Commuters in large urban areas are faced with multiple and compounding impediments including long-distance commuting, congested travel, and downtown parking.  Hence, transit systems in these areas must utilize a variety of strategies.  Some common strategies employed are:

Express Bus routes are designed for long-distance commuters. Although these services are often quite successful, they are subject to limitations. First, there is no provision made for intermediate stops between residential collection and Central Business District (CBD) distribution. Second, peak period traffic congestion can make service slow and unpredictable.  The express bus concept may be enhanced by the incorporation of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes or Bus-Only lanes. 

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is an enhanced bus system that operates on bus lanes or other transitways in order to combine the flexibility of buses with the efficiency of rail. By doing so, BRT operates at faster speeds, provides greater service reliability and increased customer convenience.

The Transportation Research Board defines Light Rail Transit as: "A metropolitan electric railway system characterized by its ability to operate single cars or short trains along exclusive rights-of-way at ground level, on aerial structures, in subways or, occasionally, in streets, and to board and discharge passengers at track or car-floor level.