Private Plans?

King County in Washington and its port were going to purchase some disused freight rail tracks from BNSF, and turn them into a trail. Of course they would keep the option to use them for transit later on, but once you go rail-to-trail, good luck in going the other way - people get attached to trails rather quickly.

Photo Courtesy www.eastsiderailnow.org

So now there a private group called All Aboard Washington which says it has made an offer to purchase the right-of-way with the intention of running passenger service on it. Not many details, but they claim to have the financing. Are they just goading the local bureaucracy into attempting rail service? Sounds more like they are trying to slap it out of slumber with respect to alternative transportation modes. Apparently there is $16M in a massive ballot measure on November's ballot to 'study' whether or not the line would make sense. Sounds like that would be too little too late for many people.

Like any good issue, there is a site: Eastside Rail Now

MetroExtra: Georgia Avenue Express

Are you a Georgia Avenue commuter in Washington DC? Have you been looking for something more from WMATA in your mass transportation options? Then its Metrobus to the rescue with MetroExtra!

The MetroExtra Route 79 is a rush-hour service on Georgia Avenue with brand new buses. Servicing fewer bus stops, running every 10 minutes, weekdays from 6-9:30 a.m. and 3-6:30 p.m., and at the same price as Metrobus, MetroExtra promises quicker travel time and less stress along the heavily traveled corridor.

As your DC transit foamer, I have a few observations about the Metroextra Bus:

• The seats are quite nice. They are all bright blue and way more comfortable than the usual Metrobus seats.
• The driver area is wired with all manner of cameras and electronics. There are cameras facing the street, you, and even the bus driver, who reports that if a driver tries to use a cell phone, dispatch immediately tells the driver to stop via an intercom system.
• Yet the isle is still too small with preference given to seating passengers instead of more space for standing ones. On my trip the bus was full with only one row of isle-standing riders. Of course the back door grapplers were in full effect too.

Overall, while the Metroextra express bus is a great idea, my timings confirmed my suspicion: its not worth the extra wait.

If you are headed up or down Georgia Avenue during rush hour, take the first bus headed your way, no matter its type. The Metroextra will not arrive at your destination any sooner than a regular bus unless they both arrive & depart your starting point at the same time.

WMATA H8: a Short Metrobus

Check out the H8 Metrobus. It may look like a regular length bus in this photo, but its not. Its 10 feet shorter, which makes for a funny size and funnier looks when driving around Washington DC.

Driving the bus is fun too, apparently. Today's bus driver likes the short bus over other models because it turns tighter and stops faster than bigger buses. Don't think her "short" though. She is also paid the same and receives the same training as the big bus drivers.

The WMATA H2 route isn't short either, it stretches from Rhode Island Avenue all the way to Mt. Pleasant, an impressive crosstown journey that I take on occasion. A journey that would be $11 in a cab but only $1.25 on the bus. Nice.

Is there a short bus in your city that's long on respect and usage?