Quickline

Quickline (also known as Signature Service) is a bus rapid transit service owned and operated by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO). The Quickline service began on June 1, 2009^[1] with the 402 route (also called the QL2 route), which supplements the 2-Bellaire route, which was the most heavily used bus route in the METRO system, with that title now belonging to the 82-Westheimer. Both routes run along Bellaire Boulevard.

METRO Quickline
Overview
System	Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
Operator	Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
Vehicle	NovaBus LFSe+ Electric (40 ft)
Began service	June 1, 2009
Routes
Routes	Bellaire Signature Service, route 402
Locale	Houston (Texas, USA)
Start	Ranchester Station (west)
End	TMC Transit Center Station (east)
Length	9.0 mi (14.5 km)
Stations	8

Not to be confused with quicklime.

System features

Quickline Kirby Station Westbound

The Quickline system features upgraded buses, fewer stops, and more modern and comfortable bus stops. The bus stops resemble those featured along the METRORail Red Line, with announced arrival times for upcoming buses based on GPS tracking systems. In addition, the buses are equipped with control devices that will interact with the traffic signal system at intersections to allow the buses to have priority movement along the route. The service originally used 41-ft long hybrid-electric buses, purchased from New Flyer Corporation, that provided on-board security cameras, more comfortable seating, a quieter interior and a significant amount of passenger information to be provided at the stops along the route. To help distinguish the service from regular METRO buses, the Quickline buses had a distinctive blue bus wrap on the exterior with the "Quickline" insignia and route map applied. On September 1, 2024, the New Flyer DE41LFRs were replaced by battery-electric buses from NovaBus.^[2]

402 QL Bellaire

Original bus livery

This route is the first of many Quickline bus routes planned by METRO. The QL 402 route only operates during peak traffic hours in the mornings and afternoons, on 15-minute intervals, Monday through Friday; it has now been expanded to include midday service. The 9-mile route only uses 8 stops on the 2-Bellaire route, facilitating significant time savings from the west side of Houston to the Texas Medical Center. In addition, these 8 stops were selected so that transfers to existing METRO local service bus routes could be performed more efficiently. The estimated length of the trip from Ranchester Station to the TMC Transit Center Station is 38 minutes.

Stations

The following is a list of stations and connections for the 402 Quickline, listed in order from west to east.^[3] Frequent bus service bolded.

Station	Connections	Notes
Clarewood Drive and Ranchester Drive	152	western terminus Regular bus stop
Ranchester	2, 152
Gessner	2, 46
Fondren	2, 9, 63
Sharpstown Center	2, 9	Serves PlazAmericas (originally Sharpstown Mall, later Sharpstown Center)
Hillcroft	2, 47
Bellaire Transit Center	2, 20, 49, 65	Serves Bellaire
Stella Link	2, 10	Bellaire Boulevard continues as Holcome Boulevard at intersection Stop located on Southside Place (eastbound) and West University Place (westbound) city limits
Kirby	2, 10, 41
TMC Transit Center	METRORail Red Line Bus lines: 2, 4, 10, 14, 27, 28, 41, 56, 60, 68, 84, 87, 170, 291, 292, 297, 298	eastern terminus Serves Texas Medical Center

Future expansion

Before breaking ground on any future Quickline routes, METRO has pledged to grade the ridership of the QL2 route. In addition, the transportation agency will survey passengers periodically to gain their opinion of the service and will monitor ridership as a measure of success. Since then, METRO has stated that Quickline routes could potentially be implemented on other heavily used routes planned around Houston, such as Westheimer, Airline, Beechnut, Antoine and Gessner.^[4]

References

1. Retrieved 13-April-09
2. "Catch a Smoother, Quieter Ride as METRO Introduces Electric Buses into its Fleet". September 2, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
3. "METRO Bellaire Signature Service.aspx". Archived from the original on May 20, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2009. Retrieved 21-May-09
4. http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/index.php?showtopic=17334, Retrieved 4-Jan-09