Passenger Transport 2010 APTA Annual Meeting - 42

2010 Annual Meeting
he Charlotte Area Transit will continue to improve tranSystem (CATS) in Charsit service along this corridor. lotte, NC, in September “We have many residents marked the one-year anniveron the west side [of Charlotte] sary of its Sprinter bus service— that use CATS to travel to serving Charlotte Douglas and from work,” said Brian International Airport with enviFincher, president of the ronmentally friendly vehicles. Camp Greene neighborhood, “This new service uses located on the Sprinter route, a fleet of hybrid buses that “and the increased frequency produces fewer emissions and of the service gives them the improves the quality of life convenience of getting to for Charlotte’s residents,” said their destination quicker.” Carolyn Flowers, CATS chief CATS Director of MainteCATS has seen ridership on its airport route grow in the first year of Sprinter executive officer. “The Sprinter service. nance Reggie Arrington said enhanced bus service is part of the approved 2030 Transit offer real-time digital schedule signs, Corridor System Plan and is the first community-oriented shelter designs, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 enhanced bus service implemented by and passenger amenities. CATS.” Business travel is an important reawages from those new jobs cycle back The Sprinter is a specially branded son for the Sprinter’s ridership growth. into the local economy—adding $2 milservice that highlights the eco-friendly Charlotte is home to seven Fortune lion to the commercial sector during technology used on the route and pro500 headquarters, including Bank of these difficult economic times. motes its environmental benefits to the America and Duke Energy, as well as the The increased commuter benefit community. CATS is looking at createast coast headquarters of Wells Fargo provided in ARRA that made the initial ing additional Sprinter routes across and Hearst Corporation. Center City program possible is set to expire at the Charlotte in the future. Charlotte attractions also include the end of this year. MST is working with In its first year, ridership was 12 perCharlotte Convention Center, NASCAR APTA to make the benefit increase cent higher than CATS’ previous service Hall of Fame, and the home fields for permanent. to the airport. The new route originates the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte at the Charlotte Transportation Center Bobcats. Eco-Friendly Transit in Center City Charlotte and offers more “The Sprinter is a convenient and Minimizing environmental impact is efficient service to destination points quick way for travelers to get to and one of MST’s strategic goals, and the such as retail and health centers, neighfrom the airport,” Flowers said. “The military commuter routes do just that. borhoods, and the airport—USAirways’ buses used on this route are designed Based on passenger numbers from the largest hub. for easy boarding and are equipped first year of operation of the new service, With consolidated convenient with luggage racks and seats to stow the agency anticipates that riders will stops along the corridor, Sprinter operyour luggage beside you.” cut local vehicle travel by more than ates every 20 minutes on weekdays The Sprinter travels along the future 2.5 million miles per year—and that and every 30 minutes weeknights and path of a planned streetcar line that will means an annual carbon emissions reducweekends. Key stops along the route also serve the airport. This investment tion of more than two million pounds.

CATS Celebrates Success of Sprinter Service to Airport
the seven Sprinter hybrid buses also provide an operational benefit to the transit system that saves money. “The older diesel buses that were used on the prior airport route cost on average 87 percent more to operate annually per bus than the new Sprinter hybrid,” Arrington said. “That equates out to approximately 82 percent less per mile to operate a hybrid bus on this route.” The hybrid electric-diesel buses also provide a cost savings in fuel to CATS. The agency’s maintenance department reported a $5,000 savings in fuel per bus during the first year of operation.

MONTEREY

Customers who board the bus instead of taking their cars will collectively save more than 100,000 gallons of gas. In addition, each rider will cut his or her own annual fuel costs by thousands of dollars. The Navy named NPS its top energy saver among small installations in 2006, and MST’s partnership helped make such recognition possible. In October 2009, base director Peter Dausen credited the transit pass program for lightening the school’s environmental footprint. While many transit agencies are making a difference by developing military partnerships, MST has taken it to a new level in recent years, making positive impacts on the local economy and environment, and helping local military installations achieve their missions.

38 | Passenger Transport

Passenger Transport 2010 APTA Annual Meeting

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Passenger Transport 2010 APTA Annual Meeting