Public Transportation Systems

Course Features

• Lecture notes
• Assignments: problem sets (no solutions)

Course Description

This course discusses the evolution and role of urban public transportation modes, systems and services, focusing on bus and rail. Technological characteristics are described, along with their impacts on capacity, service quality, and cost. Current practice and new methods for data collection and analysis, performance monitoring, route and network design, frequency determination, and vehicle and crew scheduling are covered. The course also discusses effects of pricing policy and service quality on ridership, methods for estimating costs associated with proposed service changes, organizational models for delivering public transportation service including finance and operations, and select transit management topics including labor relations, fare policy and technology, marketing and operations management.

Other OCW Versions

OCW has published multiple versions of this subject.

• 1.258J Public Transportation Systems (Spring 2017)

Archived versions:

• 1.258J Public Transportation Service and Operations Planning (Spring 2006)
• 1.258J Public Transportation Service and Operations Planning (Fall 2003)

Course Collections

See related courses in the following collections:

Cross-Disciplinary Lists

• Transportation Courses

Find Courses by Topic

• Urban Studies > Transportation Planning