Quick-Response Research on Long-Term Strategic Issues. Task 45. Future of Commuter Rail in North America
Beginning in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ability of many office workers to work from home seriously affected ridership on commuter rail services. Although public transportation ridership has partially recovered since the height of the pandemic, passenger counts for most commuter rail services, remain below 2019 levels. Commuter rail providers are facing challenges to redefine themselves to serve a broader array of passenger markets and improve integration with other public transportation services. Under TCRP Project J-11/Task 45, “Future of Commuter Rail in North America,” DB E.C.O. North America was tasked to conduct research to identify practical, implementable strategies for commuter rail providers in North America that will facilitate recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, manage their transformation, and enable continued relevance. This research was built on a review of historical and current literature; data from public sources to understand trends and context for the various commuter rail systems; interviews with experts and practitioners, including transportation agency staff and board members, labor representatives, elected officials, consultants, planners, and operations teams; six case studies of U.S. commuter rail agencies focused on specific strategies and emerging practices; and a review of regional rail models in Germany. To assess and transform for the future, the research concludes that providers follow a three-part, iterative strategic planning process that is tailored for the unique nature of commuter rail given its fixed infrastructure, historical agreements, and financial position. The planning process needs to integrate market information with service innovation options in a manner that recognizes and responds to challenges in governance, infrastructure, and funding. These factors need to fit into regional mobility discussions: this process should be part of understanding what broad mobility goals a region has and determining what is the role of commuter rail in achieving those goals. TCRP Research Report 254, Future of Commuter Rail in North America, presents practical, implementable strategies to support the recovery of commuter rail services from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report addresses how commuter railroads might navigate the market, service, and funding challenges they face in the coming years and decades. This report is of immediate use to leadership and staff of commuter rail providers, and it can also inform funders, elected officials, other decision-makers, and stakeholders interested in regional mobility.
- Record URL:
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Supplemental Notes:
- The final report has been released as TCRP Report 254 available at https://doi.org/10.17226/29128
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Completed
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Contract Numbers:
Project J-11, Task 45
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Sponsor Organizations:
Transit Cooperative Research Program
Transportation Research Board
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001Federal Transit Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Project Managers:
Schwager, Dianne
- Performing Organizations: Sacramento, CA United States
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Principal Investigators:
Lewis, Paul
- Start Date: 20231204
- Expected Completion Date: 20250415
- Actual Completion Date: 20250415
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Commuters; COVID-19; Financing; Forecasting; Railroad commuter service; Ridership; Schedules; Travel demand
- Geographic Terms: North America
- Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads; Security and Emergencies;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01866946
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
- Contract Numbers: Project J-11, Task 45
- Files: TRB, RIP
- Created Date: Dec 13 2022 9:30AM