Class Transit: Deuce is Wild
ECOVORE: http://www.theurbn.com/category/feature/ecovore-feature/
Class transit rules in Vegas. Photo by Robin Tierney
This is Part 4 in the Urbane Renewal series. Previous in series: Biking Vegas? Are you crazy?
The first time I flew into Las Vegas, I asked some official-looking folks near the ground transportation exit, “where’s the bus stop?” Their response, “Take the shuttle service – it’s so much faster.”
Taking their advice cost me three times as much money and 40 more minutes than taking the bus. In fact, Vegas offers several fast, easy and green ways to get around.
Bus or Rapid Transit
The Deuce picking up near Fremont. Photo by Robin Tierney
RTC Transit– covers the Las Vegas metro area with a fleet of mostly new, comfortable and energy efficient buses that speed you where you want to go, with relatively frequent and reliable service. Routes include the Strip, which is now actually the Las Vegas Strip National Scenic Byway, America’s only nighttime byway, certainly the only one that cruises along resorts with themes ranging from Paris to the Pyramids to Treasure Island.
I felt safe at all hours, on a variety of routes, often with bicycle in tow. As mentioned in my previous post about biking in Vegas, triple-bike racks have been added to the fronts or interiors of RTC vehicles. (The RTC plan calls for a comprehensive system connecting open space and recreational parks to neighborhoods throughout Las Vegas.)
While the majority of riders I met were resident commuters, plenty were vacationers. “We can ride all over town, the Strip, downtown, dinner, casinos, golf, shopping, for the cost of tipping a cab driver!” said one visitor who was riding the SDX (Strip & Downtown Express)with his wife and two other couples. The SDX runs 9 AM to half past midnight everyday.
Bus in Vegas. By Robin Tierney.
Then there’s The Deuce, a super-cool double-decker bus that takes longer…sometimes vastly longer…since it stops at every resort-casino along the Strip, but the scenery and its 24-hour schedule help justify the trip. For getting to and from the airport, you can’t beat the CAT system’s Westcliff Airport Express. The Westcliff (WEX) whisked me from the Tropicana Hotel to McCarran International Airport in about 10 minutes.
Fares vary, but the best deal is a 24-hour all access pass for $7 or a 3-day all access pass for $20. You can purchase passes online, too.
“The more we get out of our cars the happier we are,” said Jacob Snow, general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, which operates CAT. He prefers to call the buses “vehicles,” since many people raised in car-centric cultures have negative or outdated perceptions about buses. Nowadays, buses are not only greener than personal vehicles, but also enable riders to enjoy the views, read, relax…and not worry about parking, tickets or making wrong turns.
“The city of Las Vegas has long been a leader when it comes to sustainability,” explains Mayor Carolyn Goodman. “[Our] buildings are built to LEED standards and our alternative fuel fleet is the model in the region and across the country.”
Monorail:
Another transit option is the Las Vegas Monorail. A single ride is $5, one-day pass $12, 3-day pass $28; hours are 7 AM into the wee hours with trains arriving every 4 to 12 minutes. The sleek elevated train zips along a 3.9-mile (6.4-kilometer) route, stopping at several Strip resorts and the Las Vegas Convention Center. The driverless advanced automation system is estimated to have reduced 2.4 million vehicle miles and some 37 tons of emissions in one year. Possibly the only privately owned public transportation system in the United States, the Monorail uses no public funds to build or operate the system.
Las Vegas Monorail. Image courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau
Resort Shuttles:
Other transportation options include airport shuttles operated by such casino-resorts as El Cortez and Golden Nugget, resort-to-resort shuttles operated by such venues as the Rio.
Trams:
Then there are the speedy electric trams. Operated by the casino-resort companies, trams run frequently and from morning to very late at night. The stations are sights unto themselves; features vary from cool misting stations to video screens, access to eateries, shops and slot machines, and music. The three trams I discovered were Mirage-Treasure Island; the Bellagio-CityCenter-Monte Carlo Tram; and the Mandalay Bay-Luxor-Excalibur Tram. If you know of others, please share them in the comments section.
Next week: Viva Las Vegas: Downtown’s Comeback
Welcome to Las Vegas sign on the Strip, courtesy of Las Vegas News Bureau
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