less riders in the end, instead of more.

They are going to monitor this, calls politely requesting the reinstatement of the 833 stopping there are needed, explaining the situation. I didn't mention the intersection either, but a look at the intersection of University Parkway/550 West/2230 North in Provo (also search for 'Albertsons') on Google Maps satellite abd street view will confirm the serious safety issues at hand for shoppers desiring to use 833 from this area.

Normally the ATWU serves a useful purpose for its members, but its actions of late involving holidays and now badly needed bus stops too, and maybe even in cases other larger things, have become a serious threat to UTA's ever getting to the point in its development that it wants to b e, it will only take much longer if at all to reach stated company goals in regards to ridership even with gas price spikes, economic difficulties, etc., they need to all learn the customer comes first.

And even if this is not ISO 9001-related after all, it still knocks the wind out of ISO 9001's image.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

The union 'Let's work less, get paid more, the heck with the rider'

This comes as a result of what Michael Bloomberg told the unions that are in New York this morning, and it's going to end up quite damning to UTA's chapter of the Amalgamated Transit Workers' Union.

'Your job is to come in here and get paid more and work less' (paraphrase of Michael Bloomberg's comment).

Basically, they are now asking for certain days that are not true holidays although one is designated as such but is not generally taken except for certain government workers, such as the post office, etc. That one is Presidents Day. Most UTA riders will be dead in the water that day as a result of the arrogance of both the ATWU and UTA when they drew up the contract.

The other big one that is flagrantly worse is the July 3rd day off. Not only are they taking that off, but the 4th as well. Now the 4th of July is definitely legitimate, but for some riders the combination of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th means no bus service for three whole days!

This is a serious ISO 9001 noncompliance issue, and a breach of the public trust by both UTA and the ATWU. It may violate antidiscrimination laws as they pertain to certain minorities that require the use of public transit more than other groups, and the disabled who largely relyon UTA to get around.

The 3rd is not a legal holiday, so not even holiday pay can be paid to them for that day, in fact, they cannot be paid for that day at all. The 4th is OK however.

UTA must now respond, and retract both the February 16th holiday day off and the July 3rd, 2009 holiday day off. That to ensure they remain ISO 9001-compliant in the eyes of major segments of the ridership and others in the community that are associated with UTA in one way or another.