Development of a Large Bus/Small Bus Decision Support Tool (Phase II), Summary Report

摘要

When purchasing new buses, transit system managers want to choose vehicles that will improve efficiency and customer service in a cost effective manner. Transit agencies in recent years have begun to put into service buses that are smaller than the traditional 40-foot size. Agencies opt for the smaller buses because they appear to be more economical to buy, operate, and maintain, especially for routes with variable ridership and schedules. However, a software-based method for calculating the potential long-term costs of bus fleet vehicles has not been available until now.