MDTA creates a 30-year plan to expand transit service in Dade County. Highlights of the plan include: adding 20% more bus service; upgrading the fleet and improving access for the disabled with wheelchair accessible buses; and expanding Metrorail service an additional 39 miles. Implementation of the plan depended on securing a dedicated source of funding for transit.
March: MDTA began operating its first Anti-Truancy Unit in conjunction with Metro-Dade Police. The unit was created to reduce the number of school kids who were skipping school and roaming the Metrorail/Metromover system.
May: Metrobus on-time performance improved by 10% in late bus departures, from 49% to 59%.
May: The last of 73 new buses were delivered; training on wheelchair lifts begins for mechanics and operators.
May: The consultant for the design of the Brickell extension of Metromover was directed to proceed with a final design which includes Riverwalk Station and placement of two piers in the river outside the navigable channel. The Coast Guard permitting process continues.
June: Due to increased passenger use of the Tri-Rail Metrorail station, three additional fare gates were installed at the station. From July 1989 to June 1990, boardings at the station have increased by 5% per month.
June: A significant, comprehensive transportation funding package, including specific funding earmarked for public transit operations and transportation disadvantaged programs, was approved during the legislative session; Dade County was scheduled to receive additional funding from this package.
July 4: Metrorail ridership was 36,200, up 62% from the previous year. Service ran on a regular Sunday schedule.
July: County losses to privately-owned minibuses exceeded $100,000 per month. New state legislation and a County ordinance enabled the County to regulate these services.
July: The privately-owned Mayflower Contract Services successfully initiated bus service on several routes under a new County contract. The services included Kendall Area Transit (KAT), route 6 weekdays, and routes 71, E, and the weekend Zoobus.
August: MDTA officially broke ground for construction of the new $17 million Dadeland North Metrorail parking garage. This facility would be built where the former bus bays were located, would stand 10 stories high, and would provide approximately 2,000 new spaces. The project was expected to open in August 1992.
November 6: By a margin of 4%, citizens of Dade County vote "No" to a penny sales tax to fund transit, police, courts, jails, and public works.
November: Weekday Metrorail boardings averaged 50,300, up from 48,400 in October. This represented a new high in ridership.
November: KAT ridership approached 2000 rides per day, up from a peak of 1700. This was attributed to Mayflower's new minibus fleet and greater service reliability.
December: Metrorail carried over 101,000 passengers for the annual King Orange Jamboree Parade in downtown Miami. This marked the highest single-day total in the system's history.
January 1: There were 101,000 Metrorail boardings and 43,600 Metromover boardings on New Year's Eve, the largest number of riders ever for a single event during revenue service.
All bids were rejected for construction of the Metromover Brickell extension stations and guideway. New bids were submitted.
The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and Dade County began the effort for successful reauthorization of the federal Surface Transportation Act.
January 6: Budgetary constraints and failure of the penny sales tax referendum result in cuts of 500,000 annual bus miles; a staff reduction from 30 to 9 officers in the Transit Police section; a decrease in Metrorail landscape maintenance; and an increase of the base fare from $1 to $1.25.
January: The apparent low bidder for the Metromover Brickell extension guideway construction contract was O.C.T. with a bid of $24,496,165; the engineer's estimate was $28,340,000. The apparent low bidder for the Metromover Brickell extension stations construction contract was Codina Cogefarimpresit U.S.A. Ltd. with a bid of $12, 796,331; the engineer's estimate was $16,200,000.
January: For FY 91, Dade County was awarded $14,832,737 in Section 9 federal funds for operating assistance, design of a rail storage facility, a new bus radio system, and associated capital maintenance items.
February: Communication continues with federal officials regarding Congressional reauthorization of mass transit funding; specific issues include the need for operating assistance and rail modernization funds.
February: A new Bus Shelter Initiative Program began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a newly installed shelter in front of the Economic Opportunity Family Health Center on NW 54 Street/22 Avenue.
February: The City of South Miami agreed to the County's construction plans for a five-level South Miami Metrorail station parking garage extension.
March: The South Miami Metrorail station parking garage extension contract was awarded to C.G. Chase Construction Co.
March: The Omni Metromover extension guideway and stations contracts were awarded to Recchi America Inc. and ICA/Florida Roads Inc., respectively.
March 4: A Notice to Proceed was issued to the Brickell Metromover extension guideway and stations contractors with construction scheduled to take 560 days.
March 10: Metrobus transported 26,214 passengers to and from the annual Calle Ocho festival from three Park & Ride lots, up from the 15,482 transported last year.
April: The Adopt-A-Station program is launched to encourage established groups to spruce up Metrorail stations by removing litter and beautifying landscaped areas.
May: Metrobus route 77 was repackaged as Super 77 to challenge the jitneys operating illegally along the route 77 alignment. The fare was lowered to $.75, and buses arrived every 10 minutes. As a result, jitney business dropped 30%, and route 77 ridership increased by 2000.
November: Special Transportation Services ridership averaged 1,700, increasing by 6.25% from the previous month and by 30.77% from the previous year.
A mini-library and a Metropass sales outlet open at Civic Center Metrorail station.
Dade County is in line to receive $24.6 million in federal funds for transit projects.
A South Dade busway was proposed by State Representative John Cosgrove. The busway, exclusive lanes for buses, would connect riders from as far south as Florida City with Metrorail at Dadeland South Station.
County Commissioner Charles Dusseau proposed using airport landing fees as local matching funds for an east/west corridor project to provide a transit connection between Miami International Airport (MIA) and the Port of Miami (seaport).
The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) released a report proposing an Airport Multimodal Facility combining bus, Metrorail, Tri-Rail (a tri-county commuter service),Amtrak, high-speed rail, car rental services, auto pick-up/drop-off areas, and parking.
Token/change dispensers were installed at all rail stations.
Limited-stop MAX (Metro Area Express) bus service began on NW 27 Avenue, Biscayne Boulevard, and Coral Way.
Metromover Brickell extension construction crossed the Miami River. All 15 vehicles for the Metromover Omni and Brickell extensions arrive.
August: Hurricane Andrew, called the worst natural disaster ever to strike this nation, devastated south Dade County. Regular bus service was suspended countywide Sunday evening, August 23, and the vehicles were used to evacuate thousands of residents to designated Red Cross shelters. The hurricane hit on August 24.
March: Flagler MAX (Metro Area Express), a limited-stop bus route, began peak-hour service between Miami Beach and west Dade County.
March: The second regularly scheduled APTA Rail Safety Audit was completed; all areas were in compliance with the Agency's System Safety Program plan.
May: Metromover's outer loop reopened after a 90-day shutdown for testing tie-ends to the extensions. Mechanical acceptance and electrical testing of the new Metromover vehicles continued.
June: Fifteen new Flxible buses went into revenue service.
June: The low bid for 104 new articulated buses for $35,720,074 came from American Ikarus, Ltd. Each articulated bus seats 63 passengers.
June: The first APTA International Rail Roadeo was held at Lehman Center with contestants from six transit properties.
June: AEG Westinghouse connected permanent power to all Brickell Metromover extension stations.
July: MDTA developed several options to contract out certain bus routes to jitney operators. These options were to provide continued transit service for south Dade communities when FEMA monies expired, at no cost to the County.
July: Plans were completed to begin Special Transportation Service (STS) expansion to mirror fixed-route schedules; new hours were 4:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. the following day.
August: The first powered vehicle for the completed Brickell Metromover extension system crossed over the Miami River under manual control. Vehicles were scheduled to make the same trip under automatic control by October.
September: Danny Alvarez was appointed Deputy Director of MDTA.
September: FEMA funding ended, and full fares were resumed on south Dade bus routes; County-approved private minibuses began operating on seven south Dade routes.
September: A Notice to Proceed was issued to COMSIS Corp., the selected STS broker.
October: The Agency closed FY 93 with a $50,000 operating fund surplus.
February: MDTA initiates the Black History Month tours featuring historical sites in the black community.
According to a survey released by the American Public Transit Association (APTA), MDTA tied for first place with Phoenix, Arizona as the agency with the highest ridership increase from 1991 to 1992. Both agencies recorded a 3.1% overall ridership increase during that time.
May 26: The Brickell and Omni Metromover extensions open for service to capacity crowds, on time and under budget.
May: The new 800 MHz radio/tracking system for the 800 MHz AVL/AVM project was successfully tested on Metrobuses.
June: MDTA received the highly coveted 1995 National Association of Counties Achievement award and the prestigious 1995 Multicultural Diversity award for its Black History Tours project. The Tours were also featured in "Modern Maturity Magazine."
August: The Special Transportation Services base fare increased from $2 to $2.50 plus applicable transfer fees.
September: Florida DOT turned over the Metrorail extension to the Palmetto Expressway project to the County.
September: Metrorail's daily parking fee increased from $1 to $2 and the monthly parking permit fee from $2 to $5.
October: A demonstration program was proposed to dedicate space for advertising on transit publications.
November: Fiscal Year 1996 federal transit appropriations included: $2,536,010 for fixed guideway modifications; $1,975,961 for North Corridor new-start funds; $9,925,000 for bus acquisition; and $25,707,774 for capital and operating grants.
November: The MPO adopted NW 27 Avenue as the locally preferred alternative for the North Transportation Corridor expansion of Metrorail.
November: The Board of County Commissioners rejected all bids for construction of the Herald Plaza Metromover station; staff began evaluating construction documents to find possible reductions to estimated costs.
December: The first parking receipt machines were installed at Okeechobee Metrorail station. The machines provide parking receipts for rail riders.
December: The Board of County Commissioners authorized a demonstration project for the sale of advertising on transit publications, fare media, and bus-stop display spaces.
April: "Bus Service Update" brochures were released in English and Spanish for the first time since the County commission repealed the English-only ordinance.
June: STS Free-Fare Pilot Program ridership was analyzed through May 1996. Under this program, certified STS riders could opt to ride free on Metrobus, Metrorail, and Metromover by showing their ID card to the bus operator or rail security officer. There was no loss of STS certification. STS ridership continued to decrease by 4.74% when compared to FY 94-95 data.
July: Bike racks were installed on the front of 30 Metrobuses serving the south Dade area.
August 17: After a 78-day shutdown during repairs to the adjacent Congress Building, Metromover's inner loop reopened for service. A protective netting was installed on the Congress Building to shield the Metromover system from any potential falling debris.
August: The preliminary design for the Metrorail extension to the Palmetto Expressway was presented to the Transportation Aesthetics Review Committee which granted tentative approval of the design, pending a follow-up presentation to include proposed landscaping, lighting, and surface treatments.
September: The "Bike and Ride Program" began in mid-September.
September: MDTA tested a low-floor coach to determine if this type of bus was suitable for operation in Dade County. Low-floor coaches have only one step and ramps, instead of wheelchair lifts, and are easier for people with disabilities to use.
September: The Federal Transit Administration gave written approval for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Preliminary Engineering for the North Corridor.
February 3: The South Dade Busway, an exclusive roadway for buses, opened for service. Dedication ceremonies were held on February 2.
June: Ridership on the South Dade Busway continues to increase. The 11,199 May ridership figure was 163% above the previously projected 4000-plus riders.
September: MDTA director Chester "Ed" Colby resigns. Danny Alvarez, deputy director for administration, was appointed acting director by the county manager.
March: Fifty buses purchased from North American Bus Industries arrive. They will be painted in the new design and teal, royal blue, and fuchsia colors and placed in revenue service. As older buses are pulled for rehabilitation, they will be repainted with the new design and colors.
September: MDTA's first low-floor bus makes its debut in downtown Miami in front of the Stephen P. Clark Government Center building. The bus is state-of-the-art with Global Positioning Satellite technology which provides announcements and an LED visual of major bus stops and transfer points. The "kneeling" NABI 40-footer comes equipped with a bicycle rack and is wheelchair accessible with a simplified ramp that can be operated manually if necessary. The bus is painted in the new design and colors. In attendance were County Commissioner Bruno A. Barreiro, County Manager Merrett R. Stierheim, MDTA Director Danny Alvarez, and MDTA Assistant Director Roosevelt Bradley. Diana Richardson, director of the Office of ADA Compliance, was also present. Television channels 6, 7, and 10 taped the event.
Spring: Miami-Dade Transit launches plans to extend the South Miami-Dade Busway. Since opening in 1997, the busway has sparked an unprecedented growth in ridership in south Miami-Dade. Ridership in that corridor rose 47% weekdays and 84% weekends. The 22-station Busway II will extend service from Cutler Ridge to Homestead/Florida City. Construction of the estimated $38 million project begins the first half of 2001.
July: Metrobus ridership rose 3.3% weekdays and 7.0% weekends for a three-month period ending in May. This is in keeping with a national trend, according to APTA. In the last three years, ridership in the US rose more than 12%.
July 29: Miami-Dade Transit's hopes to expand the transit system with more frequent bus service and additional Metrorail lines are postponed when voters defeat the penny sales tax initiative by a two-thirds majority.
October 5: Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas and the Board of County Commissioners approve the Golden Passport program, offering free rides on transit to seniors citizens 65 years and over. Qualified applicants' annual household income must not exceed $20,000.
November 1: Registration begins for the Golden Passport program at sites throughout the county.
November: Several new routes were added to the Bike & Ride program. The program now includes Metrobus routes 21, 27, 33, 35, 70, 71 (weekdays only), 87, 88, G, J, and Busway MAX.
December 15: Free rides on transit begin for more than 16,000 senior citizens enrolled in the Golden Passport program. Registration continues.
December 31: MDTA pauses all transit systems from 11:55 p.m. to 12 05 a.m. January 1, 2000 to check for Y2K bug strikes. Buses wait on stand-by at Metromover and Metrorail stations. Three years of preparations pay off. All systems passed with flying colors.
