Sun Metro

Last updated

Sun Metro
Sun Metro logo.svg
Sun Metro Brio.jpg
A bus at the downtown transit center
ParentCity of El Paso
Founded1977
Headquarters10151 Montana El Paso, Texas
Locale El Paso, Texas, US
Service area El Paso County
Service type bus, paratransit
AllianceProject Amistad, El Paso County Route Transit
Routes63
Stops2,858
Hubs8
Fleet171
Daily ridership17,400 (weekdays, Q1 2024) [1]
Annual ridership6,331,500 (2023) [2]
Fuel type Compressed natural gas
OperatorCity of El Paso
Website sunmetro.net

Sun Metro Mass Transit Department, simply known as Sun Metro, is the public transportation provider that serves El Paso, Texas. Consisting of buses and paratransit service, it is a department of the City of El Paso, and the agency also serves the rest of El Paso County. The major hub is located at the Bert Williams Downtown Santa Fe Transfer Center in the surrounding block areas in Downtown El Paso. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 6,331,500, or about 17,400 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2024.

Contents

History

Until 1987, Sun Metro was called Sun City Area Transit (SCAT).

The agency was headquartered at the historic Union Depot in downtown El Paso until 2014, when it opened a new 37.5-acre (15.2 ha) facility along Montana Avenue southeast of El Paso International Airport. [3]

Facilities

Services

Brio

The logo of Brio, Sun Metro's bus rapid transit system. Sun Metro Brio logo.svg
The logo of Brio, Sun Metro's bus rapid transit system.

Sun Metro began operating its express bus service, named Brio, on October 27, 2014, [4] serving the Mesa Street corridor (part of State Highway 20) between Downtown El Paso and the Westside Transfer Center in Northwest El Paso. The frequency of Brio buses range from 10 minutes during weekday rush hours to 15 minutes mid-day from Monday to Friday, and 20 minutes on Saturdays; buses do not run on Sundays or holidays. The line uses 22 purpose-built curbside stations with shelters, ticket vending machines for pre-boarding payment, and real-time arrival information. The 8.6-mile-long (13.8 km) route runs in mixed traffic, but does use transit signal priority. The Brio fleet consists of 60-foot-long (18 m) branded New Flyer Xcelsior articulated buses powered by compressed natural gas, able to carry 72 total passengers and feature on-board WiFi, interior bike racks, and passenger information monitors. [5] The project cost $27.1 million to implement, using local funds and a Federal Transit Administration grant. [6] [7]

Sun Metro opened its second Brio route, extending the system to Mission Valley via Alameda Avenue at a cost of $35.5 million. Further routes on Dyer Street and Montana Avenue are planned, with the former beginning construction as early as 2017. [6] [8]

El Paso Streetcar

The El Paso Streetcar [9] is a streetcar system in El Paso, Texas, that opened for service on November 9, 2018, and uses a fleet of restored PCC streetcars [10] that had served the city's previous system until its closure in 1974. [11] The system covers 4.8 miles (7.7 km) [12] [13] (round trip) in two loops from Downtown El Paso to University of Texas at El Paso. The system was constructed under the authority of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, but when the major construction was completed, around spring 2018, it was transferred to Sun Metro, for operation and maintenance. [11] As of 2016, construction of the system was projected to cost $97 million. [12]

Fleet

Active

Make/
Model
lengthYearNumbers
(Quantity Ordered)
Engine/
Transmission
Fuel PropulsionNotes
New Flyer
C35LF
35'20040401-0425
(25 buses)
CNGThese buses were repowered with Cummins-Westport ISL-G 8.9L engines.
NABI
40-LFW
40'20070601-0635
0680-0699
(55 buses)
  • Cummins ISL 8.9L
    • ZF Ecomat 2 6HP592C
    • Allison B400R6 Gen-IV
CNG
NABI
40-LFW
40'20080901-0940
(40 buses)
  • Cummins ISL 8.9L
    • Allison B400R6 Gen-IV
CNG
NABI
35-LFW Gen-II
35'20101001–1008
(8 buses)
  • Cummins ISL 8.9L
    • ZF Ecomat 4 6HP594C
CNG
New Flyer
XN60
60'201414601-14610 (Brio)

14697-14699 (Fixed Route) (13 buses)

  • Cummins-Westport ISL-G 8.9L
    • ZF EcoLife 6AP1700B
CNGMost of these buses are used in Sun Metro's BRIO BRT service.
New Flyer
Xcelsior XN40
40'201414401-14424 (24 buses)
  • Cummins-Westport ISL-G 8.9L
    • Allison B400R6 Gen-V or ZF EcoLife 6AP1400B?
CNG

See also

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References

  1. "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  3. Gray, Robert (April 6, 2014). "Sun Metro Eastside headquarters to open in May". El Paso Inc. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  4. Arias, Pilar (October 27, 2014). "Sun Metro's rapid transit system Brio launches". KVIA-TV . Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  5. "Texas agency showcases new station, buses". Metro Magazine . May 27, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Brio". Sun Metro. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  7. "Sun Metro and LAN Celebrate Opening of Rapid Transit System in El Paso". Mass Transit Magazine . October 29, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  8. Rodriguez, Ashlie (December 9, 2015). "Dyer Rapid Transit System to start construction around late 2017". KVIA-TV. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  9. "EP Streetcar". www.sunmetro.net. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  10. "El Paso streetcars make their return after 45-year absence". El Paso Times . November 9, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  11. 1 2 Perez, Elida S. (March 11, 2018). "Downtown El Paso streetcars roll closer to completion; Sun Metro prepares to take over". El Paso Times. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  12. 1 2 Ramirez, Cindy (September 23, 2016). "Streetcar work remains on time, budget". El Paso Times. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
  13. "El Paso streetcar project on schedule, on budget". KTSM-TV. October 6, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.