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Metro Rapid is a local express bus service in Los Angeles County, California with bus rapid transit characteristics. It operates in mixed traffic environments and has fewer stops than the Metro Local service. The system is mainly operated by Metro. Two routes are operated by Big Blue Bus, one by Culver CityBus and one by Torrance Transit. The Rapid program attempts to speed up commuter travel time on Los Angeles' county streets, complementing the Metro Local bus network operated by the Metro as well as other bus routes operated by smaller agencies. To accomplish this, the buses are equipped with special transmittal devices that cause traffic signals to favor the bus, with green lights held longer and red lights shortened. Metro Rapid buses also stop less frequently than Metro Local buses, with Rapid stops located only at major intersections and transfer points. The frequency of Metro Rapid buses is increased as well, as more buses on a line translates to less wait time at each station. All Metro Rapid buses are low-floor CNG buses for faster boarding and alighting. Inspiration for the program partly came from the transportation network of Curitiba in Brazil, although the concept in nascent form was first broached in a restructuring study long before local officials visited Curitiba to study its transit network. As a result of a recent federal court consent decree ruling, beginning in June 2006 almost all Rapid routes began operating from at least 5 am to 9 pm, five days a week, with a maximum of 10-minute peak headways and 20-minute midday and evening headways. Some Rapid routes operate on weekends as well. == Overview == The Metro Rapid Program was implemented in June 2000-December 2002 with the goal of improving bus speeds within urbanized Los Angeles County. Lines 720 (Wilshire), 745 (Broadway), 754 (Vermont) and 750 (Ventura) were the pilot routes of the program, and began using next bus technology at most stops. Metro claims travel times have been reduced by as much as 29%. The Metro Rapid Program currently operates 26 routes across a network of 450 miles (720 km). Simple routes are designed to interface with the region's urban rail network. Metro Rapid buses are distinguished by their red and silver livery. Older Rapid buses have a red-and-white livery and a few had all-white livery (buses 7102-7112, 7617-7618, 7628, 7643 and 7646) until July 2002 when some were repainted to the red-and-white livery and others converted to Metro Local service. Some Rapid stops are equipped with "NextBus" technology which indicates the wait time before the next bus arrives. NextBus displays were installed mostly at stops on Lines 720 and 750. Metro Rapid Lines 720, 770 and 780 are the only lines that complement multiple lines (the 720 runs alongside the 18 and 20; 770 runs alongside 68 and 70; and the 780 runs alongside the 180, 181 and 217); Lines 720 and 780 are the longest routes in the Metro Rapid system. They take roughly 2 hours from start to end during rush hours. Also, line 720 is the most frequent of all Rapids. In the morning rush hour, the Rapid 720 ranges from every 2–10 minutes. Lines 720, 733, 744 and 754 are the busiest Metro Rapid lines and 60-foot NABI articulated buses are used. Lines 754 and 757 were the pilot routes using 60-foot NABI buses, making their debut in December 2005. Line 757 no longer uses 60-foot NABI articulated buses. Line 720 started using the 60-foot NABI buses in May 2006 with 78 buses. The buses are assigned to divisions SB-5 (Arthur Winston/Midcities), WSC-7 (West Hollywood), WSC-10 (Gateway), SFV-15 (East Valley), SGV-3 (North Los Angeles), and GC-1 (Central City). Recently, with the delivery of 95 60-foot NABI articulated buses (9500-9594), Lines 704, 728, and 740 have begun using the buses since December 16, 2007, but not anymore (except for Rapid line 704). As of June 2008, Line 710 began using the 60-foot NABI articulated buses, which does not use anymore. Based on availability of equipment, lower capacity buses may be placed into service on lines that normally use the 60-BRTs. Occasionally, Metro Local and rarely Metro Silver Liner-painted buses are put into Rapid service. A year after Metro introduced SmartBus technology on most of their buses, marquees were modified on most Metro Rapid buses in which the "STOP REQUESTED" portion scrolls across the marquee instead of staying in place and "PLEASE USE REAR EXIT" scrolls slowly. Months later, marquees were switched back to their original format. The fare is the same as other Metro bus and rail service. Routes are numbered in the 700 series (7xx). Some Metro Rapid buses have been converted to Metro Local service. Buses 7111 and 7112 were originally Metro Rapid buses in all-white livery with a red Metro Rapid logo. Bus 7006 was converted to Metro Local service after being one of the first 40-foot NABI buses to be in the current Metro Rapid livery (red and silver). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Metro Rapid」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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