Our Vision: Begin with better buses
Our Vision
A renewed focus should be placed on upgrading the existing bus fleets and extending service into the new suburbs hardest hit by rising gas prices.
Buses are very flexible and provide broader geographic coverage than rail lines. They are the backbone of any transit system, even though rail is often much more visible.
Despite their key role, many buses in transit agencies' fleets are beyond their design life. Replacing them with newer, more efficient buses will improve on-time performance and lower operating costs.
In addition to replacing older buses, the fleets should be expanded so that new routes into recently built suburbs can be implemented.
Attention should be given to making buses work even better. New limited stop "express" bus routes, in which buses only stop at specific points along the route can shorten trips, while also providing flexibility when paired with local services. They can also ease overcrowding by moving riders on longer trips to the express buses.
It goes further than just new buses, though. Signal prioritization and queue jumping are other strategies to make buses more attractive. In a number of cases, dedicated bus lanes, or bus rapid transit, should be explored.
In cities with rail transit, buses can act as feeder routes, extending the reach of even a small rail system across an entire city.Next: Bring back the streetcars