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This week we took a look at the R-line with special guest host. Leo Suarez. Check out his blog, The Raleigh Connoisseur.
About the R-Line (plus the map page)
Downtown Living Advocates – Good group for downtown Ralegh residents who want to meet new people.
Raleigh Citizens Advisory Councils (CAC)
The N&O Articles we mention:
Raleigh May Revamp Free R-Line Bus Service (July 22, 2016)
Free Downtown R-Line Under Fire as Raleigh Hikes Bus Fares (July 21, 2014)
Very glad that the transit tax passed (fingers crossed that the light rail will eventually actually happen). Also, I appreciate the podcast and your efforts to keep people up to date — I hope you continue to produce it! Cheers!
Do we know if there have been as many events and/or as much promotion of the R line by the city? Promotion may have decreased, since it’s no longer as new.
Do you think maybe that the changing makeup of the occupants of downtown is shifting toward people who are not as likely to take the bus? Maybe they are not used to taking the bus, and are not aware or not comfortable doing so?
Are there more hotel rooms that are close to the convention center, or have they become more affordable, since 2012? I wonder if AirBnB use started or increased around 2012?
This has just got me thinking. I know that a lot of this information isn’t going to be available, but it will be important to find out *why* ridership is down if the city is to make an informed and effective decision about what to do with it.
Really enjoyed your podcast on the R-Line. As the President of the DLA ( and a friend to both of you), this subject is also very important to me. I think you brought out the key issues; route changes, stop changes and whether to charge to ride. We can let it die a slow death of neglect as ridership numbers continue to fall or we can do something. Seems to me that the pros and cons on each option have reached and impasse and we need leadership (the DRA in my view) to take on this issue and break the stalemate.
I agree, that with so many changes in downtown over the past 10 years (where people live, where they want to go), it’s critical to get good data on where people get on and off today. For example, Glenwood South still leads the other districts on revenue from food and beverage taxes, but most residents live there and walk. And today there are a lot of options for visitors staying in the Convention Center / Fayetteville Street area, so they don’t need to take a bus anywhere.
But an R-Line with a more effective route/stops could make it more likely that residents (and visitors) move around more between the districts, which for most people is too long to walk (20-30 minutes). Don’t let it die . . make it better!