Oregon's EmX bus

Reinventing Transit: report case study

After considering several options, including light rail, the city of Eugene decided upon Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as the best solution for its growing transportation needs. The new BRT line, called EmX, replaced an existing bus route and immediately led to a dramatic increase in ridership. This success is attributed to key features such as dedicated bus lanes and state-of-the-art hybrid buses.

The bus system is well integrated into the fabric of Eugene’s daily life, partnering with local universities and schools to provide low-cost service to students. EmX also created local jobs by hiring local contractors to design and construct key infrastructure components including bus shelters. EmX provides a valuable example to other medium-sized cities looking for effective ways to invest in their infrastructure and develop a sustainable transportation system.

Description of Service

EmX offers Bus Rapid Transit service along two major corridors, (totaling almost 12 miles)
featuring:

• Exclusive right-of-way along ~60% of the route
• Signal priority gives buses priority through intersections
• Low-floor buses making boarding easier and quicker
• Off-board fare collection speeds boarding
• Improved stations including eight new shelters built along original route
• Higher service frequency: peak ten minutes, off-peak 20 minutes
• Integrated with local network of bike paths

Ridership and performance

• System-wide, Eugene bus ridership has increased 35-40% in the last three years, exceeding 20-year projections
• Despite falling gas prices, ridership is up 10.5% in October 2008 versus 2007. EmX hit a record a record of 6,600 passengers on October 1—nearly 4,000 more than a typical day on the pre-EmX route
• A rider survey revealed that ~64% of riders choosing EmX had a car available to them

Local partnerships

Lane Transit District (LTD), which operates EmX, coordinates a group transit pass system with the University of Oregon. An incidental fee allows free bus rides with a University ID, thus providing service to 70,000 students, faculty and staff.

Funding

Construction of the first EmX line cost approximately $24 million. The primary source of funding was $19.2 million from the Federal Transit Administration. Local payroll taxes contribute to ~80% of operating funds. Recently, a transfer from the local general fund was needed to maintain operation. Yet, despite this action, fare increases are planned for this year/next year and further stimulus may be needed to help prevent layoffs (potentially up to 10% of LTD employees).

Jobs and economic stimulus

Construction on the first corridor included:

• undergrounding utilities
• tree pruning and landscaping
• curb realignments
• station construction

Local experts were utilized in every phase of the project including arborists and urban foresters, concrete specialists, traffic engineers, architects and landscapers. LTD also worked with New Flyer, a U.S. bus manufacturer with factories in St. Cloud and Crookston, Minnesota, to design a vehicle specifically for EmX. Each specialized vehicle costs $960,000 and features a GM Allison hybrid engine.

Future expansions

Capital projects are under way for extending service, building more bus lanes and shelters, and purchasing additional New Flyer buses. LTD will begin construction of the Gateway EmX Extension in 2009 and 2010. The project is estimated to cost $41 million and create 400 local jobs. Of this amount, $38 million, or 93%, is funded by federal and state capital grants. LTD will invest a local match valued at nearly $3 million.

View the report notes.

See more innovative projects included in the Reinventing Transit report.

Posted: 05-Feb-2009; Updated: 22-Apr-2009