MODIFICATIONS TO THE TRANSIT PROVISION IN THE HCM2000

The U.S. Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) A-15 project is developing updated transit chapters for the year 2000 edition of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM2000) and a new TRB Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM). This paper introduces the material that will be contained in the new HCM2000 transit chapters. These chapters will contain a subset of the material contained in the TCQSM, especially, the part relating to on-street transit modes - bus, light rail, and streetcar. The HCM2000 transit chapters will incorporate the updated bud and rail capacity methodologies developed by the TCRP A-7 (Operational Analysis of Bus Lanes on Arterials) and A-8 (Rail Transit Capacity) projects, respectively. A passenger-oriented transit level of service measure will supplement the vehicle-oriented measure presented elsewhere in the HCM. In addition, the passenger-oriented concept of transit "quality of service" used in the TCQSM will be introduced. Finally, the HCM2000 transit chapters will present information reflecting advances in technology, such as low-floor transit vehicles, and the need to accommodate a variety of users, including persons with disabilities and transit users with bicycles.