Getting to the AirPort

[O3H]

So the MOTO - CITY train should go from
The City of Warren to Airport [[GM Tech)
Auburn Hills to Airport [[Chrysler)
Dearborn to Airport [[Ford)

We are the Motor City , car/truck centric , right ?
Above all else, that's the key thing, keep the auto industry cranking !!!

Michigan is about 50 years behind the high speed trains of Europe
so take the slow choo choo and enjoy the scenery back and forth

Which MI business cares about the trains - the agricultural business

[Gistok]

Is this really a big issue in an age of Uber/Lyft?

You do realize that in order to use Uber or Lyft, you need A) a SmartPhone and B) a credit card. You need both... or no ride via Uber/Lyft.

According to Pew Research only 64% of Americans have a SmartPhone.

[hybridy]

I park at the airport for 10.00 a day. I’ve never paid 24.00.

mcnamara deck. when i travel for business i don't park in remote lots and take a bus...im an entitled millennial

[Atticus]

mcnamara deck. when i travel for business i don't park in remote lots and take a bus...im an entitled millennial

Exactly. If someone else is paying for it, why not?

And for pretty much anyone in the suburbs, if you can afford to fly once a year, you probably can afford a car too. And if you live in the suburbs, can afford a car, you probably own a car that you drive to the airport [[regardless where you park). Obvious exceptions are getting dropped off by friends/family, or travel situations where Uber to/from the airport is cheaper.

My point is, the transit system to the airport needs to be designed around people without cars. People with out cars at the airport are 1) visitors from elsewhere, 2) low-income airport workers, or 3) locals who choose a lifestyle where they don't own a car. These are the people the system needs to be designed for. Not some system that tries to serve a suburbanite in Farmington that is going to drive to airport regardless if there is transit or not.

[Bham1982]

You do realize that in order to use Uber or Lyft, you need A) a SmartPhone and B) a credit card. You need both... or no ride via Uber/Lyft.

According to Pew Research only 64% of Americans have a SmartPhone.

But most Americans don't even fly. The issue is airport access.

I would bet that regular fliers have near 100% cellphone access at this point. And if you can afford a flight, you can probably afford $15 to get to the airport.

And I'm not against PT to the airport. I just don't think it's a priority, or will ever be highly patronized.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Um, more do than you might think. Air travel has increased over the last few years and expected to increase across the globe. For example there are now more regional options [[smaller plane spin offs from the big airlines for the shorter trips):

Over 4 Billion Passengers Flew In 2017 Setting New Travel Record

As Demand for Air Travel Grows, the U.S. Is Facing a Serious Shortage of Pilots

America's Fastest Growing Regional Airline Starts Service into Canada

And yes, smart phone is an option for flying, no more paper boarding pass.

[Bham1982]

^^^ Um, air travel has increased heavily and expected to increase across the globe. For example there are now more regional options [[smaller plane spin offs from the big airlines):

Yes, it's growing, but it's also true that most people don't fly.

The average American isn't jetting around the globe. Many have never been on a plane, and around 60% of Americans don't have a passport. Passenger load is heavily tied to business trips, of which there are many frequent fliers.

[poobert]

I miss that when I was younger and smart phones weren't around friends would give friends a ride to DTW. Now we don't need other people anymore. It's really great.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Yes, I remember more fellow feeling in general, increasingly waning. Yes, I like my mobile phone but I find some enslaved to theirs, can't even put it down to dine with another person!

I remember when going to DTW seemed like going to the moon. Good to here there's the SMART bus option to get there.

[Towne Cluber]

Yes, it's growing, but it's also true that most people don't fly....Many have never been on a plane...

82% of Americans have been on a plane in their lifetime—and somewhere close to 50% have flown within the past year.

https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-pl...ane-180957719/

[Zacha341]

How's about that! Business remains a sizable percentage of air travel.

...Passenger load is heavily tied to business trips, of which there are many frequent fliers.

[Towne Cluber]

And if you can afford a flight, you can probably afford $15 to get to the airport.

Unless one lives relatively close to DTW, the average Metro Detroiter is paying a lot more than $15 to get to Metro Airport.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Yeah I paid about $28 to DTW including a tip using Uber last time. I live near mid-town. Lyft may have been less as they run specials alot.

[Hermod]

Now, to state the obvious, out-of-town clients and business traffic use the airport. They arrive here with no car. They can rent a car, take Uber/Lyft/Taxi, or they can take FAST bus. If rail was built to downtown, some would choose that method. Again these are business clients. Businesses pay politicians. All of a sudden there is money to maintain the system.

The key word is "some". How many business travelers are going downtown and how many are going to Oakland or Macomb Counties for business? In 25 years of being a "road warrior" I had one meeting in a central city [[Philadelphia). I was a frequent flier to Detroit, but never had a meeting in the city limits. I can say the same for Boston, Washington, Seattle, Newark, San Jose, and Columbus. All of my meetings were on the outskirts.

[O3H]

I remember a time when the Business Air Travel ""thing"" was halted,
and video conferencing became the new hip way to conduct meetings.
No hotels, no meals, no drinks, - just face-to-face via high tech.

[DeLemur]

You mean public transportation CAN work in the Detroit area?!?!?!

How will Leon Drolet sleep tonight???

Haaa! I took FAST and it was about an hour from Rosa Parks transit center. Clean, easy and super cheap. I was impressed!

[softailrider]

mcnamara deck. when i travel for business i don't park in remote lots and take a bus...im an entitled millennial

Im paying for parking out of my own pocket, for 24.00 a day I would take Uber or a Metro Car. 10.00 a day is like robbery anyway.

[Wesley Mouch]

...According to Pew Research only 64% of Americans have a SmartPhone.

I bet if you looked at households w/ at least 1 smartphone, it would be higher.

I bet if you excluded those 0-18 and 65 & up, it would be higher.

Regardless, its a meaningless stat. If don't have a smartphone, but get a job that requires travel... you will get one and problem is solved at pretty modest recurring expense.

Yes, there is an excluded population. Might be cheaper to subsidize smartphones than subsidize PT. But while this issue is important -- its not that important either way.

[Zacha341]

^^^ I'm one of those folk who have a no-frills, basic-line land phone too!

Prefer to talk on that when in the home -- has an intercom feature built in to correspond with others in house on multiple floors... easier to cradle in my neck while doing stuff about house.

[O3H]

Sharing a ride - back home - via rideshare bus,
after a long grueling trip, can be quite arduous to say the least.
With the suburbs sprawled out all over the place, it can easily
be 2 to 2.5 hours before you get back to your home.