Concepts

Capital funds are the funds that the transit agencies receive from Federal, state, local and directly generated sources and that are applied to capital projects. Directly generated sources include any funds generated or donated directly to the transit agency including passenger fares, advertising revenues, donations and grants from private entities.

Comments

Capital investment increased by approximately 34 percent over the last 10 years. The role of the Federal government accounted on average for 44 percent of all capital invested in transit during the same period.

 

Total Capital Assistance — 1997 - 2006

 

Percent of Federal Share of Total Capital Assistance 1997 - 2006

Comments

Most of capital invested in transit comes from Federal sources. Federal funds account for most of all capital invested in small and medium urbanized areas. Large urbanized areas rely primarily on Federal funds and directly levied taxes to pay for capital projects.

 

Sources of Capital Assistance by Urbanized Area Size

 

 

UZAs with Less than 200,000 Population

 

Concepts

Uses of capital were reported until 2001 by mode in three major categories:

1.       Rolling stock (revenue vehicles)

2.       Facilities

3.       Other capital projects.

All exhibits depicting Uses of Capital show rolling stock, and combined facilities and other into a single category.

Currently, Uses of Capital include the following categories:

·         Revenue vehicles: Vehicles used to provide transit service for passengers. Capital funds for revenue vehicles may be used for replacement, rehabilitation, remanufacture, rail overhaul and expansion of fleet.

·         Guideway: Buildings and structures dedicated for the operation of transit vehicles such as: at grade, elevated and subway structures, tunnels, bridges, track and power systems for rail modes and paved highway lanes dedicated to bus.

·         Communication and Information systems: Communication systems include two-way radio systems for communicating between dispatchers and vehicle operations, cab signaling and train control equipment in rail systems, automatic vehicle locator systems, automated dispatching systems, vehicle guidance systems, telephones, facsimile machines and public address systems. Information systems include computers, monitors, printers, scanners, data storage devices and associated software that support general office, accounting, scheduling, vehicle and non-vehicle maintenance and customer service functions.

·         Fare revenue collection equipment: Includes capital expenses for the acquisition of fare revenue collection equipment such as turnstiles, fare boxes (drop), automated fare boxes, and related software, money changers, etc.

·         Maintenance facilities: Central / overhaul maintenance facilities, light maintenance and storage facilities.

·         Passenger stations: Boarding/alighting facilities with a platform, including: transportation / transit / transfer centers, park and ride facilities, and transit malls with the above components, including those only utilized by buses. Passenger stations do not include: bus, light rail, or cable car stops.

·         Administration buildings: Include capital expenses for administrative buildings including the cost for design and engineering, land acquisition and relocations, demolition, and purchase or construction of administrative buildings.

·         Service (non-revenue) vehicles: Service, supervisory and other vehicles other than revenue vehicles.

·         Other including passenger shelters, signs and amenities, furniture and equipment that are not integral parts of buildings and structures.

 

Capital Expenditures — 1997 - 2006

Comments

Large and medium-sized urbanized areas operate almost all rail systems in the nation, and guideway and facilities account for a significant portion of the overall capital costs.

For small urbanized areas, bus and demand response are the most common modes. Thus, most uses of capital are revenue vehicles and facilities.

 

 

 

 

UZAs with Less than 200,000 Population

 

Comments

Bus systems require less capital investment than rail systems. Generally, rail systems are located in high-density corridors within the larger metropolitan areas of the United States. The high levels of service supplied in these areas require large investments in transit infrastructure (e.g. track, signals and communication systems, complex maintenance facilities, passenger stations, inter-modal terminals, real time data acquisition systems and other cost intensive items).

Bus systems do not require the same level of investment in infrastructure as rail. Therefore, revenue vehicles are the main use of capital for bus.

 

Percent of Uses of Capital Net of Revenue Vehicles Capital Expenditures 1997 — 2006

 

Bus Fleet

Concepts

Large, medium, small and articulated buses are rubber tired passenger vehicles powered by diesel gasoline, electric battery or other alternative fuel engines.

·         Type “A” buses are equipped with more than 35 seats.

·         Type “B” buses are equipped with 25 -35 seats.

·         Type “C” buses are equipped with 25 seats.

·         Articulated buses are extra long buses that measure between 54 and 60 feet.

Comments

The average fleet age of type “C” buses have been stable over the last 10 years, while the average fleet age of large and medium buses decreased 13 percent.

The average fleet age of articulated buses dropped significantly in the last 6 years (from 11.2 years old in 1998 to 5.4 years old in 2006).

 

Average Fleet Age by Vehicle Type 1997 - 2006

Comments

The share of articulated buses 5 years old or less increased from 23.5 percent in 1998 to 40 percent in 2006.

 

Average Bus Fleet Age 1997 - 2006

Percent of Bus Fleet 5 Years Old or Less by Vehicle Type 1997 - 2006

Concepts

Fixed guideway directional route miles are the miles in each direction that transit vehicles travel while in revenue service on fixed guideways (high occupancy vehicle lanes, transit malls, busways, or rail track).

Fixed guideway mileage is a measure of the route path over a facility or roadway; it does not measure the service carried on the facility. This mileage is computed with regard to direction of service and is recorded without regard to the number of traffic lanes or rail tracks existing on the right-of-way.

Comments

Bus fixed guideway directional route miles increased by nearly 82 percent over the period, while rail modes increased 26 percent.

Fixed Guideway Mileage — Bus 1997 - 2006

 

Fixed Guideway Mileage — Rail Modes 1997 - 2006

 

Concepts

Alternative fuels are not diesel or gasoline. They include compressed natural gas (CNG), electric, battery, ethanol, methanol, liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), kerosene, bio-diesel, grain substitute and other fuels.

The national bus fleet includes only buses fully dedicated to transit service.

Comments

The share of the national bus fleet using alternative fuels rose from 3.5 percent in 1997 to 20 percent in 2006.

 

Percent of National Bus Fleet Using Alternative Fuels 1997 - 2006

 

 

Percentage of Fuel Consumption for Non-Electric Modes — 1997

Percentage of Fuel Consumption for Non-Electric Modes — 2006