ctrabs74 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 Pace has had them on the left side since 2003, and the ones received last year have full signs on the back. However, other than buses in the Elgin Terminal facing so that the left side faces the waiting room, I don't see the point of either. Are there that many people running to catch the bus? Not necessarily. However, the street-side signs on Pace buses are also useful at L stations where a bus pulls in to the further away from the station and passengers walk towards berths closer to the station (eg. getting off a 600 or 606 to connect with a 332 or 223 at Rosemont) or at locations where bus stops are on either side of the street (eg. inbound 301 bus stop across from the bus stop for the 711/714 at Wheaton Metra) or where the buses board on surrounding streets away from the station (such as Naperville Metra). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 Pace has had them on the left side since 2003, and the ones received last year have full signs on the back. However, other than buses in the Elgin Terminal facing so that the left side faces the waiting room, I don't see the point of either. Are there that many people running to catch the bus? You'd be amazed. They seem to work out in the Bay Area, as well as some of the satellite cities here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Tea Eh Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 Been a while since I've made my way back to Milwaukee, but checking their bus tracker, all the buses on the 143 are regular MCTS New Flyers. Are all the Ozaukee Gilligs retired now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted August 27, 2014 Report Share Posted August 27, 2014 The OZ Express Gilligs have been retired since Sunday June 8th, 2014. All trips on the 143 are now operated under MCTS Fiebrantz station fleet assignments. Bus 1004 had transmission problems, while the rest of the retired fleet are being sent to the Wausau Transit System, along with 4 MCTS recently retired buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Tea Eh Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Looks like more route restructuring and new express routes coming next year: http://www.ridemcts.com/about-us/news/mcts-to-host-public-meetings-sept.-9-10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Tea Eh Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 Looks like more route restructuring and new express routes coming next year: http://www.ridemcts.com/about-us/news/mcts-to-host-public-meetings-sept.-9-10http://www.ridemcts.com/about-us/news/mcts-to-host-public-meetings-sept.-9-10They now have added the details on that link for the proposed service changes.Summary:Route 27 to be split into local 27 and Express 27 (actual route number/name of the express not mentioned; if they keep with the color theme, possibly Purple Line based on the map). Express to operate 7 days per week.Route 10 local service to be eliminated completely, and replaced with a new express route (Yellow?) from Brookfield Square to UWM via Prospect & Downer, operating 7 days per week. Astor/Humboldt service to Bayshore taken over by extended route 14.Route 30 to be split into local 30 and Express 30 (Orange?). Express to operate 6 days per week (no Sundays) following existing 30 Florist-Maryland routing. Local route 30 to operate only on Florist and Maryland routings. Keefe Avenue service to be replaced by new crosstown route (not yet numbered), extended to 76th & Appleton (it's about time!), and operating via Appleton, Keefe, Roosevelt, Capitol, Hopkins, Locust to UWM. Presumably 7 days per week (not specified).Side note - the Downtown to UWM service will now be the reverse of what it was until the mid 1990s, when the 30 had double branches operating Jackson-Downer (actually Van Buren-Downer, since Jackson was one-way southbound), and Prospect-Maryland. Now we'll have Jackson-Maryland and Prospect-Downer.Not mentioned (therefore, I assume no change) is what will happen to the Hopkins branch of route 80. I would have taken this opportunity to clean up that route as well by sending all buses via Villard.Slowly, but surely, MCTS is getting rid of branching routes (with the 30 losing its branches). Now all they need to do is clean up that travesty that is the southwest side with all those north-south corridors with crappy service (60th to 108th, with no street getting any better than 40 minute service, mostly hourly or worse off peak and weekends).Still, good to see them making some progressive changes. I'm sure the new leadership at the top of the company has helped. This is a definite change in attitude towards service announcements vs. how things were 10 years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 http://www.ridemcts.com/about-us/news/mcts-to-host-public-meetings-sept.-9-10 They now have added the details on that link for the proposed service changes. Summary: Route 27 to be split into local 27 and Express 27 (actual route number/name of the express not mentioned; if they keep with the color theme, possibly Purple Line based on the map). Express to operate 7 days per week. Route 10 local service to be eliminated completely, and replaced with a new express route (Yellow?) from Brookfield Square to UWM via Prospect & Downer, operating 7 days per week. Astor/Humboldt service to Bayshore taken over by extended route 14. Route 30 to be split into local 30 and Express 30 (Orange?). Express to operate 6 days per week (no Sundays) following existing 30 Florist-Maryland routing. Local route 30 to operate only on Florist and Maryland routings. Keefe Avenue service to be replaced by new crosstown route (not yet numbered), extended to 76th & Appleton (it's about time!), and operating via Appleton, Keefe, Roosevelt, Capitol, Hopkins, Locust to UWM. Presumably 7 days per week (not specified). Side note - the Downtown to UWM service will now be the reverse of what it was until the mid 1990s, when the 30 had double branches operating Jackson-Downer (actually Van Buren-Downer, since Jackson was one-way southbound), and Prospect-Maryland. Now we'll have Jackson-Maryland and Prospect-Downer. Not mentioned (therefore, I assume no change) is what will happen to the Hopkins branch of route 80. I would have taken this opportunity to clean up that route as well by sending all buses via Villard. Slowly, but surely, MCTS is getting rid of branching routes (with the 30 losing its branches). Now all they need to do is clean up that travesty that is the southwest side with all those north-south corridors with crappy service (60th to 108th, with no street getting any better than 40 minute service, mostly hourly or worse off peak and weekends). Still, good to see them making some progressive changes. I'm sure the new leadership at the top of the company has helped. This is a definite change in attitude towards service announcements vs. how things were 10 years ago. Ooooooh this is about to be good than I thought. I haven't been out there on any route since I rode #27, #30, #33, #35, and #57 3 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 The express routes are definitely needed. Thanks to the MetroEXpress Green Blue & Red Lines for the expansion. Look for those routes to fall under the MetroEXpress moniker The Keefe-Locust route is needed & the 14 is streamlined due to the pending couture project & the demise of the DTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Tea Eh Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Keefe Avenue service to be replaced by new crosstown route (not yet numbered), extended to 76th & Appleton (it's about time!), and operating via Appleton, Keefe, Roosevelt, Capitol, Hopkins, Locust to UWM. Presumably 7 days per week (not specified).Seems the plan for this one was changed. The new route 61 will now operate between 35th & Capitol and Menomonee Falls via Keefe and Appleton, with no service east of 35th St. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Tea Eh Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 http://ridemcts.com/about-us/news/mcts-announces-new-bus-routes!Wisconsin-UWM will be "Gold" (not yellow). 27X will be Purple (as I guessed above).30X won't be Orange, but will just be 30X. Not sure why. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 .... 30X won't be Orange, but will just be 30X. Not sure why. Could it be that it has to be branded both Metro and Express? Or that the Gold Line supersedes overlapping parts of local routes, but both 30 and 30X survive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 MetroExpress are daily expresses, the 30X is a 6 day express, hence the branding of the GoldLine & PurpleLine and the 30X. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Tea Eh Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 the 30X is a 6 day expressNot according to the December Bus Lines newsletter on the MCTS website. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 You are correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 Not according to the December Bus Lines newsletter on the MCTS website. Right. Bus Lines says the hours for 30X are 6 AM-9 PM weekdays and Saturdays and 11 AM-8 PM Sundays. So based on that it sounds like it's because MCTS MetroExpress routes are not only limited stop but tend to operate 5 AM-2 AM daily. Since 30X isn't going to have those start and end times it's simply getting an express designation and becoming MCTS's version of an X route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkebusfan88 Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Just when you thought all the MCTS 4400's were retired bus 4434 picks me up this morning on Route 76 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Saw 4305 this afternoon on the 48. I thought all the 4300s were retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkebusfan88 Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 I found out through a reliable source the no 5400's out of KK are to do Route 14 because the 16th St viaduct curb is too high for the step of these buses. Also more 4300's and 4400's seem to be coming out of storage as I saw 4302, 4417, and 4466 all doing routes today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2 Posted March 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 http://www.ridemcts.com/about-us/news/mcts-will-begin-handing-out-free-transit-passes-for-eligible-seniors-or-persons-with-disabilities-on-march-31st I wonder how much this will cost the system. I understand some people could use the assistance but I am reminded of when this was mandated by the state of Illinois a few years ago. Bus fares have been stable in recent years and I think this will force an increase in fares that would not have happened. We finally have transitioned to a modern fare system and paper transfers are supposed to be eliminated. It would have been nice to see if there was an increase in fare revenue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 31, 2015 Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 http://www.ridemcts.com/about-us/news/mcts-will-begin-handing-out-free-transit-passes-for-eligible-seniors-or-persons-with-disabilities-on-march-31st I wonder how much this will cost the system. I understand some people could use the assistance but I am reminded of when this was mandated by the state of Illinois a few years ago. Bus fares have been stable in recent years and I think this will force an increase in fares that would not have happened. We finally have transitioned to a modern fare system and paper transfers are supposed to be eliminated. It would have been nice to see if there was an increase in fare revenue. The question is what motivated the county board to do it? In Illinois's case, it was Blago pandering under the rationale that seniors were entitled to something in return for the sales tax increase. It later got rolled back to half fare unless someone was on the property tax circuit breaker or pharmaceutical assistance program. As the release notes, the riders were already getting half fares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2 Posted March 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2014/11/06/eyes-on-milwaukee-another-bad-transit-plan-by-county-board/ It looks like it was a budget amendment by the county board. I don't find any reasoning in this article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted March 31, 2015 Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 It was mandated as part of a route addition and a realignment and service adjustment to another route Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrabs0114 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) For those of you who don't like New Flyers, Milwaukee's getting ... more New Flyers.Base order of 28, option for up to 47 over the next three years.http://newflyer.com/index/milwaukee-awards-new-flyer-a-contract-for-up-to-75-xcelsiori-buses(In case anyone was wondering, I got locked out of my old account so I created a new one) Edited May 16, 2015 by ctrabs0114 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archon Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Work stoppage at MCTS No bus service Wed Thur and Friday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Work stoppage at MCTS No bus service Wed Thur and Friday.What the hell is going on out there??? Wow!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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