Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives

“Human Transit” is a book about how transit works, what allows buses, trains and streetcars to do these things effectively and efficiently, and why these things matter. Its premise is that elected officials, urbanists, riders and even some transit officials barely understand how transit works and, therefore, often make poor decisions about it.

Jarrett Walker is a transit network designer.

The big ideas for Atlanta:

1. We need to reconcile expertise and voice in transit decision making. As the book makes clear, there is a science to designing transit that is effective and efficient. But we also need citizens and elected officials to make known what they want. What we lack is a process that puts these things in conversation and ends with good decisions.
2. There is a “virtuous cycle” to transit IF it is designed and operated right. This means transit that takes people where and when they want to go, and does so at a good price with comfort, safety and reliability. If we do these things, ridership will grow and the additional fares can fund expansion, which would increase ridership even more. And the cycle should repeat on and on.
3. There are changes in Atlanta’s housing density and residents’ work schedules that give us a chance to expand transit’s appeal and usefulness so transit serves everyone at any time. One way would be to move from “peak” service to “all-day” transit.
4. Making transit competitive with driving will require changes large and small and unprecedented levels of collaboration among governments. A great opportunity would be adding fast, frequent bus service to suburban highways like Buford Highway in DeKalb and Tara Boulevard in Clayton County.