INTERCITY BUS STOPS: ESSENTIAL CONNECTORS FOR A VIABLE RURAL SYSTEM

The paper is based on the assumption that reliable, secure bus stops are essential both to maintaining existing ridership and to enticing new riders either from among small town residents or from new feeder networks. The expectation is that unless adequate bus stops are provided and regularly served, potential rural riders will not feel confident to venture out to take the intercity bus. The December 1984 "Intercity Bus Terminal Study" defines an adequate bus station as one that "provides a place to purchase tickets, obtain some schedule information and wait in a sheltered area, perhaps with access to food service and/or rest rooms." Using these criteria as a guide, the current study takes another look at rural bus stops in Iowa, a state well known for its rural orientation. A telephone survey was conducted of a random sample of 43 commission agents in June 1987. Overall, it was found that the majority of agents regard their bus station activities as a type of "community service" operated in addition to another business. They served few passengers and received little financial benefit. Consequently more than 25% of the stops surveyed did not meet the established criteria. A fuller recognition of the importance of bus stations in the overall plans for increasing ridership in rural areas is needed.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1989/1229/1229-011.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=INTERCITY+BUS+STOPS%3A+ESSENTIAL+CONNECTORS+FOR+A+VIABLE+RURAL+SYSTEM&author=M.+Kihl&publication_year=1989
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  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309048214
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1229, Economics, Finance, Planning, and Administration. 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
• Authors:
  • Kihl, Mary
• Publication Date: 1989

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 92-99
• Monograph Title: Economics, finance, planning, and administration
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1229
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus stops; Bus transportation; Data collection; Intercity bus lines; Needs assessment; Ridership; Rural areas; Small towns; Surveys
• Uncontrolled Terms: User needs
• Geographic Terms: Iowa
• Old TRIS Terms: Agents
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00495115
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309048214
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 30 1990 12:00AM