The Rapid Transit Database (RTDB) is a collection of all rapid transit corridors worldwide that relies on data collected from government sources and publicly available news sources. The RTDB was developed by ITDP and is updated annually.
Methodology – Rapid Transit
Rapid transit is public transportation that is separated from other traffic. It may use buses or railways, but those vehicles must operate on dedicated, separated infrastructure. Rapid transit is the backbone of a city’s public transportation system because it allows people to travel quickly between different neighborhoods.
For a corridor to qualify as ‘rapid transit’ in the RTDB, it must meet the following criteria:
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) must meet the “BRT Basics” definition in The BRT Standard:
- A section of road, or contiguous roads, at least 3 kilometers (1.9 miles)
- Dedicated lanes for transit vehicles
- One or multiple routes
BRT and LRT corridors must have five essential elements:
- Dedicated right-of-way: The corridor must be segregated from other vehicle traffic by physical separation, color-differentiation, or other clear delineation.
- Busway alignment: The corridor must be located to limit where conflicts with other vehicle traffic. Center-aligned or BRT/LRT–only corridors are preferred.
- Off-board fare collection: Fares are collected off-board. This includes the use of barriers like gates or turnstiles or proof-of-payment (fare purchased off-board and checked on-board) systems. On-board fare validation at all doors is acceptable but reduces efficiency.
- Intersection treatments: Other vehicles are prohibited from turning across the busway, or BRT/LRT vehicles must be given signal priority at intersections to help to reduce travel delays.
- Platform-level boarding: The floor of BRT/LRT vehicles must minimize vertical and horizontal gaps so that the station platform and the boarding vehicle are level and barrier-free for those with movement disabilities.
Metro is defined as any rail-based transit mode that features:
- Grade separation: Service must be completely grade separated from other private and public transportation.
- Off-board fare collection: Fares are collected off-board. This includes the use of barriers like gates or turnstiles, or proof-of-payment (fare purchased off-board and checked on-board) systems. On-board fare validation at all doors is acceptable but reduces efficiency.
- Regular station spacing: Service operates entirely within a single built-up urban area with regular station spacing (<5 km between stations, excluding geographic barriers to development, such as mountains and bodies of water).
- Frequent service: Service operates at headways of less than 20 minutes in both directions, from at least 6 am to 10 pm.
- Capacity-oriented: Railcars prioritize capacity over seating provision.
The RTDB might exclude corridors, even within the same system, that seem like rapid transit but do not meet the above essential characteristics.
Other data displayed:
- Urban Population
- Rapid Transit to Resident Ratio