First came TRAX, then FrontRunner, now meet MAX!

I always said I would talk about the good that UTA is doing. Here's the latest development, and it is sure a good one too.

First we had TRAX built, and more lines are now in the planning stages or under construction, now we have FrontRunner opening this year with the Provo extension in the planning stages, and now as of July 14th, MAX will be on the prowl.

MAX, if you haven't heard, is the new system of Bus Rapid Transit' or 'BRT' routes that UTA is starting up. Only one is to be run so far, the rest are in planning and depend on various funding and other needs before they can start them up. That first one is to be on 3500 South starting at Millcreek (3300 South) TRAX and go all the way out to Magna, with stops roughly every half mile.

I've just learned that this will not completely supplant the Route 35, but that route is so heavily used that this is the perfect relief system for that route. It's also immediately expandable, all they have to do if that is needed, and it will be, is add more buses and adjust the schedule. TRAX is more complicated, but setting up a MAX route and timetables and making needed adjustments will be much easier.

MAX will operate the same hours that TRAX does, and have a 15 minute headway (meaning it runs that often, every 15 minutes). The new buses for the line have three doors, you board anywhere, and buy a ticket at a TVM at each MAX station, which also have the unique variation on the 'striper' pattern that the MAX buses have, except it's a glass etching that is seen on the MAX buses, 'MAX' is in blue letters on the side panel of the station framework, and there are other informational things that will be installed, and special stop signage will be set up as well.

This is only one of about eight MAX routes being planned. The second one, the Provo Orem Colleges MAX line, had a hearing this week, it could likely be the next one opened.

More on the other plans in another post.

This is one of the great innovations that is what makes UTA work well. The real problem after all though is the misuse of ISO 9001.2000 and the abuse of that standard to second-guess the needs and wishes of the ridership that relies on UTA.