13,050 "trips" per day

Does that include the 2 trips a person has to take many times to get to their destination, e.g. trip 1 to downtown then trip 2 to away from town again?

Also, they mentioned 13,500 trips a day for last year. What are the trips a day for the first 5 months this year as compared to last year? What are the trips a day for May as compared to May, 2007?

If a person has to transfer from one bus to another to reach her destination, that is two "trips."

The ridership on football game days in included in the trip count.

The overwhelming number of new riders over the last ten years are the result of KAT operating a bus service for UT students. ((link...))

In other words, city taxpayers are subsidizing driving college students from their dorms to class.

By the way, before you criticize that last sentence, it is NOT the other way around. UT isn't paying so much for the service that the students are subsidizing the already subsidized city-taxpayer funded program.

Yes, taxpayers do subsidize KAT. Hopefully high energy prices will put more people on the bus.

But the important thing to remember is this: for those who rely on KAT, there is no fallback system. Take away transit and you take away their ability to get to work and home...to get to the store...to get to the doctor.

In other words, city taxpayers are subsidizing driving college students from their dorms to class.

No, the students who ride the T are the ones who live off campus not on campus. Clearly, you haven't looked carefully at this situation. Many of them are grad students.

Yes, Randy it is low for a city the size of Knoxville. When I recently suggested to a member of my extended family that he ride the bus from his Old City apartment to his Way Out West Job, I got a look of indignation, and the comment was "I haven't stooped that low yet." So, riding the bus is seen as something undesirable.

I'm freelancing now and doing some consulting work, but am applying for full-time jobs. If and when I get one, the bus is going to get a very close look.

Some friends were discussing this the other day. One of them, a retired UT prof, takes the bus to and from his Fourth and Gill home to UT most days to use the Aquatic Center. He said it takes him considerably longer than when he drove, but that he is learning to use that time on the bus wisely by reading and organizing the rest of his day.

Pam Strickland

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut

For a 1 car household the bus is an insurance policy that you'll have transport if the car is in the shop. I pay thousands a year for various insurances, you don't hear me complain when I don't have to use them. But it's worth it to know they are there when needed.

I had occasion to ride the farragut X bus last month. It was a good experience and less stressful than driving I-40. I may see fit to use it again if I can get to the bus stop by 6:45 (I do wake up early occasionally). From there it would be a pleasant bike ride to the office.

____________________________________
Less is the new More - Karrie Jacobs

I might ride the bus occasionally. If we had them. Blount Co. has no public transportation at all. So in that respect Knoxville is lucky to have anything.

I guess the question then becomes about all the money that's being spent on it, and whether it's effective, and what they can do to make it more convenient and more attractive to more people, and how they can do it cheaper.

I don't really know the answers to any of that, but sounds like they are in a jam.

According to news reports, less than 25% of KAT's operating budget comes from fares. The rest is from the City of Knoxville, federal grants, etc. Sounds like a highly subsidized operation.

To me the most stressful thing is waiting for the bus. Is it running late, have you missed it, etc. Where I live now I have a line of sight to the bus line so I can see if it has whizzed by early. Even so it is stressful waiting for it. After I move it will be hidden behind a curve.

No wonder I ride my bike when I go to town.

If there was a device that beeped as the bus approached one could relax and read at the bus stop.

____________________________________
Less is the new More - Karrie Jacobs