College Student Transit Pass Programs (2018)

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73 A p p e n d i x A Appendix A-1: On-line Survey Part I: For Transit Agencies The Transportation Research Board through the Transit Cooperative Research Program is conducting a study of University Transit Pass programs. A university pass program (U-Pass for short) is defined as a general use transit pass available for use by students and others asso- ciated with a university. This study will be used to share experiences with such programs and to help others who are considering implementing such a program. Please answer the questions in this survey as best you can. It should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. If you decide you need to change or review something, you can back up at any time without losing your answers. When you are ready to get started, please click “Next” below. 1. Tell us about yourself Name______________________________Title_______________________________ Agency Name________________________Website_____________________________ Address________________________________________________________________ Telephone____________ Fax__________ Email _______________________ 2. When was the university transit pass program initiated? ________________________ 3. What universities are involved with the program? ______________________________________________________________________ 4. When the program began, who was the primary advocate or initiator of the program?  Public transit operator  Student association  Individual students  School administration  Local government  School faculty  School staff  Other, please specify _______________________  Don’t know 5. Who has the lead role in the U-Pass program?  University administration  Local government Survey Questionnaires and Interview Guide

74 College Student Transit pass programs  Public transit operator  Partnership between university and local government  Partnership between university and public transit operator  Partnership between local government and public transit operator  Other, please specify _______________________  Don’t know 6. What are the roles of the transit agency in implementing the program? (Check all that apply)  Operations planning (Planning routes, scheduling, timetable development, providing user information, real-time info)  Evaluation: Collecting data and evaluating the impacts of the program (transit rider- ship, user satisfaction, modal shifts, parking demands and etc.)  Finance: Developing the funding mechanism and fare structure  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 7. Who is eligible to use the pass? (Check all that apply)  All students including non-credit students  Any students taking credit courses  Only full-time students  Faculty  Non-faculty employees  Everyone including general public  Other, please specify ________________________________________________  Don’t know 8. How do users pay for the pass? (Please provide their dollar amounts for applicable items, and enter N/A for not applicable items)  Student fees __________per semester or __________per year  Faculty and staff fringe benefit, cost __________per semester or __________per year  Users voluntarily purchase a pass, cost __________per pass per semester or __________ per pass per year  Pass is part of university budget, amount __________ per semester or __________ per year  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 9. How do people use the program? (Check all that apply)  Users show the pass and an ID  Student ID is used  Student ID with a sticker  Smart card/sticker technology  Users pay cash along with the card  Users get reduced price tickets or tokens  No ID required (Service is free to all users)  Other, please specify ___________  Don’t know 10. What restrictions are there to use the program?  No restrictions (pass can be used “anytime, anywhere”)  Pass can only be used on certain routes  Pass used only for limited times of day  Pass used only Spring and Fall semesters (not summer)  Pass used only Summer or special session  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know

Survey Questionnaires and interview Guide 75 11. Approximately what percentage of students have the pass?  ____ (percent) or ____ (annual numbers)  Don’t know 12. What types of transit does the program cover? (Check all that apply)  Local Fixed-Route Bus Transit  On-Campus Circulator/Shuttle(s)  Parking Shuttle(s)  Regional/Commuter Rail  Urban/Light Rail Transit  Intercity Scheduled Coach Service  Dial-a-Ride/Accessible Paratransit  Other on-calls (e.g., night escort shuttles)  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 13. Are there any coordination strategies between the program and other campus transit services?  Yes, please specify _____________________________________________________  No  Don’t know 14. Were there any route/service changes after the program implemented? (Check all that apply)  Totally new routes centered on school were added  Existing routes to serve the campus were modified  Hours of service expanded  Vehicle trips on specific lines serving campus were increased  No Change  Don’t know  Changes not listed above, please specify______________________________________ 15. What was the annual number of U-Pass passenger trips in each fiscal year? (Please indicate fiscal year and number) For the first fiscal year after the program implemented: Year____ Annual number_____ For the most recent complete Fiscal Year: Year____ Annual number_____ 16. What is the total annual budget for the program?  Dollar amount___________________________  Don’t know 17. What are the sources of the budget for the program? (Check all that apply)  Federal, state, and local government __________  Parking fees_____________  Fares_____________  Public transit operator_____________  Advertising_____________  Private subsidy_____________  School general fund____________  Student fees_____________  Other__________________________

76 College Student Transit pass programs 18. What benefits do you see from the transit agency’s perspective? (Check all that apply) Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree N/A Increased transit revenue Increased transit ridership to campus Increased transit ridership to other locations Use of off-peak capacity Created lifetime riders/marketing Improved tech acceptance (e.g., smart card/sticker technology) Other: 19. What challenges or problems do you see from the transit agency’s perspective? (Check all that apply) Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree N/A Insufficient capacity Abusive pass use (e.g., co-sharing) Added revenue is insufficient Additional cost with more buses and facilities Other: 20. How would you rate the general attitudes of each of the following toward the program? Transit Agency Board Transit Agency Bus Drivers Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive N/A University Administrators Student Users of Pass Student Non-Users University Faculty University Staff Transit Agency Management 21. What kind of data do you use to evaluate the program? (Check all that apply)  Ridership data  Financial (i.e., subsidy, fare incomes, cost)  Satisfaction survey results  Parking permits issued  Reduced parking demand  Reduced congestion  Other: __________________________ 22. Have any studies been conducted to evaluate the impact of the U-Pass program in the community and the university?  No  Yes, may we contact you for a copy? Yes ___ No___

Survey Questionnaires and interview Guide 77 23. Are there any unsuccessful experiences in implementing the program?  No  Yes, please check all possible reasons that apply  University administrator resistance  University lack of interest in transit  University concern about loss of  Neighborhood opposition parking revenue  No transit service on campus  Student opposition to fee increases  Limited resources on campus  Financial barriers by transit agency  Other, please describe_______________________________________ 24. Overall, how satisfied are you with the U-Pass program? 25. What things would you have done differently when implementing the program? 26. What advice would you give to others who are considering a U-Pass program? 27. Do you have any questions about the U-Pass program that we could address in this study? How could this or future studies help the University Transit Pass program? 28. Would you be willing to provide additional information about your experience and be considered as a case study for this synthesis project?  Yes  No Part II: For Institutions The Transportation Research Board through the Transit Cooperative Research Program is conducting a study of University Transit Pass programs. A university pass program (U-PASS for short) is defined as a general use transit pass available for use by students and others asso- ciated with a university. This study will be used to share experiences with such programs and to help others who are considering such a program. Please answer the questions in this survey as best you can. It should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. If you decide you need to change or review something, you can back up at any time without losing your answers. When you are ready to get started, please click “Next” below. 1. Tell us about yourself Name______________________________Title_______________________________ Institution__________________________Website_____________________________ Address________________________________________________________________ Telephone____________ Fax__________ Email _______________________ 2. When was the transit pass program initiated? ________________________ 3. When the program began, who was the primary advocate or initiator of the program?  Public transit operator  Student association  Individual students  School administration  Local government  School faculty  School staff  Other, please specify _______________________  Don’t know

78 College Student Transit pass programs 4. Are there more than one transit operators that accept the pass?  Yes, please list them ___________________________________________________  No  Don’t know 5. Who has the lead role in the U-Pass program?  University administration  Local government  Public transit operator  Partnership between university and local government  Partnership between university and public transit operator  Partnership between local government and public transit operator  Other, please specify _______________________  Don’t know 6. What are the roles of the institution in implementing the program? (Check all that apply)  The institution develops and implements the program independently (i.e., no part- nership with transit agencies)  The institution has official representatives on the transit system policy board  The institution influences transit decisions through contracts for service  The institution and the transit operator maintain a regular dialog concerning service issues  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 7. What are the roles of the students in implementing the program? (Check all that apply)  A student referendum was used  Students are employed in administrative/management positions  Students participate on advisory committee  Students are employed as drivers  We regularly offer internship opportunities for students  We cooperate with class projects and other research efforts  Students are not involved in the management of the program  Other. Please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 8. Who is eligible to use the pass? (Check all that apply)  All students including non-credit students  Any students taking for credit courses  Only full-time students  Faculty  Non-faculty employees  Everyone including general public  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 9. How do users pay for the pass? (Please provide their dollar amounts for applicable items, and enter N/A for not applicable items)  Student fees __________per semester or __________per year  Faculty and staff fringe benefit, cost __________per semester or __________per year  Users voluntarily purchase a pass, cost __________per pass per semester or __________ per pass per year  Pass is part of university budget, amount __________ per semester or __________ per year  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know

Survey Questionnaires and interview Guide 79 10. How do people use the program? (Check all that apply)  Users show the pass and an ID  Student ID is used  Student ID with a sticker  Smart card/sticker technology  Users pay cash along with the card  Users get reduced price tickets or tokens  No ID required (Service is free to all users)  Other, please specify ______________  Don’t know 11. What restrictions are there to use the program?  No restrictions (pass can be used “anytime, anywhere”)  Pass can only be used on certain routes  Pass used only for limited times of day  Pass used only Spring and Fall semesters (not summer)  Pass used only Summer or special session  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 12. Is it possible for users to keep the pass after they leave?  No  Yes 13. How long can the pass be used?  No time limits, use for free  No time limits, fee required, please specify dollar amount  Limited time period, use for free, please specify time period  Limited time period, fee required, please specify time period and dollar amount 14. Approximately what percentage of students have the pass?  ____ (percent) or ____ (annual numbers)  Don’t know 15. What types of transit does the program cover? (Check all that apply)  Local Fixed-Route Bus Transit  On-Campus Circulator/Shuttle(s)  Parking Shuttle(s)  Regional/Commuter Rail  Urban/Light Rail Transit  Intercity Scheduled Coach Service  Dial-a-Ride/Accessible Paratransit  Other on-calls (e.g. night escort shuttles)  Other, please specify ___________________________________________________  Don’t know 16. Were there any route/service changes after the Program implemented? (Check all that apply)  Totally new routes centered on school were added  Existing routes to serve the campus were modified  Hours of service expanded  Vehicle trips on specific lines serving campus were increased  No change  Don’t know 17. What was the annual number of U-Pass passenger trips in each fiscal year? (Please indicate fiscal year and number) For the first fiscal year after the Program implemented: Year_____ Annual number______ For the most recent complete Fiscal Year: Year_____ Annual number______

80 College Student Transit Pass Programs 18. What is the total annual budget for the program?  Dollar amount___________________________  Don’t know 19. What are the sources of the budget for the program? (Check all that apply)  Federal, state, and local government __________  Parking fees_____________  Fares_____________  Public transit operator_____________  Advertising_____________  Private subsidy_____________  School general fund____________  Student fees_____________  Other__________________________ 20. What benefits do you see from institution’s perspective? (Check all that apply) Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree N/A Reduced campus area parking demand Improved personal safety for users Improved affordability for college Reduced commuting costs for students Increased university enrollment Changes in student residential locations Better neighborhood relations Other: 21. What challenges do you see from the institution’s perspective? (Check all that apply) Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree N/A The cost of the program paid by the institution Equity concern from non-users Resistance to increasing tuition fees Resistance to increasing parking fee Other: 22. How would you rate the attitudes of each of the following toward the program? University Faculty University Staff Transit Agency Management Transit Agency Board Transit Agency Bus Drivers Very Negative Negative Neutral Positive Very Positive N/A University Administrators Student Users of Pass Student Non-Users

Survey Questionnaires and interview Guide 81 23. What kind of data do you use to evaluate the program? (Check all that apply)  Ridership data  Financial (i.e., subsidy, fare income, cost)  Satisfaction survey results  Parking permits issued  Reduced parking demand  Reduced congestion  Other, please specify: __________________________ 24. Have any studies been conducted to determine the impact of the U-Pass program in the community and the university?  No  Yes, may we contact you for a copy? Yes ___ No ___ 25. Are there any unsuccessful experiences in implementing the program?  No  Yes, please check all possible reasons that apply  University administrator resistance  Financial barriers by transit agency  University concern about loss of  University lack of interest in transit parking revenue  Neighborhood opposition  Student opposition to fee increases  No transit service on campus  Other, please describe_______________________________________ 26. Overall, how satisfied are you with the U-Pass program? 27. What things would you have done differently when implementing the program? 28. What advice would you give to others who are considering a U-Pass program? 29. Do you have any questions about the U-Pass program that we could address in this study? How could this or future studies help the University Transit Pass program? 30. Would you be willing to provide additional information about your experience and be considered as a case study for this synthesis project?  Yes  No Appendix A-2: Case Study Interview Guide Interview with [person] [agency] [date] The purpose of the case examples is to gain information about university transit pass pro- grams that was difficult to obtain from the literature review or the survey. Specifically, this includes the following:  Implementation process—How was the program implemented, What barriers were encountered and how were they overcome?  Program continuation—Is the program under any threat for continuation? What is the threat?  Program benefits and costs—What is the consensus about the program? Is it doing what it was expected to do? How strong is the support for the program?  Cost determination—How is a fee set for the pass program? What is it supposed to cover? Is it considered to be “fair” by both the transit agency and the university?  Marketing—What special efforts are made to market the program?

82 College Student Transit pass programs  Technology—Are there any issues with new technology? - smart cards, etc.  Multiple campuses—Are there multiple universities or colleges served? If some don’t participate, why not? Are the fees all the same?  Multiple transit agencies—If there are multiple transit agencies in the region, how do they coordinate use of a pass? Interview Questions An interview guide has been prepared, and interviews will be conducted with respondents from the case example agencies. The following questions will be discussed via phone conversation: History and Timeline Note: Some of the programs have been around for a long time, so this might be skipped for some people. 1. What were the main reasons for initiating a U-Pass program? 2. How were students involved? 3. How would you describe the attitude of the university management towards the program? 4. How long did it take to start the program? 5. What was involved? Survey? Negotiation? Referendum on U-Pass initiation? Marketing? Referendum 1. Was there a referendum among students about the pass to start the program? 2. What are the results of the referendum? 3. Have there been additional referenda for the program? Negotiation 1. What are the main issues that have to be dealt with during the negotiation between the transit agency and the university? 2. Do you have a specific agreement that you use for the pass? 3. Please briefly describe the step-wise administrative approval process (i.e., when and by whom?) 4. How often are the meetings held among the agency, the institution, and the student associa- tion to review transit service issues and the program’s status in terms of financial and admin- istrative matters? Program Status 1. How would you describe the support for the program within your agency? 2. How would you describe the support for the program at the university? 3. Are there any threats to the program? Price of the Pass 1. How is the price of the pass determined? 2. What does the price of the pass cover? 3. When are fees collected? 4. Have the fees changed since the program was implemented (i.e., when, vote results, new price)? 5. What are the differences between U-Pass cost and local regular pass cost (if any)? U-Pass Regular Pass (e.g., adult pass) Monthly price Semester price N/A Annual price

Survey Questionnaires and interview Guide 83 Service Improvements 1. Please specify service improvements enabled through U-Pass fees (i.e., addition of buses, service span extension, additional type of service, new route, increased frequency, etc.). 2. What actions should be taken in the future? (e.g., increasing fleet size, introducing new routes, upgrading amenities, providing more real-time information, other discussions)? Awareness Building 1. How do you create awareness or market the program (i.e., advertisements on newspaper, local Radio/TV station, flyers and posters distributed on campus, program promoting campaign, etc.)? Coordination 1. For agency: how does your agency deal with different universities in your community? 2. For university: if there are multiple transit agencies in your region, how do they deal with the pass? 3. For university: Is there any campus bus system besides the university pass system? How does it coordinate with U-Pass program? Technology 1. What kinds of technology have been used in U-Pass program? (When, how, effects) 2. What are the benefits/challenges from the new card technology (e.g., smart sticker/magnetic strip on student ID)? 3. What is the procedure of card replacement (e.g., broken cards, lost cards)? 4. Any technologies to be developed to deal with fraudulent/abusive pass use? Evaluation 1. How do you to evaluate U-Pass service from the perspectives of the transit agency and the institution? 2. What are their respective concerns? 3. Do you have any studies about the impacts of the pass that you can share with us? 4. Did you have any surveys before or after implementing the U-Pass program? What was the process of the survey (i.e., when, conducted by whom, goals, method, number and types of respondents)? Can you share the results? What were the key results derived from the survey? How do we access them? Last Questions 1. How do you deal with the challenges you encountered during the implementation of the program (what, when, how, solution, impacts)? 2. What are the most important factors leading to a successful U-Pass program? 3. What advice do you have for other transit agencies that may want to have a similar program?