The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has published a report that uses a study of Atlanta’s multimodal, multi-destination transit network to recommend improvements that may help increase overall ridership. Understanding Transit Ridership Demand for a Multi-Destination, Multi-Modal Transit Network in an American Metropolitan Area addresses the particular needs of those who travel primarily by rail or primarily by bus and makes recommendations to further integrate and improve both modes.

“Increasing evidence shows that multi-destination transit systems are far more effective in attracting passengers and more efficient in using resources to carry each passenger than are central business district (CBD)-focused systems,” said Gregory Thompson, Ph.D., one of the authors. “At the same time, some evidence shows that multi-destination transit systems appeal largely to transit-dependent riders—also called captive riders—whose demand for transit service appears to be highly elastic with respect to shortening transit travel time between origin and destination. Our research shows that there are important service planning strategies that transit agencies can adopt that attract both types of riders to a multi-destination network, by providing more direct connections between origins and destinations.”

According to MTI, Atlanta offered a good setting because its public transportation system includes both buses, which primarily serve transit-dependent riders, and rail, which has more choice passengers. Despite socio-economic differences between these rider groups, the research shows that they all value many of the same attributes of transit service quality, such as shorter access and egress times and more direct trips.

The complete report, including methodologies, models, and other findings, is available for free download.