Evaluating the Full Costs of Urban Passenger Transportation

Full-cost analyses are being used increasingly within the transportation community to evaluate modal alternatives. Full costs include the costs to users, public agencies, and society (external costs). A working model to estimate the full costs of different transportation modes at the corridor, network, and project levels—one allowing for cross-modal comparisons and easy calibration to local conditions—is presented. The computerized model (MODECOST) is designed to provide assistance to metropolitan planning organizations, transit authorities, and regional and municipal authorities in making cross-modal cost comparisons of transportation alternatives.