Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility

New Study to Research Demand for Intercity Transit Services and Optimal Service Levels

SURTC researcher Jeremy Mattson is launching a new study to estimate demand for intercity transit services in rural areas and determine optimal service levels.

The study will examine how gas prices, fare levels, travel speed, and service frequency influence demand for intercity bus and rail and how demand differs based on individual characteristics such as age and income. The study will also estimate how far travelers are willing to drive to a bus or rail station to use those services. The cost and time associated with traveling to and from transit stations will be factored into the study.

Results from the study of mode choice will be used to estimate intercity bus and rail demand along different corridors. The research will be conducted in North Dakota, but the methodologies developed could be applied to other areas. Different scenarios with different travel times, service frequencies, stop locations, fare levels, and gas prices will be considered, as will the impacts of changing demographics.

Optimal service levels will be identified based on cost of providing service, costs associated with automobile travel, ridership levels, number of new trips that are created, and costs associated with impacts on the environment and traveler safety.

For more details, contact Jeremy Mattson at jeremy.w.mattson@ndsu.edu.

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