Main Street MAX

[sethyg]

I'm assuming $1 one way.  I've never seen a monthly pass, how much are those?

[kurtiebird]

Depends on the route. I take the 28xx bus, which is $44 ($1.25 fare) a month. Regular routes, I believe, are $36 ($1.00 fare).

[Tosspot]

I'm trying it out for sure, but unfortunately I don't believe it will have many practical applications for me.

[staubio]

I plan to use it a ton and I'm excited about it.  It connects many of the hot destinations in KC and you don't have to worry about schedules anymore.  BRT is one of the reasons I felt okay about giving up my midtown neighborhood to move to the River Market at the end of the summer.  I'm 2 blocks from the stop and only $1 away from Westport and the Plaza, where I can check out the goings-on as late as 1 AM and still get home.

While we aren't getting the real deal and I'm not a believer in justification through relativism, I think this is the best thing we've ever had when it comes to transit and it might just start something.  Use it.

[KCPowercat]

I'll use it quite a bit.  It will be the same fare as the regular buses...$1

[KCK]

I like it because it has one really basic route and covers all of the hotspots in urban KC. I will definately try it. Though I still think it has too many stops, but I guess that is necessary since it replaces an established route.

[Tosspot]

My new thread in the KC Photos forum...lots of pictures of MAX

http://www.kcskyscrapers.com/newforum/i ... 90.new#new

[sethyg]

Thanks!  I was hoping someone would be there to get pictures.

[GRID]

Just to let you know, I have been wondering how the MAX line routes through the Plaza.  Well, they will go south on Main and turn onto west onto 47th and then turn south onto Main (the old Main alignment).  There will be a big stop just west of the Plaza Tennis Center.  From there they will proceed across Brush Creek to 51st and then get back on Brookside Blvd.

I think this is a great idea, to get the buses and a stop on the Plaza where they will be seen and easily accessible.  The only issue I have is the bus having to make that turn from SB Main to SB Main.  When I turn right onto 47th, I usually do it from the far right through lane as people will que all the way up the hill trying to turn right because nobody moves over and gets into the other WB lanes on 47th, clogging everything up.  Usually NB Main traffic turning WB onto 47th all pile into the far right lane and then block access to 47th to SB Main.

What I am saying is that they need to sign the right through lane on Brookside/Main to allow buses to turn right there so they do not have to wait on the stupid cars in the turn lane or just make it a double right.  It would really speed up that portion of the route.

[KCPowercat]

great point about the alignment right there Grid...I"m sure they've thought of SOMETHING haven't they?

[tat2kc]

will parking along the MAX route be eliminated? I know parking is illegal at certain times, but there is always someone parked illegally, when the lane should be reserved for traffic.  Anyone know how this will be handled?

[KCPowercat]

I rode a MAX bus for the first time tonight at the Chamber's happy hour.....buses do look nice...but they just look like nice buses, nothing more.  Still can't wait for MAX to get started

[Thrillcekr]

If I manage to get a pad in downtown I will be looking forward to trying these buses out.  I used to ride the bus all the time when I lived in L.A. and San Diego but I haven't been on one in years. 

[staubio]

They had a MAX bus parked out at the "Celebration at the Station", so I checked it out and had an ATA supervisor give me a tour.  He seemed pretty exciting about the bus, comparing it to "one of those luxery coaches".  I asked him what "coming in July" meant and he said service would start July 27.

[KCExile]

This morning, the KCATA website had a link to a MAX PowerPoint indicating July 5 as the start date.  I also noticed that Ward Parkway is now the turn-around point for every other MAX bus - instead of UMKC, as was previously the case.  When did they decide to do that?  I was thinking that UMKC students would be a core part of the new ridership - to and from the bars in Westport/clubs in Midtown/summer internships downtown/First Fridays, etc.  Hmmm... maybe they'll extend every bus to UMKC once the students come back in the Fall. 

[enough]

The MAX route has undergone a lot of modifications -- and compromises -- since planning for it began in earnest after light rail was defeated at the polls.  In some respects MAX is the proverbial horse designed by a committee.

Still, MAX is the "next big thing" on the transit scene in Kansas City, and the future success of other transit modes like light rail and PRT will depend in large part on how well MAX succeeds.

For MAX to succeed it's not enough to have distinctive buses and shelters and priority at traffic signals.  Success will also depend on a lot of operational details, such as:
- the clarity of vicinity maps, route maps, schedules and other transit information at MAX stops
- higher standards for driver courtesy, and whether drivers actually develop some esprit de corps
- level of maintenance on buses and shelters, especially cleanliness of bus interiors
- closer adherence to schedules than is the case on some regular routes
- fareboxes that always work

At the risk of sounding like one of the Star's editorial writers, the ATA had better make sure they get MAX done right.  Actually, it's up to everybody who's serious about transit to stay on the ATA's case and make sure they DO get it done right.

And by the way, it doesn't hurt to hop on a bus at least once in a while while you're waiting for some really high-tech transit system to come along.  Anybody who's not willing to ride today's transit system will probably have some excuse not to ride a fancier -- and costlier -- system in the future.

[staubio]

And by the way, it doesn't hurt to hop on a bus at least once in a while while you're waiting for some really high-tech transit system to come along.  Anybody who's not willing to ride today's transit system will probably have some excuse not to ride a fancier -- and costlier -- system in the future.

Right on.  If you believe in transit in KC, get on a damn bus.

[ignatius]

The MAX route has undergone a lot of modifications -- and compromises -- since planning for it began in earnest after light rail was defeated at the polls.  In some respects MAX is the proverbial horse designed by a committee.

Still, MAX is the "next big thing" on the transit scene in Kansas City, and the future success of other transit modes like light rail and PRT will depend in large part on how well MAX succeeds.

For MAX to succeed it's not enough to have distinctive buses and shelters and priority at traffic signals.  Success will also depend on a lot of operational details, such as:
- the clarity of vicinity maps, route maps, schedules and other transit information at MAX stops
- higher standards for driver courtesy, and whether drivers actually develop some esprit de corps
- level of maintenance on buses and shelters, especially cleanliness of bus interiors
- closer adherence to schedules than is the case on some regular routes
- fareboxes that always work

At the risk of sounding like one of the Star's editorial writers, the ATA had better make sure they get MAX done right.  Actually, it's up to everybody who's serious about transit to stay on the ATA's case and make sure they DO get it done right.

And by the way, it doesn't hurt to hop on a bus at least once in a while while you're waiting for some really high-tech transit system to come along.  Anybody who's not willing to ride today's transit system will probably have some excuse not to ride a fancier -- and costlier -- system in the future.

I ride the bus daily and don't really find these as an issue with the current bus system. 

- I recall seeing a non-working farebox only once and the bus driver just let everyone on. 
- Driver courtesy is generally OK depending on situation.  Not a high priority on my list.  I'll take cranky drivers over perky, talky drivers.  Just do the job.
- On average, bus interiors are literally the cleanest I've seen of any bus system.  I've ridden many city transit systems.
- Keeping schedule is sometimes off but usually OK.  Probably is worse in burbs than in city.  Not a big issue of mine.
- Understanding the route can be confusing as a line may jump between main drags.

The big factor for transit to me is frequency.  Ideally you shouldn't have to look at a schedule because it should run every 5-7 minutes.  The ATA can't afford that kind of frequency but they should maintain the higheset amount of frequency possible for MAX and cut other factors before this one. 

Noobs want something unique.  Experienced transit users want frequency and coverage.  I'd rather have 5 BRT lines running every 5-7 minutes down  SW Tfway, Broadway, Main, Gilham, Troost than a single LRT line running every 12-15 down Main.

[dangerboy]

I agree.  I've never had a problem with rude drivers, dirty busses, or timeliness.  I see the worst problems as...

1) Frequency. 
No route should have one hour intervals, especially in the urban core.

2) Too many bus stops.
It's ridiculous to put stops on every block or even every other block.  Putting them every three blocks would be reasonable and greatly speed up the journey (or least give the impression of speeding it up).

3) No good airport route.
An airport expresses from Downtown and some suburban transit centers would be a great opportunity to attract  new riders.  The current route is geared toward reverse commuters, not travellers.

4) Pathetic night routes

[Tosspot]

Well they'd better not use the same kind of fareboxes on MAX as they use in the regular buses. My dad's always complaining about them habitually not accepting dollar bills, and I'm privy to his lament quite often. Yes, bus passes work fine, but inserting the dollars is problematic, and I've observed this too in my own travels with the ATA.

The old fareboxes were replaced a few years back with these new ones, and apparently there was seldom a problem with accepting crumpled dollar bills from the old boxes.