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Reinventing Transit for the 21st Century

  • 1st Edition - October 1, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Author: Baruch Feigenbaum
  • Language: English

Reinventing Transit for the 21st Century addresses the critical state of urban transit systems in the U.S., exacerbated by declining ridership and looming fiscal challenges post-C… Read more

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Description

Reinventing Transit for the 21st Century addresses the critical state of urban transit systems in the U.S., exacerbated by declining ridership and looming fiscal challenges post-COVID. The book advocates for substantial reforms, including transitioning to contracted services, fostering competition, and redesigning transit boards to emphasize expertise over politics. It also calls for integrating various service modes and adopting new technologies to reduce costs and enhance the rider experience.

Spanning 10 chapters, the book begins with an overview of current transit systems and the factors behind their decline. It outlines a vision for modern transit, focusing on customer needs, service redesign, complementary services like bike-sharing, funding mechanisms, and international lessons on contracting. Governance improvements and the role of technology are also discussed, with a concluding chapter presenting a model 21st-century transit system.

Accessible to political leaders, transit executives, researchers, planners, and riders, the book includes a glossary for clarity. It emphasizes the importance of serving transit-dependent riders, often from lower-income Communities of Color, to boost ridership and provide essential services. This book is essential for anyone invested in the future of urban transit.

Key features

  • Offers an overview of modern transit systems
  • Explores strategies for redesigning services to better meet customer needs
  • Examines complementary services like bike-sharing and scooter-sharing
  • Illustrates a model of an effective 21st-century transit system

Readership

Urban Planners and Designers, Transportation Engineers, Public Policy Researchers, Economists, Sociologists, environmental Scientists, Technology Specialists, Public Administration Experts, Geographers, Civil Engineers

Table of contents

1. Introduction: Overview of the Current U.S. Transit System

2. The Rise and Decline of Transit: A Brief History of Falling Per Capita Ridership Amid Changing Development Patterns and Preferences

3. Targeting the Right Customers: An In-Depth Look at Transit-Dependent vs. Choice Riders, Their Needs, and How Agencies Are Adapting to Serve Them

4. Redesigning for Enhanced Functionality: Strategies for Improving Service Through Network Reorientation, Route Consolidation, Increased Frequency, and Integration of Fixed-Route and Microtransit Modes

5. Solving First and Last Mile Challenges: Integrating Bike-Sharing, Scooter-Sharing, and Various Microtransit Services for Seamless Mobility

6. Solutions to Safety Problems

7. Understanding the High Costs of U.S. Transit: Analyzing Work Rules, Governance, Funding Structures, and Exploring Efficient Financing Solutions for the 21st Century

8. Leveraging Contracting: Setting Performance Goals, Legalizing Transit Competition, and Analyzing Domestic and International Contracting Practices and Labor Laws

9. Governance: Exploring International Case Studies and the Role of a Mobility Management Board

10. Technology: Exploring Mobility Applications, Vehicle Automation, and the Impact of Emerging Technologies on Transit

11. Putting It All Together: Envisioning a 21st Century Transit System Using Atlanta as a Post-WWII Metro Area Example

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: October 1, 2026
  • Language: English

About the author

BF

Baruch Feigenbaum

Baruch Feigenbaum is senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason Foundation.

Feigenbaum has a diverse background researching and implementing transportation issues including revenue and finance, public-private partnerships, highways, transit, high-speed rail, ports, intelligent transportation systems, land use, and local policymaking. Prior to joining Reason, Feigenbaum handled transportation issues on Capitol Hill for Rep. Lynn Westmoreland.

Feigenbaum is a member of the Transportation Research Board Bus Transit Systems and Intelligent Transportation Systems Committees. He is vice president of programming for the Transportation and Research Forum Washington Chapter, a reviewer for the Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA), and a contributor to Planetizen. He has appeared on NBC Nightly News and CNBC. His work has been featured in the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and numerous other publications.

Feigenbaum earned his master's degree in Transportation Planning with a focus in engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Affiliations and expertise
Senior Managing Director of Transportation Policy, Reason Foundation, Los Angeles, CA