That will be an important sign of whether bus rapid transit, the value-priced alternative to light rail, actually works, according to Alan Hoffman, a San Diego-based transit consultant.  It may not be politically correct to say so out loud, he said , "but it's what I call the 'AYF Factor.' Attractive young females are the canary in the coal mine of public transit. They're sensitive to safety, and they want to be in a nice spot. If you draw them in, you are reaching a broad market. A whole lot of transit systems, when you look around, you notice certain populations are missing."

Reporting for the Star-Tribune, David Peterson writes,  "Buses can be as successful as -- in fact more successful than -- trains. But only if planners understand why they tend to be seen as the poor relation to rail, and take a series of steps to make sure they do for people what rail does."

Public officials will need to think like brand managers for a corporation. They will need to create an image of stylishness that goes from the buses and stations themselves down to the last detail. They will need to shave every possible second off a commuter's trip.

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