Think Rail, Use Buses

"The Silver Line is Boston's version of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a concept that encompasses all sorts of innovations aimed at repackaging bus service to make it faster, more reliable, more comfortable and more attractive... But the competitive undercurrent persists. BRT and rail forces have clashed not only in Seattle, but in Boston and the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. Supporters say BRT can be built faster and cheaper than rail and that it's usually more cost-effective. Rail backers argue that, no matter how you market it, a bus is still a bus."