I’ve been riding HRT buses since August 2003 and I am a so-called Choice Rider (I can drive, but I’d rather be on the bus) and can easily boast that I know the system better than 222-6100 (just ask almost any operator).

My invitation is for any route / any city / any time (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are when I’m available) and I will be glad to teach you a lot about the agency.

The service area stretches all the way from 19th & Pacific at the Oceanfront to Elmhurst (Lee Hall) in Newport News where a connection to Williamsburg Area Transit Authority can be made – providing continuous city bus service from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront to Toano, west of Williamsburg.

Again, welcome to Hampton Roads Transit!!

Major stops along the route:

• Shitty Grove Parking Lot
• Civic Plaza Station
• Tidewater Dr & Noreview Ave
• Five Points
• ORF Airport

Route 7 Schedule, Daily 5 AM to 11:47 PM every hour.

Service begins Sunday, Feb 5th. Here’s hoping HRT doesn’t get ahead of themselves again.

We will miss you Claude and someday I know I’ll be on your bus up there when it’s my turn to come through those Pearly Gates.  HRT lost a wonderful, wonderful operator.  Thank you Claude and Rest in Peace.

Anyone from the Peninsula able to help me?

One of the operations big wigs down at 18th Street – along with a couple of staff members – happily took advantage of the offer to “escape the office” and learn the route better.  Here’s what I had in mind for the 47: County & Court to Village & Academy: Route 47 High Street, marked as such, and make no changes, except as planned with the Service Efficiencies Study.

Village & Academy to Lakeview Industrial Park in Suffolk: I can see major (for the better) changes happening.  This is what I would like to see happen:

1. As the bus is coming into Suffolk, hang a left onto Prices Fork Blvd
2. At the Traffic Circle where Prices Fork & University Blvd meet, swing around to University – making a right.  Somewhere safe there, plant a bus shelter for both directions.  NOTE: buses CAN NOT fit down University Blvd towards the Tri Cities building, so these shelters would be where you get on and off for Tri Cities
3. Continue down University Blvd and hang a RIGHT onto College Drive
4. Regular Route from there to Walmart

First and foremost, my experience riding the bus (and ferry) to and from school.

Last week, HRT’s Transit Riders Advisory Committee met at the 15th Street boardroom.  As usual, I was kicked to the visitor seating area.

Everyone introduced themselves – even me (as the bus route expert), then down to business.  The minutes from the October meeting were missing in action, so delay in voting to approve those minutes.

Comment from the Co-Chairs

Judith

• Judith attended each public hearing – except Suffolk
• The TDCHR (governing board of HRT) meets every fourth Thursday
• Route issues discussed

Lee

• Rosetta, the Hampton rep, can no longer attend.  Time for a new Hampton rep
• Service reports were distributed, and the difference between Service Reports and Customer Assistance Forms were discussed
• Went over TRAC Guidelines

More Business

TRAC was told that the Service Efficiencies Study Part 1: The Reductions are happening January 22nd.  Service Efficiencies Study Part 2: The Additions (NIGHT BUS SERVICE!!!!) will be discussed later, with a possible timeframe of adding them in around May or June of THIS YEAR

Shitty Grove Parking Lot Relocation

THIS IS THE BEST THING FOR US BUS RIDERS!!!! Shitty Grove relocation is FINALLY starting to proceed.  This is a City of Norfolk led project and they are in the first steps of the process.  Due to limited budgets, this has to be on City-owned land.  Requirements: lights.  BATHROOMS for OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS!!!!!!!!!

I will have much more details come March

Night & Sunday Service in Portsmouth: Coming Soon

As part of a commitment to “ease the pain” of tolls at the Tunnel, the following routes will see substantial additional service:

• Route 44 Turnpike Rd
• Route 45 Portsmouth Blvd
• Route 47 High Street
• Route 90 River Ferry

The money will be on top of – not instead of – money contributed now by the City of Portsmouth.  By signed contract, this will be at minimum for the length of the tunnel operation license (which is currently 50 years).  Although not yet set in stone, these routes will have service 7 days a week with 15 minute frequency at peak and will run until around 10 or 11 PM (the 45 will continue to run until 12-1 AM as it does today).  Portsmouth, YOU ARE GETTING SUNDAY SERVICE!!

Route 7 Airport: What Went Wrong

Long story short: the Airport Authority started crying like little babies at the very, very last minute.  When I say last minute, I mean “crews were in trucks taking bus stop signs to the airport” last minute.

They were scared they would lose parking revenue.  You know?  Every other airport has bus service.  The big ones even have train service.  Do they complain?  Nope.  GROW UP NORFOLK AIRPORT AUTHORITY.  EITHER YOU SAY “OK” TO HRT OR I WILL FILE AN ADA VIOLATION COMPLAINT.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,900 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 32 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Yesterday, I went for a ride with HRT Staff on the final day of HRT operations in Suffolk.  Passengers were mostly taking things in stride, and mostly it was a day of saying goodbyes to everyone.  Beginning Tuesday (because Monday is a Holiday), Virginia Regional Transit will be taking over Suffolk operations.  They will operate Routes 71 and 74 as they were, and is expected to report back with proposals around March or April.

I gave Suffolk Public Works an earful due to the loss of Paul D Camp Community College service, then the HRT staffer explained how the 72 also served a lot of residential that would be losing service as well.

I’ve used VRT’s Mountain Division service plenty of times before and I say: give them a chance to iron the kinks out.  Take it in stride, and I will be back in Suffolk to see how VRT is doing.

• New Year Eve: Regular Saturday Schedule
• New Year Day: Regular Sunday Schedule, but no service on Route 960
• Day After New Year (Monday): Modified Saturday Schedule. Light Rail will be on a weekday schedule. Buses will be on a Saturday schedule. There will be No 960