New York City’s Select Bus Service in testing
Credit: Jennifer Mascia/The New York Times
I hardly ever ride the bus in NYC, and when I do, I make sure that it is the last resort I must take in terms of transportation because I absolutely hate riding the bus. I hate waiting forever for it and I especially hate how the people on the street seem to be walking faster than the bus (usually this is the case on crosstown buses).
So if you’re like me, you have reason to be pissed off at bus transit. But the MTA is trying to remedy the problem with a Bus Rapid Transit system called Select Bus Service. The easiest way to spot one of these test buses is by its odd polka-dotted interior. But if you don’t the polka-dots, then maybe you’ll notice some of the other features being rolled out along the Select Bus Service routes, like pay-before-you-ride kiosks at bus shelters.
The project — the result of several years of study — draws on several elements of Bus Rapid Transit, a system of bus operating practices used in cities around the world. The system’s main elements include bus stops where passengers pay the fare before boarding; fewer stops and greater distances between stops; dedicated bus lanes with a distinctive color and lettering; direct routes with frequent service that supplements, but does not replace, regular local bus service; and electronic signals that give the buses priority (a few extra seconds) if a traffic signal is about to switch, say, to yellow from green.
All of these improvements are meant to get you from where you are to where you need to be quicker than traditional bus service. Apparently, the new bus lane down portions of lower Broadway (SoHo area) are designed to serve the Select Bus Service.
If this all works as planned, maybe I will start taking the bus. Maybe. Hahahahahahaha, maybe…
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