The Evolution in the Usage of Urban Transit: The Situation in the Developed Countries, Where the Competition With the Private Automobile is Older and Heavier

Abstract

The question mentioned in the title is focused in regard to the period comprised between the mid eighties and the present days, begining with a synthetic research based on figures compiled from specialized yearbooks, resulting in measurements in which the demographic evolution is considered too. In this way it was possível to examine 150 cities and metropolitan areas, distributed through 23 countries, in which the cases of passenger losses are larger than those of gains. In order to establish the causes of both opposite phenomena, a more detailed analysis was conducted, relying mainly on answering letters and publications sent by the transit authorities or operators. Key words: Urban transit, Developed countries, Urban circulation