Business Logistics 420Urban Transportation

Fall 2000Lecture 2: The Scope of Public

Transportation Services

• Objective of this lecture is to provide you with an overview of the modes of public transportation that are in service and to identify key attributes of these services

• Objective is also to help you understand circumstances in which each mode would be appropriate

Scope of Public Transportation Services

• Technology Used– Fixed guideway vs non-fixed (highway)– Exclusive right of way vs. shared– Power source– Stations Type (ground level, high level, none)

and spacing– Capacity

Key Attributes of Modes

• Speed

• Type of operation– Line haul– Collector/feeder– fixed-route/fixed-schedule vs. demand

responsive

• Ownership of vehicles and right of way

Key Attributes (Continued)

• To provide the fastest service possible

• To match capacity with demand

• To make the service “cost-effective”

Public Transit Challenge

• Fixed Guideway– Rapid rail transit– Commuter Rail Transit– Light Rail Transit– Personal Rapid Transit– Cable Car– Incline Plane

Brief Description of Modes

• Heavy Rail--High-speed, passenger rail cars operating singly or in trains of two or more cars on fixed rails in separate rights-of-way from which all other vehicular and foot traffic are excluded. Also known as "rapid rail,"

• "subway," "elevated (railway)," or "metropolitan railway (metro)."

Rapid Rail Transit, Heavy Rail

• Lightweight passenger rail cars operating singly (or in short, usually two-car, trains) on fixed rails in right-of-way that is not separated from other traffic for much of the way. Light rail vehicles are driven electrically with power being drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley or a pantograph. Also known as "streetcar," "tramway," or "trolley car."

Light Rail Transit (Trolley)

• Long-haul rail passenger service operating between metropolitan and suburban areas, whether within or across the geographical boundaries of a state, usually characterized by reduced fares for multiple rides, and commutation tickets for regular, recurring riders. Also known as "regional rail" or "suburban rail."

Commuter Rail Transit

• Rapid Bus Transit -- exclusive right of way, high platform, rapid loading services

• Busways (Pittsburgh)

Hybrid Services between Fixed and Flexible Guideway

• Conventional bus service– Fixed Route– Flexible Route– Subscription

• Trolley bus (rubber tired vehicle, electrically powered)

• Jitney (fixed-route, flexible schedule)

Non Fixed Guideway Modes

• Same route on regular pre-set schedule

• Example CATA H Route (Toftrees)

Fixed-Route Bus Service

• Characterized by smaller vehicle (< 25 psgrs)• Route and schedule flexible in response to demand

for service• Shared-ride (not exclusive)• Operating patterns

– Many to many

– Many to one

– Many to few

Paratransit, Demand-Responsive

• Taxi

• Carpool

• Vanpool

• Shared-ride services – General Public– Target Audience -- senior citizens, disabled

persons, low income (Welfare-to-Work)

Types of Paratransit

• Deviates from route to cover prescribed area (shaded), but meets fixed stops on regularly scheduled basis

Flexible Routing Bus Service

Study Questions1.What are the key service/customer advant-

ages of fixed guideway systems such as heavy rail, commuter rail, and light rail?

2. In what operating environments are this high-capacity modes most appropriate?

3. What is the difference between heavy rail and light rail systems that were built 100 years ago compared to ones built since the 1970s?

Study Questions (Continued)4. What are the key characteristics of

paratransit services?

5. Where are paratransit services most appropriate?

6. Are rapid busways a reasonable substitute for rapid rail transit systems? If so, in what contexts?

• History of urban development and transit technology

• History of the transit enterprise

• The rise and fall of transit

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