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CHAPTER THREE
SURVEY RESULTS: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE FARE PROGRAMS
INTRODUCTION Among agencies that do not offer programs to employers,
the most common reason was a lack of interest from employ-
This is the first of two chapters presenting the results of a ers. Other reasons cited were (1) too complex or not enough
survey of transit agencies regarding fare programs for public staff to administer and reach out to employers; (2) previ-
employees. The survey was designed to elicit information on ously tried and failed; (3) lack of interest within the agency;
program type, structure, and administration; barriers, con- (4) few large employers within the service area; (5) agency
straints, and obstacles to success; and to conduct an assess- policy of not offering fare discounts; and (6) board decision.
ment of how well the program met its objectives. A few agencies in this category reported that they do partici-
pate in pretax or transit benefit programs. This result high-
Thirty-one completed surveys were received from the lights a semantic difference: these agencies do not view the
43 transit agencies in the core sample, a response rate of programs as "theirs," because someone else administers the
72%. Nine agencies not included in the core sample heard program. This result is interesting because most prior stud-
about the survey and also participated, for a total of 40 tran- ies related to employer-oriented fare programs have not sur-
sit agencies in the final sample. These agencies range in veyed transit agencies, but instead have focused on program
size from less than 25 to more than 9,000 fixed-route transit administrators. The one agency that reported a program for
vehicles. private-sector employers noted that public-sector employers
were not interested.
This chapter analyzes survey results related to the types
of programs, the impetus for beginning (or not beginning) a The remainder of this chapter focuses on the 28 agencies
fare program oriented toward public-sector employees, and with fare programs for public employers and their employ-
how the program is administered. Chapter four discusses ees. These 28 agencies provided information on a total of
survey results related to the responding agencies' assess- 40 programs. Three agencies offer three types of programs,
ment of their programs. seven offer two types, and the remaining 18 offer one pro-
gram. The tables in the remainder of this chapter use the
40 programs as the basis for analysis, because respondents
TYPE OF PROGRAMS answered questions about a specific program.
Table 4 summarizes survey responses regarding fare pro- Table 5 indicates the types of programs that have been
grams oriented toward employers. Almost three-quarters implemented. A universal pass program in which all employ-
of responding agencies do offer some type of program, ees of a participating public employer receive a pass was the
with most of these including both public and private most frequently mentioned program, accounting for 20% of
employers. all programs.
The 28 agencies who offer some type of fare program
Table 4 for public employees provided detailed information about
Agencies with Fare Programs Oriented Toward a total of 40 programs. As shown in Table 6, 80% of these
Employers
programs are not specific to the public sector but also are
# Agencies % Agencies open to private-sector employees.
Fare Program Responding Responding
For public and private-sector
24 60%
employers PROGRAM GOALS
Public-sector employers only 4 10%
Private-sector employers only 1 3% Respondents were asked to identify the three most impor-
No program 11 28%
tant goals for public employee fare programs. Table 7 shows
that the primary goals are to increase ridership and to build
Total Responding 40 -- partnerships in support of transit.
