Glad you enjoyed the adventure as well! This was definitely one of my most fun videos to film, so thanks again for joining! Also, welcome to the world of cutaway buses. (I’m just used to them because they’re most of what LCT runs!)
They are indeed! We didn’t ride on it, but there is at least one older-looking boxier Gillig in the fleet I was unaware of. Maybe I’ll have to try and find it again sometime!
@qlf9_ From one Loudoun County native to another, thanks for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed! Hopefully I’ll be able to do more LC Transit content in the future (I’ve been wanting to ride the commuter buses for a while)!
@@adammoldover8769 It’s not a bad system at all! Ridership recovery in Loudoun post-COVID is actually great compared to some other agencies. I believe LCT is sitting at about 98% ridership recovery for local routes, which is really good! Funny enough, I’m pretty sure commuter bus ridership hasn’t jumped back up as much, probably because there’s fewer people commuting to in-person offices. I think Loudoun County Transit’s ridership could benefit if commuter buses were additionally run in other parts of the day so more people could use them!
Love the collaboration! I think the Gillig Bar exists because their windows are the same height across the whole bus unlike other manufacturers which have shorter windows for the back section. Therefore the taller window is more vulnerable to being cracked if people lean on it. Or it's just an arm rest. 🤷♂
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching! And good explanation for the Gillig bar! Maybe it’s cheaper to just have more of the windows standardized at the same size and use the Gillig bar instead!
@@TheGAMWolferz Yes, although the 351 isn’t that frequent for much of the day, so it would need to improve to encourage people to actually ride it! My favorite part of the 351 is when you pass Metro cars 4044 and 4045 at the fire department training facility!
Interesting trip through places, nowhere, and then more places. lol. I just assumed the Gillig Bar was there to keep people from accidentally knocking out the window cause you're sitting a little higher in the back. Also, curious how long this trip took you guys? Thanks!
@@29downtheline I wonder if the Fairfax County portion (where those woods are) is a later phase or if the development hasn't been able to get approval for that portion of the parcel
@@dlpjosh It would not at all surprise me if that’s the case and it’s a bureaucratic nightmare to get both jurisdictions to approve development simultaneously. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a second phase, since this seems to be what they’re doing at Ashburn--building further away from the station first then working their way closer. Probably not the best way to develop a neighborhood--I’d start with the metro station as a focal point to build up habits of ridership and create a nice urban area around the station that will (hopefully) increase demand for development in the area!
@@29downtheline If the Fairfax County GIS site provides any indication, I'm pretty sure it's tied up in 18374592 levels of bureaucracy* (*: actuals may be less than the estimated number of levels :P )
@@29downtheline Comstock has some renderings of what they want to do with Ashburn Station, but I am surprised there's like a 6+ year gap between their phase 1 and 2. They also seem to have a lot on them considering they're currently developing Reston Station, wonder if that's part of why they pulled out from the downtown herndon redevelopment plans
Those planes are part of why Loudoun Gateway just keeps getting data centers next to it. Even for what little office demand there is, no one want to be under the main North/South runway at Dulles. Even less so for any housing. I still don't know why Loudoun wanted a station there.
True, it’s right under the flight path, but there are other places close by where people live. I think there could still be some sort of demand for building some sort of housing there, but, as you point out, the location really isn’t ideal. Loudoun Gateway’s existence is kinda just a mystery.
09:06 there's no reason I can see that the Pentagon surface lots can't be turned into a waiting area for Loudoun, OmniRide, MD MTA, etc. commuter buses. I understand not redeveloping that space for public uses, but it shouldn't be too hard to vet / screen a limited number of bus drivers / buses
Good point, a waiting area could be nice for layovers/transfers between longer-distance buses, but I think the simplest solution would be to do exactly what they do now but allow passengers to ride the buses both ways. That way they don’t have to pay someone to sit with the bus near DC just waiting for their next bus driving trip to start. Hourly bus service (perhaps with some sort of waiting area as you suggested) would also be doable with proper planning/scheduling!
It’s his FACE, no way! Thanks for going on this with me it was fun and I finally rode a transit minibus!
Glad you enjoyed the adventure as well! This was definitely one of my most fun videos to film, so thanks again for joining!
Also, welcome to the world of cutaway buses. (I’m just used to them because they’re most of what LCT runs!)
Fun to see the other half of this after watching Sammy’s video
Thanks for watching! This video is the reason the sky got so dark between his video’s intro and outro lol!
Thanks for watching!
The boys!
Coming soon to a channel near you!
Indeed!
Loudoun Gateway is the best and most useful station on Metro!
I’m glad we agree!
LCT buses are just cute imo
They are
They are indeed! We didn’t ride on it, but there is at least one older-looking boxier Gillig in the fleet I was unaware of. Maybe I’ll have to try and find it again sometime!
Yay more LCT content!!!
LCT needs love too
Indeed!
loudoun county native here! excited to see our transit be showcased :)
Yes! Our transit is honestly decently good for not being used a lot outside of the commuter buses
@qlf9_ From one Loudoun County native to another, thanks for watching! I’m glad you enjoyed! Hopefully I’ll be able to do more LC Transit content in the future (I’ve been wanting to ride the commuter buses for a while)!
@@adammoldover8769 It’s not a bad system at all! Ridership recovery in Loudoun post-COVID is actually great compared to some other agencies. I believe LCT is sitting at about 98% ridership recovery for local routes, which is really good! Funny enough, I’m pretty sure commuter bus ridership hasn’t jumped back up as much, probably because there’s fewer people commuting to in-person offices. I think Loudoun County Transit’s ridership could benefit if commuter buses were additionally run in other parts of the day so more people could use them!
@@29downtheline agreed! Pretty sure Prince William and Fairfax Counties do this as well - running busses empty to/from DC for rush hours
@@adammoldover8769 Interesting! I didn’t know it was a problem there as well!
Love the collaboration! I think the Gillig Bar exists because their windows are the same height across the whole bus unlike other manufacturers which have shorter windows for the back section. Therefore the taller window is more vulnerable to being cracked if people lean on it. Or it's just an arm rest. 🤷♂
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching! And good explanation for the Gillig bar! Maybe it’s cheaper to just have more of the windows standardized at the same size and use the Gillig bar instead!
Thanks for showing this cause im gonna take route 70 some time to that other route to metro gives me a in site on what its like
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed!
Awesome Collab! Guys. LCT is awesome!
Also the 351 airport stop has Segra Field which host the Loudon United FC development team for DC United. ⚽️
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
@@TheGAMWolferz Yes, although the 351 isn’t that frequent for much of the day, so it would need to improve to encourage people to actually ride it! My favorite part of the 351 is when you pass Metro cars 4044 and 4045 at the fire department training facility!
Used to take this route to Dulles Mall and transfer to the 82 to Sterling Park
It’s not a bad route, although an express variant of it would be nice!
Interesting trip through places, nowhere, and then more places. lol.
I just assumed the Gillig Bar was there to keep people from accidentally knocking out the window cause you're sitting a little higher in the back.
Also, curious how long this trip took you guys? Thanks!
it took around 2.5 hours
@@sammymarrco47 I concur!
That honestly might be the best explanation for the Gillig bar I’ve seen yet; it makes sense!
@@sammymarrco47 thanks
There's already major construction work for those mixed use complexes happening on the other side of those woods across from Innovation Center
Yes there is! It’ll be nice to see what it’s like when it’s done. The renderings look pretty cool!
@@29downtheline I wonder if the Fairfax County portion (where those woods are) is a later phase or if the development hasn't been able to get approval for that portion of the parcel
@@dlpjosh It would not at all surprise me if that’s the case and it’s a bureaucratic nightmare to get both jurisdictions to approve development simultaneously. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a second phase, since this seems to be what they’re doing at Ashburn--building further away from the station first then working their way closer. Probably not the best way to develop a neighborhood--I’d start with the metro station as a focal point to build up habits of ridership and create a nice urban area around the station that will (hopefully) increase demand for development in the area!
@@29downtheline If the Fairfax County GIS site provides any indication, I'm pretty sure it's tied up in 18374592 levels of bureaucracy*
(*: actuals may be less than the estimated number of levels :P )
@@29downtheline Comstock has some renderings of what they want to do with Ashburn Station, but I am surprised there's like a 6+ year gap between their phase 1 and 2. They also seem to have a lot on them considering they're currently developing Reston Station, wonder if that's part of why they pulled out from the downtown herndon redevelopment plans
Those planes are part of why Loudoun Gateway just keeps getting data centers next to it. Even for what little office demand there is, no one want to be under the main North/South runway at Dulles. Even less so for any housing. I still don't know why Loudoun wanted a station there.
True, it’s right under the flight path, but there are other places close by where people live. I think there could still be some sort of demand for building some sort of housing there, but, as you point out, the location really isn’t ideal. Loudoun Gateway’s existence is kinda just a mystery.
woah 29 down the line did a face reveal. im shook
I did!
Thanks for watching!
I can’t give the title of best station to Loudoun Gateway… it has to be Wolf Trap
Ah yes, Wolf Trap! How could I forget? But if we’re being honest, the best station award might actually have to belong to Oklahoma Ave!
09:06 there's no reason I can see that the Pentagon surface lots can't be turned into a waiting area for Loudoun, OmniRide, MD MTA, etc. commuter buses.
I understand not redeveloping that space for public uses, but it shouldn't be too hard to vet / screen a limited number of bus drivers / buses
Good point, a waiting area could be nice for layovers/transfers between longer-distance buses, but I think the simplest solution would be to do exactly what they do now but allow passengers to ride the buses both ways. That way they don’t have to pay someone to sit with the bus near DC just waiting for their next bus driving trip to start. Hourly bus service (perhaps with some sort of waiting area as you suggested) would also be doable with proper planning/scheduling!