Transit Trends
Options for Transportation: Which is Right for Fresno County?
Fresno County is in the midst of a major study called the Public Transportation Infrastructure Study (PTIS). How we get around Fresno County in the future is just one of the questions being asked. Following are options used in cities across the nation today.
Click here to see transportation simulations.
Refers to a type of rail that is more complex and operationally rigid. Heavy rail systems typically consist of steel-wheeled, electric-powered vehicles operating in trains of two or more cars on a fully grade-separated right-of-way. Click here to see transportation simulation videos.
Maximum operating speed: 80 mph
Typical operating speed: 30-80 mph
Power source: Electric with third rail
Seated capacity: 1,000-10,000 passengers per hour
Electric- or diesel-propelled railway for urban passenger train service with short-distance travel between a city and its suburbs. Click here to see transportation simulation videos.
Peak service frequency: 20-30 minutes
Maximum operating speed: 80-90 mph
Typical operating speed: 30-80 mph
Power source: Diesel-electric or electric with overhead line
Seated capacity: 400-1,200 passengers per hour
Refers to a lighter weight rail vehicle (compared to heavy rail systems like BART) that operates on tracks installed in the street. With an overhead power supply, light rail systems can operate in mixed traffic and in various road design configurations. Click here to see transportation simulation videos.
Peak service frequency: 5-30 minutes
Maximum operating speed: 55-65 mph
Typical operating speed: 20-60 mph
Power source: Electric with overhead line
Seated capacity: 500-2,500 passengers per hour
Refers to a rail transit vehicle that is typically smaller than a light rail vehicle. Streetcars run on streets, providing a local service and picking up and discharging passengers at any street corner, unless otherwise marked. Click here to see transportation simulation videos.
Peak service frequency: 8-15 minutes
Maximum operating speed: 45 mph
Typical operating speed: 6-12 mph
Power source: Overhead electric trolley wire
Seated capacity: 200-350 passengers per hour
These terms refer either to a replica car or to an original, pre-served car restored to accurate or nearly accurate standards. Its operations are generally similar to the modern streetcar. Click here to see transportation simulation videos.
Peak service frequency: 8-15 minutes
Maximum operating speed: 30 mph
Typical operating speed: 6-12 mph
Power source: Overhead electric trolley wire
Seated capacity: 200-350 passengers per hour
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a relatively new type of service that allows buses to operate at faster speeds and fewer stops than regular bus service on roadways or separated rights-of-way. Click here to see a BRT simulation and other transportation simulation videos.
Peak service frequency: 3-30 minutes
Maximum operating speed: 65 mph
Typical operating speed: 8-60 mph
Power source:Diesel, alternative fuel or
overhead electric trolley wire
Seated capacity: 400-2,000 passengers per hour
A bus service that operates at higher speeds than regular city buses and with very few stops. These buses typically run between the downtown and outlying suburbs on highways and use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Express buses can compete with travel times of a personal automobile, and can be faster than a car during congested traffic hours. Click here to see transportation simulation videos.
Peak service frequency: 10-13 minutes
Maximum operating speed: 65 mph
Typical operating speed: 15-20 mph
Power source:Diesel, CNG, or Electric Hybrid
Seated capacity: 100-200 passengers per hour
Personal Rapid Transit (PRT)
Personal rapid transit (PRT) is an electric, 200-mpg-equivalent, elevated transit system made up of three- to five-person vehicles that provide a direct ride from a user's origin station to their destination station. Working as a circulator transit system for office parks, airports, universities, and other major activity centers, PRT is faster than a car. Click here to see a PRT simulation and other transportation simulation videos.
Peak service frequency: 0.5-2 seconds
Maximum operating speed: 150 mph
Typical operating speed: 25-45 mph
Power source: Electric with lineside conductors
Seated capacity: 2,700-7,200 passengers per hour
