There are excellent transit systems , and there are great transit systems. What is it that makes a transit system so great? What are the main characteristics of the best transit systems? Although the most effective transit systems typically operate in urban areas with a high density however, they are able to provide lessons to transit authorities in rural, less populated areas. This article will outline six foundational components to a great public transit system that could be used anywhere.

Multi-Modal

Multimodal transit options are an essential part of a good system. Offering a range of options of transport, from bus and train to bike taxis and car-share is an ideal method to meet the demands of riders and boost ridership. Multi-modal transportation is the way of the future. There are many applications that allow you to integrate both private and public transit services. You can even reserve and pay for your transportation. Multi-modal doesn't necessarily mean higher overall costs. In fact, many suburban areas across the U.S. have partnered with private ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber to offer last-mile transport at a lower cost. This is increasing the use of transit. To find out more information about public transportation, you must check out http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/livable-communities/info-03-2010/streetcar_revival.html website.

Informative

Putting information in the hands of riders is a sure way to improve rider experience and boost ridership. Insecure arrival times can makes waiting in line for a bus or train seem longer and creates a challenge to plan your trip. A system for passenger information that displays arrival times updated in real-time can go a long way to making waiting times less stressful and encourage customers to trust the system of transportation. It is important to provide information at transit stations. However, real-time information is available through an app that is sophisticated and enhances the user experience. This lets travelers plan ahead.

Frequent

Nobody wants to be on the side of the road for 30 minutes waiting for a bus. Frequency is among most crucial aspects of a good transit system, and is directly linked to effectiveness of the route and ridership. A survey of 3,000 passengers in 17 metro areas found that frequency was the key to transit satisfaction. Frequency is a powerful method to improve service and make customers happy. The ability to do this is largely dependent on budgets However, as stated above, multi-modal solutions and partnerships with ride-hailing services can help increase options when frequency is a concern.

Quick

A frequent transit system is useless when a fleet of buses get caught in the traffic. A reliable transportation system is fast and frequent. This is possible by creating dedicated bus lanes in order to cut down on congestion. Dedicated bus lanes can double, even triple bus speeds, and transport more than four times the number of passengers per hour as regular-lane traffic. The faster and more reliable transportation system is the greater number of people will take advantage of it.

Interessant

The idea of transit is that it is an inconvenience but necessary part of daily life. However, this shouldn't be the case. Gamifying transit is being explored by some agencies to increase ridership. It can be accomplished in a variety of ways. TriMet is an Portland Oregon-based transportation agency, has created a digital scavenger hunting around the stations of the Orange Line back in 2015. People who downloaded the TriMet ticket app were able to participate in the scavenger-hunt and receive prizes. Montreal used a similar approach: the city's STMMerci app tracked users using public transportation and offered discounts on products based on their common transportation routes.

The most comfortable

It is often overlooked as a fundamental aspect of great public transit. Transit needs to be convenient and accessible to everyone. In an McKinsey study of the transit users the top ten transit services rated as comfortable were fully wheelchair accessible. Comfort and cleanliness are important in addition. A study has concluded that satisfaction with the service provided by transit is affected by these aspects.

These six components are the core of many of the best public transport. It's not easy to revamp a system of transit. Financial realities often define what is and can't be accomplished. However, it's worth keeping these six factors in your mind. Transport agencies cannot afford to overlook the transformations caused by technological innovations such as ride-hailing , transport and other apps.