Learning from the RTA

So I finished my first full week at Parker and continuing on through another. Not a lot of eventful things happening for me just yet. I know it will pick up soon. One thing that has been eventful and always is is catching the RTA. That's right. I catch the bus to places especially to work. I feel that this is the perfect time to talk about this situation with the bus. With gas prices continuing to soar over the four dollar a gallon mark all across the United States, why wouldn't I?
(Picture #1- Dine at Tower City- A Promotion of all of the restaurants that Tower City has to offer after a train or bus ride.)

To introduce the topic, I will talk briefly about what is the RTA. The RTA stands for the Regional Transit Authority. This "authority" serves as the transportation for Cleveland and all of its suburbs. The RTA was voted the Best Transportation Authority in North America. The RTA has been around for a long time. I don't remember the date when it started but I know it has been in existence ever since I was born. The RTA branches off into different and distinct areas of Northeast Ohio from Avon on the West to Chagrin Falls in the East, from Rocky River in the North to Brecksville in the South. The RTA explores through different cultures and people, all in the name of transporting all types of people to their destination.
(Picture #2- An Outside View of the Regional Transit Authority.)

To get to Parker every work day, I catch two different buses. The RTA gives me door-to-door access- literally. The RTA picks me up in front of my house in the wee hours of the morning and drops me off in front of Parker in Mayfield Heights about an hour later. I am blessed to have this service. I have a Mustang that eats a lot of gas even if I am going a short distance. I rather pay $17.50 for a weekly local (bus pass) than put $40-$50 dollars in my tank and potentially have to refill my tank. For me, the bus line to Parker is a huge benefit and to many other people in the working class who ride the rapid to downtown Cleveland at an inexpensive price.
(Picture #3- No car, no problem. Choose one of the paths of the rapid to reach your destination.)

Without the RTA, there would have been no way I would have seen some of the places I have seen, the good or the bad. I have been in projects where there is abject poverty surrounding you. You may not feel very comfortable in the area but at least you are aware that there is transportation waiting to get you out (hopefully). Some of the best parts of Cleveland and its suburbs are utilized by the RTA particularly in the form of the rapid. The Flats, Downtown Cleveland, and Hopkins International Airport wisely have the rapid come through. I have taken the rapid to many festivals including the Taste of Cleveland held in the Tower City Amphitheater and Pavilion areas. On the RTA bus line, you have areas such as Crocker Park, Great Northern Mall, and Legacy Village/Beachwood Mall, which I pass by to go to work. Some of the best places are accessible by bus.
(Picture #4- Advertisements for past and upcoming events.)

The RTA does have its drawbacks. The biggest drawback I have encountered throughout the years of riding the RTA is that the buses may or may not follow their scheduled time of arrival. This means that if you have looking for a specific bus and the bus never shows up, you may be stranded. In an area like Mayfield Heights where I work, the bus only runs at a certain hour mainly mornings and evenings- no lunch, no late nights. I plan out my schedule accordingly so if there is delay I can be ready. Oftentimes, most people do not and are stranded in that particular spot for say, an hour. Your only alternative would be to hitch a ride from a willing person or to call a reliable person to pick you up. Personally, since I know how to navigate the bus line, I prefer to be in an area that is not remote and that I know that there are several bus lines to take in case of an emergency or a delay. It can and will happen at some point. Fortunately for me, I have never had a significant delay in my area of work. The moral of this drawback is to prepare for the unexpected especially if it is your first time riding the RTA. Things happen. Like being on the rapid getting stuck in the tunnel near Tower City and seeing people FREAK OUT for twenty minutes before finally arriving 45 minutes. Yeah. Just saying.
(Picture #5- A Stop Before Home- A Foundational Marker of Shaker Heights, Ohio.)
I suppose one of the drawbacks (or perks) the RTA has to offer is seeing the environment and the people that surround the environment. I rode the bus to all different types of environments and you have to prepare yourself. The environment in Orange is a lot different than in East Cleveland. The behavior of people on the bus might shock you or worry you. If you know that you are going to be riding in an area where it is known for being drug central, then you should know what you are getting into. If you don't like a lot of activity that may be off-kilter or eccentric, then riding the bus may not be for you despite the benefits. Some areas have more youth, which means more crying from infants, a lot of running in the aisles, loud talking, and things of that nature. In this case, you should bring a pair of headphones or earplugs- whatever fits your personality. What I said earlier- expect the unexpected.
(Picture #6- At Tower City- I captured an interesting shop.)
(Picture #7- Airbrushing. They make painting so easy and real looking.)


Well, I am done. I have to prepare for another journey on the RTA tomorrow. I just hope it doesn't rain a torrential downpour. If it does, I'll live. Until next week, I will be scouring for more pictures to provide you with the latest news.




Encouraging you to leave the car at home and travel via RTA,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10