Bus Riders Union of Austin, Texas | El Sindicato de Pasajeros

Capital Metro Board of Directors approved the implimentation of Service Plan 2020 which according to Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez they can change and modify Service Plan 2020 at any time.

I found a link to a job posting for the planning department that part of the bus schedules and route changes. They are looking for people who want to get paid less the peanuts actually not being paid at all. Charity from the rich or privledged individual. 90 percent of people who go to universities are privileged as not everyone is afforded a scholarship. That's right on Capital Metro's job postings there is an UNPAID INTERSHIP. Since many people riding the bus are only high school graduates you have to have or be in a university for 4 years to qualify.

http://www.rideuta.com/mediaRoom/pressReleases.aspx?pressReleaseID=1034

Mike Levy has been circulating an interesting article about Capital Metro's fetishized transit system in Portland. Apparently, Atlanta's system which better approximates ours in funding and demographic blows Portland away:
from newgeography.com

The monthly MetroAccess pass is only sold at the Capital Metro store on Congress, which is only open Monday - Friday, and closes at 5:00 PM. All other monthly passes are available at HEB. Why can't Capital Metro also have the monthly MetroAccess pass available for sale at HEB? The MetroAccess 10 ticket ride books are, and that is most likely the reason they are used the most. Riding MetroAccess to and from work, 5 days a week, it would be cheaper to have the MetroAccess monthly pass.

Everyone should pick just one board member to grill,
or roast "Festivus" style.

I don't choose Cowman this year, I dealt with too many peoples from real estate and they will get their britches burnt due to overbuilding besides I don't think pouring gasoline on a fire would be a priority right now.

I choose the car driver from the neighboorhood association that doesn't belive in voting rights "Norm Chafetz from Anderson Mill" He grades school papers at home for a living, makes him a healthy target for my roast.

Outraged enough? Wait til you read this....

Norm Chafetz, who lives in Anderson Mill and works out of his home grading college admissions tests, has had a TxTag — the electronic windshield sticker put out by the Texas Department of Transportation — since the first toll roads opened in Austin three years ago. He keeps the tag account stocked with money and had never gotten a bill from TxTag for an unpaid toll until about a week ago.

In today's (Nov 29, 2009) Austin American Statesman John Kels writes about Capital Metro. He talks about how the train that isn't even running yet had a fare increase. He says that perhaps Capital Metro should adopt "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as there theme song and suggest Asleep at the Wheel play it if they are still around when the train pulls into the station.

Read about the JAN 2010 FARE HIKE

At least at the North Lamar Transit Center there is a big board with the times the buses come, and assorted information. One piece of information that is NOW incorrect is that Seniors can ride free with proof of age. It doesn't say anything about having to give metro the $5 for two years. Of course if we were to pursue "false advertising" we would only be helping to drain money from the transit system, which Metro seems to be doing an excellent job at by themselves with the train.