Theses Master's

Inclusive Transportation Planning: Empowering the Public via Digital Tools in Bus Planning

Chew, Sean

New York City boasts an extensive bus network that enables 94% of its residents to access a bus stop within walking distance. In 2019, the City’s bus ridership included 2.2 million riders on average on weekdays, and 678 million rides in 2019, which carried more passengers than the three next largest bus systems combined.

Although the City’s bus system is extensive, bus service quality has frustrated many riders; New York’s buses run at the slowest bus speeds in the US at an average of 8 miles per hour. These speeds are caused by a multitude of factors, including frequent stops, passenger boarding delays, traffic congestion, and wait times at red lights. In 2021, the New York City DOT (NYCDOT) announced an ambitious plan, dubbed the Better Bus Action Plan, to improve service citywide via a host of initiatives, including new and improved bus lanes, expanded bus lane camera enforcement, and initiatives such as the Bus Network Redesign.

The Better Bus Dashboard is a tool created to help demonstrate the potential for access to transportation data, policy information, and resources to empower individuals often left out of the conversation. This design brief presents research compiled for BetaNYC, the capstone client, so that the organization can effectively build the tool for the benefit of the public.

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More About This Work

Academic Units
Urban Planning
Thesis Advisors
Vanky, Anthony P.
Degree
M.S., Columbia University
Published Here
August 2, 2023