Comments on: keyword: light rail http://sticksoffire.com/2007/02/26/keyword-light-rail/ A very loose interpretation of the news and happenings in and around Tampa Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:02:10 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Pam http://sticksoffire.com/2007/02/26/keyword-light-rail/comment-page-1/#comment-75369 Pam Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:11:30 +0000 http://sticksoffire.com/2007/02/26/keyword-light-rail/#comment-75369 The Trolley lost riders???!! Wow suprise me!! Let me start off by saying I LOVE THE TROLLEY however......make it more user friendly!!!!! The head knuckleheads who chose to raise the rates shot the "trolley in the foot"---um I mean wheel. $4.00 for a round trip/day pass killed alot of ridership. Too expensive. Say four of us want to go from Ybor to Hooter's or Bennigan's in Channelside. Short two block walk from home to the trolley stop--no big deal unless it's raining!! but with the "inflated" $4.00 per person ticket, we are looking at $16.00 for all of us to ride the trolley as opposed to approx. $2.50 roundtrip (parking fee and gas)to go in the car. Cheaper to drive to Channelside from Ybor, park in the garage and get your ticket stamped at the resturant/bar you patronize. Parking then costs you like a buck or so. Even if you paid $4 or to park in the garage it's still cheaper than to ride the trolley. It pains me to feel this way 'cause I really am a fan of the trolley and feel we are lucky to have such a unique mode of transportation here in Tampa. Another reason for loss of trolley riders is you have to have EXACT CHANGE!!!!! The conductors DON'T have or give change. The reason given to me by a trolley board member is because they are concerned about the conductors being robbed. I have suggested to Hartline that they have ticket machines at each trolley stop that you can purchase a ticket with a debit/credit card or cash. The machine will dispense a ticket, and if need be, give you change back. One recent Friday nite trip on the trolley roundtrip from Ybor to Channelside, I saw a conductor turn away 14 potential riders because they didn't have exact change. Not the conductors fault he can't make change....it's the rules. At one point he lamely pointed out to a group of 4 that the web site says exact change only. HELLO?????! These potential riders have just become lost revenue for the trolley and guess what?? They were tourists from one of the cruise ships!!! Did they run look at a computer to read about the trolley before they showed up to ride?? Of course not!! They saw the trolley, thought it was fascinating and wanted to ride it. The Trolley lost riders???!! Wow suprise me!! Let me start off by saying I LOVE THE TROLLEY however……make it more user friendly!!!!! The head knuckleheads who chose to raise the rates shot the “trolley in the foot”—um I mean wheel. $4.00 for a round trip/day pass killed alot of ridership. Too expensive. Say four of us want to go from Ybor to Hooter’s or Bennigan’s in Channelside. Short two block walk from home to the trolley stop–no big deal unless it’s raining!! but with the “inflated” $4.00 per person ticket, we are looking at $16.00 for all of us to ride the trolley as opposed to approx. $2.50 roundtrip (parking fee and gas)to go in the car. Cheaper to drive to Channelside from Ybor, park in the garage and get your ticket stamped at the resturant/bar you patronize. Parking then costs you like a buck or so. Even if you paid $4 or to park in the garage it’s still cheaper than to ride the trolley. It pains me to feel this way ’cause I really am a fan of the trolley and feel we are lucky to have such a unique mode of transportation here in Tampa.

Another reason for loss of trolley riders is you have to have EXACT CHANGE!!!!! The conductors DON’T have or give change. The reason given to me by a trolley board member is because they are concerned about the conductors being robbed. I have suggested to Hartline that they have ticket machines at each trolley stop that you can purchase a ticket with a debit/credit card or cash. The machine will dispense a ticket, and if need be, give you change back. One recent Friday nite trip on the trolley roundtrip from Ybor to Channelside, I saw a conductor turn away 14 potential riders because they didn’t have exact change. Not the conductors fault he can’t make change….it’s the rules. At one point he lamely pointed out to a group of 4 that the web site says exact change only. HELLO?????! These potential riders have just become lost revenue for the trolley and guess what?? They were tourists from one of the cruise ships!!! Did they run look at a computer to read about the trolley before they showed up to ride?? Of course not!! They saw the trolley, thought it was fascinating and wanted to ride it.

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