Bus Rapid Transit Opens to the Public in Albuquerque

Albuquerque Rapid Transit buses opened to the public for the first time this weekend.

"The first ART bus is expected to start running early Saturday morning, just in time for Small Business Saturday. Ambassadors will be available to answer questions at each of the 19 stops along Central. Rides will be free until New Year’s Eve," reports Scott Brown.

As noted Matthew Reisen and Pilar Martinez in a separate article, the new bus rapid transit system required five years of planning and $133 million in funding. That article documents some of the experiences on the first day of service, including Mayor Tim Keller's first ride on the new system.

Some of the delay was caused by the Trump administration's reluctance to pay for transit funding allocated by Congress—a drama that first came to public attention in 2018.