JUNE 2018 | MassTransitmag.com | Mass Transit | 31
running, bringing the ride to
a 15-minute headway.
“Th ere were a lot of studies
that went into that corridor,”
said Liann Alfaro, Tulsa Transit
planning and marketing
director. “Since it was already
one of our higher-frequency
and higher-ridership routes, it
looked like it might be the best
corridor to look at to put in a
new BRT system.”
She continued, “Also, aft er
doing some studying and looking
at it, there are quite a few
people that live off that corridor
and there are also jobs available
along that corridor.
One in seven Tulsa residents
live within a 10-minute walk of
the corridor and one-fi ft h of the
city’s jobs are within a 10-minute
walk of Peoria Avenue.
“Tulsa is really trying to
grow and be able to become
one of the cool cities. We’re
looking at better ways to off er
diff erent modes of transportation.”
BRT Style
Th e vehicles operated on BRT
routes come in a broad range,
from conventional buses to
specially designed vehicles
utilizing advanced technologies.
Agencies consider the
size and capacity; door width,
placement and quantity; emissions;
branding; and any guidance
enhancements.
With the initial Silver Line,
the MBTA brought in new articulated
vehicles and enhanced
branding. Th e buses have more
room, a smooth ride and additional
space for luggage, as they
serve the airport.
Th e tunnel in the Seaport
District that the buses would
be operating in required a
zero-emission solution, so the
MBTA went with a hybrid vehicle.
Th e vehicle operates on
electric catenary in the tunnel
and then on diesel power for the
remainder of the service.
Th e Silver Line also has
compressed natural gas vehicles,
which were introduced
when the line fi rst began, but
the agency continues to factor
in developing bus technology
— including electric vehicles.
When Tulsa Transit
launches its BRT route, it will
have 11 buses. Playing to Aero,
the buses will be branded with
an arrow, setting them apart
from the standard service.
“We’ve already got all our
branding put together and
that’s how riders will be
able to tell the diff erence,”
said Alfaro.
Working with
municipalities
Part of forming a successful
partnership and ensure significant
developments is partnering
with the cities that routes
operate in.
MBTA Director of Operations
Planning and Outreach
Wes Edwards said part of the
work is being more engaged
with cities. “Th ey’re planning
for future capital improvements
and identifying how
the streets get painted and
what the signals look like. All
of this supports bus service.
“We’re going through a
renaissance in how we engage
the cities to show how we improve
transit services on their
own streets.”
He said, “Municipalities,
they own the streets, sidewalks
For more information, visit www.MassTransitmag.com/12361215
THE AERO stations will
feature real-time passenger
information, including nextbus
arrival times.
Tulsa Transit
/innotrans.com
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