Greater Miami Expands BRT With All-Day Route 601

Miami-Dade Transit launches Route 601 BRT with all-day, seven-day service

Miami Route 601 BRT Adds All-Day Service

Miami-Dade Transit's new Route 601 Metro Express connects Florida City to Dadeland South Metrorail Station with seven-day service, transit officials said. The Bus Rapid Transit route serves 14 dedicated stations along its corridor with peak-hour buses arriving every 7.5 minutes. Officials didn't provide a specific launch date, though the service is now operational.

Context

The route replaces discontinued peak-hour routes 34 and 39, which only operated during morning and afternoon rush periods, according to Miami-Dade County's transportation website. Route 601 expands service to include midday, evening and weekend hours that weren't previously available on those routes. The change aligns with the county's 2016 Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit Plan, which called for expanding rapid transit corridors across the region. Project cost information wasn't publicly available.

Details

Peak-hour service runs every 7.5 minutes from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., transit officials said. The route operates seven days a week between SW 344 St in Florida City and Dadeland South Metrorail Station in Pinecrest. Officials didn't release ridership projections for the new service or specify how many buses are dedicated to the route. The 14 BRT stations feature dedicated platforms typical of bus rapid transit systems.

Implementation

The service is currently operational, according to the county's transportation website, though officials didn't announce when the route began service. Miami-Dade Transit typically notifies riders several weeks before major service changes, but whether that advance notice occurred for Route 601 wasn't clear from available information. Eulois Cleckley serves as Director of Miami-Dade Transportation and Public Works.

Impact

The all-day service benefits riders who work non-traditional schedules and need transit options outside peak hours, officials said. Workers who previously relied on routes 34 and 39 now have midday, evening and weekend access they didn't have before. Riders can check Moovit for real-time Route 601 schedules and station information throughout the service area.