Los Angeles Bus Rapid Transit Tour
Lessons Learned
The Model - L.A. Metro BRT
• With support from 36
Commuting Solutions, RTD, CDOT
and U.S. 36 Coalition visited L.A.
Metro June 1-3, 2011
• 13 attendees represented the
corridor coalition
• Half-day of BRT and HOT lanes
presentations
• Tours of BRT and ExpressLanes
Projects
U.S. 36 BRT Tour to Los Angeles
• Presentations
– Metro ExpressLanes Program
and Silver Line Service
– Orange Line Transit Operations
– Metro Branding and Marketing
– Transit Access Pass (TAP)
Program
– Metro Bike Program
– El Monte Transit Center
U.S. 36 BRT Tour to Los Angeles (cont.)
• Tours
– El Monte Busway and Harbor Transitway
– Orange Line BRT
U.S. 36 BRT Tour to Los Angeles (cont.)
• Elements of BRT observed during trip:
– Prepaid tickets
– Quick Boarding
– Vehicle Types
– Branding
– Stations
– Bicycle storage
U.S. 36 BRT Tour to Los Angeles (cont.)
• Tour Benefits
– Established foundation for unified vision for US 36 BRT
– Highlighted potential trade-offs for consideration
– Described potential BRT system integration
– Provided lessons-learned considerations for
implementation
– Solidified relationships with RTD, CDOT and U.S. 36
Coalition
– Established relationships with Metro leaders
Application to U.S. 36 Corridor
Implementation
• The Tour of Los Angeles’
BRT systems provided an
example of many
elements that should be
included in the planning
and implementation of
U.S. 36 BRT, including:
•
•
•
•
•
Running Way
Stations
Vehicles
Fare Collection
Intelligent
Transportation Systems
(ITS)
• Service and Operations
• Branding and
Marketing Elements
Running Way
LA Metro:
• Orange Line: The line is 14.3 miles, 14 stations,
seven park-n-ride lots.
• Metro ExpressLanes Project: Conversion of HOV
lanes to HOT lanes on I-10 and I-110. Tolling
begins Fall 2012.
• New Silver Line express bus: Service
consolidated two lines on the I-10 and four lines
on the I-110 Freeways. Ridership has already
improved 37%.
Orange Line
U.S. 36 BRT:
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•
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Managed lanes will serve as the running way.
Ten out of 18 miles constructed from Pecos
Street to Interlocken Loop.
Queue jumps: construction to begin at
McCaslin and Church Ranch summer 2011.
Metro ExpressLanes Project
Stations
LA Metro:
• Orange Line includes Side-loading stations with
public phones, restrooms, seating and shelter,
and trash receptacles.
• Metro ExpressLanes Project includes center and
side-loading stations with planned future
installations of fare machines, restrooms at each
end of Silver Line terminus, and a new two-story
25 bus bay station now under construction at I10 terminus.
U.S. 36 BRT:
• Side-loading ramp stations that could include
level boarding platforms at existing Park-n-Rides.
• Coordinate infrastructure design and
construction with the distinctive and consistent
visual branding of stations.
• Crime prevention.
Station along the Orange Line.
Seating space
and shelter
protects
waiting
passengers.
Stations include ticket vending and validating
machines.
Vehicles
LA Metro:
• Orange Line uses NABI 60B.01 vehicles, which
include multiple door boarding, low floors, sleek
design and unique, dedicated graphics match
station graphics.
• Metro ExpressLanes Program uses NABI 45CLFW vehicles, which include front door boarding,
low floors, and sleek design.
U.S. 36 BRT:
• Existing Fleet of over-the-road coaches have high
floors, single door boarding, and are unbranded.
• Fleet could be repainted/ re-decaled for unique
image, and could match graphics at stations.
• Can incorporate BRT vehicles as part of RTD’s
rolling stock change.
• Develop specifications that work for rapid
boarding as well as long-haul comfort.
•
Seek grant opportunities to purchase BRT
vehicles.
Orange Line vehicle
Silver Line vehicle
Fare Collection
LA Metro:
•
•
•
Orange Line has no fare boxes on vehicles, and
operators do not validate fares. There are prepaid fare kiosks at all stations for Transit
Access Pass (TAP program).
Metro ExpressLanes Project currently has on
board fare payment, although off board fare
payment is planned.
Even with the TAP, LA Metro finds prepaid
fares worthwhile for travel time savings/
customer service.
TAP card
TAP card
validator
Ticket vending
machine
U.S. 36 BRT:
•
•
Smart Card technology is planned for
implementation system-wide.
At a minimum, select high-ridership, pilot
locations which would benefit from pre-paid
fares and evaluate boarding time benefits with
current vehicle fleet.
Off-board fare validators and ticket vending
machines at stations
Intelligent Transportation Systems
(ITS)
LA Metro:
•
Global Positioning System relays information
between bus operations for real-time location.
• Signalized transit priority at all intersections.
• Automated stop announcements on buses.
U.S. 36 BRT:
• Transit Signal Prioritization study to begin in 2011
Orange Line buses receive priority at all
to identify Intelligent Transportation Systems
signalized intersections.
(ITS) infrastructure and corresponding roadway
impacts to add transit prioritization at four
intersections along U.S. 36.
• Fiber in the project area will be included.
• Connecting conduit at each of the BRT stations to
provide RTD customers with travel information.
• Variable Message Signs (VMS) at each BRT station
with real-time bus arrival information, and
automated stop announcement on vehicles.
Service and Operations
LA Metro:
• Orange Line has 4 minute peak, 10 minute offpeak frequency
• Metro ExpressLanes Project Silver Line has 4
minute peak on I-10, 8 minute peak on I-110,
and 15 minute off-peak frequency
U.S. 36 BRT:
• Service plan needed to maximize benefit of
managed lanes with “express families”.
• Service increase from bus travel time savings,
FasTracks Operations as well as toll revenue
supporting transit operations.
Metro’s Bus Rapid Transit operations rely on
high frequency service rather than timetables.
Branding and Marketing Elements
LA Metro:
• Significant investment in Metro branding and
route color coding integrated into vehicles,
stations, bus shelters, collateral materials,
advertising, etc.
U.S. 36 BRT:
• RTD is developing a implementation plan to
create a brand identity into infrastructure
elements such as the bus shelters, vehicles,
pedestrian bridges, etc.
• As the branding scheme unfolds identify any
infrastructure finishes that could be
incorporated.