As part of its 2021 APTA-UITP Rail Conference, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released a new report on assessing high-performance rail’s return on investment.
The report, “Assessing the Business Case ROI for Intercity Passenger Rail Corridor Investment: Guide for Decision Makers,” provides a consistent methodology to quantify the economic and social benefits of passenger rail corridor investments.
The guide, methodology, and ROI toolkit are intended to provide decision-making support and strengthen the understanding of the merits of high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects for both the public and other stakeholders. The report provides a more expansive view of benefits and the association return on investment of those projects, as seen through the lenses of economics, environmental impact, and social equity.
“America has an opportunity to build a high-performance rail network to position us to overcome our economic challenges and compete in the global marketplace in the coming years. Passenger rail is an underutilized mode, and ripe to connect with national and local transportation networks and rural areas with high-performance corridor services,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “Development of a national network and national rail plan should be guided by federal, state, and regional planning efforts, and coordinated with the various state-supported intercity passenger rail corridors. The Business Case ROI Tool included with this new guide will be vital to calculating a societal return on investment for intercity passenger rail investments as viewed from the perspectives of these stakeholders.”
APTA said it continues to advocate for investment in passenger rail networks to grow the economy, protect the environment and make economic and social opportunities more equitable.
“I commend the members of APTA and members of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for collaborating in the development of the comprehensive new methodology,” Joseph Giulietti, Chair of the APTA Committee on High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail, said. “In earlier corridor studies, certain benefits were too often overlooked. This approach will assure the full range of economic, environmental, and social benefits will be considered.”