New Study Refutes Rail Transit Criticism

A new study by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute shows that rail transit systems can significantly improve transportation system performance. Comprehensive Evaluation of Rail Transit Benefits by Todd Litman, is a detailed analysis of the impacts rail transit systems have on urban transportation efficiency. It indicates that cities with large, well-established rail transit systems have significantly higher per capita transit ridership, less traffic congestion, lower traffic fatality rates, lower per capita transportation expenditures, lower transit operating costs, less per capita vehicle mileage, lower energy consumption and lower pollution emissions. This study critiques Great Rail Disasters, a report published earlier this year by Randal O’Toole of the Center for the American Dream , which claimed that rail transit investments are not cost effective. According to Comprehensive Evaluation of Rail Transit Benefits, O’Toole’s report failed to correctly categorize transit systems and violated other basic evaluation principles.

Thanks to Chris Steins