The next federal surface transportation authorization is anticipated to greatly expand focus on performance of the nation’s transportation system, including public transportation.  While many DOTs and their Public Transportation divisions currently utilize performance measures to plan and implement their programs, this is not done across all states, nor are there standard approaches for measuring the performance of public transportation systems and allocating funding among modes and among transit funding recipients.  Many performance measures required by the Federal Transit Administration gauge activity levels and cost effectiveness, not necessarily results-oriented measurements.  More information is needed on performance measures and performance management approaches that can be used effectively by Public Transportation Divisions in their capacity.

This Digest provides information on performance measures and performance management approaches that can be used by state DOTs in relation to public transportation programs.

Status: Research completed. Published as Research Results Digest 361.