Kansas City's grand transit experiment is now one month old and it's important to discuss the project so far without the burden of political hype and/or street interviews were people want to put on a nice face for a camera.
One month in and we're already talking expansion by less than two dozen supporters ready to hijack the local electoral process to keep the momentum going.
However a look at the number directly from the streetcar authority is more vial than all MSM rhetoric . . .
- 200K riders so far
- 6,000 ride average each day
- 9,000 ride average on weekends
- Two crashes total
- A notable increase in downtown parking tickets and towing reports.
- 3 documented system breakdowns and one streetcar out of commission for a little more than a week.
- There have been only minor instances of violence (mostly bum fights) aboard the streetcar with no felony arrests reported at the time of this writing.
Again, just one month into an experiment that's approaching a cost of nearly $200 MILLION and counting.
To wit . . .
STREETCAR SUPPORTERS CAN CLAIM FIRST MONTH DEBUT SUCCESS DESPITE A SPATE OF EMBARRASSING BREAK DOWNS, CRASHES AND COMPLAINTS!!!
What can we learn from these numbers???
The streetcar is mostly for tourists and party-goers with workday and business commuters unable to rely on the smallish line for anything work related. The weekend spike in ridership reflects as much.
A minor worry . . . The park and ride strategy for streetcar supporters is facing trouble and growing complaints about tickets and crowding.
Big question:
CAN THE KANSAS CITY TOY TRAIN STREETCAR MAINTAIN 200K RYDERS PER MONTH AFTER THE NOVELTY AND GRAND OPENING PROMOTION IS COMPLETE?!?!
Already this effort to expand the line didn't earn anywhere near the support of the initial project but there is a dedicated crew of supporters and paid consultants touting the effort.
You decide . . .
I see TKC trying to be objective. But it's not working. Good effort.
ReplyDeleteHere's the real deal: It's still too early to judge. One thing you did not mention much was the price.
ReplyDeleteFor this money Kansas City could have provided much better service with bus transit and expanded the fleet with modern and more efficient vehicles.
What's you're analysis is missing is that the streetcar literally robs the ATA and takes money away from bus lines that serve far more people who go to work. Like you said, the streetcar is a party train for tourists but people use the bus to get to and from work. That is the point that needs to be stressed. Streeter supporters want money to party while the rest of kc just wants to earn a living and over priced downtown bars aren't part of their plan.
What are the operating cost per month ?
ReplyDeleteMy take...
ReplyDeleteI arrived in Kansas City in the summer of 2003 looking to buy commercial and multi-family properties. On my first day in town, I observed a tumbleweed blowing south to north along Main Street (August, 100+ degrees).
Fast forward nearly 13 years and, while there are still tumbleweeds, my view of them is now obscured by the streetcar. There is good and bad in everything!
It's successful! The world greatest! KC's very own streetcar! Nothing to analyze or look it! The time for the extension to the college is now! And then onto Waldo through the trolley trail!
ReplyDeleteIt's Incredible! Git's you to the bars in a jiffy!
ReplyDeleteWHOA! I've never seen anything like it!
ReplyDeleteWelcome the modern supersonic streetcar extension folks!
ReplyDeleteThis super traffic congestion reliever is a modern miracle of science never before imagined in the minds of men. Capable of complete control, seat material, temperature, sound, smells, cleanliness, company(other riders)…… etc, thanks to our Smart City sensors and other advanced technologies. Imagine being able to transport to downtown faster then a speeding bullet! Play solitaire while waiting to board the next transporter on a giant iPhone in a modern air conditioned streetcar stop! Unrivaled comfort and luxury! And guess what folks. It's FREE TO RIDE!
People have been disrespected, mocked and ripped off for many, many years by these streetcar racketeers that think they are smarter, shrewder, tougher then everyone else.
ReplyDeleteTime to END IT and take control of our city back.
Just a moving piece of art at best. The Tracks on the road is art too. Very expensive plus upkeep.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the time it's completed in 2022, we'll be using self driving Uber cars to get around. It will be as obsolete at the ones from the 1950's and then we'll have to pay to tear up the rails and junk the cars. Maybe Crown Center will want one of them for a new restaurant.
ReplyDelete"Homer....there's a family of possums in the closet!"
ReplyDelete"Yeah. I call the big one Bitey"
-from the Simpson's famous Monorail episode.
Lol!
ReplyDeleteI call bull on the ridership numbers. This thing goes by my front door every 10-15 minutes. Except for the lunch hour on Fridays, rarely is there ever more than 6 people on board. Each rider is counted 4 times: count 1 you get on. Count 2 you get off to eat. Count 3 you get back on to return to work. Count 4 you get off. Reality is there are maybe 1500 unique individuals riding the streetcar daily on average. Once they have to pay the numbers will plummet.
ReplyDeleteStupid, Stupid, Stupid, waste of money.
ReplyDeleteIf we let it expand then it will be to big for us to let it fail. Then my friend we are screwed.
ReplyDeleteA homeless guy shit his pants the other day riding it and stained the seat. Everyone exited and it was not cleaned up or addressed for nearly two hours
ReplyDeleteFor the record, this blog rocks as does the streetcar- see you guys at the streetcar extension groundbreaking
ReplyDeleteAs it is, KC's TOY TRAIN is an overpriced, rolling lawn ornament TURTLE TRUDGING a TINY TAD OVER TWO MILES causing TRAFFIC TIE-UPS in a DENSE DOWNTOWN TOUTED as the WONDROUS WALKABLE SMART CITY!!!
ReplyDeleteNot enough TOOT TOOTY test time yet to have trials in extreme heat, heavy snows and ice to know the full performance of the shiny new TOY TRAIN. Plus the breakdowns thus far and empty urban spaces have put definite doubt on the expensive expansion.
Most common sense says if the TOOTY goes all the way to Waldo, it's doubtful it is staying FREE. Lost fares from the bus riders switching to a NO FARE ride will hurt, especially when the bikes are put away for the harsh winter. And wow, a FREE pub crawling TOOTY to save gas and have more BEER money!
The KC residents living with delayed and denied maintenance and services are getting increasingly vocal. All that expense of tearing open streets to lay tracks when too many roads, sidewalks, waterworks and sewers already need repairs ISN'T SMART. Toxic and foul gasoline leaks for many months is still not remedied. Schools are needing upkeep and full accreditation. Blight has been left sitting for years. Fountains are not all functional. Tossing MILLIONS MORE JACK at the Jazz district ain't impressing regular folks who have worries of safety, tax hikes and rising utilities.
REAL TALK ^^^^^^
ReplyDeletehave to agree with 3:42.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the guy who calls b.s. on these numbers. Absolutely.
I like it.
ReplyDeleteSeeing Tony lead a purposeless rant is fun too.
Loser.
^^^^ daily TKC reader 7 years running.
ReplyDelete