Project 1951 April 2021 City Best Practices to Improve Transit Operations and Safety Michelle DeRobertis, PhD Christopher E. Ferrell, PhD Richard W. Lee, PhD David Moore MINETA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE transweb.sjsu.edu MINETA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE MTI FOUNDER Hon. Norman Y. Mineta Founded in 1991, the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), an organized research and training unit in partnership with the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business at San José State University (SJSU) , increases mobility for all by improving the safety, MTI BOARD OF TRUSTEES efficiency, accessibility, and convenience of our nation’s transportation system. Through research, education , workforce development, and technology transfer, we help create a connected world. MTI leads the Mineta Consortium for Transportation Mobility (MCTM) Founder, Honorable Grace Crunican** Diane Woodend Jones Takayoshi Oshima Norman Mineta* Owner Principal & Chair of Board Chairman & CEO funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the California State University Transportation Consortium (CSUTC) funded Secretary (ret.), Crunican LLC Lea + Elliott, Inc. Allied Telesis, Inc. by the State of California through Senate Bill 1. MTI focuses on three primary responsibilities: US Department of Transportation Donna DeMartino David S. Kim* Paul Skoutelas* Chair, Managing Director Secretary President & CEO Abbas Mohaddes Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis California State Transportation American Public Transportation President & COO Obispo Rail Corridor Agency Agency (CALSTA) Association (APTA) Econolite Group Inc. Nuria Fernandez** Therese McMillan Beverley Swaim-Staley Research Information and Technology Transfer Vice Chair, General Manager & CEO Executive Director President MTI conducts multi-disciplinary research focused on surface MTI utilizes a diverse array of dissemination methods and Will Kempton Santa Clara Valley Metropolitan Transportation Union Station Redevelopment Executive Director Transportation Authority (VTA) Commission (MTC) Corporation transportation that contributes to effective decision making. media to ensure research results reach those responsible Sacramento Transportation Authority Research areas include: active transportation; planning and policy; for managing change. These methods include publication, John Flaherty Bradley Mims Jim Tymon* security and counterterrorism; sustainable transportation and seminars, workshops, websites, social media, webinars, Executive Director, Senior Fellow President & CEO Executive Director Karen Philbrick, PhD* Silicon Valley American Conference of Minority American Association of land use; transit and passenger rail; transportation engineering; and other technology transfer mechanisms. Additionally, Mineta Transportation Institute Leadership Form Transportation Officials (COMTO) State Highway and Transportation transportation finance; transportation technology; and MTI promotes the availability of completed research to San José State University Officials (AASHTO) William Flynn * Jeff Morales workforce and labor. MTI research publications undergo expert professional organizations and works to integrate the Winsome Bowen President & CEO Managing Principal Larry Willis* peer review to ensure the quality of the research. research findings into the graduate education program. Chief Regional Transportation Amtrak InfraStrategies, LLC President Strategy Transportation Trades MTI’s extensive collection of transportation-related Facebook Rose Guilbault Dan Moshavi, PhD* Dept., AFL-CIO Board Member Dean, Lucas College and Education and Workforce Development publications is integrated into San José State University’s David Castagnetti Peninsula Corridor Graduate School of Business * = Ex-Officio To ensure the efficient movement of people and products, we world-class Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Co-Founder Joint Powers Board San José State University ** = Past Chair, Board of Trustees must prepare a new cohort of transportation professionals Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas Ian Jefferies* Toks Omishakin* who are ready to lead a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable President & CEO Director transportation industry. To help achieve this, MTI sponsors a suite Maria Cino Association of American Railroads California Department of Vice President Transportation (Caltrans) of workforce development and education opportunities. The America & U.S. Government Institute supports educational programs offered by the Lucas Relations Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Graduate School of Business: a Master of Science in Transportation Management, plus graduate certificates that include High-Speed and Intercity Rail Management and Transportation Security Management. These flexible programs offer live online classes Directors so that working transportation professionals can pursue an advanced degree regardless of their location. Karen Philbrick, PhD Executive Director Hilary Nixon, PhD Deputy Executive Director Asha Weinstein Agrawal, PhD Education Director National Transportation Finance Center Director Brian Michael Jenkins National Transportation Security Disclaimer Center Director The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the information presented herein. This document is disseminated in the interest of information exchange. MTI’s research is funded, partially or entirely, by grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the California Department of Transportation, and the California State University Office of the Chancellor, who assume no liability for the contents or use thereof. This report does not constitute a standard specification, design standard, or regulation. Report 21-09 City Best Practices to Improve Transit Operations and Safety Michelle DeRobertis, PhD Richard W. Lee, PhD Christopher E. Ferrell, PhD David Moore April 2021 A publication of the Mineta Transportation Institute Created by Congress in 1991 College of Business San José State University San José, CA 95192-0219 TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. 21-09 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date City Best Practices to Improve Transit Operations and Safety April 2021 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Authors 8. Performing Organization Report Michelle DeRobertis, PhD, 0000-0001-5732-8777 CA-MTI-1946 Christopher E. Ferrell, PhD, 0000-0002-3285-1008 Richard W. Lee, PhD, 0000-0002-7385-4336 David Moore, 0000-0002-7784-9614 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Mineta Transportation Institute College of Business 11. Contract or Grant No. San José State University 65A0660 San José, CA 95192-0219 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered California Department of Transportation 1120 N Street 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Sacramento, CA 95814 15. Supplemental Notes DOI: 10.31979/mti.2021.1951 16. Abstract Public, fixed-route transit services most commonly operate on public streets. In addition, transit passengers must use sidewalks to access transit stops and stations. However, streets and sidewalks are under the jurisdiction of municipalities, not transit agencies. Various municipal policies, practices, and decisions affect transit operations, rider convenience, and passenger safety. Thus, these government entities have an important influence over the quality, safety, and convenience of transit services in their jurisdictions. This research identified municipal policies and practices that affect public transport providers’ ability to deliver transit services. They were found from a comprehensive literature review, interviews and discussions with five local transit agencies in the U.S., five public transportation experts and staff from five California cities. The city policies and practices identified fall into the following five categories: Infrastructure for buses, including bus lanes, signal treatments, curbside access; Infrastructure for pedestrians walking and bicycling to, and waiting at, transit stops and stations; Internal transportation planning policies and practices; Land development review policies; Regional and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) issues. The understanding, acknowledgement, and implementation of policies and practices identified in this report can help municipalities proactively work with local transit providers to more efficiently and effectively operate transit service and improve passenger comfort and safety on city streets. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Transit operations, public transportation, No restrictions. This document is available to the public through The city practices, city transportation policy, National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. city infrastructure planning, complete streets, private employer shuttles 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 158 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Copyright © 2021 by Mineta Transportation Institute All rights reserved. DOI: 10.31979/mti.2021.1951 Mineta Transportation Institute College of Business San José State University San José, CA 95192-0219 Tel: (408) 924-7560 Fax: (408) 924-7565 Email: [email protected] transweb.sjsu.edu/research/1951 M INETA T RANSPORTATION I NSTITUTE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to thank MTI Executive Director Dr. Karen Philbrick as well as Dr. Hilary Nixon, Director of Research and Technology