[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: RE: Bike capacity on US36BRT buses

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Appelbaum, Matt


Macon’s comments are essentially correct: RTD almost certainly will go ahead and order their new, standard over-the-road coaches for US36 BRT.  This has been
 an issue of very considerable concern at the US36 Mayors and Commissioners Coalition (MCC), where it has been discussed repeatedly (and will be again at our meeting tomorrow), and about which we have met several times with RTD.  I think we can accept this
 bus purchase, but only with the condition – as we’ve made clear – that there will be further discussions regarding bus selection and that any buses being bought now could be moved to other parts of the RTD system and then replaced with “real” BRT equipment. 
 Let’s just say that at the moment there isn’t complete agreement between RTD and the MCC about how this will proceed.  As for bikes: yes, bike storage is clearly an important component, but so are others, including, to be sure, comfort, but also speed of loading
 (multiple doors, low floor), ability to climb Davidson Mesa and run in snow, etc.  Whether there are buses that could meet all/most of these objectives isn’t entirely clear, so even in the best of circumstances it seems likely that some trade-offs will need
 to be made.  Finally, I agree completely that the RTD poll was, at best, not useful, and at worst, well
 – which is why the MCC is still strongly pursuing this issue.
 
And
I’m posting this to the city Hotline since there are several councilmembers in on this discussion and as such it really needs to be public.  As for the
 public process: RTD will, I believe, go to its Board very soon (later this month I think) for their approval of the bus purchases.  That is the only chance for the public to weigh in, so far as I know.  However, as noted, the MCC continues to work on this
 and hopes to get a formal agreement with RTD regarding continued efforts at finding more appropriate BRT buses; I assume that any such agreement would also need to be approved by the RTD Board at a public meeting.  In addition, once the MCC’s position is clearer,
 I would hope to provide it to our city council for their comments.
 
--Matt
 
From: Sue Prant [mailto:sue at communitycycles.org]

Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2014 3:24 PM
To: Young, Mary
Cc: Cowles, Macon; Appelbaum, Matt; Judy Lubow; Elise Jones; Shoemaker, Andrew; Winfree, Tracy; Rutsch, Randall; TAB; Jones, Suzanne; Will Toor; Jones, Cris; Weaver, Sam; Chuck Sisk; Morzel, Lisa
Subject: Re: Bike capacity on US36BRT buses
 

I got a call from Chuck, called back and left a message, but have not heard back.


I have been told to expect a letter from RTD, but that has not come yet. 

It is frustrating that it seems even board members are in the dark, yet RTD wants to put something up to buy an 1/21?! I hope the board does not approve this without better public input. The public process, especially considering they spend public funds, is
 shameful. 


 

On Wed, Jan 8, 2014 at 3:14 PM, Mary Dolores Young <marydoloyoung at gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Sue, I saw Angie Malpiede today and spoke briefly with her about this issue. She said the same thing.




 

On Wed, Jan 8, 2014 at 7:02 AM, Sue Prant <sue at communitycycles.org> wrote:
Thanks Macon. It would be appreciated if the board members on this email could confirm that what you state about the bus choice is true. I find it amazing that not only is there no public process, but we can't even get basic information.

Given the time constraints, if we don't hear more information soon, we will have to organize a public campaign just to get this information & then another one to protest if we have less bike capacity.

Sent from my phone.



On Jan 6, 2014 9:40 PM, "Cowles, Macon" <CowlesM at bouldercolorado.gov> wrote:

Sue, I am adding RTD Board Member Judy Lubow to the cc list, as Judy is an advocate of bikes and multi-modal transportation. I am also adding Tracy Winfree, Randall Rutsch and Cris Jones of our City Transportation Department.


 


The way in which RTD is making a choice of busses for BRT on US 36 is drifting toward--as best as I can tell--simply buying more of the new busses that they have rolled out over the last six months on regional routes. As I have pointed
 out in previous correspondence to people on this list, the new regional busses can accommodate only 5ive bikes whereas the old regional buses can get 8 bikes on the bus.


 

About six weeks ago, RTD conducted a "poll" in which they asked existing riders of regional service to rank a number of qualities that they think are important. The survey provided only the breeziest intimation of what respondents were
 to consider when ranking "comfort," speed of boarding, bike loading, noise and a couple of other attributes. The poll questions strongly implied that one cannot have a comfortable, quiet bus if speed of boarding and bike loading is important to you. I wish
 that I could come to a meeting of the RTD Board to skewer the "poll," but RTD meetings are on Tuesday nights so there is a constant conflict between the RTD Board meetings and City Council meetings. Therefore, I depend on Chuck and Judy to get to the bottom
 of the poll and to highlight for the rest of the Board the shortcomings.


 


I don't know what to tell you, Sue, other than to keep trying, keep asking for information , attend RTD Board meetings and raise the issue. The City's own transportation department is very much committed to adding bike storage capacity
 to the busses--or at least to not cutting back on storage. And they are not able to get answers either.
 









Macon Cowles


Boulder City Council Member






1726 Mapleton Ave.







Boulder, Colorado 80304


CowlesM at bouldercolorado.gov


(303) 447-3062


(303) 638-6884









 


On Jan 6, 2014, at 8:08 PM, Sue Prant <sue at communitycycles.org> wrote:








Hi. As most of you know I am the advocacy director for Community Cycles, an organization with over 1000 members that also serves hundreds of cyclists a year. Over 6,000 local bicyclists subscribe to our month
 newsletter. 

I have been trying for at least the past year to get information on what buses will be used for US 36 BRT and what the bike capacity will be for those buses. I have gotten the run around from RTD staff and I
 have just found out that procurement of the buses may come before the RTD board on 1/21. I have reason to believe that the buses RTD will specify will have substantially less bike carrying capacity than the current buses.


This decrease in service to multi-modal customers is unacceptable, as I am sure at the very least the Boulder City Council members will agree. The bicycle community needs to know now, before this goes before
 the board, what is the carrying capacity for bikes is being proposed? We feel it is imperative that the bicycling community has input in this issue.


If you know anything more facts about this. please respond promptly. If you do not, I hope you will share our outrage over this potential cut in service and help us get answers and make sure there is bike capacity in the new buses that
 at least equals the current bus capacity. 



-- 


Sue Prant
Advocacy Director
Community Cycles
3172 29th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
Phone: 303-564-9681
e-mail: sue at communitycycles.org
www.CommunityCycles.org

 


Join the movement! 

Become a Community Cycles member


Subscribe to our monthly e-news!





 













-- 

Mary Dolo

“. . . ask why not?” Robert Kennedy








-- 


Sue Prant
Advocacy, Development and Walk & Bike Month Director
Community Cycles
3172 29th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
Phone: 303-564-9681
e-mail: sue at communitycycles.org
www.CommunityCycles.org

 


Join the movement! 

Become a Community Cycles member


Subscribe to our monthly e-news!