Albuquerque's Recently Opened Bus Rapid Transit Line Sets a New Standard

The Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) electric bus launched partial operation, celebrating the occasion offering free service to and from the Albuquerque BioPark’s River of Lights event on Friday and Saturday nights.

Maddy Hayden and Matthew Reisen report on the first days of the new service over the holiday weekend. "There was one hiccup, however: On Saturday evening, an ART bus shuttling riders to the show collided with a car whose driver made an illegal left turn, said ART Project Manager Dayna Crawford."

As noted in the article, the $126 million project has faced controversy and lawsuits on its path to opening day. The project also still has work to do: "Construction on the controversial project that involves connecting around 10 miles of Central from Unser to Louisiana via fully electric, articulated buses is expected to be completed by the beginning of next year."

In one additional bit of news that will appeal to public transit enthusiasts, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy awarded ART the Gold Standard for Bus Rapid Transit Standard. "It’s the first BRT system in the country to receive the top designation," according to Hayden and Reisen.