1 Palm Tran Transit Survey Coordination Meeting November 18 th, 2008

2 Agenda Introductions Introductions Survey Purpose & Motivations Survey Purpose & Motivations Potential Milestones Potential Milestones Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan FTA Considerations & Requirements FTA Considerations & Requirements Transit Rider Characteristics and Travel Patterns Transit Rider Characteristics and Travel Patterns Important Transit Service Characteristics Important Transit Service Characteristics Discussion Discussion Next Steps Next Steps

3 Purpose & Motivations Purpose Purpose Adequately capture rider characteristics and travel patterns so that the travel demand model can be sufficiently informed about these items Adequately capture rider characteristics and travel patterns so that the travel demand model can be sufficiently informed about these items Motivations Motivations Current travel model does not include a previously conducted systemwide survey of Palm Tran riders Current travel model does not include a previously conducted systemwide survey of Palm Tran riders FTA New Starts requirements and guidance require that upcoming transit studies have models that have a understanding of current rider characteristics and travel patterns FTA New Starts requirements and guidance require that upcoming transit studies have models that have a understanding of current rider characteristics and travel patterns

4 Milestones Item Est. Timeline Coordination Meeting November Development of sampling plan, survey plan & instrument November-December Survey implementation meeting December Pilot survey January Pilot results and feedback February Field survey March Data processing April-May Survey final report End of May Travel demand model update July

Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan DATA NEEDED DATA NEEDED Characteristics of ridership by.. Characteristics of ridership by.. Income grouping (low income target) Income grouping (low income target) Age grouping (youth/senior & others) Age grouping (youth/senior & others) Disability type (mobility & other needs) Disability type (mobility & other needs) Gender Gender Round trip (if not why?)[Reverse commute Question] Round trip (if not why?)[Reverse commute Question] 5

6 FTA Consideration & Requirement (1) FTA Requirements FTA Requirements Transit rider data is required for model testing (if model forecasts will be used for New Starts PE applications) Transit rider data is required for model testing (if model forecasts will be used for New Starts PE applications) Transit rider data must be current & system-wide Transit rider data must be current & system-wide Must include certain data items for comparisons Must include certain data items for comparisons The sample must be controlled, so that it can be expanded to a full data set that is representative of all riders The sample must be controlled, so that it can be expanded to a full data set that is representative of all riders

7 FTA Consideration & Requirement (2) FTA offers many thoughts on surveying “good practice” FTA offers many thoughts on surveying “good practice” The sampling plan must… The sampling plan must… Be designed with transit markets & rider characteristics in mind Be designed with transit markets & rider characteristics in mind Carefully allocate the sample so as to minimize bias Carefully allocate the sample so as to minimize bias Account for all non-response biases Account for all non-response biases Include count data for sample expansion Include count data for sample expansion Discuss surveying methods Discuss surveying methods

8 FTA Consideration & Requirement (3) FTA offers many thoughts on surveying “good practice” FTA offers many thoughts on surveying “good practice” Include a minimum amount of data items… Include a minimum amount of data items… Trip origin and destination Trip origin and destination Purposes at the origin and destination Purposes at the origin and destination Access and egress modes Access and egress modes Transit path Transit path Rider characteristics Rider characteristics

9 Important Rider Characteristics Key attractions/travel markets Key attractions/travel markets Trip lengths Trip lengths Trip purposes Trip purposes Access modes Access modes Languages Languages Person types Person types Typical rider characteristics on major routes Typical rider characteristics on major routes Time of day Transfers to Tri-Rail, BCT, non-fixed route service or other services Annual or seasonable variation in ridership Recent ridership increases due to economy and/or fuel price fluctuations Others

10 Important Service Characteristics Fleet size Fleet size Number of location of garages Number of location of garages Fare collection/media (who typically uses cash, pass, ID, etc.) Fare collection/media (who typically uses cash, pass, ID, etc.) Timed transfer locations (operational details, activity levels) Timed transfer locations (operational details, activity levels) Park-ride locations (official, unofficial) Park-ride locations (official, unofficial) APC capabilities APC capabilities Interlined routes? Interlined routes? Others Others