Practices in the Development and Deployment of Downtown Circulators. A Synthesis of Transit Practice. Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 87.

摘要

The concept of a special bus route circulating through downtown, especially one that utilizes a trolley-style or other striking vehicle, appeals to downtown business interests and elected officials as a means to encourage and support downtown revitalization. Many cities have developed and deployed downtown circulators, but there has not been significant literature documenting important aspects of these programs: planning and development, barriers to implementation, funding, performance, and strategies for making downtown circulators work. The limited information that exists is spread across the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. In addition, downtown shuttles are often owned and/or operated by other than traditional transit operators; therefore, there is limited industry and institutional history and knowledge of shuttle operations. The purpose of this synthesis is to document the state of the practice in terms of the development, deployment, and sustainability of downtown circulator systems.