urbanSTL

How can you not? They’re both public services. Both are “transactions” that voters elected to spend money on without a promise of delivering direct return on investment. They both deliver indirect economic value that won’t be captured in the annual budget.

If they both have a surplus, great! More and better parks. More and better busses.

But I don’t want our governments chasing profit surplus for the sake of profit. That’s how you end up with billboards in parks or predatory (and ugly) advertising on busses.

addxb2 wrote:How can you not? They’re both public services. Both are “transactions” that voters elected to spend money on without a promise of delivering direct return on investment. They both deliver indirect economic value that won’t be captured in the annual budget.

If they both have a surplus, great! More and better parks. More and better busses.

But I don’t want our governments chasing profit surplus for the sake of profit. That’s how you end up with billboards in parks or predatory (and ugly) advertising on busses.

aesthetic functionality is critical to a park. It’s a nice to have on a bus. They aren’t comparable at all.

Oh. Right. I forgot. Only cars are entitled to an aesthetically comfortable experience. The rest of us need to commute while wincing through a mesh bright pink billboard… cause profit.

Come on. It would be a stretch to call advertisements on busses/trains even a mild inconvenience. So if you’re going to get rid of them at a cost of ~$1M in profit, at least give me a good reason.

I can’t, because I wasn’t in the meetings. Can you give me a good reason why a budget focused CEO would choose to dismiss $1.5M?
Maybe more will eventually come out and one of us will get our answer. St. Louis County Republicans love to grill Metro.
I’m optimistic that Taulby Roach was presented with evidence that advertising was no longer a worthwhile revenue stream.
Regardless, under any argument, not having advertisements on transit is a win for the rider.

"why not just limit the size and placement of exterior ads to the sides and rear of the bus?"

OK, this is a compromise I could live with. But those full-bus-wraps have got to go.   

^^I don't think we need to hang on to the advertisement tendencies of the 80s-2000s as a hallmark of the urban landscape.

^This is a step back to the 90s. 

Why don't we put a giant digital screen / banner on the top like a shark fin?  "See Ruby Falls" and "See Ruby at Hustler" can alternate?  Lets maximize our ad dollars through low cost micro - campaigns with interchangeable messaging depending on locality per GPS indicators!  To expensive for no one!  LEEEETTTTSSSS GOOOOOO!  

Debaliviere91 wrote: ↑

Jan 09, 2024

Come on. It would be a stretch to call advertisements on busses/trains even a mild inconvenience. So if you’re going to get rid of them at a cost of ~$1M in profit, at least give me a good reason.

Why don't we hang billboards on street lights? Think of all the revenue we're missing out on.

MarkHaversham wrote:

Debaliviere91 wrote: ↑

Jan 09, 2024

Come on. It would be a stretch to call advertisements on busses/trains even a mild inconvenience. So if you’re going to get rid of them at a cost of ~$1M in profit, at least give me a good reason.

Why don't we hang billboards on street lights? Think of all the revenue we're missing out on.

Hey if the price is right, go for it.

dweebe wrote:Getting really f*cking tired of people playing their music over Bluetooth speakers. Seems like every 3rd or 4th train I ride is that way now.

That. Along with smoking on the train, happens extremely frequently on the MetroLink, and every public transportation system in America. Not much you can do about it.

2 people shot on MetroBus in Berkeley
https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/2-people-shot-on-metrobus-in-berkeley/

kMOV - Two on board MetroBus shot and killed in Berkeley, police say

Police say witnesses told officers that someone fired shots into a MetroBus, hitting two people.

https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/03/11/ ... -berkeley/

I saw something similar on the Metro Link last week in the middle of the day. Thankfully no guns were involved, but a fist fight ensued just because someone thought they were being looked at the wrong way.

Sounds familiar

Guardian - Claims of ‘lawlessness’ on New York City subways increase danger, critics say


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... t-response

^I can live with that. Being a St. Louis fan is a lot more important to me than rooting for any particular sports franchise. Flattering write up.

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 wrote: ↑

May 30, 2024

Shootout on Civic Center Metro platform.  Sheriff Deputy took down teen shooter.  Woof. 

Just last week I took Amtrak down from Chicago on the late train and took Metro to Cortex where I walked home at 1100pm.  The train was fairly full of workers leaving Cards game, felt pretty confident in our lightrail that day.   

When?! Today?

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 wrote:Shootout on Civic Center Metro platform.  Sheriff Deputy took down teen shooter.  Woof. 

Just last week I took Amtrak down from Chicago on the late train and took Metro to Cortex where I walked home at 1100pm.  The train was fairly full of workers leaving Cards game, felt pretty confident in our lightrail that day.   

3 shootings tied to MetroLink in the last 3 weeks. Not good for public perception.

Just read news - it was out on the street and not on the metrolink platform. Nevertheless, it is not good.