| :: RTA wins honor as best big-transit system in nation :: |
Cleveland Synergy Foundation
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| Synergy: The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. |
Posted by Sarah Hollander September 30, 2007 15:44PM /
Plain Dealer
Categories: Breaking News
RTA is the best large transit system in North America, according to the American Public
Transportation Association.
The group's president plans to announce the award on Monday in Cleveland.
Members of the Washington, D.C.-based association based their decision on data from 2004 to
2006, including everything from ridership increases to safety statistics, customer satisfaction and
financial management.
"It's really great to see the strides that have been made," transportation association President
William Millar said. Millar, who grew up in Euclid, has kept track of the Greater Cleveland
Regional Transit Authority over the years.
RTA competes for the association's annual Outstanding Public Transportation System award in
the largest of four size categories -- agencies that provide more than 30 million annual rides.
About 50 systems in the United States and Canada are eligible.
California agencies in Los Angeles and Orange counties and the San Francisco Bay area won the
award the past three years.
Joe Calabrese, RTA's general manager, said he's made winning the award a top goal since his
hiring seven years ago.
"It's been on the top of the white board in my office all this time," he said.
RTA added a fourth straight year of ridership growth in 2006, with more than 57.2 million rides
on its buses and trains.
The award also noted work on the Euclid Corridor bus rapid transit project as a sign of
progressiveness and praised RTA for introducing downtown trolleys last year.
RTA replaced its downtown bus loop service with green buses built to look like old-fashioned
trolleys. Fares on the two lines are free because of sponsorships.
The award comes despite rough reviews from some locals upset with fare increases, route
changes and cuts, and the long-running construction mess along the Euclid Corridor route.
RTA raised fares in July 2006 -- the first increase in 13 years -- to prevent a projected deficit.
And the cost of ridership will rise again -- to $1.75 for full fares -- in January.
In general, though, on-time performance and customer satisfaction have increased in recent
years, according to the association.
The award will be presented at 10 a.m. Monday at a new bus station at Euclid Avenue and East
40th Street.
RTA's award is the latest in a string of American Public Transportation Association awards for
Northeast Ohio. Canton's Stark Area Regional Transit Authority won the award last year in its
size category, and Laketran, Lake County's transit system, won in 2000 and 2005.
Plain Dealer
Categories: Breaking News
RTA is the best large transit system in North America, according to the American Public
Transportation Association.
The group's president plans to announce the award on Monday in Cleveland.
Members of the Washington, D.C.-based association based their decision on data from 2004 to
2006, including everything from ridership increases to safety statistics, customer satisfaction and
financial management.
"It's really great to see the strides that have been made," transportation association President
William Millar said. Millar, who grew up in Euclid, has kept track of the Greater Cleveland
Regional Transit Authority over the years.
RTA competes for the association's annual Outstanding Public Transportation System award in
the largest of four size categories -- agencies that provide more than 30 million annual rides.
About 50 systems in the United States and Canada are eligible.
California agencies in Los Angeles and Orange counties and the San Francisco Bay area won the
award the past three years.
Joe Calabrese, RTA's general manager, said he's made winning the award a top goal since his
hiring seven years ago.
"It's been on the top of the white board in my office all this time," he said.
RTA added a fourth straight year of ridership growth in 2006, with more than 57.2 million rides
on its buses and trains.
The award also noted work on the Euclid Corridor bus rapid transit project as a sign of
progressiveness and praised RTA for introducing downtown trolleys last year.
RTA replaced its downtown bus loop service with green buses built to look like old-fashioned
trolleys. Fares on the two lines are free because of sponsorships.
The award comes despite rough reviews from some locals upset with fare increases, route
changes and cuts, and the long-running construction mess along the Euclid Corridor route.
RTA raised fares in July 2006 -- the first increase in 13 years -- to prevent a projected deficit.
And the cost of ridership will rise again -- to $1.75 for full fares -- in January.
In general, though, on-time performance and customer satisfaction have increased in recent
years, according to the association.
The award will be presented at 10 a.m. Monday at a new bus station at Euclid Avenue and East
40th Street.
RTA's award is the latest in a string of American Public Transportation Association awards for
Northeast Ohio. Canton's Stark Area Regional Transit Authority won the award last year in its
size category, and Laketran, Lake County's transit system, won in 2000 and 2005.
