Public transit is a powerful tool for addressing a huge range of urban problems, including traffic congestion and economic development as well as climate change. But while many people support transit in the abstract, it's often hard to channel that support into good transit investments. Part of the problem is that transit debates attract many kinds of experts, who often talk past each other. Ordinary people listen to a little of this and decide that transit is impossible to figure out.
Jarrett Walker believes that transit can be simple, if we focus first on the underlying geometry that all transit technologies share. In Human Transit, Walker supplies the basic tools, the critical questions, and the means to make smarter decisions about designing and implementing transit services.
Human Transit explains the fundamental geometry of transit that shapes successful systems; the process for fitting technology to a particular community; and the local choices that lead to transit-friendly development. Whether you are in the field or simply a concerned citizen, here is an accessible guide to achieving successful public transit that will enrich any community.
Acknowledgments Introduction
Chapter 1. What Transit Is and Does Chapter 2. What Makes Transit Useful? Seven Demands and How Transit Serves Them Chapter 3. Five Paths to Confusion Chapter 4. Lines, Loops, and Longing Chapter 5. Touching the City: Stops and Stations Chapter 6. Peak or All Day? Chapter 7. Frequency Is Freedom Chapter 8. The Obstacle Course: Speed, Delay, and Reliability Chapter 9. Density Distractions Chapter 10. Ridership or Coverage? The Challenge of Service Allocation Chapter 11. Can Fares Be Fair? Chapter 12. Connections or Complexity? Chapter 13. From Connections to Networks to Places Chapter 14. Be on the Way! Transit Implications of Location Choice Chapter 15. On the Boulevard Chapter 16. Take the Long View
Epilogue: Geometry, Choices, Freedom Notes Index
"Human Transit is well organized with short chapters and clear diagrams to illustrate some of the more complex concepts ... Walker does a good job of avoiding transportation planning jargon and makes careful choices about terminology... His writing style makes it easy to understand types of running ways, the reasons agencies are concerned about farebox returns, and the benefits of new technologies such as Smartcards."