This study explored the use of small buses in transit services, either as replacements for large buses in fixed-route scheduled service or in innovative, more flexible operations, such as route deviation or demand-response service. For the purpose of this study, small buses were defined as vehicles used in urban public transit services open to the general public that were 30 ft or less in lenght. At the onset of the study, it was decided to exclude paratransit services that are available only to eligible customers, such as the elderly or people with disabilities. In addition, the study did not include rural service and services using trolley replicas. The study involved several tasks, including a survey of transit agencies in North America that had been identified as using small buses, a survey of transit agencies that had been identified as not using small buses, a survey of small bus manufacturers, reviews of documents and websites, follow-up communications with transit managers and staff, and four detailed on-site case studies. (A)
Abstract