Examining Long-Distance Express Buses as an Extension of and Feeder to Passenger Rail Systems

One of the mobility challenges facing Texas and other high-population states in the coming years is the rising travel demand along major intercity travel corridors. Increased passenger rail service may help to absorb some of the travel demand from crowded highway and air travel corridors, but service is cost-prohibitive to develop over very long distances. This project explored the potential of using express intercity bus service as an alternative to and an extension of passenger rail service, thus providing a similar type of higher-speed, limited-stop service over long distances with lower development costs than rail.