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Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities (2014)

Chapter: Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
×
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 2 - Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2014. Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/22397.
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6C h a p t e r 2 Before presenting strategies for increasing the use of fixed-route transit services, it is impor- tant to consider current use of transit services by people with disabilities. It is also important to consider attitudes about fixed-route transit services and factors that are considered by people with disabilities when using fixed-route transit or ADA paratransit services. Note that the ADA does not actually give people with disabilities a “choice” between using fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit services. People with disabilities are only eligible to use ADA paratransit services if, because of a disability, they are prevented from using fixed-route transit services. How- ever, many people with disabilities who have been determined eligible for ADA paratransit services can use fixed-route transit for some trips. As a result, there are many factors that determine when they are functionally able to use fixed-route transit and when they are eligible for ADA paratransit service. For example, long distances to or from bus stops and transit stations, or inaccessible paths of travel to and from bus stops and transit stations may be factors that result in use of ADA paratransit. In addition, most transit agencies do not enforce trip-by-trip eligibility. People with dis- abilities who may sometimes be able to use fixed-route transit services are provided with ADA paratransit service for any of the trips they choose to request. As a result, many other factors, such as the cost of each type of service or awareness of fixed-route transit options, are then considered by people with disabilities when deciding which type of service to use. This information is vital to developing a more complete picture of the use of public transit by persons with disabilities. It can also begin to answer important questions such as: • While ADA paratransit ridership has increased, how does it compare to use of fixed-route transit service by persons with disabilities? • Has fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities also been increasing in recent years or has it decreased as ADA paratransit ridership has increased? • What are the main barriers to use of fixed-route transit services by persons with disabilities? As part of this research, data was gathered from several transit agencies about current use of fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit services. This information is presented in Section 2.1. A nationwide survey of people with disabilities was also conducted to gather information about the factors that determine use of fixed-route transit or ADA paratransit services. The survey also obtained information about attitudes toward use of each mode. This information is presented in Section 2.2. Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities Before presenting possible strate- gies, it is important to understand current use of fixed-route transit services by people with disabilities, as well as attitudes about fixed- route transit and factors considered when using public transit services.

Current Use of transit Services by people with Disabilities 7 2.1 Current Fixed-Route Transit and ADA Paratransit Use Transit agencies track ADA paratransit ridership and include this information in NTD reports. However, the NTD does not request or contain data about use of fixed-route transit services by riders with disabilities. Some transit agencies do, however, track ridership by fare type and have specific fare cate- gories related to disability. This includes reduced fares, and in some cases, free fares, made available to riders with disabilities. This information can be used to get a sense of current use of fixed-route transit by people with disabilities. It is important to note, though, that actual reduced fare data are undercounted since some people with disabilities may not be aware of the reduced fares, may not have bothered to apply for reduced fares, or may choose to ride fixed- route transit services at the full fare. To develop an understanding of the current use of transit services by people with disabilities, information on ADA paratransit ridership and fixed-route reduced fare ridership was collected from seven selected transit agencies. Agencies from different geographic regions and commu- nity sizes were selected. Ability to provide the required data was also considered in the selection. The seven transit agencies from which data was gathered were as follows: • Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), Ann Arbor, MI. • Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Chicago, IL. • Laketran, Grand River, OH. • Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Boston, MA. • Pace Suburban Bus (Pace), Arlington Heights, IL. • Tri-County Metropolitan Transit District (TriMet), Portland, OR. • Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Salt Lake City, UT. ADA Paratransit Ridership at Selected Transit Agencies All seven transit agencies provide ADA paratransit as well as fixed-route transit services. ADA paratransit ridership was provided for the period from 2009 through 2011 and is presented in Table 2-1. Annual changes in ridership are also shown. ADA paratransit ridership increased at four transit agencies and decreased at the other three from 2009 to 2010. Most increases or decreases were from 2% to 10%. Laketran reported a 181% increase in ADA paratransit ridership from 2009 to 2010. According to a Laketran man- ager, the reason for this jump was “because Laketran made an effort to increase Laketran ADA certifications.” From 2010 to 2011, ADA paratransit ridership decreased at six transit agencies and increased at one. Transit Agency Total ADA Paratransit Ridership % Change 2009 2010 2011 2009– 2010 2010– 2011 AATA 156,498 141,276 136,986 -9.7% -3.0% CTA 2,241,903 2,176,960 2,133,888 -2.9% -2.0% Laketran 3,242 9,110 8,458 181.0% -7.2% MBTA 2,029,242 2,218,920 2,494,130 9.3% 12.4% Pace 558,778 596,854 587,475 6.8% -1.6% TriMet 1,046,207 1,069,704 1,064,349 2.2% -0.5% UTA 490,517 446,627 417,077 -8.9% -6.6% Table 2-1. ADA paratransit ridership at selected transit agencies, 2009 to 2011.

8 Strategy Guide to enable and promote the Use of Fixed-route transit by people with Disabilities Fixed-Route Transit Ridership by Persons with Disabilities at Selected Transit Agencies Each of the selected transit agencies reported offering reduced fares to certain fixed-route transit riders and all tracked ridership by persons paying a reduced fare. All seven transit agen- cies reported that eligibility criteria for reduced fares were consistent with the criteria contained in the U.S.DOT’s requirement for half fares during off-peak hours (49 CFR Part 609). This includes riders with disabilities, persons over 65 years of age, and Medicare cardholders. The definition of disability for reduced fares is broader than that for ADA paratransit eligibility and so represents ridership by a broader group of persons with disabilities. In some cases, transit agencies tracked reduced fare ridership by type of eligible rider. In other cases, estimates were developed to identify the percentage of reduced fare riders who were persons with disabilities. Following is a description of the reduced fare programs at each transit agency and how ridership by persons with disabilities was estimated. AATA. Two reduced fare programs are provided. A program called “Fare Deal” offers reduced fares to persons with disabilities (based on the U.S.DOT definition), seniors aged 60 to 64, Medicare cardholders, and low-income riders. AATA also offers free fares on fixed-route transit to persons who are ADA paratransit eligible. AATA tracks free rides by persons who are ADA paratransit eligible. AATA does not separately count the various categories of Fare Deal riders. An AATA manager estimated that persons with disabilities constituted 5% of the Fare Deal ridership. AATA’s fixed-route transit ridership of persons with disabilities was therefore estimated as 5% of the Fare Deal trips, plus free trips made by ADA paratransit eligible riders. This data was provided for 2009 through 2011. CTA and Pace. Both reduced and free fare programs are provided by both CTA and Pace. Under a “People with Disabilities Ride Free Program,” free fixed-route transit is provided to persons certified as having a disability and meeting low-income guidelines established by selected state and federal programs. CTA and Pace also offer reduced fares to persons with dis- abilities, persons 65 or older, Medicare cardholders, and students, all of which are not income based. Both agencies collected data in 2009 and 2010 for free rides provided under the “People with Disabilities Ride Free Program.” Reduced fare rides by persons with disabilities were also tracked separately from other reduced fare rides in 2009 and 2010. Reduced fare data were not separated in 2011, so only data from 2009 and 2010 were used. Laketran. Reduced fares on fixed-route transit are offered by Laketran to persons with dis- abilities (consistent with the U.S.DOT definition), students between 13 and 22 years of age, per- sons determined ADA paratransit eligible, and seniors who have “Golden Buckeye” or Medicare cards. Laketran tracks reduced fare rides by persons with disabilities and persons who are ADA paratransit eligible separately from other eligible groups. Data on reduced fare trips by persons with disabilities were provided for 2009 through 2011. MBTA. Three different reduced fare programs are provided by the MBTA for persons with disabilities. Reduced fares are provided to persons who have a state “Transportation Access Pass” (consistent with U.S.DOT definition of disability). Free fares are offered to persons who are deter- mined ADA paratransit eligible. Free fares are also offered to persons who are certified as having a vision disability by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. Reduced fares are also offered to other groups, including seniors and students. The MBTA tracks reduced and free fare trips made by persons with disabilities separately from these other groups. Data were provided for 2010 and 2011. TriMet. TriMet provides reduced fares to “Honored Citizens,” which include persons with dis- abilities (consistent with the U.S.DOT definition), persons 65 and older, Medicare cardholders, and persons determined ADA paratransit eligible. TriMet also provides free fixed-route service

Current Use of transit Services by people with Disabilities 9 to persons who are ADA paratransit eligible and who have purchased a monthly pass for the ADA paratransit service. TriMet estimated that trips by Honored Citizens are 9.39% of total fixed-route transit ridership. TriMet also estimated that 70% of Honored Citizens are persons with disabili- ties. Fixed-route ridership by persons with disabilities was therefore estimated to be 6.57% of total fixed-route transit ridership (70% of 9.39%). Data were provided for 2009 through 2011. UTA. UTA provides reduced fares for persons with disabilities (consistent with U.S.DOT definition), seniors, and Medicare cardholders. UTA also provides free fixed-route transit ser- vice to persons determined ADA paratransit eligible. UTA does not track reduced fare rides by persons with disabilities separately from other eligible groups. UTA does, however, track the purchase of monthly reduced fare passes by eligible groups. This percentage was used to estimate total reduced fare rides by persons with disabilities. Data on reduced fare rides by persons with disabilities were provided for 2009 through 2011. UTA began tracking free rides on fixed-route transit by persons who are ADA paratransit eligible in 2011. The estimate of total fixed-route transit ridership by people with disabilities therefore does not include free rides taken by ADA paratransit eligible persons in 2009 and 2010. The effect of this omission is likely an underestimate of ridership of 5% or less. In 2011, free trips averaged about 10,000 per month, while reduced fare trips averaged over 210,000 per month. Table 2-2 provides estimates of fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities for the seven selected transit agencies, based on the above described estimates and assumptions, for calendar years 2009 through 2011. Ridership by persons with disabilities as a percent of total fixed-route transit ridership is also shown. In absolute numbers, fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities increased at all seven transit agencies. It also increased as a percentage of total ridership at four of the seven agencies. Relative Use of Each Mode To determine the relative use of fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit by persons with disabilities at each selected agency, the ratio of trips made on each mode was calculated. This information is provided in Table 2-3. A value of 1.00 means that for a specified year and a speci- fied transit agency, the fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities and the ADA paratransit ridership was equal. A value greater than 1.00 means that the fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities was greater than the ADA paratransit ridership. As shown, with the exception of AATA in 2009, the fixed-route transit ridership for persons with disabilities was greater than the ADA paratransit ridership for each agency for all years when the data were available. The ratios are smaller in AATA and Laketran, the smallest of the seven Transit Agency Persons with Disabilities Fixed- Route Transit Ridership % Persons with Disabilities Ridership of Total Ridership 2009 2010 2011 2009 2010 2011 AATA 131,263 144,754 153,038 2.2% 2.5% 2.5% CTA 16,451,791 17,575,719 NA 3.2% 3.4% NA Laketran 18,748 19,899 22,494 5.7% 7.1% 7.4% MBTA NA 11,284,569 12,072,225 NA 3.0% 3.4% Pace 940,971 1,183,205 NA 3.2% 4.0% NA TriMet 6,504,130 6,549,100 6,636,098 6.6% 6.6% 6.6% UTA 2,488,250 2,631,200 2,684,743 7.1% 7.4% 7.0% Note: Fixed-route ridership data for 2009 MBTA, 2011 CTA, and 2011 Pace not available. Table 2-2. Fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities at seven selected transit agencies, calendar years 2009 through 2011.

10 Strategy Guide to enable and promote the Use of Fixed-route transit by people with Disabilities transit agencies analyzed. One might expect this, as the level of fixed-route transit service—in terms of geographic coverage, days and hours, and headways—is typically less in smaller transit agencies. CTA, MBTA, TriMet, and UTA all have ratios close to or greater than 5.0. These four transit agencies have urban rail service with frequent headways and late evening service. The ratio of fixed-route transit ridership to ADA paratransit ridership increased over time in four of the seven agencies—AATA, CTA, Pace, and UTA. This indicates that in these agen- cies, use of fixed-route transit services by persons with disabilities was increasing at a relatively faster rate than their use of ADA paratransit services. The ratio at TriMet was relatively stable, indicating about the same use of each mode for each year. The ratio of fixed-route transit use to ADA paratransit use declined significantly at Laketran and slightly at the MBTA—indicating a relatively greater growth in ADA paratransit use over the three years examined. In the case of Laketran, the change in the ratio was due to a significant increase in ADA paratransit ridership in 2010. As noted previously, Laketran managers indicated that they made an effort to increase ADA paratransit certifications in 2010 and ridership grew by 181% that year. In the case of the MBTA, ADA paratransit ridership also increased significantly from 2009 to 2011. During that period, the MBTA was one of the few large transit agencies that determined ADA paratransit eligibil- ity based only on a paper application. From 2010 to 2011, ADA paratransit ridership increased by 12.4%. This increase was the main reason that the ratio of fixed-route transit ridership to ADA paratransit ridership decreased from 5.09 to 4.84. Findings and Conclusions The analysis of current use of fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit indicates the following: • At the transit agencies studied, ridership on fixed-route transit systems by persons with dis- abilities appears to be equal to or greater than ridership on ADA paratransit services. • At many of the transit agencies studied, ridership on fixed-route transit services by persons with disabilities is several times higher than ridership on ADA paratransit service. Fixed- route transit ridership by persons with disabilities at many agencies is two to six times higher than ADA paratransit ridership. • At four of the seven agencies studied, fixed-route transit ridership increased faster than ADA paratransit ridership in recent years. This suggests that people with disabilities are travel- ing more. It also suggests that many people with disabilities who are able to use fixed-route transit services appear to be doing so. Transit Agency 2009 2010 2011 AATA 0.84 1.02 1.12 CTA 7.34 8.07 NA Laketran 5.78 2.18 2.66 MBTA NA 5.09 4.84 Pace 1.68 1.98 NA TriMet 6.22 6.12 6.23 UTA 5.07 5.89 6.44 Note: Fixed-route ridership data for 2009 MBTA, 2011 CTA, and 2011 Pace not available Table 2-3. Ratio of fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities to ADA paratransit ridership. At all of the transit agencies studied, ridership on fixed-route transit by persons with disabilities was equal to or greater than ridership on ADA paratransit. In some cases, fixed-route transit ridership was two to six times greater.

Current Use of transit Services by people with Disabilities 11 • Use of fixed-route transit services by riders with disabilities appears to be greater in the urban systems studied and lower in smaller city and rural systems. This is likely due to the general availability of fixed-route transit services in these areas. • Similar to the growth in ADA paratransit ridership, fixed-route transit ridership by persons with disabilities appears also to be growing. This suggests a general increase in public transit use by people with disabilities, not just growing ADA paratransit ridership. • Transit agencies typically gather some data on the use of fixed-route transit service by per- sons with disabilities. This information is typically gathered through counts of riders travel- ing at reduced fares. While this data likely undercounts the total number of trips by persons with disabilities, since some persons with disabilities elect to travel at full fare, it does provide some measure of fixed-route transit use. • While the data are available, transit agencies typically do not report or analyze trends in use of fixed-route transit services by riders with disabilities. Doing this would give agencies a bet- ter understanding of the use of all types of public transit services by persons with disabilities. 2.2 Input on Use of Transit Services from Persons with Disabilities To help direct the research and the development of strategies for enabling and promoting the use of fixed-route transit services, input was obtained from people with disabilities. Infor- mation about current as well as desired use of fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit was requested. Information about the factors that were considered when using various modes of transportation was also requested. Interviews and National Survey The research team first conducted telephone interviews with people with disabilities in selected cities across the country. The input obtained from these initial interviews was then used to design an online survey that was distributed to people with disabilities nationwide. First, the research team identified communities and transit systems where initial telephone interviews would be conducted. Thirty transit riders with disabilities were interviewed about the key factors affecting their use of public transit. Interviewees were located in geographically diverse locales and included some people who use both fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit, as well as some who use one of those modes but not the other. Interviewees included people who use a variety of mobility assistance devices and some who use none. Interview responses were key in informing the research team how to develop the national survey. Using the input from the interviews, an online survey of people with disabilities in the United States was developed. The survey focused on the modes of transportation used and on the factors considered when using fixed-route transit service, ADA paratransit, or other transportation options. A copy of the survey is provided in the final report for this project. The survey was heavily promoted throughout the U.S. disability community by the Disabil- ity Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) and other disability organizations, including, but not limited to, the American Council of the Blind (ACB), the National Council on Inde- pendent Living (NCIL), and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). The survey opened on April 20, 2012 and closed its primary data collection phase on May 14, 2012. As a web-based survey open to the public, all responses came from individuals self-identified with an interest in public transit. The survey response was quite robust. Within two hours of the initial distribution of the web link to a number of mailing lists, 70 completed responses had been received. By the

12 Strategy Guide to enable and promote the Use of Fixed-route transit by people with Disabilities time the primary data collection phase was closed, 1,927 U.S.-based responses were received, including responses from every U.S. state and territory. The response rate showed that efforts to reach the target audience appeared quite successful. Also, it confirmed that the disability community in the United States has a deep interest in the effectiveness of public transit to serve their needs. The survey asked whether the respondent was completing the survey for him/herself, or on behalf of a family member, client, or other associate with a disability. Approximately two-thirds of those responding indicated they were doing so on their own behalf; approximately one-third were doing so on behalf of another party. Survey responses also showed that respondents hailed from a variety of U.S. locales, includ- ing large cities (31%), small cities (26%), suburban areas (23%), small towns (12%), and rural areas (8%). Survey respondents indicated a wide variety of disabling conditions, as shown in Figure 2-1. The most common disability reported was a mobility disability (38%), followed by blindness or vision impairment (23%), intellectual/cognitive disability (18%), psychiatric disability (10%), and “other” (8%). In what might have been erroneous responses from non-disabled associates, 3% of respondents indicated “I do not have a disability.” Survey respondents also indicated a varied use of public transit services, as shown in Figure 2-2. Thirty-one percent (31%) of respondents (499) indicated that they use both the fixed-route transit service and ADA paratransit service. Twenty-four percent (24%) indi- cated they use ADA paratransit service but don’t use the fixed-route transit service (382). Twenty-six percent (26%) indicated they use the fixed-route transit service but not ADA paratransit service (426). And 19% indicated they don’t use either service (314). The survey also gathered data on respondents’ frequency of public transit use, types of trips, and why they choose various transit modes. This detailed information is included in the final research report for this project. Interest in Using the Fixed-Route Transit Service Riders from every group reported their interest in using the fixed-route bus and/or train system, or using them more. For example, respondents who use only ADA paratransit were asked, “Would you like to use the fixed-route service for some of your trips?” As illustrated 3% 8% 10% 38% 18% 23% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% No Disability Other Psychiatric disability Mobility disability Intellectual/cognitive disability Blindness or vision impairment Figure 2-1. Survey responses by type of disability.

Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities 13 in Figure 2-3, while 48% of the 372 respondents in this group indicated “No,” 28% indicated “Yes,” while 24% indicated “Not sure.” Respondents who use both the fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit systems were asked, “Would you like to use the fixed-route service more often than you use it now?” A strong 53% of respondents answered “Yes.” 20% responded “No,” and 26% indicated “Not sure,” as shown in Figure 2-4. Respondents who use only the fixed-route transit service were similarly asked, “Would you like to use the fixed-route service more often than you use it now?” A majority of respondents, 57%, indicated “Yes,” 28% indicated “No,” and 16% indicated “Not sure,” as seen in Figure 2-5. Finally, respondents who use neither the fixed-route transit service nor ADA paratransit were also asked, “Would you like to use the fixed-route service?” Thirty-nine percent of respondents 31% 24% 26% 19% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Both fixed route and ADA Paratransit ADA Paratransit, no fixed route Fixed route, no ADA Paratransit Don't use transit Figure 2-2. Current use of public transit services by survey respondents. No 48% Not sure 24% Yes 28% Would you like to use the fixed-route service for some of your trips? Figure 2-3. Desire to use fixed-route transit by respondents who currently only use ADA paratransit.

14 Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities No 20% Not sure 26% Yes 53% Would you like to use the fixed-route service more often than you do now? Figure 2-4. Desire to use fixed-route transit more by respondents who currently use both modes. Not Sure 16% No 28% Yes 57% Would you like to use the fixed-route service more often than you do now? Figure 2-5. Desire to use fixed-route transit more by respondents who currently only use fixed-route transit. indicated “Yes,” 25% of respondents indicated “No,” and 36% of respondents indicated “Not sure” (see Figure 2-6). Factors That Affect Use of Fixed-Route Transit The last questions to all respondents were about what factors are the most important to them in deciding whether to use the fixed-route transit system, or another mode of transportation. Respondents were presented with a list of “factors that sometimes discourage or prevent people

Current Use of Transit Services by People with Disabilities 15 with disabilities from using fixed-route service as often as they would like.” They were asked, “On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being ‘not important’ and 5 being ‘very important,’ please indicate how important these factors are to you in deciding whether to use the fixed-route service.” The list of factors was as follows: • Fixed-route service doesn’t run often enough. • Fixed-route service doesn’t run at the hours I need to travel. • Complex or multiple transfers on fixed-route service. • Cost of the fixed-route service. • I’m not sure how to use the fixed-route service. • Negative past experiences using the fixed-route service. • Poor fixed-route service quality. • Problems with stop announcements. • Concerns for my personal safety when using fixed-route service. • Distances to or from stops/stations. • Barriers in the pedestrian environment getting to and from stops/stations. • Lack of information about potential barriers I may encounter getting to/ from fixed-route stops/stations. • Fixed-route service doesn’t accommodate my mobility aid as well as I would like. • Poor fixed-route driver attitudes or assistance. • Attitudes of other fixed-route passengers. Figure 2-7 shows how these factors were rated in terms of importance. Respondents tended to rate the following factors as most important, in the following order: • Barriers in the pedestrian environment getting to and from stops/stations (Highest-rated factor, rated as Very Important by 48% of respondents). • Distances to or from stops/stations (47%). No 25% Yes 39% Would you like to use the fixed-route service more often than you do now? Not sure 36% Figure 2-6. Desire to use fixed-route transit by respondents who currently do not use either fixed-route transit or ADA paratransit. Barriers in the pedestrian environ- ment, distances to and from fixed- route transit stops/stations, and lack of information about poten- tial barriers getting to and from stops/stations were three of the more important factors considered by people with disabilities when deciding whether or not to use fixed-route transit services.

16 Strategy Guide to enable and promote the Use of Fixed-route transit by people with Disabilities • Fixed-route service doesn’t run often enough (46%). • Complex or multiple transfers on fixed-route service (45%). • Fixed-route service doesn’t run at the hours I need to travel (43%). • Lack of information about potential barriers I may encounter getting to/from fixed-route stops/stations (39%). • Concerns for my personal safety when using fixed-route service (35%). Subgroups of respondents, such as those who use only paratransit, only fixed-route transit, both, or neither, showed some variation in what factors are most important, but not a signifi- cant amount. Respondent Comments—General Fixed-Route Transit Issues Respondents also had the opportunity to submit individualized comments. Obstacles and concerns they described about using the fixed-route transit system include some factors faced by all public transit riders, but which might be obstacles of a higher order for certain people with disabilities, such as exposure to weather, a chaotic atmosphere aboard the bus, the lack of sidewalks in some locales, waiting periods that are too long, and distances that are too great to traverse. And like all riders, the availability and level of fixed-route transit service provided is a key decision factor in whether or not to use this mode. Large numbers of persons with disabilities indicated that the frequency of fixed-route transit service and the days and hours of operation are key factors for them. As would be expected, this was particularly important to those who only use fixed-route and do not use ADA paratransit service. This suggests that improving 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% I'm not sure how to use the fixed route service Cost of the fixed route service Negative past experiences using the fixed route service Attitudes of other fixed route passengers Poor fixed route service quality Problems with stop announcements Fixed route service doesn't accommodate my mobility aid as well as I would like Poor fixed route driver attitudes or assistance Concerns for my personal safety when using fixed route service Lack of information about potential barriers I may encounter getting to/from fixed route stops/stations Fixed route service doesn't run at the hours I need to travel Complex ormultiple transfers on fixed route service Fixed route service doesn't run often enough Distances to or from stops/stations Barriers in the pedestrian environment getting to and from stops/stations Very Important 4 3 2 Not Important Figure 2-7. Importance of selected factors in decision to use fixed-route transit services—all respondents.

Current Use of transit Services by people with Disabilities 17 the general level of fixed-route transit service is an important factor in attracting riders with disabilities. Comments about Factors Unique to People with Disabilities Concerns were also expressed about factors unique to riders with disabilities, such as lack of disability access to bus stops, out-of-service elevators in train stations, web-based bus sched- ules that are not accessible to blind people using screen readers, concerns about whether the bus driver will properly secure their wheelchair, and the challenges of navigating across open spaces in a parking lot by people who are blind or have visual impairments. Some have had bad experiences in the past, such as the bus passing them by while they were waiting at a bus stop. Some riders who use service animals had bad experiences with the attitudes of other passengers. Some encountered difficulties because local buses have too few wheelchair spaces for the level of demand. Others experienced poor assistance from bus drivers or other transit staff. Some people with hidden disabilities had bad experiences when requesting accommodations because they don’t “look disabled.” Still others encountered negative attitudes when people without dis- abilities were asked to move from priority seating. Some people with low vision encountered train stations that were too dark, or had difficulties identifying the correct bus or train. And some people with multiple chemical sensitivities couldn’t tolerate fragrance products utilized by the general public. Interest in Using Fixed-Route Transit Services Yet, a significant percentage of persons with disabilities are interested in using fixed-route transit services, or using them more often. And many sur- vey respondents mentioned negative experiences with ADA paratransit ser- vices as a reason they use the fixed-route transit service instead. Fifty-seven percent of those who only use fixed-route transit now indicated they would like to use it more often. And 53% of individuals who use both fixed-route transit and ADA paratransit said they are interested in using fixed-route tran- sit service more. Even 28% of those who said they only use ADA paratransit now expressed an interest in using fixed-route transit services. A significant percentage of people with disabilities are interested in using fixed-route transit services, or using them more often.

Next: Chapter 3 - Getting Started: Understanding Current Use of Transit Services and Creating a System-wide Policy »
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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 163: Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities is designed to help transit agencies fulfill the primary goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) by making mainstream fixed-route bus and rail systems accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The focus of the Strategy Guide is to offer guidance on providing public services in the most integrated setting possible.

The project that developed the Strategy Guide also produced the following publications, which are available only in PDF format:

• a final research report that includes a summary of the literature, description of the research methodology, copies of the survey instruments used, and detailed tabulations of the survey responses; and

• information briefs that summarize key findings and findings of the research in the following five areas:

the overall strategy that is suggested,

current use of fixed-route transit by persons with disabilities,

bus stop and pedestrian infrastructure improvement efforts,

fare incentive programs, and

ADA paratransit eligibility determination programs.

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