FreewayConomics: Design and Benefit-Cost Analysis of Bus-Only Shoulder Express Service

Abstract

Bus-only shoulders (BOS), which allow transit buses to bypass congested freeways and arterials during rush hours, are a key cog in the ground transportation machine in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. In the Twin Cities, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has invested in 476 km of certified BOS. Traditional BOS benefit-cost analyses fail to justify the investment in Twin Cities BOS, yet the network in the Twin Cities continues to expand. This paper will explain the local investment in BOS, the real benefits associated with BOS, how to design BOS service, and how the incremental investment in technology to support BOS operations produces even greater return on the BOS investment.