Transit Signal Priority (TSP): A Planning and Implementation Handbook

Abstract

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is a tool that can be used to help make transit service more reliable, faster, and more cost effective. TSP has little impact on general traffic and is an inexpensive way to make transit more competitive with the automobile. It is used extensively in other parts of the world, and is rapidly becoming more popular in the United States. TSP is an operational strategy that facilitates the movement of transit vehicles (usually those in-service), either buses or streetcars, through traffic-signal controlled intersections. Objectives of TSP include improved schedule adherence and improved transit travel time efficiency while minimizing impacts to normal traffic operations. TSP is made up of four components. There is (1) a detection system that lets the TSP system know where the vehicle requesting signal priority is located. The detection system communicates with a (2) priority request generator that alerts the traffic control system that the vehicle would like to receive priority. There is software that processes the request and decides whether and how to grant priority based on the programmed (3) priority control strategies. And there is software that (4) manages the system, collects data, and generates reports. There are a variety of technical approaches that can be used as control strategies. This handbook provides information on the control strategies. The handbook contains the steps one should follow to implement a successful TSP project. It relies heavily on eight case studies in which a great deal of information was gathered on topics related to planning, design, implementation, evaluation, technology, institutional issues, public reaction, and much more.