MTS Rapid

MTS Rapid is a mixed bus rapid transit system in San Diego County, California, United States, operating between Escondido and Downtown San Diego via the Interstate 15 high-occupancy toll lanes.

There are four services on the corridor. Route 235 operates all day serving all stations along the corridor from Escondido to San Diego and then to Downtown San Diego, ending at the Santa Fe Depot. Service operates every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes at all other times. The Rapid Express service operates from selected bus stations to Downtown San Diego, bypassing City Heights and Kearny Mesa. Route 280 serves the two northernmost stations (Escondido and Del Lago) while Route 290 serves the Rancho Bernardo and Sabre Springs/Peñasquitos stations. Route 237 serves Sabre Springs, San Diego and then to UC San Diego via the Miramar College Transit Station and Mira Mesa Blvd. Route 215 is the mid-city line providing service to downtown through SDSU. Additionally, Routes 201 and 202 provide SuperLoop service between UC San Diego and Westfield UTC mall.

The new route saves up to 45 minutes from local MTS Route 20, which continues to operate along the corridor to serve locations not served by Route 235. It also eliminates a transfer at Del Lago Transit Center between Route 20 and Breeze Rapid to central Escondido.^[1] Rapid Express service is rebranded Premium Express service which formerly operated along the corridor, although it now omits local stops.

The cost for the service is approximately $238 million, consisting primarily of transit centers at City Heights, Del Lago, Escondido, and Rancho Bernardo; parking structures at Miramar College and Sabre Springs; and new 60-foot buses. The buses include padded seats but do not include wi-fi nor power plugs. This is in addition to the investment in the I-15 HOT lane project, which cost approximately $1 billion for four new lanes and direct access ramps. While an extension of the San Diego Trolley was studied, low ridership, hilly terrain and high cost estimates stopped the rail idea from proceeding. Taxpayer advocates have supported the Rapid due to its lower cost compared to rail extensions.^[2] Free rides were offered on the first day of service, June 8, 2014.^[3]

In summer 2014, the Mid-City Rapid (Route 215) service commenced operations from San Diego State University to Downtown San Diego via Balboa Park, North Park, Normal Heights, and City Heights. Also, a peak hour rapid route, Route 237, has also commenced operation from the UC San Diego area to Rancho Bernardo, via San Diego and the I-15 HOT lanes. These routes have been described as "diet trolleys", but critics claim that the limited amount of spending on BRT compared to highway spending shows SANDAG's emphasis on highway and automobile-based transportation.^[4]

In September 2015, the MTS SuperLoop (Routes 201 and 202) was rebranded as SuperLoop Rapid. It connects UC San Diego and Westfield UTC on a loop that passes through La Jolla Village, north University City, and the Jacobs Medical Center complex.

The MTS Rapid service is provided by Transdev under contract to MTS.^[5]

Future services

The South Bay Rapid will begin limited service in September 2018 between East Palomar Station in Chula Vista and Downtown San Diego. In early 2019, South Bay Rapid service will expand to full service and operate along a 26-mile route between the Otay Mesa Transit Center near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and Downtown San Diego.^[6] This route has been controversial due to its bisection of the Otay Ranch section of Chula Vista through a median which was reserved and signed for future transit use.^[7]

References