Pittsburgh-area buses operating on routes with a recently reduced number of stops are more likely to arrive on time than before the changes.
"It’s early, but Port Authority [of Allegheny County] seems to be getting the results it wanted from its bus stop consolidation program," according to an article by Ed Blazina.
Specifically, the Port Authority has tested bus stop consolidation on two routes, "the 16 Brighton, which runs from Downtown through the North Side, and the 51 Carrick, which runs from Downtown through the South Side to Carrick."
"Phillip St. Pierre, the agency’s director of service planning and scheduling, told an authority committee last week that the on-time performance for the 16 Brighton increased from 70% to 78%. For the 51 Carrick, it rose from 63% to 74%." Blazina also reports ridership data for December compared to previous years, and for 2019 overall.
The changes were implemented in November 2019, so December 2019 was the first full month with the stop consolidation changes in place on the two routes. The Port Authority will eventually spread the consolidation program to other routes, but the process for selecting stops to eliminate has raised some controversy, as noted by Blazina in the source article.
FULL STORY: Port Authority's initial bus stop eliminations showing on-time improvements
400 Stops Removed From the Cincinnati Metro Bus System
The process of reducing the number of stops on a transit line—known as bus stop thinning, consolidation, or balancing—took effect this week in Cincinnati. Reducing the number of stops is intended to speed up buses and improve reliability.
A ‘Playbook’ for Better Bus Service, From King County Metro
King County Metro operates one of the nation’s busiest transit systems—without running any trains. The agency recently released a playbook as a guide to transit service.
Calculating Bus Stop Spacing for 43 U.S. Cities
New research documents the distance between bus stops in U.S. cities—a key question for service designers that determines a lot about the public transit user experience.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions