Free Bus Rapid Transit AND Transit Oriented Development Case Study Example

Introduction

The concept of a bus rapid transit BRT or a Busway entails a bus-based mass transit structure (Berechman, 12). There are certain designs, infrastructure and services that are required in these systems for them to qualify as recommended Bus Rapid Transit. These systems, designs and infrastructure are basically needed in order to ensure that the bus rapid transit systems function in an efficient manner. In most cases, Bus Rapid Transit systems are referred as Surface Subway; they are usually constructed in a manner that combines capacity as well as speed or metro or light rails, characterized by flexibility, affordability as well as a simplistic design of the bus system (Berechman, 13). The four main elements of a Bus Rapid Transit System are; alignment within the center of the roads, hence avoiding curb delays. The second element is of Bus Rapid Transit is off-board fare collection; this is meant to reduce challenges associated with delays that may be caused as the passengers make payments to the drivers. The third element of a Bus Rapid Transit entails construction of a station bus in a level manner that aligns with the floor of the bus; this reduces boarding and aligning delays (Berechman, 14). Consequently, a recommended bus rapid transit is equipped with priority intersections, which facilitated the reduction of intersection signal delay.
This paper will explore the components of a Bus Rapid Transit System and their associated outputs. It will also explore the outputs of a Bus Rapid Transit system and their impacts on economic development as well as the impact of economic development on the Bus Rapid Transit System output.

Bus Rapid Transit System Components and their Impacts on System Output

In research article published by the Federal Transit Administration, it is indicated that the Bus there are key components of bus transit system that have a significant impact on the efficiency as well as speed. In Orlando Florida, there is the Orlando Lymmo System that was implemented in the early 1999 (Poister, 625). This system is characterized by a low-floor bus that facilitates the speeding of loading and offloading passengers. The low-floor buses also enhance the loading and offloading of passengers on wheel-chairs. The Orlando Florida Lymmo Bus Rapid Transit system is also equipped with electronic kiosks where passengers are shown the locations as well as the specific time for the arrival of their buses. These are some of the components of a Bus Rapid Transit System that facilitates appropriate time management, hence reducing incidences of delays (Poister, 626).
The report also indicates that the same-level boarding platform and bus floor, which is a critical feature of the Bus Rapid Transit System that allows passengers with wheel-chairs to board and deboard the bus, is an indicating of compliance with various disability acts i.e. the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In Minnesota, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority in Collaboration with the Federal Transit Authority have introduced a Driver Assist System that basically operates through a GPS technology that provides drivers with data or lane feedback information through virtual mirror, vibrating seat, head-up display and actuated Steering (Poister, 627). This is another imperative feature/component of the Bus Rapid Transit system that enhances speed especially during bad weather as they enhance the confidence of the drivers. This feature has also been associated with increased efficiency, reliability as well as the safety of the passengers and the driver. Minnesota Valley Transit Authority have indicated that since the introduction of the Driver Assist Systems, drivers have shown an increased performance and are able to drive 3 miles faster than before.
The implementation of an off-board fare collection strategy has applied by the Cleveland HealthLine Bus Transit system has also been associated with increased efficiency, hence increased speed. This system enables the bus transit company to collect fares at specific point through cash-less means. This reduces delays that may be associated with making payments directly to the drivers, while on board. However, a major challenge that has been noted with the application of this strategy in the United States is limited space for customers awaiting to make payments or waiting for the buses (Poister, 629).
Moreover, certain cities in the United States such as Chicago have introduced the Traffic signal priority system for Transit Buses. This reduces incidences of delay that usually result due to excessive waiting periods at the intersection points or signals. Despite the fact that this strategy has enhanced efficiency and increased speed in regard to transportation using buses, it has been considered a challenge to other traffic users, who are compelled to wait as the buses are provided with green light to go ahead of other road users.
High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes is another component of the Bus Rapid Transit systems that have been implemented in various parts of the United States (Hidalgo, Dario, and Rodrigo, 15). This component involves lanes that are basically reserved for vanpools, carpools and, buses as well as motorcycles. They are meant to be used by these vehicles during designated periods. The introduction of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes in Miami by the Miami Urban Partnership Agreement and in California has enhanced time management and speed, specifically by reserving certain sections of the road for Transit Buses and other vehicle in distinct times/periods (Hidalgo, Dario, and Rodrigo, 16). In a research published by the Transit Signal Priority (TSP), it indicated that the introduction of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes has enhanced efficiency by reducing the amount of time spent by Transit buses to move from one location to another. The report indicated that on average, the HOV reduced time spent by 12 percent, which is a reduction of by four minutes. The other component of the Bus Rapid Transit is the Hierarchical System of Services; this has enabled the high speed buses to provide a broad perspective of services for instance: Circulator buses, direct, feeder and express buses (Mejía-Dugand, 83). This ensures that the buses cover an entire metropolitan area through the ease of transfer services as a result of efficient fare payment and passenger friendly passenger identification of routes. This system has not only affected land use policies, but also ensured that time is efficiently managed.

Impacts of the Outcomes of Bus Rapid Transit Systems and Factors that Impact Transit Development

It is evident that Transit Oriented Development of TOD is a development strategy geared towards counteracting the impacts of sprawling vehicle-based or automobile-based sub-urban development. This dimension of development has had significant impacts in the United States of America, specifically the Northern parts of America. It has facilitated changes in regard to social, environmental as well as economic development (Mejía-Dugand, 86). In a research undertaken by the Federal Transit authority and the European Union to determine the impacts of Transit Oriented Development on Urban Structure, Design and Density within Five major cities in the United States i.e. Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Sand Diego and Sand Jose indicated that: The implementation of Transit Oriented Development has affected commuting patterns among workers in the San Francisco’s CDB. This has had a significant impact on the economic vitality of the city, with many workers showing a high level of preference to use the new Bus Rapid Transit System. The study indicated that the density of a city has a great positive impact on the development of a Transit system; that is, the higher the density, and the higher likelihood of transit development. Densely populated and structured cities such as Los Angeles have a higher sense of relationship between the use of multiple modes and compactness of development (Mejía-Dugand, 87). The research indicated that many residents of Los Angeles especially those that do not have to travel to far distances prefer using Bus Rapid Transit Systems compared to those who have to travel to far distances. Moreover, residential development as an aspect of social development has a significant impact of transit development. Residential areas located in close proximity to transit systems mark an increased use in the Transit systems. This was determined in a research that was published by the Rail Transit and Joint Development in Washington D.C indicating that many people living in close proximity to the Transit systems preferred using the transit systems when engaging in short distance travel.
The use of transit system is also affected by an urban design; urban design has been considered an important feature taken into consideration when assessing the success of a Bus Rapid Transit system. Streets that are friendly to pedestrians i.e. streets with provided cross-walks, side-walks and curb cuts are considered important to communities that aspire to engage in the development of Transit systems. The incorporation of certain amenities along the streets and the environment also facilitates an increased use of transit systems. The inclusion of lighting, benches where pedestrians can sit on in a transit system has been associated with the increased use of Transit systems in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Washington DC and Boston. Some architects and city planners have argued that the location of shop-front closer to streets and pedestrian walk paths have a significant impact on the development of Bus Rapid Transit Systems.
Population density is also another imperative factor that has been associated with significant impact on Transit system development. In Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States has a population of approximately 20 million people. An average of 200,000 people commutes to work in the 2.0 square mile Central Business District (Hensher and Zheng Li, 1210). The high number of people that strain to access amenities within Los Angeles’ CBD has raised increased concern in regard to traffic congestion as well as increased commuting time by approximately four percent. However, the local authorities invested approximately 15 billion dollars to support a mass development of Bus Rapid Transit system. According to Metropolitan Transit Authority, this project enhanced the efforts of the local government to each traffic pressured created by massive use of the limited roads and transport lanes (Hensher and Zheng Li, 1212).

Conclusion

The transportation sector is an imperative aspect of socio-economic development; the Bus Rapid Transit system is one of the dimensions of development in the transportation sector that has been facilitated efficiency in relation to transportation within many cities. This has been specifically achieved through implementation of its major components i.e. alignment within the center of the roads, hence avoiding curb delays; off-board fare collection; this is meant to reduce challenges associated with delays that may be caused as the passengers make payments to the drivers; construction of a station bus in a level manner that aligns with the floor of the bus; this reduces boarding and aligning delays and a bus rapid transit is equipped with priority intersections, which facilitated the reduction of intersection signal delay. It is apparent that the Bus Rapid Transit System and socio-economic development have a significant inter-relationship. As aforementioned, socio-economic factors in major cities in the United States i.e. Chicago and Los Angeles among others have influenced the development of Bus Rapid Transit systems in these cities. On the other hand, the rapid implementation of Bus Rapid Transit systems has a major impact on certain socio-economic aspects of development for instance: It affects land use patterns in major cities as expressed through the development of High Occupancy Toll lanes. Additionally, efficiency in relation to movement from one place to another has also been associated with positive impacts on economic development. It is therefore important to acknowledge the fact that Bus Rapid Transit Systems impacts socio-economic development processes and vice-versa.

Work Cited

Berechman, Joseph. Public transit economics and deregulation policy. Elsevier, 2013.
Hensher, David A., and Zheng Li. "Ridership drivers of bus rapid transit systems." Transportation 39.6 (2012): 1209-1221.
Hidalgo, Dario, and Rodrigo Diaz. "Advancing Urban Mobility with National Programs: A Review of Colombia’s National Urban Transport Policy." Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting. No. 14-5125. 2014.
Jun, Myung-Jin. "Redistributive effects of bus rapid transit (BRT) on development patterns and property values in Seoul, Korea." Transport Policy 19.1 (2012): 85-92.
Mejía-Dugand, Santiago, et al. "Lessons from the spread of bus rapid transit in Latin America." Journal of Cleaner Production 50 (2013): 82-90.
Poister, Theodore et al. "Does performance management lead to better outcomes? Evidence from the US public transit industry." Public Administration Review 73.4 (2013): 625-636.
Tang, Lei, and Piyushimita Vonu Thakuriah. "Ridership effects of real-time bus information system: A case study in the City of Chicago." Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 22 (2012): 146-161.
Walteros, Jose L., Andrés L. Medaglia, and Germán Riaño. "Hybrid algorithm for route design on bus rapid transit systems." Transportation Science (2013).