Practices in the Development and Deployment of Downtown Circulators (2011)

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57 APPENDIX A TCRP Synthesis Survey: Development and Deployment of Downtown Circulators

58 TCRP Downtown Circulators 1. Today's Date 2. Please list your name, agency, and contact information 3. Is there a downtown circulator currently operating within your agency's service area? 4. In the past, has there been a downtown circulator within your agency’s service area that is no longer in operation? 1. Default Section MM DD YYYY MM/DD/YYYY / / * Name: Company: Title: City/Town: State/Province: Email Address: Phone Number: 2. Downtown Circulators * 3. No circulator 4. Reasons for no circulator Yes No Yes No Not sure/don't know

59 TCRP Downtown Circulators 5. What are the reasons that a downtown circulator has not been implemented (check all that apply)? 6. Why is this downtown circulator no longer in operation (check all that apply)? 7. Does your transit agency offer a fare-free zone in downtown? 5. No Longer Operating 6. Fare Free Zone Downtown is too small Downtown is well-served by existing routes Lack of interest from downtown businesses/employers Lack of interest within agency Cost Lack of funding Other (please specify) Low ridership Low productivity Cost of providing service Funding source was discontinued Lack of support from private sector Other (please specify) Yes No

60 7. Yes to fare-free zone TCRP Downtown Circulators Please continue with the survey changing references to “downtown circulator” to “fare-free zone.” Such an arrangement is a functional equivalent to a circulator. 8. Is the transit agency or its contractor the operator of the downtown circulator? 9. How would your agency rate the downtown circulator? 10. What have been the primary benefits of the downtown circulator? 11. What have been the primary drawbacks of the downtown circulator? 8. Who operates 9. Assessment Yes No - if no, please provide the name and email address of the most appropriate person to fill out this survey at the agency that operates the downtown circulator. Other (please specify) Very successful Somewhat successful Neutral Somewhat unsuccessful Very unsuccessful

61 TCRP Downtown Circulators 12. Has the changing role of downtown (e.g., a shift from central business district to principal activity center with a mix of retail, jobs, and housing) influenced the design and operation of your agency’s downtown circulator? If so, please explain. 13. If you could change ONE aspect in the process of designing and implementing the downtown circulator, what would you change? 14. Please describe any “lessons learned” that would benefit other transit agencies that are considering implementation of a downtown circulator. 10. Beginnings

62 TCRP Downtown Circulators 15. What was the PRIMARY reason for implementing a downtown circulator? 16. Who are the stakeholders in the downtown circulator? In other words, who has played an active role in bringing this concept to implementation and in continuing to support it (check all that apply)? Transit agency desire to provide better connections within downtown Request from downtown businesses/employers or TMA Request from downtown convention center or hotels Opportunity for public-private partnership with private-sector financing Downtown transit center moved to new location; need to continue to serve heart of downtown New rail service required connection to downtown Elected officials encouraged or dictated implementation Other (please specify) Transit agency City elected officials Downtown businesses/employers Downtown convention center Downtown hotels Transportation Management Association (TMA) Other (please specify)

63 TCRP Downtown Circulators 17. What are the main purposes or goals of the downtown circulator (check all that apply)? 18. Who has been the program’s primary “champion?” 11. Markets Improve general mobility throughout the downtown area Encourage downtown revitalization Support a “park once” concept, where the circulator connects parking and downtown destinations Encourage public transit use by employees Encourage public transit use by shoppers Provide a way to get around for convention-goers Provide a way to get around for visitors in downtown hotels Connect a new transit center to the heart of downtown Connect a rail station to the heart of downtown Serve residential areas in or near downtown Other (please specify) Agency general manager Others in transit agency (please specify below) City elected officials Downtown employers Downtown convention center/hotels Transportation Management Association (TMA) Other (please specify)

64 TCRP Downtown Circulators 19. What is the primary market for the downtown circulator? 20. Does the downtown circulator also serve other markets (check all that apply)? 21. Has the market for the downtown circulator changed over the years? 12. Markets2 Employees Shoppers Downtown residents Tourists/visitors Other (please specify) No – sole focus is on the primary market noted in previous question Yes, also employees Yes, also shoppers Yes, also downtown residents Yes, also tourists Other (please specify) Yes No

65 TCRP Downtown Circulators 22. Has the route of the circulator been changed to include locations that are important to new markets (check all that apply)? 23. Describe the design of the downtown circulator: 13. Route Structure No, the route has not changed – new markets are incidental to the primary market for service Yes, changed to serve employment sites Yes, changed to serve retail sites Yes, changed to serve downtown residential areas Yes, changed to serve hotels/convention center Yes, changed to serve new transit center Yes, changed to serve rail station Other (please specify) A single linear route A single loop route A single flexible route Multiple linear routes Multiple loop routes Multiple flexible routes Combination of different types of routes Other (please specify)

66 TCRP Downtown Circulators 24. Who designed the routing of the downtown circulator (check all that apply)? 25. Who decides on any proposed changes to the routing of the downtown circulator (check all that apply)? 26. Who is primarily responsible for day-to-day operation of the downtown circulator? If operation is contracted, consider the entity that oversees the contract as the responsible entity. Check all that apply. 14. Administration1 15. Admininstration2 Transit agency City TMA Private sector entity Other (please specify) Transit agency City TMA Private sector entity Other (please specify) Transit agency City TMA Private sector entity Other (please specify)

67 TCRP Downtown Circulators 27. Describe the nature of the interaction with the transit agency regarding the downtown circulator. 28. How is the operation of the downtown circulator funded (check all that apply) 29. Which private sector entity contributes to the cost of the downtown circulator (check all that apply)? 16. Administration3 17. Administration4 Close cooperation – frequent contact (at least weekly) Cooperation – contact as needed Neutral – the circulator is viewed as a separate entity Hostility Grant to transit agency specifically for the circulator Grant to city specifically for the circulator Transit agency pays all costs Transit agency splits costs with City or other public entity Transit agency splits costs with private sector City pays all costs City splits costs with private sector Private sector pays all costs Other (please specify) TMA Downtown businesses or business improvement district Convention Center Hotels None Other (please specify)

68 TCRP Downtown Circulators 30. Does the transit agency use Federal funds for the cost of the downtown circulator? 31. What type of vehicle is used to provide downtown circulator service? 32. Are the downtown circulator vehicles specially branded? 33. Who purchases the vehicles? 18. Administration5 19. Operation Yes No Don't know/not sure Transit bus 30 feet or larger Transit bus under 30 feet Cutaway Van Rubber-tired trolley Steel-wheel trolley Mix of vehicles Other (please specify) Yes No - same as all transit vehicles Transit agency City Other (please specify)

69 TCRP Downtown Circulators 34. Who maintains the vehicles? 35. Please enter the start and end times and headway (how often buses run) for service on the downtown circulator for weekday service. If circulator does not operate on weekdays, enter NA. 36. Please enter the start and end times and headway (how often buses run) for service on the downtown circulator for Saturday service. If circulator does not operate on Saturday, enter NA. 37. Please enter the start and end times and headway (how often buses run) for service on the downtown circulator for Sunday service. If circulator does not operate on Sunday, enter NA. 38. Do you charge a fare for the downtown circulator? 39. What is the cash fare for the downtown circulator? Start time of first trip Start time of last trip Prevailing headway Start time of first trip Start time of last trip Prevailing headway Start time of first trip Start time of last trip Prevailing headway 20. Operation2 Cash fare Transit agency City Contractor Other (please specify) Yes No

70 TCRP Downtown Circulators 40. What fare media are accepted on the downtown circulator (check all that apply)? 41. Has introduction or revision of the downtown circulator allowed the transit agency to make changes to other routes? 42. Please describe the changes to other routes. 21. Operation3 22. Operation4 23. Operation5 Cash Transfers within the circulator system Transit agency transfers Downtown circulator passes Transit agency monthly passes Transit agency day passes Transit agency other passes Tokens Other (please specify) No Yes

71 TCRP Downtown Circulators 43. How has the downtown circulator been integrated with the transit system route pattern (check all that apply)? 44. Have there been issues regarding complementary ADA service associated with the downtown circulator? 45. Please describe the issues related to complementary ADA service associated with the downtown circulator. 24. Operation6 25. Barriers, Obstacles, and Constraints Connections at major transfer points No duplication of existing route segments Added stops Fewer stops No integration – the circulator is separate from the existing system Other (please specify) Yes No – no change to service area/hours of operation Unsure

72 TCRP Downtown Circulators 46. Please characterize the following elements as major constraints, minor constraints, or not a constraint in the start-up and ongoing operation of the downtown circulator. 47. Please describe the nature of the MAJOR constraint affecting the downtown circulator below. Major Constraint Minor Constraint Not a Constraint Funding in general Use of Federal funds Cooperation with new partners Downtown- neighborhood tension Difficulty in defining the target market Inability to identify a long-range funding source Maintaining interest among stakeholders Parking policies in downtown Difficulty in defining the route Disagreement on fares/fare instruments Other (see below) 26. Marketing Other (please specify)

73 TCRP Downtown Circulators 48. Who markets the downtown circulator service, and who has overall responsibility for marketing? 49. What type of marketing activities are undertaken for the downtown circulator? 50. What is the average daily ridership on the downtown circulator (including all routes, if more than one route is operated)? 51. What is the average number of riders per revenue hour on the downtown circulator (including all routes, if more than one route is operated)? Overall Responsibility Participates in Marketing Efforts Transit agency City TMA Downtown businesses Downtown employers Agencies promoting tourism Convention center Hotels Other (see below) 27. Ridership and Productivity Weekday Saturday Sunday Weekday Saturday Sunday 28. Case Study Other (please specify)

74 TCRP Downtown Circulators 52. Would you be willing to participate further as a case study, involving a telephone interview going into further detail on your agency’s experience with downtown circulators, if selected by the TCRP panel for this project? 53. Is there another transit system that you suggest we contact for this synthesis project? Thank you for participating! This survey is now complete. Please contact Dan Boyle at dboyle34@pacbell.net or at 858- 259-6515 if you would like any additional information about this study. 29. Other agencies 30. Thank you! Yes No