Ottawa 's 1974 master plan that defined an east-west axis for channeling growth, planted the seeds for what eventually would become North America's largest and most successful busway network. Visions, in turn, need visionaries who can articulate the vision , win others over to their vision and translate the vision into reality. Many successful transit metropolises have benefitted from inspired leadership, such as Sven Markelius' stewardship of the Stockholm regional plan, or mayor Jaime Lerner's 20-year governance of Curitiba . Efficient Institutions and Governance Successful transit metropolises also owe much to their efficient institutional structures and regional forms of governance that promote close coordination of transportation and land use. One exemplary model is the Verkehrsverbund found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland.
All successful transit metropolises maintain strong, vibrant central business districts.
Viable downtowns are not only important as transit hubs and major transfer points. As destinations they generate the highest shares of transit riders. In Stockholm, Copenhagen, Munich, Curitiba, Zurich and Karlsruhe , center cities are the transit showcases that set the patterns for the rest of the urban area. Competition and Entrepreneurial Ethos Elements of competition are found in many successful transit metropolises. Competition not only contains costs and rewards efficiency , but also spurs service innovations.