Transportation network companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Bridj continue to aggressively pursue the development of new markets, lately through partnerships with transit agencies eager to close that first and last mile gap. However, if people begin to rely on TNCs for every leg of a trip, skipping the bus or train, transit could also be hurt. In an effort to maximize the potential benefits of working with TNCs, the American Public Transit Association has sought to identify opportunities for productive partnerships that can enhance the utility of transit, rather than diminish it.
APTA
Millennials & Mobility: Understanding the Millennial Mindset (APTA, 2013)
Recent news reports and studies have outlined changes in how Millenials travel and live. These have focused on the implications for all transportation modes as well as land use and economic activity. This APTA/TCRP report seeks to further understand the mindsets behind the trends and understand their implications for public transportation in the United States. This study utilizes a mixture of in-depth interviews in five cities and a survey of 1,000 people in six cities that are representative of the types of cities Millennials find attractive.
Two lawsuits seek to rein in transit data patent troll
After suing dozens of transit agencies and hundreds of private companies, patent troll company ArrivalStar could be hitting the wall. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has drastically narrowed the patent owned by the company after the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed a formal request to reexamine the patent’s legitimacy. The American Public Transit Association also filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to halt frivolous patent infringement claims against public transit systems throughout the country and claiming that ArrivalStar’s lawsuits are invalid under the 11th Amendment.
AAA: Annual cost of car ownership now over $9,100 per year
AAA’s recently released report on the cost of owning and operating a car estimates a mid-sized sedan carries an average operating cost of 60.8 cents per mile, or $9,122 a year. While auto use continues to increase in cost and trend downward, bicycling, walking, and transit modes are all on the rise. The economic incentive to reduce auto use is likely combining with other national trends showing a downward trend in per-capita vehicle miles traveled.
First quarter of 2012 shows more people are switching to transit
As per-capita VMT has begun to decline, an increasing number of people are riding the nation’s transit systems. According to APTA (American Public Transportation Association), transit ridership in the first quarter of 2012 increased 5 percent over 2011 levels.
Transit ridership continues upward trend in 2011
According to new figures from APTA, 2011 transit ridership is at the second highest level since 1957, only higher in 2008, when gas topped four dollars per gallon. An improving economy, rising gas prices, and easy access to transit information via mobile apps are credited as three reasons for the continued rise in transit use. Ridership grew in large, medium and small communities, showing strong support for transit.
Potential Impact of Gasoline Price Increases on U.S. Public Transportation Ridership, 2011-2012 (APTA, 2011)
Price increases in gasoline cause related increases in transit ridership. This report provides a model that projects future increases in transit ridership that will accompany rises in gasoline prices. Download the full report here.
Impacts of the Recession on Public Transportation Agencies, 2011 Update: Survey Results (APTA, 2011)
This report summarizes the survey results from transit agencies that asked how they coped with decreased state and local funding following the recession. Download the full report here.
The Case for Business Investment in Public Transportation (APTA, 2011)
The report focuses on the state of public transportation in America, and offers analysis of issues important to private investors when they weight the potential for investment into the expansion or maintenance of a transit …