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 . . .