Document Type

Technical Report

Publication Date

2001

Keywords

transit barriers, bus schedules, route maps, transit scheduling, transit literacy, major activity centers, non-users

Abstract

The decision to use public transit as a means of alterative transportation is a somewhat complex process. The potential rider must know that a public transportation system is available, how to contact the public transportation system for information on how to use the system for each desired trip, where to go to catch a bus, how to recognize bus stops, which side of the street to stand on to catch a bus going to his destination, how to make transfers, the tare and tare media accepted for each trip, as well as how to read and understand bus system maps and schedules. If the individual must watt for a bus, the final decision to ride may also be impacted by the safety and comfort of the bus stop environment The on-board experience, which includes passenger comfort and driver courtesy and assistance, will also be important to the rider's overall impression and opinion of public transit. Problems encountered in any of the transit experience elements described above can result in a decision to find alternative means of transport Many barriers encountered in the transit experience may be rectified by transit agencies with relatively little expense. This project provided a preliminary assessment of the issues or problems encountered by existing and potential transit users in the overall transit experience that may become barriers to using transit. In addition, the project includes detailed analyses of two identified barriers with the potential to be overcome with a feasible level of effort and investment of resources by transit agencies: the user-friendliness of printed transit information materials and the level of transit service provided to major activity centers. Following the analyses. summary recommendations are offered to facilitate the elimination of these two identified barriers to transit use throughout Florida, as well as suggestions for future research.

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Assessment of Operational Barriers and Impediments to Transit Use: Transit Information and Scheduling for Major Activity Centers, Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South Florida, 175 p.

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