A transit policy quiz
WHERE DO YOU
STAND ON TRANSIT?
Nine independent axes. Every answer moves your score. Answer honestly — there's no wrong result.
About
What is Transport Values?
Transport Values is a quiz that attempts to assign percentages for nine different transport policy values. You will be presented with a statement, and then you will answer with your opinion on the statement, from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree, with each answer slightly affecting your scores. At the end of the quiz, your answers will be compared to the maximum possible for each value, thus giving you a percentage. Answer honestly!
The standard test has questions. A longer version with questions is also available for more precise results.
The nine axes
What are the nine values?
There are nine independent axes, each with two opposing values:
DENSITY
Those with higher Density scores believe transit should actively shape where growth happens — build the line first, let density follow. They support using transit investment to guide urban development patterns.
DENSITY vs SPRAWL
→SPRAWL
Those with higher Sprawl scores believe transit should follow existing population density, not try to lead it. Routes should serve where people already live, not attempt to redirect development.
OPERATIONS
Those with higher Operations scores prioritise running more frequent and reliable services on the existing network. They favour signal upgrades, fleet renewal, and better scheduling over new construction.
OPERATIONS vs INFRASTRUCTURE
→INFRASTRUCTURE
Those with higher Infrastructure scores believe new rail lines, tunnels, and major capital projects are essential for a step-change in transit. They prioritise building over improving existing service.
PUBLIC SERVICE
Those with higher Public Service scores believe transit should be run and priced purely as a public service. Fares should be low or free, funding should come from taxation, and profit should not be a factor.
PUBLIC vs MARKET
→MARKET
Those with higher Market scores support private operators, competitive tendering, and pricing mechanisms like congestion charging. They believe market discipline leads to more efficient transit.
EQUITY
Those with higher Equity scores believe transit resources should be allocated by need — outer suburbs, disability access, and areas with no alternatives — even where ridership is low.
EQUITY vs EFFICIENCY
→EFFICIENCY
Those with higher Efficiency scores believe resources should follow ridership and cost-per-passenger metrics. The most crowded routes should get the most investment, period.
SPEED
Those with higher Speed scores favour express services and skip-stop patterns that minimise travel time for long-distance commuters, even if fewer people are served per station.
SPEED vs COVERAGE
→COVERAGE
Those with higher Coverage scores believe all-stops services that reach as many people as possible matter more than speed. Walking distance to a stop is the priority.
ANTI-CAR
Those with higher Anti-Car scores support aggressive policies to discourage driving in well-served areas: congestion charging, road diets, parking removal, and car-free zones.
MODE-SHIFT AGGRESSION
→CAR-FRIENDLY
Those with higher Car-Friendly scores believe coercive anti-car policies are unfair to those without alternatives. Road widening and maintaining traffic flow remain legitimate tools.
CAR ACCEPTANCE
Those with higher Car Acceptance scores see park-and-ride lots and suburban road widening as legitimate long-term policy. Cars will remain primary in low-density areas.
OUTER-AREA CAR ACCEPTANCE
→PHASE OUT
Those with higher Phase Out scores see car-dependent infrastructure in outer areas as a failure state. Park-and-ride and road widening should be phased out as transit expands outward.
CENTRALISED
Those with higher Centralised scores believe a single state authority should set routes, fares, and standards for consistency and regional coordination.
CENTRALISED vs LOCAL CONTROL
→LOCAL CONTROL
Those with higher Local Control scores believe councils and local bodies know their communities best and should control their own routes, fares, and operators.
FUTURE CAPACITY
Those with higher Future Capacity scores favour overbuilding now for population growth decades out, even if it looks wasteful today. Cheaper than tearing up streets later.
PRESENT COST vs FUTURE CAPACITY
→PRESENT COST
Those with higher Present Cost scores believe in building cheaply for current demand. Transit should be affordable now, not speculative on future population growth.
What's the "Closest Match" mean at the bottom of the results?
In addition to matching you to the nine values, the quiz also attempts to match you to a transport planning archetype. This is a work in progress and is much less accurate than the values and axes, so don't take it too seriously.