nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
You may be surprised to hear this, but I am not a mind reader!
✨in my fare-free era✨ views are mine but should be yours
921 followers 97 following 2,662 posts
view profile on Bluesky nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
You may be surprised to hear this, but I am not a mind reader!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Okay! You just asked if anyone had any other ideas, so I thought you were looking for ideas!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Ah, well unfortunately that’s his best bet. You could call Room in the Inn to see how to get him in. I think you have to be on the list early-ish in the day.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
If he WANTS to go to a shelter, you could give him a ride to the Mission. He doesn’t need to be admitted to the hospital to get into a shelter. It’s not a great option BUT they can get him into HMIS and connected to some resources hopefully.
kelly…kitty? (@kellykitty.bsky.social) reposted
We’re gonna have this entire damn city covered in The Peoples’ Benches. If our local government won’t, we will. WE want you to stay. WE want you to have a place to sit. WE take care of each other ❤️
Neil Kornutick (@neilkornutick.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
34-0. An absolute blow out of an endorsement. Maybe they just meant we endorse the idea and hope someone else will actually do something about it because we are a helpless body with no autonomy over our actions or the ability to hold departments accountable. I HOPE TO BE PROVEN WRONG.
kelly…kitty? (@kellykitty.bsky.social) reposted
Look at what the dangerous wooden benches did to our guy!!! jk jk it was a truck running him off the road on his bike, of course. (not ALL truck guys ((not me 😂 )) but it’s always a guy in a truck!) On 3rd Ave, no less. Should we just close all of 3rd Ave to cars altogether???
Neil Kornutick (@neilkornutick.bsky.social) reposted
Diana “splinters are a bigger threat to pedestrians than cars” Alarcon
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
They should probably close down the bike lane/move it somewhere else, right? That’s how it works when non-car infrastructure is unsafe, right??
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Why am I CRYING reading this 😭😭😭
kelly…kitty? (@kellykitty.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
What I love about Manaen is that yes, he “gets it” in the sense that we have to fight an uphill battle against our local, state, & federal government every single day. But at his core, Manaen just wants a better world for his neighbors. And more than anything in the world, I can relate to that ❤️
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
YES YES YES
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
I’m obsessed with the @kellykitty.bsky.social x @themanaen.bsky.social crossover
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Thank you! I figured high salaries would be pulling that up significantly.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
(I agree with your overall point but do not want to give the impression that metro employees are consistently that well-paid)
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
What’s the median salary?
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
I knew you were involved somehow lol
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
The public records request that someone did??? I don’t remember who but @benvaught.bsky.social knows.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Diana says "funding structures" are an impediment to quickly implementing life-saving projects. Has anyone asked her who paid the ~$150k to remove the 9th Ave bike lane? Would love to know the answer to that.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
MCCABE’S PUB 😭😭😭😭😭
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
You’re a hall of fame level yapper ♥️
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
SYLVAN PARK CAFE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
I credit @themanaen.bsky.social with this. He gives transit bros a good name.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
🎯🎯🎯
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
It wouldn’t have had to be in the legislation, but certainly it doesn’t help her case that her response was “he’s a cry baby” lol
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
We don’t know who she wanted the money for, quite frankly. If she had total control over where it went, there’s any number of ways she could use that for self-enrichment. This is ethical folks don’t operate like this.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ Y’all LITERALLY WARNED THEM. I was there! What the hell man
Wesley (@johnwesssley.bsky.social) reposted
Shortly after Dot Dobbins was killed crossing 3rd Ave, a traffic signal was installed at Van Buren and 3rd. The Vision Zero committee expressed concerns when this was presented during the fatal crash review in July, but it was installed anyway. Since, another pedestrian has been hit here 1/
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
We know it’s you, Erin.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
@whittlz.bsky.social THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. 😂
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Many of the topics we cover go like this: “okay so we’re gonna lay out the background and this and then just let Nicole rant for a bit”
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
I get more than 2 minutes every episode I’m on lmao.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Asked @whittlz.bsky.social to give me 1-2 minutes of air time to just rant about a Nashville topic of my choosing on @citycastnash.bsky.social, and she replied “Isn’t that what you do on the show in general?” Touché, Whitney. Touché.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Remember when Courtney Johnston said the federal government doesn’t want or need our data?
Alex Harrison (@alexhairysun.bsky.social) reposted
Full story here. From Mayor Daniel Biss: "This vendor has failed to follow state and local data protection laws. With constant attacks from the federal government and other far-right actors, we will not sit idly by while our people’s data is shared inappropriately."
Neil Kornutick (@neilkornutick.bsky.social) reposted
In one weekend, @startleseasily.bsky.social has shifted the Overton window on free buses.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
But you can’t just say property owners are the roadblock when we’ve not even tested the waters on this issue. There’s no great “property owner opposition” that I’ve found evidence of in other jurisdictions that have gone fare-free. It’s a broadly popular policy.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
The response was NOT* “we can’t do it because taxes”
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
😭😭😭
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Property owners aren’t the roadblock, because the arguments against it in Nashville have nothing to do with property owners. When @ezrahowru.bsky.social brought it up at a CHYM event, the response was “we can’t do it because taxes” it was “we can’t do it because homeless” (paraphrased obvs)
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Yeah to my knowledge nobody has polled fare free transit in Nashville recently but it is very popular across the country! It’s also popular with bus drivers (for obvious reasons)
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
The actual answer is “yes, but we won’t.”
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
How about the part the court said we can’t use it for?
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
You can find all their sponsored legislation (which is not what you are asking for but is the closest thing that’s available in the format you’re suggesting) by clicking on “Council Members” on the home page and then selecting their name.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
You have to go through every meeting’s minutes. I have done this to track abstentions and absences in the past. What’s cool is the minutes aren’t even always accurate!
Alejandro Ramirez (@alejandroramirez.bsky.social) reposted
Instead of relying on a misleading viral video to learn about last week's messy Metro Council meeting, you should read our recap (or even find the whole recording on YouTube). www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithint...
nashvillenewsmole.bsky.social (@nashvillenewsmole.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
Being hot while increasing ridership? What bus bro wouldn’t want this?
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Also it’s not like it’s even gonna happen so I don’t know why you insist on continuing to be such a buzz kill
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
It’s just so wild to me how much imagination y’all have when it comes to overcoming intense political opposition to zoning reform but completely lack that on this issue.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
We could use CHYM funds, we could move budget items around, we could do any number of things to avoid raising the rate, but we will raise the rate at some point and this could easily be folded into that.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
This makeshift bench ain’t fancy, but it ain’t nothin!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
ICON. LEGEND.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
SO CUTE + INCREDIBLE OUTFIT WHO styled her??
Coach Finstock (@coachfinstock.bsky.social) reposted
I have no idea what this means it's the funniest thing he's ever posted
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
I just cannot comprehend that our ambition is so limited that it’s going to take Neil’s child’s entire childhood — nay, LIFETIME — to make buses free because we have some other things to do.
Spencer Sharpe (@jspencersharpe.bsky.social) reposted
Yeah, I like Abundance. An abundance of fast and free buses 😤
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Zohran Mamdani is HOT. Do you want be hot too?? ADVOCATE FOR FREE BUSES!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
1. KCATA brought in ~$12 mil in fare revenue before going fare-free (WeGo brings in ~$5-8 mil) 2. KCATA relied on COVID funds to make up like a quarter of the shortfall (we would not, as there are none left) 3. Kansas City’s budget is roughly $1 BILLION less than ours. We can do it, folks!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Budgets are about priorities! We’ve done fare free school buses for decades, so I’m confident they will survive.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Yes, we would not be relying on COVID funds!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
We already have a massive fare-free bus system in this country that’s been chugging along quite well for years… They’re called school buses. Somehow being fare-free hasn’t led to service cuts for those buses. Seems like a model we should look into! 📚🚌🎓
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
If Nashville started withholding revenue from WeGo, we’d have to do service cuts too!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
I think improving quality of life for residents is good, actually. mopublictransit.org/2022/02/23/c...
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Extorted is a better descriptor. It was bad.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Kansas City officials essentially blackmailed KCATA into bringing back fares by refusing to enter into a contract. During that time, they were not giving any of the sales taxes that voters approved for transit to KCATA. Dirty, dirty move that I would hope we wouldn’t see in Nashville.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Also, Kansas City stopped giving its sales taxes to the transit agency, which is a big part of the reason there were fiscal issues.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
None of y’all neolib YIMBY bros are gonna deter me from my advocacy for free buses 🥰🥰🥰
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
I’ll be interested to see what their incident rates end up being once they phase this back in. Which is what I called out as a very positive outcome. You could actually just stop being a fucking downer, but I guess that’s too much to ask. Nothing is all good or all bad.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
But you’re right about @jeguth.bsky.social — total anarcho-socialist
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
@jspencersharpe.bsky.social isn’t actually a neolib, he’s just neolib-coded
Ezra Howard (@ezrahowru.bsky.social) reposted
People should not base their policy positions on an airport book.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Alexandria, VA seems to be doing well, as does Chapel Hill, NC (obviously smaller communities but you didn’t qualify “transit agencies in cities the same size as Nashville”)
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Okay this is the only persuasive argument against free buses any of y’all have made.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Okay this comment wins THANK YOU SHERARD.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Lucky for you I’m not a policy maker! So I can ignore anything I want to, actually. You ignore tradeoffs all the time on zoning (because you don’t think they exist). I think the trade-offs here are largely dreamed up. So we’re very similar in that way!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
To get somewhere good, you have to believe that somewhere good is possible!
Sean Parker (@seanforfive.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
People love to pit service levels against fares but I think Zohran’s got it right with “free and FAST” busses
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
We can do both, actually! I’m not getting into a politics debate with you. I’m not doing a debate about trade-offs. I’ve made my opinion known, and that’s really that for me! You don’t agree, and that’s your right!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Well lucky for me I have a VISION.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
🤣 okay that was good
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
But re: ambulance rides, billing for those serves an actual important purpose of reducing frivolous 911 calls, which could seriously overtax the system and lead to very sick people not getting emergency attention. No such thing as frivolous bus rides.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Thank youuuuu 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼 you missed the point and did the thing anyway but at least you’re self-aware!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
If you are bought into the Abundance agenda you will not like my vibe just fyi. I’m not for the Abundance folks. Do not come here for that. Also not everything is zoning, I’m sorry but it had to be said. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
And @ezrahowru.bsky.social actually for once you landed on the non-insufferable side of my mentions. You are not included in this.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Thank you to all the WOMEN in my mentions who choose not to make insufferable arguments against what is actually a really cool idea that we could JUST TRY FOR A BIT and see how it goes. Why are y’all dudes so pressed about free buses???
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Ben, I’m sorry, but that is an insanely convoluted argument that really has no business in this conversation. I know that’s your whole deal but this is a different thing, man.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
CHYM revenue, build it into the next property tax increase, we find the money for our priorities. I’m skeptical we have the stomach for large-scale zoning reform but I believe we should strive for BIG THINGS. Because BIG THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Who asked that question? Nobody.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
If WeGo’s operating expenses were funded even 10-20% by fare revenue, I would be skeptical too. But they’re not. It’s a TINY FRACTION of their budget. We can simply make up the difference.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Home prices are also not a user fee! User fees are a specific thing, you can’t just say everything is a user fee lol
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Taxes are not user fees. They’re different things!
Ezra Howard (@ezrahowru.bsky.social) reposted reply parent
As Nicole points out, oversight of fares does cost money. Enforcement of fare jumpers cost money. Means-testing for subsidizing some low-income folks but not all because they're juuuust over the line... costs money. bsky.app/profile/star...
Neil Kornutick (@neilkornutick.bsky.social) reposted
MONDAY MONDAY MONDAY. THE MEGA TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING IS HAPPENING. THE BIGGEST ASSEMBLAGE OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN METRO’S HISTORY. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS (but if you do it will be on the MNN’s channel on Youtube) www.nashville.gov/departments/...
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Cc @neilkornutick.bsky.social, one of the most prolific “well actually” offenders of our time
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social)
Folks, please stop saying “well actually you do have to pay a user fee for this one specific type of interaction with x/y/z department.” You’re missing the point!!
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
And you do not HAVE to have an alarm system. I would imagine most people do not have an alarm system.
nicole wants fare-free bus rides for all (@startleseasily.bsky.social) reply parent
Also lol never even heard of this fee. I would imagine most people have not.