The Influence of Service Planning Decisions on Rail Transit Success June 2009 Or Failure 6
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MTI The InfluenceThe of ServiceTransitPlanning Failure DecisionsSuccess or on Rail Funded by U.S. Department of Transportation and California The Influence of Service Planning Department of Transportation Decisions on Rail Transit Success or Failure MTI ReportMTI 08-04 MTI Report 08-04 June 2009 MINETA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE MTI FOUNDER Hon. Norman Y. Mineta The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (MTI) was established by Congress as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. Reauthorized in 1998, MTI was selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation through a competitive process in 2002 as a national “Center of Excellence.” The Institute is funded by Con- MTI BOARD OF TRUSTEES gress through the United States Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, the Califor- nia Legislature through the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and by private grants and donations. 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This report does not constitute a standard specification, design standard, or regulation. MTI REPORT 08-04 THE INFLUENCE OF SERVICE PLANNING DECISION ON RAIL TRANSIT SUCCESS OR FAILURE June 2009 Jeffrey R. Brown, PhD Gregory L. Thompson, PhD a publication of the Mineta Transportation Institute College of Business San José State University San José, CA 95192-0219 Created by Congress in 1991 TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA-CA-MTI-09-2608 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date The Influence of Service Planning Decisions on Rail Transit Success June 2009 or Failure 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Authors 8. Performing Organization Report No. Jeffrey Brown PhD and Gregory L. Thompson, PhD MTI Report 08-04 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Mineta Transportation Institute College of Business San José State University 11. Contract or Grant No. San José, CA 95192-0219 DTRT07-G-0054 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered California Department of U.S. Department of Transportation Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Sacramento, CA 95815 Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Rm. E33 Washington, DC 20590-0001 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract Some United States metropolitan areas with rail transit systems enjoy ridership and productivity success while others do not. This study examines the experiences of 11 U.S. metropolitan areas with between onr million and five million persons to better understand why some areas are successful and others are not. A particular focus is the role of service planning decisions in facilitating transit success. We find that successful transit systems are those that: 1) articulate a clear, multidestination vision for regional transit; 2) rely on rail transit as the system’s backbone; 3) recognize the importance of the non-CBD travel market; 4) encourage the use of transfers to reach a wider array of destinations; 5) recognize that rail transit alone is not enough to guarantee success; and 6) recognize the importance of serving regional destinations. 17. Keywords 18. Distribution Statement Dual mode transportation