Virtual Exclusive Busways: Improving Urban Transit while Relieving Congestion

The authors argue that it is time to rethink our country's overemphasis on carpooling, and revitalize interest in busways and their advantages. Originally, carpool lanes were intended as bus lanes or transitways. However, when it was realized that transitways had a large amount of unused capacity, they were turned into carpool lanes and high occupancy vehicle lanes. One advantage of busways is that they would be filled with paying customers, and they would bring in revenue. The busways could be value-priced, similar to high occupancy toll lanes, and they would also be effective congestion relieving measures. The first Virtual Exclusive Busway in the United States is currently being constructed in Houston, Texas, as a partnership between a local transit agency, a local toll agency, and the Texas Department of Transportation.