Archive for the 'bus' Category

My Chronicles of Transit (Part II)

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on June 9, 2006
in Lejeune, Miami, Public Transit, Transit and bus
. 0 Comments

3 minutes. That is how little I had to wait yesterday for the J route bus to arrive. The ride home was flawless, quick, and just as efficient as if I had driven myself. The bus flowed as quickly as the traffic on LeJeune during the 5 pm crunch. The effectiveness of the whole ride home was a surprise to me; I never thought it could rival driving.
The bus was nearly full to seated capacity. The assortment of people riding the bus home included a couple of flight attendants (Delta and American Airlines), old folks, kids attending summer school at Coral Gables Senior high, and people who looked like they were just running errands.

All of the buses and trains were very clean, well air-conditioned, and for all practical purposes comfortable. The metrorail stations themselves need some help in that department, but in all fairness, they do see a considerably more traffic.

I took the metrorail down to South Miami to run some errands (Post-office mainly) before heading to back home. Having to depend on public transit, required me to plan my day accordingly and made my day go by much more smoothly. I felt better and more energized because of the added walking and saved time and money by planning my day ahead of time.

I now plan to make busses a part of my weekly routine in getting to and from work and other places (aside from my usual use of metrorail on weekends.) My next plan is to try a longer distance (maybe the beach on a Saturday.) I regret that Ryan had such a miserable experience in his attempt to get to FIU but I hope that doesn’t discourage some of you from taking the Transit Miami Summer Transit Challenge. I did and it worked…

Experiencing Public Transit (Part 1)

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on June 8, 2006
in Lejeune, Metrorail, Miami, UM, US-1 and bus
. 0 Comments
Well, having already used public transportation for pleasure and recreational purposes on various occasions, today is the first day I depended on the system for my daily mobility. I began my day, 40 minutes earlier than usual and arrived at the UM metrorail station by 7 am (on foot.) The stations and metrorail were busy with what appeared to be working class individuals; the business executives were only visible as I peered through the window of the train at the traffic down below on US-1. I rode the train North to Douglas Rd. (next stop) where I disembarked around 7:12. That’s where the efficiency level of the system suddenly took a sharp drop.

Now, I knew the J bus would take me to my destination, however, the trip planner recommended route 42. So, with that knowledge at hand, I proceeded to the route 42 bus stop. The station had a bit of activity but did not appear to be more or less than usual. Route 37 seems to be the popular route. I waited for 20 minutes, watching a couple of J routes come and go as well as a route 42 heading towards Coconut Grove, empty.

The arrival of the 42 could not have come at better time, as the sun was just beginning to peak over the trees and buildings which were shielding it from me and the heat was just starting to intensify. It appears many people are unaware of today’s free rides as the bus driver himself quizzically glanced at the ticket I just handed him and riders continued to pay or show their golden passports. The bus embarked immediately.

The ride was uneventful and much more serene than my new daily commute down the same thoroughfare in my car. Once on the bus, we flowed seamlessly until I disembarked at my location at 7:50, nearly 50 minutes after my public transit endeavor began. Next time, I’ll spring for the route J, and a shorter commute which could in fact rival driving which often takes me up to 20 minutes… I’ll be back later with the conclusion to my daily errands and a wrap-up on what I think could be improved.

Bus Upgrade Update

Published
by
Gabriel Lopez-Bernal
on April 26, 2006
in Miami-Dade Transit, Optima Bus, PTP and bus
. 0 Comments


  • Miami-Dade County has voted to make the biggest purchase in the transit system’s history, opting to buy 300 30ft buses from Optima Bus corp. The contract calls for an option for an additional 300 worth approximately $200 Million for all 600 buses.

Some Quick Facts about the new Opus Buses: (Click Here for a Video)

  • Under 30′ Opus single-door accommodates 27 seated passengers (54 passengers total)
  • Front entry ADA fold over ramp
  • Side impact barriers provide a safe and secure riding environment
  • LOWEST emissions in smog causing Nox in its class.
  • Reduced Nox emissions from 4 grams to 2.2 grams (a decrease of 45%)