MTO Public Transportation Systems 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'transit-oriented development' (TOD)?
- Building transit stations underground to reduce surface congestion
- Mixed-use, walkable development centered around transit stations (Correct answer)
- Routing buses and trains through existing commercial areas only
- Designing transit vehicles with built-in retail space
Correct answer: Mixed-use, walkable development centered around transit stations
TOD is a planning strategy that concentrates mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development around transit hubs to increase ridership and reduce car dependency.
Question 2: Which rail technology uses magnetic levitation to eliminate wheel-to-rail contact?
- Heavy rail (metro)
- Light rail transit (LRT)
- Maglev (Correct answer)
- Monorail
Correct answer: Maglev
Maglev (magnetic levitation) trains use electromagnetic forces to levitate and propel the vehicle, eliminating friction from wheel-rail contact.
Question 3: What is 'peak-hour' service in public transportation?
- Service that runs only at night
- Increased frequency during morning and evening commute times (Correct answer)
- Express routes that skip intermediate stops
- Service reserved for transit workers only
Correct answer: Increased frequency during morning and evening commute times
Peak-hour service refers to more frequent transit departures scheduled during high-demand morning and evening rush hours.
Question 4: When a transit agency says a route has a 'load factor' of 1.2, what does this mean?
- The route operates 20% faster than average
- The vehicle is carrying 20% more passengers than its seated capacity (Correct answer)
- The route serves 1.2 times more stops than average
- Fuel consumption is 20% above baseline
Correct answer: The vehicle is carrying 20% more passengers than its seated capacity
A load factor above 1.0 means the vehicle is carrying more passengers than its seated capacity, indicating standing passengers are present.
Question 5: Which emission standard applies specifically to transit buses in the United States?
- CARB Tier 4
- EPA 2010 Heavy-Duty Engine Standards (Correct answer)
- EURO 6
- FTA Clean Bus Standard
Correct answer: EPA 2010 Heavy-Duty Engine Standards
The EPA 2010 Heavy-Duty Engine Standards set strict NOx and particulate matter limits that apply to transit bus engines across the U.S.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a 'timed transfer' in public transit network design?
- Scheduling vehicles to arrive simultaneously at a hub so passengers can connect between routes (Correct answer)
- Giving transit operators extra time at terminal stops
- Allowing passengers to use the same ticket on multiple agencies
- Delaying service during off-peak hours
Correct answer: Scheduling vehicles to arrive simultaneously at a hub so passengers can connect between routes
A timed transfer (pulse) coordinates multiple routes to arrive at a central hub simultaneously, minimizing passenger wait time when switching between routes.
Question 7: In transit planning, what does 'span of service' refer to?
- The total number of stops on a route
- The hours during which a route operates each day (Correct answer)
- The geographic coverage area of a transit system
- The distance between the first and last stop
Correct answer: The hours during which a route operates each day
Span of service describes the daily operating hours of a transit route, from first departure to last departure.
MTO Public Transportation Systems 3
What is 'transit-oriented development' (TOD)?