Public Transportation
I have mentioned before that I don't have a car anymore. I don't know how many people rememeber the saga of my vehicle after the storm. So here is a quick rundown. When I moved here, I didn't have a car. I got by with the public transportation, cabs, and friends. It was fine. Then this thing called Katrina happened and I realized after a short visit back home, I was going to need a vehicle to get around if I wanted to return to the city. So I purchased a car at the end of October. It died on me by January. I didn't even receive the title for it until March. (that was a saga itself). One day I came home from work, and it was gone. My old landlord swears up and down that he had nothing to do with it, but I know he had it towed. No matter, I was back to riding the bus, an occasional cab and of course friends.
Right now I am frustrated to no end. I know so many people are happy to see the streetcar back and running. It truly is a sign of things getting back on track. (yeah I went there) However, I really and truly do no believe they were ready. Why do I think this? Maybe it is because they don't have enough drivers. Maybe it is because the cars are prone to breaking down. All I know is I use public transportation as my main source of getting from one place to another and it is becoming increasingly difficult. For one thing, the streetcar is slow. If I want to get from my house to downtown? I know that if the streetcar is there when I arrive at the stop? It will take at least 45 mins to get downtown. Which is fine, that is what it was before. However chances of the streetcar being there are pretty damn slim. Not to mention that the streetcar is still not running down to Carrollton. So I either wait for the bus, which seems to have its own schedule, or I walk the 6 blocks down to the stop. More and more I don't wait for the bus because I can walk it in that amount of time.
Let me use yesterday as a prime example of my frustrations. I had an eye appointment at 1. I knew that I had to leave no later than 12:15 from work. I got to the streetcar stop a tad later than I wanted, at 12:25. There was no streetcar down the street, meaning I didn't miss it. One should be rolling by at any minute, because the streetcar is scheduled for every 10 mins. I would just make it to my appointment. By 12:38 I called the doctor's office to tell them I would be late. I didn't get on the streetcar until 12:55. By the time it got to the end? It was 1:20. I then had to decide if I wanted to wait for the bus or walk. I walked. I got to my appointment half an hour late. Then I had to wait for an hour, because of that. Did I mention that I had to be back downtown at 4? yeah....so when my appointment was over at 3:10, I called a cab. Which didn't show up until 3:50. So I was late to WWOZ. This is a constant. Everytime I have had to be somewhere, I leave in ample time to get there. Two weeks ago? I had a dental appointment just off of Canal. The streetcar ride should be 10 mins tops. If it had even showed up. I pretty much had to run from Lee Circle to almost Canal to make it it my appointment, which I was 10 mins late for. That entire time of my power walk/run? (15 mins total) plus the time I had waited for the streetcar (15 mins) and one never passed me. I then walked up to Canal to catch the streetcar to go home. Let me just say that in that day? I spent 1-1/2 waiting for streetcars or a bus. This is NOT including the actual ride. This is the waiting. It is becoming more and more of a problem. Some of the streetcars come by so packed, there is no point in getting on them, so you have to wait for the next one. Which is most likely about 3 blocks behind that one and totally empty. I don't even think that RTA realizes how many people depend on the streetcar as their transportation. It isn't just a tourist attraction. It is getting beyond frustrating. I know, go get a car. Well I can't afford one. Not with with the price of gas, insurance and well I can't afford payments right now. I am pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I have mentioned before that I don't have a car anymore. I don't know how many people rememeber the saga of my vehicle after the storm. So here is a quick rundown. When I moved here, I didn't have a car. I got by with the public transportation, cabs, and friends. It was fine. Then this thing called Katrina happened and I realized after a short visit back home, I was going to need a vehicle to get around if I wanted to return to the city. So I purchased a car at the end of October. It died on me by January. I didn't even receive the title for it until March. (that was a saga itself). One day I came home from work, and it was gone. My old landlord swears up and down that he had nothing to do with it, but I know he had it towed. No matter, I was back to riding the bus, an occasional cab and of course friends.
Right now I am frustrated to no end. I know so many people are happy to see the streetcar back and running. It truly is a sign of things getting back on track. (yeah I went there) However, I really and truly do no believe they were ready. Why do I think this? Maybe it is because they don't have enough drivers. Maybe it is because the cars are prone to breaking down. All I know is I use public transportation as my main source of getting from one place to another and it is becoming increasingly difficult. For one thing, the streetcar is slow. If I want to get from my house to downtown? I know that if the streetcar is there when I arrive at the stop? It will take at least 45 mins to get downtown. Which is fine, that is what it was before. However chances of the streetcar being there are pretty damn slim. Not to mention that the streetcar is still not running down to Carrollton. So I either wait for the bus, which seems to have its own schedule, or I walk the 6 blocks down to the stop. More and more I don't wait for the bus because I can walk it in that amount of time.
Let me use yesterday as a prime example of my frustrations. I had an eye appointment at 1. I knew that I had to leave no later than 12:15 from work. I got to the streetcar stop a tad later than I wanted, at 12:25. There was no streetcar down the street, meaning I didn't miss it. One should be rolling by at any minute, because the streetcar is scheduled for every 10 mins. I would just make it to my appointment. By 12:38 I called the doctor's office to tell them I would be late. I didn't get on the streetcar until 12:55. By the time it got to the end? It was 1:20. I then had to decide if I wanted to wait for the bus or walk. I walked. I got to my appointment half an hour late. Then I had to wait for an hour, because of that. Did I mention that I had to be back downtown at 4? yeah....so when my appointment was over at 3:10, I called a cab. Which didn't show up until 3:50. So I was late to WWOZ. This is a constant. Everytime I have had to be somewhere, I leave in ample time to get there. Two weeks ago? I had a dental appointment just off of Canal. The streetcar ride should be 10 mins tops. If it had even showed up. I pretty much had to run from Lee Circle to almost Canal to make it it my appointment, which I was 10 mins late for. That entire time of my power walk/run? (15 mins total) plus the time I had waited for the streetcar (15 mins) and one never passed me. I then walked up to Canal to catch the streetcar to go home. Let me just say that in that day? I spent 1-1/2 waiting for streetcars or a bus. This is NOT including the actual ride. This is the waiting. It is becoming more and more of a problem. Some of the streetcars come by so packed, there is no point in getting on them, so you have to wait for the next one. Which is most likely about 3 blocks behind that one and totally empty. I don't even think that RTA realizes how many people depend on the streetcar as their transportation. It isn't just a tourist attraction. It is getting beyond frustrating. I know, go get a car. Well I can't afford one. Not with with the price of gas, insurance and well I can't afford payments right now. I am pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place.
4 Comments:
Wow, I would be frustrated too! So confusing and messed up.
I am kinda free on Tues and Thurs if you need rides on those days. Seriously.
Otherwise, yeah, that sucks royally. Sorry!
RTA sucks. My sister, who can't drive, moved to the Quarter after the storm, and is still there in part because they have not restored service to Lakeview.
same in dc, and we didn't even have a hurricane!
i feel your pain, stacey. sorry.
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