bus – Page 2 – Reconnect Rochester

May 5, 2014 by No Comments

ROC Transit Day is important! But you don’t have to take my word for it…

The days are getting longer, and (slowly) the air is getting warmer. Soon enough the sweet scent of Lilac will be in the air. This can only mean one thing… ROC Transit Day will soon be here!

If you drive in your car to work alone each day, you’re probably asking yourself, “Why would I want to ride public transit when I can just drive my Nissan Leaf (or whatever)?”

Well, I could list all the reasons why public transportation is healthier for our earth, healthier for our bodies, and healthier for our community. But that would be boring. Instead, watch this video and hear it straight from the mouths of your fellow Rochesterians…

April 22, 2014 by No Comments

‘How to Ride the Bus’ Workshop, April 29

Getting on a bus for the first time can feel awkward for some. If the last bus you took was a yellow school bus, you might be due for a refresher course. RTS has scheduled a “How to Ride the Bus” transit orientation for 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, April 29, at Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) John G. Doyle Jr. Administration Building located at 1372 East Main Street external link . The orientation is the first of a series designed to help guide first-time riders of any age or those who might need a brush up. All are free and open to the public…

March 25, 2014 by No Comments

Proposed Schedule & Route Changes for RTS

The new RTS Transit Center will be opening on November 28th, 2014. Coinciding with the transit center opening, RTS is also proposing changes to bus routes and schedules. This is to accommodate the additional time required to travel through the Transit Center…

December 9, 2013 by 2 Comments

Route 52 – RTS’ New Crosstown Connection

Immediately after Labor Day, RGRTA CEO Bill Carpenter was on hand for the inaugural voyage of the newest addition to RTS’ stable of bus routes. A route planned with the University of Rochester Medical Center’s parking situation in mind, Route 52 crosses through the heart of the vibrant Monroe and Park Avenue communities before terminating at the brand new East Avenue Wegman’s store.

This new alignment, which follows a rigid 30 minute departure schedule external link from 6-10AM and 2:30-7PM (with a single midday trip), has had us at Reconnect excited for some time. We’ve finally crunched the numbers to bring the public an idea of just how much this development is enhancing service…

September 5, 2013 by 7 Comments

A Better Bus Schedule for Rochester

If you’ve been following along, you know RTS has been trying to apply a little design for the betterment of our transit system. RGRTA is currently studying the idea of new bus stop signs. And they’ve already introduced a better bus pass.

But wait, there’s more! RGRTA recently asked for our help redesigning one of the most important transit tools of all; those big, bad, bus schedules…

June 12, 2013 by 2 Comments

1 Week and 300 Fare Cards Left To Give Away

ROC Transit Day external link is just a week away. About 85 local businesses and organizations have signed up to participate on June 20 – either encouraging their employees & members to leave their cars home, or by offering exclusive deals to transit riders .

Rex the Rhino is planning his bus ride as we speak. Music buskers are tuning up for their performances during the evening rush hour on Main Street. Murphy’s Law on East Avenue is priming the kegs for our happy hour celebration (RSVP here external link ). And our volunteers are wrapping up HUNDREDS of prizes to deliver to random transit riders.

June 2, 2013 by No Comments

Rochester is getting on board ROC Transit Day

A few short weeks ago I told you about ROC Transit Day 2013 external link . The idea is simple… pedestrians make for a vibrant city. The more people Rochester has walking the streets instead of driving, the stronger our community will be; and the stronger our local economy will be. ROC Transit Day is a holiday from our cars. It’s a day to celebrate local businesses. And it’s a day to cast a symbolic vote for a stronger transit system…

May 12, 2013 by 2 Comments

ROC Transit Day: Lose your car keys on June 20

A year and half ago I managed to convince RGRTA to try something new. I said, “let me give away free bus rides for one day.” I imagined most people would say “no thanks, the bus isn’t for me.” But I also knew my mom was right when she said, “try it, you might like it.” That year I think maybe 200 people participated and left their cars at home for the day.

What began as a fun little experiment, has turned into ROC Transit Day external link – a full blown Rochester holiday from our cars. This year ROC Transit Day will be on Thursday, June 20.

In this, its second year, the volunteers at Reconnect Rochester are giving away 1,000 special edition RTS fare cards – designed by yours truly. And we’re asking Rochester’s business community to get involved too…

December 12, 2012 by No Comments

Real-time Bus Tracking Comes to Rochester

Posted by: Bob Williams

RGRTA recently unveiled the latest and most visually interactive tool to their ‘Where’s My Bus?’ technology suite external link . The SmartTraveler Plus platform by ACS allows the transit rider to track RTS bus locations (in real-time) along their route of interest.

March 8, 2010 by 7 Comments

Rochester’s Case for a Streetcar Line

The following article was published at RochesterSubway.com on 2010/02/16. Two weeks later 6 citizens got together and Reconnect Rocheseter was born.

America seems to have taken a renewed interest in mobility. Maybe due to President Obama’s recent commitment to high speed rail—or perhaps the positive results seen in towns like Portland and Denver have caught our collective attention. Whatever the reason, from the top down, people are rethinking our automobile-oriented culture—and getting excited about the possibilities.

There’s also good reason to focus on transportation as a way of jump-starting economic development. Industry requires access to people. And people need to have easy access to centers of employment. Continually improving access makes further development possible. Interrupting access will have the opposite effect. Likewise, doing nothing or simply maintaining existing infrastructure for an extended period of time will also hinder development.

For 30+ years Rochester has relied on the infrastructure choices it made in the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s. At that time we made development choices that encouraged our population to emigrate from the downtown core. We scrapped our extensive streetcar system, choked off downtown with the construction of the inner-loop, and paved super highways to take us from the city to the NY State Thruway and beyond. Since then that’s exactly where our money, our workforce, and our future have gone—down I-490 and out of state.