A Guide for Implementing Bus On Shoulder
(BOS) Systems
TCRP Project D-13, published as TCRP Report 151
http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/166878.aspx
with
Herbert S. Levinson and
Texas Transportation
Institute
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
• What is Bus On Shoulders (BOS)?
• Where is it operating?
• What are its implementation issues?
• What are guidelines for implementing BOS?
TCRP report 151
FORMS OF BUS ON SHOULDER CONCEPT
• Applications
– Comprehensive network
– Corridor application
– Queue jumper
• Types
– Interstate and freeways
– Arterial streets
– Both right shoulder and left shoulder applications
TCRP Report 151
BUS ON SHOULDER EXAMPLES
• San Diego freeway application
• Twin Cities freeway and arterial network application
• Virginia Dulles Access Road queue jump application
• Left side shoulder applications – Cincinnati and Chicago
• New Jersey arterial street application
TCRP Report 151
SAN DIEGO BOS RIGHT SHOULDER
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MINNEAPOLIS - ST PAUL BOS
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MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL BOS NETWORK
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MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL OPERATIONS
• 35 MPH threshold speed
• 15 MPH maximum delta speed
• Buses yield to traffic at conflict points
• Use shoulder only at driver’s discretion
• 20 years experience
• Nearly 300 miles of BOS
• Team Transit website – www.dot.mn.us/metro/teamtransit
TCRP Report 151
MNDOT TEAM TRANSIT WEBSITE VIDEO CLIPS
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/teamtransit/
TCRP Report 151
WEST FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA BOS
• Eastbound queue jump on Route 267 in evening commute
for priority access to the West Falls Church Transit Center
connection to Metro
• Allows buses to bypass freeway queue that builds for I-66
off-ramp from Route 267
• 1.3 miles in length with maximum speed of 25 mph
• Congestion is substantial on Route 267 and the shoulder
provides time savings of up to two minutes or more
TCRP Report 151
WEST FALLS CHURCH STATION BOS QUEUE
JUMPER
TCRP Report 151
WEST FALLS CHURCH DULLES ACCESS ROAD
SIGNAGE
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CINCINNATI I-71 LEFT SHOULDER BOS
TCRP Report 151
I-71 LEFT SHOULDER SIGNAGE
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I-71 CINCINNATI BOS OPERATING PROTOCOLS
Buses may use left shoulder when the following
conditions are present:
• Traffic: 30 mph or slower
• 15 mph faster than traffic
• No faster than 35 mph
• 12 miles
TCRP Report 151
CINCINNATI BOS FEATURES
• 12 ft. shoulder
• Center rumble strip
• Good visibility
• No exit/entrance ramp merging
• Plenty of merge time
• Wide ARTIMIS (Advanced Regional Traffic Interactive
Management and Information System) coverage
TCRP Report 151
NEW JERSEY ROUTE 9 BOS BEGIN SIGN
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NEW JERSEY ROUTE 9 BOS MARKINGS
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NEW JERSEY ROUTE 9 BOS MAINLINE SIGN
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NEW JERSEY ROUTE 9 BOS END SIGN
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NEW JERSEY ROUTE 9 BOS MARKINGS
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NEW JERSEY ROUTE 9 NESTED BOS BUS STOP
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BOS OPERATIONS - 2010
TCRP Report 151
MOST RECENT BOS IMPLEMENTATIONS
• Kansas, I-70 freeway
• Montreal, Highway 20
• North Carolina, I-40 Research Triangle (planned 2012
opening)
• Chicago, I-55 Stevenson Expressway left side shoulder
TCRP Report 151
TCRP SYNTHESIS 64 PROJECT PURPOSES
• Identify the current state of the practice
• Identify where BOS has been considered but not implemented
TCRP SYNTHESIS 64
• Canvassing Survey
– 24 MPOS
– 17 Transit Operations
– 25 DOTS
• Six Case Studies
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–
–
–
–
–
Twin Cities
Falls Church VA
Miami-Dade
San Diego
Toronto
Dublin
TCRP SYNTHESIS 64 FINDINGS
• Concept is successful
– Expanding applications
– None terminated
• Popular with bus riders
• Partnerships needed
• Limited information available
TCRP Report 151
TCRP REPORT 151 (PROJECT D-13)
• Decision guidelines
• Performance benefits
• Transit operations guidelines
• Design guidelines
• Traffic integration guidelines
• Update of case studies
TCRP Report 151
DECISION MAKING PROCESS
1. Identify Need
2. Develop Concept Plan
3. Establish Multi-Agency BOS Team
4. Perform Feasibility Assessment
5. Develop Project Definition
6. Plan Implementation
7. Project Start-Up
8. Monitor Performance
TCRP Report 151
STEP #1 IDENTIFY PROBLEM/NEED
• Congestion related delays to bus operations
• Congestion impacts on bus operating reliability
• Congestion impacts on bus operating costs
• Congestion impacts on market competitiveness
TCRP Report 151
STEP #2 – DEVELOP CONCEPT PLAN
• Draft Purpose and Need
• Define BOS corridor and termini
• Describe bus operating plan
• Estimate preliminary travel time, reliability, and other
benefits
• Estimate person trip capacity throughput benefits for
corridor
• Provide info on successful similar BOS operations
TCRP Report 151
STEP #3 – ESTABLISH MULTI AGENCY BOS TEAM
• DOT departments
• Transit operator staffs
• MPO staffs
• FHWA
• Police
• Local jurisdiction staffs
TCRP Report 151
BOS TEAM INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
• Field visits to BOS operating sites – seeing is believing
– Observations show the simplicity, safety, and benefits
– Observations also help understand design and operational
issues
• Discussions with peers at BOS operating sites - peer to peer
discussions help to allay concerns and identify important
implementation issues
• Finding the right persons for the BOS Team
– Open and willing to find how to make BOS work
– Authority to represent agency help find solutions
TCRP Report 151
STEP #4 – PERFORM FEASIBILITY STUDY
• Inventory shoulder widths and pinch points
• Assess pavement strength
• Assess drainage and other utility upgrade needs
• Assess interchange weaving suitability
• Identify traffic sight distance and safety concerns
• Identify BOS maintenance needs
• Identify legal restrictions
• Determine the benefits of a pilot/demo approach
TCRP Report 151
MIAMI DADE SHOULDER ASSESSMENT MAP
TCRP Report 151
STEP #5 DEVELOP PROJECT DEFINITION
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
BOS termini
Width , signage, and markings improvements
Pavement, rumble strip, and edge upgrades
Cross slope improvements
Utility upgrades/relocations
BOS operating protocols
Interchange weave strategies
Legal basis
Improvement costs
Refine estimates of project benefits
TCRP Report 151
STEP #6 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
• Execute appropriate interagency MOUs
• Obtain required FHWA approvals
• Establish legal authority
• Perform environmental clearance studies
• Obtain funding
• Develop construction strategy to minimize impacts
• Implement driver training program
• Develop marketing and public info plan
TCRP Report 151
STEP #7 PROJECT START-UP
• Implement traffic advisory notice to motorists
• Outreach to the media
• Coordinate with enforcement agencies
• Market benefits to riders
TCRP Report 151
STEP #8 MONITOR PERFORMANCE
• Driver and police feedback on adequacy of signs and
markings
• Monitor wear and ride quality of shoulders
• Debrief drivers to identify refinements
• Assess the time, reliability, and ridership of the project
• Identify and implement refinements
TCRP Report 151
POLITICALLY POPULAR
TCRP Report 151
PERFORMANCE BENEFITS
• Passenger benefits
• Bus driver perceptions
• Schedule reliability
• Relative travel time savings
TCRP Report 151
PASSENGER BENEFITS
• Travel time savings is perceived at 2 to 3 times actual savings
• Many riders enjoy bypassing slow traffic and encourage bus
drivers to use the shoulder
• Ridership gains are difficult to isolate from other factors
TCRP Report 151
BUS DRIVER OPINIONS
100%
90%
80%
70%
San Diego
60%
Miami
50%
Twin Cities
Columbus
40%
New Jersey
30%
20%
10%
0%
Congestion is a Problem
TCRP Report 151
Shortens Trip
Improves Scehedule Times
Good Idea
SCHEDULE RELIABILITY AND TRAVEL TIME
SAVINGS
• Varies by day and BOS segment with the greatest benefits
accruing during bad weather conditions
• Travel time savings are highest for long segments and when
congestions is most severe
• Core bus trips during the peak hour achieve greater benefits
than trips at the edge of the peak hour
• Best quantifying approach is to measure current bus trip
performance and compare to 35 mph BOS speeds
TCRP Report 151
DESIGN GUIDELINES
• Shoulder width & features
• Interchange ramp Interfaces
• Pavement structure
• Drainage & utility modifications
TCRP Report 151
TRANSIT OPERATIONS GUIDELINES
• Threshold speed
• Maximum delta speed
• Driver training
• Left versus right shoulder BOS
TCRP Report 151
TRANSIT OPERATING PROTOCOLS
• 35 mph BOS threshold for general traffic congestion and for
maximum BOS speed has generally proven safe
• Best to test each BOS application at 25 mph and 35 mph and
solicit feedback from bus drivers on best speeds
• Initial speeds can be easily adjusted based on operating
experience and BOS drivers are advised only to operate at
their discretion regarding speeds
• 15 mph has generally proven safe regarding maximum speed
delta between BOS and general traffic flow
• MnDOT has an excellent driver training video
TCRP Report 151
TRAFFIC GUIDELINES
• Signage & striping
• Ramp weaves
• Auxiliary lanes
• Ramp metering
• Role for ITS
• Police & emergency service
TCRP Report 151
MN/DOT TYPICAL SHOULDER SIGNING PLAN
FOR BUS ON SHOULDER USE (FREEWAY ONLY)
TCRP Report 151
SHOULDER USE SIGNS
Source:
TCRP
Synthesis 64
TCRP Report 151
ON RAMP SIGN
Source:
TCRP
Synthesis 64
TCRP Report 151
MINNEAPOLIS BOS ON RAMP SIGNAGE
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CINCINNATI VMS SIGN
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RAMP WEAVING VOLUMES
• Ramp metering can help break up on ramp platoons and
provide gaps for BOS buses
• Dual on and off ramps are generally problematic
• Ramp volumes of less than 1,000 vph are generally not a
problem for BOS weaves
• Ramp volumes of 1,000 to 1,500 vph are worrisome but can
sometimes work
• Ramp volumes of 1,500 vph or higher are major concerns
and buses probably should re-merge into general traffic at
these interchanges
TCRP Report 151
ADVANTAGES
• Passenger Benefits
– Reduced run times
– Improved reliability
– Market visibility
– Station stopping service
• Implementation
– Low cost
– Quick
TCRP Report 151
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
• Presence of buses – usually at least 4 per hour
• Congestion on corridor highway
• Minimum 10 foot wide shoulders
• Avoidance of high volume entry and exit ramps (more than
1,000 vph)
• Willingness of transit agencies, DOTs, and other stakeholders
to work together
• Ability to obtain FHWA approvals
TCRP Report 151
CONCLUSIONS
• Bus priority treatments have operated successfully for more
than 50 years
• Bus on Shoulder operations have more than 20 years of
successful experience
• Bus passengers save time and gain more reliable commute
trips, while general traffic is unaffected
• Safety experience has been excellent
• Bus on shoulder operations are low cost and low impact
means of improving corridor mobility
TCRP Report 151
QUESTIONS?
Peter Martin
CDM Smith
201 Mission Street, Suite 1450
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 495-6201
MartinPC@cdmsmith.com
TCRP Report 151