METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

To blog or not to blog

Is it time your transit agency started its own blog?

by Steve Hirano, Editor/Associate Publisher
July 1, 2005
3 min to read


That seems to be the question these days. It’s become quite fashionable for individuals, organizations and commercial enterprises to use blogs to communicate with the rest of the world. For those of you who haven’t been following this phenomenon, a blog is a web-based journal that allows its readers to post comments about the entries. The best blogs are updated frequently and provide useful information and personal insights, rather than hot air and happy talk. Some transit systems, most notably the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), have taken on the challenge of publishing blogs. If you’re interested in how the CTA is reaching its customers through its blog, written by CTA Chair Carole Brown, visit http://ctachair.blogspot.com/. The blog is called “Ask Carole” and was launched this past spring to update CTA customers on the agency’s finances. A brave, new whirl
First off, I’d like to commend Carole for her willingness to put herself on the hot seat. As she puts it in a recent post: “People often ask me why I have a blog. Why would I want to have my name and picture out there for people to take pot shots at? Am I crazy?” I can’t pretend to know about Carole’s mental stability, but I do know that people have taken pot shots at her. Lots of them. One respondent chastised her for “manipulating public opinion by whipping every issue into a crisis.” Another accused her of “setting a pace to be the biggest squanderer of CTA assets in CTA history.” Sometimes, the comments are more direct and specific: “Can you tell me why it is that I had to wait 20 minutes for a train last night?” But Carole has also received some highly informed comments from Chicago transit users who obviously are more interested in improving the service than carping about its inadequacies. And she’s also gotten several compliments about her willingness to suffer the public’s wrath and respond to many of the complaints about the CTA. Is blogging for you?
So, should all transit systems offer up one of their board members or top executives as a blogger? That’s a tough question. I solicited input on this topic and discovered that many agencies have shied away from starting a blog because of the potential for attracting highly public criticism, both founded and unfounded. At one agency, an electronic bulletin board was created to answer questions about its paratransit service. “I found that statements were taken out of context and used against the transit authority in other forums,” the marketing manager said. In fact, some of the criticism contained in the forum was cut and pasted into a letter of complaint to the Federal Transit Administration. “That did not sit well with me at all,” he added. If you’re going to start a blog, you need to do it for the right reasons. It shouldn’t be deployed as a marketing tool to sway public opinion. That’s a certain road to failure. And you need to be prepared to invest a significant amount of time and energy. You can’t just post a note about, say, the need to cut service and not expect a slew of complaints, some of which will require a response. If you’re going to have a high-level executive maintain the blog, he or she should be the one to shape the content. Staff members may handle the actual phrasing and posting of notices, but they shouldn’t be the de facto blogger. Your riders have a wealth of great ideas about how to improve the service. Some of them are far too costly to implement; others might be worth some serious consideration. A blog can be an excellent tool to solicit feedback about the quality of your service. Just be prepared, the rants will far outnumber the raves. It doesn’t mean you’re not doing a good job; it means that people are, well, people.

Topics:Management
Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Management

A wide angle view of two MTA buses with three people walking between them.
Managementby StaffMarch 16, 2026

Proposed Auto Insurance Reform Would Save New York’s MTA Millions Annually

The governor’s proposed auto insurance reforms could save the agency $48 million annually by limiting payouts in crashes where buses are not primarily at fault.

Read More →
paratransit bus
SponsoredMarch 16, 2026

Measuring the True Cost of Paratransit Fleets

What truly drives the cost of a paratransit fleet? Beyond the purchase price, seven operational factors quietly determine maintenance frequency, downtime, and long-term service reliability. This whitepaper explores how these factors shape lifecycle cost and what agencies should evaluate when selecting paratransit vehicles.

Read More →
Cover photo for METROspectives with The Bus Coalition
Busby Alex RomanMarch 13, 2026

Inside The Bus Coalition’s Push for Stronger Federal Transit Investment

In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Amanda Wanke
Managementby StaffMarch 13, 2026

Des Moines DART CEO Joins Minneapolis Metro Transit

Amanda Wanke, who has worked at DART for 10 years, including the past 2½ years as CEO, will join Metro Transit as deputy chief operating officer, operations administration.

Read More →
A black, white, and red SEPTA graphic with text reading "New routes to new places."
Managementby StaffMarch 12, 2026

SEPTA to Launch New Bus Network Redesign in August

The first comprehensive overhaul of SEPTA’s bus network will expand frequent service, add routes, and phase in changes through 2027.

Read More →
A CDTA bus in Albany, New York
Managementby Staff and News ReportsMarch 12, 2026

CDTA Outlines Mobility Vision at 2026 State of the Authority Event

In his first State of CDTA address as CEO, Frank Annicaro highlighted the organization’s continued focus on delivering reliable service, investing in innovation, and strengthening connections across the region.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An up close image of WMATA priority seating sticker reminders.
Managementby StaffMarch 11, 2026

WMATA Introduces Priority Seating Reminder Pilot for Metro Riders

The agency is testing floor decals on select railcars to improve awareness of priority seating and support a more accessible transit experience.

Read More →
Cover photo for Transit Unplugged Episode 400
Managementby StaffMarch 6, 2026

Transit Unplugged Celebrates 400 Episodes

The special episode features an exclusive interview with Mark Miller, president of Constellation Software Inc. and executive chairman of the Volaris Group, who reflects on the podcast's early vision and the importance of creating a platform where transit leaders can share ideas and learn from one another.

Read More →
A recent generation New Flyer Electric Bus
Managementby StaffMarch 4, 2026

NFI Group Officially Opens New Flyer All-Canadian Build Facility in Winnipeg

The CAD facility enables NFI to complete full domestic production of heavy-duty transit vehicles, including zero-emission buses, in Winnipeg for the first time in 15 years.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of public transportation system with APTA logo.
Managementby StaffMarch 4, 2026

APTA: Surface Transportation Funding Delivers 5:1 Economic Return, Supports 41,400 Jobs per $1B

The findings provide clear evidence that sustained Federal investment in public transit and passenger rail delivers significant returns for workers, communities, taxpayers, and the U.S. economy, APTA officials said.

Read More →