[Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
Bryan Schulz
b.schulz at sbcglobal.net
Sun Feb 17 06:23:43 UTC 2013
hi,
obviously that was today, meaning i can't remember any such message within
the last six months before that one and i was giving an example, not
trashing an agency deserved or not.
Done.
Bryan Schulz
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 10:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
> Bryan:
>
> I was not taking an untruthful shot at you. Granted, I probably shouldn't
> have done it on the list, and for that I apologize, but below is a message
> from you where you hijack a thread on transportation monopolies to accuse
> the blind agency of something. That was not six months ago.
>
> Dave
>
> At 10:14 PM 2/16/2013, you wrote:
>>hi,
>>
>>i'm happy as a new season of racing has begun.
>>some enjoy taking shots no matter the truth.
>>Bryan Schulz
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Matt Sievert" <matt.sievert at gmail.com>
>>To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 9:21 PM
>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>
>>
>>>Happy trees, let's all think about happy trees,
>>>
>>>and talk to Bryan via his private email address.
>>>
>>>
>>>On Sat, Feb 16, 2013 at 9:32 PM, Bryan Schulz
>>><b.schulz at sbcglobal.net>wrote:
>>>
>>>>fyi,
>>>>i haven't said anything for at least 6 months so go rip on someone else.
>>>>Bryan Schulz
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>>>>
>>>>To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 5:24 PM
>>>>
>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Bryan:
>>>>>
>>>>>I for one am getting tired of your constant stream of messages, on many
>>>>>of our lists, about how the big bad rehab agency in Missouri favors
>>>>>others
>>>>>and picks on you. I am not from Missouri, so have no way of knowing
>>>>>what
>>>>>happened, but your harping about it here isn't going to change
>>>>>anything.
>>>>>Further, if you got a bum deal, maybe it is because of your constant
>>>>>negative attitude.
>>>>>
>>>>>Dave
>>>>>
>>>>>At 11:39 PM 2/15/2013, you wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>hi,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>if you want an example of a monopoly, a familiar state agency which
>>>>>>uses
>>>>>>a certain vendor 90% of the time, has put other vendors out of
>>>>>>business,
>>>>>>and sent one back to his original state is a monopoly!
>>>>>>Bryan Schulz
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: <DanFlasar at aol.com>
>>>>>>To: <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 11:26 PM
>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Strictly speaking, a municipal or state or federal public service
>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>not
>>>>>>>a monopoly since these are not for-profit organizations. If all
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>airlines combined into one big private or publicly (in the sense of
>>>>>>>stock
>>>>>>>availability) -ownership, then that would be a monopoly. Or if
>>>>>>>Comcast finally
>>>>>>>owns all the cable networks, then they would be monopoly.
>>>>>>> Classically, a
>>>>>>>monopoly restricts competition. A government-managed utility or
>>>>>>>transit
>>>>>>>system is a different category. The big difference - we have a way
>>>>>>>to
>>>>>>>change or modify a government utility - we have no way to do so with
>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>private
>>>>>>>company.
>>>>>>> And yes, this all gets very complicated and far from clear.
>>>>>>>Dan
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>In a message dated 2/15/2013 5:18:59 P.M. Central Standard Time,
>>>>>>>dickmorris at netzero.net writes:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Hi, Dan,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>As far as I know, most bus companies are monopolies. Even back in
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>day,
>>>>>>>although the Delaware Coach Company was privately owned, it had a
>>>>>>>franchise
>>>>>>>to run all bus service in Wilmington, Delaware. Another company had
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>franchise to run buses out where I lived. And of course, you
>>>>>>>couldn't
>>>>>>>transfer between bus lines (sigh). So even back then, bus service
>>>>>>>was a
>>>>>>>monopoly. Of course now Delaware has a transit authority: there was
>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>three-month drivers' strike in 1967 (I don't recall the issue), and a
>>>>>>>year
>>>>>>>after it was settled, Delaware Coach pulled out, and the city created
>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>transit authority which eventually became DART First State.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I think you'd have to go back to the early streetcar era to find a
>>>>>>>situation
>>>>>>>in which multiple companies ran transit services in a particular
>>>>>>>city. I
>>>>>>>don't know if there's a book that covers bus transit deregulation in
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>way
>>>>>>>that Hard Landing did for airlines.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I guess it's obvious that transit and transit marketing are two of
>>>>>>>my
>>>>>>>favorite subjects. And it's probably also obvious that I should let
>>>>>>>this
>>>>>>>subject die until there's more action in Springfield.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Dick
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>------------------------------**--------------------
>>>>>>>From: <DanFlasar at aol.com>
>>>>>>>Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 3:38 PM
>>>>>>>To: <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>So much for the idea that the Free Market solves all problems.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Without intervention by the will of the people (ie, our
>>>>>>>government),
>>>>>>>free market capitalism leads inexorably to monopoly - which is why
>>>>>>>government has had to intervene so continuously over the years -
>>>>>>>which
>>>>>>>leads to too
>>>>>>>much regulation which leads to too much deregulation which leads
>>>>>>> to...
>>>>>>>You'd think we'd remember this.
>>>>>>>Dan
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>In a message dated 2/15/2013 3:25:42 P.M. Central Standard Time,
>>>>>>>dickmorris at netzero.net writes:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Matt and Gary,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>At least Springfield and Columbia have bus stations in town! Matt,
>>>>>>>I
>>>>>>>don't
>>>>>>>know about where you are. But here in Tahlequah, the bus depot sits
>>>>>>>abandoned; I don't know when the last bus rolled through here, but
>>>>>>>it
>>>>>>>was
>>>>>>>before I came in 2004. Our closest bus station is Muskogee, about
>>>>>>>25
>>>>>>>miles
>>>>>>>away, and taking a bus from there is like flying out of
>>>>>>>Springfield,
>>>>>>>in
>>>>>>>that
>>>>>>>you'll go to a "hub" city like Tulsa or OKC and change there. And
>>>>>>>Tulsa is
>>>>>>>sixty miles from here.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Isn't deregulation wonderful? Just for grins, if you want an
>>>>>>>analysis
>>>>>>>of
>>>>>>>what deregulation has done to the airline industry, read Thomas
>>>>>>>Petzinger's
>>>>>>>Hard Landing. Petzinger writes for the Wall Street Journal, and the
>>>>>>>book
>>>>>>>is
>>>>>>>both interesting and readable.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Dick
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>------------------------------**--------------------
>>>>>>>From: "Matt Sievert" <matt.sievert at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 3:10 PM
>>>>>>>To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Now,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Megabus and the michigan flyer have all been successes.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Matt
>>>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>From: "Gary Wunder" <gwunder at earthlink.net>
>>>>>>>Sender: "Nfbmo" <nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:03:59
>>>>>>>To: 'NFB of Missouri Mailing List'<nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Reply-To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>When I sometimes ride the bus I get the impression they will run
>>>>>>>their
>>>>>>>busses until they run no more and then they'll stop serving us all
>>>>>>>together.
>>>>>>>It is not the service-oriented company I used to ride regularly.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>From: Nfbmo
>>>>>>>[mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.**org<nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org>]
>>>>>>>On Behalf Of Dick Morris
>>>>>>>Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 12:59 PM
>>>>>>>To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Matt, the big problem with Greyhound is that they have had no real
>>>>>>>competition ever since they acquired Continental Trailways in the
>>>>>>>early
>>>>>>>90s,
>>>>>>>and thereby gutted the Trailways network. It reminds me of the old,
>>>>>>>before
>>>>>>>the breakup, AT&T commercial slogan, "We may be the only phone
>>>>>>>company in
>>>>>>>town, but we try not to act like it." Epic fail on the parts of
>>>>>>>both
>>>>>>>AT&T
>>>>>>>and Greyhound.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Speaking of lack of competition, think of what air travel will be
>>>>>>>like
>>>>>>>once
>>>>>>>American and USAir complete their merger.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Dick
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>------------------------------**--------------------
>>>>>>>From: "Matt Sievert" <matt.sievert at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 7:40 AM
>>>>>>>To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Dick,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Thank you for correcting me. Mrs. Cruise did the best she could
>>>>>>>with
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>bus
>>>>>>>system. She even ran multiple buses on the same route during
>>>>>>>holiday
>>>>>>>weekends, because the mall was so backed up. I never used access
>>>>>>>express,
>>>>>>>because I didn't qualify, so I can't speak for that service.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>As for Norna Champion. She has a school and a park named after her.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Greyhound is horrible for everyone. For blind people, for
>>>>>>>servicemen/women
>>>>>>>going to Fort Leonard, and everyone in between.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Greyhound drives me to be a more successful person. So I can bypass
>>>>>>>that
>>>>>>>nastyness, by prtivate leased car trips or airline travel.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I will NEVER advocate greyhound to anyone. They really don't care
>>>>>>>about
>>>>>>>their customers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>From: "Dick Morris" <dickmorris at netzero.net>
>>>>>>>Sender: "Nfbmo" <nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2013 03:45:09
>>>>>>>To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List<nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Reply-To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Matt, her name is Carol Cruise, and she has retired--but she was
>>>>>>>always
>>>>>>>willing to listen to her customers. From what Gary tells me, the
>>>>>>> buses are
>>>>>>>full now, probably thanks to $3 gasoline.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>But...you are absolutely right about the "second class citizen"
>>>>>>>attitude.
>>>>>>>Maybe you remember Dr. Norma Champion. I had her in several classes
>>>>>>>at
>>>>>>>Evangel when I got my communications degree back in the dark ages.
>>>>>>>As
>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>state senator, well...I was at a Jeff City seminar, I forget which
>>>>>>>year,
>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>of course I met with her to push NFB issues. One was a transit
>>>>>>>issue,
>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>her response was that public transit was for "someone like you". I
>>>>>>>think I
>>>>>>>bit my tongue till it bled. She was losing her vision due to
>>>>>>>macular
>>>>>>>degeneration, but I never could get her to see our side of things.
>>>>>>>Sad
>>>>>>>but
>>>>>>>true.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>And which Greyhound station were you referring to? The old one on
>>>>>>>St.
>>>>>>>Louis
>>>>>>>or the new one on East Kearney? My problems were more with rude
>>>>>>>Greyhound
>>>>>>>drivers than anything else, but the last time I rode the bus, about
>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>year
>>>>>>>ago, I had a good experience--except for a bus that was three hours
>>>>>>>late.
>>>>>>>Oh, well...can't have everything.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Dick
>>>>>>>------------------------------**--------------------
>>>>>>>From: "Matt Sievert" <matt.sievert at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 8:11 PM
>>>>>>>To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Sigh,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I am glad I am not in Springfield.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Public Transportation in Springfield, Missouri has always been a
>>>>>>>"second-class" citizen issue. "only poor people and the elderly ride
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>bus." is what I heard from most folks.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Also seeing empty buses driving around town didn't help any
>>>>>>>either.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Mary Cruse did a lot to help out the transit issue. I don't know
>>>>>>>where she
>>>>>>>went, but obviously by Gary's, account, things have not improved.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>The only thing worse in Springfield, Mo than the public transit
>>>>>>>system, is
>>>>>>>the Greyhound station.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>My primary means of transportation in Springfield, Mo was a cab or
>>>>>>>walking.
>>>>>>>Only when I worked at St. John's was the bus useful, that is
>>>>>>>because
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>#2
>>>>>>>S. National went past the hospital on weekdays, and the #5 went by
>>>>>>>on
>>>>>>>weekends. Besides that, the bus was a headache I did not want.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Matt Sievert
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 9:02 PM, Dick Morris
>>>>>>><dickmorris at netzero.net
>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Good job, Erin and Gary! I wish I were still in Springfield so I
>>>>>>>>could
>>>>>>>be
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>part of this. You're dooing the right thing in trying to garner
>>>>>>>publicity;
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>sometimes the only way to get action is to embarrass somebody. Go
>>>>>>>>for
>>>>>>>it!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Dick
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ------------------------------**--------------------
>>>>>>>>From: "Magoon Erin"
>>>>>>>><magoone at gary-springfield-mo.**net<magoone at gary-springfield-mo.net>
>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 6:11 PM
>>>>>>>>To: <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>> Subject: [Nfbmo] The bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The Bus Saga Continues.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Gary and I went to the City Council meeting on Monday. He spoke
>>>>>>>>about
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>fixed route buses and I spoke about Access Express. Access is the
>>>>>>>>para-transit door to door service that I'm riding for now because
>>>>>>>>of
>>>>>>>>my
>>>>>>>>surgery last October.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>It is getting pretty rediculous trying to get a ride on Access.
>>>>>>>>They
>>>>>>>will
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>only let you schedule a ride up to one week in advance and it's
>>>>>>>>getting
>>>>>>>> difficult to do so. They also have a 20 minute window either
>>>>>>>> side of
>>>>>>>your
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> pick-up to come and get you. I had a pickup at 6:00 pm and they
>>>>>>>>didn't
>>>>>>>>have
>>>>>>>>the person come on duty who was going to get me until 5:55 so he
>>>>>>>>didn't
>>>>>>>>arrive until 6:20.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I had another person drop me off at the wrong entrance to my
>>>>>>>>building
>>>>>>>in
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>>>apaartment complex. I couldn't get a ride home from my job
>>>>>>>>developer
>>>>>>>until
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>two hours after the end of my appointment. I couldn't get a ride
>>>>>>>>home
>>>>>>>>from
>>>>>>>>the gym at all, I could get there but not home. I also called one
>>>>>>>>week
>>>>>>>in
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>advance of the City Council meeting to schedule my ride. I
>>>>>>>>scheduled it
>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>10:30 pm because I didn't know how long the meeting would go and
>>>>>>>>they
>>>>>>>set
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>it
>>>>>>>> up. The lady called me back ten minutes later and said she
>>>>>>>> looked at
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>schedule wrong. "It's written in military time and I have trouble
>>>>>>>reading
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>and understanding it. The latest we can get you is 8:30 not
>>>>>>>>10:30."
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I told the Council most of what I've just told you and they sent
>>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>> following questions to City Utilities telling them they wanted
>>>>>>>>answers
>>>>>>>by
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Friday, February 22.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>1. Why did you make the bus route changes?
>>>>>>>>2. Why didn't you have the schedules and maps ready before the
>>>>>>>>changes
>>>>>>>>took
>>>>>>>>effect?
>>>>>>>>3. Why didn't you hold a public hearing or have public comments
>>>>>>>>before
>>>>>>>you
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>made the changes?
>>>>>>>>4. Why did the routes change 3 and 4 times after you made the
>>>>>>>> original
>>>>>>>>changes?
>>>>>>>>5. Is it true that you didn't want the passengers to know the
>>>>>>>>changes
>>>>>>>were
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>coming? If so, why not?
>>>>>>>>6. Why are people having so many difficulties scheduling an Access
>>>>>>>Express
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>ride 6 and 7 days in advance?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I called the City Council yesterday to find out what was the next
>>>>>>>>step,
>>>>>>>>that's when I got told those questions were sent to City Utilities
>>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>as
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>soon as they received a response they'd call me.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Today a reporter from The Springfield Newsleader called. He
>>>>>>>>talked
>>>>>>>>to
>>>>>>>>both
>>>>>>>> me and Gary about what has been going on. I told him all about
>>>>>>>>Access
>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>that some of the buses arrive downtown five minutes early now
>>>>>>>> because of
>>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>new schedule, and the bus route that was added sits in the Social
>>>>>>>Security
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>parking lot for 15 minutes. No one has explained why this is.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The paper got a report from City Utilities telling them that the
>>>>>>>>number
>>>>>>>of
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>riders on Access has increased and that they have 5 buses. I told
>>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>reporter that several people I have spoken to said they are taking
>>>>>>>Access
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>because of all the route changes.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>He said that City Utilities has responded to City Council and
>>>>>>>>said:
>>>>>>>>"We
>>>>>>>>should have had the bus maps and schedules available when we made
>>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>route
>>>>>>>>changes, we will hold public hearings in the future for any change
>>>>>>>>we
>>>>>>>want
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>to make whether it's small or big."
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I noticed that they didn't answer any of the questions City
>>>>>>>>Council
>>>>>>>asked.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The article is supposed to run in tomorrow's paper. I hope it
>>>>>>>>makes
>>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>> difference.
>
>
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