Senior Rider II wrote on Mar 23, 2008 12:33 AM:NCTD has never taken people where they want to go. They take them the way NCTD wants them to go which is resulting in the trouble facing the general bus riders along the rail. The colleges should be careful when they start subsidizing to accomodate Sprinter ridership just watch the situation at Sorrento Valley and the Coaster.

Umm.. wrote on Mar 23, 2008 1:12 AM:I really wish Sprinter service was good for night classes at Palomar, to get back westbound.

I'd be there in a second. At $4/day it's cheaper for a once or twice a week class than paying for their parking.

Bring it on, please.

Is it a freight train problem? Are the Escondido lumber yards holding up progress? I realize the little yellow bridges have to go up or no freight.

Herb: wrote on Mar 23, 2008 5:48 AM: In the picture, the young man appears to be cramming. But then maybe he is just reading something interesting. How well I remember that sense of urgency to cram that last bit of information away for a test. I did a lot of flying for my employers in my working years, and I would see numerous working people cramming for that next morning meeting. In my later years I knew very well that if you didn't know your subject, product, or contract before you left on the trip you were the wrong person doing the work, and you were at the mercy of your adversary. Then again perhaps cramming on a plane or train gives one the feeling that they are a part of the business world game, as does an entry level clerk getting a Starbucks $3.00 cup of coffee every morning, make them feel that they are a part of the office gang. At any rate I am sure the young man reading on the train will be much better off for it. Go get'em kid!

Karl wrote on Mar 23, 2008 7:34 AM:The statement by Marga Pratt about Sprinter riders not accomodating handicap riders is very sad. I've had the unfortunate experience to witness other infractions of the Golden Rule on the Sprinter also. When the stations are a little crowded I've seen adults push and shove their way past the elderly and children to get to seating first. Also in their haste to grab a seat, these morons won't wait until riders debarking have had a chance to get off the train. Topping the rude behavior off, besides myself, I have seen only one other able bodied person give up a seat for those deserving. Hopefully the Sprinter will address these issues. Peace.

Manx wrote on Mar 23, 2008 7:56 AM:When San Marcos builds their new theme park and shopping center along the creek, SanDag needs to dogleg the Sprinter over to that venue as well. Perhaps the developers would be willing to bank roll a small percentage of the cost. Planners need to get going now as we vault into the 21st century. We need a place for the senior citizens to go and partake of dining and entertainment. One of the chief failings of the Sprinter is that, other than the crime ridden Oceanside Pier area, the only place where you can get off the Sprinter and have food immediately available is a hot dog fast food joint at Crouch Street in Oceanside. Having a mall to go to would jump the ridership way up.

Gus wrote on Mar 23, 2008 8:17 AM:For $70 students can buy a monthly Coaster pass which allows them unlimited rides on the Coaster, Amtrak between O'side and San Diego, NCTD buses, MTD buses, the San Diego Trolley AND The Sprinter.
They can also take their bikes.

izzy wrote on Mar 23, 2008 8:53 AM:sorry bud,,that san marcos project is not going to fly----the housing boom is over-----and soon the tax man will reevaluate your home so that you pay less in propert tax......that means less money for the over paid politicians in san marcos......

C'mon wrote on Mar 23, 2008 9:37 AM:I've read a lot of good suggestions here.

Do any of you actually take these suggestions to the powers at be? You know...To actually make a difference versus just commenting here? I hope so.

If you have a compliment or a suggestion, take it to the people in charge. Maybe something good will come from it.

Maybe NCT should post a contact for feedback on this project.

Ralphs wrote on Mar 23, 2008 9:47 AM:To Gus: Sorry, but your assertion is totally incorrect. Read the following from NCTD.
For stated month unlimited riding on all regular Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) "Breeze" buses, and the Trolley/Sprinter. Valid on San Diego County Rural Routes with a $1.00 cash upgrade. Cash upgrade required on Coaster and DART. Pass must be signed, retained by user during trip, and shown on request. Proof of eligibility (as listed above) must be shown upon request. No transfers issued with pass use. Issuer not responsible for lost or stolen passes. Improper use my result in confiscation and/or legal action. MTS and NCTD reserve the right to replace/confiscate pass at any time. Willful damage of equipment will result in the confiscation of the pass.

Not transferable. Not for resale. No refunds. Not valid on special service buses or ADA Complementary Paratransit Service. It is illegal to duplicate this pass. Do not laminate. Fare prices subject to change.
Most of the statements concerning the Sprinter have little or no truth, almost like they were put our by the NCTD.

Ralphs wrote on Mar 23, 2008 9:49 AM:To Gus: Forgot to add, the Sprinter pass is not valid on Amtrak, totally different system.

nice ride wrote on Mar 23, 2008 10:11 AM:The Sprinter is great, I rode it twice already and loved it. Sure, you have to put up with some things, maybe even sit next to a stranger. But, having the option to ride rail to the coast and inland is a great thing. And it is affordable. Ridership is already high and i'd expect it it only increase with gas approaching $4 a gallon. There are kinks to work out, be patient. I guarantee in 15 years we'll be saying how much of a bargain the $480 mil was.

Paul wrote on Mar 23, 2008 11:57 AM:Wish list: 1)I hope the Sprinter is just a starter kit for a larger network of public transit. 2)I hope the train gets to go faster. For at least 1/3 of the day, it's faster to drive from Escondido to Oceanside. 3) I hope Oceanside and Escondido gang units get a bigger slice of the budget and maybe merge some operations. I'm seeing a lot more Oceanside gang bangers and their graffiti in Escondido, since the Sprinter started taking passengers. Just a matter of time before gangs in both cities have a turf war in Escondido.

Walt wrote on Mar 23, 2008 12:42 PM:College students always seem to need financial help,including for transportation, Fair enough. But as they grow into our increasing Culture of Dependency shouldn't they recognize and understand help from their benefactors? Perhaps printed on all transit tickets and passes; "This deep discout ticket courtesy your taxpayer friends and relatives saved you $11". And maybe a sign on campus; "Uncle Sam wants you to know the taxpayer subsidy for your Sprinter ticket today was $11.20". Sign could be updated frequently as a student project based on current operating expense, and ridership. And learn from their elders' mistakes. The Sprinter "loop" departing from existing tracks to service Cal State San Marcos cost $60 million or so. Seems like it missed by a mile and despite activists' promotions to reduce obesity by walking, a shuttle costing $19,000 per month takes Sprinter riders to campus. At current CSSM ridership, that another $2 or so per trip. Couldn't extending the shuttle's trips a mile or so to a station on the existing tracks have saved $60 million? Easter recognizes need for a new start.

Jim wrote on Mar 23, 2008 3:48 PM:I lived in the Bay area for a few years but was raised here in So. Cal. I can tell you the Bay area folks are better educated on mass transit etiquette, and I rode the BART system daily.

So. Cal people will go through a learning curve and I do hope decency prevails. Failing to give up a seat to disabled or elderly as mentioned in the article, or forcing your way on before others have disembarked is just plain rude.

Ralphs wrote on Mar 23, 2008 5:41 PM:To all taxpayers, we have been lied to and led down a not to rosey path by the NCTD concerning the Sprinter for years. Now we get to subsidize another bus line because it does not even go to Cal State San Marcos as promised. Is it any wonder that we have little faith in any public employee or politician.

Tony wrote on Mar 23, 2008 6:37 PM:If you get off at the Escondido Street Station in Vista, there is a "Mama & Papa's Pizza" in the mini-mall adjoining it. Great lunch specials from 11 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday -- but you need to get there early or late, because otherwise the place is packed.

To Karl wrote on Mar 23, 2008 7:16 PM:While I have not been and will never be a Sprinter rider (it goes nowhere that I need to be) ... it is beyond offensive that there are so many who would not give up their seat to a less capable person. Also note that by saying 'less capable' I mean not to imply handicap or an otherwise inability to function ... I just mean that it's sad to see so many have such lack of respect and courtesy for their elders who have already stood for many years and have (in my opinion) earned their right to sit during their time of transit. May you continue your example and may others learn and lead from it!

Ant wrote on Mar 23, 2008 7:19 PM:To Ralphs - NCTD does not have a shuttle from the Cal State San Marcos station, the school itself provides a shuttle from there station to the main campus if thats what your thinking. The normal breeze passes are good for bus and sprinter... The Regional passes are good on sprinter, Breeze, MTS, trolley, just not the Coaster. For 90 bucks you can get a Coaster pass, that I think Amtrak is still letting people holding one of those passes to ride from Oceanside to Solona Beach and downtown San Deigo, and it will also allow riding on trolley and buses.

Vista Resident wrote on Mar 23, 2008 8:42 PM:There are plenty of great places to eat in Vista Village at the Escondido Street Station. And, there's fun to be had at the Krikorian Theater in Vista Village.

There are also plenty of places to eat across the street from Vista Village on Main Street. The AVO Playhouse is on Main Street. My Mom and I attended Anne of Green Gables last year at the Playhouse. It was fun! The production was superb with lots of darling kids singing and dancing.

A little known treasure behind Main Street is Allen's Alley. They have great egg salad sandwiches with fruit on the side, club sandwiches, and cobb salads. Allen's Alley is one of the best deals in town and has a small-town folksy atmosphere. But, they close early -- 3 pm on weekdays, 2 pm on Saturdays, and 1 pm on Sundays (as I recall). If you call ahead, your food will be ready and waiting for you when you arrive.

And, there's that nice little Italian deli on Main Street. They have delicious desserts and yummy calzones.

John E wrote on Mar 24, 2008 7:11 AM:I plan to attend a lecture at SDSU on Friday, and Coaster-plus-trolley is by far my preferred way to get there and back, avoiding both the standard Friday afternoon I-5 congestion and the whole SDSU parking scene.

If taxpayers want to complain about financing public transit, they need to be reminded that they subsidize travel by private automobile to an even greater extent. Gasoline taxes pay to build and to maintain the interstate highway sytem, but income and property tax revenues are heavily tapped to pay for local roads. If John Q. Motorist were truly paying his own way, gasoline would cost close to $10/gallon. The hidden subsidy of motor vehicle travel is one of our economy's dirty little secrets.

Vista Granny wrote on Mar 24, 2008 8:04 AM:Just a correction about where to de-train in Vista if you want to eat or shop or see a play. Take the Sprinter to the Vista Transit Center, not Escondido Ave. The Vista Transit Center is right across the street from the Krikorian and there are probably 10 restaurants in that center. Also, the Transit Center is approximately 1 1/2 blocks from what used to be "downtown Vista" - there are two theaters there (live productions), some good Mexican food, and antique stores. Have a fun day in stuffy old Vista -- can you imagine? It's possible! (The Escondido station is a long way from all these goodies.)

George wrote on Mar 24, 2008 8:50 AM:Hi, John E! It is more expensive to provide rail service than it is to build roads. In "Suggestions For The SANDAG Ax" at http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/05/03/opinion/commentary/20_43_195_2_07.txt we see that the Sprinter cost $740,000 per passenger while adding two lanes to highway 78 would only cost $162,500 per drive-alone commuter. In addition, there is an ongoing operating cost for rail while there is zero operating cost for a freeway. From a financial standpoint, freeways offer the greatest capacity and versatility for the least amount of money.

Axle wrote on Mar 24, 2008 12:07 PM:To George: while roads may be cheaper to build, they don't solve all the problems. They solve the problems of the selfish not willing to sacrifice. Personally, the time I used to spend in the car on 78 traffic, I wasn't thinking "widen this road so I can be free!" I was yelling, "get me off this stupid highway!" And the sprinter has done that for me, at least during my commute. Broader problems of population density, smog and the economy being sucked dry by gas prices aren't helped by widening roads. Accessible mass transit fixes that, and the sprinter is the first baby step for that. It certainly won't be an overnight success, but in 10 years it will be a no brainer.

Sack. wrote on Mar 24, 2008 12:29 PM:God forbide you have to sit next to a stranger.

Mass Transit Manners wrote on Mar 24, 2008 12:50 PM:I rode on the first day with my son and when the train filled up there were several elderly ladies standing. As soon as I gave my seat to one of them a several men jumped up to give their seats. People are generally not rude, just need to be gently reminded. I love the Sprinter and it looks like it will be a huge success despite the naysayers (who are suspiciously silent now)

Vista Native wrote on Mar 24, 2008 1:28 PM:I rode the Sprinter and an elderly woman entered carrying an oxygen can. She herself was not using the oxygen but I saw her walk all the way to the back and not one person offered her a seat. I yelled and put my grandchild on my lap and offered her the seat next to me. I was shocked that no one offered her a seat. There are signs that say you should give your seat to the elderly and disabled. This is not the only incident. I was at a co-workers baby shower and being older not one young man or woman offered their seat to me. I sat on the floor. Where have the manners gone? It is not the Sprinters responsibility, it is the parents to teach children manners. There were plenty of skate boarders riding the train that day but they were other men and women in their 20's, 30's and 40's. Maybe we all need to make sure we are offering seats and teaching our children. I told my children about it and hopefully they will be reminded.Other than that the Sprinter was great and I will be using it everyday.

Ex Vistan wrote on Mar 24, 2008 1:29 PM:I learned that these tracks have connected Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, and Oceanside for over 100 years. This took way too long to come to Fuition. Thank you NCTD for all of your hard work and determination.

Walt wrote on Mar 24, 2008 1:49 PM:To John E. See; www.bts.gov/programs/federal_subsidies_to_passenger_transportation/ for US Dept of Transportation numbers showing how much more mass transit is subsidized.
To Axle: For 20 years San Diego has spent over a third of its transportation budget for a neat clean well operated mass transit system and it has attracted less than 2% of travelers. Meanwhile road congestion is costing over $1.4 billion per year according to Texas Transportation Institute. If you have some magic way to eliminate this misdirection of funds, SANDAG would like to hear it.

Axle wrote on Mar 24, 2008 3:28 PM:To Walt: is that $1.4B figure for north county SD, California, or the entire United States? Also, I remember much of the criticism for this line early on being NCTD's poor management. Now you counter with "NCTD is run great and nobody rides?" Your comment to me only supports my initial statement that it is the selfish driver's fault for not using public transportation. And if what you meant to say was that the bus system was unattractive despite best efforts, then you only support the reasoning behind developing the sprinter in the first place. I'm confused...it seemed like you were disagreeing with me, but I couldn't really find it.

George wrote on Mar 24, 2008 4:57 PM:Hi, Axle! Actually, expanding our existing freeways and planning some new ones would sove a lot of problems such as traffic congestion, excessive auto emissions, and the economic cost imposed on business by delays in transit. Check out the details in "Fix The Transportation Plan" at http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/09/14/opinion/commentary/20_34_159_13_07.txt

In 2004, we passed the TransNet Tax because SANDAG promised us congestion relief. Here we are in 2008 and there are no plans for congestion relief, although we are certainly paying the taxes for that relief! There's more discussion on this topic in "SANDAG Stats Mask Congestion Problems" at http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/15/opinion/commentary/11407182938.txt and in "Remove SANDAG's Planning Blinders" at http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/08/17/opinion/commentary/19_20_578_16_07.txt

Amy wrote on Mar 24, 2008 5:01 PM:I don't think Walt was thinking of NCTD management when he talked about a neat, clean, well-operated mass transit system. He was probably talking about the hardworking cleaning crews, maintenance personnel, mechanics, and vehicle operators. They are directly responsible for providing the system that Walk describes, sometimes despite the best efforts of management to sabotage it.

Non-Selfish Driver wrote on Mar 24, 2008 6:55 PM:AXLE: I take offense to your assertion that people who don't use mass transit are selfish drivers. I don't use the Sprinter for the same reason I don't use the Coaster ... they don't go anywhere I want or need to be. I also don't drive a big gas guzzling SUV. I do my part to conserve as much as I can as often as I can ... but public transportation is not a one size fits all fix all kind of thing. It will work for some and not others. If it works for you then that's great ... I hope you take advantage of it. But for you to consider those like me selfish just because it doesn't work for us ... that's just narrow minded, short sighted and stupid.

Mike wrote on Mar 24, 2008 9:07 PM:Congestion is a never-ending problem. Widen a freeway and more people will decide that the cost (in time spent in traffic) is a reasonable tradeoff for living 20 miles away from work. Lots of people make this decision and then find out that the freeway is becoming congested. Petition government to widen freeway. Development of bedroom communities miles from places of employment results. Congestion increases. Repeat ad infinitum.

Of course, rail affects people's decisions, too. But what you get are more residences and business within walking/biking distance of the rail line. Overall fossil fuel use decreases. Maybe now it looks like the rail is in the wrong places. It won't be, 15 years from now.

George wrote on Mar 24, 2008 9:56 PM:Hi, Mike! The reason congestion is a never-ending problem is because the planners fail to take growth into account. As the population expands, so does the need for more roads, more parking, more water & sewer, more of everything. Ignoring the need, which is one of the popular current planning techniques, just causes more congestion and artificial shortages (electricity and water are two notable examples). Another favored planning technique that jams people together into high-density "smart growth" developments is the very definition of congestion! Centralizing workplaces (like, say, downtown or in Sorrento Valley) without providing adequate roads and parking is another source of congestion. To address the problem we must get the regional planners to do some actual regional planning, as suggested in "Thinking Outside of SANDAG's Box" at http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/07/05/opinion/commentary/20_08_537_4_07.txt

Art wrote on Mar 24, 2008 10:42 PM:If people are fleeing the expensive high-density areas close to their work for a better lifestyle and more disposable income by living further away, the last thing you want to do is create more expensive high-density areas!

Walt wrote on Mar 25, 2008 7:13 AM:For Axle: Let's agree you are confused. The $1.7 billion yearly cost of congestion is for San Diego County. ($1.4 b was 2003) Vast majority of traffic of course is within a few miles from the coast. Texas Transportation Institute evaluates transportation in all US major metro areas. (LA area number for comparison is over $9 billion). For the same reason; too many funds going to mass transit. Too few to rectify LA having fewest, (not a misprint) freeway miles per capita. Correct emphasis on roads for the past few years has made Buffalo NY the large US metro are with the least congestion, and, guess what, highest miles of freeways per capita.Overwhelming decision to use cars is a "market place" one. Vast majority need the on demand fast no transfer travel directly to real destinations. Many stop, and transfer, time wasting mass transit was long ago rejected.That roads have been neglected in favor of mass transit for 20+ years is the reason for the expensive congestion. Technology can continue this basic transport for individuals cars now provide with very light automated vehicles on electrified guideways. For now though overcoming the political barriers to more road capacity is the most productive. And offer incentives to shift to already available drastically more fuel efficient cars. That's SANDAG's priority rather than obsession with already overbuilt underused mass transit. Amy is about right on well operated transit. But also credit operations management for both NCTD and the larger MTS with an effective organization and choice of staff, for operations that is. It is the misplaced priorities of planning Directors responsible for SD's congestion excesses. It's as if more and more out dated neat and clean Queen Mary steamships are operated mostly empty trans-Atlantic, when the vast majority want fast more effective air service.