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New Rail Systems:
Estimated Rail and Bus Operating and Capital Cost per Passenger Mile: 1996 |
| Metropolitan Area |
Urban Rail Cost per Passenger Mile |
Estimated Best
Local Bus
Operating &
Capital Cost per
Passenger Mile |
Rail Cost
Compared
to Local
Bus |
Rail Cost
Compared
to National
Best Bus |
Operating
Cost |
Capital
Cost |
Capital
Cost and Operating Cost |
Capital
Cost
Compared to
Operating
Cost |
| COMMUTER RAIL |
| Los Angeles |
$0.29 |
$0.45 |
$0.74 |
153.0% |
$0.27 |
176.8% |
523.9% |
| Miami |
$0.30 |
$0.32 |
$0.62 |
106.5% |
$0.48 |
28.4% |
420.1% |
| San Diego |
$0.66 |
$0.43 |
$1.09 |
63.6% |
$0.47 |
128.9% |
812.7% |
| Washington |
$0.20 |
$0.13 |
$0.33 |
64.4% |
$0.30 |
10.1% |
181.4% |
| Average |
$0.37 |
$0.33 |
$0.70 |
90.5% |
$0.38 |
86.0% |
484.5% |
| HEAVY RAIL |
| Atlanta |
$0.18 |
$0.59 |
$0.77 |
317.8% |
$0.27 |
182.3% |
549.2% |
| Baltimore |
$0.69 |
$1.88 |
$2.57 |
273.2% |
$0.65 |
295.9% |
2055.9% |
| Los Angeles |
$2.63 |
$9.92 |
$11.55 |
339.4% |
$0.27 |
4205.3% |
9604.1% |
| Miami |
$0.41 |
$0.83 |
$1.24 |
205.4% |
$0.48 |
157.1% |
941.0% |
| Washington |
$0.35 |
$0.67 |
$1.02 |
193.6% |
$0.30 |
236.1% |
759.2% |
| Average |
$0.85 |
$2.58 |
$3.43 |
303.1% |
$0.40 |
1015.3% |
2781.9% |
| LIGHT RAIL |
| Baltimore |
$0.50 |
$0.77 |
$1.27 |
153.5% |
$0.65 |
95.5% |
964.9% |
| Buffalo |
$0.89 |
$3.17 |
$4.06 |
356.1% |
$0.95 |
325.6% |
3312.0% |
| Denver |
$0.56 |
$0.70 |
$1.26 |
124.9% |
$0.58 |
115.4% |
954.7% |
| Los Angeles |
$0.42 |
$0.72 |
$1.14 |
171.6% |
$0.27 |
323.9% |
855.5% |
| Portland |
$0.38 |
$0.47 |
$0.85 |
122.1% |
$0.54 |
57.5% |
617.6% |
| Sacramento |
$0.38 |
$0.35 |
$0.73 |
92.8% |
$0.35 |
109.0% |
515.1% |
| San Diego |
$0.19 |
$0.47 |
$0.66 |
252.6% |
$0.43 |
52.1% |
453.7% |
| San Jose |
$0.88 |
$1.35 |
$2.23 |
152.6% |
$0.96 |
132.7% |
1777.2% |
| St. Louis |
$0.20 |
$0.40 |
$0.60 |
202.1% |
$0.69 |
-13.4% |
401.9% |
| Average |
$0.49 |
$0.93 |
$1.42 |
190.8% |
$0.60 |
133.2% |
1094.7% |
| OVERALL |
| Average |
$0.56 |
$1.26 |
$1.82 |
223.5% |
$0.50 |
367.7% |
1427.8% |
| METHODOLOGY |
Annualized rail capital costs calculated by discounting system building costs at 7%
over 40 years.
Bus capital costs assumed at 17.6 percent of total operating and capital cost (estimated from
National Transit Database).
Most cost effective local bus operation used in local comparison.
*Note: Portland recently opened its second light rail line. It is expected that costs per passenger mile will
increase to at least $1.40.
Note: The least costly bus operation (Academy in New Jersey) had costs per passenger mile of $0.119 in
1996.
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| SOURCES |
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Sources: National Transit Database, Transit Operators, US DOT Report (1989), Richmond.
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