By james art The Birmingham City Council approved a budget of $14,000,000 for the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority for fiscal year 2025.
BJCTA Executive Director and CEO Charlotte Shaw says the transit system has grown significantly in just the past 5 months.
Additionally, she says the county is getting the most out of communities’ tax dollars as they continue to implement their 5-year strategic plan.
11 new buses were recently purchased for the county as routes continue to increase.
The bus rapid transit system currently handles over 20,000 passengers per month.
Shaw says that since the rapid transits began in September 2022, it is up 207 percent and up 153 percent since May.
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. is the first of its kind in Alabama. Also known as the Birmingham Express, it connects the neighborhoods from the Woodlawn Transit Center in the east to the Crossplex Transit Center in the west.
Additional routes include the Magic City Connector, which runs along 20th Street and connects to routes that lead to many attractions throughout the city.
Also MAX Direct, which serves customers traveling to and from the town of Mountain Brook.
Shaw says that in 2025, they plan to add more platforms to the center. In addition, the county is working to develop properties around transit centers.
“Now we have properties around these areas. So we’re going to develop affordable housing and mixed-use space,” Shaw said.
She adds that it plays into the cities’ plan to improve walkability.
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“Transit should be one of those convenient places where people can get around where they live.”
Birmingham Express is currently a free service.
Soon, the microtransit system, which serves 15 or fewer passengers, will expand to also serve passengers directly to and from Mountain Brook and Homewood.
This service costs only $1.50.
When Birmingham’s public transport is compared to cities of a similar size, Shaw believes Birmingham keeps pace.
In 2024, the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority was recognized as an outstanding public transit system with 3 million passenger trips or more by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) as part of the prestigious 2024 APTA Awards.
You can find routes here.