Service and Methods Demonstration - Annual Report

This report contains a description of the Service and Methods Demonstration Program. Transit demonstration projects undertaken in previous years are reviewed. Recently completed and current demonstration projects are described and project results from similar demonstrations are compared. The comparisons are made by grouping projects according to the program objectives addressed: (1) decrease transit travel time, (2) increase transit reliability, (3) increase transit coverage, (4) increase transit vehicle productivity, and (5) improve the mobility of transit dependents. Demonstrations are categorized as either experimental, i.e. those intended to develop and test concepts to the point where they merit widespread use, or exemplary, i.e. those conducted to achieve more widespread diffusion of proven concepts and techniques. Independent activities carried out in support of the demonstrations are described, such as the development of evaluation guidelines and improved methodologies for demonstration evaluation, analytical studies in support of the development of experimental demonstrations, and case studies of independent local innovations. Information dissemination mechanisms and activities intended to facilitate more widespread knowledge of effective approaches to improving transit are discussed. The Appendix contains a detailed description of each demonstration project including the objectives, history, status, results, evaluation and conclusions. /UMTA/