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Sustainable public transport systems: Moving towards a value for money and network-based approach and away from blind commitment

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  • Hensher, David A.

Abstract

Growing public transport patronage in the presence of a strong demand for car ownership and use remains a high agenda challenge for many developed and developing economies. While some countries are losing public transport modal share, other nations are gearing up for a loss, as the wealth profile makes the car a more affordable means of transport as well as conferring elements of status and imagery of "success". Some countries however have begun successfully to reverse the decline in market share, primarily through infrastructure-based investment in bus systems, commonly referred to as bus rapid transit (BRT). BRT gives affordable public transport greater visibility and independence from other modes of transport, enabling it to deliver levels of service that compete sufficiently well with the car to attract and retain a market segmented clientele. BRT is growing in popularity throughout the world, notably in Asia, Europe and South America, in contrast to other forms of mass transit (such as light and heavy rail). This is in large measure due to its value for money, service capacity, affordability, relative flexibility, and network coverage. This paper takes stock of its performance and success as an attractive system supporting the ideals of sustainable transport.

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  • Hensher, David A., 2007. "Sustainable public transport systems: Moving towards a value for money and network-based approach and away from blind commitment," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 98-102, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:14:y:2007:i:1:p:98-102
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    1. Lindau, Luis Antonio & Senna, Luiz Afonso dos Santos & Strambi, Orlando & Martins, Wagner Colombini, 2008. "Alternative financing for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): The case of Porto Alegre, Brazil," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 54-60, January.
    2. Paola Andrea Cruz-Daraviña & Iván Sánchez-Díaz & Juan Pablo Bocarejo Suescún, 2021. "Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Urban Freight—Competition for Space in Densely Populated Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-21, June.
    3. Chaturvedi, Vaibhav & Kim, Son H., 2015. "Long term energy and emission implications of a global shift to electricity-based public rail transportation system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 176-185.
    4. Deng, Taotao & Ma, Mulan & Nelson, John D., 2016. "Measuring the impacts of Bus Rapid Transit on residential property values: The Beijing case," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 54-61.
    5. Anna Černá, 2012. "Economic and Social Harmonization of Sustainable Public Transport," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2012(1), pages 83-100.
    6. David Hensher & Corinne Mulley, 2015. "Modal image: candidate drivers of preference differences for BRT and LRT," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 7-23, January.
    7. David Hensher & Thomas Golob, 2008. "Bus rapid transit systems: a comparative assessment," Transportation, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 501-518, July.
    8. Bouf, Dominique & Hensher, David A., 2007. "The dark side of making transit irresistible: The example of France," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 523-532, November.
    9. Shyr, Oliver F. & Andersson, David Emanuel & Cheng, Yu-Hsuan & Hsiao, Yu-Hsuan, 2017. "What explains rapid transit use? Evidence from 97 urbanized areas," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 162-169.
    10. Zhong, Haotian & Li, Wei, 2016. "Rail transit investment and property values: An old tale retold," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 33-48.
    11. Levine, Jonathan & Singer, Matan & Merlin, Louis & Grengs, Joe, 2018. "Apples to apples: Comparing BRT and light rail while avoiding the “BRT-Lite” trap," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 20-34.
    12. Tirachini, Alejandro & Hensher, David A. & Jara-Díaz, Sergio R., 2010. "Comparing operator and users costs of light rail, heavy rail and bus rapid transit over a radial public transport network," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 231-242.
    13. Hensher, David A. & Li, Zheng & Mulley, Corinne, 2014. "Drivers of bus rapid transit systems – Influences on patronage and service frequency," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 159-165.
    14. Cottrill, Caitlin D. & Brooke, Sarah & Mulley, Corinne & Nelson, John D. & Wright, Steve, 2020. "Can multi-modal integration provide enhanced public transport service provision to address the needs of vulnerable populations?," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    15. Jing Li & Kevin Lo & Meng Guo, 2018. "Do Socio-Economic Characteristics Affect Travel Behavior? A Comparative Study of Low-Carbon and Non-Low-Carbon Shopping Travel in Shenyang City, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-11, June.
    16. Lindau, Luis Antonio & Hidalgo, Dario & de Almeida Lobo, Adriana, 2014. "Barriers to planning and implementing Bus Rapid Transit systems," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 9-15.
    17. Camila Balbontin & David A. Hensher & Chinh Ho & Corinne Mulley, 2020. "Do preferences for BRT and LRT change as a voter, citizen, tax payer, or self-interested resident?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 2981-3030, December.
    18. Jingjing Liu & Hongwei Ge & Jiajie Li & Pengcheng He & Zhangang Hao & Michael Hitch, 2022. "How Can Sustainable Public Transport Be Improved? A Traffic Sign Recognition Approach Using Convolutional Neural Network," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-14, October.
    19. Camila Balbontin & David A. Hensher & Chinh Ho & Corinne Mulley, 0. "Do preferences for BRT and LRT change as a voter, citizen, tax payer, or self-interested resident?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-50.
    20. Filipe, Luis N. & Macário, Rosário, 2013. "A first glimpse on policy packaging for implementation of BRT projects," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 150-157.
    21. Huilin Liang & Qingping Zhang, 2018. "Assessing the public transport service to urban parks on the basis of spatial accessibility for citizens in the compact megacity of Shanghai, China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(9), pages 1983-1999, July.

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