Mueller Lake Park Outdoor Amphitheater
New Bus Is a Bad Deal
RECEIVED Mon., Feb. 3, 2014
Dear Editor,
Capital Metro's new 801 bus is a more high-tech and 50% more expensive version of the 101 bus that it replaces [“Here Comes MetroRapid,” News, Jan. 24]. At 28 minutes from the Capitol to William Cannon, it is not significantly faster. MetroRapid takes two lanes of Downtown traffic out of service, and I fail to see how it will do anything to address Austin's traffic issues. To make the 801viable, Cap Metro had to halve local bus service on South Congress. I do not think it is right that the new buses can manipulate the traffic lights. That feature will only make traffic worse for everyone who does not ride the bus. The only reason Cap Metro is pursuing this project is because they received federal money to cover 80% of the cost, and it provided an excuse to dramatically raise fares. I am doing my part to make MetroRapid a financial failure by avoiding it and riding the 1 or 10 bus instead. Even though I live closer to Congress and ride the bus daily, I prefer to walk to South First instead of supporting the bendy bus. It is a bad deal both for transit riders and for drivers.
Capital Metro's new 801 bus is a more high-tech and 50% more expensive version of the 101 bus that it replaces [“Here Comes MetroRapid,” News, Jan. 24]. At 28 minutes from the Capitol to William Cannon, it is not significantly faster. MetroRapid takes two lanes of Downtown traffic out of service, and I fail to see how it will do anything to address Austin's traffic issues. To make the 801viable, Cap Metro had to halve local bus service on South Congress. I do not think it is right that the new buses can manipulate the traffic lights. That feature will only make traffic worse for everyone who does not ride the bus. The only reason Cap Metro is pursuing this project is because they received federal money to cover 80% of the cost, and it provided an excuse to dramatically raise fares. I am doing my part to make MetroRapid a financial failure by avoiding it and riding the 1 or 10 bus instead. Even though I live closer to Congress and ride the bus daily, I prefer to walk to South First instead of supporting the bendy bus. It is a bad deal both for transit riders and for drivers.
Michael Guidry
