ENERGY SHORTFALLS AND PEAK-HOUR TRANSIT CAPACITY PROBLEMS: THE 1979 EXPERIENCE. TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS REPORT 16

This report analyzes effects of the 1979 energy shortfall on peak-hour transit capacity. A short survey was sent to 102 transit operators in 100 urbanized areas throughout the United States; of these, 45 responses were received from 44 urbanized areas. This report documents the extent to which peak-hour capacity problems were created or heightened in the spring and summer of 1979, actions selected for implementation in 1979, the effectiveness and cost of those actions, implementation problems, and transit operators' recommendations for future crises of this nature. Results indicate that systems in the Northeast and in urbanized areas with a population of over 250,000 were most affected in terms of peak-hor capacity problems. The actions most often taken were relaxing informal operating standards, increasing park-and-ride or express bus serivces, using a reserve fleet of buses, changing maintenance practices and encouraging variable work hour programs. Changing operating standards is an excellent first action to take while preparing other actions for implementation. Problems most often concerned finance, maintenance, personnel and time requirements. The most effective actions tend to be the most costly.

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00371955
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Apr 29 1983 12:00AM