NABI 60-BRT Debut

[LandoverDivision]

I'm thinking about doing a DC trip next Tuesday. Hopefully the BRT's will still be on the U8. If not then I'll just try to catch one of them on the X2.

Eric, they won't be on the X2 until next year when the Benning Road project is complete.

[Tristan]

They are on the U8 now for the taking - in fact I saw no other buses on that route yesterday.  I only took two shots because I know a lot of lenses will be trained on these (I'll get mine later) - how many of you noticed what the second picture shows?  No need to look for a builder's plate!!

[Scrabbleship]

I'm thinking about doing a DC trip next Tuesday. Hopefully the BRT's will still be on the U8. If not then I'll just try to catch one of them on the X2.

Eric, they won't be on the X2 until next year when the Benning Road project is complete.

They should put them on there now regardless of what condition Benning is on. Or at least spread them over other Bladensburg routes rather than ghettoizing them on a route in the boondocks of DC.

I want my BRT's in NW!!!

[Tristan]

Um okay Scrabbleship, if you haven't noticed, the X2 and the U8...kinda serve the same general area.  There's not going to be much difference. And the NW crowd doesn't ride transit in numbers to support artics, unless you mean 16th or GA NW.  I dare you to drive a tic through Georgetown.

[79MetroExtraMD]

They should put them on there now regardless of what condition Benning is on. Or at least spread them over other Bladensburg routes rather than ghettoizing them on a route in the boondocks of DC.

I want my BRT's in NW!!!

NW doesn't need them. The X2 is the sole focus of the tics. That line has the most capacity of the routes Bladensburg operates. The U8 is just a "breaking in" thing. Even the 79 doesn't necessarily need them because of the headways and the complementary routing of the 70 and 71. You just have to look at it from an operational view. It's better to utilize a bus where it is suited best instead of just for looks. If a tic is needed because of the crowding, then it has a purpose. If there isn't that much of high demand for a tic, then the route won't get it. Also, Western cannot really hold tics because of its size and most of their routes do not get heavy loads like the X.

[WayneNYC]

Northern's current artic routes are most definitely justified and then some.  I've been saying for years that WMATA needs to (conservatively) keep about 100 artics on roster.

They should put them on there now regardless of what condition Benning is on. Or at least spread them over other Bladensburg routes rather than ghettoizing them on a route in the boondocks of DC.

I want my BRT's in NW!!!

NW doesn't need them. The X2 is the sole focus of the tics. That line has the most capacity of the routes Bladensburg operates. The U8 is just a "breaking in" thing. Even the 79 doesn't necessarily need them because of the headways and the complementary routing of the 70 and 71. You just have to look at it from an operational view. It's better to utilize a bus where it is suited best instead of just for looks. If a tic is needed because of the crowding, then it has a purpose. If there isn't that much of high demand for a tic, then the route won't get it. Also, Western cannot really hold tics because of its size and most of their routes do not get heavy loads like the X.

[LandoverDivision]

They should put them on there now regardless of what condition Benning is on. Or at least spread them over other Bladensburg routes rather than ghettoizing them on a route in the boondocks of DC.

I want my BRT's in NW!!!

NW doesn't need them. The X2 is the sole focus of the tics. That line has the most capacity of the routes Bladensburg operates. The U8 is just a "breaking in" thing. Even the 79 doesn't necessarily need them because of the headways and the complementary routing of the 70 and 71. You just have to look at it from an operational view. It's better to utilize a bus where it is suited best instead of just for looks. If a tic is needed because of the crowding, then it has a purpose. If there isn't that much of high demand for a tic, then the route won't get it. Also, Western cannot really hold tics because of its size and most of their routes do not get heavy loads like the X.

The X2 has service too support it's heavy loas. Now, these buses need to go on lines that they are really suitable for. Like the T18, F4/6, Q2 maybe?, A12, 32/36 (i've seen 60 ft density on these routes), the P12 (but I wouldn't count on it since they go through Forest Hills Apartments) C2, C4 maybe?, or the some the A's (A2, A6, A7, A8 just during rush hour).

[79MetroExtraMD]

The X2 has service too support it's heavy loas. Now, these buses need to go on lines that they are really suitable for. Like the T18, F4/6, Q2 maybe?, A12, 32/36 (i've seen 60 ft density on these routes), the P12 (but I wouldn't count on it since they go through Forest Hills Apartments) C2, C4 maybe?, or the some the A's (A2, A6, A7, A8 just during rush hour).

If Landover needed tics, Metro would have ordered them for Landover. Montgomery is already going to get tics next year. Annex cannot hold tics because of the restricted space at the garage (even the 6100s can't navigate thru the garage perfectly). Also, you have to realize, just because a run is crowded at just one time of the day doesn't mean it's crowded the rest of the day. If you assign a tic to a block where its a standing load for just that one trip and its used for the rest of its run period, you pretty much wasted the use of a good tic which could be used elsewhere.

[OrionFlyer]

I don't Annex will be getting new buses any time soon.

Also I've noticed that on some of the bus destination signs, the way the route/destination is displayed. Whoever is responsible for how the sign displays the route destination sometimes do a crappy job.

An example would be the U8. From pictures I've seen "U8BENNING HTS". It shouldn't be bunched up liked that. Makes it hard to see what route it is.

It Should just go back and forth between: U8  BENNING, U8  HEIGHTS, not U8BENNING HTS

[LandoverDivision]

The X2 has service too support it's heavy loas. Now, these buses need to go on lines that they are really suitable for. Like the T18, F4/6, Q2 maybe?, A12, 32/36 (i've seen 60 ft density on these routes), the P12 (but I wouldn't count on it since they go through Forest Hills Apartments) C2, C4 maybe?, or the some the A's (A2, A6, A7, A8 just during rush hour).

If Landover needed tics, Metro would have ordered them for Landover. Montgomery is already going to get tics next year. Annex cannot hold tics because of the restricted space at the garage (even the 6100s can't navigate thru the garage perfectly). Also, you have to realize, just because a run is crowded at just one time of the day doesn't mean it's crowded the rest of the day. If you assign a tic to a block where its a standing load for just that one trip and its used for the rest of its run period, you pretty much wasted the use of a good tic which could be used elsewhere.

I beg to differ. You haven't been on the routes i've been on. All day everyday, most of the routes I said were crowded.

[OrionFlyer]

As far as the P12 goes I don't think artics would suit that route, especially forest hills apartments.

[LandoverDivision]

As far as the P12 goes I don't think artics would suit that route, especially forest hills apartments.

Yep. The F4/F6 suit the tics perfectly. Other routes don't need them due to non-60 ft density, or the frequent service of 40 footers relieve crowding. Now, I know Landover can't have the tics, but I would like to see them on Landover routes. It wouldn't hurt. The T18 is another route that can suit the tics also. Now, let's see if Bladensburg is going to do the T18 in the near future...

[79MetroExtraMD]

As far as the P12 goes I don't think artics would suit that route, especially forest hills apartments.

Yep. The F4/F6 suit the tics perfectly. Other routes don't need them due to non-60 ft density, or the frequent service of 40 footers relieve crowding. Now, I know Landover can't have the tics, but I would like to see them on Landover routes. It wouldn't hurt. The T18 is another route that can suit the tics also. Now, let's see if Bladensburg is going to do the T18 in the near future...

Landover is getting 42 footers. I still say they should work something out with the headways and beg for more funding to expand the service in the county. As for the crowding on the F4/F6, lemme ask you this. Is it crowded from one area to another area just carrying a load or it is crowded for the whole line.

[OrionFlyer]

Now, let's see if Bladensburg is going to do the T18 in the near future...

Well Bladensburg used to do the 84 so T18 may be in the future.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Artics are often don't add nearly as much capacity as you would think, since TAs often use them to save resources.  Compare the S2/S4 schedule to the 70, and see which one operates more frequently.  In New York, they only run 3 articulated buses for every 4 standard buses.  WMATA seems to do something similar, they cut service on half on the Ys when that line was supposed to go all artic.  I understand the budget issues at stake, but I'd rather see more frequent service with 40 foot buses.