How are the New MCTS Buses?
New Milwaukee County Transit System Bus
Starting this past summer, new buses hit the streets in Milwaukee County. Now that they have been out on the road for a few months, it’s likely that the “new car” (bus) smell has worn off. How do you feel about them now?
In my personal experience the new buses are a welcome improvement, but not a game changer. The seating arrangement isn’t any different, but the interior lacks the extremely-dated brown design pattern from the older buses. From the perspective of a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk, the new buses aren’t nearly as loud as the old ones as they pass. Most significantly, they don’t rattle on the inside like many of the old ones, delivering a much quieter riding experience.
Taking a more long-term view of the new buses (especially given that a new County Executive will enter office in 2011), they should be an asset to build upon in the future. If MCTS moves to publicly available real-time tracking of bus locations as they intend to, new buses will help assist in potentially attracting more choice riders. Assuming that someday MCTS is given a dedicated funding source, the new buses should encourage more ridership than their much older counterparts when service is restored to previously cut routes.
I’m thankful there are newer, quieter buses to ride, but the new buses unfortunately don’t have the power to restore routes that have been cut in the past couple of years or lower fares that have risen steadily in the past ten years. MCTS deserves accolades for leveraging available stimulus dollars to purchase a large portion of the new buses, as they’re managing to find ways to improve the system with the deck stacked against them.
What are you thoughts on the new buses? Love them? Hate them? Do they cause you to ride more?
Previous Generation MCTS Bus
I like the new buses… I am not a frequent rider but have used the bus more since bike racks have been added. Real-time tracking info would be great.
I enjoy the quiet of the new buses, both inside and out. The roar of the old buses is a constant disturbance in the neighborhood. After you give the new buses a couple hundred thousand miles on Milwaukee streets, they may not be so quiet inside anymore. The old buses were a constant assault on the ears, from compressors, motors, pumps, rattles, squeaks, vibration, engines of destruction, whatever.
The new buses haven’t quieted the teens on the bus. What actually seemed to work was the Transit TV system, alas, now defunct. It seemed that the distraction of the TV kept the crowd noise down a bit.
Well- The ride is a little easier, and I’m in agreement with the comments about mechanical noise- only time will tell.
Aesthetically – the new buses are an upgrade. One of the ‘stigmas’ (of many I hear) is that the busses look ‘uncool’- which translates into- ‘I prefer not to ride one if I can help it”.
Modern technology like real time tracking to a phone, and updating stops would really increase ridership, as well as driving the clean and modern transportation approach.
The new buses are a slight upgrade.
I wonder who thought up the exterior color scheme. The dark, oversaturated blue, orangey yellow and green are UGLY.
While I haven’t road the new buses yet, I do have a few thoughts… Agree with most everything that I see posted above. I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned the clean diesel engines?! The old buses spew noxious gas everywhere. Try biking behind one — awful. In addition to those comments, we still need to solve some major issues:
1. Real-time arrival. Already mentioned and a must.
2. Pre-payment systems. Buses should do everything they can to replicate the fixed transit advantages. One of the biggest is the ability to purchase your ticket before you enter the vehicle, greatly speeding up the boarding process.
3. Tied to point two is then the ability to enter at multiple points. People aren’t forced to funnel through one entry door at the front.
4. Dignified transit stops. For the most part, MKE’s transit shelters are outdated and lackluster. We really need to update the system as a whole to remove the stigma.
It’s a step forward, but MKE is still woefully behind most cities when it comes to transit.
So how about a streetcar update? Do we know when they expect to break ground? Engineering must be pretty far along at this point.
Great constructive comments so far, love it! I like the new buses, but really just feel like they are the “newer model” of the old ones. The clean diesel and improved air filtration systems are nice, other than that and some new paint/front end; it just feels too much like the old buses. I am afraid the quiet aspect will deplete with time, just as new cars start off quiet, and get loaded as the chassis and frame flex and allow for more noise penetration.
I agree with the previous statements about upgrading terminals. The major hubs should at least have an update, and it would be AMAZING to integrate a real time display board at major stops showing times for routes (next bus etc). I just started a new job that is connected via a route from outside my home to outside my workplace. I am actually considering getting rid of my car ($120 a month to park and never really get used) and just walk/bus everywhere. (I wish downtown had more zipcar options, as I could use that for the occasional need for a car).
Anywho, I hope the next county executive understands the importance of improving MCTS, and at the very least, improving it in the downtown and destination areas (malls, airport, campuses, downtown, office parks). As much as i enjoy the renewed vigor drivers seem to have when announcing streets, I miss TransitTV as well.
Just got back from LA where they are enjoying the free money provide by Walker to expand their rail system, but the question is the MCTS’s new buses. Yes, I’m glad we have them. Our, should get an, award winning maintenance department,will get a well deserved breather from trying to get more out of a manmade object than physic’s will allow. This is at least until the warrantee period on the new ones expires.
No I don’t like the color either. The noise reduction is welcome (I live a half a block from a busy stop.) Inside they are, as a previous writer said, the same old thing only newer. If there is such a thing as clean diesel, they are an environmental improvement. I’m waiting for dedicated funding (sales tax), rails in the ground and modern streetcars for the high volume lines and expanded mass transit for everybody in Milwaukee.
Chris mentioned: “3. Tied to point two is then the ability to enter at multiple points. People aren’t forced to funnel through one entry door at the front.” While multiple entry points are tied to different fare handling, I’ve always wondered how we got away from encouraging riders to exit at the rear, thereby unclogging the front door. Sometimes boarding is substantially delayed by a crowd exiting at the front, with nobody using the back door. How lame! Remember when every bus had 3 signs: 1. Please Move to the Rear of the Bus 2. A Little Farther Back Please 3. Thanks for Moving to the Rear of the Bus
Of course having the sidewalk shoveled by the rear door is essential. Our government bus line barely sees that snow is cleared at the front door. This is crappy customer service, and will continue with multiple tax increases.
Besides all that, I just noticed the first rattles on a new bus yesterday.
The biggest plus of the new buses is the Clean Diesel technology. They spew about 5x less smog-forming emissions.
This improves the quality of life for all residents. Less ozone action days, less lung cancer and less asthma.