Bus Rapid Transit Is Transit Done Right

PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCIES implement Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to combine the advantages of regular bus service with those of light rail transit (LRT). The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) describes BRT as a high-quality, efficient service offering such features as dedicated lanes, traffic signal priority and off-board fare collection—allowing agencies to avoid delays that can slow down regular bus service. While this sounds great, how do you know if BRT is right for your agency?

Give the people what they want.

BRT service mirrors what people like about LRT—it’s convenient, reliable and fast. As an early adopter, while I was a member of FTA‘s BRT Demonstration Program and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, much time was spent defining this new service. I say it’s simply “transit done right.” Applying best practices from other transportation modes and integrating them into a marketable package, Cleveland’s HealthLine BRT was introduced in 2008 with a mantra of “Fast, Safe, Clean and First Class”—exactly what passengers wanted.

It’s not an all-or-nothing proposition.

Public transit agencies, including those contemplating LRT, are discovering that BRT meets their needs as an affordable, flexible alternative because it costs less, is quicker to implement, drives economic development and can be converted to LRT as future needs evolve. At AECOM, the most successful BRTs we deliver incorporate popular rail features such as exclusive right-of-way, enhanced stations, elevated platforms and unique branding. While Cleveland’s BRT was an industry model 15 years ago, our current projects, incorporating flexibility—like Houston’s METRORapid University Line and the Madison, Wisconsin, Metro Transit East-West Corridor—will set the standard for future BRTs.

Is now the right time?

A big advantage of BRT is that service can grow incrementally as funding becomes available. With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocating $1.2 trillion for infrastructure investment, funding streams are opening up for BRT. And with traffic down in many cities, this may be the perfect time to obtain rights for exclusive BRT lanes. I sometimes hear agencies say they cannot afford BRT when, if done right, it could be more efficient and therefore less expensive to operate than traditional bus service. So, what are you waiting for? Identify your strongest bus route and transition it to BRT. Let “transit done right” improve your agency’s quality of service, image and productivity. Your customers and community will thank you.

With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocating $1.2 trillion for infrastructure investment, funding streams are opening up for BRT, which can be more efficient and less expensive to operate than traditional bus service.