1 of 6
Alyx Chandler
The Magic City Connector hit the road for the first time on Friday, March 24.
2 of 6
Alyx Chandler
The Magic City Connector hit the road for the first time on Friday, March 24.
3 of 6
Alyx Chandler
The Magic City Connector hit the road for the first time on Friday, March 24.
4 of 6
Alyx Chandler
The Magic City Connector hit the road for the first time on Friday, March 24.
5 of 6
Alyx Chandler
The Magic City Connector hit the road for the first time on Friday, March 24.
6 of 6
Alyx Chandler
The Magic City Connector hit the road for the first time on Friday, March 24.
The Magic City Connector fleet, which is downtown Birmingham's newest revamped public transportation, was unveiled on Friday, March 24 in front of the BJCC. The fleet is part of a partnership between Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) and Birmingham Coca-Cola.
Barbara Murdock, BJCTA executive director, said they conducted a series of surveys to determine what sort of transportation was needed in Birmingham.
"Our customers described the service they wanted, and we responded. We are transforming public transportation in our area one bus at a time," Murdock said.
The six compressed natural gas buses, which were federally funded, provide Wi-Fi in their new route. The Magic City Connector is available to provide residents and visitors with a new, easy-to-use and upgraded version of the North/South route, which is BJCTA's downtown circulator.
"Birmingham Coca-Cola is excited to be involved with an effort that helps connect residents and visitors with some of our city's finest attractions that highlight the diversity, history and richness of our community," Vice President Bo Taylor of the Central Region of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United said.
The Magic City Connector runs along 20th Street from the Uptown District to Southside. The buses go from R. Arrington Jr. Boulevard, making major stops at the Museum of Art and Sheraton Hotel loop, then heading past Linn Park and City Hall into the Downtown Business District. It then goes past 1st Avenue North all the way to University Boulevard and loops around Highland Avenue. Other destinations include the McWane Science Center, the Birmingham Zoo, Vulcan Park, Regions Field, the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
"Great cities across the country have safe, convenient and reliable public transportation. The Magic City Connector is proof that our great city is traveling in the right direction," Birmingham Mayor William Bell said.
From 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday, the buses are scheduled to run every ten minutes, and then scheduled to run every 20 minutes from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at night. It will keep running an additional two hours, until midnight, on Friday, and it will run every twenty minutes on Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight.
This is just one of the many projects that will result from BJCTA and Birmingham Coco-Cola, according to a press release from the BJCTA.
