Author：Jennifer Day & Robert Cervero
Date：2009-11-09
Summary：
Bus or rail? The question has long been a public debate on the choice of transit systems for urban transportation. Recent developments in bus rapid transit (BRT) and light rail transit (LRT) throughout the world spur further heated discussions on the comparative advantages of bus- vs. rail-based mass transit. This paper synthesizes published studies pertaining to the cost and operational characteristics as well as land use impacts of bus vs. rail mass transit in the framework of land use-transportation interactions. Its main purpose is to provide a balanced view that will help identify conditions under which a particular transit mode is most appropriate. Here conditions refer to such factors as demand for and supply of transit uses, availability of public resources, performance features of different transit technologies, and potential for value capturing through Transit Oriented Development (TOD).
Keywords：Bus rapid transit; rail transit; cost characteristics; land use impacts; TOD
