[Durham INC] New from the Rev-elution: Ending the cycle of poverty transportation

Thu Aug 16 22:41:16 EDT 2012

I think this is exactly the problem Carl is addressing. The majority of the people who ride the bus today don't ride it because it's easy, they ride it because it's their only option. And it can be dehumanizing to deal with the indignities of being let off the bus early, in the rain, because of a service issue. And when a large chunk of white/upper or middle class people say "I would ride the bus if it were easy" then it makes it a little more understandable that a frustrated individual might say:

“A black man can’t make it in this country,” an animated rider declared as the bus turned right on Dowd Street. “The white man has everything.  Ain’t nothing we can do to change things.”

Carl's point though, is that there is a well documented stigma surrounding the bus, as well as walking and biking. The TTA has done a great job of making things better by adding wifi to routes, and working with DATA to improve reliability and performance of routes. The Bull City Connector is another great way to get around Durham, and a real boon to the area. We need to continue to reduce the stigma surrounding it.

And buses will never run with any regularity in South Durham because the population density is not high enough to support any level of ridership that would come close to paying for it. Even in a city like Boston, only a few of the bus lines weren't in the red. 

- Matt

On Aug 16, 2012, at 5:58 PM, Melissa Rooney wrote:

> I don't ride the bus because I would have to drive to the nearest bus stop, and then I'd have to take the bus into downtown Durham to get anywhere useful to me, often requiring me to drive to the stop, get on the bus, go downtown, then go back out of town.
> 
> More bus stops is tantamount and more bus routes that suit areas like South Durham, which continue to be developed but which most people presume is inhabited by people who don't want to leave their cars behind.
> 
> There are many who believe the bus system is unsafe, particularly after dark.
> This didn't stop me from riding the bus in LA, and it wouldn't stop me from riding the bus here.
> 
> Perhaps a study should be published detailing the (presumably low) numbers of crimes that occur on Durham buses/Data.
> 
> Then we should have a 'ride the bus day/week/etc.,' much like National Night Out.
> 
> Melissa (Rooney)_
> 
> 
> From: Carl Kenney <revcwkii at hotmail.com>
> To: mmr121570 at yahoo.com; darius.m.little at alumni.unc.edu; Intern Neighborhood Council <inc-list at rtpnet.org> 
> Sent: Thursday, 16 August 2012 11:35 AM
> Subject: RE: [Durham INC] New from the Rev-elution: Ending the cycle of poverty transportation
> 
> My piece is not about race relations, it's about the feelings of some on the bus.  The reason this is important is related to the need to change the culture of the bus system to encourage people to ride the bus, not because they have to, but because they want to save the globe.  We can't minimize public transportation as a system for black, brown and poor people. So, why haven't I seen people who fight for the environment on the bus?  Why aren't they riding the bus?  It's a critical question that I want to address.  I'm not done riding and writing, and I won't until I see more of you on the bus.  Our globe deserves better than this!
> 
> 
> Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:50:06 -0700
> From: mmr121570 at yahoo.com
> To: Darius.M.Little at alumni.unc.edu; inc-list at rtpnet.org
> Subject: Re: [Durham INC] New from the Rev-elution: Ending the cycle of	poverty transportation
> 
> Thanks for that input, Darius.
> I was thinking the same thing.
> We are lucky to have public transportation at all, much less the emphasis that our local elected officials put on increasing its reach and its quality.
> 
> Public transport was my only mode of transportation for nearly 3 years when I lived in Melbourne, Australia. Did I have often have to wait past a buses scheduled stop and be late for work or appointments as a result? Did I end up taking the bus to the end of the line unknowingly and have to walk in the rain to a distant bus stop? Yes, but like the plethora of other ethnicities riding the bus with me, I did not associate this hardship with anti-American, anti-Polish, anti-Lithuanian, or anti-woman sentiments.
> 
> I agree that we have a long way to go when it comes to race-relations in Durham and in this country. But I do believe that things are much better in Durham than a lot of places and that we are sincerely striving to get things right.
> 
> Melissa (Rooney)
> 
> 
> From: Darius Little <Darius.M.Little at alumni.unc.edu>
> To: Carl Kenney <revcwkii at hotmail.com>; inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org; inc-list at DurhamINC.org 
> Sent: Wednesday, 15 August 2012 8:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [Durham INC] New from the Rev-elution: Ending the cycle of poverty transportation
> 
> Carl,
> 
> I appreciate your writings, but I am going to contest this one.  (Smile)
> 
> Allowing the individual to get off of that bus without educating him on the fact that "riding the bus" isn't completely racial oppression was the biggest failure that has occurred.
> 
> I am black and I am sick and tired of other blacks making the bus a racial issue.  There are more poor Whites in Durham County than Blacks.  Why don't you see them on the bus?  Most poor Whites live in rural areas, whereas most poor Blacks live in the City Limits.
> 
> There are too many educated, well-off Blacks in Durham for articles as this to be allowed to be printed and published, without being called-out.
> 
> It is offensive to always see the "poor" image of Blacks being elevated.  Let's publish some articles on the young business owners in the Black Community, such as your truly, who employ a freakin' staff, am very active in politics, countless civic organizations in Durham, tutors/mentors youth, volunteers, etc.  Or young Black professionals, like Pierce Freelon, who are hardworking, manage a family, is involved in the community and engages in a lot of civic activities.
> 
> I'm tired of hearing about the White Man and how oppressed we Blacks are - it just isn't so.
> 
> In Durham, we have poor Blacks, but the average Black in Durham is doing pretty well.  That is not to say the "Black Community" is where it needs to be, collectively, but if we are going to encourage those at the lower tier of socioeconomics in our community, they'd be best served reading about and seeing the avenues for success, not enabled to rely upon the crutch of complacency, by reading articles such as the one you just published.
> 
> If I were poor and read that article, I'd not be very encouraged to be proactive....
> 
> - Darius
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------
> Darius M. Little
> Executive Business Consultant  and
> Strategic Marketing Analyst
> 
> (web) www.linkedin.com/in/dariuslittle
>  
> Manta Business Profile/Report: 
> http://www.manta.com/c/mtlwj1m/little-s-business-consulting
> 
>  
> "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." [Matt 21:22]
>  
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carl Kenney <revcwkii at hotmail.com>
> Sender: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org
> Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:53:45 
> Subject: [Durham INC] New from the Rev-elution: Ending the cycle of poverty
>     transportation
> 
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