‘Service change’ day for Metro, and debut of 1st RapidRide line

If you only ride Metro on weekdays, you won’t notice till Monday, but today’s the day the latest round of “service changes” kicked in, as first mentioned last month. Several West Seattle runs have schedule changes, including deleted trips, as listed here. But the big news for Metro is the debut of RapidRide, with the A Line serving South King County, two years before we’ll see the RR branding on the C Line here in West Seattle (mostly along the current 54 route). Not all its features are in place, according to Metro’s announcement, but if you want to go take a look at the new buses (wi-fi!), rides are free all weekend.

Matt October 2, 2010 (5:55 pm)

Rapid Ride can only go as fast as traffic and since West Seattle has allowed unlimited building without any changes to the infrastructure I predict these buses will be stuck in traffic like the rest of us.

dawsonct October 3, 2010 (2:25 am)

Yeah, but while you are sitting alone in your car, pissed off, a bunch of folks will be sitting comfortably on the bus using free wi-fi.
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One certainty I can guarantee, the #54-#55 on Sunday morning will have a schedule with the almost always on time #55 and the usually 5-10 minutes late #54 arriving at virtually the same time, thus creating a 30 minute gap before the next pair arrive.

I once told a #54 driver that they should replace all the times on the #54 schedule with the word ‘eventually’.
He acted like he wasn’t amused, but I know secretly he was.

Carraig na splinkeen October 3, 2010 (8:10 am)

On my way home Friday on the 2:10 #56, it was over 15 minutes behind schedule and that was just in downtown Seattle. Then with the Spokane Street closure, it got even further behind, arriving almost 30 minutes late. Ugh.

Chris October 3, 2010 (9:16 am)

Until we get a dedicated light rail option, the bus system is as good as it gets.

Gus Nokomis October 3, 2010 (9:52 am)

Rapid Ride should be a little bit better than the current bus situation. For one thing these buses actually have the capability to “interact” with traffic signals via priority signalling – the light rail uses this technology as do firefighters. Basically the signals are “smart” and “know” that a bus is approaching and give the bus the green light more often, thus avoiding stops, waiting, and maybe even keeping those engines from burning up a little less of the BPCrude™.

But yeah – it’s not light rail, not a subway, not a McMonoRail. I don’t know how extensive the “smart” traffic signals will be either. Basically this is an attempt at BRT Bus-Rapid-Transit, but obviously without a car (and sorry guys–bicycle free) path buses can only ever be so reliable. (Don’t take this as an anti-bike statement – bikes should get their own space too).

If you want to find out more from more informed folks check out the Seattle Transit Blog at: http://seattletransitblog.com (today you can find out about how Sound Transit (like King County) is using goats to keep weeds under control.

In the meantime at least there’s WIFI. That’s something to be thankful for until the auto-occupation of this county (and its imagination) comes to a close.

foy boy October 3, 2010 (12:52 pm)

Westseattle needs a park an ride. Heck just use the old hertz rental lot. Know body is useing right now so why not. Heck the owner of the place should just paint some lines and charge 2 bucks a day. They would make a killing. Vote for a park an ride.

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