MARKETS AND ROLES FOR PARATRANSIT SERVICES IN AN INTEGRATED URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

This paper which seeks to define appropriate areas of integration of all forms of conventional paratransit services by comparing and contrasting conventional and paratransit markets and service characteristics, discusses the urban transportation market and the nature of both conventional and paratransit service options, comments on the basic services provided by these forms of transport, and presents potentially beneficial integration concepts. The characterization of the urban transport market presented here highlights those aspects that affect roles of the conventional transit and paratransit services with respect to each other and the automobile. These aspects include origin-destination patterns, regularity of trip making, congestion, and auxiliary transport of goods. The characteristics are listed of environments in which paratransit and conventional transit perform well. Whether the potential benefits of service integration concepts presented will be realized, will depend on the ability of transportation planners to identify and analyze the potential innovations.