The Port Authority March 2008 service changes are up, and are mostly harmless. Notice the error in calling the Trafford Express the 68E, when it's really the 68F. Ha!
Port Authority also posted a quick and easy guide that actually links to the new schedules! Right now that previous page is the only place to get them, hopefully they'll replace the old schedules on the website Sunday morning. All changes take effect at the beginning of service on Sunday, March 16th, 2008.
The biggest deal on the new schedules? The error. Yep, the new schedules for 12 bus routes (51E, 58C, 58P, 58V, 67A, 67C, 67E, 67F, 67H, 67J, 68F, and 68J) show a new Downtown routing that has now been postponed. This is all related to the rerouting of buses away from Market Square, which has been delayed due to construction. Yes, if you want to revitalize Market Square, make sure bus riders are not waiting and getting off there. Luckily it seems they were able to add a disclaimer to the schedule before printing, but the maps inside are still incorrect.
The other interesting trend are the adjustments made to increase West Busway pickups heading to downtown. Three inbound and outbound rush hour trips have been added to the all-stops 33X, and restrictions at Sheraden Station on the 28X have been lifted. No new schedule for the 28X is listed on the website as of yet. The lot in Sheraden is currently at 95%, so adding all those new trips must be needed. The 28K Moon Express also picks up at Sheraden before heading downtown.
The 28X definitely should be examined. Right now, it picks up only going to the Airport, and discharges only going to Downtown and Oakland. I understand expediting the trip to the airport: your flight will leave with or without you. But I can see eliminating some stop restrictions during off-peak times, especially heading to Oakland, due to eliminations in midday 100 service to Oakland. The bus is often half-empty during the day, and passengers on the busway are passed up.
Wow that was nerdy. Ok, here's a real problem with the Port Authority website. Say you find an old schedule in your house. Is it still good? Some buses like my old 61C haven't been touched since March of 2007. Oh look, Port Authority has a list of routes and when their schedules were last updated! Oh, but it hasn't been updated since the March 2007 service changes. Yep, it hasn't been changed to reflect the June 2007 15% service cuts. Shameful.
Showing posts with label busway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label busway. Show all posts
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
25th Anniversary of the East Busway
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway, a dedicated transit-only highway between Downtown and Swissvale serving 12 communities and 26,000 riders daily on 32 routes. For scheduling information on those 32 routes, including the EBA, EBS, and EBO, click here. To celebrate, the Port Authority is holding a contest announced in this week's City Paper. Pick up a copy, answer the questions listed in the ad (look for it early in the paper), and you could win a $25 gift card for... the Port Authority. Aw, come on, they have money troubles.
I've ridden buses on the East Busway before, and you'll be amazed how quickly you can get home. As you can guess, I occasionally ride the 61C to McKeesport. If it's rush hour, the trip from Oakland to McKeesport can take 50 minutes. On the schedule. It takes about 65 minutes in real time since it seems it takes 30 minutes just to ride the length of Murray Avenue. And don't even mention the trouble to get on in Oakland due to overcrowding.
And then I found the 58C and 58P buses. They only run rush hours in the peak direction, but they can take me from Oakland to McKeesport in about 25-30 minutes. Yeah, it's ridiculously fast. The only problem? I have to catch it at Negley Station on the East Busway, which thankfully is served by the EBO, 71A and 71C. So it takes a transfer, but it's worth it in time and saving frustration.
The East Busway's quick connections to Eastern suburbs could be in jeopardy as the Rankin Bridge will be partly closed starting in May. The old bridge is rated "structurally deficient," so an upgrade is much needed. But traffic due to lane restrictions could slow down the buses which exit the busway in Swissvale. No word from the Port Authority whether buses will be rerouted.
And a little trivia: did you know city and county officials sometimes get busway passes? Former Port Authority board chairman and county executive Jim Roddey had one, until he gave it up due to controversy. A Post-Gazette writer rode with him right before he turned in his pass. Roddey even auctioned it off (voided) at a charity auction for $400.
Could other vehicles use the busway perhaps? It's been mentioned before, with Yellow Cab saying they'd pay for the privilege. It came up again during Onorato's wish list for transit between Oakland, Pittsburgh, and the Airport (covered here in November). The Post-Gazette was quick to say that the federal government might not be too happy using a busway as a turnpike though.
So happy 25th East Busway! You're not the T, but that's ok.
Oh, and P.S., if you enter the contest, just look at the first link in this post. All the answers are there. And if you're interested in more history about the busway, PAHighways has lots of info, including the controversy over the 2003 expansion.
I've ridden buses on the East Busway before, and you'll be amazed how quickly you can get home. As you can guess, I occasionally ride the 61C to McKeesport. If it's rush hour, the trip from Oakland to McKeesport can take 50 minutes. On the schedule. It takes about 65 minutes in real time since it seems it takes 30 minutes just to ride the length of Murray Avenue. And don't even mention the trouble to get on in Oakland due to overcrowding.
And then I found the 58C and 58P buses. They only run rush hours in the peak direction, but they can take me from Oakland to McKeesport in about 25-30 minutes. Yeah, it's ridiculously fast. The only problem? I have to catch it at Negley Station on the East Busway, which thankfully is served by the EBO, 71A and 71C. So it takes a transfer, but it's worth it in time and saving frustration.
The East Busway's quick connections to Eastern suburbs could be in jeopardy as the Rankin Bridge will be partly closed starting in May. The old bridge is rated "structurally deficient," so an upgrade is much needed. But traffic due to lane restrictions could slow down the buses which exit the busway in Swissvale. No word from the Port Authority whether buses will be rerouted.
And a little trivia: did you know city and county officials sometimes get busway passes? Former Port Authority board chairman and county executive Jim Roddey had one, until he gave it up due to controversy. A Post-Gazette writer rode with him right before he turned in his pass. Roddey even auctioned it off (voided) at a charity auction for $400.
Could other vehicles use the busway perhaps? It's been mentioned before, with Yellow Cab saying they'd pay for the privilege. It came up again during Onorato's wish list for transit between Oakland, Pittsburgh, and the Airport (covered here in November). The Post-Gazette was quick to say that the federal government might not be too happy using a busway as a turnpike though.
So happy 25th East Busway! You're not the T, but that's ok.
Oh, and P.S., if you enter the contest, just look at the first link in this post. All the answers are there. And if you're interested in more history about the busway, PAHighways has lots of info, including the controversy over the 2003 expansion.
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