webinar: some observations on brt in north america… and elsewhere

BRT PrimerBRT PrimerSam ZimmermanSam Zimmerman

BRTBRT•Where we areWhere we are•Lessons learned Lessons learned

Sam Zimmerman Sam Zimmerman

•What is BRT??

•Lesson learned

–The importance of service planning

–It takes a village to get it done: Institutions

–Communications in all directions, at all levels

from beginning of planning, vital

–Yes, BRT can make a development difference

–Phased, incremental development can work

–Trends in BRT’s elements

Why are we still arguing about what BRT is, “gold standard”

or otherwise??

BRT: Bus Rapid TransitBRT: Bus Rapid Transit•Permanently integrated, high performance system with a quality image, strong ID

•Package of elements appropriate to:

– Development and transportation vision, objectives

– Markets served

– Physical, operating environment

•Not just another bus route; more LRT than local bus in form, function and attractiveness

BRT System ElementsBRT System Elements

Running WaysRunning Ways

Stations & TerminalsStations & Terminals

SystemsSystems

VehiclesVehicles

Service Plan

BRT: Infinite Possibilities, but with BRT: Infinite Possibilities, but with Essential Characteristics:Essential Characteristics:• Integrated, branded system that ensures

high speed, reliability, convenience – High frequency all day, week– Simple network structure– Majority of service on dedicated running way– Rapid boarding/alighting

• Off-board fare collection• Multiple wide door- vehicles• Minimal gap, floor to platform

• Accessible to all• Pervasive, unique brand identity • High over-all system quality

• Without all these basic attributes, what you have can have lots of benefits but we may need another name for it, e.g., Select Bus, MetroRapidBus, BRT Lite….. (No pejoratives, please)

In Developing Cities, Institutional In Developing Cities, Institutional Arrangements for BRT a Big Issue Arrangements for BRT a Big Issue

• May not be an existing state-owned operator

– Where SOE, may lack BRT expertise and see it as just another conventional bus route

• Where there is no SOE but is a regulator of private, informal operators, may not have legal authority or BRT technical expertise

• May not be private operators capable of operating and managing BRT system

• Irrespective of institutional organization, may be inadequate human resources; Only real local transport expertise may be in roadway design and construction

SolutionsSolutions• Create special purpose (public) agency for

BRT set up in way that facilitates evolution into a more complete public transport authority

• Hire “project management” contractor” to serve as “shadow” public transport authority staff answerable to government project manager/management unit

• Use project manager to obtain necessary skills and build institutions, human resources

• Combinations, permutations

Service PlanningService Planning•Still tendency to start with hardware planning and design, then consider market and service plan; Do the reverse•Consider service plan, market together, iteratively•Match services to market, minimize transferring within physical and operational constraints, but plan simplicity is a virtue•By-pass lanes around stations best, but variety of ways to facilitate passing for skip stop and express routes

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Trunk Portion of RouteOff-Trunk, HOV Portion of Route

Ter

min

al

Extended/ExpressHOV Route I

Extended/ExpressHOV Route II

All three routes1.Transitway-only local2.Express routes

Ter

min

al

Trunk Service(s) Trunk Service(s) Extend Beyond TransitwayExtend Beyond Transitway

Service Planning Easier When Service Planning Easier When You Have 4-Lane TransitwaysYou Have 4-Lane Transitways

Importance of Communications, Importance of Communications, Branding Branding

• There is continued confusion about what BRT is, what it can look like and what its potential benefits are

• Start as early as possible in rectifying situation

• Branding, including name, color schemes, graphics, markings is important communications device; Cannot overstate value

VViivvaa

BRT can be a Positive BRT can be a Positive Development Tool Development Tool

• For U.S., thanks to National BRT Institute, ITDP and others for making solid information available on North America– More Development for Your Transit Dollar,

Annie Weinstock, Stephanie Lotham, Walter Hook, ITDP, NYC, 2013

– Land Use Impacts of BRT, Victoria Perk, Cheryl Thole, NBRTI, CUTR/USF, Tampa 2009

• Lots of evidence outside U.S, in addition to Curitiba

Warner Center developer proposes 600 apartments on Catalina Yachts propertyBy Gregory J. Wilcox, LA Daily News Staff Writer; Posted: 01/13/13, 9:00 PM PST |

…….The 615,000 square foot complex fronting the southwest

corner of Victory Boulevard and Variel Avenue will feature nine buildings, said attorney Fred Gaines, who is representing Malibu-based Weintraub Real Estate Group…….

"We think it's a fantastic location," Gaines said.

"We think that (apartment) demand is high and the project is right across from the Orange Line so transportation is available to other parts of the Valley and the city

Orange Line Orange Line

t

Station

Station

Development

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“Cleveland Plain Dealer”Feb. 10, 2008

Cleveland

Possibility of Phased Development Possibility of Phased Development is Big BRT Advantage is Big BRT Advantage

•May not have enough understanding, public support or funds early on but in most developing cities, something needs to be done ASAP

•Start with the doable; add features; extend, build new lines as understanding and success build support for better and more

•Lagos, York/Toronto prime examples

YorkYorkOntarioOntario

Viva Viva

“Quick Start” BRT LiteOpened in Sept. 2005

•65 Km, queue jumpers,etc.•+20% PT ridership in corridors

•High passenger satisfaction•Beginning development effects

First Full-FeaturedBRT SegmentOpened 2013

Thanks to York Rapid Transit Corp.

Lagos: BRT ‘LITE’ in Operation:Lagos: BRT ‘LITE’ in Operation:March 2008March 2008

• 22Km, 65% segregated• 150,000+ daily trips• 30% reduction in passenger travel times• High initial passenger satisfaction

Thanks to LMATA for Material

Success of “ BRT Lite” Enables Success of “ BRT Lite” Enables Migration to ‘full featured’ BRT, Migration to ‘full featured’ BRT,

Expansion of Expansion of CoverageCoverage

• Upgraded infrastructure and facilities• Introduction of fully segregated and by-pass lanes

• Semi-low-floor, multiple wide door buses • Introduction electronic fare payment• Deployment of ITS

• bus arrival time• adaptive traffic signals at intersections

• Phase 2- BRT ‘extension’ to large suburban city• Management reform

BRT LITE

Phase II

Phase 2 BRT Station Area Phase 2 BRT Station Area

Phase II Transitway ConstructionPhase II Transitway Construction

BRT Elements: Range of Recent BRT Elements: Range of Recent ApplicationsApplications

BRT Service PlansBRT Service Plans• Seeing more and more multi-route on/off trunk

service plans (e.g., Guangzhou, Brisbane)

• Can be good but exercise care– Major passenger information needs– Moving vehicles into/out of transitway safely

difficult– May require large terminal in CBD (Porto Allegre)

or wide cross-section, wide and long stations (Guangzhou)

– Passenger confusion on platforms– Bus-on-bus congestion issues– Need to brand off-transitway stations, all

vehicles using system

Among Other Issues, Too Many Among Other Issues, Too Many Routes Leaving/Entering Busway Routes Leaving/Entering Busway

at Intersections: Extra Long at Intersections: Extra Long Cycle Lengths ResultCycle Lengths Result

Times of India

Which Route Do I Take??Which Route Do I Take??

BRT Running WaysBRT Running Ways •More and more colored pavement treatments, separated running “pads” or “tracks” for variety of reasons, e.g., easier enforcement

•As costs come down, likely to see more automated operation/guidance

Transitways With GuidanceTransitways With Guidance

Wikepedia

Rouen

Cambridge,UK

LV

Eugene

James Gast

Stops, Stations and TerminalsStops, Stations and Terminals

• General improvement in size and quality everywhere as more and more places try to use BRT as tool to induce and serve sustainable, walkable TOD

York-Toronto

Cleveland

LV

York

Vehicles: Vehicles: Massive Changes AfootMassive Changes Afoot

• Variety of sizes through 85 feet (30 meters)

• Profusion of ITS applications

• More and more hybrids, CNG– Emissions, local and global

– Noise

• All-electric battery vehicles coming

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North American BRT VehiclesNorth American BRT Vehicles

Wright , Dsl-Elec. Hybrid

Las Vegas

NABI, CNGNew Flyer,Guided, Dsl-Elec. Hybrid

Nova/VolvoClean DieselYork

LV

LA

Cleveland

State of the ArtState of the Art

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Van Hool ExquiCityHybrid: ~25 meters

Hess-ABBAll Electric, BatteryQuick Charge

Charger

BRT Vehicle InteriorsBRT Vehicle Interiors

Van Hool ExquiCityVan Hool ExquiCityWright StreetcarWright Streetcar

• Optical, etc.

• Mechanical

Guidance OptionsGuidance Options

Iveco

Guidance, Cleveland: Guidance, Cleveland: < $5,000/vehicle< $5,000/vehicle

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MetronitMetronitHaifa, IsraelHaifa, Israel

State of the Practice; Opened, August 2013State of the Practice; Opened, August 2013

•40 Route Km.

•90 Vehicles (6 hybrids)

•77 stations, 143 platforms

•~$400m total implementation cost

•$10m/Km

MetronitMetronit

StationsStations

NMTNMT

VehiclesVehicles

MAN/Merkavim

Running WaysRunning Ways

MetronitWebsite

ITS ApplicationsITS Applications

For BRT

For General Traffic

“Queue Jumper,”Signal Priority

BRT Vehicle

Pax. Info. In Multiple Languages for Pax. Info. In Multiple Languages for Multi-Cultural Residents, Multi-Cultural Residents,

TouristsTourists

MetronitWebsite

Closing Emphasis PointsClosing Emphasis Points

• BRT coming into its own as rapid transit mode with potential (150+ applications Worldwide)

• More attention needs to be paid to “soft side”– Institutions– Communications– Service-planning– Land-use integration

• Technological advancements will overcome many issues and constraints, e.g., increasing capacity and safety, lower emissions, noise