Miami-Dade County implements Phase 2 of the Better Bus Network

Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) announces the implementation of the Better Bus Network (BBN) through the rollout of the “Better Bus SHIFTS into Gear” plan on November 13th. Led by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s administration and recently approved by the Board of County Commissioners, the bus redesign is the greatest bus service optimization in four decades. It aims to reach more people with greater frequency, more effectively connecting riders to jobs, education, healthcare and quality of life. 

“The Better Bus Network is the key to building a faster, stronger, more reliable bus system in Miami-Dade that connects people to not only their destination, but also to opportunity and a better quality of life,” said County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “I am excited to finally see this one-of-a-kind, community-led plan be put in motion, and thank our Board of County Commissioners, Transit Alliance Miami, all the employees in DTPW, and especially our bus operators, for making Better Bus a reality.

This community-led effort creates better access and an improved rider experience across Miami-Dade County. According to JWA (Jarrett Walker and Associates), our partner and their work and expertise, the average resident can reach nearly 12,000 more jobs in 45 minutes of travel time or less.That’s a 28% increase over the current network. In fact, more than half a million residents will be able to reach at least 20,000 more jobs by transit in 45 minutes or less on weekdays. Two-thirds of low-income residents will be able to reach at least 1,000 more jobs by transit within 60 minutes on Saturdays. That’s over half a million low-income residents with better access to jobs on Saturdays.
 

“The heart and soul of the County’s public transportation is our bus system,” said Miami-Dade County District 5 Commissioner and Transportation, Mobility, and Planning Committee Chair Eileen Higgins. “I am thrilled that we are weeks away from rolling out the fully redesigned Better Bus Network. Hundreds of thousands of residents will now live near higher frequency bus routes with improved connections to other routes and Metrorail. The goal is simple - to offer residents better access to quality jobs, education, and healthcare - by getting them where they need to go quickly and efficiently.”

Riders and the community are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new Metrobus Network changes by visiting the Better Bus web page and using the trip planning tool before the changes take effect in November. Beginning in early October, DTPW and community volunteers will be available at major hubs to assist riders during peak times. Additionally, updated signage is now visible at bus stops and transit hubs across Miami-Dade County.  

“Delivering safer, more efficient, reliable and sustainable Metrobus service, thanks to Better Bus, will allow us to take a giant leap forward in attaining our vision of becoming a leading public transportation agency in Florida and the country,” added Eulois Cleckley, DTPW’s Director and CEO. “We are grateful for having visionary leaders and an engaged citizenry to advance our plans and solutions.”  

Better Bus SHIFTS into Gear is a flagship program of SHIFT305, a prioritized roadmap of 64 actions for the Department to accomplish over the next two years that are organized around four core goals – Safe, Clean, Efficient and Connected.

These goals align the diversity of work the Department is responsible for - transit, traffic operations, and quality infrastructure - with cross-cutting and collaborative actions. Each goal is broken down into a series of priority policies to be accomplished through specific achievable, measurable and timely actions. SHIFT305 also closely aligns with the Mayor’s Thrive305 Action Plan, the largest public engagement initiative in Miami-Dade County government’s history. The guiding principle behind Thrive305 is simple – that government works best when it’s driven, informed, and led by the people it represents.

Miami-Dade Transit riders are encouraged to stay apprised on any service changes by signing up for Rider Alerts and to learn more about the Better Bus SHIFTS into Gear action plan by visiting DTPW’s website.

For additional information about transit services, visit DTPW’s website or download the GO Miami-Dade Transit app. Follow DTPW on social media on  X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

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