MARTA buses by peak hour headways (Lithonia: rail, station, rating)

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Has MARTA ever had Limited or Express service on their local lines? For example, 39X or 39L?

Route 221 is a limited stop route. Use to be a half-ass attempt at BRT by MARTA and GDOT, but it didn't work out.

[Ha-Mez]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Route 221 is a limited stop route. Use to be a half-ass attempt at BRT by MARTA and GDOT, but it didn't work out.

Calling it half-assed is generous. Quarter-assed is closer, but I'm not even sure that cuts it.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Route 221 is a limited stop route. Use to be a half-ass attempt at BRT by MARTA and GDOT, but it didn't work out.

I'm really curious to this day what the ridership figures were.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

I'm really curious to this day what the ridership figures were.

I'd like to know, too, but I have not been able to find ridership figures for MARTA's various bus lines.

I have heard that 39 Buford Highway (Lindbergh to Doraville) is the most heavily used route, but I don't know the actual numbers.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Has MARTA ever had Limited or Express service on their local lines? For example, 39X or 39L?

They have, or at least had what is effectively express service before. One of the key examples I remember is the "Blue Flyer" service such as a Five Points to Lithonia express. Information on those routes is hard to find, but there are remnants even on MARTA's own site. MARTA > Schedules & Maps MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

Originally Posted by cqholt

Route 221 is a limited stop route. Use to be a half-ass attempt at BRT by MARTA and GDOT, but it didn't work out.

Originally Posted by Ha-Mez

Calling it half-assed is generous. Quarter-assed is closer, but I'm not even sure that cuts it.

Calling it BRT was certainly a stretch, but I wouldn't necessarily call it "half-assed." I think the issue was primarily one of confusion. There was both Q-520 and Q-521 and one was express, the other was "limited." But they also served different routes. I think MARTA has done well with 221 creating a compromise of both, and enhancing the strengths of both. They have a limited-stop route, that runs along a major corridor, along one route.

Originally Posted by arjay57

I'd like to know, too, but I have not been able to find ridership figures for MARTA's various bus lines.

I have heard that 39 Buford Highway (Lindbergh to Doraville) is the most heavily used route, but I don't know the actual numbers.

It seems like MARTA guards their ridership figures like state secrets only trotting the numbers out when they need to impress the politicians and locals. I'm planning an Open Records Request of MARTA shortly, I'll add bus ridership to my request.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by MattCW

They have, or at least had what is effectively express service before. One of the key examples I remember is the "Blue Flyer" service such as a Five Points to Lithonia express. Information on those routes is hard to find, but there are remnants even on MARTA's own site. MARTA > Schedules & Maps MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority


Calling it BRT was certainly a stretch, but I wouldn't necessarily call it "half-assed." I think the issue was primarily one of confusion. There was both Q-520 and Q-521 and one was express, the other was "limited." But they also served different routes. I think MARTA has done well with 221 creating a compromise of both, and enhancing the strengths of both. They have a limited-stop route, that runs along a major corridor, along one route.

It seems like MARTA guards their ridership figures like state secrets only trotting the numbers out when they need to impress the politicians and locals. I'm planning an Open Records Request of MARTA shortly, I'll add bus ridership to my request.

Why did blue flyer routes get eliminated?

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Why did blue flyer routes get eliminated?

I can't find anything that says for certain, but I believe the excuses offered were either ridership, or budget cuts. It looks like they were eliminated right around the 2009/2010 timeframe when most of the other routes were cut.

[EDIT] Only somewhat related, but I found a new article on the start of the service, particularly a 116B route from Indian Creek to Stonecrest: http://t.crossroadsnews.com/news/200...-a-hit/?page=2

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by MattCW

I can't find anything that says for certain, but I believe the excuses offered were either ridership, or budget cuts. It looks like they were eliminated right around the 2009/2010 timeframe when most of the other routes were cut.

[EDIT] Only somewhat related, but I found a new article on the start of the service, particularly a 116B route from Indian Creek to Stonecrest: Rail-to-sale in 25 minutes: Express route a hit with riders

That was some cutting edge transit back then.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by MattCW

It seems like MARTA guards their ridership figures like state secrets only trotting the numbers out when they need to impress the politicians and locals. I'm planning an Open Records Request of MARTA shortly, I'll add bus ridership to my request.

Huh?? Those numbers are accessible directly through MARTA's website. Or did you mean ridership numbers per line?

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Huh?? Those numbers are accessible directly through MARTA's website. Or did you mean ridership numbers per line?

Ridership per line/station/etc.