Streetcar vs. light rail ridership: different modes for different blokes

Luis Enrique Ramos-Santiago & Jeffrey Brown, "A comparative assessment of the factors associated with station-level streetcar versus light  rail transit ridership in the United States," Urban Studies 53 (2016): 5

The take-away: By considering different factors determining station-level ridership of streetcars and light-rail transit, this article deduces that these two modes should not be considered substitutes because riders take them for different purposes. Light-rail riders, the article suggests, travel routinely, whereas modern streetcar riders generally travel for special destinations and tourism. These findings should be considered by public administrators and transportation experts deciding which mode to invest in and where.

Abstract: The proliferation of streetcar projects in US cities is one of the most significant  transportation developments of recent years, yet little is known about the factors that  contribute to streetcar ridership or whether these factors differ from those related to light  rail transit use. This study uses multivariate models to examine differences in the factors  related to average weekday station boardings on a set of US streetcar and light rail systems.  While there are some similarities with respect to population levels and proximity to special  generators for ridership on each mode, the results also point to important differences in the  role that service characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and land use factors have on  station-level ridership. The set of factors associated with light rail boardings suggest light  rail’s use by a more utilitarian rider market, while those factors associated with modern  streetcars suggest greater use by individuals trying to reach tourism and special activity  centre-related destinations. These findings suggest that the modes are not substitutes for  one another and that cities should carefully consider the decision to select one mode or the  other for implementation.

Full article (FREE public access)