Riding MARTA's double decker bus!

MARTA trial of double-decker bus.

The highlight of my commute this morning was to be able to try out MARTA's double decker bus, fleet number 1719.
MARTA is test-driving a double-decker bus on a route rotation over a few months weeks. This morning, that bus happened to travel on my usual route 140 to work in Alpharetta:

• North Springs Station
• GA-400
• Mansell Park & Ride
• North Point Mall
• Onwards on North Point Parkway to Windward Park & Ride

The bus is an ADL Enviro 500, leased for just a few weeks, in use in places like Toronto and Singapore (thanks to Brian C for identifying the model). The closest experience I have is in London and intercity buses in Brazil. Here are my impressions from the ride.

MARTA double-decker lower floor cabin.

• "Trial" size: Total capacity is around 100, and everyone was seated comfortably whereas normally some people have to stand. The bus is really tall and doesn't fit under any bus bay at North Springs. We boarded near the 185 bay instead of the usual bay. MARTA placed removable destination stickers on the windshield and side window. The electronic signs were not used during this trial.
• Very good comfort: The ride was very smooth and quiet. Engine noise was minimal. There is a nice panoramic view from the upper deck. As with Xpress coaches, this bus is well suited for long rides on the freeway. Seats are padded, and upper deck seats also recline. There are reading lights, individual vents, and stop request buttons above most seats (there is no stop cord to pull). There is a standard bike rack at the front of the bus.
• Additional safety awareness needed: The driver made safety announcements upon departure. Namely, standing and luggage are not permitted in the stairwell or on the upper deck. Movement is not permitted on the upper deck and in the stairwell while the bus is in motion. These rules probably need to be repeated should MARTA decide to "adopt" a double-decker bus.
• Longer dwells at stops: All doors are opened and closed by the driver. Front and rear doors take a few seconds to open and close, and the driver must wait for all passengers to clear the stairwell and the upper aisle. With the density of bus stops in Atlanta, this could increase travel time quite a bit over standard buses. Should MARTA decide to use double-decker buses, they would best fit on freeway-heavy routes, or it could be necessary to revise spacing between bus stops so that travel time does not get excessively long. 

MARTA double-decker bus upper deck.

In conclusion, this trial should be interesting to validate double-decker feasibility. It is good that MARTA tries new tech to keep things exciting, especially if there is little MARTA can do at present to improve service frequency.