Metro Rapid

Metro Rapid

One of the busiest lines, high capacity 60-foot buses operate on the 761, pictured here on the way to Westwood.
Founded	June 24, 2000
Locale	Los Angeles County, California
Service type	bus service, bus rapid transit
Operator	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA)

Metro Rapid system map, January 2009

Metro Rapid is a bus rapid transit system in Los Angeles County, California, mainly operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority with two routes operated by the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus. The Rapid program attempts to speed up commuter travel time on Los Angeles' county streets, complementing the Metro Local bus network operated by the LACMTA as well as other bus routes operated by smaller agencies.

To accomplish this, the buses are equipped with special transmittal devices that cause traffic signals to favor the bus, with green lights held longer and red lights shortened. Metro Rapid buses also stop less frequently than Metro Local buses, with Rapid stops located only at major intersections and transfer points. The frequency of Metro Rapid buses is increased as well, as more buses on a line translates to less wait time at each station. All Metro Rapid buses are low-floor CNG buses for faster boarding and alighting.

Inspiration for the program partly came from the transportation network of Curitiba in Brazil, although the concept in nascent form was first broached in a restructuring study long before local officials' famous trip there.

As a result of a recent federal court consent decree ruling, almost all rapid routes have started to operate since in June 2006 from at least 5 am to 9 pm, five days a week, with a maximum of 10 minute peak headways and 20 minute midday and evening headways. Many Rapid routes operate on weekends as well.

Overview

Metro bus stop sign for Local line 4 and Rapid line 704 in Santa Monica.

The Metro Rapid Program was implemented in June 2000-December 2002 with the goal of improving bus speeds within urbanized Los Angeles County. Lines 720 (Wilshire), 745 (Broadway), 754 (Vermont), and 750 (Ventura) were the pilot routes of the program, and began using next bus technology at most stops. Metro claims travel times have been reduced by as much as 29%.

The Metro Rapid Program currently operates 26 routes across a network of 450 miles (720 km). Simple routes are designed to interface with the region's urban rail network.

Metro Rapid buses are distinguished by their Red and Silver livery. Older Rapid buses have a Red and White livery and a few had all-white livery (buses 7102-7112, 7617-7618, 7628, 7643, and 7646) until July 2002 when some were repainted to a red and white livery and some converted to Metro Local service. Some rapid stops are equipped with next bus technology which indicate the wait time before the next bus arrives, which is mostly on Lines 720 and 750.

Metro Rapid Lines 720, 770, and 780 are the only lines that complement multiple lines (the 720 runs alongside the 18 and 20; 770 runs alongside 68 and 70; and the 780 runs alongside the 180, 181 and 217) The 720 and 780 are the longest routes in the Metro Rapid system.

The Metro Rapid Fleet consists exclusively of Low Floor buses manufactured by both North American Bus Industries, and New Flyer. Buses include: 40-foot New Flyer buses (numbered 5300-5500), 40-foot NABI buses (numbered 7000-7999), 45-foot NABI Metro 45Cs (numbered 8000-8099), and 60-foot articulated buses, the NABI 60-BRT (9200-9399, 9500-9599). 40-foot buses are mainly used, but some routes use high capacity vehicles, which are mentioned below.

Lines 720, 754, 757, and 761 are the busiest Metro Rapid lines and 60-foot NABI articulated buses are used. Lines 754 and 757 are the pilot routes using 60-foot NABI buses, making their debut in December 2005. Line 720 started using the 60-foot NABI buses in May 2006 with 78 buses. The buses are assigned to divisions SB-5 (Arthur Winston/Midcities), WSC-7 (West Hollywood), WSC-10 (Gateway), SFV-15 (East Valley), SGV-3 (North Los Angeles), and GC-1 (Central City). Recently, with the delivery of 100 60-foot NABI articulated buses (9500-9599), Lines 704, 728, 740, and 760 have begun using the buses since December 16, 2007. As of June 2008, Lines 710 and 715 began using the 60-foot NABI articulated buses.

Based on availability of equipment, lower capacity buses may be placed into service on lines that normally use the 60-BRTs. Occasionally, Metro Local painted buses are put into rapid service. Some Metro Local buses break the Metro Rapid criteria of having low floor buses, since some are high floor models.

A year after Metro introduced SmartBus technology on most of their buses, marquees were modified on most Metro Rapid buses in which the "STOP REQUESTED" portion scrolls across the marquee instead of staying in place and "PLEASE USE REAR EXIT" scrolls slowly. Months later, marquees were switched back to their original format.

The fare is the same as other Metro bus and rail service. Routes are numbered in the 700 series (7xx) for regular Metro Rapid service and in the 900 series (9xx) for Metro Rapid Express service.

Some Metro Rapid buses have been converted to Metro Local service. Buses 7111 and 7112 were originally Metro Rapid buses in all-white livery with a red Metro Rapid logo. Bus 7006 was converted to Metro Local service after being one of the first 40-foot NABI buses to be in the current Metro Rapid livery (red and sleek silver).

Criticism

Critics see the Metro Rapid system as not sufficient to meet Los Angeles' growing transit needs. Limited funds, they say, would be better spent on growing the region's rail network. Rapid buses do not have the capacity or efficiency of light or heavy rail technology.

Other critics claim that Metro Rapid is a triumph of marketing over substance. For many years, Metro and its predecessor, the SCRTD, operated limited stop routes, which were similar to Metro Rapid service in the middle of their routes (serving only transfer points and major stops), but made local stops at each end. Rapid buses do not change traffic signals outside of the City of Los Angeles because only the City has tied the transponders to the signal network. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is working on rectifying the problem for all the other cities where rapid buses pass through, but individual signals have to be reprogrammed to give signal priority to rapid buses. In addition, only red buses have transponders, which causes problems when not enough red buses are available (or conversely, red Rapid painted buses are used on local service).

Another complaint concerns the separation of stops between regular and Rapid service. This was done to eliminate the backing up of buses at stops, but has resulted in a dangerous move called the "Rapid Bus Shuffle", where one waiting at either of the stops runs to the other stop if a bus arrives. In response, some Rapid stops are placed adjacent to local bus stops.

In addition, civil rights organizations like the Bus Riders Union complain about cutbacks in local service required to implement Rapid service. Generally, between 25 and 50% of local service is cut and replaced by Rapid service. Thus, riders not living or working near a Rapid stop must walk a longer distance to an intersection with both local and Rapid stops, or wait longer for a local bus. The Special Master of the consent decree between Metro and the BRU has ordered that no more than 33% of the resources for Rapids come from local service.

It should be noted that the MTA staff has never considered Metro Rapid a substitute for rail service, but is instead a pragmatic interim measure given current budgetary constraints.

Another major complaint is the lack of Saturday, Sunday, and holiday service on several of its high-volume routes like the 705, 710 & 740 where many patrons commute from inner-city suburbs, Downtown LA or the South Bay to major cities for their jobs and local shopping.

NABI 60-BRT #9321 on the 720 in Central City East, bound for Santa Monica	NABI 60-BRT #9583 on the 728 to Century City	NABI Metro 45C #8028 on the 740	NABI 60-BRT #9336 on the 761 heading to Pacoima
NABI Metro 45C #8084 on the 780 on the way to Hollywood	NABI Metro 45C #8078 on the 750 heading to Universal City

Routes

Current Metro Rapid Routes

All service operated by Metro, unless otherwise noted. Sector abbreviations are described here.

Current Rapid Express Routes

Rapid express lines make fewer stops than standard Rapid service, and provide expedited service on busy corridors. To date, Rapid Express service has only been implemented on two routes, one of which has been cancelled.

Former Routes

Proposed Routes

Other Los Angeles Area Rapids

Torrance Transit Line 3 and Culver CityBus Line 6 will have Rapid versions of those routes commencing in sometime in 2009. [3]

Foothill Transit's Silver Streak made its debut on March 18, 2007, using the El Monte Busway and the San Bernardino Freeway. This route is not part of the official Metro Rapid program.

References

External links

• Metro Rapid Homepage
• Metro Rapid timetable page
• Rapid Bus increases door-to-door travel time (op-ed)
• Route 704 proposal hearings
• Metro Rapid 754 Operator entertains passengers
• Metro Rapid System Map