Publications - TransitCenter

Reports and Transit Tools

Setting a Transportation Agenda for the Nation

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Report
February 29, 2024
Image for: Equity in Practice: Strengthening Transit Through Community Partnerships Equity in Practice: Strengthening Transit Through Community Partnerships

Transit agencies should continually interact with their riders and community members to ensure services meet their…

Report
January 23, 2024
Image for: How to Talk About Transit in a Way That Inspires: The Transit Messaging Handbook How to Talk About Transit in a Way That Inspires: The Transit Messaging Handbook

Our new transit messaging handbook is full of communications strategies to help you win the transit service your community deserves.

Report
November 1, 2023
Image for: Surmounting the Fiscal Cliff: Identifying Stable Funding Solutions for Public Transportation Systems Surmounting the Fiscal Cliff: Identifying Stable Funding Solutions for Public Transportation Systems

Urban Institute's new report seeks to understand why transit agencies—unlike many other public services—continuously face fiscal instability, and recommends funding mechanisms to disrupt this vicious cycle.

Report
July 26, 2023
Image for: People First People First

“People First” examines the current challenges facing public sector human resources that limit hiring and retention, and outlines potential solutions to rethink this critical agency function. To make transit agencies workplaces of the future, agencies must transform Human Resources into strategic functions that can proactively address future workforce needs, prioritize professional development and succession management, and build a positive workplace culture.

Report
December 5, 2022
Image for: Renewing the New York Railroads Renewing the New York Railroads

“Renewing the New York Railroads" analyzes the potential benefits of operating LIRR and Metro-North more like the subway within New York City’s boundaries, with affordable fares and more frequent service. The report reveals that the current regime of expensive fares and peak-oriented schedules on MetroNorth and LIRR is a big drag on opportunity in the NY Metro area.

Report
July 19, 2022
Image for: Bus Operators in Crisis Bus Operators in Crisis

TransitCenter’s new report, “Bus Operators in Crisis,” details the challenges American operators are facing, and offers solutions that transit agencies can take to solve issues locally. It also proposes steps that state and the federal governments can take to provide agencies with necessary support.

Report
April 26, 2022
Image for: Who Rules Transit? Who Rules Transit?

At most transit agencies, “who decides” is different from “who rides.” Our latest report, “Who Rules Transit,” reveals a yawning gap between the demographics of transit riders – primarily women and people of color – and leadership at transit agencies – primarily white men.

Report
September 22, 2021
Image for: Equity in Practice: A Guidebook for Transit Agencies Equity in Practice: A Guidebook for Transit Agencies

Transit can function as a ladder of opportunity, but it is not immune to the racism and classism embedded in American life. To address these inequities, transit agencies must look within. In this report, TransitCenter and the Center for Neighborhood Technology examine the internal structures and practices of transit agencies, and how they can be reformed to deliver better outcomes for the people with the most at stake in transit.

Report
July 12, 2021
Image for: Safety For All Safety For All

“Safety For All" chronicles how agencies like BART in San Francisco, TriMet in Portland, and SEPTA in Philadelphia are addressing safety concerns by hiring unarmed personnel, developing high profile anti-harassment campaigns, and better connecting vulnerable riders to housing and mental health services. These interventions also allow transit police to spend less time on “quality of life” offenses and focus more attention on the core mission of deterring violence.

Report
March 22, 2021
Image for: Do Not Track: A Guide to Data Privacy For New Transit Fare Media Do Not Track: A Guide to Data Privacy For New Transit Fare Media

Transit agencies around the country are adopting a new generation of fare payment systems. Agencies including…

Report
October 15, 2020
Image for: A Transit Agenda for the COVID-19 Emergency A Transit Agenda for the COVID-19 Emergency

Drawing on interviews with public health experts and transit agency officials, as well as a survey of more than 2,000 residents in major American cities, this brief summarizes current epidemiological knowledge about COVID-19 and transit, and explores what city dwellers think about getting back on board. This research informs recommendations to make transit service safe, effective, and appealing.

Report
September 30, 2020
Image for: Stranded Stranded

Millions of people across the country are at risk of losing access to good transit as the COVID pandemic grinds on and imposes an unprecedented fiscal crisis on the nation’s transit agencies. Without more emergency aid, transit leaders in cities like New York and Denver are warning of 40% service cuts. What would cuts of this magnitude mean for riders? To find out, TransitCenter and the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) estimated the effect of service cuts in 10 regions - Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Miami, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Los Angeles.