{{Short description|Birmingham, Fairfield, Homewood, Bessemer, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills}}{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox bus company | name = MAX Transit | logo = Max-dark-logo-1.png | logo_size = | image = MAX Transit New Flyer 2131 on BX, 2026 cropped.jpg | image_caption = A Birmingham Xpress bus in downtown Birmingham | parent = | founded = 1972 | headquarters = | locale = Birmingham, Alabama | service_area = Jefferson County, Alabama | service_type = Bus service | routes = 31 fixed routes | destinations = | hubs = | stations = | fleet = 56 standard buses | ridership = {{American transit ridership|AL Birmingham total daily}} ({{American transit ridership|dailydate}}){{American transit ridership|dailycitation}} | annual_ridership = {{American transit ridership|AL Birmingham total annual}} ({{American transit ridership|annualdate}}){{American transit ridership|annualcitation}} | fuel_type = Compressed natural gas<ref name=":0" /> | ceo =Charlotte Shaw | website = {{URL|maxtransit.org}} }} The '''Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority''' ('''BJCTA'''), branded as '''MAX Transit''', is the public transportation operator in the city of Birmingham, Alabama and surrounding areas. Created in 1972 to take over transit operations from private operators, it operates 109 buses on 38 routes. It also operates paratransit services, as well as micro transit services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MAX – DIRECT – MAX Transit – Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority |url=https://maxtransit.org/max-direct/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |language=en-US}}</ref> In {{American transit ridership|annualdate}}, the system had {{American transit ridership|AL Birmingham total annual}} rides, or about {{American transit ridership|AL Birmingham total daily}} per weekday as of {{American transit ridership|dailydateasof}}.

Alabama does not provide state support for public transit, and so the funding for and service provided by BJCTA is less than other cities of equivalent size.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lavelle |first=Marianne |date=2023-07-19 |title=Birmingham Public Transit Inches Forward With Federal Help, and No State Funding |url=https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19072023/alabama-mass-transit-funding/ |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=Inside Climate News |language=en-US}}</ref> This contributes to Alabama's status as the state with the highest per capita gasoline consumption.<ref name=":0" />

The service runs from 4:00 AM to 11:30 PM on Weekdays and from 4:00 AM to midnight on Saturdays and holidays. There is no service on Sundays.

== History == left|thumb|Logo of the BJCTA The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) was created in 1972 after the state legislature passed a law permitting the creation of public transit agencies. In 1985, BJCTA adopted the MAX branding. MAX Transit began shifting to compressed natural gas buses in the 2000s and opened the Birmingham Xpress service in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BJCTA History « BJCTA MAX |url=https://www.bjcta.org/about-us/bjcta-history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107030409/https://www.bjcta.org/about-us/bjcta-history/ |archive-date=2017-01-07 |access-date=2026-03-21 |website=www.bjcta.org |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

== Services == MAX Transit operates several bus routes as well as the Birmingham Xpress and on-demand zones.

=== Fixed routes === *1 South Bessemer/UAB Medical West/Wal-Mart *3 Jefferson/Wenonah *5 Ensley/Wylam *6 Pratt/Ensley *12 Highland Avenue *14 Palisades/Barbara Court *17 Century Plaza/Eastwood Mall *18 Fountain Heights *20 Zion City/Airport *22 Tarrant City/Inglenook *23 North Birmingham/Collegeville *25 Center Point/Jefferson State *26 Jefferson State *31 Hwy 31 Limited Stop *38 Graymont/Ensley *39 Homewood/Wildwood *45 Bessemer/Jonesboro *45 Express/Western Hills Mall *48 South Powderly *91 East/West Dart *95 Westend Shuttle *96 Titusville Shuttle *280 Hwy 280 Limited Stop

===Birmingham Xpress=== {{Main|Birmingham Xpress}} A bus rapid transit line, named the Birmingham Xpress, was opened on September 22, 2022, running from Woodlawn to Five Points.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bhamnow.com/2022/09/22/new-birmingham-xpress-officially-begins-service-free-rides-for-30-days/|title=NEW Birmingham Xpress officially begins service; FREE rides for 30 days|date=September 22, 2022|author=Nathan Watson|newspaper=Bham Now|access-date=June 22, 2023}}</ref> The service will speed up journeys by offering dedicated lanes, transit signal priority, off-board fare payment and level boarding.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.birminghamal.gov/brt|title=Birmingham Bus Rapid Transit|access-date=June 22, 2023|website=www.birminghamal.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609161557/https://www.birminghamal.gov/brt|url-status=|archive-date=June 9, 2023}}</ref> The Birmingham Xpress was set up with funds from the federal government under the Presidency of Joe Biden. It did not receive state funds, because Alabama does not provide state funds for public transit. It has 32 stops across an east-west corridor across the city. After starting service, it quickly became the most utilized route in the BJCTA system.<ref name=":0" />

=== On-Demand === In 2019, MAX Transit launched an on-demand service, serving downtown Birmingham. The service saw 25,000 riders in its first 11 months of operation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Byington |first=Pat |date=2020-11-20 |title=Birmingham On-Demand tops 25,500 rides in first 11 months {{!}} Bham Now |url=https://bhamnow.com/2020/11/20/birmingham-on-demand-tops-25500-rides-in-first-11-months/ |access-date=2026-03-21 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Fleet ==

* 56 standard buses * 43 Orion VII CNG LF buses * 22 paratransit buses

== Central station == thumb|Central Station in 2011 Central Station serves as the primary transfer hub for the BJCTA system. It is located adjacent to the Amtrak station on Morris Ave. The original Central Station was built in 1999 on the site and demolished in 2015 to make way for the current facility.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://maxtransit.org/about-us/history/|title=History|access-date=November 11, 2024|website=MAX Transit}}</ref> The $32 million project commenced in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.birminghamtimes.com/2017/06/maxs-central-station-opens-in-downtown-birmingham/|title=MAX’s Central Transit Station opens in downtown Birmingham|newspaper=Birmingham Times|date=June 19, 2017|access-date=November 11, 2024}}</ref> Construction was completed in 2017 with MAX Transit buses beginning service on June 19th and a ribbon cutting on June 30.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2017/06/birminghams_downtown_max_centr.html|title=Birmingham's downtown MAX central station now open|newspaper=AL.com|author=Erin Edgemon|date=June 19, 2017|access-date=November 11, 2024}}</ref> The transit center contains an approximately 300 space parking lot, an indoor waiting area, and a cafe. As of 2024, it serves Max Transit, although it was intended to serve Megabus and Greyhound intercity buses too.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maxtransit.org/intermodal/|title=Coming Soon - Birmingham Intermodal Terminal|access-date=November 11, 2024|website=MAX Transit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112050007/https://maxtransit.org/intermodal/|archive-date=November 12, 2024}}</ref>

== Fixed route ridership ==

The ridership statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response services.<ref>{{cite web | title=The National Transit Database (NTD) | url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd/data-product/monthly-module-adjusted-data-release | access-date=November 11, 2024|website=Federal Transit Administration}}</ref>

{{#invoke:Chart | bar chart | group 1 = 2953715:3632880:3953804:3759211:3334889:3084368:3065577:2688303:2387091:2531976:2774313:3107119:3209992:3120263:2886771:2854215:3203878:2931319:1845149:1413280:1712916:1480645 | units suffix = | group names = Annual ridership | x legends =2002:::2005:::2008:::2011:::2014:::2017:::2020:::2023 | colors = #{{rcr|Metra|SouthWest}} }}

==See also== *List of bus transit systems in the United States *Birmingham station

== References == {{reflist}} * [https://www.bjcta.org/about-us/bjcta-history/ bjcta.org Historical] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060615031909/http://www.bjcta.org/index.php?id=173 About Us] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100611235004/http://www.bjcta.org/news/fstatements/FY%202009%20Budget.pdf BJCTA 2009 Capital and Operating Budget]

== External links == {{Commons category}}

* {{Official website}} {{Alabama public transit}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Transit agencies in Alabama Category:Bus transportation in Alabama Category:Government agencies established in 1972