Explaining how public transit is planned, scheduled, and operated.
Public transit is more than buses, stops, and timetables. Behind every trip is a network of planning decisions involving routes, schedules, vehicles, operators, passengers, funding, and real-world operating conditions. This site explains how those pieces fit together.
Scheduling Explained3 min read
A connection needs time for passengers to leave one bus, reach the next boarding location, and board again. Good transfer planning considers ordinary variation and the consequences of missing the next departure.
Scheduling Explained3 min read
A connection needs time for passengers to leave one bus, reach the next boarding location, and board again. Good transfer planning considers ordinary variation and the consequences of missing the next departure.
Read ArticleTransit Planning3 min read
Weekends and holidays bring different travel needs, operating hours, and connections. A separate service day deserves its own review of whether passengers can complete the journeys they need.
Read ArticleScheduling Explained3 min read
The first and last buses determine which daily activities transit can support. A useful service span must provide a practical arrival, workable connections, and an opportunity to return home.
Read ArticleTransit Planning3 min read
An almost empty bus is one moment in a longer trip. Understanding boardings, alightings, passenger loads, and turnover helps explain how a route can provide useful rides without looking busy at every stop.
Read ArticlePlanner's Notebook2 min read
Modern transit planners have access to more data than ever before, but a spreadsheet cannot understand every reason behind a number. Good planning combines ridership, running time, and performance data with field knowledge, passenger needs, operator experience, and professional judgment.
Read ArticleTransit Planning2 min read
School dismissal can create a large passenger load during a very short period. Instead of changing an entire route, transit agencies may use a school tripper - an additional scheduled trip designed to provide capacity exactly where and when it is needed.
Read ArticleA Transit Planner’s Notebook provides practical explanations of how bus routes, schedules, blocks, recovery time, vehicle assignments, stops, and transit operations work. It also explores destination signs, transit technology, historical documents, and lessons learned from years of working in public transportation.
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