Transit riders meetup and brainstorm 

Topics:

  • What's available via the TTA API, and how could we be using it?
  • Need to connect TripFinder with Transloc, especially for mobile.
  • Campaign to promote bus ridership via social check-ins. 
  • Transit tax.

 

Transit tax:

Wake BOCC is majority Republican, Paul Coble opposes putting this on the ballot.

Currently 50.2% are in favor, according to recent RTA poll. 6% undecided. 68% sais they believed they would benefit from it. (Question was asked without stating the benefits.)

Two problems: convincing commissioners, and then later: convincing the public. 

Education/marketing needs to start ASAP (not wait until after the commissioner approve the referendum). People need to knwo what the tax would pay for and all things the tax wouldn't not even apply to.

Are there any influential republican transit supporters who could convince Coble & co.M-A think there's is very little chance of commissioners even approving it.  Republican lt gov run-off could impact Tony Gurley's vote. Joe Bryant is a potential swing vote.

What about a "let us vote" campaign? You don't have to like transit, but you need to trust the people. 

Bryan headed a sustainability task force, 65 peopel for a year, drafted a report. Cobe hijacked it, called it aplt by the UNC/liberals/agenda 21.  (Agenda 21 is a UN report for sustainability, 15 years old.)

Message: You wanted the people to decide on Amendment 1, why not this? Downtown Living Advocates, Ann-Cabell Baum Anderson had a great post on this.  Even a mjority of republican polled said that voters should allowed to decide. #letthepeopledecide #letwakedecide  Wake Up Wake County.

Need conservatives to lead on the referendum (and on the commish).

 

Who's here and what buses do you ride?

  • Ruby Sinreich, Chapel Hill Transit N, TTA 405. Duke Robertson & campus bus.  Occasional Bull City Connector. (Husband rides the CRX.)
  • Will Allen, Passenger Rail Taskforce, Hillsborough CAC,  can't ride anything even though it's a mile away from him.
  • Jeff Schmock, mostly bike and pedestrian. 
  • Helen Tart, takes the bus to Durham (CAT and TTA express) Tried to organize a transit users group in the past.
  • Mary-Anne Baldwin. Walks downtown a lot, takes R line. Liaison to RTA and on TTA board.