Spotlight

Detailed look at a specific topic or area of interest

• Smartphone applications in transit services: Growing popularity [free access]

  May 1, 2014
  The smartphone is well on its way to becoming the bestselling electronics product in the world. In fact, between 2012 and 2013, worldwide smartphone sales increased by around 43 per cent; and in 2013, worldwide sales of smartphones surpassed sales of the basic-feature phone devices for the first time.

• STIF budget 2014: Continued increase in public transport investments

  April 1, 2014
  The public transport authority of the Paris region (ÃŽle-de-France), the Syndicat des Transports d'ÃŽle-de-France (STIF), has approved an investment budget of EUR787 million for 2014, marking an 8.6 per cent increase over the investment budget for 2013.

• Public transport investments in the UAE: Projects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

  March 1, 2014
  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has revealed plans to invest USD21 billion within the next six to seven years to develop railway infrastructure. Of this, almost USD10 billion will be invested to develop the Abu Dhabi metro, expand the Dubai metro and construct the Dubai tram system.

• PPP projects in transit, Manila: Stuck in systemic delays

  February 1, 2014
  The public-private partnership (PPP) programme of the Government of Philippines, launched in 2010 for sustainable and inclusive growth, comprises five public transport projects valued at PHP133.21 billion for Metro Manila.

• Transit funding in Chicago: City versus the suburbs

  January 1, 2014
  In October 2013, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) for Northeastern Illinois passed the budget for allocation of funds between the three service boards - the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus.

• SFMTA 20-Year Capital Plan: Catalogue for San Francisco's transit needs

  December 1, 2013
  In October 2013, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) adopted a 20-year capital plan comprising an unconstrained list of capital needs and priorities for the city.

• Investments in Paris metro and RER: Major expansion and modernisation underway

  November 1, 2013
  The Paris metro opened during the World Exposition in 1900 and is the oldest in Europe. With closely spaced stations limiting options for expansion, the metro catered only to the core city.

• Light-rail systems in Southeast Asia: Opportunities in existing systems

  October 1, 2013
  Presently, only four Southeast (SE) Asian cities—Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Singapore — have operational light-rail transit (LRT) systems.

• Public Transport Improvements in São Paulo: World Bank projects underway

  September 1, 2013
  In August 2013, the federal government of Brazil announced that it would invest USD1.31 billion to create 99 km of new express lanes to speed up bus services in São Paulo.

• Light-rail transit in Middle East: Progress made in the past one year

  August 1, 2013
  In the Middle East, ambitious plans have been chalked out for light-rail transit (LRT). Overall, the Middle East has seven LRT projects spanning over 390 km.

• ITDP's BRT Standard 2013: Upholding the BRT brand

  July 1, 2013
  In March 2013, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) released the first comprehensive Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Standard, a defining and scoring method...

• Transit bus market in North America: Overview, key trends and outlook

  June 1, 2013
  The transit bus market in North America is small with four major manufacturing companies accounting for over 90 per cent of the market and production ranging between 5,000 ...

• Light-rail transit (LRT) in Latin America: Gaining prominence

  May 1, 2013
  Light rail (also known as the tram, tramway, streetcar, light rapid transit and LRT) occupies a special niche in the public transportation sector. After the Second World War, many tram systems either became obsolete or were removed as...

• ERTMS: Systemically moving towards interoperability

  April 1, 2013
  A systemic approach is being followed to achieve the target of complete interoperability on European railways. The deployment of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS)...

• ERTMS: Increasing absorption in Europe and beyond

  March 1, 2013
  Today, rail operators across the world aim to improve safety and productivity, improve customer interface, and ensure smoother operations.

• Up and coming: Opportunities in bus transport segment across the globe

  February 1, 2013
  Several transit agencies and authorities across the world revealed major plans to construct bus rapid transit systems (BRT), introduce dedicated bus lanes, procure new buses...

• Focus on bus transport: Key developments of 2012

  January 1, 2013
  The past year witnessed significant developments in the bus transport sector across the world. Authorities and operators in North America and Europe placed the maximum...

• Automated fare systems in North America: Updates as of 2012

  December 1, 2012
  Several transit agencies launched new smart cards, deployed mobile ticketing facilities and awarded contracts for the launch of automated fare collection (AFC) systems....

• Electric buses: Witnessing increasing demand worldwide

  November 1, 2012
  Increasing gasoline prices and environmental issues associated with the use of fossil fuels have engaged policymakers' interest in both pure-electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.

• BHLS in Europe: Buses with High Level of Service

  October 1, 2012
  In Europe, new urban bus schemes called 'Buses with High Level of Service' (BHLS) are being implemented to achieve service quality equivalent to trams at lower costs with the use....