What Is Bus Rapid Transit?

Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, offers the speed, convenience, and frequency of a Light Rail Line at a much lower cost.  Branded buses run in dedicated bus lanes or busways to glide past traffic congestion and bring you to your destination faster than ever before.  BRT routes offer stations every 1/2-mile to 1-mile instead of every block to speed up travel, and each station includes the amenities one would expect from a Rapid Transit station - sheltered waiting areas, seating, ticket machines, raised platforms for level boarding, pre-payment before boarding, and more!  With BRT we can blanket Hamilton County with high quality, high-frequency, and highly convenient Rapid Transit routes for the cost of 1 rail line.

Level Boarding Platforms

Bus station waiting areas will be at the same height as the floor of each BRT vehicle, allowing quick and easy boarding with maximum accessibility for passengers with mobility impairments.  No wheelchair ramp needed!

Got a stroller with you?  How about a walker or cane?  Do you usually need extra time to board a vehicle due to mobility issues?  With level platform boarding, everyone can board at the same speed and with no physical barriers to entry.

Transit Signal Priority

Buses often get stuck at "chokepoints" in the system, which are often traffic signals at major intersections.  Utilizing Transit Signal Priority allows buses with dozens of passengers to get through intersections faster and thus speed up travel times.  Delay for cars is minimal at a few seconds per intersection, but only when a bus is traveling through.  The idea is that a bus with 40+ passengers should have priority over cars with 1-2 passengers in them, as the point of transportation is to move the most amount of people as efficiently as possible.

Limited Stop Service

BRT offers longer distance travel at competitive travel times and speeds to driving.  With stations every 1/2-mile to 1-mile, it will be easier than ever to get to your destination quickly and efficiently.

Dedicated Busways

Busways are dedicated 2-lane bus highways which allow BRT vehicles to zoom past traffic without interfering with car traffic.  People living, working, shopping, and playing along the route benefit greatly from reduced travel times and the investment in infrastructure.

Since 1983, the East Busway has sped bus traffic through the east side of Pittsburgh, with frequent service moving tens of thousands of passengers per day.  This gives the transit corridor the capacity of a grade-separated rail line at a fraction of the cost.

Imagine boarding a BRT vehicle at the University of Cincinnati and arriving in Blue Ash 20 minutes later, regardless of traffic and weather.  That is what a busway can do for our region.