Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 16, 2005

Transit Panel Grades Metrobus Service

A panel of experts has recommended that Metro adjust bus schedules to keep buses on time, avoid bus bunching, upgrade its bus facilities, and reduce crowding. Once those and other recommendations are addressed, the Metrobus system could be one of the premier bus systems in the nation, the panel said.

An American Public Transportation Association (APTA) peer review panel released its recommendations today to improve Metrobus operations to Metro’s Customer Service, Operations and Safety Committee.

The panel, comprised of representatives from five major transit systems (Toronto, New York, Houston, San Mateo and Orange County, CA) made several suggestions, some of which Metro already is in the process of initiating. Recommendations focus on improving customer service; improving the condition of the bus fleet; improving bus garages; hiring more bus employees to fill vacancies and seeking a dedicated funding source.

Some of the specific recommendations include:

Adjust service on high volume local bus routes with frequencies of 10 minutes or less to maintain schedules and reduce crowding;

Review the current level of bus operation street supervision and consider adding additional resources to manage and adjust schedules and reduce bus bunching problems;

Institute stronger follow-up to repair or replace non-working bus destination signs;

Better utilize Metro’s Web site to provide highly valuable information to Metrobus customers;

Consider an evaluation and realignment of the Metrobus route structure and route patterns due to the high number of bus-to-bus transfers in the system;

Review the fare policy and seek improvements in fare collection to speed up boarding times;

Seek regional support to address changes needed in jurisdictional street parking policies and traffic enforcement to improve traffic flow in key transit corridors;

Consider the use of dedicated bus lanes, and expanded bus stop zones as an integral part of improving customer service and reliability. Greg Hull, panel member from the American Public Transportation Association noted that bus service provided by Metro are being delivered by staff who are dedicated to quality customer service that is safe and reliable, despite the absence of a dedicated source of funding.

"The report validates a number of steps and actions that we are already taking, but also gives us suggestions at the right time during our reorganization of management and priorities," said Richard A. White, General Manager and CEO.

Several of the report’s recommendations have already been initiated including the procurement of new Metrobuses to help reduce the average fleet age; ensuring that all Metrobuses have an automatic vehicle locator and video cameras inside each new bus that is purchased; the implementation of SmarTrip to all Metrobuses last summer to help reduce the time for passengers boarding at each bus stop; and eliminating vacancies within the Metrobus department.

News release issued on June 16, 2005.