These guidelines identify, assess, and document the current practices that transit operators use to enhance their bus networks to better serve suburban travel needs. Taking into consideration the range of environments implied by the term “suburb,” the guidelines identify six types of suburban environments and the applicability of individual types of transit service to each. The guidelines provide information on modifications and improvements to the overall suburban transit framework, and information on support and complementary services to public transportation. There is discussion on transit center-based networks, express bus services, limited-stop routes, local area circulators, shuttle links, subscription buses, and van pools. Operating techniques such as route deviation, point deviation, and demand-response services are also discussed. Included in the guidelines are 11 case studies. Using the information gathered from the case studies, the guidelines discuss each type of service, covering its description, applicability, performance range, and conditions of effectiveness. The intended audience includes transit planners, general managers, and project managers; transportation policy makers; and city and regional planners. The impact of suburban development on America’s transit industry has been dramatic. Where transit operators once had well-defined downtown cores and could provide radial networks that served them effectively, the environment now contains multiple origin/destination pairs. Some operators have adapted well, offering riders a “family of services” concept, such as local and express bus routes, cross town services, demand-response community-based services, and ridesharing and van pooling. Other suburban transit operators have not fared as well. The oldest form of public transit in suburban areas is radial commuter service supported by various feeder services. Because of the gradual dispersal of jobs to suburban centers over the last 30 years, there is a need to better link these radial services to suburban job and residential centers for both traditional commuters and reverse commuters. In order to improve effectiveness and provide greater mobility to their constituencies, transportation providers, public officials, and planners need to improve the connectivity of suburban transit services. Transit service providers need easy-to-use methodologies for analysing changes. Improving connections between transit services would expand destination choice and reduce travel time, thereby contributing to improved mobility, productivity, and efficiency. Urbitran Associates, Inc., in association with Multisystems, Inc.; SG Associates, Inc.; and Dr. Robert Cervero prepared the final report for TCRP Project B-6. To achieve the project objective of providing guidance to transit operators and regional policy makers on how to enhance suburban mobility through traditional and nontraditional services, the researchers conducted a comprehensive review of current practices related to improving transit connections. A detailed typology was developed to classify suburban areas. Based on the literature review and the detailed typology, case study sites were selected that reflect the diversity of suburban types. The guidelines were developed on the basis of on-site visits and interviews with 11 transit operators from the United States and Canada, supplemented by reports and data for a select number of additional suburban transit services contacted during the course of the research. (A)
Abstract