TCRP Report 53, "Forces and Factors That Require Consideration of New Paradigms," will be of interest to individuals and organisations seeking fundamental change and innovation in public transportation. This report is the first step in examining how new paradigms might be introduced into local public transportation. It summarises the key forces and factors that appear to necessitate a paradigm shift - a re-invention of the organisations that now have or share responsibility for local public transportation services. This report is the first of several products that will be developed by TCRP Project J-8B, "New Paradigms for Local Public Transportation Organisations." This report is intended to (1) present the case for a paradigm shift in local public transportation in terms strong enough that a consensus can be reached on the need for action and (2) trigger a wide-ranging debate and dialogue on the basic premises that necessitate a paradigm shift in local public transportation. The report discusses the forces and factors that are effecting the relevance of traditional public transportation services in North America. Fixed-route and fixed-schedule public transportation systems, which are the prevailing model for public transportation in most communities, are losing market share as urban sprawl, diffused travel patterns, and changing life styles contribute to increased automobile travel. Decision making for public transportation is complicated and fragmented with many organisations making separate, overlapping, and sometimes competing decisions. While technology is changing rapidly in most sectors of the economy, public transportation lags behind, making it further outdated. This environment has slowed innovation and limited the potential effectiveness of public transportation services. While there has been much discussion with the transportation community about countervailing forces and their import, there is still uncertainty as to whether public transportation is truly facing a "crisis" and whether circumstances warrant fundamental change in any given locale. Transforming public transportation will require great initiative from management and employees within public transit organisations but will also require significant new public policies and considerable support from many organisations and individuals outside public transit. The report provides insights from selected organisations, both within and outside the transportation sector, which have pursued and achieved dramatic change. In many instances, these organisations faced forces and factors similar to those being experienced by public transportation systems that have contributed to wholesale "re-invention" or fundamental change to their key business processes and functions. (A)
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