Regardless of technological advances, connecting people to each other and to their destinations in dense urban places requires reliable, frequent, high-capacity transportation networks. In focusing on improving bus and rail service today, cities hold the toolbox for accommodating growth–today, into tomorrow–without increasing congestion.

To prepare for AVs, cities should…

1. Enshrine a Commitment to Transit in Asphalt and Concrete
   To prepare for AVs, cities and transit agencies should take bold strides to designate street space for transit. Such efforts will help transit take advantage of automation sooner (it is easier to automate a vehicle that runs on a fixed, routine route), and also rebuild ridership and a political constituencies for transit. Cities and transit agencies can begin by upgrading busy bus routes into rapid, high-frequency lines, adding transit signal priority technology, and by investing in station infrastructure that anchors bus transit in place and supports better operations.
2. Redesign Bus Networks for Improved Travel Time and Reliability
   Riders flock to transit when transit services are fast, reliable, convenient, and efficient. To best take advantage of the potential increases in efficiency offered by AV technology, cities and transit operators should collaborate on holistic transit network redesigns that will improve service and simplify transit operations. In particular, transit operators should prioritize frequency and convenient transfers rather than focus on offering one-seat coverage. Commute trips represent less than 1/3 of all trips; transit agencies should explore options to expand service at off-peak hours. AV technology can help agencies to expand hours and areas of operation, closing gaps in existing transit service while attracting more riders.
3. Start Transitioning Transit Fleets, Support Infrastructure, and Staff
   Many safety, efficiency, and sustainability goals are already within reach with emerging technology. Cities and transit agencies can adopt Direct-Vision standards, set fleet fuel economy standards and target dates for fleet replacement, and tie targets to VMT reduction goals. Cities can prioritize electric vehicle infrastructure for buses and other high-capacity vehicles that reduce VMT. Finally, cities and transit operators can invest in staff development to ensure that workers have the technical skills to oversee and maintain autonomous fleets, and to engage in a wide variety of customer support and security functions.
4. Ensure Fleet Vehicles and Station Infrastructure is Wired for Technology
   On-board and in-street information infrastructure is essential to support AV transit, better manage service, and communicate with riders. Cities should ensure they have the hardware and software necessary to support transit signal priority and vehicle-to-vehicle/infrastructure communications. Open-source data feeds can help cities and transit agencies collaborate with third-party developers and provide riders with useful trip planning tools and service updates.
5. Streamline Payment and Transfers
   Complicated or proprietary payment systems and inefficient or costly transfers discourage  people from choosing transit. Existing and emerging technologies can make fare payment clear and easy, and increase ridership now. Operators should eliminate transfer fees, offer discounts for multimodal travel, and enable payment through a single portal for all services, whether public or private. In upgrading payment systems, cities and transit agencies should ensure economic equity. For example, transit agencies could cap fares once customers have paid the equivalent of a monthly pass.

Policies to Shape the Autonomous Age

Download the Blueprint:

• Part 1: Shaping the Autonomous Future Today (PDF)
• Part 2: Policies to Shape the Autonomous Age (PDF)
• Part 3: Design for the Autonomous Age (PDF)
• Part 4: References and Resources (PDF)