[tabi] Re: Fw: City of Tallahassee News Release - StarMetro Listening and Making Additional Changes Effective August 1
- From: "Lynn Evans" <evans-lynn@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:50:48 -0400
With three more routes going directly to the plaza, that makes a total of six.
There is a total of 12. That means half the routes will go into the plaza.
We are wearing Star Metro down. Only six more routes to go. big grin.
----- Original Message -----
From: Adam Gaffney
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 4:53 PM
Subject: [tabi] Fw: City of Tallahassee News Release - StarMetro Listening
and Making Additional Changes Effective August 1
FYI, there are a few changes coming to the Star metro bus system and I wanted
to pass it along.
----- Original Message -----
From: City of Tallahassee
To: gaffney@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 4:44 PM
Subject: City of Tallahassee News Release - StarMetro Listening and Making
Additional Changes Effective August 1
StarMetro Listening and Making Additional Changes Effective August 1
July 27, 2011
StarMetro today announced that effective, Monday, August 1, there will
be a number of changes to its new route system to accommodate the estimated 12
percent increase in riders and to address concerns shared by customers. In
addition, StarMetro will implement a "Five or Free" program from August 1-12,
wherein if a bus arrives at a stop more than five minutes late, customers
waiting to catch the bus can request a free ride coupon from the bus driver.
The changes primarily involve adjustments to the frequency of buses on
select routes and slight route changes for efficiency and customer convenience,
such as having the new routes on Tennessee Street entering C.K. Steele Plaza
due to the number of transfers in that area and adjusting the Big Bend Route to
access a popular shopping area on South Monroe Street.
"From the first day we launched the new system, we've seen a strong
increase in ridership. While we are delighted with new riders, the higher
demand has resulted in some problems, such as buses not always arriving on
time, which meant our customers would sometimes miss their connections," said
Ron Garrison, executive director of StarMetro. "Accordingly, the changes we are
implementing should help address on time arrivals, and we're making a
commitment that if the bus is late, we'll try to help make it up to you with a
free ride coupon!" Garrison added that the route adjustments will impact
StarStop arrival times on some routes and that work is underway to make sure
customers are aware of the changes.
The new route changes will be posted on Talgov.com/starmetro on Sunday,
July 31, by 6 p.m., and fliers are being distributed to customers on all
impacted routes to alert them to the new schedules / route adjustments.
Since the launch of the new decentralized system on July 11, StarMetro
staff has received input from customers via emails, phone calls and social
networking outlets on the operation of the new system. This customer input has
ranged from compliments on the effectiveness of the new system to concerns,
suggestions and ideas on how to improve. With these customer suggestions, as
well as suggestions from coach operators and StarMetro Ambassadors who rode
buses the first week to assist customers, staff were able to identify some
immediate changes to improve service, along with other enhancements including
additional shelters and expediting sidewalk installation.
StarMetro will implement the following changes on Monday, August 1.
a.. Azalea and Canopy Routes -- The Azalea route will run every 40
minutes, all day, and will enter C.K. Steele Plaza on both the eastbound and
westbound trip. The Canopy route will run every 20 minutes, all day, and will
enter C.K. Steele Plaza on both the eastbound and westbound trips. This change
will result in a bus arriving at least every 20 minutes along Tennessee St.
between Appleyard Dr. and Magnolia Dr.
b.. Big Bend -- Northbound trips will be rerouted to turn right on
South Adams St., right on Orange Ave., left on South Monroe St., right on
Perkins St., left on Gadsden St., then resume the route. In addition, the route
will enter C.K. Steele Plaza on both the northbound and southbound trips.
c.. Dogwood - Buses will run every 35 minutes during the peak period
and every 50 minutes during off peak periods. Additionally, north end service
will end at the Wal-Mart on Thomasville Road. The south end will be rerouted to
travel south on Bronough St. once leaving C.K. Steele Plaza, turn right onto
Palmer Ave., right on S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., left on Gamble St., then
onto Lake Bradford Rd. where the route will resume.
d.. Evergreen -- Buses will run every 40 minutes all day, Monday
through Saturday.
e.. Gulf -- Buses will run every 35 minutes during the peak period
and every 50 minutes during the off-peak period.
f.. Moss -- Service will begin earlier, at 5:40 a.m., for both
northbound and southbound buses from Gaines St./Railroad Ave.
g.. San Luis -- Buses will run 50 minutes all day.
h.. Night 1 -- The northwest portion will be rerouted to turn left
from Capital Circle NW onto W. Tharpe St., left onto Henway Ct., left onto
Tennessee Capital Blvd. and then resume its route.
"We appreciate the patience of our customers as we make these
adjustments," Garrison said. "When you change an entire system, you know there
will be need to be adjustments, and we will continue to listen to our riders
and address their needs."
Customer suggestions can be submitted via email, phone and social
networking outlets. In addition, StarMetro will hold weekly community meetings
every Thursday, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., starting August 4, to get
additional customer feedback and suggestions and to address individual customer
concerns. Meetings will be held at City Hall, 300 S. Adams, in the Tallahassee
Room on the second floor, with August dates set for August 4, 11, 18 and 25.
For more information, please contact StarMetro at 891-5200 or visit
Talgov.com/starmetro. Other ways to view information include liking StarMetro's
official Facebook page at Facebook.com/starmetrotransit and following
StarMetro's official Twitter page at Twitter.com/ridestarmetro.
Contact
Ron Garrison, StarMetro Executive Director, (cell) 933-6811, or Heather
Teter, StarMetro Marketing Spec., 891-5206 or (cell) 694-8705
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