White Paper Abstract:
Commercial transit agencies provide a vital service to our communities. Their goal is to provide safe, affordable, and convenient transportation to the general public. Transit agencies continually strive to find new ways to increase ridership, offer greater passenger safety, and new passenger services to enhance the public transit experience. In spite of these important objectives, transit agencies must find creative ways to achieve these objectives in spite of limited or decreasing budgets. According to the Federal Transit Agency, only 40 percent of operating costs are covered from passenger fare revenues. Agencies must find creative ways to offer new services and passenger safety using the same or fewer resources available to them.