1. Survey of Potential Overnight Service Passengers
1/30/17
OPMI

2. Survey Background & overview
In March 2016, the FMCB ended Late Night service
In Fall 2016, the FMCB directed staff to conduct a survey and return to the Board with additional information on the needs of potential users of transit during time when the MBTA is not currently in revenue operations
Staff designed and conducted this survey in collaboration with municipal and advocacy partners; data was collected in November-December 2016
No action is requested from the Board at this time

3. Survey Goal
Supplement current behavior data (actual travel patterns between 1am and 5am) with stated preference information
Acceptable service levels for actual use
Likelihood of use
Frequency of use
Optimal boarding time
Trip purposes
Because survey respondents were not randomly selected, we can’t generalize or estimate ridership demand

4. Stated Preference Questions
Possible Use of Overnight Service
Frequency/Distance Preferences
Q11 If a safe and affordable night bus service were available between 1AM and 5AM, how likely would you be to use it?
Q12 If a safe and affordable night bus service were available between 1AM and 5AM, how frequently would you use it?
Q13 Please indicate the level of convenience you would experience with the following frequency intervals (times between service) on night bus services.
Q14 If a safe and affordable night bus service were available between 1AM and 5AM, how many minutes would you be willing to walk to a bus stop to use it?
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

5. Demographics of respondents

6. Survey Outreach and Results
Conducted online 11-12/2016
In 8 languages
Outreach strategies
Online outreach/Twitter/social media
City of Cambridge & City of Boston outreach
Current travel patterns 1am-5am and potential use of overnight service
Usable responses: 7,278
High response rates for most demographic categories
except age: 62% are years old
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

7. Demographics of Survey Respondents
Current overnight travel N
Percentage
Cumulative
5 or more nights per week
901
12%
3 to 5 nights per week
1,433
20%
32%
1 to 2 nights per week
2,847
39%
71%
Less than once per month
1,126
15%
87%
Less than once every three months
422 6%
92%
Never
549 8%
100%
Age N
Percent
Under 18 98 1%
18 to 21
1018
14%
22 to 34
4476
62%
35 to 44
814
11%
45 to 64
614 9%
65 or over 77
Prefer not to say 67
Gender N
Percent
Woman
3741
52%
Man
3052
43%
Other 70 1%
Prefer not to say
279 4%
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

8. Demographics of Survey Respondents
Race N
Percent
White Non-Hispanic
4400
63%
Black or African American
692
10%
Asian
526 7%
Other
400 6%
Prefer not to say
833
12%
Household Income N
Percent
Less than $14,500
746
10%
$14,500 to $28,999
748
11%
$29,000 to $43,499
1,067
15%
$43,500 to $57,999
863
12%
$58,000 to $75,999
815
$76,000 to $108,499
802
$108,500 to $151,999
525 7%
$152,000 or more
390 5%
Prefer not to say
1,161
16%
Hispanic/ Latinx Status N
Percent
Yes
696
10% No
5,811
82%
Prefer not to say
612 9%
Currently Use Smartphone N
Percent
Yes
6,924
97% No
209 3%
Language of Survey N
EN (English)
7,198
ES (Spanish) 65
PT (Portuguese) 10
ZH-S (Simplified Chinese) 5
ZH-T (Traditional Chinese) 3
HC (Haitian Creole) 1
Total Non-English 84
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

9. Respondents’ home zipcodes
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

10. Respondents’ Overnight Travel
71% report current travel between 1am and 5am at least once a week
Only 8% “never travel” at that time
1,966 respondents travel for work; 4,624 travel for non work-related reasons
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

11. Preliminary results

12. Current Transportation Modes (between 1am and 5am)
Few substantive differences between work and non-work travel
One chart of passenger survey not broken down by work-non-work
Differences with employer-reported – employers over-report drive themselves and underreport rideshares; don’t have walk as an option – need to check if it was given.
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

13. Self-Reported Likelihood of Using Overnight Bus Service
People who currently travel for work – over 90% very or extremely likely
People who currently travel for non-work – over 80 very or extremely likely
People who don’t currently travel – only 20% very or extremely likely
Income – decreasing likelihood with higher salaries (among people who currently travel for work), though no category goes under 80% for very/extremely likely
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

14. Self-Reported Projected Usage of Overnight Bus Service
But what does very likely and extremely likely mean for actual demand?
80 to 90% of the extremely and very likely respondents report that they will use the service at least once per week
Even at Somewhat Likely, over 50% of the respondents would use the service less than once per month or rarer.
People who currently travel for work between 1 and 5 report higher frequency demand than those who travel for non-work reasons.
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

15. Optimal Boarding Time
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

16. Level of Service Preferences
Frequency Levels Tolerance
Distance Tolerance
Workers and non-workers are not substantially different, though there are differences by race and gender (minorities are more tolerant, women less willing to walk farther).
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

17. Appendix

18. Current Overnight Travel Patterns – Demographic Differences
Race
Income
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

19. Self-Reported Likelihood of Using Overnight Bus Service – Workers Only
People who currently travel for work – over 90% very or extremely likely
People who currently travel for non-work – over 80 very or extremely likely
People who don’t currently travel – only 20% very or extremely likely
Income – decreasing likelihood with higher salaries (among people who currently travel for work), though no category goes under 80% for very/extremely likely
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

20. Optimal Boarding Time by Industry
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016

21. Method of MBTA Fare Payment
In addition, a small proportion pay through other means or do not currently ride the MBTA.
MBTA Overnight Survey of Potential Passengers – Nov/Dec 2016