United States Department of Transportation
i
National survey of US public transit agency experience with and response to extreme weather events.
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2016-09-01
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[PDF-363.03 KB]
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Abstract:Extreme weather events pose serious challenges public transit systems. They disrupt transit operations, impair service quality, increase threats to public safety, and damage infrastructure. This report presents findings from a June 2016 national survey of public transit agencies in the United States to understand what types of extreme weather transit agencies are experiencing, what risks are associated with extreme events and how they are responding or preparing for them.
The survey collected data from approximately 900 transit professionals who work in planning, operation, maintenance, and engineering in 273 transit agencies in the U.S. Survey items captured data on recent experiences with extreme weather events, perception of weather risks to the local transit system, assessment of the agency’s capacity and challenges in dealing with weather risks, and organizational responses and adaption to extreme weather events and potential climate risks. A total of 352 individuals representing 197 transit agencies responded to the survey (41% response rate) resulting in a rich and unique dataset on extreme weather and transit.
This report provides a descriptive summary and assessment of aggregate survey responses. Findings are presented in four parts: recent experience with extreme weather; perception of weather and climatic risks; assessment of organizational priority, capacity and challenge of managing extreme weather; organizational responses and adaptation to extreme weather events. Sections are summarized briefly here, while more detail is presented in the full report.
Recent experience of transit agencies with extreme weather
• Nationwide, respondents report that severe rainstorms/thunderstorms are the most frequent type of extreme weather event transit agencies recently experienced. Other frequent extreme weather include extreme cold, extreme high winds and extreme heat. Region-specific hazards – hurricanes and tides/storm surges – rank the least frequent types of extreme weather.
• Extreme snow storms are have caused the most severe impacts while flooding has the second greatest impact on transit agencies.
• The most common consequence of extreme weather to transit agencies are significant delays in transit service, followed by temporary shutdowns and damage to vehicles or equipment.
• More than half of the respondents indicated that their agencies had used re-routing or partial closures of some routes due to extreme weather. Approximately one third of all respondents indicated their agencies had closed services at some transit stations or at the system level in response to severe weather events.
Transit professionals perceptions of weather and climatic risks
• Respondents' perception of future weather risks are heavily influenced by their recent experiences with extreme weather events: severe rainstorms/thunderstorms impose the greatest risk, followed by extreme high winds, extreme heat wave, extreme snow storms and cold temperatures.
• Transit professionals in the U.S. recognize that extreme weather events are occurring more frequently and becoming more severe. They are aware of and concerned with the impacts imposed by extreme weather on transit operation and infrastructure, and they recognize need for transit agencies to prepare for extreme weather in advance.
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