Sept. 2: Cheap gas = less public transit riders in Charlotte
Public transit ridership has declined for much of this year and it’s probably because gas is so cheap right now.
The average price of gas in N.C. is about $2.25/gallon, much cheaper than the $3.30/gallon it was a year ago.
For the calendar year, ridership on buses and the light-rail line is down just less than 4 percent compared to 2014, and was down 8 percent in May.
Another possible factor: A fare increase for bus and train tickets to $2.20 from $2.
A bright spot: The Gold Line streetcar, which averaged much better ridership than expected last month.
The new streetcar is doing alright, y’all. It exceeded ridership expectations in July http://t.co/zylPIN8feP pic.twitter.com/nL547jC4zC
— CharlotteFive (@Charlotte_Five) August 26, 2015
OVER MY PARKED CAR!: The owner of a Cornelius pizzeria is vowing to park his car in front of construction vehicles if that’s what he has to do to stop the I-77 toll lane project. “I would like to propose a ‘scofflaw’ effort (if legal efforts fail) to physically stop this effort,” Joel Pfyffer, owner of Prosciutto’s Pizzeria & Pub in Shops on the Green, said on Facebook — a space known for its reasoned, civil discourse — this week. “I will park my car in front of construction vehicles and I will lead this effort if anyone will follow me.
“This country was founded on Democracy not forced dictation (Federal?) and I am ready to fight back,” Pfyffer said.
Maybe he’s better on Twitter.
LIVE on #Periscope: Boobs! https://t.co/fXPvbpBlX2 — Joel Pfyffer (@pfyffer) May 14, 2015
LIVE on #Periscope: Boobs https://t.co/Ab0nUeNKxc
— Joel Pfyffer (@pfyffer) May 22, 2015
LIVE on #Periscope: Puke https://t.co/Tv5KDnT8X2
— Joel Pfyffer (@pfyffer) May 23, 2015
Oh.
MORE CATS CUT: The Carolina Panthers cut seven more players Tuesday to get down to the required 75 players by the 4 p.m. deadline. Among those players cut: DB Melvin White, WR Jarrett Boykin, DB Robert Lester and WR De’Andre Presley, an App State product. The Panthers also placed Kelvin Benjamin on injured reserve after he tore his ACL two weeks ago.
#Panthers reduce active roster to 75 players More Info > [http://t.co/eUpBTlK6TE] pic.twitter.com/gxw4H5hS6B — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 1, 2015
ANOTHER CHARLOTTE TIE: The man who killed two TV journalists last week in Virginia applied to work at WBTV in Charlotte, but never got an interview. “You don’t forget a name like Vester Flanagan,” news director Dennis Milligan told the Observer’s Mark Washburn. “In the last couple of years I’ve probably seen it more than once.”
GET A SIGN?: Pappas Properties is trying to get rid of the sign for the old Queen Park Cinema on South Boulevard, according to the Charlotte Business Journal. Written pitches are accepted and delivery is free. Contact Historic Charlotte at info@historiccharlotte.org or P.O. Box 32782, Charlotte, NC 28232 by 5 p.m. Oct. 30 and answer these questions:
– Why you think you are the most deserving caretaker of this piece of Charlotte’s history?
– Where it will be displayed if you win?
– Who will see it once on display?
– How the piece will be protected and preserved?
It's destiny for us to adopt and preserve these signs! RT if you agree. http://t.co/ir1eixajEI via @CBJnewsroom
— Independence (@CLTIndependence) September 1, 2015
Photo: Todd Sumlin/Charlotte Observer
This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 9:49 PM with the headline "Sept. 2: Cheap gas = less public transit riders in Charlotte."