[miketoronto]

It seems like METRO TRANSIT in the twin cities, is the newest transit system in the USA to unveil special marketing for their bus routes that run at higher frequency. Check it out.

http://www.metrotransit.org/serviceInfo/hi-frequency/Hi-freq-logo.gif

Hi-Frequency Network
Say hi to less waiting.
Welcome to the Hi-Frequency network – 11 routes with service so frequent, you won’t need to carry a schedule.

You can expect a bus or train on Hi-Frequency routes every 15 minutes (or better) throughout most of the day on weekdays and Saturdays. That’s reliability!

The Hi-Frequency promise

Service every 15 minutes (or better)
Weekdays: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hi-Frequency routes

Parts of routes 5, 6, 10, 18, 21, 64, 84 and 515 All of routes 16, 54 and 55 (Hiawatha Line)

http://www.metrotransit.org/serviceInfo/hi-frequency/hi-frequency-sign1.jpg
The sign of fast, frequent service


Click on the link for more info.
http://www.metrotransit.org/serviceInfo/hi-frequency.asp

[WesTheAngelino]

15 minutes isn't exactly what I'd call high frequency.

[ajfroggie]

It's moreso for consistency than anything else.

[WonderlandPark]

agree, personally I would not consider 15 mins high frequency.

[miketoronto]

15min is generally considered the max wait time before people start wanting to use timetables, etc.

I use bus routes all the time that run on 15min service, and its really not that bad, and I can see why they market service that runs every 15min or less like that.

[MSPtoMKE]

Yeah, 15 minute frequency isn't bad (the bus I take to work runs at that frequency most of the time) but i usually make the cut off at every 10 minutes or so before i don't bother with schedules. But while the requirements for routes to be "hi frequency" isn't particularly stringent, i think virtually all the routes in the network surpass the requirements in some way. They mostly either have a longer span of high frequency service than required, run more frequently, or both. The network isn't what i would call extensive, but Metro Transit has plans for service increases. Hopefully with the Transportation Constitutional Amendment that Minnesota just passed that directs a significant amount of additional revenue to Transit, some will be used to beef up service more.

Also, the signage is nice. Metro Transit is, in my opinion, pretty bad about signing bus routes at minor bus stops.

[MSPtoMKE]

agree, personally I would not consider 15 mins high frequency.
Isn't Portland's High Frequency network based on 15 minutes as well? It seems like a common cutoff in the systems i have seen that advertise it.

[alexjon]

As is San Antonio, TX's frequent service

[fflint]

Hi.

[jeicow]

@ 15minutes I still use a schedule (especially in winter). At least it's an improvement. I'd still wouldn't say it's hi-frequency until it's 6-8 minute waits but that's just me.

[DallasTexan]

hi!!!

[Justin10000]

This is nothing special.

Many agencies have routes that are 15 minutes or better.

And people will still use a schedule at 15 minutes. Especially if the bus does not run at 00,15,30,60 on the hour.
The only time people will not use a schedule is if the bus runs every 10 minutes or less.

[J Church]

Buses every 15 minutes get all caps? What happens when a new subway opens?

[glowrock]

^^^

Mike explodes with excitement, Steve! :D

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Justin10000]

Orgasmic?

[Cirrus]

Mike argues the money should have been spent on more 15 minute buses in the suburbs, is what.

Anyway, yeah. 15 minute headways is a well-established industry standard minimum for scheduleless service. It’s where you start.

Boulder had a lot of 15-minute routes, and for the most part I used them without consulting timetables. Service was often enough that I didn't want to risk missing a bus to spend 2 or 3 minutes looking up when it would come.

[M II A II R II K]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v41/MIIAIIRIIK/ForumFun/Bobby_Kitten.jpg