Transit Demonstration Projects That Made a Difference

007236641996PDFTech ReportDOT-VNTSC-FTA-95-11Demonstration projectsLevel of servicePrivate enterprisePublic transitUser benefitsPlanning and ForecastingPublic TransportationWashington (District of Columbia)United StatesUnited States. Federal Transit AdministrationUnited States. Federal Transit Administration. Office of Research, Demonstration, and InnovationFederal Transit Administration 50th AnniversaryThirty-five years ago, on June 30, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed Public Law 87-70, the first legislation authonzmg the Federal Government to conduct mass transportation demonstration projects. These demonstration projects showed how to implement innovative ideas about transit services, operations, management practices, institutional arrangements and technology in real-world applications to test their performance. Evaluation of experience with these demonstration projects was crucial to drawing conclusions about their technical and financial feasibility and their applicability to improving public transit throughout the nation. This report describes selected examples of demonstration projects that have made a difference in the lives of those who use, operate, plan and finance public transportation. They show that governments at the Federal, state and local levels can collaborate successfully with the pnvate sector in improving the welfare of those who use public transit. The nation owes a debt of gratitude to the people and orgamzations who were willing to serve as partners with the Federal Government in trymg out these iimovative concepts for the first time. Similarly deservmg our recognition are the dedicated federal employees who worked creatively with them to plan and implement these demonstration projects and ensure that the results were made widely available.83