Cincinnati Metro Needs New Ideas and Leaders

Here's a Cincinnati bus rider since 1971, who is finally fed up with Metro's lack of business-like leadership and news ideas to keep and attract more riders.

Maintaining and attracting bus riders means no fare hikes, less dependence of foreign oil, and a positive contribution to cleaner air  and not adding to climate warming. Leadership of Metro at the board of directors and operations levels over the last ten years has just two answers for losing riders: raise fares and cut service. That is the General Motors model of losing business, customers and control of their future.

Here are three innovations that are really no brainers for people who ride busses or think they might.

1. Where's the schedule for the Shopping Mall Crosstown? How many  workers and shoppers are Glenway Crossings, Northgate, Tri-County, Kenwood and Eastgate missing because there is no bus scheduled between them?
2. Where are the handy fare card vending machines that should be in every Kroger, United Dairy Farms, Walgreens, and CVS? Don't you think Kroger would love to offer the service?
3. Designate park and ride sections at public and private parking lots with posted schedules, signs and perhaps web cam security so riders and police could keep a check on the security of the the parked cars.

Retailers on Glenway, Warsaw, Westwood Northern, Harrison, Colerain, Hamilton, Winton, Vine, Reading, Montgomery, Madison, Eastern, and Beechmont would all benefit by adding 25-50-100 before and after work customers in front sections of their parking lots.

Two minutes of searching turned up two locations as examples and a supplier who will sell Metro a 3-camera system for $170. I am sure if Metro was buying many, the price would drop and security of citizens and parking lots increase.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7aQ0xUGTaI Web Cam in Santa Ana, CA parking lot
http://www.clemson.edu/webcams/watch.html?cam=long Clemson University Parking lot
http://www.x10.com/homepage.htm