DC Area Transit Zone

The Future => What if => Topic started by: C40LF_2464 on November 12, 2008, 08:24:20 PM

Title: DUH BUS?
Post by: C40LF_2464 on November 12, 2008, 08:24:20 PM
Suppose THEBUS or DUH BUS got Nova RTS Buses and put a new paint scheme on them like WMATA?
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Tristan on November 12, 2008, 08:32:36 PM
Well I guess it would look like an RTS with TheBus's paint scheme on it...
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: LandoverDivision on November 12, 2008, 08:35:17 PM
Quote from: DE40LFR on November 12, 2008, 08:24:20 PM
Suppose THEBUS or DUH BUS got Nova RTS Buses and put a new paint scheme on them like WMATA?

If DUH BUS got RTS', They would probably be respected by a lot of people. But they need to increase their service before we can give them some respect.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Tristan on November 12, 2008, 09:49:58 PM
Actually I'm not a big RTS fan, so that won't do much for them.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Perry on November 13, 2008, 09:44:16 AM
A transit system should not be defined by the type of bus they operate but by the service.  Some of the best systems started off very small with buses that aren't a turn on to a lot of people, but they provided quality service and built up from there.  Need to stop getting fixated on the equipment and concentrate on the quality.  I don't give a damn what type of buses we run out here in Las Vegas as long as they are dependable, on time and do what we need them to do to make my life as a planner easier. 
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: LandoverDivision on November 13, 2008, 09:46:11 AM
Quote from: Perry on November 13, 2008, 09:44:16 AM
A transit system should not be defined by the type of bus they operate but by the service.  Some of the best systems started off very small with buses that aren't a turn on to a lot of people, but they provided quality service and built up from there.  Need to stop getting fixated on the equipment and concentrate on the quality.  I don't give a damn what type of buses we run out here in Las Vegas as long as they are dependable, on time and do what we need them to do to make my life as a planner easier. 
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Quote from: Perry on November 13, 2008, 09:44:16 AM
A transit system should not be defined by the type of bus they operate but by the service.  Some of the best systems started off very small with buses that aren't a turn on to a lot of people, but they provided quality service and built up from there.  Need to stop getting fixated on the equipment and concentrate on the quality.  I don't give a damn what type of buses we run out here in Las Vegas as long as they are dependable, on time and do what we need them to do to make my life as a planner easier. 

Amen to that Perry.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: rideonrulez on November 13, 2008, 11:04:34 AM
Quote from: Perry on November 13, 2008, 09:44:16 AM
A transit system should not be defined by the type of bus they operate but by the service.  Some of the best systems started off very small with buses that aren't a turn on to a lot of people, but they provided quality service and built up from there.  Need to stop getting fixated on the equipment and concentrate on the quality.  I don't give a damn what type of buses we run out here in Las Vegas as long as they are dependable, on time and do what we need them to do to make my life as a planner easier. 
Quote from: Perry on November 13, 2008, 09:44:16 AM
A transit system should not be defined by the type of bus they operate but by the service.  Some of the best systems started off very small with buses that aren't a turn on to a lot of people, but they provided quality service and built up from there.  Need to stop getting fixated on the equipment and concentrate on the quality.  I don't give a damn what type of buses we run out here in Las Vegas as long as they are dependable, on time and do what we need them to do to make my life as a planner easier. 

Perry, your right about that. Equipment is part but the service delivery is definately what you should be paying attention too. Look at Ride On, we operate 93 cutaways but at least we provide service every 30 minutes or less all day on all routes (with a few exceptions  :P )!!
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: WES on November 13, 2008, 04:25:11 PM
I would say for THE BUS, first improve service, add new routes for the weekday.  Then add service on the more popular routes on the weekends.  The 18, 21 and 33 would be excellent candidates for weekend service and extended late night week day service.  Also most of the routes that are running now need to be redone.  After all of that change and update the paint scheme and go from there.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Tritransit Area on November 15, 2008, 01:36:31 PM
Quote from: Perry on November 13, 2008, 09:44:16 AM
A transit system should not be defined by the type of bus they operate but by the service.  Some of the best systems started off very small with buses that aren't a turn on to a lot of people, but they provided quality service and built up from there.  Need to stop getting fixated on the equipment and concentrate on the quality.  I don't give a damn what type of buses we run out here in Las Vegas as long as they are dependable, on time and do what we need them to do to make my life as a planner easier. 

Someone needs to tell AC Transit that...
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Tritransit Area on November 15, 2008, 01:37:40 PM
Quote from: WES on November 13, 2008, 04:25:11 PM
I would say for THE BUS, first improve service, add new routes for the weekday.  Then add service on the more popular routes on the weekends.  The 18, 21 and 33 would be excellent candidates for weekend service and extended late night week day service.  Also most of the routes that are running now need to be redone.  After all of that change and update the paint scheme and go from there.

I agree with this post, although I didn't realize that the 18 became a heaver hitter of a route.  I suppose I should go out and ride the system again, although on Black Friday not so many people would be riding.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: C40LF_2464 on November 19, 2008, 12:37:51 PM
Yea they need more 40 ft buses im not sure but ther Advantages look like there 35 Ft
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Perry on November 19, 2008, 01:44:54 PM
They need to fill the 35 footers first before getting 40 footers.  Has anyone ever seen real ridershp figures from them?  Ones that I saw from a few years ago were not correct, way too high.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: WES on November 20, 2008, 11:38:34 AM
Remember Perry DUH BUS counts every 100 pounds as a person.  So if a person weighs 200 pounds, they count as 2 people.  And with alot of people in PG weighing over 200 pounds that explains the high figures. ;D
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: C40LF_2464 on December 12, 2008, 02:14:05 PM
I wasnt reeling talking abou RTS passificly but like is they got more newer hybrid (longer of course) buses
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Tristan on December 13, 2008, 02:26:03 AM
We're only answering the question you asked.  If you were asking about hybrids, ask about hybrids, don't ask about Nova RTSes.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: Tritransit Area on December 13, 2008, 12:30:43 PM
Here's another "What if" question about the bus.  What if THE BUS provided the same standard of service as Ride-On (half hourly headways, routes that cover just about every inch of the county, multiple fuel sources, etc).  Do you think the PG Ridership would surpass what Ride-On was able to attain?
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: WMAveteran on December 13, 2008, 01:55:48 PM
Well, unfortunately transit does not seem to respond to the same rules as baseball diamonds, namely, "If you build it they will come."  Transit has to be built to take people where they want to go when they want to get there and many routes (that appeared to be good ideas at first) were discontinued because "nobody came."  With respect to Ride On it does not provide coverage over all of Montgomery County 7 days a week.  Many Ride On routes only operate 5 days a week or during rush hours especially in the western part of the county.  Perhaps Prince George's County needs to conduct transit and traffic surveys to determine where new routes would be best utilized before creating them.  On second thought, maybe they have already done that and maybe that's why they have fewer routes (or maybe it's just lack of funds).  Requests from the public for more service can also be effective but maybe the public in Prince George's County is discouraged by DUH BUS' current level of service and doesn't want more of the same (a "Catch 22" type vicious circle). A very complicated issue, I think, but thanks for the question.
Title: Re: DUH BUS?
Post by: LandoverDivision on December 15, 2008, 01:30:57 PM
Quote from: Tritransit Area on December 13, 2008, 12:30:43 PM
Here's another "What if" question about the bus.  What if THE BUS provided the same standard of service as Ride-On (half hourly headways, routes that cover just about every inch of the county, multiple fuel sources, etc).  Do you think the PG Ridership would surpass what Ride-On was able to attain?

People in PG don't ride buses often because of the lack of dependability of the buses especially on weekends. If The Bus had frequent service like Ride On, and people got a chance to study it and ride them etc., then there would be a lot more ridership than usual.