What is Transit Priority?

Transit priority is a toolbox of policies and infrastructure that help transit passengers get to their destination more quickly. Let's see what's in the box.

Elements of Transit Priority

Transit priority can include road design and traffic enforcement to help transit vehicles avoid traffic congestion, reduce delays, and move more predictably. 

Credit
Joey Kotfica

Transit Lanes

Lanes dedicated exclusively for transit vehicles, either full-time or during days/times with peak traffic congestion. 

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Joey Kotfica

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes

Lanes dedicated to transit vehicles and other high-occupancy vehicles, either full-time or during days/times with peak traffic congestion.

Credit
Noah Berger

Transit Signal Priority (TSP)

Modified traffic signal timing so transit vehicles encounter a green light or reduced wait times at intersections with traffic lights/signals.

Credit
Joey Kotfica

Queue Jump Lanes

Lanes exclusively for transit vehicles and HOVs to bypass traffic queues at intersection approaches or freeway on-ramps. Queue jump lanes are often paired with Transit Signal Priority.

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NACTO

Transit Stop Placement & Spacing

Locations for transit stops that minimize delay and optimize stop frequency (to balance convenient stop access with efficient operations). Examples of improved locations might be the far side of intersections with traffic lights, or the near side of intersections controlled by a stop sign. 

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San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency

Transit Stop Design

Designing stops to reduce delays to transit vehicles (such as using boarding islands or bus bulbs/curb so buses do not have to pull in and out of the traffic lane during passenger loading/unloading).

Credit
Karl Nielsen

Traffic/Parking Regulations & Enforcement

Regulations to speed transit travel (including turn restrictions for non-transit vehicles, tow-away zones and other curb management along transit routes), paired with automated or manual enforcement to ensure effective transit priority (such as on-bus cameras that can cite vehicles blocking transit-only lanes or bus zones).

Credit
Noah Berger

Learn more.

See the latest on Transit Priority efforts in the Bay Area.