Research Study #1
Hello!
Today is a great day, because of at least one reason: Hexagon Research's first research study! It's about something relevant to many of us in the Denver Metro area, the RTD system, more specifically, how safe people feel using it. This is an ongoing survey that will be posted at RTD stations and other strategic locations, starting today and continuing for the foreseeable future. This data will be presented to RTD in a fashion I have yet to figure out (maybe at board meetings, via email, etc.), so they can actually do something about it. The survey may also change in scope/specificity, which will be visibly updated on the posters.
why??
But really, why. If you came from the survey, certainly you must want a better explanation for what this is and why you should bother doing it. I understand.
I am interested in public transportation, and I've traveled enough to know what good transit looks like. Mexico City has it figured out. Most of Europe has it figured out. Even other US cities, like Dallas, Seattle, and NYC do too. There are always exceptions, but in these places, public transit is a viable alternative to driving.
The US is notorious for having shitty public transportation, it either sucks, or there isn't any at all. Denver could be worse off, but RTD is a far cry from anything in the EU, other places in the US, or heck, even the state. And with the amount of people moving to Denver, moving into million-dollar houses that are mediocre at best, leasing Subaru Outbacks, and buying expensive hiking gear they won't use, RTD has a lot of catching up to do. Personally, I don't want to own a car. The traffic is only getting worse, but what's the alternative? Standing 30 minutes at a poorly lit bus stop at night, and there's some tweaker either slumped, yelling at nobody, or smoking crack. Okay, yeah, guess I'll drive.
So basically, in my weird little way, I want to help, and this is my way of helping.
Please fill out the survey and share it with your friends, regardless of whether they use RTD services or not. You can also buy a cool shirt while you're here, to support further interesting (and hopefully, meaningful) research projects like this one.
Thanks
Ayden Shurley
TL;DR:
RTD, the public transit system in Denver, CO, sucks and I want to help improve it.