Rider's Digest -- April 2014

 Rider's Digest -- April 2014

April 4: Ride RTA to see 13 home games this month

The Cleveland Indians open the season with 13 home games this month, and RTA is ready to take you to each of them.

RTA won’t serve you peanuts and hot dogs, but you’re covered on everything else. Free parking, reliable service, low fares – and if the game goes 14 innings, the trains will still be waiting for you at Tower City.

You know the drill. Park for free at Rapid stations. Buy a $5 All-Day Pass. Ride the Red, Blue or Green Line train into Tower City, and take the Walkway to Quicken Loans Arena and Progressive Field. The Walkway opens 2 hours before game time.

OR, park your car in the Municipal Lot along the Shoreway. Board the Waterfront Line at the South Harbor Station, and ride into Tower City.

OR, ride the HealthLine down Euclid Avenue to Public Square. Any way you travel, there’s no hassles and no high-priced parking.

The home opener starts at 3:05 p.m. April 4 against the Minnesota Twins. Rally Alley – RTA’s pre-game festival – will start around 1 p.m., and return for every Friday and Saturday home game this summer.

Rally Alley is on Larry Doby Way, from Gate B to Feller Plaza. Enjoy value-based food, magicians, stilt walkers, jugglers, balloon artists, and other entertainers, with live music, live radio broadcasts, appearances by former Indians, games, prizes and surprises.

Follow the Tribe at home this month:

  • vs. Minnesota Twins April 4, 5, 6
  • vs. San Diego Padres April 7, 8, 9
  • vs. Toronto Blue Jays April 18, 19, 20
  • vs. Kansas City Royals April 21, 22, 23, 24

April 13: Respect Mother Nature, come to EarthFest

Ride the RTA Rapid to EarthFest, Ohio’s largest environmental education event. It will be held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea.

Respect the environment. Park for free, pay regular fare, and ride the Red Line to the Brookpark Station. Transfer to the free shuttle – provided by EarthFest -- for the short trip to the Fairgrounds.

The event celebrates 2014 as the “Year of Zero Waste,” with more than 250 exhibits to explore and learn about reducing waste. Families can enjoy eco-activities, music and petting zoos. EarthFest is the longest running Earth Day event in the nation.

Admission is $4 for ages 2-11 and $8 for persons age 12 and older. For more information, call 216-281-6468.

April 12: YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Transit Police will join Cleveland Police, the YMCA and other organizations for a free Healthy Kids Day, from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Quicken Loans Arena. Most activities will be inside, but some may be outside, weather permitting. Kids can see a 9-1-1 simulator, a SWAT team, canine unit, McGruff the crime dog, the mounted police unit, and fire and EMS units, and receive coloring books and handouts. You can pre-register at any Greater Cleveland YMCA or on-line.

April 12-13: Innerbelt work shuts down East Side rail service

Two key projects will interrupt East Side rail service in the coming weeks.

On Saturday-Sunday, April 12-13, shuttle buses will replace all rail service east of Tower City. This will allow work to continue on the Innerbelt project. RTA crews will take advantage of the shutdown to complete needed track work.

That weekend, go to your usual Red, Blue or Green Line Rapid Station and wait for a bus. Downtown, all buses drop off and pick up in front of the Horseshoe Casino on Public Square.

The Red Line to the Airport will operate as usual. The Waterfront Line will operate on a reduced frequency, with service every 30 minutes, instead of the usual 15 minutes.

Shuttle bus service hours will mirror those of the Rapid schedule. The trips may take longer than scheduled, so please allow extra time for your commute.

Later this year, RTA will spend $2.7 million to improve two light-rail grade crossings on Shaker Blvd. at Shaker Square. Exact dates will be announced.

April 24-27: Bid on RTA items at TV-25 PBS auction

Cleveland’s public television station, WVIZ TV-25, plans to raise $500,000 this month to support quality programming. You can help.

The station’s annual auction will be held April 24-27. RTA has donated an annual pass, good for one year, and four separate packages – one for each night of the auction. Each package contains 3 Monthly Passes.

Just tune in to TV-25, and watch for the RTA item. Call in your bid on the phone, or register to place an on-line bid. You will be able to see the current bid before placing your bid.

WARNING: Don’t bid on the zebra. He is the station mascot.

April 28-May 25: Ride a bus, take a survey

RTA is doing a number of customer surveys this year. If you are approached, please participate. We value your opinion. RTA is looking for wage to enhance your riding experience.

RTA recently finished a survey of the NineTwelve, B-Line and E-Line trolleys. Later, RTA will survey customers who use the Park-n-Ride and Paratransit services.

From April 28-May 25, RTA asks you to take a brief on-line survey for bus riders nationwide.

The survey asks questions about cleanliness, on-time performance, trip planning, paying fares and customer service. The results gived RTA benchmarks against 16 other mid-size agencies.

We appreciate your time.

Quicken Loans Arena -- busy all month long

Both the Cavaliers and Lake Erie Monsters end their season at Quicken Loans Arena this month. RTA can take you to every game.

The Cavaliers wrap up the season with the Charlotte Bobcats on April 5, the Detroit Pistons on April 9 and the Boston Celtics on April 12.

The Monsters kiss the season good-bye with the Utica Comets April 10-11 and the Rochester Americans April 13.

Two Transit Police honored

As reported in the national media, thieves are stealing smart phones and similar devices. Nationally, these crimes are up 30-40 percent.

Police units everywhere are trying to make a difference. In Cleveland, they have.

Two Transit Police – Patrolmen Clay Saylor and Patrick Corrigan – have worked as a team to make a positive impact. In just 2 months, they accounted for more than 20 arrests. For their efforts, Police Chief John Joyce has awarded them the annual Exemplary Performance Award.

“Their work as a team has been extraordinary,” Chief Joyce said. “It’s important to note that thieves continue to commit crimes until they are arrested. Therefore, the arrests by these officers have prevented more crimes from occurring. They have a strong work ethic and great customer service skills, and I am pleased to give them this special recognition.”

So, if you see Officers Saylor and Corrigan, or any of RTA's fine officers, stop and say thanks. They are working to protect you.