Investment Practices of Transit Service Providers in Land Development

In the United States, many transit companies depend on government subsidies to cover their operating costs. Subsidies that are currently given are not a sustainable solution, as transit agency deficits are likely to grow in the future due to increasing operating costs. One practice that has been successful in a few U.S. and international cases is encouraging transit agencies to invest in land development. The investments transit companies make can benefit them not only by increasing ridership when the development is designed to be transit-supportive, but also provide extra revenue from the lease or sale of the developed land. This study, by means of a survey, identifies barriers to transit agency investment in land development and trends and opinions among different stakeholders that might affect a transit agency's decision to invest in land development.