PlanItMetro

The Metrobus system is a robust network of surface transit lines that provide service to a variety of markets.  Each different market is best served by a different type of bus service.  Some bus routes only operate during the peak periods, while others operate from early morning to midnight.  Some routes provide limited-stop commuter service, while others stop frequently every other block.   Some routes provide only a few bus trips per hour, while others run every 10 minutes on a fixed frequency.

Metrobus lines provide a variety of services, and the current Metrobus map is designed to show all routes without regard to the service types and the markets they serve.  Metro is aware that different travel markets could benefit from maps illustrating the bus service best suited to them.

Perhaps the market most in need of specialized maps and traveler information is the casual/off-peak rider.  While commuters place the heaviest load on the bus system and tend to have very rigid schedules, the casual rider has no fixed schedule and travels during the off-peak times when service exceeds demand.  This makes the casual rider the most inexpensive to serve,  yet most difficult.  The casual rider wants convenient, point-to-point travel options any time of the day without having to consult a timetable.  A “12-minute” map can provide the casual rider with the information she needs to make her trip.

Read more…