RTA Public Transport Policies & Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'headway' refer to in public transport scheduling?
- The distance between two bus stops
- The time interval between consecutive vehicles on a route (Correct answer)
- The number of seats on a vehicle
- The route length from first to last stop
Correct answer: The time interval between consecutive vehicles on a route
Headway is the elapsed time between successive vehicles traveling in the same direction on a given route.
Question 2: Which federal agency oversees public transportation funding and policy in the United States?
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA) (Correct answer)
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Correct answer: Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
The FTA, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, administers federal grants and sets policy for public transportation systems.
Question 3: A transit agency adopts a 'frequent network' policy. What does this typically guarantee?
- Free fares for all riders
- Service every 15 minutes or less during peak hours (Correct answer)
- 24-hour overnight bus service
- Express service only on major corridors
Correct answer: Service every 15 minutes or less during peak hours
A frequent network policy ensures buses or trains run at least every 15 minutes, reducing wait times and making transit more spontaneous to use.
Question 4: What is 'deadheading' in transit operations management?
- Running a vehicle out of service between assignments without carrying passengers (Correct answer)
- Canceling a scheduled trip due to low ridership
- Assigning a driver to an unfamiliar route
- Parking buses at terminal stations overnight
Correct answer: Running a vehicle out of service between assignments without carrying passengers
Deadheading refers to operating a revenue vehicle without passengers, typically to reposition it for the next scheduled trip.
Question 5: Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, transit agencies must ensure their services do not discriminate based on what characteristic?
- Income level
- Race, color, or national origin (Correct answer)
- Age and disability status
- Employment type
Correct answer: Race, color, or national origin
Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance, including transit.
Question 6: Which concept describes allocating more transit resources to low-income and minority communities to correct historical service gaps?
- Farebox recovery optimization
- Equity-focused service allocation (Correct answer)
- Demand-side management
- Revenue-neutral rebalancing
Correct answer: Equity-focused service allocation
Equity-focused service allocation directs additional service hours or capital to underserved communities as a social justice and policy objective.
Question 7: A transit agency implements 'proof-of-payment' fare enforcement. What does this mean?
- Passengers pay at the vehicle door upon boarding
- Passengers purchase and carry proof of fare before or upon boarding, with random on-board inspection (Correct answer)
- Fares are automatically deducted via GPS tracking
- Only monthly pass holders may ride
Correct answer: Passengers purchase and carry proof of fare before or upon boarding, with random on-board inspection
Proof-of-payment systems allow all-door boarding with passengers expected to have a valid fare, which inspectors verify randomly.
RTA Public Transport Policies & Management 3
What does 'headway' refer to in public transport scheduling?