Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Bus Stops

America’s Bus Stops Are Too Close Together

When bus stops are too close together, trips are slower and it’s harder to create good waiting environments.

Bus ridership is falling in American cities, and the only way to turn around the trend is to provide better service. Here's one thing nearly every U.S. transit agency should consider to win back riders: "Bus stop balancing," which TransitCenter explains in a new video.

In most cities, bus stops are spaced too closely together. On a local bus route, stops should be within a convenient walking distance of each other -- about a quarter mile. If stops are spaced much more tightly than that, buses spend an excessive amount of time stopped for boarding and at red lights.

The TransitCenter video focuses on New York, where guidelines call for stops to be spaced just 750 feet apart, but the same principles apply in just about every American city:

[vimeo 240382367 w=640 h=360]Transit agencies in San Francisco and Maryland are consolidating bus stops to improve service, TransitCenter reports. A Portland study found bus stop consolidation improved bus speeds 6 percent.

It can be politically difficult for agencies to remove bus stops, since every stop has its constituency. But transit agencies can prioritize which stops should stay. TransitCenter recommends preserving high ridership stops, stops with important connections to other transit lines, and stops near schools, medical centers, or other important destinations.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Tuesday’s Headlines

Gov Signs CEQA Bill to Increase Housing, Higher Fees on Parking and Tolls, Opposition to Road Widenings, ICE

July 1, 2025

Does Constant Driving Really Make Our Country Richer?

A new study reveals that constant driving is making America less productive and prosperous — and getting people on other modes could help right the ship.

June 30, 2025

Panel: Doing High-Speed Rail Right

At the APTA conference in San Francisco, representatives from France, Germany, and Japan revealed the secrets behind their high-speed rail success stories.

June 30, 2025

Eyes On the Street: Metro and L.A. City Restore Wilshire Blvd. at New Subway Stations

Construction is winding down on Metro's 3.9-mile $3.35 billion D Line subway extension section 1.

June 30, 2025

Monday’s Headlines

Telsa's Robocars Make Streets Less Safe, ICE messing up California, Heat Is Bad for Cars, Bus Lane Enforcement in Weho and More...

June 30, 2025

California Transportation Commission Unanimously Approves Funds for All Recommended Highway Projects

Advocates call the CTC a rubber stamp for highway widening. The body didn't do anything to dispel that notion yesterday.

June 27, 2025
See all posts