Agencies increasingly considering BRT to ease pollution, hellish commutes

Transit was simpler 50 years ago. Almost everyone worked in a city, and commuting to and from home in the suburbs generally meant a relatively short ride along an arterial rail line. Fast-forward a few decades. Corporate headquarters rise along highways, not rail lines. Major metropolitan areas are likely to have several outlying business corridors. And in dual-income households, it's common for at least one spouse to end up with a long commute. No wonder communities are
reconsidering their transit options.

Traffic jamming

In 2005, drivers suffered a total of 4.2 billion hours of traffic delays in 2005, or about 38 hours per driver, up from 4 billion the year before, according to the Texas Traffic Institute's 2007 Urban
Mobility Report. That also accounts for 2.9 billion gallons of wasted fuel — about 58 fully-loaded supertankers, or more than $700 per traveler. With all of the nation's 437 urban areas reporting increases in congestion and gas prices rising, there's no reason to think things are getting any better.

While study co-author Tim Lomax notes there's no single cause of congestion, he says, "The good news is that there are multiple strategies involving traffic operations and public transit."

Need more ammunition? According to FHWA Highway statistics, cars and light vehicles traveled 2.7 trillion miles, almost triple the vehicle miles traveled since 1970.

Transit agencies say "Not so fast" to rail

Traditionally, transit agencies have looked to rail lines, both light and heavy, to ease congestion, especially between cities and suburbs. Proponents perceive rail as fast, efficient and clean, while
acknowledging their limited flexibility. Yet rail doesn't necessarily win out in the speed or pollution game. In a 2001 General Accounting Office study, the federal agency determined that in five cities that use both light rail and Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, the average speed of BRT is 47 percent faster than light rail. In the cities found to have especially fast BRT, much of the speed could be attributed to HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes and quick loading times. And with the new diesel engines, buses and motor coaches are quite clean. By now we've all heard the figures — MCI Commuter Coaches equipped with 2007 engines have slashed particulate emissions by 90 percent.

Paying for transit

According to the same GAO report, BRT has a capital cost advantage over light-rail systems, identifying three BRT venues: busways, HOV lanes and arterial streets. The GAO reported that light rail costs an average of $34.8 million per mile to build; busways cost $13.5 million per
mile, 60.2 percent less than light rail. HOV lanes and arterial streets built for BRT use cost even less, at $9.0 million per mile and $680,000 per mile, respectively.

BRT increasingly viable

BRT proponents also note that buses and coaches can respond to employment and land-use shifts, and can eliminate one of the biggest hurdles for commuters — transfers. Transfers — and the associated waiting times — are what make many trips longer than their passenger-car equivalents. And, of course, manufacturers like MCI believe — and many agencies agree — that appealing, high-floor commuter coaches have what it takes to make buses attractive to more affluent workers who might weigh their travel experience as much in terms of convenience and quality time as in pennies per mile.

Success Stories

In 2000, Toronto's GO Transit launched a service to connect corridors that lie between commuter rail lines. The service is now one of the agency's fastest growing, attracting more than 12,000 riders per weekday. Always innovatine, GO Transit and an outlying city will build new, exclusive bus lanes to serve commuters headed into Toronto. Cost of the project is an estimated $270 million U.S.$. Many cities have already done the same. Even on existing roadways, many of MCI's
Commuter Coach customers have experienced great ridership increases on new routes, getting at least some drivers off the crowded roads.

Giving Tour and Charter operators an in

Some companies are taking matters into their own hands and arranging commuter benefits for their employees. Many top companies do offer shuttle services to their employees, and some of those use motor coaches. Best Workplaces for Commuters (www.bwc.gov) keeps a list of
resources for companies considering offering commuter benefits as well as a "top 20" list of companies that are doing it well.

And for those just passing through…

Even if you're not looking to be a part of the gridlock solution, there are things you can do to not be part of the problem. The Internet is full of traffic calculators designed to help drivers avoid bad traffic. Google maps offer real-time highway traffic information; many local sites do as well.

So while today's commutes are getting worse, the options for easing modern-day congestion are getting better. And never before have motor coach riders, operators and manufacturers been better positioned to be a part of it.

The FYI from MCI editorial staff values your feedback. Please e-mail any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future articles to fyi@mcicoach.com.