Providing Low-Income Fare Discounts at Public Transit Agencies
Report Number: S-182
Publication Date: 09/24/2025
Over the past decade, public transit agencies across the United States and Canada have increasingly adopted low-income fare discount programs to improve transit affordability and accessibility. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend, prompting agencies to reevaluate services and expand affordable transit choices. These programs offer various benefits such as fare discounts, free rides, or discounted passes.
This report documents the current state of the practice of low-income fare discount programs offered by North American transit agencies.
Operational and Service Factors When Integrating or Consolidating ADA Paratransit and On-Demand Services
Report Number: S-183
Publication Date: 09/10/2025
Demand response transportation (DRT) providers have consistently looked for operational designs and mechanisms to improve service efficiencies and lower operational costs. DRT services, which include ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) complementary paratransit and general public DRT services, such as advance reservation dial-a-ride services and ondemand microtransit services, are inherently less efficient to operate due to circumstances of geography, population locations, program rules, and “points of interest” (relevant transit locations and destinations) for travel.
This report provides information, analysis, and examples of the current state of the practice in integrating or consolidating ADA paratransit and other types of paratransit service with on-demand microtransit for the general public, including documented findings and results from the agencies, municipalities, and other local government entities providing these commingled trips.
Resilient Zero-Emission Transit Bus Fleets: A Guide
Report Number: R-256
Publication Date: 09/10/2025
The Future of Commuter Rail in North America
Report Number: R-254
Publication Date: 08/20/2025
Commuter rail services operate in more than 20 North American regions, connecting communities to urban downtowns. These services enjoyed decades of growth, with ridership increasing by 50 percent between 1990 and 2019. However, travel demand shifts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and continued work-from-home patterns caused ridership to collapse and only partially recover. This sudden change also upended the traditional financial model, in which fare revenues covered more than half of operating costs. While commuter rail providers vary in size and structure, they all share an uncertain future in solidifying a long-term and financially sustainable role in serving regional transportation demands.
This report examines the history of commuter rail in North America, evaluates current trends, presents constraints, reviews case studies, and explores strategies— including alternative approaches to service schedules, simplified fare structures, and infrastructure options—to address changing goals and circumstances at the agency, regional, and national levels in the United States and Canada.
Mitigation Strategies for Deterring Transit Assaults
Report Number: R-258
Publication Date: 08/05/2025
Concerns about transit assaults and perceived safety play an important role in transit use and ridership. Research shows that if people felt more secure when traveling and waiting at railway stations, the ridership could increase by 10 percent.
This pre-publication report equips agencies with practical strategies and evidence-based recommendations to enhance safety and security in the transit environment.
Microtransit Solutions in Rural Communities: On-Demand Alternatives to Dial-a-Ride Services and Unproductive Coverage Routes
Report Number: S-178
Publication Date: 05/02/2025
Dial-a-ride and fixed-route transit options are some of the ways that microtransit services have traditionally been implemented in rural areas. App-based booking and dynamic routing are among the newer offerings transit agencies are exploring to provide greater flexibility and more spontaneous options for users.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of rural microtransit operations through a literature review, surveys of 19 transit providers, and case examples of seven agencies. High customer satisfaction and improved service efficiency were frequently cited as benefits of microtransit solutions.
Transportation Emergency Response Application (TERA): Migration Options Beyond 2025
Report Number: R-253
Publication Date: 04/23/2025
The Transportation Emergency Response Application (TERA) is a scenario-based training system that provides training and exercise scenarios and materials for command-level and operational roles in public transportation agencies, state departments of transportation, and airport emergency operations centers for natural and human-made disaster incidents.
This report identifies migration and repurpose options for the content of TERA to one or more platforms and describes materials that have the most value as resources for tabletop exercises.
