Embracing Change in a Changing World -- Case Studies Applying New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery

This report summarizes the findings of Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Project B-22A, New Paradigms for Rural and Small Urban Transit Service Delivery. It will be of interest to individuals who provide public transportation in rural and small urban areas; local, regional, state, and federal planners and funders of these services; and the administrators of these programs at state departments of transportation. The findings, presented in the form of case studies, provide a valuable resource to professionals who may implement new concepts to improve public transportation in the community

Management Toolkit for Rural and Small Urban Transportation Systems

This toolkit identifies an array of management principles and techniques, for use by small urban and rural public transportation providers, to assist in managing their transportation services and resources effectively. The toolkit has two parts: a guidebook and a self-assessment tool. The guidebook introduces the idea of customer-driven transit service attributes and includes general management philosophies. Also included in the guidebook are exemplary practices and how to instructions for some topics. Additional sections describing rules of thumb or things to avoid are included for some management processes. Each chapter of the guidebook discusses a customer-service attribute and how it can be measured and tracked. Some of the customer-service attributes are reliability, safety/security, convenience/accessibility, comfort/cleanliness, and affordability. The guidebook also includes four chapters on the cross-cutting topics, including operations management, risk management, vehicle maintenance, and procurement. The self-assessment tool on disk, that accompanies this report, is designed to give the user a baseline or current picture of the status of the transit system

Effective Approaches to Meeting Rural Intercity Bus Transportation Needs

This report presents results of research conducted under Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Project B-21, Effective Approaches to Meeting Rural Intercity Bus Transportation Needs. The project identified strategies for initiating, preserving, and enhancing effective rural intercity bus transportation. To identify recent projects and to identify barriers or issues affecting implementation, the research effort included surveys of state rural transit program managers, state rail program managers, and intercity bus carriers. The report includes three parts. Part I contains a review of recent developments affecting the intercity bus industry, an overview of potential funding sources, and a review of barriers to implementation of rural intercity projects. Part II provides strategies for rural intercity service improvements, including methods of identifying intercity carriers and services, planning, program development, operating assistance, capital assistance, marketing assistance, and combining approaches. Each strategy is described, and implementation examples are presented. Part III presents 50 project descriptions based on additional survey interviews with project contacts. A compendium of all projects identified is included as Appendix B. Also included as appendixes are guidance for the Section 5311(f) program (Appendix A) and a bibliography (Appendix C). The research indicates that there are a variety of ways to implement successful rural intercity projects, depending on local goals, institutional constraints, and funding availability

Guidebook for Change and Innovation at Rural and Small Urban Transit Systems

This report will be of interest to individuals who provide public transportation in rural and small urban areas; local, regional, state, and federal planners and funders of these services; and the administrators of these programs at state departments of transportation. The research, presented in the form of a guidebook, provides a valuable resource to many people who may implement or adapt new concepts to improve public transportation in their community. Much of the information was derived from a careful review of innovative public transportation initiatives undertaken in rural and small urban communities throughout the United States. The guidebook is divided into two parts: Part I addresses the culture for change and innovation and Part II presents more than 40 initiatives and innovations implemented by an array of organizations, including public and nonprofit transit systems, regional planning agencies, state transit associations, and state departments of transportation

Analyzing the Costs of Operating Small Transit Vehicles: User\u27s Guide STVe (Small Transit Vehicle economics)

This User\u27s Guide explains the accompanying Small Transit Vehicle economics (STVe) model - a tool designed for transit planners and others making decisions about the purchase of small transit vehicles for different services and operating environments. The computerized STVe model is based on the principles of engineering economics and allows the user to assess whether it makes economic sense to invest in a particular type of vehicle, based on user-defined inputs. The User\u27s Guide describes how to run the model and interpret its results. The STVe model and User\u27s Guide will be of interest to transit operators, planners, policy makers, and others concerned with the costs associated with implementing small transit vehicle service in the United States