Silver Line Demo
In 2017, BostonBRT partnered with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to test all-door boarding on the Silver Line.
All-door boarding is possible through off-board fare collection, one of the 5 essential elements that define BRT.
The demonstration focused on the SL4 and SL5 routes on the Washington Street Silver Line between Dudley Square and Downtown Boston. These are the MBTA’s heaviest traveled bus routes, carrying 14,000 Silver Line riders every day.
RESULTS
Surveys of 900 riders throughout the demonstration showed that all-door boarding improved the rider experience and encouraged bus use, with:
65 percent of rider respondents reporting that their demonstration trip was faster and 70 percent saying the all-door boarding demonstration made them more likely to ride the Silver Line again.
Additional results showed that all-door boarding:
Allowed for more buses to leave on time, with fewer delays at the busiest stops.
Had a significant effect on the SL4/5’s slowest trips, improving those trips to be more like a typical trip, and making the overall rider experience more reliable.
Helped make buses run more frequently, which was the top priority identified by riders in surveys.
The MBTA is continuing to pursue Automated Fare Collection (AFC 2.0) which would pave the way for enabling all door boarding on buses.
NEXT > CAN RIDING THE BUS BE FUN?
