Transit Systems in College and University Communities (2008)

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50 APPENDIX B TCRP University Transit Survey—Short

51 "T ransit Systems in College and University Communities" Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates for the Transportation Research Board Instructions This study, sponsored by the Transportation Research Board, will collect information about the transit services available to universities through multiple types of providers. Those invited to participate include colleges and universities with responsibility for transit, transportation and parking; public transit authorities; and others who provide services at an institute of higher education. We believe that this study will be of direct value to you and your organization, and its quality is enhanced with every response we receive. We are asking a number of questions, but we have made every attempt to create questions that are quick and easy to answer. We appreciate your time and effort on this survey, and it concludes with an opportunity for you to let us know how we can make the study more valuable for your needs. This Word document version of the survey is intended to help you collect information before beginning the Web survey, for which you should have a link in your email. Please submit your answers via the web form rather than mail. You may save your progress in the web form and come back to it at a later time by clicki ng on the same link you originally received. You only need to answer questions for which data is available to you. If a question does not apply to the transit system or school, please indicate “N/A.” If you cannot answer a question, you may leave it blank. When estimating a number or a percent, please precede it with a tilde (~), for example ~25% . We will begin our data analysis on January 20 th and ask that you answer the survey by early January . If you have any questions, please contact Tara Krueger at 617-399-8395 or tkrueger@nelsonnygaard.com. Thank you kindly for your participation, and we hope to hear from your organization soon.

52 A. Overview 1. Name _________________________________________________________________________________________ Title __________________________________________________________________________________________ O rganization ___________________________________________________________________________________ C ity ___________________________________________________________________________________________ State __________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone Number _________________________________________________________________________________ Email Address _________________________________________________________________________________ W ebsite _______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What type of organization do you represent: □ 1 College/University □ 2 Local Government □ 3 Public Transit Operator □ 4 Private Transit Operator □ 5 Other _____________________ 3. What is the name of the (main) college or university served by this system? (For the rest of the survey, please answer questions in reference to this school only.) ______________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What is the total population of the city/community in which the school is located? ______________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How would you classify the school’s immediate setting?  1 Rural  2 Semi-Rural  3 Suburban/Small Urban  4 Urban B. About the School 6. What type of school is this? □ 1 2-Year College □ 2 4-Year College □ 3 4-Year+ University □ 4 Graduate Only 7. What is the overall school enrollment? Full-Time ________ Part-Time ________ 8. How many of these students are: Undergraduates? _______ Graduates? ________ 9. Is this school predominantly commuter or residential?  1 Predominantly commuter  2 Predominantly residential  3 Mi x 10. How many faculty and staff are employed at your university? (Either total or full-time employees, please specify) Faculty ________________ Staff ________________

53 11. What types of transit serve the school? (indicate a service's availability by entering the name of the service operator(s)) Regional/Commuter Rail Name of Operator(s):_______________ Urban/Light Rail Transit Name of Operator(s):_______________ Intercity Scheduled Coach Service Name of Operator(s):_______________ Local Fixed-Route Bus Transit Name of Operator(s):_______________ On-Campus Circulator/Shuttle(s) Name of Operator(s):_______________ Parking Shuttle(s) Name of Operator(s):_______________ Dial-a-Ride/Accessible Paratransit Name of Operator(s):_______________ Other on-call (e.g. night escort shuttles) Name of Operator(s):_______________ Other Name of Operator(s):_______________ 12. For which of these transit services will you be providing service details? (check only one unless you are aggregating responses for multiple services) Intercity Scheduled Coach Service □ 1 Local Fixed-Route Bus Transit □ 2 On-Campus Circulator/Shuttle(s) □ 3 Parking Shuttle(s) □ 4 Dial-a-Ride/Accessible Paratransit □ 5 Other on-call (e.g. night escort shuttles) □ 6 Other □ 7 C. About Transit on Campus 13. Who manages or contracts for the transit service that is provided at the school? (check one)  1 School Administration  2 Local Government  3 Public Transit Operator  4 Formal partnership between School  5 Formal partnership between  6 Formal partnership between and Local Government School and Public Transit Operator Local Government and Public Transit Operator If a partnership, please describe briefly. ______________________________________________________________________________________ 14. How is the coverage of this transit system structured? 1 Centered on school  2 Centered on surrounding community  3 Both types of service 15. What primary purpose(s) does transit serve for the school? (check all that apply) □ 1 On-campus circulation □ 2 Inter-campus circulation (for multiple campuses) □ 3 Link between campus and city □ 4 Park-and-Ride □ 5 Night/Evening Safety □ 6 Accessible services

54 16. How many bus routes serve the campus? ________ What are the hours of service? Weekdays: ____________ Weekends: _____________ How frequently do buses run in the most frequent peak period (indicate “per hour” or “every X minutes”)? ___________________ 17. What is the annual number of passenger trips for the transit system about which you are reporting? (as specified in Question 12) For Fiscal Year: ________ Annual passenger trips, total system: _____________ Annual passenger trips, routes serving school only: _____________ 18. What, in your opinion, are the reasons for changes in ridership? _______________________________________________________________________________________ Fleet and Technology: 19. How many vehicles are in the transit fleet serving the school? _______________ 20. How many vehicles in the fleet use the following fuel types? (You may answer as a percentage if desired – please indicate with a “%”) Number (or percentage) of vehicles Diesel Low-sulfur diesel Biodiesel Hybrid diesel-electric Gasoline Hydrogen Battery-only Compressed natural gas Other: ______________________________

55 21. How many vehicles have . . . ? (You may answer as a percentage if desired – please indicate with a “%”) Number (or percentage) of vehicles Wheelchair-lifts Low floors A Public Announcement system Automated stop announcements (audio or marquee) Other interior Video / Audio Bike racks Flashing lights and/or projecting stop signs Front, side or back-up cameras Interior (security) cameras Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) systems Automated scheduling equipment Automated passenger count systems Radio communications Other pedestrian or bicycle safety devices (indicate type): __________________ Other on-board vehicle technologies (indicate type): ________________________ Infrastructure (for the immediate campus area only): 22. What percentage of transit stops at the school have…? Percentage of stops None 1-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-99% All Transit shelters or dedicated cover       Dedicated lighting       Bus pull-outs       Bus stop pavement markings       Uncovered benches       Nearby bike racks       Display route numbers/names       Have fixed schedule information boards/holders       Real-time schedule/arrival information sign       23. Is real-time arrival information available on the web or by phone? □ 1 On Web □ 2 By Phone □ 3 Neither 24. What special roadway technologies or treatments do you utilize for transit (transit malls, bus lanes, signal pre- emption, etc.)? _______________________________________________________________________________________

56 Operations: 25. How many people does the transit system employ? _________ 26. Are drivers given bicycle and/or pedestrian safety training?  1 Yes  2 No 27. Are student-drivers allowed? (If no, skip to Q 31) 1 Yes 2 No 28. Are student-drivers actively sought by the transit system? 1 Yes 2 No 29. What special restrictions are student drivers subject to, if any? ______________________________________________________________________________________ 30. Is any special training given to student drivers that is not given to other drivers?  1 Yes  2 No  If so, what? __________________________________________________________________________ D. Financials 31. What is the annual transit system operating budget? $ 32. What amount of the operating budget is paid by the school (dollars or percent)? $ 33. What is the school’s annual budget for Travel Demand Management (TDM) programs, including ridematching, transit subsidies, cash-out, walking & biking programs, etc.? $ 34. What is the average annual transit system capital budget? $ 35. What amount of the capital budget is paid by the school (dollars or percent)? 36. How are the operational and funding challenges of meeting ADA requirements met? ______________________________________________________________________________________ 37. Have any studies been conducted to determine the economic impact of school transit in the community?  1 Yes  If so, may we contact you for a copy:  1 Yes  2 No  2 No 38. What financing challenges have impacted operations in recent years? (e.g., interest rates, insurance costs, fuel costs, etc.) ______________________________________________________________________________________ 39. Are there (or will there be) any efforts to partner with other local agencies in order to boost transit services or to gain access to funds through the Small Transit Intensive Cities Program or through other programs? If so, please describe. ______________________________________________________________________________________

57 40. Are there any creative partnering programs to finance transit service? (For example, apartment developers paying a fee to gain access to the transit system; partnerships between urban and school transit systems.) If so, please describe. ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ E. Policy & Planning Service Planning: 41. Is transit considered, by policy, in the planning for changes to the campus (e.g. new buildings)?  1 Yes  2 No 42. Who participates in the campus transit planning process? (check all that apply) □ 1 Transit provider □ 2 School (if not also the transit provider) □ 3 Riders □ 4 Local government □ 5 Other(s):________________________ 43. Have any changes in campus demographics, student body composition or student residential locations/geography impacted transit cost, service or effectiveness?  1 Yes  Please describe: ______________________________________________________________  2 No 44. Have changes in school administration or policies changed transit service and/or policies?  1 Yes  Please describe: ______________________________________________________________  2 No Parking: 45. How many cars are registered or known to park on campus on an average day? _________________ 46. Are there any remote park & ride lots?  1 Yes  Approximately how many total spaces are there in the park and ride lots? ________  2 No 47. How many total parking spaces of all types (permit, meter etc.) directly serve the school, including park & ride lots? _________________ 48. How would you describe the parking situation on or around campus? (check all that apply)" □ 1 Parking is readily available to everyone □ 2 Parking is available, but it is not convenient □ 3 Parking is provided to faculty/staff, but student parking is limited □ 4 Parking is provided to students, but faculty/staff parking is limited □ 5 Parking is limited in the core of campus, but available on the periphery or in park and ride lots □ 6 There is not enough parking to meet demand

58 49. If you use a parking permit system, is the number of parking permits limited? □ 1 No, we do not limit permits or we do not have a permit system at all □ 2 Yes, we utilize waiting lists/lotteries to limit parking to the capacity of campus □ 3 Yes, we do not offer permits to some groups or classes (e.g. freshmen) (describe below) □ 4 Yes, other (describe below) Groups to which permits are limited: ________________________________________ Other permit limitations: ________________________________________ 50. Is there a fee to park?  1 Yes  2 No (If no, skip to Q54) 51. What is the average fee for parking on the main campus (i.e. not park and ride) for…? (enter prices for all that apply) Students Hourly $ ______ Daily $ ______ Monthly $ ______ Quarterly $ ______ Per semester $ ______ Annually $ ______ Faculty and Staff Hourly $ ______ Daily $ ______ Monthly $ ______ Quarterly $ ______ Per semester $ ______ Annually $ ______ 52. Does the charge act as a deterrent to driving?  1 Yes  2 No 53. Is this charge designed to encourage the use of park & ride lots?  1 Yes  2 No Travel Demand Management (TDM) Programs: Please answer TDM questions about services available to school students, faculty and staff regardless of the TDM program provider. 54. How is the transit service advertised to potential riders? (check all that apply) □ 1 Signs □ 2 Bus wraps □ 3 Flyers □ 4 Brochures □ 5 School website □ 6 A Transportation Management Association □ 7 Freshman orientation/pre-matriculation □ 8 New employee materials □ 9 Other: ______________________

59 55. Which of the following programs/services are formalized and available to faculty, staff and/or students of the school? Ridematching  1 Yes  2 No Preferential carpool/vanpool parking  1 Yes  2 No Subsidized Vanpools  1 Yes  2 No Guaranteed ride home program  1 Yes  2 No Flex hours program for employees  1 Yes  2 No Bike Lockers / Staffed bike desk  1 Yes  2 No Telecommute program for faculty  1 Yes  2 No Universal (free) transit passes (UPass)  1 Yes  2 No Parking Cash-Out*  1 Yes  2 No * (i.e., can students and/or faculty/staff receive a payment to give up their right/permit to park on campus?) 56. Are any transit subsidies provided by the school? (Skip to Question 58 if no subsidies are provided) Max. Allowable Subsidy $ per (day, mo., etc) Faculty Staff Students 57. How is this subsidy paid for? (check all that apply) □ 1 Fee to students □ 2 Parking charges □ 3 General fund □ 4 Subsidy from partner agency □ 5 Other If other, please specify what: ______________________________________________________________________________________ If there is a fee to students, please specify the amount: $_______ per ________ (semester, month, etc.) 58. What is the “base” per-ride transit fare for the general public (exclusive of passes or discounts)? For local bus service: $________ For on-campus circulator service: $_______ 59. What is the “base” per-ride transit fare for students (exclusive of passes or discounts)? For local bus service: $________ For on-campus circulator service: $_______ 60. What other Travel Demand Management (TDM) programs are offered by the school or the TMA? ______________________________________________________________________________________

60 Community Interaction: 61. Please rate the following statements regarding various parties’ satisfaction with available transit: Very Satisfied Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Unsatisfied N/A How does the school community & its affiliates rate the quality of the transit service available?      How does the surrounding community rate the quality of the transit service available?      How does the school rate the community or local public transit operator’s financial contribution to the transit system?      How does the surrounding community or local public transit operator rate the school’s financial contribution to the transit system ?      62. Please describe any notable interactions, relationships or issues between the community and the campus transit system. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Industry Changes: 63. What, if any, changes in the transit or higher education fields do you anticipate may affect transit operations on the campus in the upcoming years (for example, charter regulation changes)? ______________________________________________________________________________________ F. Other Thought s? 64. Is there anything else you’d like to add about your system, the university, or transit on university campuses? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 65. Would you be willing to provide additional information about your experience and be considered as a case study for this synthesis project?  1 Yes  2 No 66. Do you have any questions about transportation on colleges and university campuses that we could address in this study? How could this or future studies of campus transportation better help your system? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you very much for your assistance in completing this survey. We will inform you of the results when the study is completed.