The board members who run the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authorityreversed a fare-free policy on Metro’s buses Friday, days after Mayor John Cranley blamed people riding for free for some crowds that have gathered in downtown and Over-the-Rhine. Metro will resume charging fares on Sunday.
Some board members questioned whether bus riders really were responsible for a gathering last weekend that went viral on social media.
“I haven’t seen anything that substantiated that claim at all. These buses have more cameras than Fort Knox,” said board member Maurice Brown.
Board member Kathy Wyenandt asked for the specific evidence but was told simply that Cincinnati police said an initial investigation determined some in the crowd had arrived by bus and that there had been more than one gathering that concerned leaders.
“How can really assume that free fares are driving the crowd?” Wyenandt said. “I’m concerned with going back on our word.”
Cranley announced that SORTA would suspend the fare-free rides earlier this week, but only the board had the power itself to take action. One member, Wyoming Mayor Thaddeus Hoffmeister, voted "no."
CEO Darryl Haley told the board that there was video of people gathering at Government Square, the downtown bus station.
The board’s chair, Kreg Keesee, and member Brendon Cull said SORTA needed to follow the advice of police and elected leaders.
“We are getting strong concern from leaders leading us through this crisis,” Cull said.
“It’s concern way beyond that one incident,” Keesee said. “Obviously the one incident got the news, but that’s not the main driver of this discussion.”
SORTA’s meeting was initially supposed to start at 10 a.m. with observers able to call in to a conference line. But the meeting was derailed shortly after it started by what the agency said was a hacker, who interrupted the call with lurid descriptions of sex acts. It resumed at 11:45 a.m. on Metro’s Facebook page, where the meeting is archived.
A since-deleted tweet from the agency initially indicated the meeting would go on without the public being able to view, but it was deleted and Cull and Keesee said it was incorrect. All public meetings, even during the coronavirus crisis, must be accessible for the public to view. The Business Courier objected to any private meeting occurring after the agency sent its tweet.
The board members who run the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authorityreversed a fare-free policy on Metro’s buses Friday, days after Mayor John Cranley blamed people riding for free for some crowds that have gathered in downtown and Over-the-Rhine. Metro will resume charging fares on Sunday.
Some board members questioned whether bus riders really were responsible for a gathering last weekend that went viral on social media.
“I haven’t seen anything that substantiated that claim at all. These buses have more cameras than Fort Knox,” said board member Maurice Brown.
Board member Kathy Wyenandt asked for the specific evidence but was told simply that Cincinnati police said an initial investigation determined some in the crowd had arrived by bus and that there had been more than one gathering that concerned leaders.
“How can really assume that free fares are driving the crowd?” Wyenandt said. “I’m concerned with going back on our word.”
Cranley announced that SORTA would suspend the fare-free rides earlier this week, but only the board had the power itself to take action. One member, Wyoming Mayor Thaddeus Hoffmeister, voted "no."
CEO Darryl Haley told the board that there was video of people gathering at Government Square, the downtown bus station.
The board’s chair, Kreg Keesee, and member Brendon Cull said SORTA needed to follow the advice of police and elected leaders.
“We are getting strong concern from leaders leading us through this crisis,” Cull said.
“It’s concern way beyond that one incident,” Keesee said. “Obviously the one incident got the news, but that’s not the main driver of this discussion.”
SORTA’s meeting was initially supposed to start at 10 a.m. with observers able to call in to a conference line. But the meeting was derailed shortly after it started by what the agency said was a hacker, who interrupted the call with lurid descriptions of sex acts. It resumed at 11:45 a.m. on Metro’s Facebook page, where the meeting is archived.
A since-deleted tweet from the agency initially indicated the meeting would go on without the public being able to view, but it was deleted and Cull and Keesee said it was incorrect. All public meetings, even during the coronavirus crisis, must be accessible for the public to view. The Business Courier objected to any private meeting occurring after the agency sent its tweet.
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Keesee read a variety of public input from both riders and bus drivers. Some said the fare-free rides should stay in place for both driver safety and because of the economic hardships faced by the unemployed. People paying fares come closer than six feet to the driver. SORTA received letter from the Human Services Chamber and the Sierra Club opposing the resumption of charging fares.
“The police need to do their job,” said one letter read by Keesee.
Others, including some drivers, endorsed the move, saying they were concerned about the number of people riding the bus and their ability to maintain a state-mandated 6-foot distance from one another.
On the Facebook live feed, some riders demanded that Metro restore its regular schedule for weekdays if it was going to resume charging fares. The Monday-Friday schedule has been reduced to a modified Saturday schedule.
Some board members also suggested implementing a program where workers essential to the COVID-19 response still ride for free with a special pass. It’s unclear how that would be implemented.
Haley said Metro’s ridership has fallen 50%, but other transit agencies have seen an 80% to 90% drop, suggesting some nonessential rides are taking place. Metro is viewed as a key service for essential workers to get to their jobs and for those without cars to get food and to doctor’s appointments.
Metro has designed plexiglass shields to separate riders from drivers, Haley said. The shields will also allow Metro to open up the front of the bus for seating, which had been blocked off because of the six-feet separation rule.
Other transit systems have implemented a variety of measures, Haley said. Some are still charging fares, while others have hung shower curtains to protect drivers from passengers.
“There is no consistency from one transit system to the other right now,” Haley said. “We’ve gone above and beyond to make sure our drivers are safe.”
Keesee read a variety of public input from both riders and bus drivers. Some said the fare-free rides should stay in place for both driver safety and because of the economic hardships faced by the unemployed. People paying fares come closer than six feet to the driver. SORTA received letter from the Human Services Chamber and the Sierra Club opposing the resumption of charging fares.
“The police need to do their job,” said one letter read by Keesee.
Others, including some drivers, endorsed the move, saying they were concerned about the number of people riding the bus and their ability to maintain a state-mandated 6-foot distance from one another.
On the Facebook live feed, some riders demanded that Metro restore its regular schedule for weekdays if it was going to resume charging fares. The Monday-Friday schedule has been reduced to a modified Saturday schedule.
Some board members also suggested implementing a program where workers essential to the COVID-19 response still ride for free with a special pass. It’s unclear how that would be implemented.
Haley said Metro’s ridership has fallen 50%, but other transit agencies have seen an 80% to 90% drop, suggesting some nonessential rides are taking place. Metro is viewed as a key service for essential workers to get to their jobs and for those without cars to get food and to doctor’s appointments.
Metro has designed plexiglass shields to separate riders from drivers, Haley said. The shields will also allow Metro to open up the front of the bus for seating, which had been blocked off because of the six-feet separation rule.
Other transit systems have implemented a variety of measures, Haley said. Some are still charging fares, while others have hung shower curtains to protect drivers from passengers.
“There is no consistency from one transit system to the other right now,” Haley said. “We’ve gone above and beyond to make sure our drivers are safe.”