Transit Benefit Index: A Comprehensive Index for Capturing Externalities in Transit Planning

This research provides a methodology for estimating the total societal benefit generated from substituting private vehicle trips with public transportation trips. The external costs of and were estimated using base case travel demand model then mode shift was simulated to calculate effects shifting one full transit unit (e.g., bus) mode. performed all origin–destination (O-D) pairs in region find O-D that resulted greatest net benefit. These benefits normalized automobile kilometers traveled removed network generate “transit index.” applied study city Bogotá, Colombia. A 102 scenarios simulated: 2 case, 10 sensitivity analyses, each including two provision alternatives. results contrasted cost new unit—a bus this case—revealing economic derived 1 year increased ridership larger than financial operator. suggest City Bogotá should consider further subsidies fares increase mitigate externalities.