tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post5390229337789674182..comments2024-03-28T09:43:50.919+02:00Comments on Life in Israel: making the commute to tel Aviv even harderRafi G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00699851287106903971noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-53763832254896823862008-09-23T08:40:00.000+03:002008-09-23T08:40:00.000+03:00lion - because the bus takes 1 hour to go the 5 mi...lion - because the bus takes 1 hour to go the 5 miles to the train. By car it takes 10 minutes.<BR/><BR/>Since the train ride itself is 1 hour to Tel Aviv, adding that 1 hour for the bus makes it a 2 hour commute EACH WAY. Nobody can afford a 4 hour daily commute.Akivahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13042484533217272945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-91141983628039388752008-09-23T08:38:00.000+03:002008-09-23T08:38:00.000+03:00LOZ - the bus might be a reasonable alternative to...LOZ - the bus might be a reasonable alternative to some people who need to get to the train. <BR/><BR/>For me the problem is from where I live, the bus ride to the station takes 45-50 minutes. That doubles, literally, my travel time in the morning to work. As well, to arrive at the 7:23 train in time, which gets me to work at 8:30, I would have to catch a bus at around 6:30am, instead of leaving my house a little after 7.<BR/><BR/>It is just not a practical solution for people living in RBS.Rafi G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00699851287106903971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-88370636720337597512008-09-23T07:04:00.000+03:002008-09-23T07:04:00.000+03:00why can't you take the bus to train?why can't you take the bus to train?Lion of Zionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10342299133387602141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-89798915245370333692008-09-22T15:56:00.000+03:002008-09-22T15:56:00.000+03:00The current BS traffic situation and public transp...The current BS traffic situation and public transportation is absolutely ridiculous and frankly impossible.<BR/><BR/>As BS has developed the RBS A & B (and C now under construction), they have taken existing bus routes and extended them through the new areas. This leads to the nightmare situation where it takes a 20 minute bus ride to Jerusalem, but 45 minutes from the entrance of Beit Shemesh to central Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef (example route 418). Similarly the "local" bus (route 14) starts at the train station, winds through the various BS neighborhoods, then heads through RBS-B, then around and through RBS-A. That's a 50 minute route when traffic is good.<BR/><BR/>The traffic circles - which avoid the need to install traffic lights - are another nightmare. While in most areas it's fine, in front of the RBS-A shopping area it creates a massive backup. Same thing in front of BIG and the train station.<BR/><BR/>As much as BS needs the additional shopping the BIG expansion will provide, IT SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM EXPANDING UNTIL THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BUILT TO HANDLE IT.<BR/><BR/>If they want more train use and less people driving to the station, they should build a standard hub-and-spoke model, with 1/2 size buses that run out to areas with many commuters - such as straight from the RBS mercaz to the station, another from Dolev to the station, etc.<BR/><BR/>Even 38 is ridiculous - with massive backups at Tzomet Shimson and a heavy crowd of slow trucks coming from the quarries, cement factory and industrial zones slowing the road up the hills to a crawl. When I have to drive to Tel Aviv or Petach Tikva in the morning, it's 30 minutes from RBS to route 1. Completely nuts. <BR/><BR/>(Which explains why so many appreciate the train!)<BR/><BR/>Israeli commutes are now as bad as New York area commutes - purely due to really bad planning.Akivahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13042484533217272945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-33300945028171216682008-09-22T15:47:00.000+03:002008-09-22T15:47:00.000+03:00Chaim - I don't know what that is about and how th...Chaim - I don't know what that is about and how they picked up on it, but if a few more people will be aware of the problem and help try to solve it, then it is fine by me that they posted it...Rafi G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00699851287106903971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-38547550902846512512008-09-22T14:28:00.000+03:002008-09-22T14:28:00.000+03:00to mother in israel...good point, if it works out ...to mother in israel...good point, if it works out well then more people can take the bus. If it does not work well it not only lose 30 spots but also likely cause enough congestion in that area to make car drivers misserable. The few buses that go through there often make an unnerving bottle neck. <BR/>It seems obvious that the bus company was able to offer the right inspiration to the decision makers to do this. Everybody knows there is plenty of open fields nearby for buses to park. They do not need to strangle commuters to force them to use bus service.<BR/><BR/>Oh...Rafi G. Did you ask about posting your work on THERBSNEWS.com? Maybe they can help make a movement to make a change here and other issues!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14027819345951904094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-23017001098168880592008-09-22T12:47:00.000+03:002008-09-22T12:47:00.000+03:00BTW - you should know that there are/were plans to...BTW - you should know that there are/were plans to make a parking lot off of Road 38 - (where that Kiosk is today), with a pedestrian bridge over the train tracks so that people from outside BS can easier access the train station.<BR/><BR/>At one time there were eevn plans for BS's own light rail line going from the New MAAR (which has been frozen) down to 38 and up to the train station. Such a system would get you from the MAAR to the train in about 5 minutes. It owuld also make it easier to provide an efficient bus/shuttle within RBS A, B, C, D-H (in the future) to this light rail line.<BR/><BR/>In addition - besides waiting for the above ideas to actually happen, the powers-to-be could make a shuttle bus from RBS A straight to Train station via either 38 or Road 10. The problem is how many people would actually take it. The bus would have to arrive 5 minutes before train to allow easy alighting time and buying ticket. Add to that the 10minutes it takes to get from RBS A to station and then add about 10-15 minutes needed to do a sivuv around RBS A and you're looking at 30 minutes time. They'd actually b better off doing a short route in RBS A - Dolev - Sorek and then go through BET and out by Ezra V'achva - more ridership same travel time. But still for the person getting on at Dolev - 30minutes before train is still 3times longer than taking his car door-to-door.<BR/><BR/>Another idea that just accured to me is that given the layout of the existing parking lot and how most ofit is below street level- they can easily add a second level of parking. On this level they can put in the 2 bus stops they wanted so they get more parking and the 2 bus stops. and if they offer good bus service people will use it instead of leaving their cars sitting all day in the lot. In any case, the parking spots will all be full even with good bus service.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-82485520861337279812008-09-22T11:57:00.000+03:002008-09-22T11:57:00.000+03:00I have no problem with bus service being provided ...I have no problem with bus service being provided and improved. There is already bus service (though people who take it consider it inadequate, unless they live very close to the station). But it should not come at the expense of the parking when that itself needs a solution. <BR/><BR/>The parking lot in the train station of BS has 90 parking spots, some of which are handicapped parking and rarely used (though by law they have to designate them as such). Taking away 30 spots is cutting the lot by a third. <BR/><BR/>Will the bus service be so greatly improved that 30 commuters will decide to take the bus and not their car? I doubt it. But even if it will, what about the fact that tens of cars are already parking in the empty lots surrounding the area? Those lots are sometimes cut out due to construction, and will eventually be cut out completely. <BR/><BR/>So the problem of the parking lot is not just the loss of 30 spots. It is the loss of 30 spots when it is already too small by over a hundred or so spots. <BR/><BR/>The bus service should be improved, and maybe I will even take the bus to the train if it would not take upwards of 50 minutes to get home (instead of a 7 or 9 minute drive). The bus ride him is as long as the train ride from Tel Aviv! But find a different solution to the bus situation, not at the expense of the drivers who already feel a severe problem.<BR/><BR/>When they last shut the empty lot for a few days because of the onset of construction, I asked the manager of the train station what we could do. His answer was that it is a problem, but they already have plans to expand the lot but the city has not approved it. If we write to our reps and get them to approve it, they can expand the lot by x number of spaces (I do not remember the number. it was not enough, but it is a start at least) within half a year or something like that. <BR/><BR/>So now instead of expanding the lot, they are making the lot even smaller1Rafi G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00699851287106903971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20257999.post-39985395062259096172008-09-22T11:49:00.000+03:002008-09-22T11:49:00.000+03:00I don't know the specifics of BS's situation, but ...I don't know the specifics of BS's situation, but in theory the city is smart to provide adequate busing timed to the train schedule. Cities should make public transportation more convenient than driving. This cuts pollution and traffic, and may bring more shoppers to the area. It would be best to provide parking as well. If the bus turns out to be convenient people will use it. Maybe even you.mother in israelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715046177293916034noreply@blogger.com