Reddit users recently pointed out that the Connector, Cincinnati's streetcar system, no longer displays wait times on the digital displays found at each stop.
“At one point in the past the streetcar stops would announce how soon the next streetcar would arrive (even if that was not always reliable). That has completely gone,” Reddit user Euro60 said in the Cincinnati subreddit group. “It now simply [says] that the streetcar runs every 12-15 minutes, nothing more, nothing less. In other words, you have no clue when the next streetcar will arrive.”
CityBeat asked Lori Burchett, deputy director of Streetcar Services for the City of Cincinnati, why the Connector stops no longer display the estimated wait times, and if they’re ever coming back.
Burchett said the wait times displayed before weren’t reliable because they weren’t actually tracking the streetcar.
“The previous system wasn’t based on real-time arrivals,” Burchett told CityBeat. “The times that displayed were pre-loaded based on the schedule. Unfortunately, they didn’t update in real time and frequently displayed inaccurate times, which was very frustrating for riders. We received many comments about it.”
The 12-15-minute wait time message that is now uniformly displayed across every Connector stop will someday be replaced with the precise time riders will need to wait for the next streetcar — Burchett just isn’t sure when it will roll out.
“We are looking at opportunities to upgrade our system so that we can provide real-time arrival information at the stations," she said.
In the meantime, as some Reddit users pointed out, riders can check on arrival times with their phones by scanning a QR code at the stop. Burchett said this is a new feature.
“We recently installed QR code decals at all the stations,” she said. "The code links to SORTA’s website showing arrival times. This is a pilot project initiated by a supporter of the streetcar. Additionally, we encourage riders to use the Transit app, which is a great option for showing real-time arrivals.”
The streetcar became free to ride in 2020, sending ridership skyrocketing once pandemic restrictions started to lift for public transit and local businesses. In 2022, a record-breaking 846,622 riders used the Connector.
For a map of local public travel options, visit bustracker.go-metro.com.
Follow CityBeat's staff news writer Madeline Fening on Twitter and Instagram.
Coming soon: CityBeat Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting Cincinnati stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter