More with less

RTA's consultants propose that the way to improve rider service is to actually give them shittier service.

While still just a conceptual proposal, the plan from California-based Transportation Management and Design aims to lure more riders into the system without significantly increasing costs, trading off the inconvenience of having to walk, say, an extra quarter mile for the greater likelihood that a bus will be there soon after a passenger arrives at a stop.

“Frequency will dominate, and people will walk and people will use it if you provide service that is reasonably frequent,” said Norm Silverman, who works for TMD. “Not everyone can have a stop at their ultimate destination,” he added

This is not a plan that shaves any time off of anyone's commute. The idea is that, if you spend more of your time rushing to get to the bus stop than you do waiting at the bus stop, then you're more likely to blame yourself than RTA if you're late getting somewhere.  It's clever salesmanship, maybe. But it's not better service. 

It's terrific consulting, though since it probably will cut costs.  The "increased frequency" derives from further consolidating the already insufficient routes.

To make those improvements, the plan would drop several lines in the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods, Lakeview, near St. Bernard Avenue and the downriver part of Algiers and would make changes to some of the routes that would remain in place.

The routes that would be cut are near other, more heavily used lines that could have more frequent service if the changes were approved, Silverman said.

Let's increase ridership by making a bus stop harder to find.  Sounds like a winner.