What is bus priority or transit signal priority?

What is bus priority or transit signal priority?

• A. Methods to delay buses to maintain traffic flow.
• B. Preempting all traffic for trains.
• C. Prioritizing cars over buses on all arterial corridors.
• D. Techniques to favor buses by adjusting signal timing or preemption to improve transit travel times.

Answer: (D)

Bus priority or transit signal priority is about moving buses faster through the traffic network by making signal decisions that favor them. When a bus is approaching or at an intersection, signals can be adjusted—such as extending the green phase, shortening the red phase, or even giving a special priority phase—to reduce the time a bus spends waiting. Along a corridor, signals can be coordinated so buses encounter fewer red lights, improving overall travel time and reliability. Some systems also use preemption to momentarily change the signal pattern to help a bus pass through intersections more quickly. In short, these techniques tilt signal timing in favor of buses to speed up their trips and make service more predictable. The other ideas describe delaying buses, giving priority to trains, or prioritizing cars, which is not what bus priority aims to do.

Bus priority or transit signal priority is about moving buses faster through the traffic network by making signal decisions that favor them. When a bus is approaching or at an intersection, signals can be adjusted—such as extending the green phase, shortening the red phase, or even giving a special priority phase—to reduce the time a bus spends waiting. Along a corridor, signals can be coordinated so buses encounter fewer red lights, improving overall travel time and reliability. Some systems also use preemption to momentarily change the signal pattern to help a bus pass through intersections more quickly. In short, these techniques tilt signal timing in favor of buses to speed up their trips and make service more predictable.

The other ideas describe delaying buses, giving priority to trains, or prioritizing cars, which is not what bus priority aims to do.