Evaluating public transportation local funding options

Abstract

This article describes and evaluates 18 potential local funding options suitable for financing public transportation projects and services. They are evaluated according to eight criteria, including potential revenue, predictability and sustainability, horizontal and vertical equity, travel impacts, strategic development objectives, public acceptance and ease of implementation. This is a somewhat larger set of options and more detailed and systematic evaluation than most previous studies. This study discovered no new options that are particularly cost-effective and easy to implement; each has disadvantages and constraints. As a result, its overall conclusion is that a variety of funding options should be used to help finance the local share of public transit improvements to ensure stability and distribute costs broadly.