Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority Explained

Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority
Founded:1972
Locale:Birmingham, Alabama
Service Area:Jefferson County, Alabama
Service Type:Bus service
Routes:31 fixed routes
Fleet:56 standard buses
Ridership:
Annual Ridership:
Fuel Type:Compressed natural gas

Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) is the public transportation operator in the city of Birmingham, Alabama and surrounding areas. Created in 1972 to take over transit operations from private operators, it operates 109 buses on 38 routes. It also operates paratransit services, as well as micro transit services.[1] In, the system had rides, or about per weekday as of .

Alabama does not provide state support for public transit, and so the funding for and service provided by BJCTA is less than other cities of equivalent size.[2] This contributes to Alabama's status as the state with the highest per capita gasoline consumption.

General information

BJCTA operated under the branding MAX, or Metro Area Express.(BJCTA)BJCTA provides fixed route and paratransit service to a service area of more than 200 square miles with a demand population base of nearly 400,000. The service area includes Birmingham, Bessemer, Fairfield, Homewood, Mountain Brook, Hoover, and Vestavia Hills. BJCTA carries out its commitment to air quality and pollution control by operating only CNG buses.BJCTA Hours of OperationBusesMonday – Friday4:00 A.M. – 11:30 P.M. (CST)Weekend & Holidays4:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M. (CST)No Sunday service.

Fare prices

Paratransit (VIP) Hours of Operation

Buses/VansMonday – Friday5:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M. (CST)Paratransit Service is a shared-ride service using both Buses and Vans to accommodate its customer.No Sunday service for VIP/Paratransit.

Central Station Ticket Counter Hours of Operation

Office HoursMonday – Friday 6:00 A.M.- 9:00 A.M. Saturday: 6:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. (CST)Sunday: Office is closed

Customer Information Center Hours of Operation

(Routes, Schedules and Trip Planning Assistance)Office HoursMonday – Friday 4:00 A.M.- 9:00 P.M. Saturday: 6:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. (CST)Sunday: Office is closed

Fixed routes

Airport Shuttle

Beginning in December 2015, BJCTA introduced two new express Airport Shuttle routes from downtown Birmingham hotels directly to Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport. One bus serves Northside hotels and the other bus serves Southside hotel. The Airport Shuttle routes operate hourly on Mondays through Saturdays and the fare is $5.00.

Birmingham Xpress

A bus rapid transit line, named the Birmingham Xpress, was opened on September 22, 2022, running from Woodlawn to Five Points.[3] The service will speed up journeys by offering dedicated lanes, transit signal priority, off-board fare payment and level boarding.[4] The Birmingham Xpress was set up with funds from the federal government under the Presidency of Joe Biden. It did not receive state funds, because Alabama does not provide state funds for public transit. It has 32 stops across an east-west corridor across the city. After starting service, it quickly became the most utilized route in the BJCTA system.

Fleet

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MAX – DIRECT – MAX Transit – Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority . 2024-05-08 . en-US.
  2. Web site: Lavelle . Marianne . 2023-07-19 . Birmingham Public Transit Inches Forward With Federal Help, and No State Funding . 2023-07-19 . Inside Climate News . en-US.
  3. News: NEW Birmingham Xpress officially begins service; FREE rides for 30 days. September 22, 2022. Nathan Watson. Bham Now. June 22, 2023.
  4. Web site: Birmingham Bus Rapid Transit. June 22, 2023.