Commentary: Fewer Bus Stops Can Mean Better Service

A piece in The Works in Progress Newsletter explains how optimizing the number and location of bus stops can make U.S. transit systems more efficient and reliable.

According to the piece, “Slow buses make transit less competitive with driving and reduce the number of places riders can get to in a given amount of time, making the network less useful.” Additionally, close stop spacing leads to lower quality bus stops. “In the US, the sheer number of bus stops means that agencies can’t invest meaningfully in each one.”

Unlike many transit improvements, stop balancing can be implemented quickly, cheaply, and independently by transit agencies. By removing signs and updating schedules, transit agencies can deliver faster service, better reliability, and more service with the same resources.

Bus stop balancing doesn’t have to mean reduced access. “Many North American bus stops have overlapping ‘walksheds’ (the areas within walkable distance of them) and are competing with each other. The combination of many stops and a street grid means that many riders have two or more stops that they can use, so that closing one only requires a marginally longer walk to the next.”