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Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

Number of New Users of Public Transit and Active Transportation Modes

The number of new users of public transit and active transportation modes reveals people’s readiness to utilize public transportation as well as the range of transportation options that are accessible to them. The indicator shows the proportion of employees that commute to work by active transportation options, including walking, biking, or public transit.1

This indicator helps determine the effectiveness of the following objectives

  • Less Contamination
  • Less Emissions
  • Less Traffic Noise
  • Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Healthy Destinations
  • Less Traffic Violence
  • Active Transportation
  • Green Space

Data Collection

The data on the number of new public transit users can be obtained from the National Transportation Statistics (NTS) database. The NTS database is a sizable online document that includes more than 260 data tables, data source and accuracy statements, a glossary, and a list of acronyms and initialisms. In addition to providing data on national security, human and natural environment performance, economic performance, and safety records, the database also keeps track of the number of transit users.2

Examples

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

The number of new users of public transit can be measured by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO is a global organization that develops and publishes international standards. These standards are voluntary, but they are often used by governments as requirements for products, services, and systems. ISO has published a standard for measuring the number of new users of public transit, which can be used to compare the usage of different transit systems.

https://www.iso.org/home.html

1. Active transportation [Internet]. Transportation.gov. [cited 2022 Jul 19]. Available from: https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/active-transportation
2. U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau Of Transportation Statistics. National Transportation Statistics: 2017. North Charleston, SC: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform; 2017.