[billiefan2000]

Omaha Declares "Ride The Bus To Work Day" March 13
Omaha Trails - Omaha Declares "Ride The Bus To Work Day" March 13 (http://www.omahatrails.com/new_site/index.php/area-news/116-omaha-declares-ride-the-bus-to-work-day - broken link)


The Omaha City Council unanimously voted yesterday to declare Tuesday, March 13 as "Ride the bus to work day." The resolution was a proposal from Councilman Chris Jerram.


The purpose of the resolution is to encourage Omahans to consider alternative modes of transportion within the City. With rising gas prices, the $1.25 fare charged by Metro (formerly Metro Area Transit) is an economical way to move around the city.

For cyclists, all Metro buses are fitted with bike racks that allow quick loading and unloading.

Omaha Trails - Omaha Declares "Ride The Bus To Work Day" March 13 (http://www.omahatrails.com/new_site/index.php/area-news/116-omaha-declares-ride-the-bus-to-work-day - broken link)



great idea, unless

what if you work west 108th on maple street

or in sarpy county or elkhorn

or on dodge or pacific or blondo (west of 120th


time for more non-express routes out west and also in sarpy county


than u are screwed on participating on march 13th and cant really participate in this

[Busguy2010]

I feel like most people who live out of the reach of the bus routes probably hadn't had a wink of consideration for this anyway.

[billiefan2000]

bus,I believe u are right


btw, saw this in the public pulse of the OWH today


quote:


Better service will bring riders



In response to a March 6 news story,

the Omaha City Council's suggestion for the public to use the Metro bus system has one major flaw:

For those who live west of Interstate 680, riding the bus would require too much time.



For example, if people near 144th and Q Streets had a choice between driving to jobs near Boys Town and Village Pointe or taking the bus,

they would take a car for the three- to four-mile trip instead of taking a time-consuming bus ride to 84th or 72nd Streets.

If the Metro wants to expand ridership, west Omaha must have service that is convenient.

C.J. Vickers of Hastings Neb.


The Public Pulse, March 10 - Omaha.com

[Busguy2010]

I don't particularly agree with that writing. True, Metro will gain ridership if it expands service into west Omaha, but relatively, I'm not sure it would be worth the money. It's a long way to west Omaha, so it would take more money to drive to areas of lesser density. It would be a risk.

To me, Metro should continue to make what we have better. Make better signage, better infastructure, more frequent service and add intelligent transit systems. Do all that, then move to west Omaha.

[billiefan2000]

having a bus route between oakview and westroads (mon.-sat.) would be part of the better system.


that is the only realistic bus route out west there can be added for now. plus it would generate more bus service cause the 15 and 55 are pretty much isolated routes (except at mid-town)

and a couple times each weekday with the 5 or 34 routes

[Busguy2010]

Originally Posted by billiefan2000

having a bus route between oakview and westroads (mon.-sat.) would be part of the better system.


that is the only realistic bus route out west there can be added for now. plus it would generate more bus service cause the 15 and 55 are pretty much isolated routes (except at mid-town)

and a couple times each weekday with the 5 or 34 routes

It makes too much sense. There should be a bus connecting Oakview Mall and Westroads Mall via Pacific, Regency PKWY and 135th. There should also be an accompanying express route that runs along most of the Westroads-Oakview route, then heads down Dodge to Downtown. There are lots of neighborhoods along Pacific, as well as the businesses around 120th and 108th. In the future, they can serve the new development at Ironwood (that design calls for bus service). Making the fixed route an extension of perhaps Route 14 would attract more riders. Name the express route 99 just like how it used to be.

I wouldn't mind holding my breath on this one, because I believe there are many reasons for it to happen rather soon.

Route 32 should also extend to Westroads via Pacific. That one makes a lot of sense as well.

Extend the 15 to Village Pointe via 168th and the Village Pointe Park and Ride lot.

Add fixed routes to connect Sarpy County and Central Omaha via 84th street and 72nd street. The 72 and 84!

All of these changes arent too far fetched to happen within the next few years (With the exception of maybe the 72 and 84)

[billiefan2000]

Originally Posted by Busguy2010

It makes too much sense. There should be a bus connecting Oakview Mall and Westroads Mall via Pacific, Regency PKWY and 135th. There should also be an accompanying express route that runs along most of the Westroads-Oakview route, then heads down Dodge to Downtown. There are lots of neighborhoods along Pacific, as well as the businesses around 120th and 108th. In the future, they can serve the new development at Ironwood (that design calls for bus service). Making the fixed route an extension of perhaps Route 14 would attract more riders. Name the express route 99 just like how it used to be.

I wouldn't mind holding my breath on this one, because I believe there are many reasons for it to happen rather soon.

Route 32 should also extend to Westroads via Pacific. That one makes a lot of sense as well.

Extend the 15 to Village Pointe via 168th and the Village Pointe Park and Ride lot.

Add fixed routes to connect Sarpy County and Central Omaha via 84th street and 72nd street. The 72 and 84!

All of these changes arent too far fetched to happen within the next few years (With the exception of maybe the 72 and 84)

i brought up the oakview to westroads idea cause a METRO employee told me they are planning on it cause of the Ironwood plans,

plus it would be more accessible to get downtown.


the 15 route takes almost a hour and a half between oakview and downtown.


a route between oakview and westroads would be convienent cause many can then catch the 2 at westroads if they want to get downtown faster.


plus a route down near 103rd and pacific would be good for Trader Joe's fans who use the bus.

[Busguy2010]

Metro recently made some small unanounced changes.

Route 2: Removed service to 8th and farnam loop, but added all-day service to the Centurylink Center via 10th and Capitol. This change makes total sense to me. I never thought of it but it probably should have been done ten years ago when the arena opened. Bus Route 2 - Omaha Metro

Route 24 and Route 35: Removed night-time service north of North Omaha Transit Center. These routes used to serve the route that the 26 does during the day at night. Now one route turns into the 26 and the other turns into the 25. This is great because now there's two different areas served without adding other buses. Very efficient; an improvement that I would have never noticed the opportunity to make. Bus Route 24 - Omaha Metro Route 35 removed service to 42 and Bedford Bus Route 35 - Omaha Metro Bus Route 25 - Omaha Metro Bus Route 26 - Omaha Metro

Route 94: Removed the Hy vee Park and Ride and added one in the oakview mall parking lot. This makes the route shorter and faster. They also made this route bi-directional meaning it goes east and west during both rush hours instead on east in the morning and west in the afternoon. Bus Route 94 - Omaha Metro

Route 97: Removed service on Stoneybrook Blvd. and shortened route. They also made this one a bi-directional express. Bus Route 97 - Omaha Metro

[Busguy2010]

I also have a couple of new ideas to share.

Route 92 is an express route that currently serves west Omaha along Dodge during rush hours, and is bi-directional. Lately I've really been thinking there is an opportunity in route 92 to serve a lot of west Omaha's transportation wants and needs. My plan for changing this route involves extending it in the west to MCC Elkhorn campus (it currently terminates at Village Pointe) and in the east to the airport and North Omaha TC. With the extensions there would be an increase in frequency and service time, starting earlier in the morning and going until early the next morning. There would be an opportunity to increase ridership along the changed route by adding shelters with real-time arrival information at the designated stops, by making a lane of dodge a bus only lane during the respective rush hours and by using easily distinguishable articulated (bendy) buses for increased capacity. I really think this route would be what west omaha has been hoping for forever. Home run, really, even if the infastructure isn't added.

Route 92 Airport Express - Google Maps

[iamjacobm]

I think the line should be extended out to MCC Elkhorn, but giving up a lane on Dodge for it doesn't make sense right now. There just isn't the demand for bus service out west to take away a third of Dodge's capacity for express bus routes.