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From page 42... ... This chapter summarizes the results of the best practices of successful flexible public transportation services throughout the country. Using the results of the initial survey of public transportation agencies, candidate flexible public transportation service agencies were identified for a more detailed analysis. Read the entire page →
From page 43... ... – Fares – Span of service – Revenue, costs, subsidies, and funding • Flexible Public Transportation Description for All Types Operated – Types operated and how Distance allowed for route deviation Percent of trips that deviate Procedures and requirements for advanced flexible public transportation requests Service coordination elements Scheduling techniques – Fleet size and type – Ridership – Fares – Span of service – Revenue, costs, subsidies, and funding – Technologies employed – Employees/contractors/personnel • Productivity Standards and Measures for Flexible Public Transportation Service(s) • Policy objectives for Implementing Flexible Public Transportation Service(s) Read the entire page →
From page 44... ... • City of St. Joseph (MO) Read the entire page →
From page 45... ... senger trips on its dial-a-ride service and 53,114 trips on vanpools in 2008. Mason County Transportation Authority operates nine deviated fixed routes on weekdays. Read the entire page →
From page 46... ... route, where customers are required to call the Customer Service Center a minimum of 2 hours in advance to request a ride at the designated call/request location. Productivity Standards and Measures for Flexible Public Transportation Service The Mason County Transportation Authority does not have established service productivity standards for any of its transit services. Read the entire page →
From page 47... ... The flexible services of the zone routes and request stops also allow the Mason County Transportation Authority to provide coverage to a large, low-density area and provide service in periods of low demand. The flexible public transportation services also enable the Mason County Transportation Authority to eliminate the expense of separate ADA complementary transit service by not operating fixed-route service. Read the entire page →
From page 48... ... • Presentations to community groups • Targeted mailings Other Issues The top area of concern for the Mason County Transportation Authority is the need for improved technology to allow for better dispatching and scheduling of flexible public transportation services. Current AVL technologies are ineffective given the differing geographic topography throughout the service area. Read the entire page →
From page 49... ... St. Joseph Transit also provides bus service to Elwood, Kansas. Read the entire page →
From page 50... ... Under the current route-deviation system, buses follow a fixed route and schedule but deviate into neighborhoods upon request, always returning to their regular routes. Riders have the option of being picked up at a regular bus stop or scheduling a pick-up at other pre-approved locations. Read the entire page →
From page 51... ... Policy Objectives for Implementing Flexible Public Transportation Service • Provide coverage to a large, low-density area • Reduce or eliminate the expense of providing an ADA-complementary paratransit service • Respond to community preferences and geography Marketing Strategies • Specially designed brochures • Television and radio advertisements • Presentations to community groups • Implementation of a Riders Advisory Committee (future) Other Issues • Financial constraints limit the number of routes, and the 1-hour headways mean that a round trip takes 2 hours of travel time for passengers and operators. Read the entire page →
From page 52... ... Overall Service Area Characteristics The PRTC transit service area covers 360 square miles with a population of over 425,000 persons. PRTC is located in Northern Virginia, about 25 miles southwest of Washington, DC. Read the entire page →
From page 53... ... weekdays on most routes. Manassas area routes end around 8:00 p.m. Read the entire page →
From page 54... ... 54 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Potomac River Occoquan Reservoir LAKE RIDGE WOODBRIDGE POTOMAC MILLS The Glen Shopping Ctr. Old Bridge Festival Shopping Ctr. Read the entire page →
From page 55... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 55 Policy Objectives for Implementing Flexible Public Transportation Service • Provide coverage to a large, low-density area • Balance customer access and routing efficiency • Provide one service for all riders on more routes, with more frequent service, and for a longer service span than would be possible if operating both fixed-route and ADA-complementary paratransit service • Respond to community preferences and geography Marketing Strategies • Use specially designed brochures • Include information on flexible public transportation services in system maps or "bus books" • Provide information on website • Use paid newspaper advertisements • Use presentations to community groups • Distribute targeted mailings • Cross-promoting services through email Other Issues • PRTC has invested heavily in ITS technology for scheduling and dispatching as well as communicating with bus operators and dispatchers. • PRTC had the first automated flex-route project in the United States. Read the entire page →
From page 56... ... 4.4 Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation Flexible Transportation Services: Route Deviation and Request Stops The Pierce County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation (Pierce Transit) formed in 1979 and is a municipal corporation with taxing authority. Read the entire page →
From page 57... ... to the University of Washington in Seattle -- all under contract to Sound Transit. Pierce Transit operates 7 days a week, with many routes operating over 18 hours per day. Read the entire page →
From page 58... ... Productivity Standards and Measures for Flexible Public Transportation Service Pierce Transit has established performance standards for Bus PLUS service, shown in Table 25. Reasons for Implementing Flexible Public Transportation Service • Replacing fixed-route services with low ridership • Providing transit in a hard-to-serve area 58 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Source: Pierce Transit Figure 26. Read the entire page →
From page 59... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 59 Marketing Strategies • Include information on flexible public transportation services in "The Bus Stops Here" (bus schedule book) • Include information on flexible public transportation services on website • Use presentations • Do targeted mailing • Provide complete rider information at each stop Other Issues • Financial constraints required elimination of deviations from one route (Northeast Tacoma) Read the entire page →
From page 60... ... field, Boulder and Jefferson Counties, the western portions of Adams and Arapahoe Counties, the northeastern portion of Douglas County, and portions of Weld County annexed by Longmont and Erie. According to the 2007 Census Estimate, the racial makeup of the RTD service area was 84.1 percent White, 0.7 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native, 4.8 percent Black, and 3.5 percent Asian. Read the entire page →
From page 61... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 61 Source: RTD Figure 28. call-n-Ride service areas and densities. Read the entire page →
From page 62... ... Transit System Description for All Modes RTD is a multimodal, regional transit system, consisting of three primary categories: fixedroute bus, special services, and light rail. All fixed-route bus and rail services travel 163,987 miles each weekday. Read the entire page →
From page 63... ... RTD's annual operating budget in 2008 was $372.9 million. RTD employs 2,500 persons directly and an additional 1,600 private contractor employees. Read the entire page →
From page 64... ... At the time of the case study site visit, RTD was phasing in a computerized system that allowed passengers the opportunity to book call-n-Ride trips online. This new technology will be described later in this case study. Read the entire page →
From page 65... ... • In 2008, call-n-Ride riders had taken, on average, 6.1 one-way trips on RTD call-n-Ride during the past week. • It appears that call-n-Ride has been successful in introducing RTD to new riders (those who have ridden RTD for 1 year or less) Read the entire page →
From page 66... ... density, where traditional fixed-route service was less cost-effective. While a few routes were introduced to replace poorly performing fixed routes, most of the routes were designed to reach members of RTD's service area without service. Read the entire page →
From page 67... ... • Web booking and real-time customer notifications • A true mobile Internet solution, with fully integrated Web and server-based applications The system uses Internet-connected mobile (tablet-sized) computers to continuously inform drivers of changes in the trip manifest. Read the entire page →
From page 68... ... Flexible Public Transportation Service Area Characteristics The demand-responsive connector service areas are large in land mass and are in the suburban areas to the north and south of downtown. The population densities in these areas are low, and there is a considerable amount of water and a number of Interstate highways and railroad tracks that affect travel. Read the entire page →
From page 69... ... Connexion for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, and Ride Request, which provides flexible public transportation service in several areas throughout the region. JTA operates a network of 47 fixed bus routes and four trolley routes that provide service weekdays from 3:34 a.m. Read the entire page →
From page 70... ... a Reduced Fare Card or Medicare Card. The fare on the Skyway system is $0.50 with a reduced fare of $0.10 for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Read the entire page →
From page 71... ... Route Deviation JTA operates two route deviation routes, known as Shuttle routes. One of the routes, the Baldwin Commuter Shuttle, shown in Figure 31, operates as a deviated fixed route, with service between two areas, Macclenny and Baldwin, and downtown Jacksonville. Read the entire page →
From page 72... ... Ridership for flexible public transportation service routes are increasing annually, as shown in Table 33: Policy Objectives for Implementing Flexible Public Transportation Service • Provide coverage to a large, low-density area • Reduce or eliminate the expense of providing an ADA-complementary paratransit service • Serve low demand times • Balance customer access and routing efficiency • Lay the groundwork for future fixed-route service • Respond to community preferences and geography Marketing Strategies • Ride Request information is included in system maps or "bus books" and on JTA's website • Specially designed brochures are used • Presentations are made to community groups • Specially designed print ads for Ride Request are posted 72 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Flexible Route Name FY 2007 Average Daily Ridership FY 2008 Average Daily Ridership FY 2009 Average Daily Ridership (to July 2009) Highlands Airport 96.4 108.6 120.3 Oceanway 16.4 62.5 45.3 Northside Weekend (Started Oct. Read the entire page →
From page 73... ... Other Issues JTA did not report any other issues associated with its flexible public transportation services. 4.7 Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority Flexible Transportation Services: Zone Routes The South Carolina Electric and Gas Company operated the bus system in Charleston, South Carolina, until 1997 when the City of Charleston, City of North Charleston, Town of Mount Pleasant, and Charleston County joined together to create the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority or CARTA. Read the entire page →
From page 74... ... 74 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Source: CARTA Figure 32. CARTA at Night Zone Route 1 -- North. Read the entire page →
From page 75... ... operates an ADA paratransit service known as Tel-A-Ride for passengers unable to get to a regular bus stop. Tel-A-Ride operates a curbside service in a defined service area for those who meet the requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Read the entire page →
From page 76... ... 76 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Route Name North Charleston Downtown West Ashley Mount Pleasant Totals FY 2007 Ridership 6,886 6,886 5,008 3,130 21,910 FY 2008 Ridership 10,955 6,573 6,573 8,138 32,239 FY 2009 Projected Ridership 11,894 10,955 6,260 7,512 36,621 Table 34. CARTA at Night ridership. Read the entire page →
From page 77... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 77 of Ketchum, Bellevue, Hailey, Shoshone, Twin Falls, and Sun Valley. According to the 2000 Census, Blaine County had a population of 18,991 (2007 estimate: 21,560) Read the entire page →
From page 78... ... 78 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Policy Objectives for Implementing Flexible Public Transportation Service There was only one policy objective, to serve low demand times. Marketing Strategies • Included information about flexible transportation in system maps or "bus books" • Used presentations to community groups • Used targeted mailings Other Issues The primary reason Mountain Rides discontinued its flexible transportation service in October 2008 was that they did not have the dispatch services to support the calls for pick-up. Read the entire page →
From page 79... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 79 Transit System Description for All Modes Transportation services are available throughout the counties served by South Central Adult Services. Transportation is available to take the general public to and from meal sites and for other purposes including medical appointments, shopping, recreation, schools, and personal needs. Read the entire page →
From page 80... ... 80 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services and Hillsboro every fourth Tuesday for $8.00 per round trip. In addition, upon request, service is provided between Cooperstown and Binford, Sutton, and Hannaford for $3.00 per round trip. Read the entire page →
From page 81... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 81 In Logan County, demand-responsive service is provided within Napoleon every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for $1.00 per round trip. Demand-responsive connector service is provided to Bismarck every Wednesday and Friday for $8.00 per round trip and to Jamestown every Monday and the second and fourth Thursday for $10.00 per round trip. Read the entire page →
From page 82... ... 82 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Marketing Strategies • Information on flexible services included on website • Information on flexible services presented to community groups Other Issues South Central Adult Services did not report any other issues. 4.10 Omnitrans Flexible Transportation Services: Zone Routes, Demand-Responsive Connector Omnitrans was created in 1976 by a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) Read the entire page →
From page 83... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 83 Flexible Public Transportation Service Area Characteristics Omnitrans currently operates flexible public transportation service on two routes in the communities of Chino Hills and Yucaipa. As shown in Table 38, Chino Hills encompasses 44.88 square miles with a population of 71,849 persons. Read the entire page →
From page 84... ... 84 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services Omnitrans operates 29 fixed bus routes, including 17 routes in the East Valley (east of I-15) , 11 routes in the West Valley (west of I-15) Read the entire page →
From page 85... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 85 operating procedures. Additional Trapeze PASS training may be required for those First Transit staff responsible for OmniLink scheduling and dispatch. Read the entire page →
From page 86... ... 86 A Guide for Planning and Operating Flexible Public Transportation Services In addition to providing policy-based service coverage in low-density areas, OmniLink service is designed to provide feeder service to/from Omnitrans fixed-route bus service. Currently, only Chino Hills is pulsed to make connections with fixed-route service. Read the entire page →
From page 87... ... Best Practices of Successful Flexible Public Transportation Services 87 Productivity Standards and Measures for Flexible Public Transportation Service Omnitrans has established the following performance standards for OmniLink routes, shown in Table 39. A schedule of liquidated damages and incentives has been established for each OmniLink service based on productivity and on-time performance. Read the entire page →

From page 42...

... This chapter summarizes the results of the best practices of successful flexible public transportation services throughout the country. Using the results of the initial survey of public transportation agencies, candidate flexible public transportation service agencies were identified for a more detailed analysis.