The third Streetfilm in Clarence Eckerson's Boulder series has a lot of good ideas for cities looking to make bus service a viable alternative to driving. In the words of former mayor Will Toor, Boulder's bus system has evolved over the last 20 years from a "social service" to a mode "that can compete for people who have other choices." Today, more than a quarter of the city's population rides the bus every day.
The keys to building ridership? High-frequency service, catchy branding (sample route names: JUMP, DASH and BOLT), and the Eco Pass -- a card that allows local employees and residents to ride buses system-wide for free.
Inspired by Boulder's bus branding, Clarence is holding the first Streetfilms T-shirt contest. To enter, submit a creative name for a New York City bus line by this Friday. The pokiness of our local buses seems to be the major inspiration for entries so far.
