Making Transit Work

A great many Americans do not use transit, even when it is available. One reason given by many car users is that they have no choice if they wish to make a given trip; or, that transit sometimes seems to place impediments in the face of many members of the public. Removing barriers to easy use is critical to the job of making transit work. This article identifies some of the barriers and suggests ways of removing those barriers. Some of the obstacles identified are: 1) information is lacking concerning even the very basics of transit use; 2) transit of often difficult to reach or use; 3) distance is a factor, eg., key destinations may not be directly served by transit; 4) transit does not go where customers really want to go; 5) the fare system is too inconvenient; and 6) even a perception of a lack of safety. To overcome these and other barriers that discourage transit use, transit providers must aim for seamless transportation. This in term demands a constant re-evaluation of service, service patterns, information, fare structures and collection methods, and security. The automobile is perceived as offering seamless transportation service from origin to destination. The closer that transit comes to providing equivalent seamless, barrier-free transportation, the greater will be its utility to the community it serves.