'Bus Rapid Transit' Systems Gaining Support

22 June 2005 - 7:00am

The hybrid service is already a hit in Las Vegas. With the promise of FTA start-up funds, can cities like Houston be far behind?

"Las Vegas is one of a growing number of American communities embracing what transportation wonks call "bus rapid transit." It's a hybrid system that combines the flexibility and lower cost of bus travel with speed similar to train service. Another appealing aspect: The Federal Transportation Administration will provide start-up funds for bus rapid transit in an era when it questions the high cost of building rail."

Source: The Houston Chronicle, June 20, 2005
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All of that only scratches the surface of what's wrong with this study. The idea that complex urban development patterns and human behavior can be meaningfully studied according to one primary criteria — density — is wrong from the start.