a bronx tale: bus rapid transit in new york city

A Bronx Tale:Bus Rapid Transit in New York City

• Flexible, integratedintegrated, high performance systemsystem with a quality image and a strong brand identity.

• Essential elements– Speed– Reliability– Attractiveness

Definition of BRT Definition of BRT

Select Bus Service is the name for New York City’s BRT System. Primary features include: • proof-of-payment fare collection, • transit signal priority, and • expanded bus lanes.

The first Select Bus Service route is the Fordham Road-Pelham Parkway Bx12 corridor in the Bronx. Service launched on June 29, 2008

Trend: Bus Speeds Dropping

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1996 2002 2006

MPH

Slow Bus Travel in NYCPercent Change in Citywide Bus Speeds: 2002-2006

-3.7%

-3.1%

-4.7%-5.0%

-4.5%

-4.0%

-3.5%

-3.0%

-2.5%

-2.0%

-1.5%

-1.0%

-0.5%

0.0%

8:00 AM Noon 5:00 PM

Sources of Bus Delay

Dwell Time22%

In Motion Time54%

Stop Delays21%

Other Delays3%

BRT Corridor ScreeningBRT Corridor Screening

BRT Benefits are based on the following metrics:

1. Base BRT Ridership2. Ability to support Frequent/All-Day Service3. Potential Travel Time Savings4. Ridership Trend/Future Growth

5. System Connectivity

Potential BenefitsPotential Benefits

BRT Compatibility is based on the following metrics:

1. Traffic impacts on corridor

2. Parking regulation changes required

3. Ability to provide full range of station amenities

4. Extent of dedicated running ways on corridors

BRT CompatibilityBRT Compatibility

Overall Corridor RankingsOverall Corridor Rankings

Public Involvement

New York City Transit and New York Department of Transportation Staff have participated in over 100 Public Meetings on this project.

There were meetings with elected officials, community groups, businessmen’s associations and other groups.

There were over 40 Meetings specifically for the Fordham Road-Pelham Parkway Corridor

Bx12 Select Bus ServiceFordham Road-Pelham Parkway

Corridor Ridership

Bus Route Weekday Ridership (2006)

Bx12 42,410

Bx17 10,964

Bx9 27,199

Bx22 17,695

W60-61 (Westchester Co.) 6,427

TOTAL: 104,695

Fewer Stops

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Local

Limited

Expanded/Improved Bus Lanes• Expanded:

– Existing peak period bus lanes expanded to all-day operation

– Bus lanes extended geographically

• Improved:– High visibility red bus lanes– Overhead signage– Increased NYPD bus lane enforcement

Transit Signal Priority

• Opticom Radio/GPS signal priority system

• Installed at about 20 of the 35 intersections along the route in both directions

• Early green/extended green available based on existing signal parameters

• Signals timings also optimized

Proof-of-Payment Fare Collection

• Customers pay at fare payment machines and obtain a proof-of-payment receipt before boarding

• Customers board the bus at either door and hold receipt for inspection – receipt valid for 1 hour

• Two types of machines in use– Re-purposed MetroCard “express” machine for

customers with MetroCards– Re-purposed Parkeon multi-space parking meter for

customers with coins

Proof-of-Payment Fare Inspection

• Fare inspectors on vehicles and at stations (not police/peace officers)

• On-board cameras to document incidents

• Anyone without receipt is subject to $100 summons

Additional Features• Leading Bus Interval• Branding• Stations• Customer Ambassadors• On-Board Cameras• Accommodating

Deliveries

Leading Bus Interval / Queue Jump

• Provides 6 second advance green for all buses approaching in the bus lane

• Bus lane operates at all times to provide free path for bus

• Currently activated on every signal phase; may be actuated in the future

Branding

Special Marketing Elements

Stations

Customer Ambassadors

On-Board Cameras

• Currently used for security and liability protection

• Potential future uses– Bus lane enforcement– Running time

Fordham Road Delivery Window

12:00pm-14:00: North Side

10:00am-12:00: South Side

Costs

• Capital Costs for this project were very low. Approximately $10.5 M for a 8.5 Mile corridor.

• The increase in Annual Operating Costs is approximately $6M. This includes additional service, and new staff for maintaining fare equipment, revenue collection and enforcement.

Early Findings – Physical Elements

• Bus lanes operate well with proper enforcement; improved signs/markings also effective. NYPD issued over 7155 summonses since the start of the program

• TSP is working well; too early to fully measure effectiveness

• Shelters and station elements holding up well

Early Findings – Fare Collection• Both types of machines operating dependably

(98% availability)– Transaction time for MetroCard machines = 3 sec.– Transaction time for Coin machines slower– Occasional power issues at stations

• NYCT personnel perform all maintenance and revenue collection

• Customer understanding is good, particularly for regular riders

• Early spot checks indicate 3% fare evasion rate. – 1547 warnings, 3268 summonses issued to date.

Ridership

But Corridor Ridership is Increasing– August Corridor ridership increased 8.5% over 2007– October Corridor ridership increased 11.5% over 2007

SBS – MetroCard Fare Collector Sales are 31,000 per weekday– SBS Cash Fare Collector Sales are 1500 per weekday

(7%)

Corridor mode share already exceptionally high; fewer than 10% of shoppers on Fordham Road arrive by car

Findings – Running Time• 19% faster running time, depending on direction and

time of day• Running time improvements better on weekdays when

bus lane and TSP in effect• Future running time analysis

– On-board cameras– TSP system– Hand-held real time devices for dispatchers

Findings – Running TimeBefore 57 m 54 s After 46 m 44 s

In Motion 49.2% 28 m 30 s

In Motion 60.7 % 28 m 22 s

Dwell Time 27.4% 15 m 51 s

Signal Delay 20.8% 12 m 02 s

Dwell Time 20.5% 9 m 34 s

Signal Delay 16.0% 7 m 29 s

Findings – Customer Response• 89% of customers said that SBS service is better than the

limited.

• Limited/BRT/SBS 74% of Customers said service improved since two months ago.

• 32% of local customers said service improved

• 30% of customers said that they were riding more frequently than before

• 68% of customers said that paying on the street was more convenient

• 84% of customers said that SBS was faster than the limited

Next Steps

• Refine and expand TSP implementation

• Continue to monitor all aspects of service delivery including proof-of-payment fare system; Bus Operator procedures, etc

• Monitor impact on ridership, travel time, and economic development

Future Bus Rapid TransitBus Priority in Manhattan- 34th Street- Fifth Avenue/Madison Avenue

Additional Select Bus Service- Nostrand Avenue/Rogers Avenue- First Avenue/Second Avenue

Transitway Treatments- 34th Street- Hylan Boulevard

Future Plans- Additional BRT routes- Widely deploy state of the art bus priority improvements