Sun Metro’s rapid transit system Brio launches
Sun Metro‘s Brio is up and running, at least the Mesa corridor, with three more corridors planned. Alameda Avenue, Dyer Street and Montana Avenue are next.
The new rapid transit system is entirely new to El Pasoans because they can now pay to ride using newly installed kiosks, and there’s additional amenities along the route. The launch day on Monday was a day Sun Metro had been working toward for six years.
“Total cost of the corridor is $27.1 million. Of that, $13.5 million came from federal government grants. The rest came from state and local funds,” Sun Metro spokeswoman Laura Cruz-Acosta said.
During peak hours, the buses are supposed to arrive at each station every 10 minutes. There are fewer stops, and the buses have the abilities to prolong green traffic lights
Tickets are purchased at station kiosks before a rider gets on the bus, but riders can also pay with change once they get on the bus. There will be monitors checking to may sure riders pay, and lots of added security.
The brand new Brio buses are longer than a traditional Sun Metro Bus, at 60 feet. Ten of them run along the Mesa corridor. Each cost $790,000. There are also railings so riders can sit or stand. Each bus is equipped with 14 security cameras so riders can feel safe.
As far as comfort?
Each one of the 10 buses has on-board WiFi and three entrances so riders can get off and on more quickly.
“It’s gonna help move more people from point A to point B without being stuck in traffic,” one rider said.
Each ride is $1.50, which is the same as any other Sun Metro bus route. There are discounts for students, seniors, military and the disabled, as well as discounted passes for weekly and monthly riders.
The maximum wait time for any Brio bus is 20 minutes Monday through Saturday. Brio does not run on Sundays.
The next planned corridor is Alameda Avenue, according to Cruz-Acosta. She said construction is expected to begin spring 2015 with completion being summer or fall of 2016.
