Passenger Trains > twin cities light rail: an employee's view

a twin cities light rail operator voices her concerns about safety and crime while doing her job.

listen to her testimony........

https://www.americanexperiment.org/2020/02/light-rail-is-a-crime-ridden-disaster/

another article and video:

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/light-rail-crime-makes-operators-scared-to-come-to-work/89-2c1c45b6-f5df-428a-8b62-a7fb11d37aa9

66
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/20 06:49 by goneon66.

A politically-motivated piece ... the issue is not "light rail" but community standards around public behavior and the funding to enforce those standards.  

I have ridden light rail all around the world and it is the routing nor the equipment that determines the experience, but the expectations of proper conduct.  

In the comments, the failure of light rail to pay its way is noted (less then 50% farebox recovery ratio).  No mention of how non-toll roads have a 0% recovery rate.  

 

RevRandy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A politically-motivated piece ... the issue is not
> "light rail" but community standards around public
> behavior and the funding to enforce those
> standards.  

the issues as i see it are the safety of light rail operators AND passengers.  how about and increased police presence on light rail trains and in/around light rail stations?

> I have ridden light rail all around the world and
> it is the routing nor the equipment that
> determines the experience, but the expectations of
> proper conduct.  

again, SAFETY for the operators and passengers..........

> In the comments, the failure of light rail to pay
> its way is noted (less then 50% farebox recovery
> ratio).  No mention of how non-toll roads have a
> 0% recovery rate.  
>

last time i traveled on a toll road, i felt very SAFE.............

66

I've been on the twin cities light rail 3-4 times. In daylight, during the week.  Never felt particularly unsafe.

The rail line has a stop at the Veterans Medical Center. In my visits, it has been well used.

I found Twin Cities light rail safe, clean, and seemed to be a good operation.   Never saw any of the conditions mentioned.   The party concerned has aways been against light rail in Twin Cities for reasons I do not understand.

No surprise there. Isn't this one of the cities that wants to defund the police?  

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No surprise there. Isn't this one of the cities
> that wants to defund the police?  

"Defunding police" is a misnomer and you know it.

RevRandy Wrote:

>
> In the comments, the failure of light rail to pay
> its way is noted (less then 50% farebox recovery
> ratio).  No mention of how non-toll roads have a
> 0% recovery rate.  


Are the people using the non-toll roads not consuming gas?  Since they are, and gas has a tax on it that is supposed to be put back into the roads, your comment is incorrect.

I have ridden CTA at scariest time, Standing on Subway platform by myself hoping train will arrive soon. But that is not for everyone. Once the perception is there you will lose riders at the margin and others will never try. As far as losing money, I don't know the details but at some point there has to be a connection between costs and the benefits to society. Bob

Posted from Android

I live in St. Paul and have ridden the light rail numerous times and have never felt unsafe. Are there problems, probably. But every time there is one, the republicans, and in some cases the media freak out and say it''s unsafe. Mainly because the media and especially republicans here are very anti-light rail. As far as the operators feeling unsafe.they are completely cut off from everyone else due to the cabs being enclosed. Bus drivers, on the other hand, that's a different story.

Mark Kennebeck
Saint Paul, MN

Date: 09/15/20 08:06
Re: twin cities light rail: an employee's view
Author: WP-M2051
"Defunding police" is a misnomer and you know it."
For context, this image was extracted from the Wikipedia entry on 'Defund the Police'.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Justice_for_George_Floyd_-_We_Demand_Change_Now_-_49996235823_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Justice_for_George_Floyd_-_We_Demand_Change_Now_-_49996235823_%28cropped%29.jpg
MPD = Minneapolis Police Department
Good luck with that.

When so much of the American Experiment's agenda is strident opposition to light rail, this group's concerns about crime/safety on light rail come off as incredibly bogus.  If this group had its way, of course there would be no crime on light rail because there would be no light rail system in the Twin Cities.

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> last time i traveled on a toll road, i felt very
> SAFE.............
>
> 66

Just because YOU feel safe on a toll road, that does NOT mean that other drivers on on toll roads feel safe or that other toll roads are safe. 

Last month, I drove the Ohio Turnpike to get to Michigan.  Most of it was under construction.  It was a nerve-wracking drive.  On the way back I chose an alternate non-toll road and felt much safer.

One of my colleagues was traveling with her family on a toll road in Pennsylvania during the winter.  They approached a vehicle stopped along the side and her husband stopped the car to get out and help.  She and her children watched in as he was struck and killed by a third car which slammed into him.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goneon66 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > last time i traveled on a toll road, i felt
> very
> > SAFE.............
> >
> > 66
>
> Just because YOU feel safe on a toll road, that
> does NOT mean that other drivers on on toll roads
> feel safe or that other toll roads are safe. 

i was referring to feeling SAFE on a toll road from crime.

if i was a criminal that wanted to commit a crime with the INTENT of harming somebody (i.e., carjacking, armed "road rage," etc.), a toll road would be my LAST choice of roadway to  do it on.

toll roads have a LOT of video cameras that can observe/record criminal behavior and FEWER exits to escape on............

> Last month, I drove the Ohio Turnpike to get to
> Michigan.  Most of it was under construction. 
> It was a nerve-wracking drive.  On the way back I
> chose an alternate non-toll road and felt much
> safer.

glad you felt safer there........

> One of my colleagues was traveling with her family
> on a toll road in Pennsylvania during the
> winter.  They approached a vehicle stopped along
> the side and her husband stopped the car to get
> out and help.  She and her children watched in as
> he was struck and killed by a third car which
> slammed into him.

SERIOUSLY, i am sorry hear that.............

66

Typhoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RevRandy Wrote:
>
> >
> > In the comments, the failure of light rail to
> pay
> > its way is noted (less then 50% farebox
> recovery
> > ratio).  No mention of how non-toll roads have
> a
> > 0% recovery rate.  
>
>
> Are the people using the non-toll roads not
> consuming gas?  Since they are, anto repair the roads.d gas has a tax
> on it that is supposed to be put back into the
> roads, your comment is incorrect.

Are they being taxed at a commensurate amount to their use? Commercial trucks are taxed at a higher rate than automobiles yet do not cover the cost of road repair. Federal tax dollars are used to supplement to a degree.

WP-M2051 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> andersonb109 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No surprise there. Isn't this one of the cities
> > that wants to defund the police?  
>
> "Defunding police" is a misnomer and you know it.


You are right,Minnesota and Seattle want to abolish it.

Posted from Android

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When so much of the American Experiment's agenda
> is strident opposition to light rail, this group's
> concerns about crime/safety on light rail come off
> as incredibly bogus.  If this group had its way,
> of course there would be no crime on light rail
> because there would be no light rail system in the
> Twin Cities.

as far as i am concerned, the video testimonies of BOTH light rail operators' concerns are what is important.

what could be done to IMPROVE safety for light rail operators and passengers is worthy of discussion..........

66

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/20 09:38 by goneon66.

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RuleG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > When so much of the American Experiment's
> agenda
> > is strident opposition to light rail, this
> group's
> > concerns about crime/safety on light rail come
> off
> > as incredibly bogus.  If this group had its
> way,
> > of course there would be no crime on light rail
> > because there would be no light rail system in
> the
> > Twin Cities.
>
> as far as i am concerned, the video testimonies of
> BOTH light rail operators' concerns are what is
> important.
>
> what could be done to IMPROVE safety for light
> rail operators and passengers is worthy of
> discussion..........
>
> 66
>
If your focus is operator safety, then do not post content from organizations with other agendas which will muddy the message.   Seriously, you should have found a link to a transit union website with content on operator safety.
 

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RuleG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > goneon66 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > >
> > > last time i traveled on a toll road, i felt
> > very
> > > SAFE.............
> > >
> > > 66
> >
> > Just because YOU feel safe on a toll road, that
> > does NOT mean that other drivers on on toll
> roads
> > feel safe or that other toll roads are safe. 
>
> i was referring to feeling SAFE on a toll road
> from crime.

Crime happens on highways with tolls either caused by drivers or criminals dropping objects from overpasses onto cars.  When driving on highways, tolls or lack thereof made no difference in my feeling of safety from crime.

In previous posts, I highlighted the high number of fatalities on highways and noted that fatality rates on buses and trains were lower.  Your response was that this was due to lack of police.  If that's the case, then you are implying that speeding and other traffic violations are, by definiation, caused by criminals and more policing is needed to address these issues. 

>
> if i was a criminal that wanted to commit a crime
> with the INTENT of harming somebody (i.e.,
> carjacking, armed "road rage," etc.), a toll road
> would be my LAST choice of roadway to  do it on.

As I said above, crime happens on tolled roads.  I would not pretend to know how criminals think, because many do things which make little sense to me.
>
> toll roads have a LOT of video cameras that can
> observe/record criminal behavior and FEWER exits
> to escape on............
>
> > Last month, I drove the Ohio Turnpike to get to
> > Michigan.  Most of it was under
> construction. 
> > It was a nerve-wracking drive.  On the way back
> I
> > chose an alternate non-toll road and felt much
> > safer.
>
> glad you felt safer there........
>
> > One of my colleagues was traveling with her
> family
> > on a toll road in Pennsylvania during the
> > winter.  They approached a vehicle stopped
> along
> > the side and her husband stopped the car to get
> > out and help.  She and her children watched in
> as
> > he was struck and killed by a third car which
> > slammed into him.
>
> SERIOUSLY, i am sorry hear that.............
>
Thank you for that.

I have lived and worked in the TC metro area for over 70 years.  If you chose to use public transit you should do so in groups and NEVER after dark.  The gangs and others have been known to use the trains as their private bathrooms & Mobile piggy banks.  Murders & assaults have already exceeded last years year end totals & its only Sept..  The Cops have already given up a large part of the city as a no go zone around the "memorial", and unlucky homeowners & business people now are "asked" for donations by roving groups......like Chicago, there is gunfire every day in Minneapolis.....