ENERGY SHORTFALLS AND PEAK-HOUR TRANSIT CAPACITY PROBLEMS: THE 1979 EXPERIENCE

Effects of the 1979 energy shortfall on peak-hour transit capacity are analyzed. 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. The extent to which peak-hour capacity problems were created or heightened in the spring and summer of 1979, actions selected for 1979, the effectiveness and cost of those actions, implementation problems, and transit operators' recommendations for future crises of this nature are documented. Results indicate that systems in the Northeast and in urbanized areas with a population of more than 250,000 were most affected in terms of peak-hour capacity problems. The actions most often taken were relaxing using a reserve fleet of buses, changing maintenance practices, and encouraging programs for variable work hours. Changing operating standards is an excellent first move to make while other actions are being considered. Problems most often concerned finance, maintenance, personnel, and time requirements. The most effective actions tended to be the most costly.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1983/935/935-001.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=ENERGY+SHORTFALLS+AND+PEAK-HOUR+TRANSIT+CAPACITY+PROBLEMS%3A+THE+1979+EXPERIENCE&author=D.+Boyle&author=J.+Cantine&publication_year=1983
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Energy Conservation and Transportation Demand.Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Boyle, Daniel K
  • Cantine, Jeffrey R
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1-5
• Monograph Title: ANALYSIS OF ISSUES IN ENERGY PLANNING AND ENERGY MODELING
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 935
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Energy resources; Management; Peak periods; Public transit; Transit operating agencies; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy crisis
• Old TRIS Terms: Operating strategies; Transit management
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Energy; Finance; Highways; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment; I96: Vehicle Operating Costs;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00386796
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 030903650X
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 30 1984 12:00AM