Skip to main content

Studies show HOV conversion to HOT improves transit

According to a December 2015 report from American Association of State Highway and Transportation officials, converting from high occupancy vehicle (HOV) to Express Lanes (HOT) benefits transit. Across the US, transit ridership and speeds increase when HOV goes HOT. Data from major cities that converted to Express Lanes show positive results, such as Miami, where 53 per cent of passengers said tolling affected their decision to use transit. Average bus travel increased from 18 to 55 mph on the I-95 E
February 4, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
According to a December 2015 report from 4944 American Association of State Highway and Transportation officials, converting from high occupancy vehicle (HOV) to Express Lanes (HOT) benefits transit.  Across the US, transit ridership and speeds increase when HOV goes HOT.  
 
Data from major cities that converted to Express Lanes show positive results, such as Miami, where 53 per cent of passengers said tolling affected their decision to use transit. Average bus travel increased from 18 to 55 mph on the I-95 Express Lanes and average weekday ridership increased 57 per cent from 2008-2010 to August 2011, while travel time decreased from 25 to eight minutes.

In Miami, average bus travel speed increased from 18 to 55 mph and travel time decreased from 25 to 8 minutes. Average weekday passengers increased 57 per cent from 2008-2010 to August 2011.

On-time performance increased for bus rapid transit on I-110 Metro ExpressLanes in Los Angeles, while average daily peak period passengers increased by 52 per cent in the morning peak and 41 per cent in the evening peak after USDOT-funded service was added. Passengers increased again by 29 per cent in the morning peak and 25 per cent in the evening peak after tolling began.

Bus speeds in Minneapolis increased and bus travel times decreased after I-35W converted to HOT lanes.

Critically, across these cities on average, one third of new transit riders previously drove alone.

Related Content

  • December 16, 2013
    SCATS study shows significant savings
    Australian study quantifies the benefits of SCATS to the motorists, the environment and the economy. Opportunity weekday cost savings potential of some AUD16 million (US$15.2 million) has emerged from rigorous analysis of a one-day study of Australia’s Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS) in operation. This represents 27% of the total cost of a real alternative semi-adaptive traffic control. The estimated indicative annual weekday-based value is AUD3,900 million (US$3,705 million) or 0.9% of t
  • February 3, 2012
    Pioneering new passenger information systems
    Chicago pioneers new passenger information initiatives. By David Crawford
  • June 16, 2020
    Speed limits: is 20 really plenty?
    Speed kills – which means cutting speed should cut collisions. But is it that simple?
  • August 19, 2015
    Costing transit is complicated case
    David Crawford welcomes fresh thinking from Canada. Public transit improvements can bring society “significantly more value” than conventional transport models normally indicate, argues Canadian researcher Todd Litman. “Traditional evaluation practices originally developed to assess roadway improvements, and focus primarily on vehicle travel speeds and operating costs. “They do not generally quantify or monetise basic mobility benefits, vehicle ownership and parking cost savings, or efficient land developme