All Aboard COTA Crimes!

A veteran commuter, including almost two decades riding the coaches and rails of New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority, I have been amazed at the lack of accountability on the part of the Central Ohio Transit Authority, particularly when it comes to the ineptitude and inconvenience of the system, and treatment of its customers. Unlike most metropolitan newspapers, The Columbus Dispatch barely covers this beat--I guess it's readers all are safely ensconced in their earth-killing machines and don't ever have to bother with riding the bus. Even now, most people look at me strange when I explain that I'm a bus rider and don't have a car. But even more astounding to me is the riding public's apparent willingness to endure rude drivers, bad service, nonexistent transfer procedures, and fare increases, just to name a few injustices. This blog will serve to document the abuses, highlight service lapses and shortcomings, and put the word out about discourteous drivers. Kudos will be provided when earned, and readers are encouraged to contribute accounts of their own experiences. It is hoped that the effort will result in the establishment of a commuter-advocacy organization like New York's Straphanger Campaign, to put the system's wheels to the fire. WE DESERVE BETTER!!!

Monday, August 15, 2016

Another Bus Stop to Nowhere: Graceland

The Graceland shopping center has seen a resurgence of sorts in the past 10 years. While many 1960s-era shopping centers are shut down and shuttered, Graceland is a popular shopping destination for north Columbus residents, and includes a Target, a Kroger, among other consumerist haunts. So why is this bus stop to nowhere still in existence?
This lonely spot at the very end of Graceland--the last of two stops inside the shopping center--is notable for its absolute lack of any amenities for the beleaguered COTA rider (unlike many stops, it DOES have a garbage can). It's a good stretch, probably about 100 yards, from the nearby Kroger (hence, the preponderance of shopping carts seen below), and if you are elderly or otherwise physically disabled, it has to be quite a chore to lug your groceries to it. Fuhgettaboudit, if you happen to be stranded there during inclement weather.

The spot does have a nice view of a meadow, behind which is a park that lines the banks of the Olentangy River. But most visitors to the spot are trying to get home, not sight-see or take a nature walk.

With the development boom transforming Columbus, it's a safe bet that open space's days are numbered. Should development reach this lonely spot, perhaps the powers that be COTA might consider upgrading this stop. My suggestion would be to move the stop to the parking lot lane that the bus already rolls through on its way to this outpost. It's close to the store, and would not impede parking-lot traffic, and would be a hell of a lot less an ordeal for those lugging groceries home from here.
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