Developing bus transfer facilities for maximum transit agency and community benefit

Bus transfer centers are often regarded as ‘undesirable neighbors’ that are difficult to site and difficult to gain support for due to noise, exhaust, traffic congestion, and the presence of unwanted passengers. In fact, there are some locations where major bus transfer activities are not only not welcome, but are probably not in the best interests of the surrounding development. However, many transit agencies are elevating the acceptance and relevance of transit in their service areas by making their transfer centers true community assets rather than nuisances. This often means finding the right location for a transit center for both the surrounding community and the passengers, replacing run down development with new facilities, incorporating exciting and inspiring architecture and design, and improving the pedestrian amenities and safety and security of the immediate area around the transfer center. Some communities have greatly expanded the concept of bus transfer centers by using them as locations for vital health and human services, as well as other conveniences that improve the quality of life for the residents of the surrounding community. In addition, others have utilized the advantage of their Federal grants to build transit centers that provide opportunities for joint development that help to generate revenues that can be used for other public improvements in the immediate area, which help to attract additional private investment and positive development where there once was blight. This report highlights how four transit agencies used their bus transfer centers to not only improve their image and community relations, but to serve as catalysts for positive development in the surrounding areas.U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.Florida Department of Transportation, Tallahassee, FLhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64893/1/102506.pd

Implementation and outcomes of fare-free transit systems

The purpose of this synthesis was to document the past and current experiences of public transit agencies that have planned, implemented, and operated fare-free transit systems. The report concentrates on public transit agencies that are either direct recipients or sub-recipients of federal transit grants and provide fare-free service to everyone in their service area on every mode they provide. The report will be of interest to transit managers and staffs, small urban and rural areas, university, and resort communities, as well as stakeholders and policy makers at all levels who would be interested in knowing the social benefits and macro impacts of providing affordable mobility through fare-free public transit. A review of the relevant literature was conducted for this effort. Reports provide statistics on changes in levels of ridership associated with fare-free service. White papers or agency reports identified by the topic panel or discovered through interviews with fare-free transit managers were also reviewed. Through topic panel input, Internet searches, listserv communications, and APTA and TRB sources, the first comprehensive listing of public transit agencies that provide fare-free service in the United States was identified. A selected survey of these identified public transit agencies yielded an 82% response rate (32/39). The report offers a look at policy and administrative issues through survey responses. Five case studies, achieved through interviews, represent the three types of communities that were found to be most likely to adopt a fare-free policy: rural and small urban, university dominated, and resort communities

Lessons Learned in Transit Efficiencies, Revenue Generation, and Cost Reduction

This report documents how transit agencies are generating new revenue or reducing costs without harming the best Interests of their passengers. Information was obtained through a survey responded to by 75 transit agencies from throughout the United States. Respondents provided brief descriptions of the five most effective methods used to generate new revenues or reduce costs without losing passengers. The various methods have been categorized into six different Themes (Positive Opportunism. Partnerships, Cooperation, Service Planning/Marketing/Delivery, Maximizing Capital Budgets, and Improved Management of Resources). Each idea is explained in enough detail to give the reader the basic information needed to understand the idea. The transit agency that submitted each idea is also identified and can be contacted for more detail. Transit agencies could expect to save (or generate new revenues of) 5 to 10% of their operating budgets by implementing the techniques identified in this report

Lessons learned in transit efficiencies, revenue generation, and cost reductions - Second Edition

Transit agencies across the United States have been forced to become more creative in finding ways to decrease their costs or increase revenues from non-traditional sources as federal operating assistance has been reduced, revenues from local sales tax sources have decreased, and local resistance to tax increases has grown. In the past, transit agencies have resorted to decreasing service or increasing fares as the primary way to deal with tight budgets. This report compiles the techniques that are being used at over 90 transit systems to increase revenues or reduce costs in ways that do not harm the best interests of their passengers. Over 90 transit agencies provided over 400 examples of how they have taken advantage of their unique assets, created new partnerships, cooperated with other public or private entities, redesigned their services, developed new marketing techniques, utilized technology, and reengineered their processes to reduce their costs or increase their revenues. Over 220 unduplicated ideas are presented in summary form that will allow any transit manager to determine if they would like to emulate similar techniques at their transit agency. The savings or new earnings from these techniques might not cure every budget problem, but transit agencies can expect to find techniques that can either increase revenue or decrease costs by as much as 10 to 15%. The names of appropriate people to contact at the various transit agencies are also included in the report to encourage communication and the further exchange of ideas

Practices in Assuring Employee Availability

This synthesis presents state of the practice information about the various actions transit agencies (and other employers) have taken to help ensure the availability of quality employees in an increasingly competitive employment environment. It focuses on the practices and policies transit agencies have put in place to help minimize absenteeism at their agencies, from which other agencies may find useful applications. This document addresses three basic categories: (1) Preventive Measures, designed to stop absenteeism from occurring; (2) Management Interventions, utilized to deal with absenteeism that does occur; and (3) Other Management Strategies. In particular, it focuses concern on practices related to employee selection, internal motivation of employees, labor-management cooperation, supervisory involvement, incentive and discipline programs, and workers compensation programs

A Numerical Study Of The Infix Percutaneous Anterior Pelvic Fixation: Analysis And Recommendations

Trauma to the pelvis is debilitating and often needs fixation intervention. In 58% of patients with this trauma, the injuries can lead to permanent disability, preventing the return to jobs. Of all unsuccessful fixation procedures, 42% are caused by failures of the method, sometimes due to mobilization during healing. The unstable anteroposterior compression fracture is of particular concern due to the blood loss into the increased pelvic volume with the pelvic ring fracture. External fixation was introduced for an expedient solution. This fixation has drawbacks such as few positions for the patient during healing and an increased chance of screw site infection. A method was developed, called INFIX, and is applied percutaneously to provide the same benefits as the external fixation method but eliminates the drawbacks. Patients would benefit by having fixation hardware in place that enables ambulation. This would allow increased comfort and self-care. During walking, the ground reaction forces through the legs and into the pelvis can induce torsion into the pelvic ring and across the joint cartilages. An understanding of how the INFIX responds to these walking forces is needed. It is also necessary to determine the effect of the INFIX on the stability of the pelvic ring. From this, modifications can be developed that allow for ambulation. The aims of this study were to provide a method, using finite element (FE) analysis, for evaluating the intact pelvic responses under the walking conditions, to use the FE model to analyze the INFIX method during walking conditions, and to develop an improved method that would potentially allow for ambulation. A method was developed that incorporated all of the necessary ambulation factors in four bilateral, static, FE models representing eight gait phases. For this study, an understanding of the associated anatomy was necessary. Additionally, the biomechanics of the pelvis, the fracture classifications and the related fixation methods needed to be researched. The FE models were built as static bilateral pelvic structures, including the ligaments, hip inputs, leg and trunk muscles, and hip motions. Then the anteroposterior compression fracture and INFIX hardware were applied to the gait-phase models and analyzed. Finally, an improvement method was developed and analyzed. The resulting stress contours of the full pelvic ring, the pelvic ring and hardware deformation, and the pubic symphysis displacement were evaluated and reported under the baseline, original hardware, and improved hardware conditions. Due to this study, the stress response of the pelvis due to walking phases is provided and adds new knowledge to the field for applying pelvic fixation methods. The INFIX method is better understood in terms of the deformation of the hardware while in place and the effect it is having on the pelvic system. Additionally, a new cross-rod configuration, the Bridge-X, was designed through numerical simulations to allow early ambulation that is needed to promote better healing. In subsequent work, additional phases of the gait can be modeled to ensure the worst case scenarios are being considered. Biomechanical testing could be used to validate the new improved method relative to the original method. This modeling method can be applied to other types of fractures and new fixation methods as they are being developed

Lessons Learned in Transit Efficiencies, Revenue Generation and Cost Reduction

This report documents how transit agencies are generating new revenue or reducing costs without harming the best Interests of their passengers. Information was obtained through a survey responded to by 75 transit agencies from throughout the United States. Respondents provided brief descriptions of the five most effective methods used to generate new revenues or reduce costs without losing passengers. The various methods have been categorized into six different Themes (Positive Opportunism. Partnerships, Cooperation, Service Planning/Marketing/Delivery, Maximizing Capital Budgets, and Improved Management of Resources). Each idea is explained in enough detail to give the reader the basic information needed to understand the idea. The transit agency that submitted each idea is also identified and can be contacted for more detail. Transit agencies could expect to save (or generate new revenues of) 5 to 10% of their operating budgets by implementing the techniques identified in this report