Sustainable transport at MIT : improving area bus services

Abstract

Everyday each member of the MIT community makes a decision about how they will travel to school or work. Using the Commuter Habit Survey and information regarding local bus services as guides, this report analyzes the existing transportation options available to MIT students, staff, and faculty. People are grouped by mode choice depending on whether they commute using public transit or private MIT shuttle service, walk, bike, drive, carpool, or use another mode entirely. Understanding these market groups help focus the recommendations of this report to maximize the service efficiency while also being budget conscious. In addition to researching MIT commuters' choices, an in-depth analysis was conducted for the MBTA bus routes that serve the MIT area of Cambridge and the MIT Shuttle services. Both services were evaluated in terms of on-time performance and MIT-affiliated ridership. Recommendations for the MBTA include route revisions on Route 64 and 70/70A, which increase access to Kendall Square and the MIT Campus, and service improvements on Route 1. Several alternatives are presented regarding methods to improve the MIT Daytime shuttle performance. The top recommendation focuses on utilizing EZ Ride in place of the Northwest Shuttle, an extended Boston Daytime route, and a more efficient Tech Shuttle route. In the future, MIT members should have online tools available to help plan their commute in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner.