CTE Public Transit & Multimodal Transportation

Question 1

What federal agency administers grants for public transit capital and operating assistance in the United States?

Accepted Answer

Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

Answer

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), within the US Department of Transportation, administers programs that fund transit capital projects, operations, and planning through formula and competitive grants.

Question 2

What is 'headway' in public transit operations?

Accepted Answer

The scheduled time interval between consecutive transit vehicles on a route

Answer

Headway is the time gap between successive transit vehicles on the same route at the same point, directly affecting service frequency and passenger wait times.

Question 3

What is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and what distinguishes it from standard bus service?

Accepted Answer

BRT is a high-capacity bus service with dedicated lanes, off-board fare payment, level boarding, and frequent service resembling rail transit

Answer

BRT combines the flexibility of buses with rail-like features — dedicated bus lanes, station platforms with off-board fare payment, level boarding, frequent service, and transit signal priority — to provide faster, more reliable service.

Question 4

In transit planning, what does 'mode share' measure?

Accepted Answer

The fraction of total person trips or VMT made by a specific travel mode

Answer

Mode share (or modal split) measures the percentage of total travel demand — trips, person-miles, or VMT — attributed to each travel mode (transit, auto, walking, cycling, etc.).

Question 5

What is a 'transit-oriented development' (TOD)?

Accepted Answer

Compact, mixed-use development within walking distance of high-frequency transit stations designed to promote transit ridership

Answer

TOD creates walkable, mixed-use communities centered around transit stations, combining residential, commercial, and employment uses within a quarter- to half-mile radius to maximize transit ridership and reduce auto dependence.

CTE - Certified Transportation Engineer Practice Test

CTE - Certified Transportation Engineer Practice Test

CTE Public Transit & Multimodal Transportation