FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clevelanders for Public Transit Celebrates GCRTA System Redesign though More Funding is Needed.
Riders will be on Public Square this Friday to Promote the Transit System Redesign
Members of Clevelanders for Public Transit rally to support transit funding and system redesign (July 2018). Photo: Clevelanders for Public Transit.
CLEVELAND, OH
Clevelanders for Public Transit welcomes GCRTA’s NextGen redesigned bus service beginning Monday June 13th.
“The redesign taking effect June 13th will double the amount of people within a half mile of frequent service; but only Monday through Friday,” said Chris Stocking, Chair of CPT. “This is a big improvement, but the standard 9-to-5 work day is changing fast and Cuyahoga County’s transit network is not keeping up. Essential workers and riders need transit that’s frequent and affordable 7 days a week.”
The redesign makes GCRTA service more useful, but it needs to go further with more funding to restore service cuts and provide frequent service 7 days a week. Currently, over 60% of jobs are not transit accessible in Cuyahoga County.
In 2016, CPT first recommended that GCRTA implement a system redesign to restore service cuts and head off fare hikes. In 2017, CPT worked with Cuyahoga County Council and TransitCenter promoting the idea. In 2018 CPT released our Fair Fares platform which recommended redesigning the transit network to increase the number of jobs accessible via transit within 90 minutes.
In 2019, GCRTA began a system redesign study looking at what could be done with current funding levels and with current funding increased by 25%. By increasing transit funding by 25%, the system redesign study showed that over 250% more Cuyahoga County residents would have access to frequent transit and nearly 45% more jobs would be accessible by a 60-minute trip.
GCRTA’s primary funding mechanism is a one-percent sales tax within Cuyahoga County. This tax was set at GCRTA’s inception in 1975. Since 1975 Cuyahoga County has lost nearly 30% of its population resulting in sales tax revenue losses of nearly $70 million annually to GCRTA.
As revenues declined GCRTA responded with transit service cuts and fare increases. This is commonly known as the transit death spiral; where service cuts lead to raised fares and in turn fewer people using public transport. Over the last 15 years GCRTA’s transit death spiral has resulted in service cuts of over 25% while fares have doubled.
GCRTA’s NextGen system redesign is only the first step in making GCRTA service equitable and affordable. To keep fares affordable GCRTA’s revenue loss must be addressed. CPT is releasing an updated Fair Fares platform this summer. The platform includes proposed solutions for revenue streams that support the frequent, affordable 7-day-a-week transit service riders deserve.
Members of Clevelanders for Public Transit will be available Friday, June 11th from 7:30am-6:30pm to discuss the new bus routes and current transit system redesign with riders at the Public Square bus stop at East Roadway and Superior. The new routes will launch Sunday, June 13th. To kick-off the system redesign GCRTA will be completely fare-free June 13-19th.
More information on Current Funding vs. Expanded Funding system redesigns here.
More information and maps for June 13th changes: http://www.riderta.com/nextgen
The Death spiral of GCRTA. Since 2006 service has been cut 29% and fares have doubled.
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Clevelanders for Public Transit is a riders’ organization that builds power for affordable, accessible and equitable public transit in Northeast Ohio. For more information, visit clefortransit.org