How come Lynx riders get left in the dust

By -
Lynx bus riders in Central Florida always seem to get the short end of the stick.

Check out the recent report card on Metro Orlando’s transportation that the Orange County League of Women Voters just released. Click here for the report.

Overall the report was good. The league gave the transportation network and local leaders a D grade. We give the league a B for their report.

Just like everybody else, the league report seemed overly focused on improving and expanding rail transportation – SunRail -- and connecting that train system Orlando International Airport.

Those are noble concerns, but let’s get real.

SunRail now provides 5,300 rides daily. Lynx provides 83,000 daily rides – 15 times the number of SunRail.

We’re not putting down SunRail. We’re just stating cold, hard facts.

Most of the Lynx riders aren’t headed to exciting destinations like the airport.

They’re going to I Drive to change linens on beds or headed to jobs in theme parks and other thankless tasks that most people wouldn’t want to do.

And by the way, did we mention that SunRail only runs Monday to Friday, while Lynx is a 365-day service because many of its riders work non-traditional shifts?

Without Lynx, Central Florida’s service-based economy would have crashed and burned years ago.

We get it. We know that SunRail is the new shiny toy.

Suits are common on SunRail; not so much on the Lynx bus.

The class bias was unfortunate, but not uncommon.

In a new report, an advocacy group called the TransitCenter explained that that “transit agencies are still overwhelmingly focused on rail, rather than bus, amenities. In 2016, transit agencies spent just 6 percent of their station capital funds on bus stop amenities, like benches and shelters. The other 94 percent went to rail stations.

“There are two main problems with that disparity. For one, it’s discriminatory. Bus riders are more likely to be low-income. And it’s bad business: about 50 percent of transit trips in the U.S. are still made by bus.”

Lynx riders, some of whom also use SunRail, don’t want to get lost in the sauce.

SunRail service certainly needs to be improved. But Lynx should not be an afterthought. Its riders have suffered from skimpy service for decades.



Location: Orlando, FL, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Route changes coming to Lynx

By -
Image
Lynx is planning to make route and schedule changes throughout its bus system serving Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. Most of the changes appear to be minor, with the exception of some routes serving the Disney resort area. Here are the details: ROUTE CHANGES ·          Link 36 – Lake Richmond (Orange County) – Outbound buses will operate via Central Avenue instead of Washington Street between Hughey Avenue and Division Avenue. ·          Link 104 – West Colonial Drive (Orange County) – Inbound buses will operate via Rosalind Avenue, Amelia Street to LYNX Central Station. Outbound buses will operate via Livingston Street, Magnolia Avenue to Robinson Street. ROUTE AND SCHEDULE CHANGES ·          Link 40 – Americana Boulevard/Universal Orlando (Orange County) – Outbound buses will operate via Central Avenue instead of Washington Street between Hughey Avenue and Division Avenue. Minor schedule adjustments.   ·          Link 300 – Downtown Orla
Read more

Coronavirus: Lynx bus questions and answers

By -
Image
What follows are questions that  David Thomas Moran , co-chair of CFL4Transit (Central Floridians for Public Transit), sent to the leadership at the Lynx public bus system.  Check out the answers he received . 1.     How can the community-at-large and CFL4Transit best support LYNX and public transit right now and in the coming months? What are the biggest needs? The best way to help is by sharing the information we are pushing. ·         www.golynx.com/coronavirusinfo   ·         www.facebook.com/golynx ·         www.twitter.com/lynxbusorlando Along with this we need people to understand that if you are sick, you do not ride. We are encouraging essential trips only. 2.     How is LYNX coordinating with public health officials to support the safety and well-being of transit riders and transit operators during the    COVID-19 outbreak? LYNX is following all recommendations set forth by the CDC and local health departments to continue safely moving passenge
Read more

Downtown Kissimmee is getting a new bus route

By -
Image
A new bus route has been proposed for Kissimmee that would benefit both locals and people arriving at Kissimmee’s new SunRail station. The proposed route, to be known as Link 709/Kissimmee Connector will make it easy for people to reach some of the most popular destinations in the downtown Kissimmee area. Kissimmee Intermodal Station Tentative plans call for charging $1 to use the Link 709. The bus will begin its route at the Kissimmee Intermodal Station, which is also where the SunRail train stops. The intermodal station is a major transfer point for buses from all over Osceola County. Amtrak trains also stop at that station, and that’s also where people board and get off the Greyhound bus. A press release from Lynx explained that the bus will operate in a one-way loop through downtown Kissimmee via Dakin Street, Lakeview Drive, Patrick Street, Emmett Street, Church Street, Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Rose Avenue, Oak Street, Central Avenue, Hilda Ave
Read more