74-618: The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System ( SDMTS or often simply MTS ) is a public transit service provider for San Diego County, California . The agency operates a transit system that includes the San Diego MTS bus system , San Diego Trolley , and Rapid ( bus rapid transit ). MTS also controls the San Diego and Arizona Eastern (SD&AE) freight railway and regulates taxicabs , jitneys , and other private for-hire passenger transportation services. MTS works closely with
148-454: A guideway . This is an uncommon mode of transportation (excluding elevators ) due to the complexity of automation. A fully implemented system might provide most of the convenience of individual automobiles with the efficiency of public transit. The crucial innovation is that the automated vehicles carry just a few passengers, turn off the guideway to pick up passengers (permitting other PRT vehicles to continue at full speed), and drop them off to
222-570: A "Comprehensive Operational Analysis" that redesigned the area's bus network for the first time in 23 years. National City was reluctant to implement the findings of the analysis and instead opts to transfer control of its National City Transit system into MTS. The major overhaul of the San Diego Trolley called the " Trolley Renewal Project " began in 2010. Over the next five years, all Trolley stations were renovated, making them capable of handling low-floor light rail vehicles that eliminate
296-543: A body of water. A foot-passenger ferry with many stops is sometimes called a water bus . Ferries form a part of the public transport systems of many waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at a capital cost much lower than bridges or tunnels, though at a lower speed. Ship connections of much larger distances (such as over long distances in water bodies like the Mediterranean Sea ) may also be called ferry services. A report published by
370-713: A deal with the San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad to continue to move railcars from the end of the Santa Fe Railway in downtown San Diego to either industrial customers in the San Diego area or to the Mexico–United States border in San Ysidro. In August 1980, the MTDB established San Diego Trolley, Inc. to operate and maintain the new light rail system. On July 26, 1981, electric trains began operating
444-420: A decline in public transport usage. A number of sources attribute this trend to the rise in popularity of remote work, ride-sharing services, and car loans being relatively cheap across many countries. Major cities such as Toronto, Paris, Chicago, and London have seen this decline and have attempted to intervene by cutting fares and encouraging new modes of transportation, such as e-scooters and e-bikes. Because of
518-552: A few stops per city. These services may also be international. High-speed rail is passenger trains operating significantly faster than conventional rail—typically defined as at least 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph). The most predominant systems have been built in Europe and East Asia, and compared with air travel, offer long-distance rail journeys as quick as air services, have lower prices to compete more effectively and use electricity instead of combustion. Urban rail transit
592-676: A railway with freight trains . A rapid transit railway system (also called a metro, underground, heavy rail, or subway) operates in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Heavy rail is a high-capacity form of rail transit, with 4 to 10 units forming a train, and can be the most expensive form of transit to build. Modern heavy rail systems are mostly driverless, which allows for higher frequencies and less maintenance cost. Systems are able to transport large numbers of people quickly over short distances with little land use. Variations of rapid transit include people movers , small-scale light metro and
666-654: A second line on March 23, 1986, by redeveloping the La Mesa Branch of the SD&;AE into the East Line (today's Orange Line ). This line was extended to El Cajon by June 23, 1989. Service was expanded beyond the old SD&AE right-of-way when the line was extended further, going north, to Santee on August 26, 1995. The East Line's Bayside extension to the San Diego Convention Center and
740-480: A set of trolley poles for mobility. Online Electric Vehicles are buses that run on a conventional battery, but are recharged frequently at certain points via underground wires. Certain types of buses, styled after old-style streetcars, are also called trackless trolleys, but are built on the same platforms as a typical diesel , CNG , or hybrid bus; these are more often used for tourist rides than commuting and tend to be privately owned. Passenger rail transport
814-412: A single (or return) trip, or valid within a certain area for a period of time (see transit pass ). The fare is based on the travel class, either depending on the traveled distance, or based on zone pricing . The tickets may have to be shown or checked automatically at the station platform or when boarding, or during the ride by a conductor . Operators may choose to control all riders, allowing sale of
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#1732780709610888-413: A smaller suburban or town center. The stations are often combined with shuttle bus or park and ride systems. Frequency may be up to several times per hour, and commuter rail systems may either be part of the national railway or operated by local transit agencies. Common forms of commuter rail employ either diesel electric locomotives, or electric multiple unit trains. Some commuter train lines share
962-574: A station and exchange passengers. There is often a potential conflict between this objective and optimising the utilisation of vehicles and drivers. The main sources of financing are ticket revenue, government subsidies and advertising. The percentage of revenue from passenger charges is known as the farebox recovery ratio . A limited amount of income may come from land development and rental income from stores and vendors, parking fees, and leasing tunnels and rights-of-way to carry fiber optic communication lines. Most—but not all—public transport requires
1036-431: A tram line. Light rail lines are, thus, essentially modernized interurbans . Unlike trams, light rail trains are often longer and have one to four cars per train. Somewhere between light and heavy rail in terms of carbon footprint , monorail systems usually use overhead single tracks, either mounted directly on the track supports or put in an overhead design with the train suspended. Monorail systems are used throughout
1110-492: Is a network of ten bus rapid transit (BRT) routes in the San Diego area. The lines operate on exclusive roadways, dedicated lanes , high-occupancy vehicle lanes , and in mixed-traffic with other vehicles. Paratransit services, operated under the name "MTS Access," provide point-to-point service upon request to passengers registered with MTS as being qualified for assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act . Service
1184-659: Is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport , typically managed on a schedule, operated on established routes, and that may charge a posted fee for each trip. There is no rigid definition of which kinds of transport are included, and air travel is often not thought of when discussing public transport—dictionaries use wording like "buses, trains, etc." Examples of public transport include city buses , trolleybuses , trams (or light rail ) and passenger trains , rapid transit (metro/subway/underground, etc.) and ferries . Public transport between cities
1258-507: Is a term used for buses operating on dedicated right-of-way, much like a light rail. Coach services use coaches (long-distance buses) for suburb-to-CBD or longer-distance transportation. The vehicles are normally equipped with more comfortable seating, a separate luggage compartment, video and possibly also a toilet. They have higher standards than city buses, but a limited stopping pattern. Trolleybuses are electrically powered buses that receive power from overhead power line by way of
1332-496: Is a transit technology that moves people in motor-less, engine-less vehicles that are propelled by a steel cable. There are two sub-groups of CPT— gondola lifts and cable cars (railway) . Gondola lifts are supported and propelled from above by cables, whereas cable cars are supported and propelled from below by cables. While historically associated with usage in ski resorts , gondola lifts are now finding increased consumption and utilization in many urban areas—built specifically for
1406-421: Is an all-encompassing term for various types of local rail systems, such as these examples trams , light rail , rapid transit , people movers , commuter rail , monorail , suspension railways and funiculars . Commuter rail is part of an urban area's public transport. It provides faster services to outer suburbs and neighboring satellite cities . Trains stop at train stations that are located to serve
1480-476: Is available throughout the MTS service area, and connections to a similar NCTD service are also available. Vehicles are typically mini-buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and tie-downs. The San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway (SD&AE) is a subsidiary of MTS that manages and leases railroad tracks for freight service. The San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad has exclusive trackage rights move railcars from
1554-484: Is common with roads for automobiles. Interchanges are locations where passengers can switch from one public transport route to another. This may be between vehicles of the same mode (like a bus interchange), or e.g. between bus and train. It can be between local and intercity transport (such as at a central station or airport). Timetables (or 'schedules' in North American English ) are provided by
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#17327807096101628-610: Is dominated by airlines , coaches , and intercity rail . High-speed rail networks are being developed in many parts of the world. Most public transport systems run along fixed routes with set embarkation/disembarkation points to a prearranged timetable, with the most frequent services running to a headway (e.g.: "every 15 minutes" as opposed to being scheduled for any specific time of the day). However, most public transport trips include other modes of travel, such as passengers walking or catching bus services to access train stations. Share taxis offer on-demand services in many parts of
1702-430: Is especially valuable in cases where there are capacity problems for private transport. Investments in infrastructure are expensive and make up a substantial part of the total costs in systems that are new or expanding. Once built, the infrastructure will require operating and maintenance costs, adding to the total cost of public transport. Sometimes governments subsidize infrastructure by providing it free of charge, just as
1776-656: Is reasonably comfortable (seats, toilets, services), and can thus be scheduled and used pleasurably, productively or for (overnight) rest. Chauffeured movement is enjoyed by many people when it is relaxing, safe, but not too monotonous. Waiting, interchanging, stops and holdups, for example due to traffic or for security, are discomforting. Jet lag is a human constraint discouraging frequent rapid long-distance east–west commuting, favoring modern telecommunications and VR technologies. An airline provides scheduled service with aircraft between airports. Air travel has high speeds, but incurs large waiting times before and after travel, and
1850-444: Is the conveyance of passengers by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run on railways. Trains allow high capacity at most distance scales, but require track , signalling , infrastructure and stations to be built and maintained resulting in high upfront costs. Intercity rail is long-haul passenger services that connect multiple urban areas. They have few stops, and aim at high average speeds, typically only making one of
1924-721: Is therefore often only feasible over longer distances or in areas where a lack of surface infrastructure makes other modes of transport impossible. Bush airlines work more similarly to bus stops; an aircraft waits for passengers and takes off when the aircraft is full. Bus services use buses on conventional roads to carry numerous passengers on shorter journeys. Buses operate with low capacity (compared with trams or trains), and can operate on conventional roads, with relatively inexpensive bus stops to serve passengers. Therefore, buses are commonly used in smaller cities, towns, and rural areas, and for shuttle services supplementing other means of transit in large cities. Bus rapid transit (BRT)
1998-704: The Gaslamp Quarter opened on June 30, 1990. Later in the decade, the South Line was extended to the north, reaching Little Italy on July 2, 1992, Old Town on June 16, 1996, and Mission San Diego on November 23, 1997. At that the same time, the South Line and East Line of the system were renamed the Blue Line and the Orange Line, respectively. One of the system's most ambitious expansions opened on July 10, 2005. The Mission Valley East extension built
2072-723: The North County Transit District (NCTD), which operates public transit services in Northern San Diego County , and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), which plans, develops, and constructs transit projects for both MTS and NCTD. MTS is one of the oldest transit systems in Southern California , with predecessors dating back as early as the 1880s. The current agency started operations in 1976 as
2146-622: The San Diego County Board of Supervisors, three members of the San Diego City Council , and one member each from the city councils of the cities of Chula Vista , Coronado , El Cajon , Imperial Beach , La Mesa , Lemon Grove , National City , Poway , Santee . The board members elect one of their own as their chairperson. Public transit Public transport (also known as public transportation , public transit , mass transit , or simply transit )
2220-802: The San Diego Trolley (colloquially known as "The Trolley") a system of light rail routes: the Blue Line , the Green Line , the Orange Line , the Copper Line , and the Silver Line , which operates using heritage streetcars on select days. The system is operated by San Diego Trolley, Inc. (SDTI), a subsidiary of MTS. The Trolley began service on July 26, 1981, making it the oldest of the second-generation light rail systems in
2294-482: The stagecoaches traveling a fixed route between coaching inns , and the horse-drawn boat carrying paying passengers, which was a feature of European canals from the 17th century onwards. The canal itself as a form of infrastructure dates back to antiquity. In ancient Egypt canals were used for freight transportation to bypass the Aswan cataract. The Chinese also built canals for water transportation as far back as
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System - Misplaced Pages Continue
2368-851: The warring States period which began in the 5th century BCE. Whether or not those canals were used for for-hire public transport remains unknown; the Grand Canal in China (begun in 486 BCE) served primarily the grain trade . The bus , the first organized public transit system within a city, appears to have originated in Paris in 1662, although the service in question, Carrosses à cinq sols (English: five-sol coaches), which have been developed by mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal , lasted only fifteen years until 1677. Buses are known to have operated in Nantes in 1826. The public bus transport system
2442-492: The "MTS Access" paratransit service. Routes are operated by private contractors and by the San Diego Transit Corporation (SDTC), a subsidiary of MTS. The SDTC operates 27 routes based out of downtown San Diego (Imperial Avenue Division) and Kearny Mesa (Kearny Mesa Division), Transdev operates 73 routes based out of Chula Vista (South Bay Division), El Cajon (East County Division), and operates
2516-590: The "MTS Access" paratransit service that are operated with mini-buses based out of Kearny Mesa (Copley Park Division). All buses and division facilities, even those used by contractors, are owned by MTS. Urban bus routes link the densely populated neighborhoods and adjacent cities together with direct and frequent bus services. These services constitute the bulk of fixed-route bus services operated in terms of vehicle requirements and patronage. Typically, headways are 12–15 minutes between scheduled bus arrival/departure times during commute periods and during midday times on
2590-724: The MTDB and the North San Diego County Transit Development Board into the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to create a consolidated regional transportation planning and development agency. With the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board no longer in charge of developing future transit projects, the MTDB changed its name to the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) in 2005. In 2007, MTS completed
2664-515: The Netherlands many individuals use e-bikes to replace their car commutes. In major American cities, start-up companies such as Uber and Lyft have implemented e-scooters as a way for people to take short trips around the city. All public transport runs on infrastructure, either on roads, rail, airways or seaways. The infrastructure can be shared with other modes, freight and private transport, or it can be dedicated to public transport. The latter
2738-649: The SD&AE Main Line from downtown San Diego to the San Ysidro Port of Entry and the SD&AE La Mesa Branch from downtown San Diego to El Cajon. The MTDB decided to build a relatively low-cost light rail system over the tracks, a new idea for the United States , but one that was well established in Germany . The MTDB also continued to operate the freight operations of the SD&AE. The board reached
2812-491: The San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board ( MTDB ) and changed to its current name in 2005. San Diego's public transportation traces its roots back to the San Diego Street Car Company, which opened a single line on July 3, 1886, with cars drawn by two mules or horses. The system would eventually expand to five lines across downtown San Diego . At the same time as the first horse-drawn line
2886-680: The San Diego Trolley began construction of the Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project. It is an 11-mile (18 km) extension of the Blue Line from the Old Town Transit Center north to the University of California, San Diego , La Jolla Village , and University City . Ridership is projected at 34,700 trips in 2030. The extension was completed and opened for service on November 21, 2021, costing $ 2.1 billion. The MTS Rail Operations division oversees
2960-652: The San Diego urban area. Two of the six express lines (Routes 60 and 110) only operate during the morning and evening weekday commute periods. Rural transit services (Routes 888, 891, 892 and 894) link the sparsely populated central and eastern portions of San Diego County to the San Diego Trolley and other fixed-route transit services at the El Cajon Transit Center . These lines offer much less frequent service – Route 888 only operates on Mondays and Fridays, Route 891 on Fridays, and Route 892 on Thursdays. Only Route 894 operates Mondays through Fridays. Rapid
3034-532: The South Line (today's Blue Line ) between downtown San Diego and San Ysidro. In 1985, the city of San Diego transferred control of the San Diego Transit Corporation to the MTDB. The MTDB also coordinated transit services operated by San Diego County and other local agencies. Starting in 1986, all of these services begin operating under a single brand, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). The San Diego Trolley added
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System - Misplaced Pages Continue
3108-651: The Spreckels family and renamed it the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway (SD&AE), wanted to abandon the railway, a request that was denied by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1978. The MTDB stepped in and offered to buy the SD&AE for $ 18.1 million if the Southern Pacific fully repaired the line. The deal closed on August 20, 1979. The purchase gave MTDB two sections of right-of-way that could be used for mass transit:
3182-543: The UK National Infrastructure Commission in 2018 states that "cycling is mass transit and must be treated as such." Cycling infrastructure is normally provided without charge to users because it is cheaper to operate than mechanised transit systems that use sophisticated equipment and do not use human power . Many cities around the world have introduced electric bikes and scooters to their public transport infrastructure. For example, in
3256-404: The United States. The entire Trolley network is 53.5 miles (86.1 km) with 53 stations. In 2023, the trolley had the highest ridership of any light rail system in the United States, with 38,047,300 annual rides, or about 121,600 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024. The MTS Bus Operations division oversees 85 "MTS Bus" fixed-route services, nine "Rapid" bus rapid transit routes, and
3330-446: The busiest lines. Generally, no worse than 30-minute headways occur during non-commute periods or 60-minute headways weekends. Local routes generally have stops placed at every block or every other block. Limited-stop lines have stops placed every approximately quarter to half-mile. Four express fixed-route bus lines (Routes 20, 60, 110, and 950) are operated along major roadways and highways and link intermediate distant suburban areas to
3404-523: The cities of San Diego, El Cajon , Imperial Beach , La Mesa , Lemon Grove , Poway and Santee . MTS is a California public agency established and governed by the Mills-Deddeh Transit Development Act. The board of directors has 15 members, who are elected officials representing the cities and unincorporated within MTS's service area. These include the mayors of the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista , one member of
3478-713: The commuter rail hybrid S-Bahn . More than 160 cities have rapid transit systems, totalling more than 8,000 km (4,971 mi) of track and 7,000 stations. Twenty-five cities have systems under construction. People movers are a special term for grade-separated rail which uses vehicles that are smaller and shorter in size. These systems are generally used only in a small area such as a theme park or an airport. Trams (also known as streetcars or trolleys) are railborne vehicles that originally ran in city streets, though over decades more and more dedicated tracks are used. They have higher capacity than buses, but must follow dedicated infrastructure with rails and wires either above or below
3552-450: The cost of railway construction materials by 50 to 150 percent. Simultaneously, private automobiles became more common, with many owners picking up work as jitney drivers who would cruise the streetcar routes and pick up fares. The first motor bus hit the San Diego area streets in 1922, operating between National City and Chula Vista. Over the next two decades, the rail lines would gradually be replaced by motor buses, and on April 24, 1949,
3626-447: The day or part of the day (known as clock-face scheduling ). Often, more frequent services or even extra routes are operated during the morning and evening rush hours . Coordination between services at interchange points is important to reduce the total travel time for passengers. This can be done by coordinating shuttle services with main routes, or by creating a fixed time (for instance twice per hour) when all bus and rail routes meet at
3700-668: The end of the BNSF Railway in downtown San Diego to either industrial customers in the San Diego area or to the Mexico–United States border in San Ysidro over the SD&AE Main Line and La Mesa Branch. The Baja California Railroad holds the right to operate over the SD&AE Desert Line in the Imperial Valley . The For-Hire Vehicle Administration division licenses and regulates taxicabs , jitneys , non-emergency patient transport services, and other private for-hire passenger transportation services provided by contract in
3774-651: The last rail service was discontinued, making San Diego the first major city in California to convert to an all-bus system. In 1948, the Spreckels family sold the San Diego Electric Railway Company to Jesse L. Haugh, who renamed it the San Diego Transit System and invested in updating and improving the system. Despite the improvements, ridership dropped. Facing a financial crisis, the city of San Diego took control of
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#17327807096103848-456: The location of their choice (rather than at a stop). Conventional transit simulations show that PRT might attract many auto users in problematic medium-density urban areas. A number of experimental systems are in progress. One might compare personal rapid transit to the more labor-intensive taxi or paratransit modes of transportation, or to the (by now automated) elevators common in many publicly accessible areas. Cable-propelled transit (CPT)
3922-400: The lost time and statistically higher risk of accident in private transport , together with the initial, running and parking costs. Loss of control , spatial constriction, overcrowding , high speeds/accelerations, height and other phobias may discourage use of public transport. Actual travel time on public transport becomes a lesser consideration when predictable and when travel itself
3996-493: The only underground station in the system at San Diego State University and inaugurated the third route in the San Diego Trolley system, the Green Line , going from the Blue Line at Old Town east through Mission Valley, San Diego State University, and merging with the Orange Line in La Mesa (and proceeding to El Cajon and Santee). On January 1, 2003, the state consolidated the planning, development, and construction functions of
4070-492: The public transport leg of their journey and how close it leaves them to their desired destination. Timeliness is how long they must wait for the vehicle. Directness records how far a journey using public transport deviates from a passenger's ideal route. In selecting between competing modes of transport , many individuals are strongly motivated by direct cost (travel fare/ ticket price to them) and convenience , as well as being informed by habit . The same individual may accept
4144-481: The purchase of a ticket to generate revenue for the operators. Tickets may be bought either in advance, or at the time of the journey, or the carrier may allow both methods. Passengers may be issued with a paper ticket, a metal or plastic token , or a magnetic or electronic card ( smart card , contactless smart card ). Sometimes a ticket has to be validated, e.g. a paper ticket has to be stamped, or an electronic ticket has to be checked in. Tickets may be valid for
4218-619: The purposes of mass transit. Many, if not all, of these systems are implemented and fully integrated within existing public transportation networks. Examples include Metrocable (Medellín) , Metrocable (Caracas) , Mi Teleférico in La Paz , Portland Aerial Tram , Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York City, and the London Cable Car . A ferry is a boat used to carry (or ferry ) passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, across
4292-615: The reduced emissions and other environmental impacts of using public transportation over private transportation, many experts have pointed to an increased investment in public transit as an important climate change mitigation tactic. Conveyances designed for public hire are as old as the first ferry service . The earliest public transport was water transport . Ferries appear in Greek mythology writings. The mystical ferryman Charon had to be paid and would only then take passengers to Hades . Some historical forms of public transport include
4366-401: The same issues of technologies, alignments, and costs. On September 10, 1976, nature intervened, setting off a chain of events that would help decide the first mass transit line. Hurricane Kathleen destroyed major sections of track and bridges on the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway 's Desert Line east of San Diego. The Southern Pacific, which had previously purchased the line from
4440-408: The smoke filled subway tunnels from the steam engines. In 1894, Boston built the first subway in the United States, an electric streetcar line in a 1.5-mile tunnel under Tremont Street's retail district. Other cities quickly followed, constructing thousands of miles of subway in the following decades. In March 2020, Luxembourg abolished fares for trains, trams and buses and became the first country in
4514-843: The stairs into the trains and allow faster boarding for people using wheelchairs. The renovations allowed the Green Line to be extended to downtown in 2012. Low-floor vehicles started operating on the Orange Line in 2013 and on the Blue Line in 2015. In 2011, MTS opened the Silver Line , which operates renovated PCC streetcars around downtown San Diego in partnership with the San Diego Historic Streetcar Society. MTS introduced its network of bus rapid transit routes in June 2014. The lines operate on exclusive roadways, dedicated lanes , high-occupancy vehicle lanes , and in mixed-traffic with other vehicles. In 2016,
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#17327807096104588-434: The system in 1967, renaming it the San Diego Transit Corporation, which is to be operated as a non-profit. In 1970, to boost struggling ridership, fares that ranged from 35¢ to $ 1.15 were lowered to a flat 25¢ fare. By the end of the decade, annual ridership would improve from 18 million to 35 million. The Comprehensive Planning Organization (now known as SANDAG ), an intergovernmental agency of 13 cities and San Diego County,
4662-527: The ticket at the time of ride. Alternatively, a proof-of-payment system allows riders to enter the vehicles without showing the ticket, but riders may or may not be controlled by a ticket controller ; if the rider fails to show proof of payment, the operator may fine the rider at the magnitude of the fare. Hurricane Kathleen Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
4736-504: The track, limiting their flexibility. In the United States, trams were commonly used prior to the 1930s, before being superseded by the bus. In modern public transport systems, they have been reintroduced in the form of the light rail. Light rail is a term coined in 1972 and uses mainly tram technology. Light rail has mostly dedicated right-of-ways and less sections shared with other traffic and usually step-free access. Light rails line are generally traversed with increased speed compared to
4810-517: The transport operator to allow users to plan their journeys. They are often supplemented by maps and fare schemes to help travelers coordinate their travel. Online public transport route planners help make planning easier. Mobile apps are available for multiple transit systems that provide timetables and other service information and, in some cases, allow ticket purchase, some allowing to plan your journey, with time fares zones e.g. Services are often arranged to operate at regular intervals throughout
4884-408: The use and extent of public transport. The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is the international network for public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. It has over 1,900 members from more than 100 countries from all over the globe. In recent years, some high-wealth cities have seen
4958-536: The world (especially in Europe and east Asia , particularly Japan ), but apart from public transit installations in Las Vegas and Seattle, most North American monorails are either short shuttle services or privately owned services (With 150,000 daily riders, the Disney monorail systems used at their parks may be the most famous in the world). Personal rapid transit is an automated cab service that runs on rails or
5032-544: The world to make all public transport free. The Encyclopædia Britannica specifies that public transportation is within urban areas, but does not limit its discussion of the topic to urban areas. Seven criteria estimate the usability of different types of public transport and its overall appeal. The criteria are speed, comfort, safety, cost, proximity, timeliness and directness. Speed is calculated from total journey time including transfers. Proximity means how far passengers must walk or otherwise travel before they can begin
5106-745: The world, which may compete with fixed public transport lines, or complement them, by bringing passengers to interchanges. Paratransit is sometimes used in areas of low demand and for people who need a door-to-door service. Urban public transit differs distinctly among Asia, North America, and Europe. In Asia, profit-driven, privately owned and publicly traded mass transit and real estate conglomerates predominantly operate public transit systems. In North America, municipal transit authorities most commonly run mass transit operations. In Europe, both state-owned and private companies predominantly operate mass transit systems. For geographical, historical and economic reasons, differences exist internationally regarding
5180-524: Was able to force a ballot initiative that amended his charter with the City of San Diego to give him more than 25 years on his leases to operate streetcar service. Passage of the initiative allowed the SDERy to secure loans that led to service expansion. The electric streetcar system took a big hit during the "Great Flood" of 1916 which washed out several lines. Rebuilding was a challenge as World War I increased
5254-579: Was being inaugurated, there were already plans to start up an electric streetcar service in San Diego, with at least some service starting in November 1887. The San Diego Electric Railway (SDERy), the direct predecessor of today's MTS, was founded in 1891 by John D. Spreckels (who would later go on to build the San Diego and Arizona Railway ). The SDERy would greatly expand electric streetcar service by purchasing several existing transit companies and converted them to electric operation. In 1910, Spreckels
5328-787: Was built for 11 miles of track for the Union Passenger Railway in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1888. Electric streetcars could carry heavier passenger loads than predecessors, which reduced fares and stimulated greater transit use. Two years after the Richmond success, over thirty two thousand electric streetcars were operating in America. Electric streetcars also paved the way for the first subway system in America. Before electric streetcars, steam powered subways were considered. However, most people believed that riders would avoid
5402-496: Was established in 1966. The group began planning a mass transit system for the area, studying technologies, alignments, and costs, but the plans went nowhere due to disagreements between stakeholders. In 1975, California established the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB) with a clear mission: plan, construct, and operate a mass transit system. The agency formally started operations on January 1, 1976. The MTDB also struggled to resolve stakeholders' disagreements over
5476-717: Was introduced to London in July 1829. The first passenger horse-drawn vehicle opened in 1806. It ran along the Swansea and Mumbles Railway . In 1825 George Stephenson built the Locomotion No 1 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northeast England, the first public steam railway in the world. The world's first steam-powered underground railway opened in London in 1863. The first successful electric streetcar
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