Evaluating Transit Operations for Individuals with Disabilities Final Report (1997) / Chapter Skim
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CHAPTER IV ROUTE DEVIATION SERVICES
CHAPTER IV ROUTE DEVIATION SERVICES
Pages 125-156
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From page 125... ...
Deviation service brings the fixed route bus to the curb for the consumer. Therefore, for those who cannot get to the bus stop because of a disability ("category 3" ADA eligibility)
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From page 126... ...
29,000 of those annual riders are general public passengers. The cooperation and support of social service agencies whose clients use route variations have contributed to the success of the Lane County route-deviation system.
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CASE STUDY SITES ~ the course of the B-1 project, three route deviation case studies were conducted at transit systems In the United States: Community Transit in York, Pennsylvania; Lane Transit District in Eugene, Oregon; and, Lincoln County Transit In Newport, Oregon. FoBow~ng is a brief description of each system.
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They stay to the route as much as possible but sometimes run late by as much as 10-15 minutes when deviations are occulting. Community Transit was selected as a study site basest on the volume of deviations reported, the existence of over fixed-route service In the area, the TCI:{P B-IA [V-6 Draft Final Report
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From page 131... ...
trips were provided in FY 1995. LTD provides site-specific route variation service on its fixed route bus lines for employment locations and for those with a "special need for accessibility", i.e., persons with disabilities.
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. Draft Final 1
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If route variations are weD-used, planning staff win, when feasible, often restructure routes so that variations are no longer needed. LTD staff contact social service agency staff to verify that programs are still In place and that variations continue to be appropriate.
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These three "routes" are each 15 to 20 miles long and operate as point deviation service with scheduled stops. Figure IVY is a map of Lincoln County showing the three CCC "routes." TCRP B-lA [v-Io Draft Final Report
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From page 136... ...
METHODOLOGY AND DATA SOURCES To evaluate the impact of route deviation services on operating costs varatransit ~v ~ demand, and riders' a varied of data collection met hods were used including on-board surveys' a telephone survey, discussion groups, and review of operating and financial data with and without deviation service. TCRP B-lA Report IV-12 Draft Final
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From page 137... ...
With We relatively small number of riders involved, a discussion group format was used to gamer input about the variation service. This input was supplemented with interviews of social service agency staff and observations while riding LTD routes.
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Change in Geographic Area Served clue to Implementation of Route Deviation As part of the case studies, there was Interest in finding out how the introduction of route deviation service might impact the percentage of the ADA eligible population served by transit or paratransit due to potential changes In geographic coverage as compared to traditional fixed-route plus complementary paratransit. This issue was raised because, while a corridor of complementary paratransit service 1-~/2 miles wide along f~xed-routes is required by FTA, Mere are no regulations that specifically address how much area route deviation service must cover.
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From page 139... ...
In both York Counter and Lane County, the area covered remained unchanged as a result of route deviation service. Eligible riders were served by either paratransit or route deviation; In both cases, riders who had been using paratransit were shifted to route deviation or variation.
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From page 140... ...
Since CCC was initiated as a point deviation service, comparison of CCC ride times to "non-deviation" ride times is not applicable. The CCC bus schedule is designed to allow the bus to arrive at scheduled stops on dine when deviations are occurring; In TCRP B-IA [v-16 Draft Final Report
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Lincoln County Transit's CCC service had scheduled stone. The times listed were designed to Incorporate a minimal level of deviations.
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from 25% in c, Lincoln County to 34% In York County. Data were unavailable from Lane County.
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From page 143... ...
Given the site-specific nature of LTD's route variation service and the relatively small number of riciers involved, a discussion group format was used to gather rider input about the service. Discussions were supplemented with interviews of social service agency staff and observations while riding LTD routes.
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Opinions of RicIers not Using Deviations Based on survey results it floes not appear Mat the general public perceives itself to be excessively inconvenienced by deviations; riders perceive that the deviation service is Integral to the route and Is useful for some riclers. Two-~irds of the 36 non cleviation riders who responclec3 to We Route 13 survey in York County perceived the deviation service as useful for Nose who need it; 14% agreed with the statement that the deviation service makes trip take longer, and 19% agreed that the deviations made the service Inconvenient.
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From page 145... ...
Opinions about Route Deviation Compared to Paratransit Attempts were made to gather data during the case studies to compare rider perceptions of route deviation service versus paratransit service. Did they perceive the deviations as less convenient or did they view Me ability to use fixed-route service as increased mobility?
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From page 146... ...
In Lane County, the case study found that, if no route variation service were provided, at least 31 ciaily paratransit trips would be added. The table below shows the cost of those paratransit trips that would have to be provided if route deviation service were not available.
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Table IVY Additional Miles/Hours and Annual Cost Impacts Location Miles Added for Hours Added for Cost per Annual Deviations Deviations Hour Additional Cost of Deviations ark County 1 16 daily 2.5 daily 1 $37.38 1 $ 9,867 51,109 annually 531.5 annually Lane County 6.2 daily 0.55 daily $35.00 $ 4,813 1,549 annually 137.5 annually 1 1 11 TCRP B-1A Report IV-23 Draft Final
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. Number of Added Cost per trip of Annual Cost of Paratransit Trips Paratransit Service Additional Paratransit assuming No Route Trips Deviation York County 1 15,138 1 $ 7.70 T $116,562 Lane County 1 7 750 1 $12.96 T $100,440 TCRP B-1A Report IV-24 Draft Final
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From page 149... ...
As part of conducting the case studies, financial data was gathered to estate the costs associated with implementing route deviation service; these costs were In turn compared to the costs of provic3mg traditional fixed-route and complementary paratransit to cleterm3ne whether or not a savings resulted. In the case of Lincoln County, this analysis was not applicable since there has never been traditional fixed-route service In Lincoln County; In fact, because the Introduction of CCC represented an expansion of transit service, transit operating expenses increased by $190,000 annually (a 78% rise)
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From page 150... ...
.. 1 Cost Element York Counter Lane County Additional cost to provide route deviation or variation service $ 19,867 $ 4,813 Cost of para~ansit Hips Mat would be required if no $116,562 $100,440 deviation or variation service provided Net savings 1 $96,695 1 $95,627 TCRP B-1A Report IV-26 Draft Final
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From page 151... ...
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES AND LESSONS LEARNED The implementation of deviations on Route 13 In York, Pennsylvania, coincided with consolidation of fixed-route and paratransit services under one entity. The fact that Community Transit manages both fixed-route and paratransit services meant that staff could easily transfer riders who could not be served by fixed route deviation to the paratransit program.
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From page 152... ...
For their part, LID provides bus operators with training in how to serve persons with different types of disabilities, often soliciting social service agencies/clients to assist with this effort. The point deviation service introduced by Lincoin County Transit responded to an identified need for ~ntercity general public bans*
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From page 153... ...
In the case of Community Transit, riders who use route deviation would be riding paratransit or not traveling at aD if deviation service were not available. The same can be said for LTD route variation riders.
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From page 154... ...
in Lincoln County is applicable in rural areas with spread-out population centers and services where: . TCRP B-1A Report the long trip distances involved make demand-response-only service operationally difficult; and IV-30 Draft Final
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Drivers are familiar with riders and know who to deviate for each day. With regard to the case studies In Lane County and Lincoln County, it should be noted mat the number of riders Involved is relatively small (45 daily route variation hips for LTD and 21,000 annual CCC riders in Lincoln Countr)
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From page 156... ...
However, In spite of these limiting factors, Me route variation and point deviation models developed in Lane County and T~ncoin County represent a successful integration of persons with disabilities in public transit, and may be useful models for developing new approaches to transit service In similar areas. TCRP B-1A Repor!
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