Evaluating Transit Operations for Individuals with Disabilities Final Report (1997) / Chapter Skim
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CHAPTER VII EFFECTIVENESS AND APPLICABILITY OF THE OPTIONS AND ENHANCEMENTS STUDIED
CHAPTER VII EFFECTIVENESS AND APPLICABILITY OF THE OPTIONS AND ENHANCEMENTS STUDIED
Pages 273-306
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From page 273... ...
This chapter examines the relative effectiveness of the five transit systems in promoting integration of services and the most effective combined use of paratransit anc! fixed route service.
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From page 274... ...
In reviewing how well the service options used by the five systems met these goals, several measures of "effectiveness" were considered. These included quantitative measures such as the number of trips shifted from paratransit to fixed route service and the net savings achieved.
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From page 276... ...
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From page 277... ...
is important to note that the benefits of each option are focused on different segments of the population. Service routes, route deviation, and feeder services all focus on minimizing (or eliminating)
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From page 278... ...
Research suggests that about 20-30% of aD ADA paratransit eligible individuals can sometimes use faced route service. Customer Integration Service routes and route deviation services were found to have significant potential for promoting customer Integration.
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This appears to be particularly true for service routes and route deviation programs. Both of these options attempt TCRP B-1A VIl-7 Draft Final Re~por!
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In Madison County, the longer travel times caused by the new service routes Aid ::'nn==r to result In a loss of some former fixed route riders. During the three year period of implementation of service routes, total systemwide eldership actually decreased.
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These "induced" trips typically far outnumbered trips that were shifted from the paratransit service to the fixed route system. Fare incentive programs also increased the effectiveness of travel training recruitment efforts which were responsible for significant fixed route use and customer integration.
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Unless they incorporate deviation features, service routes are considered fixed routes under the ADA and complementary paratransit service must still be provided. They do, however, provide a more responsive type of fixed route service.
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Shifting Trips prom Paratransit to Fixed Route As shown In Table VU-1, the case studies Indicate that service routes and route deviation programs can be very effective options for shifting trips from paratransit to fixed route. A shift of between 7% and 45% of total paratransit demand was documented in the five service route case studies.
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From page 284... ...
The more controlled "site specific" route deviation program in Eugene, Oregon was successful in accommodating about eight percent of their paratransit riders by deviating fixed route buses to selected location. Fare incentive programs also appear to have been successful in encouraging paratransit riders to use fixed route service for some of their trips.
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The most significant savings were noted in selected service route and fare Incentive case study sites. Net savings from service route programs were greater where the service routes replaced traditional fixed routes.
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In Margate, Florida, which had a 30% reduction In paratransit demand' a net savings of $276,700 was realized. Where service routes supplemented the fixed route and paratransit service, net savings varied.
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Community Acceptance With few exceptions, there was general community acceptance of low-floor buses and free fares (innovations which do not alter the basic delivery of fixed route service but simply enhance it)
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From page 288... ...
In Bridgeport, this concern eventually lead to the discontinuation of the free fare offer. Acceptance of the options Mat resulted In changes in general fixed route service delivery ~ route deviation and service routes ~ varied by type of rider.
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From page 289... ...
Acceptance of feeder service may not be as great where paratransit would overwise be provided or where a less convenient and frequent fixed route service is utilized. Riders in Tacoma, Washington were less enthusiastic about feeder service.
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The Implementation of service routes at several sites helped to reverse trends of gradual declines In fixed route ridership. Madison County Transit reported a 16% increase in fixed route ridership following the redesign of the system and an increase in systemwide ridership on all modes.
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Lincoln County Transit in Newport, Oregon also indicated that they would have been unable to support separate fixed route and paratransit systems and that point deviation made public transit in this rural area possible. Route deviation services were cited In both York County and Eugene, Oregon as Important parts of efforts to meet human service agency transportation needs and to avoid referral of clients to the ADA paratransit programs.
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From page 292... ...
Madison, Illinois was able to gready increase the effectiveness of its service route program by makir g the service more of a flexibly routed system and allowing deviations from the "routes." The success of each system in encouraging the appropriate use of paratransit and greater use of fixed route service was enhanced by making use of multiple service options and improvements. Certain combinations of options and improvements seem particularly beneficial.
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From page 293... ...
... Low-floor buses; travel training; marketing; specific service planning Travel Raining; vehicle and rider identification systems; automated information and communications systems Route Deviation Low-Floor Buses Low-floor buses; Gavel training; marketing, specific service planning Service routes; travel training; marketing Fare Incentives Travel training; marketing TCRP B-1A VII-2 1 Draft Final Repor!
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From page 294... ...
Finally, the experience of a number of systems has shown that low-floor buses are the preferred vehicle design for service routes. Low-floor buses would also seem to be a benefit in route deviation programs.
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In the long-run, an increase in paratransit demand is possible as the number of eligible persons increases. Before embarking on a program to provide deep discounts for fixed route service, transit agencies should review their paratransit eligibility process.
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Guidelines on the types of trips for which feeder service would be cost-effective would also need to be developed. TCRP B-lA VII - 2s Draft Final Report
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Of the five options studied, introduction of service routes required the most intensive up-front planning and expense. Madison County Transit (MCT)
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From page 299... ...
Still, careful consideration of current demand, appropriate routes and stops, and innovative marketing efforts were needed to make these programs successful. While not a major issue In the sites studied, some systems which have implemented service routes noted that malls, medical centers, and other locations at which buses were to "pull in" must be carefully identified and access rights negotiated with property owners and managers.
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From page 300... ...
To provide access to the broader transit system, these routes are sometimes designed to feed into the fixed route network. Of Me 10 transit systems which reported using service routes, eight operated from one to four separate routes In this manner.3 ~ addition to supplementing fixed route service In suburban areas, seance routes are also appropriate in urban areas where there is a sigruficant amount of local paratransit travel.
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From page 301... ...
(1) In suburban and urban areas as a complement to traditional fixed Service Routes route services.
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From page 302... ...
Island Transit in Coupeville, Washington, which provides fixed route service along a 55 mile island corridor, uses the main fixed route to accommodate about half of its paratransit trips. Over 3,000 paratransit passengers per month are transferred to the main fixed route for cross-island travel.
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From page 303... ...
Similarly, by incorporating deviation into the system design and accommodating existing paratransit trips, transit agencies may be able to expand this form of fixed route service to areas that otherwise could not support a more traditional system design. Community Transit's use of route deviation In York, Pennsylvania is a case In point.
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From page 304... ...
Schedule adherence and other operational issues associated with route deviation can be minimized if the operation of the service is coordinated with a paratransit program. The most successful route deviation programs identified, including those in York, Pennsylvania; Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Fort Worth, Texas do not guarantee that all requests will be met by deviating the f~xed-route vehicle.
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From page 305... ...
As noted in this report, flexible routing was an important factor in the recent success of service routes in Madison, Illinois. Route deviation has also been incorporated into service bus designs in Broward Count, Florida; Lakeland, Florida; and Ottawa, Ontario.
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From page 306... ...
Travel training assisted in transitioning riders from paratransit to fixed routes, service routes and route deviation programs. Planning efforts which involved local human service agencies and persons with disabilities improved the design of the new programs and helped create local support for changes.
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