I spent the majority of the day doing what few people would consider fun.
Riding the bus.
The Las Vegas ACE Bus
Today was the very first day of operation for the new ACE … a new type of bus transit that is supposed to revolutionize Las Vegas transportation … at least on some level.
Ever since the ACE was announced, I have more or less been counting the days until its arrival. People have been giving me a hard time over my level of excitement for a stupid bus, but I don’t think they understand why it is such a big deal for me.
The ACE is damn-near the municipal equivalent of a personal chauffeur for yours truly. It stops very near my home, bisects Rexville almost perfectly, goes to Fremont Street, goes to the Convention Center, goes to the Strip, goes to Town Square, goes to the Government Center, goes to both outlet malls, and everywhere in between. The route was practically tailor made for me personally. While it still won’t completely eliminate the amount of driving I do now, it will probably cut it in half … if not more.
Given the frequency with which I will be using the ACE from this day forward, the opening of this bus line was much bigger to me than the opening of a new casino. I do not visit the same casino several times per week, every week, but realistically, that is about how often I will use this bus. This being the case, from my perspective, the ACE is indeed very important.
With all of this in mind, I decided to devote the entire day to reviewing the ACE Bus in a manner that most people would reserve for the opening of a new resort property.
I started my maiden journey early this morning, getting on the bus at the Stratosphere “station”. Since locals ride free for the next week, I was able to forgo the fare machine procedure, and use only my Nevada ID as a pass.
Transit Ticket Machines
ACE Bus Stratosphere Stop
ACE Bus Stratosphere Stop
ACE Bus Stratosphere Stop
I stood at the stop for no more than 45 seconds before the trainbus (or whatever the vehicle is technically called) rounded the corner from Main Street. I have to admit, this thing looks pretty cool in action. It’s basically just a really long bus with a train paint job, but still … is a Porsche just a car? Sure, the luxury vehicle has more or less the same functionality as a Ford Fiesta, and it has to drive on the same crappy roads … but most people will concede that the Porsche is still way more cool to look at and ride in than is the Ford.
Even though the outside of the ACE looks quite remarkable, when I stepped into the bus, I was quickly reminded of the reality of the situation. I walked through the aisles, found a seat, sat down, and realized that my knees would not comfortably fit in front of me. I had to sit slightly diagonally. It shaved a few puffs off of my buzz when I realized that I was still 6’3″, and this was still … a bus.
Inside the ACE Bus
Inside the ACE Bus
It was not completely disappointing, however. Even though the inside of the ACE is unlikely to excite anyone, I still would not consider it a conventional bus layout. The seats are configured in a slightly more feng-shui’ed manner. Some seats are facing backward, and some are rounded off sort of like a booth in a restaurant. I suppose it’s at least a tiny bit train-like.
Personally, I found an area in the back which I liked, and promptly declared it “my office”. The office has two adjacent seats, with a divider in front and a luggage rack to the side. It’s a private area where I could type away on my laptop without having someone looking over my shoulder. I could also put my knees over the second seat to make myself a bit more comfortable. I will lay claim to this area whenever possible.
Surfing Web while Riding the ACE Bus
The Las Vegas ACE Bus
The Las Vegas ACE Bus
The Las Vegas ACE Bus
When the bus first took off down Paradise Road, the ride felt a bit odd to me. Because of the way the bus is designed, sitting in the back has what I can only describe as a start-stop “accordion” feel to it … almost like a boat skimming over small wake. It’s subtle, but noticeable. As a matter of fact, five minutes into my ride, I began getting very motion sick. This sickness was compounded by the fact that I was answering comments on my blog about my tipping issues. I decided to put my notebook away, drink a little water, and I eventually felt better. Hopefully I will get more used to this “boaty” ride with time. Either that, or I will have to stake out a new seating spot.
Over the course of about 4 hours, I repeatedly rode the ACE Bus to both its northern terminus (the Premium Outlets) and southern terminus (the South Strip Transit Terminal), and I have several observations to make.
ACE Bus Northern Terminal
Allow me to start with the positives:
- The ACE stops infrequently, and seems to trigger green lights more quickly than does the Deuce. When traffic is light, there is no doubt that the ACE is more expedient than the Deuce from end-to-end. I would estimate that it is between two and three times faster.
- The ACE runs frequently, and wait times are minimal. It appears to me that the RTC is putting the majority of their resources into the ACE.
- The fare is not terrible. $7 for a 24 hour pass or $3 for a two hour pass is not cheap, but neither is it monorail-ridiculous.
- The ACE runs up the Strip and serves casinos on both sides of the Boulevard. This is what the monorail should have done from day 1. No escalators are required for the ACE, nor are you routed through casino tourist traps.
- Downtown’s stop was not an afterthought. Located adjacent to the Binion’s Party Pit at Casino Center and Fremont Street, the Downtown stop is in an extremely convenient location. It is much more central than the borderline-seedy Deuce Stop. Absolutely brilliant decision.
- The ACE has dedicated lanes in Rexville. From the Sahara Hotel to Fremont Street, the bus is remarkably fast, arguably on-par with a light-rail solution. Downtown and The Strip are more efficiently linked than ever, and Fremont Street just got more accessible to everyone. Through my neighborhood, the ACE is the “Rexville Express”. It takes about 5 minutes to go from one end to the other. I am very, very pleased with this leg of the route. It was well executed.
- The ACE windows are not wrapped. This means that the bus is very suitable for “people watching”. With windows just above sidewalk level, you can easily and closely watch Las Vegas city life play out right before your eyes while the scenery completely changes from one minute to the next. You can observe the entire tourist corridor through crystal clear windows. The ACE makes a great “Las Vegas Tour Bus”.
- The ACE will be an excellent way to tour my neighborhood, the Arts District, and the Downtown Business District. Most tourists have never seen my daily stomping grounds, and this bus runs directly through the area that I call “Rexville”. It will expose people to a part of Las Vegas which they have likely never seen, in a very safe manner. This easy-accessibility might encourage them to get off and explore the area a little more. The ACE may give a lift to First Friday, and I can see how it might make our urban core more viable for (hopefully small) businesses, while still keeping it non-car-oriented.
- Like a train, you can board through any door. Having three doors makes getting on and off the bus faster.
- The ACE looks cool, and you won’t feel like a burger-flipper riding it. Personally, I could not care less about this, but I am not naive to the ways of the world. Neither is the RTC. Make no mistake about it, image is a huge part of the ACE system. They designed the ACE to look like a train specifically so you won’t feel like you are riding a bus. Some people avoid mass-transit due to the stigma, but the ACE doesn’t look like the losermobile your office janitor rides. It actually looks marginally pretentious. If people back home learn that you rode the ACE, they won’t kick you off the HOA board like they would if you rode a “bus”. This aspect alone should increase ridership.
The Las Vegas ACE Bus Schedule
ACE Bus Fremont Street Experience Stop
ACE Bus Fremont Street Experience Stop
Inside the ACE Bus
ACE Bus Lanes in the Arts District
ACE Bus Lanes in the Arts District
ACE Bus Government Center Stop
ACE Bus Symphony Park Stop
ACE Bus - Near Symphony Park
ACE Bus City Parkway Stop
ACE Bus - Riding through Rexville
ACE Bus - Riding through Rexville
ACE Bus - Riding through Rexville
ACE Bus - Riding through Rexville
ACE Bus - View of The Strip
ACE Bus - View of Paradise Road
ACE Bus - View of The Airport
Transit Ticket Machine at Town Square ACE Bus Stop
ACE Bus - View of Arts District
ACE Bus Arts District Stop
ACE Bus Arts District Stop
Now, the negatives:
- South of Rexville, the ACE has no dedicated right-of-way. During holiday weekends, rush hour, or other times of peak visitation, the ACE might be useless on The Strip. Under congested conditions, it will have absolutely no advantage over the Deuce, and may even have the disadvantage of not being able to get off and walk sooner. Road construction and fender benders will also bring the system to a halt. The Las Vegas Strip is a vehicular mess, and adding another vehicle to it is questionable.
- It doesn’t stop everywhere. There are only three stops on The Strip in each direction. If you are staying at Harrah’s or the Imperial Palace, you will need to walk to Paris or the Wynn to catch the ACE. Neither is terribly close.
- The standard seats are cramped. Not a problem if you are short, but if not .. well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- The Stratosphere stops are questionable from a safety standpoint. The parking lot of the Carl’s Jr at St. Louis and LVB is a hotbed for panhandlers, hookers, and street predators. I’ve had some “issues” in this spot myself. The adjacent alley is a place for quick tricks and quick hits on the pipe. It’s only a stone’s throw from the Beverly Green sign posted earlier, and the stops are not on the main road. These bus stops have served the 108 previously, but with a new influx of mostly-tourist passengers, they could be a tempting target for pants-less murderers. Teams of people will be fine, but standing at the Strat stop by yourself after dark is not something that I can in good conscious recommend to a typical tourist.
- The fare “honor system” is a pain in the ass. Under the honor system, you have to keep your ticket close at hand for the duration of your ride, not just when you get on. Once I was settled in, I was asked for my driver’s license, and I had to fold up my laptop, shift things around, and dig it out of my bag. Not only that, but when the fare inspector walked back and forth when the bus was crowded, it was an annoyance to those standing up and holding the rails. No doubt, people will lose their tickets and will be dinged for big fines, even when they paid for their ticket. The fare system could get messy, especially when the system is busy.
- People stink. This is not a negative to the ACE itself, but a general mass transit negative. At one point, a passenger near me smelled so bad that I was hoping that someone else would shit their pants just to cover the smell and provide olfactory relief for yours truly. When the temperature hits triple digits, smear Vick’s Vapor Rub under your nostrils, because it’s going to get brutal. My kingdom for someone who can design a odorless transit system.
ACE Bus Mirage Stop
Inside the ACE Bus
Inside the ACE Bus
Inside the ACE Bus
That’s all I can think of at the moment, but I am sure I will remember more later.
Overall, I think the ACE bus will be a net positive for Las Vegas, both for tourists and centrally-living locals.
Given the incredibly high population density of The Strip and environs, the ACE bus is still in no way, shape, or form a substitute for a proper transit system, but by now … I think we’ve all conceded that a much-needed light rail or subway will never happen.
The ACE is nowhere near perfect, and its design flaws are painfully obvious, but in Las Vegas … realistically … the ACE is about as good as mass transit will ever get.
For that reason alone, I am glad that it has finally arrived.