CT Transit 921 Express Bus Ride: 2010 MCI D4500CT A77 from Old Saybrook to Hartford

Taken on 10/10/22. Footage of 2010 MCI D4500CT A77 operating on CT Transit's 921 express route from Old Saybrook to Downtown Hartford (Asylum Street & High Street). This is one of the new trips under the expanded midday and reverse-peak service. While the expanded service officially began on August 23, 2021, the 921, along with the 923 and 928, were suspended on September 4th (with September 3rd being the last day of 921 operation) because of a contract funding dispute between CT Transit and DATTCO, the private operator running the service. Service did not resume for almost a year, until August 8th, 2022. This suspension has taken a toll on a line with ridership already low due to COVID and commuter demand shifts. It will take quite some time to get ridership to rebound especially as its function/role in the network is being changed. As of the time of recording, it effectively has only been two real months of the continuous & expanded service. This is because commuter patterns are not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels. Only one other person was on the bus besides me, and this was a person who mistakingly got on the bus (or mistakingly remained past a certain point). Since this was an inbound bus, all deviations off the highway and to the park & rides needed to be made, as there was no other way of telling if there was ridership. Also coming with the time/season, the annual fall foliage is underway and can be throughout most of the highway portions of the route. This route operates through some of the most rural terrain across the network. Between Middletown and Old Saybrook, the only stops it makes are at park & rides located outside of small towns and villages. This bus route stays on the highway for most of its route, making no local stops outside of Old Saybrook or Hartford. It is a very different field from most of the MTA express bus network, as very few routes have segments which come close in comparison. While the route does pass through the more denser commercial & residential parts of the Town of Essex and nearby Deep River, it bypasses those area completely and stays on CT Route 9. A rundown of the trip will be provided soon: ==========MIDDLESEX COUNTY========== 0:00 - Bus A77 Arriving on Route 921 at Old Saybrook Transit Center 0:28 - Inside Bus A77 Awaiting Departure to Hartford 1:06 - Departing Old Saybrook Transit Center 1:55 - North Main Street 2:11 - Stage Road 2:46 - Boston Post Road (US 1) 2:55 - Middlesex Turnpike (CT 154) 6:34 - Chester Bowles Highway Entrance 2 Ramp 6:57 - Chester Bowles Highway (CT 9) from Entrance 2 to Exit 4 10:15 - Chester Bowles Highway Exit 4 10:57 - CT 154 to/from Essex Park & Ride 12:32 - Chester Bowles Highway Entrance 4 12:58 - Chester Bowles Highway (CT 9) from Entrance 4 to Exit 6 15:52 - Chester Bowles Highway Exit 6 16:20 - West Main Street (CT 148) to/from Chester Park & Ride 17:42 - Chester Bowles Highway Entrance 6 18:24 - Chester Bowles Highway (CT 9) from Entrance 6 to Exit 12 30:00 - Chester Bowles Highway Exit 12 30:18 - Eastern Drive 31:14 - Silver Street Park & Ride 32:08 - Eastern Drive & Chester Bowles Highway Entrance 12 32:30 - Chester Bowles Highway (CT 9) from Entrance 12 to Exit 20N 38:09 - Exit 20N to Interstate 91 38:33 - Interstate 91 from Exit 20N Merge to Hartford County Line ==========HARTFORD COUNTY========== 38:39 - Interstate 91, County Line to Exit 29A 47:19 - I-91 Exit 29A & Whitehead Highway 48:32 - Columbus Boulevard 49:45 - State Street 52:03 - Main Street 52:28 - Asylum Street 54:03 - Bus A77 deadheads from Asylum St & Ford St Service on this route is currently free until December 1st. Thank you for watching! Like and subscribe for more content!