Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

Paul SoRelle — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:41:46 GMT

Next bus information does not seem to be working for the 402 Quickline. Keep getting error message: "The data could not be retrieved."

It is working for the Airport Direct.

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

Agatha — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:11:03 GMT

I take the Quickline to work every day and love it.

Why?

Compared to the regular service, the Quickline is more comfortable (padded seats, less engine noise, AC that works very well), faster (fewer stops between my house and work means that I get to work in less time), and more reliable (they arrive at the bus stop every 15 minutes like clockwork).

This has been my experience with the Quickline.

Thanks, METRO.

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

J. Liggins — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:10:52 GMT

Yeah. It's definitely time to fix the 82 and the 53. Those buses are always overcrowded and/or late.

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

DominicMazoch — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:02:22 GMT

I rode the thing last week. I do like the paint job, the different lighting inside, and not quite those seats.

This is a "skip stop" service like SA VIA's 91/92 Fred. road services. (91 Skip, 92 Frequent.) But I do give VIA credit: they are using regular buses, and these stop at/near regular stops for connecting and overtaking. (VIA has some other Skip/Frequent services, but the Fred Road/STMC corridor is the one I use/know best. Anyway, this corridor is going to be converted to BRT. Sounds like something we need on W-e-s-t-h-e-i-m-e-r!

This is actually BRT "Light" folks! Now becauses rabbits multiply so well, we need this as a 482!

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:44:57 GMT

There's really nothing much METRO can do except purchase a few more buses and hire more drivers to work during the K N O W N peak times. That would be the obvious thing, right?

Maybe we should suggest Frank&Co. construct tracks and run an LRT up and down Westheimer, maybe they'll finally open an ear.

It's amazing METRO can give us a decade of future plans for this rail but nothing can be said about improving the CURRENT bus service. Are we supposed to ride around like this until the Great LRT is finally completed?

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

Royko — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:00:23 GMT

Mr. Liggins,

METREAUX has collected over $272 million in "Windfall" sates tax revenue over the past 6 months of 2009. They have now blown through well over $7 Billion since 1989.

Here is a running total for the last 22 years from the TX Comptroller:

Total 1987 $157,247,786.02

Total 1988 $175,587,441.20 11.66%

Total 1989 $193,627,514.70 10.27%

Total 1990 $212,002,441.56 9.49%

Total 1991 $222,621,395.54 5.01%

Total 1992 $227,049,906.28 1.99%

Total 1993 $236,893,818.45 4.34%

Total 1994 $248,420,241.31 4.87%

Total 1995 $257,864,983.77 3.80%

Total 1996 $271,945,783.15 5.46%

Total 1997 $289,550,507.59 6.47%

Total 1998 $318,486,300.29 9.99%

Total 1999 $338,094,323.69 6.16%

Total 2000 $352,633,038.71 4.30%

Total 2001 $369,998,171.36 4.92%

Total 2002 $370,595,617.46 0.16%

Total 2003 $357,664,942.35 -3.49%

Total 2004 $385,524,010.00 7.79%

Total 2005 $400,277,803.83 3.83%

Total 2006 $471,813,506.44 17.87%

Total 2007 $489,389,929.20 3.73%

Total 2008 $529,412,003.31 14.74%

Total Income $6,876,701,466.21 6.35% 21-Year Average Annual Increase Over Previous Year

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

Don G — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:13:31 GMT

Mike Harrington said:

"21 Minutes to go 4.5 miles from TMC transit center to Bellaire? That is 20% slower than the light rail line."

The Sharpstown Center Station is 7 miles from TMC Station and the trip time is 33 minutes.

The Main Street line, with a dedicated ROW versus a bus line that uses lanes also used totally by many other cars and trucks, takes 30 minutes to go 7.5 miles.

Considering the fact that the Q Line has to:

(a)abide by all red lights,

(b)compete with existing rush hour,

(c)detour during construction near Stella Link into one lane

it would seem that it is essentially as fast and the 18% slower travel time is a vast bargain over the the trolley car line considering:

(a)the buses have padded seats and the rail cars have plastic?

(b)the rail line cost well over the preliminary $340 Million if one adds in all the extra expenditures such as the warning lights in the streets, special policing, fencing, etc etc?

(c)the bus line cost how much Mary? (and that includes the silly blue stripes with white globs that no one can read or interpret...and Bellaire is upset with.

Perhaps the question to Mary should be, what would the trip time be if the buses had a dedicated lane of their own, and could over ride signals?

My guess is that it would faster than light rail.

The fact is though, both are slow in comparison to the PRT most people ride in....aka the priavte auto or to fully grade separated transit.

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

Barretto24 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:43:42 GMT

This is great how METRO is trying out a new service. However, until construction on Bellaire is finished, METRO's Quickline will still be quick, just not as quick.

To some who said... The NEXT BUS indicators seem to be working fine, and I just rode recently.

I have to admit, the bunnies are a nice touch!

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

Mike Harrington — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:31:15 GMT

Don,

"Cost" is actually an elusive concept when applied to capital expenditures. Buses have a useful life of about 10 years, so, pro-rata, the cost of their acquisition is spread out at the rate of one-tenth per year.

A light rail car, with less moving parts, no explosions in its propulsion systems and less wear and tear on the body and frame because of a smoother ride, works out to a useful life of about 30 years. Therefore its cost is one-thirtieth per year.

Rail rights of way are depreciated over extremely long lifetimes, like 50 years. I believe stations and overhead power distribution systems are treated similarly.

Since the development of the worm-gear drive on electric traction motors in the 1930's, an electric railcar accelerates about three times as fast as a bus. On a line with several dozen stops and starts, this adds up. Motor buses are great for point-to-point transportation and secondary feeder lines, but on major lines with a lot of stops, they can't keep up with a railway electric traction motor. You can't change the laws of physics.

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

coug6666 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:42:57 GMT

Buses have a useful life of about 10 years, so, pro-rata, the cost of their acquisition is spread out at the rate of one-tenth per year."

The government has implemented 12 year cycles for bus replacements subsidies. Metro has buses that exceed the 12 year cycle. Metro is now replacing its fleet on a staggered basis to limit its exposure to all the pitfalls of an aging fleet as is now the case. Buses should have a 12 year life cycle except that first transit does not maintain their bus fleet as well as metro does. In 2001-2, 1st transit complained that the buses they were given; 4000-4100's, were directly responsible for their failure to meet Metro's covenants. Metro proceeded to replace their fleet with new buses 3400-3500's. These buses are now exhibiting the same problems that the 4000-4100's suffered from. Metro now services the older buses and Metro is able to do what 1st transit cannot . 1st transit's maintenance ultimately increases Metro's service and maintenance costs. The buses still last but at greater cost and much less performance.

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

coug6666 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:51:07 GMT

Many garages had the Ikarus'. Polk and Kashmere also. NW had many 4000's. They kept their and still keep their insurance info on the buses. Look up by the plate and you will see their paperwork.

re: Quickline Achieves High On-time Performance

coug6666 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:25:03 GMT

no I can only state that the buses had the nw designation on the front windshield with the insurance papers tacked up on top. 4300 buses are the smaller buses not the 40'.