Nationwide Research Expertise Across all Modes of Public Transportation

WBA has a dedicated transportation research practice grounded in specialized industry knowledge.
WBA Research

WBA Research

We specialize in providing research services for transportation agencies nationwide—from statewide Departments of Transportation and large urban systems to smaller suburban and rural services to interstate transit services.

Our expertise spans all modes of transportation including air travel, bus, subway, light and heavy rail, microtransit, pedestrian and bicycle, ferry, and paratransit service.

Our breadth of experience across the following research topics allows WBA to apply proven best practices to every project.

  • Origin-Destination studies
  • Ridership profiles (including data collection to inform Title VI reporting)
  • Transportation planning
  • Perceptions of service from both riders and non-riders
  • Rider satisfaction
  • Communications studies (e.g., effectiveness studies on advertising, signage, on-board, system announcements, and app usage)
  • New service development
  • Equity research
  • Before-and-after studies
  • Price elasticity studies
  • Fare impact analysis
  • Fare product testing
  • Ridership counts, run time checks, and National Transit Database (NTD) data collection
  • Mystery riding

WBA is a member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and WBA transportation practice leaders are members of the National Research Council’s Transportation Research Board (TRB). In addition, we maintain partnerships with a number of leading engineering and transit planning firms.

  • Amtrak
  • Alexandria (VA) DASH
  • Arlington County (VA) Commuter Services (ACCS)
  • Arlington (VA) Transit Bureau
  • Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC)
  • Bay Transit
  • Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX)
  • Chittenden County (VT) Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC)
  • Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG)
  • Connecticut Department of Transportation
  • Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) of Virginia
  • District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
  • DC Surface Transit
  • Fairfax (VA) Department of Transportation
  • Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC)
  • Green Mountain Transit (VT)
  • Hampton Roads Transit (HRT)
  • Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
  • King County (WA) Metro
  • Loudoun (VA) Transit
  • Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA)
  • Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT)
  • Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)
  • Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
  • Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York (MTA)
  • Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA)
  • Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)
  • Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)
  • Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
  • Montgomery County (MD) Department of Transportation
  • Mountain Lynx (VA) Transit
  • New Jersey Transit
  • Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA)
  • North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT)
  • Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC)
  • Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA)
  • Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC)
  • Omniride
  • Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA)
  • RADAR (Roanoke, VA)
  • Rock Region Metro (Little Rock, AR)
  • Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
  • South Central Transit Authority (SCTA)
  • South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT)
  • South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO)
  • Suffolk County Transit (NY)
  • Suffolk Transit (VA)
  • Susquehanna Regional Transportation Partnership (SRTP)
  • The Transit App
  • Transit Authority of River City (TARC – Louisville, KY)
  • Uber
  • Valley Metro (Roanoke, VA)
  • Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
  • Virginia Railway Express (VRE)
  • Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

Data-Driven Work That Speaks for Itself

Our case studies illustrate how tailored market research has helped clients uncover key customer insights, identify growth opportunities, and stay ahead of industry trends.

Certified. Connected. Credible.

Our work is backed by industry-recognized certifications, active memberships, and adherence to standards set by leading professional associations. These reflect our commitment to maintaining the highest levels of integrity, transparency, ethics, and data quality in survey research.

ISO 27001 Certified
certified NCQA
American Public Transportation Association
Insights Association
American Marketing Association