TECHNIQUES FOR RURAL TRANSIT SERVICE DESIGN

Transit service is playing an increasingly vital role in maintaining and improving the mobility and economic well-being of rural populations in the North Central region. This has been particularly important as the decline in several small towns has led to a dependency on regional centers or metropolitan areas for services formerly provided locally. While rural transit systems have become more important, higher operating expenses and reduced federal subsidies have made state transit management, design and funding decisions more complex. Thus, the purpose of this project was to develop methods and tools to aid in making these important decisions. In particular, to facilitate the task of designing and funding transit service by transit managers and funding agencies respectively, this work explicitly includes performance indicators in a simulation method which provides forecasts of transit system efficiency and effectiveness over time. The method is to be used as a quick turn-around design tool at two levels: (a) at the managerial level to provide help in service design and operation, and (b) at the fund allocation level to help in funding decisions. Techniques were developed to improve the potential for transferability of the simulation method, to facilitate its implementation across rural areas of the North Central region. This work addresses problems faced by both transit managers and funding agencies.

  • Record URL:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This study was conducted at the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, and funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's University Transportation Centers Program.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Mountain-Plains Consortium

    North Dakota State University
    Fargo, ND  United States  58108
  • Authors:
    • STEPHANEDES, Y J
    • Vairamidis, N V
  • Publication Date: 1991-11

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 96 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00639873
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: MPC Report No. 91-5
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Nov 30 1993 12:00AM