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Streetfilms: JUMP Aboard the Boulder Bus

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.

Photo of Ben Fried
Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.

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