What Happened?
Research suggests some cities may see their public bus transit systems improved if some stops are eliminated from routes. Decreasing the number of stops on each bus route could speed up services while reducing costs.
The Goal
The Atlantic Cities looked into research from George Mason University that illustrated how proper analysis of existing bus routes may expose unnecessary or redundant bus stops that clog up the transit system and slow down operations. Taking into account certain factors, the study suggested the removal of a portion of bus stops from routes will reduce travel times for passengers while continuing to provide convenient services for the vast majority of residents in a community.
Okay, How?
According to a study conducted at George Mason University, fewer bus stops in Fairfax, Virigina, could improve operations, reduce emissions and maintain quality service coverage for residents. The findings suggested 40 percent of current bus stops could be removed from routes to speed up travel times. In doing so, operation costs would decline 23 percent, while bus-related emissions would drop significantly as well.
The research used a nearest facility algorithm with an 800 meter walking distance threshold as the standard for convenient service. Many bus stops in Fairfax were spaced close together relative to the threshold. By expecting each public bus passenger to walk up to a half mile to a stop for service, only about 10 percent of Fairfax residents may be outside of convenient transit coverage. Therefore, if 53 of the city’s 121 bus stops were removed, 82 percent of residents could still receive convenient coverage.
Boston Cutbacks
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority acknowledged the theory of less is more with regard to bus stops and made plans to eliminate redundancies last summer. The MBTA is reworking the stop schedule for its 15 busiest routes to make the transit system faster and more reliable for passengers.
The MBTA examined about 40 percent of its route coverage to see what stops could be eliminated or relocated to speed up routes by 10 to 15 percent. With some stops as close as 200 feet apart, the authority is working to place stops every 750 to 1,320 feet throughout its coverage areas.
The authority is also working to improve the quality of bus services so all residents can access transit options and enjoy fewer delays or unreliable service. The MBTA is adding new amenities to make all stops ADA compliant for passengers with disabilities, while also installing shelters, benches, signs and trash barrels to stops for added convenience. Some stops will have transit signal priority and designated queue jump lanes deployed so each stop will have less of an impact on the flow of traffic while working to keep passengers safe.
To pay for the changes and improvements, the MBTA is leveraging $7 million in federal stimulus funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act and $3 million in federal transportation funding.
Transit Improvements
Gov1 has followed many public transportation projects that are utilizing technology to cut costs.