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Innovatively Saving The Future Of Transportation: Small Aircraft Transportation System (Sats), Jocelyn Nickerson, Brent Bowen, Russell Smith, Scott Tarry, Massoum Moussavi

Journal of Public Transportation

The aviation industry is a rapidly changing entity of the world’s economy. Millions of travelers consistently choose aviation as their mode of transportation because it is reliable, time-efficient, and safe. However, high demand has led to delays, cancellations, and gridlock. As the need for efficient travel options increases, passengers will look for other avenues of travel. Fortuitously, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its partners are developing a unique and innovative alternative to this problem. The solution, known as the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), will likely change the face of general aviation (GA) as it is known …

Full Issue 5(3)

Journal of Public Transportation

No abstract provided.

Increasing Transit Ridership: A Survey Of Successful Transit Systems In The 1990s, Daniel B. Hess, Allison Yoh, Hiroyuki Iseki, Brian Taylor

Journal of Public Transportation

This study examines trends in public transit ridership in the United States during the 1990s. Specifically, it focuses on agencies that increased ridership during the latter half of the decade. While transit ridership increased steadily by 13 percent nationwide between 1995 and 1999, not all systems experienced ridership growth equally. Some agencies increased ridership dramatically, some did so only minimally, and still others lost riders. What sets these agencies apart from one another? What explains the uneven growth in ridership? To examine these questions, we conducted a nationwide survey of transit agencies that added riders during the late 1990s. Specifically, …

A Methodology To Determine The Economically Feasible Capacity For Rural Demand Response Transit Systems, Adam B. Sandlin, Michael D. Anderson

Journal of Public Transportation

Transportation professionals generally use volume-to-capacity ratios as a standard measure of effectiveness to evaluate the operation of transportation facilities. Unfortunately, this commonly used measure has not been available for the analysis of rural demand response transit systems, as there has not been a clearly defined methodology for determining the capacity of these systems. This article presents a methodology for determining the capacity of a rural demand response transit system using an economic constraint model and spatial data for the service area stored in a Geographic Information System (GJS). The methodology develops an equation that incorporates operating costs, transit need, route …

Transit Itinerary Calculation On The Web: Based On A Transit User Information System, Martin Trépanier, Robert Chapleau, Bruno Allard

Journal of Public Transportation

Transit path calculation is not yet widely available on transit authority websites. This is because the calculation of complete transit itineraries requires the integration of underlying components such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and operational database and, unlike a simple road application, involves a complex transportation network. In this article, a hybrid algorithm based on heuristics and optimization is presented for the calculation of urban transit itineraries including information on pedestrian access and egress paths, route sequences, schedules, and stops. The use of the Transit User Information System (TUIS) to support the calculations is emphasized. The TUIS uses the Totally …

Restructuring Urban Public Transport In India, Kaushik Deb

Journal of Public Transportation

Transportation in the urban context assumes great economic significance, as the productive efficiency of urban areas will be maintained only if mobility requirements in the cities are fully met. However, this productive efficiency is now threatened by the increasing number of vehicles causing congestion, and thus slower speeds on roads. An effective way to address this problem is to encourage greater use of public transport instead of personal vehicles. This requires both an increase in the carrying capacity of the public transport system and a quantum improvement in the quality of public transport. In addition, despite the high volumes of …

Characteristics Of Bus Rapid Transit Projects: An Overview, James T. Jarzab, James Lightbody, Eugene Maeda

Journal of Public Transportation

During the previous century the public transit industry has struggled with mode and technology issues. Bus and rail have alternated in primacy as operating conditions and financial necessity have pressured operators to seek more cost-effective means of moving passengers. Federal, state, and local financial resources have been outstripped by candidate rapid transit projects, traffic congestion is a growing problem, and travel patterns are becoming increasingly dispersed. In seeking to fill the gap between conventional bus service and rail projects of all kinds, the transit industry in cooperation with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has placed renewed emphasis on the development …

Bus Rapid Transit: A Viable Alternative?, Steven E. Polzin, Michael R. Baltes

Journal of Public Transportation

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) presents a significant opportunity for the public transit industry to enhance the set of transportation investment options that can be brought to bear on the mobility problems experienced by urban areas across the country. As new Census data are released, the picture of strong population growth in dispersed patterns, growing congestion levels, and stubbornly modest transit use levels emerges. This paints a compelling picture that merits serious consideration by transportation planners with regard to the full range of transportation investment options available for urban areas. This article addresses several specific characteristics of BRT that differentiate it …

Bus Semirapid Transit Mode Development And Evaluation, Vukan R. Vuchic

Journal of Public Transportation

With little investment required for operating in streets, bus services are often designed to serve many overlapping routes with frequent stops. To upgrade services and attract choice riders, major bus routes should be provided with exclusive lanes, preferential signals, and fewer but more distinct stops. The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program is aimed at upgrading bus services into semirapid transit category (technically, bus semirapid transit). Many similar programs in the past were initially successful but later degraded by allowing sharing of lanes by high-occupancy vehicles (HOV) and relaxed enforcement of traffic control. With the systems approach …

Applicability Of Bus Rapid Transit To Corridors With Intermediate Levels Of Transit Demand, Graham N. Carey

Journal of Public Transportation

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has the potential to bridge the gap between conventional rubber-tired transit operations and rail systems. Based on relatively low-cost, proven technology, BRT is gaining acceptance in many communities around the world that are endeavoring to provide high-quality transit service. While proposed applications of this new mode vary considerably, some conditions may be more appropriate than others. This article explores, from the point of view of the practitioner, some of the benefits and drawbacks of BRT.

Full Issue 5(2)

Journal of Public Transportation

No abstract provided.

Door-To-Door Mobility: Evaluating A Bus Rapid Transit Community Transport Concept, Matthew Pahs, Mark Rohden, David Hampsten, Seth Gallant, Robert L. Bertini

Journal of Public Transportation

Portland, Oregon’s regional government, Metro, has designated specific communities in outer Southeast Portland as areas that should be planned to accommodate future population growth. Both Metro and the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (Tri-Met) have expressed a desire for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service to this area from downtown Portland, within a corridor approximately following Southeast Powell Boulevard and Foster Road. A preliminary analysis of BRT alignment alternatives was completed for this study. After six possible alignment options linking downtown Portland with Pleasant Valley and Damascus Town Centers were identified, a multivariate corridor analysis was applied to each option. …

Bus Rapid Transit: An Overview, Herbert S. Levinson, Samuel Zimmerman, Jennifer Clinger, G. Scott Rutherford

Journal of Public Transportation

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is growing in popularity throughout the world. The reasons for this phenomenon include its passenger and developer attractiveness, its high performance and quality, and its ability to be built quickly, incrementally, and economically. BRT also provides sufficient transport capacity to meet demands in many corridors, even in the largest metropolitan regions. In the United States, the development of BRT projects has been spurred by the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) BRT initiative. These projects have been undertaken, in part, because of the imbalance between the demand for “New Starts” funds and available resources. Decisions to make BRT …

Detection Range Setting Methodology For Signal Priority, Peter Koonce, John Ringert, Tom Urbanik, Willie Rotich, Bill Kloos

Journal of Public Transportation

A significant amount of delay to transit vehicles in urban areas is caused by traffic signals. Implementation of signal priority has the potential to reduce control delay caused by traffic signals. The implementation of these systems requires engineering studies that address both transit and traffic signal operations. A comprehensive program requires coordination between the transit agency and the transportation department to address needs of both agencies and users. The City of Portland and the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (Tri-Met) have been working on a program that exhibits the elements of such an effort. This article details the efforts …

Ottawa And Brisbane: Comparing A Mature Busway System With Its State-Of-The-Art Progeny, Sean Rathwell, Stephen Schijns

Journal of Public Transportation

Brisbane, Australia’s new South East Busway, which opened in 2000–2001, is one of the most technologically-advanced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in the world. It represents the “state-of-the-art” in busway design, infrastructure, and operations management. The South East Busway and various other Brisbane busway initiatives are modeled on Ottawa, Canada’s transitway system. Since commencement of operation in the early 1980s, Ottawa’s network of bus-only roadways and stations has transformed the community into one of the most transit-friendly centers in North America.

Alternative Bus Stop Configuration: An Analysis Of The Effects Of Bus Bulbs, Kay Fitzpatrick, Kevin Hall, Melisa Finley, Stephen Farnsworth

Journal of Public Transportation

Bus bulbs are sections of sidewalk that extend from the curb of a parking lane to the edge of the through lane. A major advantage of using bus bulbs is the creation of additional space at a bus stop for shelters, benches, and other bus patron improvements when the inclusion of these amenities would otherwise be limited without the additional space.

Several large cities on the West Coast have begun to explore bus bulbs as one of manhy strategies used in developing a transit preferential program. Researchers visited four transit agencies that use bus bulbs (San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and …

Benefits Of Proximity To Rail On Housing Markets: Experiences In Santa Clara County, Robert Cervero, Michael Duncan

Journal of Public Transportation

Santa Clara County, California, home to both light- and commuter-rail services, has turned to transit-oriented development as a means to both reduce traffic congestion and redress severe shortages of affordable housing units. This article examines the degree to which proximity to two forms of rail transit--light rail and commuter rail-- confer benefits to residential properties in terms of sales values. Hedonic price models are estimated that show job proximity over the transit network as well as nearness to rail stops substantially add value to residential parcels. All else being equal, large apartments within a quarter mile of a light-rail station …

Service Design In Competitive Tendering Of Bus Routes, Isam Al Kaysi, Ali S. Abbany

Journal of Public Transportation

Transit systems and buses, in particular, generally suffer from severe financial problems that affect their sustainability and levels of service. In an attempt to revive these svstems, public authorities have recently moved toward more private sector participation, which could improve cost efficiency. This participation can take different forms depending on the roles of each sector in the provision and production of public transport. This article examines the different models for private sector participation in the provision of mass transit services, describing their respective benefits and disadvantages for both transit providers and users. Focus is, however, given to one specific strategy--competitive …

An Empirical Exploration Of Bus Travel Times And Dwell Times In A Highly Competitive Exclusive Busway, Daniel A. Rodriguez, Arturo Ardila

Journal of Public Transportation

Busway transit has reemerged as a cost-effective transportation alternative for providing urban mobility. This article examines the operational characteristics of an exclusive busway svstem with high passenger ridership and subject to the competitive forces of individual operators. Results of a running time model suggest that the increase in running time associated with an additional passenger movement is low but that the delay imposed by recurrent vehicle deceleration and acceleration related to frequent stops is high. Frequent vehicle stops reduce fuel efficiency, increase pollution, reduce travel time, and decrease productivity. Results of several specifications of dwell-time regression models indicate that established …

Defining The Gross Cost And Net Cost Options For New Delhi Public Transport, Aaron Windecker

Journal of Public Transportation

Increasing the use of public bus transportation and decreasing the use of private modes is the remedy for New Delhi's congested streets and polluted air. To achieve this, the provisioning of bus services in New Delhi should be privatized to reduce the financial burden on the government and augment capacity. Regulation of the privatized svstem will be needed to improve safety; prevent private operators from concentrating only on denser routes; improve reliability, punctuality, and other standards of quality; rationalize fares; and improve network design. This article discusses each of these goals and assesses the applicability in the New Delhi context …

Transit Ridership Efficiency As A Function Of Fares, Gerrit R. Moore

Journal of Public Transportation

The purpose of this study is to assist in the development of transit fare policies that exploit the benefits of public transit in the mix of transportation options for Washington State. The study relates fares to ridership performance, fare-box recovery, and system utilization.

Ridership efficiency, a measure of transit performance, is estimated for 24 State transit systems. A mathematical model is developed that relates fares to ridership efficiency. The ridership efficiency function follows the complement of a cumulative normal probability distribution. The tail of the distribution is reached at $0.95. Higher fares have little impact on ridership efficiency. An operating …