MAX Bus Rapid Transit (Colorado)

{{Short description|Bus system in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA}}

{{Infobox rail line

| name = MAX Bus Rapid Transit

| other_name =

| color =

| logo = Transfort MAX logo.svg

| logo_width =

| logo_alt =

| image = MAX Bus Rapid Transit (Colorado).JPG

| image_width = 275px

| image_alt =

| caption = A MAX bus at the West Prospect Road station.

| type = Bus rapid transit

| system =

| status =

| locale = Fort Collins, Colorado

| start = South Transit Center

| end = Downtown Transit Center

| stations = 14

| daily_ridership = 4,680 (Sep. 2015){{cite news |last=de la Rosa |first=Katie |date=October 13, 2015 |title=Record passenger numbers causes MAX growing pains |url=http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2015/10/12/record-passenger-numbers-causes-max-growing-pains/73607708/ |newspaper=Fort Collins Coloradoan |accessdate=May 7, 2016}}

| ridership2 = 451,063 (2023){{cite web |title=2023 Annual Agency Profile - City of Fort Collins (NTD ID 80011)|url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2023/80011.pdf|work=National Transit Database |publisher=Federal Transit Administration|accessdate=April 16, 2025}}

| open = {{Start date|2014|05|10}}

| owner =

| operator = Transfort

| character =

| depot =

| stock = NABI 60-BRT

| linelength = {{convert|5|miles}}{{cite news |last=Belknap |first=Dan |date=May 14, 2014 |title=Map: MAX Transit Route |url=http://www.coloradoan.com/story/announcements/2014/05/08/map-max-transit-route/8865995/ |newspaper=Fort Collins Coloradoan |accessdate=May 6, 2016}}

| routenumber =

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| speed_km/h =

| speed_mph =

| speed =

| elevation_m =

| elevation_ft =

| elevation =

| website = {{official url}}

| map = {{Routemap

|inline=1

|legend=0

|title = Transfort MAX

|map =

KHSTa~~Downtown Transit Center

HST~~Mountain

HST~~Olive

HST~~Mulberry

HST~~Laurel

HST~~University (Colorado State University)

HST~~Prospect

HST~~Spring Creek

HST~~Drake

HST~~Swallow

HST~~Horsetooth

HST~~Troutman

HST~~Harmony

KHSTe~~South Transit Center

}}

| map_name =

| map_state = uncollapsed

}}

MAX Bus Rapid Transit is a bus rapid transit system serving Fort Collins, Colorado. The service, operated by Transfort, consists of one route serving 12 stations on the {{convert|5|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} Mason Corridor Transitway between South Transit Center and Downtown Fort Collins, with stops near the Colorado State University campus.{{cite web |title=MAX Bus Rapid Transit Service |url=http://www.ridetransfort.com/max |publisher=Transfort |accessdate=May 6, 2016}} The MAX route includes sections of new dedicated bus guideway, as well as shared city streets; in some cases, the bus has priority signal access.{{Cite web|url=http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/local/2014/04/21/max-will-wait-intersections/7980967/|title=MAX 'will have to wait' at some intersections|last=Duggan|first=Kevin|date=2014-04-21|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-24}}

It opened on May 10, 2014, at a cost of $87 million, as the first bus rapid transit system in the state of Colorado.{{cite news |last=Duggan |first=Kevin |date=May 9, 2014 |title=$87 million MAX project ready to roll in Fort Collins |url=http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/local/2014/05/08/million-max-project-ready-roll-fort-collins/8883481/ |newspaper=Fort Collins Coloradoan |accessdate=May 6, 2016}} Service was free for the first three months, with fare collection starting August 25.{{cite news |last=Duggan |first=Kevin |date=August 25, 2014 |title=Free summertime MAX rides come to an end |url=http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/local/2014/08/23/free-summertime-max-rides-come-end/14518839/ |newspaper=Fort Collins Coloradoan |accessdate=May 6, 2016}} Fares must be pre-paid online or by using a ticket machine at any stop. Tickets and passes may also be purchased at each of Transfort's transit stations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ridetransfort.com/fares-passes|title = Fares/Passes | RideTransfort| date=19 November 2024 }} As of August 27, 2017, MAX and several supporting routes also operate on Sunday.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ridetransfort.com/365/ |title=RideTransfort |access-date=2017-09-24 |archive-date=2017-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924095742/http://www.ridetransfort.com/365/ |url-status=dead }} In its first five years, the route provided 6.2 million rides{{Cite web|url=https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2019/05/17/fort-collins-transfort-max-bus-line-expansion-challenges-colorado/1189369001/|title=Fort Collins' MAX bus might be a hit in its first five years, but expansion won't be easy|last=Coltrain|first=Nick|website=Coloradoan|language=en|access-date=2020-01-24}} and was lauded as a top-notch service for a city its size.{{Cite web|url=https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/11/best-transit-american-cities-bus-rail-subway-service/576739/|title=A Brutally Honest Appraisal of the Best and Worst U.S. Transit Cities|last=Bliss|first=Laura|date=2018-11-28|website=CityLab|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-24}}

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), under its BRT Standard, has given MAX a preliminary classification as a "Basic BRT" corridor.{{cite web | url = https://www.itdp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019.08.04.US-BRT-Implementation-Guide.V7.pdf | title = Getting to BRT: An Implementation Guide for U.S. Cities | date = September 2019 | last1 = Carrigan | first1 = Aileen | last2 = Wallerce | first2 = Julia | last3 = Kodransky | first3 = Michael | publisher = Institute for Transportation and Development Policy | archive-url = | archive-date = | accessdate = April 26, 2020 }}