Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus Authority

Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus Authority

An AMA Orion VII NG operating on route #21.
Founded May 11, 1959
Headquarters San Juan, Puerto Rico
Service area Metropolitan San Juan area
Service type Public transport
Alliance Tren Urbano
Routes 30
Hubs 10
Fleet 277 buses
54 paratransit
Daily ridership 112,000[1]
Fuel type Diesel, Diesel-Electric Hybrid
Operator Department of Transportation and Public Works of Puerto Rico
Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas (DTOP)
Website AMA Website

The Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus Authority —Spanish: Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses de Puerto Rico (AMA)— is a government-owned corporation of Puerto Rico and public transport bus service based in San Juan, Puerto Rico ascribed to the Department of Transportation and Public Works of Puerto Rico. In order to facilitate travel, official and unofficial maps have been published.[2]

Background

Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses was created as a public corporation on May 11, 1959. The operations would later be integrated into the Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas in 1973. It is one of the first public transport authorities in America, leaving behind the New York's MTA.

The AMA is one of three major public transportation systems serving the Metropolitan San Juan area, along with Tren Urbano, the area's urban rail transit service and the Cataño Ferry, which operates boat service between San Juan and Cataño. Both AMA and Tren Urbano services are accessible to each and several TU stations connect at major AMA transit centers. AMA is also the only public transit system in the area that serves Old San Juan, since Tren Urbano does not have service in that area.

Operations

The AMA provides daily bus transportation to residents of San Juan, Guaynabo, Bayamón, Trujillo Alto, Cataño, and Carolina through a network of 36 fixed bus routes, including 4 "MetroBus" routes and 1 BRT service. Its fleet consists of 277 transit buses and 54 paratransit vans for handicapped persons. Its ridership is estimated at 112,000 on work days.

The daily, weekend and holiday bus service from 4:30 AM to 10PM with the exception of a few routes that are limited to certain hours and the express routes.

Fares

Fares for the AMA is US$.75 for both Regular/Express and Metrobus-II routes, US$.35 for students and US$.35 for 60-74 year olds & disabled. Metrobus I, III and Expreso is US$.75. Disabled and handicapped passengers ("Llame y Viaje") who use the paratransit vehicles must pay US$1.50 for the service and have to make a reservation prior to using the service.

For passengers who have to make a connection with Tren Urbano, a single trip costs $1.50 (Also $0.75 if you transfer from an AMA bus) including a 2 hour bus transfer period. If you exit the station and wish to get back on the train the full fare must be re-paid; there is no train to train transfer period. In addition, A stored-value multi-use farecard may be used for travel on buses as well as on trains. The value on the card is automatically deducted each time it is used.

Bus routes ( MAP )

The T5, 21 and 53 buses pass between Old San Juan, Condado and Isla Verde. There is also 8 to Bayamón. A complete bus map of the areas serving Tourists is available http://sjbus.info/ here

<Bus routes updated between 2008 to present> <Updated bus ruotes info. 6, T7,19,22,30,48,M1> <42 bus route is eliminated in the 2008 bus route changes subtituted by the 46 & 48> <Starting June 25, 2014 M2 busus has its eastern terminus at Estación Sagrado Corazón Tren Urbano due to service change> <M1,M3,ME & Metro Urbano (BRT) Bus routes are provided by First Transit>

Active Bus Fleet

AMA has a total of 210 buses in its active fleet, with the oldest active buses being NovaBus RTS's built in 2002 and the newest being the Orion VII NG built in 2010. In addition AMA also operates a fleet of Orion V's, New Flyer DE35LF's, and a sub fleet of 10 Baby RTS's which are used on shorter and lighter routes.

First Transit, which operates routes ME, MI, MIII and "Metro Urbano" under contract for AMA, operates with a fleet of Gillig Phantoms built in 1994 and Gillig Low Floors built in 2009 for "MetroBus" routes; and NABI 42-BRT and 60-BRT's for "Metro Urbano".

Starting in September 2012, AMA/First Transit will take delivery of seven 42-foot NABI 42-BRT's and two 60-foot NABI 60-BRT buses as part of its "Metro Urbano" BRT project connecting the Bayamon Tren Urbano Station and Toa Baja. The 60-BRT's will be AMA's first low-floor articulated bus. This will mark only the second-time articulated buses have been used on the island; in 1984 AMA receive their first fleet of articulated buses, the MAN SG-310. The 1994 Gillig Phantom replaced the 1995 Flxible Metro buses due to structural and mechanical failures as well as the 1997-1999 NovaBus RTS's; the last of the 40' RTS buses were retired from service in late 2012.

Complete Coach Works in Carolina is currently rehabbing AMA's fleet of 10 Baby RTS's from 2002 as well as the Orion V's.

TYPE YEAR LENGTH NOTES
Gillig Phantom 1994 40' 1
Gillig Low Floor 2009 40' 1
NovaBus RTS 2002 30' 3
Orion V 2004-2005,2007 35'
New Flyer DE35LF 2005,2007 35'
Orion VII Next Generation 2010 40
NABI 42-BRT 2012 42' 1, 6
NABI 60-BRT 2012 60' 1, 6
NovaBus Smart LFS 2013-2014 40' 7

Notes

Bus Advertising

The bus advertising on AMA buses is offered now by Lamar Outdoor Advertising from 2005-2010, and now again in 2012, in all formats, but from 1960's to 2005, Trans Ad offered the advertising on buses, with aluminum exterior panels, in 1980 introduced the sticker panel ad. In 1992, AMA stop the advertising on buses to the creation of new logo, also the new livery on buses, in 1995 AMA reruns again in advertising with the debut in all buses the old fashioned aluminum exterior racks, with this First new sponsor, Sony. In Trans Ad era, there ara several sponsors on buses like McDonalds, Burger King, Zenith, Paginas Amarillas (Yellow Pages), Wapa Television, Jugos Richy, Hartz, Telemundo, Target Rent A Car, Banco Popular, and others. In 2000, introduces the bus wrap generation on buses, the First sponsor, Tren Urbano System, also introduces the debut of queen size, grand king size, and super king size panels on buses, Nestle Ice Cream is the First Sponsor on this format with "Decidimos tomar nuevas medidas" (We decided to take new measures) in reference to new Nestle Ice Cream Cookies and Cream product. Verizon Wireless, is the First sponsor on the super king size panel offered at the left section of 40 ft. RTS buses or Flxible buses. Beginning in 2011, AMA stop the bus advertising due to possibly new ownership with First Transit, but never concreted. In June 2012, the bus advertising is comeback with this First new sponsor in AMA Transporte Urbano buses, the PR.GOV website, in bus wrap format, with side panels, frontlites, and backlites. Now, the 2005 and 2007 New Flyer D35LF buses receive this new bus wraps, for the total of 14 buses with this sponsor.

Inactive Bus Fleet

TYPE YEAR LENGTH
Flxible Twincoach Old Look 1946 35'
GMC Old Look 1953-1954 40'
Mack Trucks Old Look 1955 40'
GMC New Look 1962-1963 35'
GMC New Look 1966-1968 35'
Flxible New Look 1970,1972 35'
GMC New Look 1976 35'
GMC RTS II 1980,1983 35'
MAN SG-310 1984 60'
Grumman 870 ADB 1987 40'
Flxible Metro 1988 40'
Flxible Metro 1990 30'
Flxible Metro 1991 35'
TMC Methanol Powered RTS 1992 40'
Flxible Metro 1995 40'
Nova Bus RTS 1997-2000 40'
Nova Bus LFS 1999 40'

According this information, the RTS is the second workhorse fleet of AMA from the 1980 to present, 32 years in service, also, surpassed the fishbowl bus in years of service, in 1960's makes debut in AMA, and is the first workhorse bus from 1965 to 1990, 25 years on service. The 1990 Flxible makes the debut of the 30 ft. bus in AMA system, but with only four(4) buses from 90001 to 90004, this bus is used as Acuaexpreso Shuttle Bus, using the 1970s AMA Blue and Orange livery, but in 1995 AMA decides to use this bus in regular routes with their new tri color livery.

Transit hubs

The following transit centers serve as a connection for these routes:

(Info updated changes are in effect since 2008)

Former Transit hubs

The following former transit centers of AMA system:

The Las Casas Terminal opened in 1959, is the oldest transit hub, but in 1997, with the new AMA plan, this transit hub closed in December 1997, ending 38 years of unninterrupted service. The Acuexpreso Terminal was closed in favor of Tren Urbano Subway System, and moving their facilities to Sagrado Corazon Station, and Piñero Station Bus Terminal.

See also

References

  1. ↑ AMA: Descripción (Spanish)
  2. ↑ San Juan Map for Visitors

External links