A Tale of Two Bus Stops...

For almost two years I've been riding CARTA all over the  Charleson area. Frequently the stops I wait at are unmarked, or marked incorrectly. After a reminder posted on Facebook by CARTA stating that all stops are supposedly marked, I decided to do some research. I've found the best way to get down to the nitty-gritty details means talking to other passengers and some of my favorite drivers.  I rode several buses over a four-hour period and discovered that there are in fact, two different types of bus stops here in Charleston. There are  CARTA's "official" stops and their "courtesy" stops.

The "official" stops are all the stops that have a CARTA or a No Parking Bus Stop sign. These are usually pretty easy to spot and the buses will stop exactly where the sign has been posted. Which means if you're at one of the benches, expect  to actually get on the bus wherever someone stuck the sign in the ground. The same with shelters and their walkways. Unless the bus sign is right in front of the shelter or next to the walkway, don't expect the bus to come to you. It will stop in front of the nearest sign, either somewhat before or just past where you're standing. I'll explain why after discussing the courtesy stops.

"Courtesy" stops are a somewhat confusing phenomenon. First there are the old SCE&G stops, marked by a yellow painted stripe found on wooden poles all over Charleston. Some actually say "bus" others sport just the stripe. According to passengers who have utilized public transportation in Charleston long enough to remember when SCE&G ran the buses, those were the good old days when buses were always on time and the service was both convenient and efficient.

Then there are the unmarked courtesy stops. These are old stops that are no longer supposed to exist, but have been around so long people still expect to use them. Also, if there's a marked stop on one side of the street and you stand directly across from it to catch a return ride, the drivers are supposed to honor that as a stop. In places where the stops are incoveniently placed, or there is an exceptionally long distance between official stops, there are often well-known courtesy stops. Which means the unmarked stops I'm familiar with at the Hess station and the Waffle House that  fall between the Wannamaker Park stop and the one all the way down at CSU are actually courtesy stops.

For passengers who are not mind-readers and those who are new to CARTA, this can be quite confusing. It makes catching the bus and knowing where to get off something of a crap-shoot. Some drivers will honor courtesy stops, and others don't. I used to think this was due to certain drivers just being sticklers for going by the book or being on a power trip, while the majority of drivers actually look out for their passengers. In fact, the reason some drivers will only stop directly in front of an official sign is due to a really stupid law. According to one of the drivers I spoke with, if a bus stops to pick up or discharge passengers anywhere other than at an official bus stop sign, and that bus is rear-ended or hit by another vehicle, the bus driver is at fault! So the drivers are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Either they can provide good customer service for their passengers, or risk a ticket. Pretty much a no-win situation in my book.

The bottom line is that CARTA needs to not only update the online index of stops which is filled with incorrect information, but needs to send someone out on the roads to get the signs corrected. And why not put official signs at the courtesy stops to make life easier for both the passengers and the drivers? Let's put some common sense in play, along with making sure CARTA is designed to provide convenient, efficient, user-friendly service that is passenger focused!

Book Drive for Local Teacher...

Through the ministry Hope North Charleston at Northwood Baptist Church, I have adopted Ms Baker at AC Corcoran Elementary School. She is a First Grade Reading Intervention teacher whose students are below grade level in their reading skills. Many have never been read to and have never owned a book. As an avid reader I find this appalling! One of the things on Ms Baker's wish list is for each of her students to have at least one book of their own. I want to shoot for two each! (50 books total) Any extras can be used to stock her classroom library. Contact me if you'd like to donate books or gift cards for any bookstore. I've set up the book drive as as an event on Facebook:  Book Drive for Ms Baker's Class. Thanks in advance!

Making Progress....

The new bus shelters are slowly going up. It seems that most of the larger stops along Rivers Avenue going from Northwoods Mall headed downtown have gotten a new shelter. One young man at the stop yesterday asked, "what's the point of a shelter without a lid?" I'm sure eventually we will get a roof, hopefully before we start getting any real winter weather! I like the fact the entire front isn't wide open like some of the older shelters. This will help protect passengers from the wind and the rain. Hopefully they will give us back our benches. I'm seeing shopping carts at the mall and Walmart stops laying on their sides that people have dragged over to use as seats which makes the stops look trashy.

Missing Bench or New Shelter?

I posted this picture on facebook with the caption, "Who stole my bench?!" one day last week when I arrived at the bus stop in front of northwoods mall to find the bench had vanished. There were a bunch of little multi-colored flags and as line markers stuck in the grass surrounding the area, leading me to believe there was going to be some kind of roadwork about to take place. But couldn't they have just moved the bench to another spot?!



A few days later I arrived to find concrete had been poured where the bench had been, along with a walkway from the sidewalk to the street. Hmmm....does this mean the stop at Northwoods Mall is getting one of the coveted bus shelters that I've heard about? I guess we'll have to wait and see!

More Changes...

The driver on bus 12 was kind enough to let me know she had the new schedules available, which was handy since the schedules are changing as of Sunday, 10/17. Bus 10 will be running every 20 minutes on weekdays from 7am-7pm, not every 15 minutes as was originally stated by CARTA. Weekends bus 10 runs every hour or so. Bus 12 will still run every 45 minutes though some of the pickup times have changed. Not sure that matters much as bus 12 has consistently been running 10-20 minutes late in the mornings since school started. On Sunday 12 will still run every 2 hours, not every 4 hours as another passenger told me recently. Bus 106 which ran through Otranta and Hanahan, up to Stall Road and Trident One Stop is being cancelled, leaving Otranto and Hanahan passengers without any bus service at all. Sunday service is being eliminated for route 104 which serves Park Circle, leaving passengers in that area with no transportation on Sundays. Bus 13 which is the Remount Road bus is also eliminating Sunday Service. These are just some changes of note on my side of North Charleston. Many routes are starting later and/or ending earlier and all CARTA's night buses have been cancelled. For a summary of all the changes go to CARTA's website. I'm very lucky that the changes won't have a major effect on my usual routine. Sadly, the only positive change being made was to increase the buses for Route 10 on Rivers Avenue.

Some Miscellaneous Items...

Great profile article in the Post and Courier of Tom Bradford, acting director of  Charleston Moves which is a local advocacy group for bicyclists here in Charleston.

Charleston's Green Fair is on September 26th.

It's official! Meteorologist Bill Walsh  WCSC Channel 5 meteorologist and the NOAA confirmed this summer was the warmest summer in recorded history here in Charleston. No big surprise to those of us who walk, ride bicycles, or work outside. We had a bit of a break in the temp and humidity over the last couple of weeks but the humidity seems to have returned. Lower high temps are being predicted later in the week. Meanwhile it's time to look ahead to the winter months. Last winter was colder than normal, with an unusual snow storm. Time to look at cold weather gear to prep for another winter of bus-hopping around Charleston!

Our local Farmer's Markets are still open, we should be seeing some fall produce before long.

While this blog is primarily to promote/discuss the benefits and difficulties of public transportation in Charleston, I also like to promote local businesses and events. Occasionally I may also promote or highlight people I know....for example I plan to post a book review on "Love at Last Sight" written by my former Pastor Kerry Shook in Texas...once I get my free copy that is!

I would like to thank Lowcountry Bloggers for adding me to their big blogroll!

Kudos to Northwood Baptist Church for raising money to assist AC Corcoran Elementary School with awnings to their portable units. The Hope for Students fundraiser featured five local christian bands and raised $2500 on 9/11/10. Way to go!

Here's Your Sign!

Several weeks ago, before my netbook went on the fritz, passengers in the Greenridge Road area were still dealing with not knowing when or if bus 12 would actually pick us up at Dial America. That Thursday I headed down to cross Rivers Avenue where I catch bus 10 instead. I passed  in front of the bench at the bus 12 stop and told the young man sitting there that the bus wasn't coming (I had just watched bus 12 pass by on Rivers as I approached the stop), and he needed to head across the road to get bus 10 to Kmart in order to catch the next bus 12. Needless to say he wasn't happy as he was headed to Dorchester Road for a job interview. While we waited for our bus I spotted yet another passenger sitting on the bench waiting for a bus that wasn't coming.

Imagine my surprise the very next day when I approached the stop and saw this unofficial-looking, unsigned notice posted on the bus sign. Hmmm...no letterhead, no signature. It didn't say whether Veolia or CARTA posted the sign. Just stated that due to road construction the stop was not in service, but there would be a temporary stop on Rivers Avenue in front of the Camping Store for buses 10, 12, and 106. Oh, and they did apologize for any inconvenience.

Call me a skeptic, but as I looked behind me at Greenridge Road, where there was NO roadwork going on, I shrugged and kept walking to the stop across the highway for bus 10. Once I boarded I asked the driver to confirm if the sign was legitimate. He agreed that it was, buses 12 and 106 were supposed to pick up in front of the Camping Store. When I advised him the sign included bus 10 he got on the radio to the dispatcher - and chaos ensued for about 20 minutes, as all of the drivers for the three routes proceeded to call in and ask dispatch to repeat the information. Quite a while later one of the drivers called in to advise that there was no sign in front of the Camping Store. Ummm....considering the number of permanent stops with no, or incorrect signs, did he really think they would post a sign for a temporary stop?!

It took more than two months for CARTA to finally post some type of notice, and to set up a temporary stop for the passengers who live, work, and go to school on Greenridge Road. The kicker? When I came home from work that same night the sign was gone, and buses 12 and 106 seem to be picking up consistently from Dial America ever since! For myself, I don't trust them.  I continue to cross eight lanes of traffic each morning, in order to make sure I actually have a dependable ride to work. All I can say is, "Here's your sign!"

On a positive note...

While the last month has been fraught with aggravation and frustration, there ARE positive aspects to riding CARTA and taking advantage of public transportation. I don't have to worry about dealing with traffic or parking, especially when I make trips downtown. When I ride during rush hour, I may have to deal with being on a crowded bus, but the traffic is somebody else's problem! While I live in the "city" of  North Charleston, walking to the bus stops both in Park Circle and now the Northwoods area gives me the opportunity to enjoy the local flora and fauna. Walking is the best free exercise available. And there are no excuses, any place I have to go involves walking at least half a mile. Costwise I'm paying $37.50 a month for an unlimited pass, and an occasional cab fare. Weigh that against a car payment, insurance, gas, repairs and maintenance!


Over the past year I have seen acts of kindness and generosity I don't believe you'll see in many larger cities: a bus driver who actually parked the bus to walk an elderly passenger across a busy intersection, a young man who picked up a woman's full shopping cart and carried it off the bus for her, passengers all pitching in to make up somebody's fare, an older woman helping a young mother get her kids and groceries off the bus. I see these random acts of kindness on a daily basis, and it makes me more aware of the people around me as well as the opportunities to pass on a small kindness whenerver I have a a chance. So yes, public transportation can be inconvenient and extremely frustrating at times. But it does have it's perks!

Mayor Summey's Response...

Ms. Dubuque,

Thank you for writing me. Several months ago, the Northwoods Estate Neighborhood Council approached CARTA regarding traffic hazards entering Greenridge Road from River Avenue. It was requested by the Neighborhood Council that CARTA cease making bus stops for entering traffic onto Greenrigde Road or on northbound CARTA routes. Realizing the safety issue as traffic backed up onto Rivers Avenue, CARTA granted the request. However, traffic exiting Greenridge onto Rivers Avenue has a bus stop specifically for the Dial-America vicinity. Unfortunately, last week the construction on Greenridge Road prohibited the CARTA buses from entering or exiting the road, due to their size. Furthermore, CARTA was not appropriately contacted by the road construction company. Therefore, they had no opportunity to notify riders in advance of the change in service. I regret that you were not made aware of the changes. All parties are now aware of your concerns and this issue should not occur again. For future traffic redirections and interruptions, CARTA should be notified in advance in order to inform all riders of any changes in service.

I hope this information finds you well.

Sincerely, R. Keith SummeyMayor

seriously?!

Ok, so Monday I venture out and try walking down to Northwoods Mall to catch bus 10 up Rivers Ave. Talk about a nightmare! Dragging a rolling bookbag through the grass is impossible and walking right along the white line with trucks and cars racing by at ninety-or-nothing is frightening. I took my son's advice and went all the way across Rivers Ave to walk through the parking lots. Much easier on the walking and the bag, but the heat index was 105, and I'm trekking across the blacktop under the blazing sun, not a twig in sight for shade. Ugh! And I forgot to turn on my Smartrunner app to track my mileage. One of the benefits of my job is an on site fitness center, so I take advantage of the locker room to cool down, change, etc once I get to work. It's a lifesaver!

Today I decide to take the back way to Kmart, down Antler. It's a quiet two-lane road, plenty of shoulder room but they tend to be either grassy or rocky, sometimes swampy. During the day it's like taking a walk out in the country. It will be a shame when they clear out the wooded areas for yet more subdivisions. As I'm headed down the drive from my apartment complex, what comes rolling up to the intersection from Kmart, turning on Greenridge Road? Bus 12, which is no longer supposed to be going this way! I'm too far away to flag the bus down, and I want to see how the trek to Kmart will work anyway, so off I go. Lovely but extremely hot walk. According to Smartrunner it was 1.45 miles. Bonus: directly across from the bus stop is a McDonald's! If I ever get to the stop early enough I might treat myself for breakfast one morning.

I get on bus 12 and ask the driver to do me a favor, check with dispatch about bus 12. Surprise! Yes, bus 12 once again goes down Antler and Greenridge and stops at Dial America. This driver is one of the good ones though, she advises me that service at that stop will depend on what's going on with the road construction. Ok, well my job isn't going to give me a free pass every time somebody decides today bus 12 can't go down Greenridge! So I'll stick to the longer trek to catch bus 10 and bypass the frustration of dealing with the erratic service on bus 12. My next post will include the response I got from Mayor Keith Summey. I'm very impressed that he answered my email. (in fact he's the only one who did) Unfortunately it was more of the same. Board meeting tomorrow!

and then it happens again!

This is why I decided it was time to start blogging about my carfree experiences in Charleson:

After a month of taking bus 12 from the stop in front of Dial America on Greenridge Rd five or more days a week, I got on Saturday morning headed to Publix for some food shopping. Spent the entire trip chatting with the bus driver, had lunch, and did my shopping. Awesome day so far! Heat index was supposed to be 103-104 so I threw 2 half-frozen bottles of water into the insulated cooler with icepacks that I carry for grocery shopping. The schedule for bus 12 is still not available online, and none of the buses carry a hard copy, so while I'm shopping I make 4 calls to CARTA to find out what time the bus will be in front of Burger King for the trip home. I held for over 10 minutes on the first 3 calls before giving up, on the 4th call I hold for 14 minutes. It's 2:09 and the next bus I'm told will be there at 2:39. I haul my rolling backpack loaded with meat etc in the insulated cooler, along w/ the two reusable shopping bags I'm carrying down to Burger King. The plan is sit inside with a meal and a shake until about 10 minutes before the bus is due, in order to keep myself and my groceries from cooking in the hot sun. I'm sitting in sight of the bus stop the whole time. And this is where the day begins to unravel....

After standing in the blazing sun for 20 minutes I start trying to call CARTA at 2:49. At 2:59 I called yellow cab, preferring to pay the $15 fare rather then continuing to wait indefinitely for a bus that apparently wasn't coming, or was running extremely late. At 3:04 the bus pulls up. When I asked if the person I spoke with gave me the wrong time, the driver told me he couldn't say as to when the bus was supposed to be there, as he just picked up the bus. I ride through to Kmart, planning to get back off at Dial America, where I had gotten on earlier in the day. The bus driver pulls the bus around and parks facing towards Rivers Ave, instead Antler. When asked he tells me they are no longer going down Greenridge Rd, instead returning by way of Rivers Ave. BOTH stops on Greenridge have now been cancelled, supposedly due to the road construction! He can't explain why I had just gotten on at that stop, and he and the driver from bus 10 both contact the dispatcher to verify. So now I have to walk a mile home, in the blazing heat with all my groceries. Antler has no sidewalks and a very rough shoulder down which I have to drag my loaded rolling backpack filled with groceries. And I'm carrying 2 shopping bags as well. Difficult but doable from the regular stop, agonizing when I have to walk twice as far!

Back on the phone I go while lugging my stuff home. The first rep I speak with offers to take my complaint, then tells me I need to call and speak to a supervisor Monday morning. She then hangs up on me. Rep number 2 is Kim, who assures me the stop at Dial America is still in service and I will have no trouble getting bus 12 to work on Monday morning. When I explain what just happened she puts me on hold to talk to "them", dispatch maybe? After holding for 10 minutes she comes back on and says she'll try again. Next I get Ron who refuses to tell me his job title, and asks me repeatedly, "What's your problem?" When I ask about the stop on Greenridge he advises it was cancelled two days ago. "Really? I've used that stop everyday since Monday, including this morning?!" Ron's response is that "The drivers must not have gotten the message then." When I ask how I, and the others who depend on this stop are supposed to get to work, and what alternatives we have, Ron's answer is, "That's not my problem, you'll have to call CARTA." When I advise him how much I appreciate his concern for the passengers, Ron also hangs up on me. At this point I'm beyond irate, I'm totally p.o.'d! After tracking down names and emailing several CARTA board members including Mayor Keith Summey, the Veolia supervisor Ms. Wigfall, and a local news reporter, I went to work setting up this blog. My purpose is to post the good, the bad, and the ugly in regards to living carfree in Charleston, SC via CARTA.

On Wednesday I will be attending, and posting about my trip to the monthly board meeting of CARTA. For today I have to decide whether I want to trek to Kmart or the mall to catch bus 10 to work. Both trips are about a mile, both are equally non-friendly for walkers, especially one who's pulling a rolling backpack due to back issues. I'll be bringing extra bottles of water as today's heat index will be reaching 110, and I'll have to pack a change of clothing as spaghetti strap tank tops and shorts don't qualify as business casual for work. I'll also be posting a sign on the bench at the cancelled stop letting people know who to contact to file a complaint!