Rethinking the Bus is a report from the Greater Washington Partnership. It recommends ways to modernize bus service in order to make the system more effective, in light of growing congestion and shrinking transit use.
“…the region as a whole lacks a forward-thinking
strategy to make buses a truly competitive transportation
option. With a new commitment to rethink the bus, the
region could become a national transportation leader with
buses that are fast, frequent, reliable, and easy to use.
Rethinking the bus does not require years of planning;
it can start today. “
Recommendations are:
1. Optimize routes. This worked wonders in Houston and elsewhere.
2. Make space for the bus on the region’s roads. Harder to achieve in crowded roads, but effective where possible.
3. Make boarding faster.
4. Make buses easier to use. Easy to understand route maps and many other suggestions.
5. Measure and report on bus progress. This is critical to any project if you want success — make sure a transparent and accurate measurement system is in place.