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Issues In Bus Rapid Transit
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1998-01-15
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[PDF-2.70 MB]
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TRIS Online Accession Number:0075957
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NTL Classification:NTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Bus Transportation
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Abstract:Bus systems provide a versatile form of public transportation with the flexibility to serve a variety of access needs and an unlimited range of locations throughout a metropolitan area. Because buses travel on urban roadways, infrastructure investments needed to support bus service can be substantially lower than the capital costs required for rail systems. As a result, bus service can be implemented cost-effectively on routes where ridership may not be sufficient or where the capital investment may not be available to implement rail systems. Traffic congestion, urban sprawl, central city decline, and air pollution are all problems associated i\ with excessive dependence on automobiles. Increasing recognition of the need for high-quality transit service to alleviate these conditions has fueled growing demand for new rail services throughout the United States. Rail systems have in fact played an essential role in preserving and revitalizing the downtown areas of major American cities, ranging from New York to San Francisco and Washington, D.C. In these and numerous other cities, however, buses also provide an attractive and effective-alternative to automobiles, reaching into central cities, local neighborhoods, and the suburbs to meet the mobility needs of millions of people. Despite the inherent advantages of bus service, the traveling public frequently finds the quality of service provided in urban centers to be wanting. Conventional urban bus operations often are characterized by sluggish vehicles inching their way through congested streets, delayed not only by other vehicles and traffic signals but also by frequent and time-consuming stops to pick up and discharge passengers. Buses travel on average at only around ‘60 percent of the speeds of automobiles and other private vehicles using the same streets due to the cumulative effects of traffic congestion, traffic signals, and passenger boarding. Moreover, compared to rail systems, the advantageous flexibility and decentralization of bus operations also result in a lack of system visibility and permanence that contributes to public perceptions of unreliability and disorganization. Low-cost investments in infrastructure, equipment, operational improvements, and technology can provide the foundation for Bus Rapid Transit systems that substantially upgrade bus system performance. Conceived as an integrated, well-defined system, Bus Rapid Transit would provide for significantly faster operating speeds, greater service reliability, and increased convenience, matching the quality of rail transit when implemented in appropriate settings.
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