Cities with Higher Train than Bus Ridership vs. Cities with Higher Bus than Train Ridership (people, Boston)

[Craziaskowboi]

Pittsburgh has BRT to the east and west, and LRT to the south. A small LRT spur will open to the north next year, and hopefully that can be extended eventually. There are also plans to build a LRT line to the northeast as well, up the Allegheny River Valley.

[CaliSon]

Originally Posted by KodeBlue

I understand that, but there's more to a region than buses and trains. If you keep this up, public transportation threads will go the way of the skyline threads.

Relax Blue, it's obvious his city has nothing else going for it, no skyline, no density, under the shadow of Philly and NYC, so he picked the one thing that makes DC worth talking about LOL

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

Yes, I'm sure you guys will have many great innovative things soon. We are getting the same thing with the credit cards. Gabe Klein did a great job here as head of DDOT. I see he is doing a great job for you also in Chicago. We hated that we lost him. The drama with our new mayor and him was just a mess. But I'm happy for Chicago. He built Capital Bike Share here first and now he is doing the same for Chicago. You will love him.

Yeah, our old mayor kinda gave up and wasn't getting a lot done, and he and the old transit leader apparently hated each other. The result was we had multiple years where NOTHING happened and things fell apart. We now have a new mayor who is actually breathing a very nice breath of fresh air into the city with new ideas and a positive outlook, and the same with the transit leader. It's nice to see changes, idea, actual balanced budgets, new programs going live, corrupt officials actually fired and tossed out of the system. The CTA has a ways to go, and the state level is still a MESS, but at least the city and the county are starting to get things under control.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by CaliSon

Relax Blue, it's obvious his city has nothing else going for it, no skyline, no density, under the shadow of Philly and NYC, so he picked the one thing that makes DC worth talking about LOL

Now that's funny. Lol....DC is absolutely booming in everyway. Anybody with a pulse and a newspaper knows that lol.

[MDAllstar]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Yeah, our old mayor kinda gave up and wasn't getting a lot done, and he and the old transit leader apparently hated each other. The result was we had multiple years where NOTHING happened and things fell apart. We now have a new mayor who is actually breathing a very nice breath of fresh air into the city with new ideas and a positive outlook, and the same with the transit leader. It's nice to see changes, idea, actual balanced budgets, new programs going live, corrupt officials actually fired and tossed out of the system. The CTA has a ways to go, and the state level is still a MESS, but at least the city and the county are starting to get things under control.

That's good! You're going to see a lot of improvement then.

[costello_musicman]

Originally Posted by costello_musicman

An interesting question may be what about Bus-Rapid Transit??


Cleveland BRT - YouTube

Originally Posted by MDAllstar

That's one of the main reason's I made this thread. How does your BRT compete in efficiency with your rail lines? Is there much of a difference in speed?

I'm personally a huge fan -- rode it today in fact.

It literally goes as often and as efficiently as the train system here. And people's feet don't lie, since ridership continues to go up every month. Today I couldn't find a freaking seat: RTA in Cleveland wants to expand service as budget picture brightens | cleveland.com

Perhaps the most surprising things all the economic development happening along the line: Cleveland's Euclid corridor project has paved the way to economic development | cleveland.com

[munchitup]

There are a few different types of rapid buses in LA. First off, there is the Orange Line which is BRT through the San Fernando Valley. I have been on it once when I needed to rush out to Van Nuys from Hollywood. Overall it was pretty quick (it has its own dedicated roadway), just as efficient as a light rail line (though not nearly as quick as a subway, obviously).

There are also "rapid buses" which run on limited stops but sit through traffic. I am blessed to work from home in LA, so by the time I would get on a rapid bus they would have all reverted back to standard buses. (They only run at rushhour I believe). The one time I did take one was from Hollywood to Santa Monica, which was about 45 minutes, not bad considering the distance.

There is a project in the works to add a "bus only" lane on Wilshire Blvd. This is interesting because it is a hybrid of the rapid buses and BRT. Basically during the designated hours (Probably rush hour) the lane would be close to buses only, in theory cutting way down on travel times. Then in off-peak hours the lane would just be a regular lane (If I understand the project correctly).

My other experience with BRT vs. LRT was in Boston. I lived off the B line, which is pretty much the most inefficient LRT line in the world. I also took the Silver Line to work, which is BRT (I believe built during the big dig) and it was really efficient and mostly on time.

Personally as long as it is on a dedicated track, it doesn't matter to me if it is LRT or BRT, as long as it gets me there fairly quickly.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by munchitup

There are a few different types of rapid buses in LA. First off, there is the Orange Line which is BRT through the San Fernando Valley. I have been on it once when I needed to rush out to Van Nuys from Hollywood. Overall it was pretty quick (it has its own dedicated roadway), just as efficient as a light rail line (though not nearly as quick as a subway, obviously).

There are also "rapid buses" which run on limited stops but sit through traffic. I am blessed to work from home in LA, so by the time I would get on a rapid bus they would have all reverted back to standard buses. (They only run at rushhour I believe). The one time I did take one was from Hollywood to Santa Monica, which was about 45 minutes, not bad considering the distance.

There is a project in the works to add a "bus only" lane on Wilshire Blvd. This is interesting because it is a hybrid of the rapid buses and BRT. Basically during the designated hours (Probably rush hour) the lane would be close to buses only, in theory cutting way down on travel times. Then in off-peak hours the lane would just be a regular lane (If I understand the project correctly).

My other experience with BRT vs. LRT was in Boston. I lived off the B line, which is pretty much the most inefficient LRT line in the world. I also took the Silver Line to work, which is BRT (I believe built during the big dig) and it was really efficient and mostly on time.

Personally as long as it is on a dedicated track, it doesn't matter to me if it is LRT or BRT, as long as it gets me there fairly quickly.

RBT is may not be at grade, Like the silver line in Boston is underground (partly anyway)

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

RBT is may not be at grade, Like the silver line in Boston is underground (partly anyway)

Yeah I was saying the Orange Line in LA is just like the Silver Line in Boston.

Actually I totally forgot but there is also a Silver Line in LA, which is another one of those hybrid BRT - Rapid Bus things. Basically it runs on a dedicated lane until it gets onto the 110 freeway and uses the carpool lane on the freeway. I can't attest to how efficient it is, because I have never been on it but it is an innovative (and probably relatively cheap) way to get people around.

Silver Line (Los Angeles Metro) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

RBT is may not be at grade, Like the silver line in Boston is underground (partly anyway)

Do you consider the Washington St. leg of the silver line in Boston to be BRT?