THE COST AND BENEFITS OF URBAN PUBLIC TRANSIT IN TEXAS

This study affirms that urban public transit systems in Texas provide an alternative to the private automobile in 18 urban areas and generate significant benefits to the users, communities served and the Texas economy. The purpose of the study was to examine the role of urban public transport systems in Texas and associated cost and benefits of transit operations. The report summarizes and documents data collected from federal, state, and local planning and transit agencies - transit operations, ridership characteristics, transit and automobile trip patterns, and impact of transit on urban congestion levels - and describes transit's role in each system along with resulting costs and benefits. The appendices in the report provide transit system operating statistics, roadway and transit travel, and HPMS output for calculating motorist benefits on transit. The data in this report can be used by transit agencies in Texas to compare operations, service, ridership characteristics, mode share and impact of transit on roadway operation.