[PRCo] Re: METRORAIL Ridership

Sat Jun 27 07:57:05 EDT 2009

I knew what I meant to say, but I guess I need to learn to complete the sentence.

Let's try again.

I would not bet my life that any passenger statistics offered by New York, Boston nor Philadelphia.  They are statistical samples, and using the same sample, some of these agencies, if not all, come up with multiple system ridership numbers for the day.  Sure, you might see the bus driver registering each fare on a GFI farebox, but that might be used only to validate the ridership number generated by a statistical sample.  And we don't know what "adjustments" are made for driver/farebox errors.

When you get down to smaller systems, such as a Lancaster, what is reported is what the drivers report.  I'm still learning what can - and what can not be done within the GFI software.  One of my jobs is to validate the process used by certain transit systems to report ridership numbers.

So the Frank and Ernest cartoon quote about accounting also applies to ridership totals in larger systems.

Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:41:09 -0700
From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: METRORAIL Ridership
To: j_swindler at hotmail.com; pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org; jack.may at americomm.net
CC: etennyson at cox.net; alschneider2 at juno.com; gary-elaine at comcast.net; nawdry at bga.com; crvlkotula at aol.com; philgcraig204 at yahoo.com; billvigrass at verizon.net; bob.dietrich1 at verizon.net; bbente at bellsouth.net; trams2 at comcast.net; allmanr at verizon.net; rejmhj at netzero.net; shadow at dementia.org; akftrain at aol.com; miklosfrank at comcast.net; jaurelius at centurytel.net; russell.jackson at stvinc.com

Mr.Swindler;

It must be Friday mustn't it;  the humor quotient is running in high gear.  What figures do I want?  Do you have  'the real ones?'  What are the other choices?

It is interesting to note that I am getting replies but not my original message through the list,  some sent hours ago.

 Phil
Without  a  'coast'  but  not  a  'cause.'
--  --
"If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God,
and to do that, thou must be ruled by Him ...
Those who will not be governed by God...
.......will be ruled by Tyrants."
William  Penn,  founder  of  Pennsylvania

From: John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
To: pcc_sr at yahoo.com; pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org; Jack May <jack.may at americomm.net>
Cc: Ed Tennyson <etennyson at cox.net>; Al Schneider <alschneider2 at juno.com>; gary-elaine at comcast.net; nawdry at bga.com; crvlkotula at aol.com; Philip Craig <philgcraig204 at yahoo.com>; Bill Vigrass-home <billvigrass at verizon.net>; Bob Dietrich <bob.dietrich1 at verizon.net>; Bruce Bente <bbente at bellsouth.net>; Ed Lybarger <trams2 at comcast.net>; Richard Allman <allmanr at verizon.net>; Russ Jackson <rejmhj at netzero.net>; Derrick <shadow at dementia.org>; A. Fitzherbert <akftrain at aol.com>; Frank Miklos <miklosfrank at comcast.net>; John Aurelius <jaurelius at centurytel.net>; russell.jackson at stvinc.com
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 1:33:24 PM
Subject: RE: METRORAIL Ridership

I wouldn't bet the farm with any of them.

It's like the Frank and Ernest cartoon quote:  "Well, Mr. Bigdome, would you like our generally accepted accounting practices to show a profit or a loss for the year".  

So what would you like the ridership number to be?  We have several. 

Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:20:29 -0700
From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: METRORAIL Ridership
To: j_swindler at hotmail.com; pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org; jack.may at americomm.net
CC: etennyson at cox.net; alschneider2 at juno.com; gary-elaine at comcast.net; nawdry at bga.com; crvlkotula at aol.com; philgcraig204 at yahoo.com; billvigrass at verizon.net; bob.dietrich1 at verizon.net; bbente at bellsouth.net; trams2 at comcast.net; allmanr at verizon.net; rejmhj at netzero.net; shadow at dementia.org; akftrain at aol.com; miklosfrank at comcast.net; jaurelius at centurytel.net; russell.jackson at stvinc.com

> From: John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
> To: pcc_sr at yahoo.com; pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org; Jack May <jack.may at americomm.net>
> Cc: Ed Tennyson <etennyson at cox.net>; Al Schneider <alschneider2 at juno.com>;
> gary-elaine at comcast.net; nawdry at bga.com; crvlkotula at aol.com;
> Philip Craig <philgcraig204 at yahoo.com>; Bill Vigrass-home <billvigrass at verizon.net>;
> Bob Dietrich <bob.dietrich1 at verizon.net>; Bruce Bente <bbente at bellsouth.net>;
> Ed Lybarger <trams2 at comcast.net>; Richard Allman <allmanr at verizon.net>;
> Russ Jackson <rejmhj at netzero.net>; Derrick <shadow at dementia.org>;
> A. Fitzherbert <akftrain at aol.com>; Frank Miklos <miklosfrank at comcast.net>;
> John Aurelius <jaurelius at centurytel.net>; russell.jackson at stvinc.com
> Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 12:55:49 PM
> Subject: RE: METRORAIL Ridership

> Correct number.  Weekday ridership in the 800,000 for rail.  It's about twice the bus ridership.

> It might also be an average of enter/exit number but that's not important.  Under impression train service does not end until after midnight, so some passengers enter system on one day and leave the following day.

> For many years PATCO provided us with enter/exit data.  They never matched, and not even that close most of the time.  Off by several hundred as  vaguely recollect.

Thank you Mr.Swindler;  Mr.Vigrass responded similarly..

Please don't make any special effort for the following but I am
curious about Philadelphia, New York city, and Boston
ridership figures..

Phil

> From: Schneider Fred <fwschneider at comcast.net>
> To: Jack May <jack.may at americomm.net>
> Cc: Edson Tennyson <etennyson at cox.net>; Al Schneider <alschneider2 at juno.com>;
> Gary Olden <Gary-elaine at comcast.net>; Nawdry <NAWDRy at bga.com>;
> Kotulak Dick <CRVLKOTULA at aol.com>; Craig Phil <philgcraig204 at yahoo.com>;
> Swindler1 John <j_swindler at hotmail.com>; Vigrass Bill <billvigrass at verizon.net>;
> Bob Dietrich <bob.dietrich1 at verizon.net>; Bente Bruce <bbente at bellsouth.net>;
> Lybarger Ed <trams2 at comcast.net>; Allman Rich <allmanr at verizon.net>;
> Jackson Russ <rejmhj at netzero.net>; Brashear Derrick <shadow at dementia.org>;
> Fitzherbert Tony <Akftrain at aol.com>; Miklos Frank <miklosfrank at comcast.net>;
> JOHN AURELIUS <jaurelius at centurytel.net>; Russell E. Jackson
> <russell.jackson at stvinc.com>; pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 12:44:33 PM
> Subject: Re: METRORAIL DISASTER

> .......a system that moves a million people a day,

Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:26:41 -0700
From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com
Subject: METRORAIL Ridership
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org; jack.may at americomm.net
CC: etennyson at cox.net; alschneider2 at juno.com; Gary-elaine at comcast.net; NAWDRy at bga.com; CRVLKOTULA at aol.com; philgcraig204 at yahoo.com; j_swindler at hotmail.com; billvigrass at verizon.net; bob.dietrich1 at verizon.net; bbente at bellsouth.net; trams2 at comcast.net; allmanr at verizon.net; rejmhj at netzero.net; shadow at dementia.org; Akftrain at aol.com; miklosfrank at comcast.net; jaurelius at centurytel.net; russell.jackson at stvinc.com; pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org

This piqued my curiosity;  rail alone moves about 800,000 daily except weekends.  Quoting from the wmata website:

"Figures shown here for Metrorail ridership represent actual passenger entries and exits for the specific date."
http://www.wmata.com/rail/disruption_reports/viewPage_update.cfm?ReportID=1475

Mr.Swindler;  does this mean that each passenger 'on rail' is counted twice - boarding and exiting?  Do you know if the figure for June-17 of 813,915 is adjusted  (board + exit / 2)  or should this figure be divided by 2 to determine the actual individual passenger count?  Yes;  the figure doesn't divide evenly but electronic counters have a variety of issues to affect results.

http://www.wmata.com/rail/disruption_reports/archived_service_reports.cfm

Here is info from the wmata site about the recent accident:
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=2630

Phil
Without  a  'coast'  but  not  a  'cause.'
--  --
"If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God,
and to do that, thou must be ruled by Him ...
Those who will not be governed by God...
.......will be ruled by Tyrants."
William  Penn,  founder  of  Pennsylvania

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