Nearly a year ago I wrote about the new styled Metro buses impending takeover of DC streets. Metro ordered a few hundred of the buses, including some special accordion style articulated buses for longer routes. I've seen the new buses around town, but never as the 42. Yesterday I got a chance to ride on a newer bus running as a 42.
The buses are lower to the ground, much like the Circulator buses. No need to walk up steps to get onto the bus. The floor is level with the sidewalk. The seats are set apart from each other. Less rubbing of elbows with other passengers and your bum gets its own seat. There are more standee polls and even a few strap hangers near the front of the bus. Near the rear door, a new sign. Posted in bright yellow on the floor of the bus: PLEASE NO STANDING IN THIS AREA. This sign should help alleviate some of the people bunching near the rear door that can slow exiting of the bus. I am often "guilty" of standing in the area near the rear door. Not a terrible offense, but when there is no where else to stand, what's a guy to do. Hopefully we'll see some more of the new buses running the 42 soon.
2 comments:
The yellow floor marking is placed there because of a "contactless" rear door sensing system (look for the small black boxes on the partitions. Theoretically, the door can sense if anyone needs to get off and will open automatically (which also prevents closing on anyone)...
Would be nice if these sleek new buses were an enhancement to an already sound and dependable system. Unfortunately, I fear it is like icing on top of a cake pan, not an actual cake. We need leaders to be held accountable for the 42 not arriving on time, among other dysfunctions.
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