Bus Rapid Transit: The US Experience

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a relatively new concept in the United States and is rapidly gaining in popularity. In 1998, the Federal Transit Administration started a program to encourage communities to invest in BRT. Today, a number of cities have begun developing BRT systems, while others are actively considering BRT investments. At the same time, recent research shows that BRT can meet or achieve the capacity and economic development potential of rail, but at a fraction of the cost. Despite these successes, challenges remain for further BRT deployment in the United States. Communities often view rail as superior to BRT and thus demand new rail systems. Government policies tend to reflect this preference by favoring investments in rail. As BRT continues to prove successful, interest in the technology will continue to grow. The challenge will be to ensure that BRT is evaluated on a level playing field with other technologies. The challenge is beginning to be met. For example, changes have been proposed in federal law that would make it easier for communities to invest in BRT. These proposals have been introduced in Congress. Moreover, some of the first BRT systems in theUS are showing positive results. These results are being noticed by policy makers and transport advocates, increasing the level of interest in BRT.