Skip to main content

Transit Systems and the Quality of Life

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research
  • 334 Accesses

Synonyms

Mass transportation; Public transport and quality of life

Definition

Transit systems refer to the common carrier type of passenger transport systems used for conveying people from one place to another, especially within an urban or regional boundary. Generally, these are public transport systems with fixed routes and schedules, available for use by all persons who pay the fare (e.g., bus, light rail transit, and rapid transit/metro). Physical components of a transit system include vehicles, rights-of-ways, stops/stations, control systems, and routes.

Description

Public transit has a substantial impact on quality of life and social well-being. When transit is not available as a better transportation choice, cities remain highly automobile dependent, which, as Shay and Khattak (2010) explain, is untenable in the long term due to high level of congestion and energy consumption, reduced safety, and reduced environmental and human health. Steg and Gifford (2005) offer an extensive...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 6,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 9,499.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abou-Zeid, M., Witter, R., Bierlaire, M., Kaufmann, V., & Ben-Akiva, M. (2012). Happiness and travel mode switching: Findings from a Swiss public transportation experiment. Transport Policy, 19(1), 93–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Badoe, D. A., & Miller, E. J. (2000). Transportation-land-use interaction: Empirical findings in North America, and their implications for modeling. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 5(4), 235–263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Besser, L., & Dannenberg, A. (2005). Walking to public transit: Steps to help meet physical activity recommendations. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29(4), 273–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boschmann, E. E., & Kwan, M. (2008). Toward socially sustainable urban transportation: Progress and potentials. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 2, 138–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatman, D. G., & Noland, R. B. (2011). Do public transport improvements increase agglomeration economies? A review of literature and an agenda for research. Transport Reviews, 31(6), 725–742.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, R. D. (2008). Public transit, obesity, and medical costs: Assessing the magnitudes. Preventive Medicine, 46, 14–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habib, M. A., & Miller, E. J. (2008). Influence of transportation access and market dynamics on property values: Multilevel spatiotemporal models of housing price. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2076, 183–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litman, T. (2010). Evaluating public transportation health benefits. Victoria: Victoria Transport Policy Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morency, C., Paez, A., Roorda, M. J., Mercado, R., & Farber, S. (2011). Distance traveled in three Canadian cities: Spatial analysis from the perspective of vulnerable population segments. Journal of Transport Geography, 19, 39–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, V., & McLafferty, S. (1999). Spatial mismatch research in the 1990s: Progress and potential. Papers in Regional Science, 78(4), 387–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shay, E., & Khattak, A. J. (2010). Towards sustainable transport: Conventional and disruptive approaches in the U.S. context. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 4(1), 14–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steg, L., & Gifford, R. (2005). Sustainable transportation and quality of life. Journal of Transport Geography, 13, 59–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wener, R. E., & Evans, G. W. (2007). A morning stroll: Levels of physical activity in car and mass transit commuting. Environment and Behaviour, 39(1), 62–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wener, R. E., Evans, G. W., Phillips, D., & Nadler, N. (2003). Running for the 7:45: The effects of public transit improvements on commuter stress. Transportation, 30, 203–220.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muhammad (Ahsan) Habib .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this entry

Cite this entry

Habib, M.(. (2014). Transit Systems and the Quality of Life. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_3338

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_3338

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-0752-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0753-5

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law

Publish with us

Policies and ethics