The EmX system is made up of sections of dedicated bus lanes for most of the route, with normal roads in between. The vehicles are given signal priority via ground-loop signaling to the trafficcontrol system, with special traffic signals at intersections. The vehicles have two sets of doors on the left and three on the right, allowing loading from platforms on either side. Most of the right hand side platforms can only accommodate the rear two doors. Riding the Emerald Express was free when it began operations, but now costs regular fare. The articulated buses are equipped with Hybrid drives which allows for a smooth acceleration from stops and through the various road segments. On weekdays, service runs approximately from 6:00am to 11:00pm. Buses arrive every 10 minutes throughout the day, with longer headways during the evening and the first hour of the morning. More limited service operates during the weekend.
Fares
The cost to ride EmX is the same as other LTD bus routes. Riders may purchase a single-ride ticket. A day pass can also be purchased for EmX which is also valid for standard LTD bus routes. Previously purchased day passes are valid on EmX for that day. Current standard fares for an adult rider are $1.75 for a single ride, $3.50 for a day pass, and $50 for a one-month pass. Riders must purchase a ticket using the ticket machines located at each station before boarding the bus unless they already have a valid pass. Unlike other bus routes, the EmX line uses a proof-of-payment system. On the bus a representative of LTD may ask to see a ticket as proof of payment.
Lines
Green Line
The first line of EmX, the Franklin Corridor, began service on January 14, 2007. It runs from Eugene Station in downtown Eugene to the Springfield Station in downtown Springfield, and also serves the University of Oregon. Local artist Linn Cook was selected by a committee of artists and community members to create cast and formed metal railings depicting indigenous plants. Each station features a different plant. The Green line is four miles long and cost $25 million to design and build. The Green Line replaced Route 11 along the corridor. Rush hour travel times were reduced from 22 minutes down to 16 minutes, about 27%. Ridership doubled in the corridor in the first year. For fiscal 2008-2009 ridership was 1,592,122 boardings over 17,583 bus-hours, or an average of 91 boardings for a bus on the road for one hour.
Gateway Line
The route goes along the newly constructed Pioneer Parkway corridor and beyond that to dedicated bus lanes that were integrated into Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and RiverBend Drive during the construction of those roads. Service started on January 9, 2011. This 7.8-mile extension links downtown Springfield to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. LTD eventually plans to run EmX along all main transportation corridors in the metro area.
West Eugene Extension
The West Eugene Extension is a 17-station extension of the existing EmX service west from its existing terminus at Eugene Station in downtown Eugene. The extension opened on September 17, 2017. LTD conducted environmental analyses and collected public comments as part of the extension's planning process. A number of route alignments were considered, focusing on West 6th, 7th, or 13th Avenues to connect with West 11th Avenue somewhere near Chambers or Garfield Streets. One alternative placed service on West 7th Place instead of West 11th Avenue between Garfield and Seneca Rd. All alternatives continued down West 11th Avenue to a planned terminus and turnaround in the Walmart parking lot west of Commerce Street. In spring 2011, the west 6th and 7th to 11th was selected as the locally preferred alternative. Some local businesses and residents opposed the extension, saying that it would be expensive, unnecessary, and could cause a decrease in property values. In June 2013, opponents of the extension filed suit in federal court in Seattle, challenging the extension's approval and funding by the Federal Transit Administration. The suit alleged nine violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and alleged violations of the Administrative Procedure Act. The suit further claimed that LTD had not met requirements for federal funding. The court ruled against the extension's opponents in July 2014, and construction began in March 2015. The Federal Transit Administration awarded $75 million to the project in September 2015, covering most of its $96.5 million total cost.
Other expansions
The MovingAhead long-range plan adopted by Lane Transit District includes plans to expand EmX service on new corridors., the corridors under consideration for EmX or other expanded bus services are 30th Avenue to serve Lane Community College; Coburg Road; Highway 99; Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; and River Road.
