1.258J | Spring 2017 | Graduate

Public Transportation Systems

Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 1.5 hours / session, 2 sessions / week

Course Description

This course discusses the evolution and role of urban public transportation modes, systems, and services, focusing on bus and rail. It describes the technological characteristics and their impacts on capacity, service quality, and cost. It also discusses current practice and new methods for data collection and analysis, performance monitoring, route design, frequency determination, and vehicle and crew scheduling. It also covers topics in effect of pricing policy and service quality on ridership; methods for estimating costs associated with proposed service changes; organizational models for delivering public transportation service including finance and operations; select transit management topics including labor relations, fare policy/technology, marketing and operations management.

Prerequisites

1.201J Transportation Systems Analysis: Demand and Economics

Requirements

Problem sets: Five problem sets will be assigned over the semester.

Final exam: This will be given during Final Exams week.

Grading

ACTIVITIES PERCENTAGES
Problem Sets 65%
Final Exam 35%

Readings

None of the readings are mandatory; some are recommended and some are supplementary.

Acknowledgement

Most of the materials for this course are provided by Professor Nigel H.M. Wilson.