This report evaluates rail transit benefits based on a comprehensive analysis of urban transportation system performance in major U.S. cities. It discusses best practices for evaluating transit benefits. It finds that cities with larger, well-established rail systems have significantly higher per capita transit ridership, lower average per capita vehicle ownership and mileage, less traffic cong...

Six principles for operation of the rail part of intermodal rail freight transport systems are described: direct link, corridor, hub-and-spoke, connected hubs, static routes, and dynamic routes. The first part is a theoretical discussion of the characteristics of the transport network designs. The theory is then applied to intermodal freight transport by analysing how each transport network des...

This paper uses a market potential approach to examine the evolution of the rail transport network of China and its spatial distributional impacts on local accessibility, with a particular focus on high-speed rail improvements. Accessibility is measured by using a “market potential” function that was derived from the general equilibrium model of the economic geography literature, and is empiric...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13033-016-0095-1.].

When cities develop a rail network – above or under ground – this is usually accompanied by the publication of a metro map. The map is an essential adjunct, produced and provided to commuters to facilitate informed use of the system. It is generally agreed that the exemplar metro map is that of the London Underground, designed by Harry Beck, in 1931. Beck’s design principles have been copied, m...

ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank APTA – American Public Transportation Association ASIF – activity–structure–intensity–fuel BMRC – Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation BRT – bus rapid transit CO 2 – carbon dioxide COPERT – Computer Programme to Calculate Emissions from Road Transport DIESEL – Developing Integrated Emissions Strategies for Existing Land Transport DMC – developing member co...

High speed rail is a good example of a complex social-technical system, it combines high technology with social institutions to provide transport service. However, in spite of advances in HSR technology, HSR service is operated in much the same manner as traditional passenger rail service – an unsuccessful long-term business model. This research argues that HSR needs disruptive innovation to cr...

Abstract: Safety inspectorates have been established for all modes of transport in Norway. This paper explores whether establishing a safety inspectorate is related to safety performance. Long-term trends in safety in aviation and rail were compared before and after safety inspectorates were established for these modes of transport. In aviation, there have been no passenger fatalities after the...