Mass Transit: Bus Rapid Transit Shows Promise

摘要

Bus Rapid Transit as a comprehensive transportation option is exemplified in Curitiba, Brazil. Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit system is an extensive commuter bus system that includes exclusive busways and a number of other features designed to increase speed, such as traffic signal prioritization, rail-like stations with level-floor boarding, and advance fare collection. In the United States at least 17 cities are planning to incorporate aspects of Bus Rapid Transit. The Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has begun to support this concept and expand awareness of new ways to design and operate high capacity Bus Rapid Transit systems as an alternative to building Light Rail systems. Light Rail systems generally are electric trains that may operate on streets with other traffic. You asked us to (1) examine the federal role in supporting Bus Rapid Transit; (2) compare the capital costs, operating costs, and performance characteristics of Bus Rapid Transit and Light Rail systems; and (3) describe the other advantages and disadvantages of Bus Rapid Transit and Light Rail.