MBTA Bus & BRT

[bakgwailo]

Muni out in SF does this: basically the app tracks where you primarily use it, and if you fall within SF using primarily MUNI services, it gives you the paid tier for free. They also have custom prompts when you use Go, instead of asking if your train/bus is crowded etc, they ask if the stop is clean. I don't think theres a mechanism for them to show only Muni services, and I doubt the Transit folks would agree to that.

If Transit's limitations on the free version are too much, there's always CityMapper or Moovit.



If the MBTA put out an app, we'd all be on here complaining about how the UX sucks or how theirs some weird edge case that breaks things or how the trip planning is sub-optimal. Apps are expensive, both financially and resource wise, and sometimes it just makes sense to NOT do something especially in a resource constrained org.

Yeah, I mean I'm fine with the MBTA just providing data streams, I always thought that was a very smart and forward thinking move on the T's part which doesn't happen often. If anything they should try to foster a free/open source app. I doubt the T could be at all competitive TC wise for the front end/native developers, ui/ux, etc needed to make a cross platform app - plus all the support needed. Although, if the T really wanted, they could put a stipulation on commercial apps consuming their data - such as XYZ basic functionality is required to be free irregardless of any paid tier of service, or require the app to pay for the data.

 

[fatnoah]

I have found the Silverline well patronized between SS and Courthouse (commuting this week) but what’s the deal with the stalled rehab of Courthouse station?

I was a Day 1 rider of the Silver Line (or Silverline, depending on what signs the T put up at the time) and it was literally empty outside of peak times, but very few people got off at Courthouse. Years later, I work in the area again and have been riding it and am amazed that 90% of the riders now disembark there.

One question I've always had is why the station is so massive. It rivals the subway portion of North Station in size, yet theres no way for a proportional number of people to actually use it. Were the designers expecting every two-minute subway service delivering the entire population of the state to the courthouse every day?

 

[real_EthanHunt]

From Seaport Square permitting docs:
the 2000 South Boston Transportation Study which outlined a full build Silver Line condition of 89 vehicles per hour during the peak hours via the use of three bus sets operating in tandem. This would result in the Silver Line accommodating 195 passengers approximately every 2 minutes with an hourly capacity of 5,785 passengers between South Station and Silver Line Way.

as for station size, rumor has always been it was designed when there was a potential for the Sox to be moving here (McCourt stuff). dont know if thats correct or not.

 

[HelloBostonHi]

From Seaport Square permitting docs:
the 2000 South Boston Transportation Study which outlined a full build Silver Line condition of 89 vehicles per hour during the peak hours via the use of three bus sets operating in tandem. This would result in the Silver Line accommodating 195 passengers approximately every 2 minutes with an hourly capacity of 5,785 passengers between South Station and Silver Line Way.

By my quick reading of the GTFS schedules there are 25 vehicles per hour in each direction between SS and SLW between 8-9am, meaning the MBTA is delivering vastly less service than planned, as expected.

 

[Teban54]

Bus trips on north Mass Ave faster, more consistent with bus lanes

An analysis shows that average travel time for Route 77 buses between Dudley Street and Alewife Brook Parkway significantly decreased after bus lanes were added. Bus travel times also became more consistent and predictable throughout the day.

www.cambridgema.gov

 

[as02143]

Bus trips on north Mass Ave faster, more consistent with bus lanes

An analysis shows that average travel time for Route 77 buses between Dudley Street and Alewife Brook Parkway significantly decreased after bus lanes were added. Bus travel times also became more consistent and predictable throughout the day.

www.cambridgema.gov

Makes me wonder if other bus projects have done reports like this. The graphs were easy to understand.

 

[The EGE]

Here's one I recently finished for a (somewhat larger) project in SF:

https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2022/12/geary_rapid_before-after_evaluation.pdf

 

[as02143]

Here's one I recently finished for a (somewhat larger) project in SF:

https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2022/12/geary_rapid_before-after_evaluation.pdf

Thanks. I was thinking more locally. But this is a good structure!

The Geary (and Van Ness!!) projects are at once really great proof of the value of bus priority and the stinking hell that is "environmental" regulation. It's still so wild to me that i was 18 when I heard about those concepts and only now that I'm near middle age they are finally in some form built out.

 

[Teban54]

Ridership on fare-free MBTA buses more than doubled in program's first year

A GBH analysis shows that ridership is above pre-pandemic levels, bucking trends.

www.wgbh.org

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

NETransit is reporting that 26 of the 28 trackless trolley buses stored at Everett have been sold for scrap, with removal through Spring. Units 4104 and 4110 are being held for museums (one almost certainly for Seashore Trolley Museum up in Maine, since they have all other generations of Boston TT's represented on their roster).

 

[stefal]

Ridership on fare-free MBTA buses more than doubled in program's first year

A GBH analysis shows that ridership is above pre-pandemic levels, bucking trends.

www.wgbh.org

Chris Friend (part of TransitMatters) debunked this on Twitter. The City of Boston themselves noted that it's more of a 20% increase than a 100+% increase. GBH used some quite flawed analysis.

 

[BosMaineiac]

Some city workers were handing out surveys today about a new pilot program on Summer Street for combined bus/truck lanes. Very promising to see and I hope the program is successful! Center-running bus lanes down Summer in the near future would be huge, especially with the planned BNRD T7 corridor. The 7 has not been nearly sufficient lately for the amount of riders that use it.

Summer Street Pilot Program

The South Boston Seaport Strategic Transit Plan (SBTAP) is an ongoing planning effort. That planning effort will make recommendations for bus and rail access improvements to the Seaport. Early community feedback has highlighted the need for near-term improvement along Summer Street. We plan to...

www.boston.gov

 

[LexSEDotVille]

Bus service improvements to the seaport are great, but imo a temporary solution. I have a hard time imagining the 'well heeled' residents, tourists, and workers in the area fully utilize improved buses.

Screenshots of the bus related portion of the Report (apologies if these have been posted before)

 

[Teban54]

Bus service improvements to the seaport are great, but imo a temporary solution. I have a hard time imagining the 'well heeled' residents, tourists, and workers in the area fully utilize improved buses.

Screenshots of the bus related portion of the Report (apologies if these have been posted before)
View attachment 35312

View attachment 35313

Interesting set of crosstown service recommendations there. A direct connection to Columbia Point (#14 on the map) is a unique one that I haven't seen before, though I'm not sure about its necessity.

It also seems like this was not planned in tandem with BNRD. Bidirectional service on A St (#5) is presumably for the 11 bus, but the BNRD wants to cut back the 11 to Tufts Medical Center and skip A St altogether. Same for T under D to a lesser degree: while I think it's very useful to have in the long term (especially with LRT conversion), the BNRD assumes no T under D and thus makes the SL1/3 turn at D St for a shorter detour to the Ted.