Bus Transit in the 21st Century: Some Perspectives and Prospects

A broad overview is presented of the role and opportunities for bus transit in the 21st century. Drawing from the input of a millennium paper prepared by TRB’s Bus Transit Committee (Bus Transportation in the New Millennium—A Look Forward), bus transit’s past, its present status, and its future prospects are reviewed. Policy choices, likely dimensions of change, and various opportunities for improvements in service design, vehicles, bus technology, and management are identified. Bus transport will continue to provide important service to metropolitan America. Therefore, continued support at all levels of government is essential. Growing community concerns about traffic congestion, sprawl, air pollution, and sustainability; the progressive revitalization of cities and towns; and continued advances in transport technology argue for improved bus transit in the new century. A greater effort to establish more transit-friendly residential areas, employment centers, and shopping areas will further enhance the future of bus transit.