Evaluation of Rapid Bus Service in the San Pablo Avenue Corridor · 2010-09-27 · Evaluation of Rapid Bus Service in the San Pablo Avenue Corridor F I N A L R E P O R T ... Figure

Evaluation of Rapid Bus Service

in the San Pablo Avenue

Corridor

F I N A LR E P O R T

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Nelson Nygaard

February 2005

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Page i

San Pablo Corridor StudyFinal Report

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................1-1Ridecheck Results ............................................................................. 1-1

CHAPTER 2 RIDERSHIP AND RUNNING TIME OVERVIEW ....................................2-1Methodology ...................................................................................... 2-1Corridor Ridership ............................................................................. 2-1Ridership Count and Running Time Analysis ................................... 2-5

CHAPTER 3 72R ON-BOARD SURVEY ......................................................3-1Impact of Rapid Bus .......................................................................... 3-1Travel Behavior ................................................................................... 3-6Passenger Profile ............................................................................. 3-10

Table of Figures

Figure 2-1 Corridor Ridership Trends .................................................2-2Figure 2-2 Ridecheck Results Over Three Phases ............................2-3Figure 2-3 Ridership Comparison (same span of service) ...............2-4Figure 2-5 October 2004 Ridecheck Results ...................................2-6Figure 2-6 72 Inbound Daily Boardings (October 2004) .................2-7Figure 2-7 72 Inbound Actual vs. Scheduled

Run Time (October 2004) ................................................2-8Figure 2-8 72 Outbound Daily Boardings (October 2004) ............2-10Figure 2-9 72 Outbound Actual vs. Scheduled Run Time

(October 2004) ................................................................2-11Figure 2-10 72M Inbound Daily Boardings (October 2004) .......... 2-13Figure 2-11 72 M Inbound Actual vs. Scheduled Run Time

(October 2004) ................................................................2-14Figure 2-12 72M Outbound Daily Boardings (October 2004) ........2-16Figure 2-13 72M Outbound Actual vs. Scheduled Run Time

(October 2004) ................................................................2-17Figure 2-14 72R Inbound Daily Boardings (October 2004) ............2-19Figure 2-15 72R Inbound Actual vs. Scheduled Run Time

(October 2004) ............................................................... 2-20Figure 2-16 72R Outbound Daily Boardings (October 2004) ........ 2-22Figure 2-17 72R Outbound Actual vs. Scheduled Run Time

(October 2004) ............................................................... 2-23

Appendix A On Board Survey Instruments

February 2005Page

ii

Table of Figures (continued)

Figure 3-1 Mode Used Before the Introduction of Rapid Bus ..........3-2Figure 3-2 Bus Rode Before Introduction of Rapid ...........................3-3Figure 3-3 Has Your Travel Time Changed with Rapid Bus? .............3-4Figure 3-4 Rapid Bus Service .............................................................3-5Figure 3-5 Reason for Riding the Rapid Bus .....................................3-6Figure 3-6 Top 5 Weekday Trip Origins ...............................................3-7Figure 3-7 Top 5 Weekday Trip Destinations .....................................3-7Figure 3-7 How Did You Find Out About Rapid Bus? .........................3-8Figure 3-8 Fare Payment Method .......................................................3-9Figure 3-9 How Often Do You Ride the Rapid Per Week? ...............3-10Figure 3-10 How Long Have You Been Using AC Transit? .................3-11Figure 3-11 Age of Respondents ....................................................... 3-12Figure 3-12 Ethnic Origin .................................................................... 3-13Figure 3-13 Gender of Respondents ..................................................3-14Figure 3-14 How Many Motor Vehicles Are Available In

Your Household? .............................................................3-15Figure 3-15 Total Annual Household Income .....................................3-16

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Page 1-1


CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTIONThe Rapid Bus was introduced to improve operating speeds and running times, and to provide an overall be�er quality of service, on the San Pablo Avenue Corridor in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

With the introduction of Rapid Bus service , AC Transit has taken a more aggressive approach to initiating be�er quality service and a�empting to a�ract new riders to the system.

Key features of the Rapid Bus include:

• Headway based schedule (12 minute headways)

• Bus stops one-half to two-thirds of a mile apart

• Mostly far side stops

• Traffic signal coordination, transit signal priority, and queue jump lanes

• Bus branding (new recognizable shelters, low floor ve-hicles, unique logo, and bus stop signs)

• ITS features (real-time bus arrival information at most bus stops, transit signal priority, improved signal coordination)

AC Transit enlisted the services of Nelson\Nygaard Consulting As-sociates (NN) to complete a three-phase data collection effort and system performance overview for the three routes serving the San Pablo Avenue Corridor. The NN team completed Phase One by con-ducting a ridecheck in May 2003 and submi�ing a summary analysis report of bus operations in the corridor before Rapid Bus service began. Phase Two evaluated the ridership impacts and the public’s perception of the 72R (Rapid Bus) a�er ten months in operation.

Phase Three was conducted about sixteen months a�er start of opera-tion. Phase Three completes the final surveying effort and ridership evaluation in the corridor. This final phase summarizes the findings of the three data collection efforts and shows the impacts of the Rapid Bus on the San Pablo Corridor. This report also provides a ridership profile and graphic illustrations of ridership trends based on findings from the passenger survey and ridecheck efforts.



CHAPTER 2 RIDERSHIP AND RUNNING TIME OVERVIEW

Methodology On October 21, October 28 and November 3, 2004, temporary surveyors under Nelson\Nygaard supervision rode almost every single weekday run on Routes 72, 72M and 72R.1 On every trip, they counted every passenger who got on and off the bus at each stop, as well as the continuing load. The surveyors also tracked running times by recording start and arrival times for every trip on all three routes. In addition, an on-board passenger survey was conducted on all 72R trips during the ridecheck. These data form the basis of the ridership and survey information presented below.

Corridor Ridership A�er about one year of operation, the Rapid provided an impressive increase in ridership over the 72L (Limited-stop service). However, results from the October 2004 ridecheck show that while the 72R continues to a�ract more riders, the local routes serving the corridor have experienced ridership losses.

The on-board ridecheck results show a 4% increase in the number of boardings on the Rapid Bus from March 2004 to October 2004. When compared to ridership totals on the 72L in May 2003, the Rapid Bus increased ridership by an impressive 216%. However, the local routes show substantial declines. Both the 72 and 72M lost more than 30% of their ridership over the past year and half, a loss of 3,855 riders. By combining the gains of the 72R with the losses of the local routes, overall corridor ridership increased by 2.6% from May 2003 to October 2004. The data from the three phases indicate that corridor ridership was more substantial in March 2004 (13,815) and decreased by about 5% over the next six months.

When taking into account the 13% ridership loss that AC Transit experienced system-wide, it could be argued that the overall positive ridership impact in the corridor would be 15.6% (13% + 2.6%).

1 A small amount of data was also collected by AC Transit staff.

February 2005Page 2-2

Figure 2-1 Corridor Ridership Trends

12,000

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Figure 2-2 Ridecheck Results Over Three PhasesMay 2003 Ridecheck Results March 2004 Ridecheck Results October 2004 Ridecheck Results

Route #

Daily Boardings Daily Boardings Daily Boardings % Change from

May 2003 to

Oct 2004Outbound Inbound Total Outbound Inbound Total

%

Change

Out-

bound

In-

bound Total

%

Change

72 2,876 2,765 5,641 1,943 1,806 3,749 -33.5% 1,736 1,712 3,448 -8.0% -38.9%

72L/72R 991 948 1,939 2,985 2,914 5,899 204.2% 3,138 2,995 6,133 4.0% 216.3%

73/72M 2,742 2,564 5,306 2,144 2,023 4,167 -21.5% 1,825 1,819 3,644 -12.6% -31.3%

Total 6,609 6,277 12,886 7,072 6,743 13,815 7.2% 6,699 6,526 13,225 -4.3% 2.6%



Comparison of Ridership Results of the 72L and 72R The Rapid Bus was developed to provide a higher level of service for pas-sengers traveling on the San Pablo Corridor. The 72R replaced the “limited-stop” peak only service (the 72L), which operated much like a regular local bus with fewer stops along the route. The Rapid has successfully a�racted more riders to the corridor and has shown a 216% increase in boardings over the 72L. However, the ridership comparison is based on two different spans of service; the 72L operated weekdays from 6:00 AM – 9:00AM and 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM, a total of seven daily service hours, at fi�een minute frequencies and the 72R operates continuously from 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM, a total of 13 daily service hours at twelve minute frequencies. The figure below shows that when the two routes are compared using the exact same span of service, the 72R generated a 77% increase in ridership. In addition, the ridership increase during the peak period on the 72R from March 2004 to October 2004 is 11%, almost three times greater than the overall boarding increase during the same time period (4%).

Figure 2-3 Ridership Comparison (same span of peak period service) No. of

BoardingsPercent Change

72L (May 2003) 1,939 72R (March 2004) 3,215 65.8%72R (Oct 2004) 3,595 11.8%Total Change 77.6%

The ridership trends indicate that peak period riders (commuters) are not necessarily taking the first bus to arrive at their bus stop, but rather are willing to wait for the arrival of the Rapid Bus.


Running TimeThe core features of the Rapid Bus were established with the primary goal of improving operating speeds. The on-board data collection results from the 72L in 2003 and the 72R in October 2004 indicate that the overall running time has been reduced by 17%, which is consistent with the results from March 2004. However, it is important to point out that the Rapid Bus maintained an average travel time of 58 minutes from March to October, 2004, even a�er adding a new stop at San Pablo & Van Ness, which may have been expected to increase bus travel time. The data over the past six months suggest that in order to make additional running time improvements on the Rapid Bus, AC Transit would have to introduce more BRT features such as rear door entry or dedicated Rapid Bus lanes.

Eighty-four percent (84%) of the riders surveyed reported a decrease in travel time over their previous mode of transport, which is a 2% increase from the March 2004 survey results. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of respondents said that the Rapid Bus was 15 minutes faster than their previous mode (a 4% increase from March), while the actual time savings averaged 12 minutes. While these numbers suggest that riders’ perceptions of time savings are greater than actual savings, a truly accurate analysis would require a com-parison of these times for specific trips taken by specific individuals, rather than a comparison based on time savings for the full length of the run.

When compared to travel times on local routes, the 72R’s time savings are even more dramatic. For example, traveling from Del Norte BART to San Pablo & 40th Street takes an average of 28 minutes on the 72R and 38 min-utes on the 72, or a 26% difference in travel times. Another example shows that the 72R travels from Broadway & 14th Street in downtown Oakland to San Pablo & University Avenue five minutes faster than the 72, again a 26% difference in running times.

Figure 2-4 Running Time from Contra Costa College to 2nd & Clay (in minutes)

May 2003 (72L) Oct 2004 (72R) Difference % Change70 58 12 -17%



Ridership Count and Running Time AnalysisThis section presents the highlights of the ridership counts and running time analysis for each of the three lines in the San Pablo Avenue corridor, both inbound and outbound. We describe the trends in boarding activities at each stop and at different times of the day, and on-time performance for each run.

Figure 2-5 October 2004 Ridecheck Results

Route #Daily Boardings

Outbound Inbound Total72 1,736 1,712 3,44872R 3,138 2,995 6,13372M 1,825 1,819 3,644Total 6,699 6,526 13,225

Route 7272 Inbound

• Boarding activity is highest during the morning peak and the early a�ernoon between 1:00pm and 3:00pm

• Heaviest daily boarding totals are at Del Norte BART (110), Mis-sion Bell & College Lane (105), and Hilltop Mall (100)

• Heaviest alighting totals are at Del Norte BART (153), Broadway & 14th (140), and El Cerrito BART (79)

• Heavy passenger loads (about 40 passengers) are found on San Pablo Avenue between Garvin and McDonald.

• Overall run times were on-time, with a few trips running 10 min-utes or more over schedule during the AM peak period

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72 Outbound• Boarding activity for the whole route is highest during the a�er-

noon trips reaching peak ridership at 3:03pm

• Heaviest daily boarding totals occur at Del Norte BART (215), 14th & Broadway (148), and Broadway & 12th (105)

• The most alightings occurred at Del Norte BART (70), Contra Costa Transit Center (69), and San Pablo & University Avenue (65)

• Heavy passenger loads (44 to 49 passengers) are found between Broadway & 17th and San Pablo & W. Grand Avenue

• Overall run times were on schedule with the exception of the 1:03pm trip and 5:03pm trips, which ran over by 25 minutes and 12 minutes respectively

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72M Inbound• Boarding activity for the whole route is consistently over 50 pas-

sengers throughout most of the day reaching peak ridership dur-ing 6:56am (106) and 1:56pm (108) trips

• The most boardings occurred at Richmond BART (154), San Pablo & University Avenue (107), and McDonald & 1st (71)

• Heaviest alighting totals are at Del Norte BART (153), Broadway & 14th (137), and El Cerrito BART (75)

• The greatest passenger load (37 passengers) occurs between Mc-Donald & 31st and McDonald & 37th

• Run times are slightly behind schedule for most of the day, with the most adherence difficulty occurring during 11:26am and 4:56pm trips

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72M Outbound• Boardings for the whole route fluctuate throughout the day, with

peaking occurring during early a�ernoon (2:48pm – 4:48pm)

• Heaviest boarding totals are at Del Norte BART (200), Broadway & 14th (170), and Richmond BART (82)

• Heaviest alighting totals are at Del Norte BART (82), Richmond BART (79), and McDonald & 37th (67).

• Passenger loads are fairly steady peaking at 38 passengers at Mc-Dondald & Wilson.

• Run times were on-time most of the day, with only a few trips behind schedule

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72R Inbound• Boardings for the whole route fluctuate throughout the day, with

peak ridership occurring during the AM peak period (7:00am – 8:00am)

• Heaviest boarding totals at Contra Costa College (351), Del Norte BART (242), and San Pablo & University (227)

• Heaviest alighting totals at Broadway & 12th (523), San Pablo & Portrero (353), San Pablo & Dwight Way (232)

• Passenger loads are steady throughout the day, exceeding 40 pas-sengers at Del Norte BART

• Run times fluctuate greatly throughout the day, with the most schedule adherence difficulty occurring during the 7:48am and 8:00am and 6:12pm trips

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72R Outbound• Boarding activity tends to follow commuter trends (AM and

PM peaks) with the most boardings occurring between 4:00pm – 5:00pm

• Heaviest daily boarding totals are at Broadway & 12th (430), Broadway & 14th (384), and Del Norte BART (352)

• Heaviest alighting totals are at San Pablo & University Avenue (318), Contra Contra College (316), and Del Norte BART (277)

• Heavy passenger loads (ranging from 50 to 54 passengers) are found between 20th & Broadway and San Pablo & Dwight Way

• Overall run times were generally on-time with a few PM peak trips running over schedule

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3:42 PM

4:06 PM

4:30 PM

4:54 PM

5:18 PM

5:42 PM

6:06 PM

6:30 PM

6:54 PM

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e

Boardings

Janu

ary

200

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San

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0:00

0:14

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0:43

0:57

1:12

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606a

630a

654a

718a

742a

806a

830a

854a

918a

942a

1006a

1030a

1054a

1118a

1142a

1206p

1230p

1254p

118p

142p

206p

230p

254p

318p

342p

406p

430p

454p

518p

542p

606p

630p

654p

Ro

ute

Sta

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Minutes

Sch

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Act

ual T

ime



CHAPTER 3 72R ON-BOARD SURVEY A total of 1,733 surveys were collected on the 72R San Pablo Rapid Bus from bus riders during the week of March 8, 2004 and on March 23, 2004. A follow up survey on the 72R was conducted on October 21, October 28 and November 3, 2004 and a total of 1,300 responses were collected. The survey was conducted during weekdays only and was administered in both English and Spanish. A copy of the survey tool in English and Spanish is a�ached to this memorandum.

The surveys asked riders to evaluate various elements of the bus service to determine if the introduction of Rapid Bus had changed their perceptions of service on the San Pablo corridor. Questions focused primarily on the impacts of Rapid Bus, travel behavior and the personal profile of each rider.

Impact of Rapid BusThe survey’s primary goal was to determine riders’ perceptions of the Rapid Bus and how the new service has affected travel times and the overall level of service. The purpose of the October 2004 re-survey was to follow up on the responses provided in March and measure any change during the six month period between March and October 2004.


Mode Used Before the Introduction of Rapid BusOne of the major findings from the October 2004 survey results was that nearly half (47%) of Rapid Bus riders did not take a bus for the equivalent trip or did not make the trip prior to the introduction of Rapid service. Of these 47%, 18% had made the trip by car and 12% took BART. This was an increase from the 45% of riders in March who said they did not take the bus prior to Rapid, but overall the responses were consistent from March to October. The results show that a substantial number of riders feel that the level of service provided by Rapid Bus either equals or exceeds those two modes. The shi� from the car to the Rapid Bus is particularly noteworthy given the overall goals of reductions in auto dependency through the provi-sion of Rapid Bus Service.

Figure 3-1 Mode Used Before the Introduction of Rapid Bus

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Bus

Did not make trip

BART

Car

Other

March 2004 October 2004



Bus Rode Before Introduction of RapidNot surprisingly, the majority of respondents who previously made the trip by bus switched to the Rapid Bus from one of the local routes that run along San Pablo. The October 2004 data shows that nearly 62% of riders who had ridden the bus said they rode the 72, 72L, 72M, and/or 73. This result was slightly down from March (72%), but this is due to an increased number of riders in October citing "other" (38%) bus lines, than the 72, 72L, 72M, and/or 73. Regardless, survey results confirm that riders perceive the Rapid Bus as providing be�er service than the local routes and that they view the time savings of the Rapid Bus as more important than the convenience of more bus stops along the local bus route.

Figure 3-2 Bus Rode Before Introduction of Rapid

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

72, 72L, 72M, 73

Other



Change in Travel TimeRiders in October 2004 overwhelmingly indicated a decrease in travel time (84%) compared with their previous trip along this route. This was a slight improvement on responses given in March (82 %), and shows riders remain aware that their travel time is being reduced on Rapid service. Over 50% of respondents in both surveys said that the Rapid Bus was more than ten minutes faster than their previous mode, while the actual time savings averaged 12 minutes (see figure below). A very small percentage in both surveys (approximately 4%) felt the Rapid Bus traveled slower than their previous mode.

Figure 3-3 Has Your Travel Time Changed with Rapid Bus?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

15+ min faster

11-15 min faster

6-10 min faster

1-5 min faster

About the same

Slower

October 2004 March 2004



Quality of Rapid Bus ServiceThe increasing satisfaction with the Rapid Bus clearly shows that riders view the new service as a positive shi� in quality and performance. The figure below indicates that 86% of riders in October 2004 rated the overall service of Rapid Bus as either “Good” or “Excellent”, which is a slight increase from March results (83%). Rider’s satisfaction with their service in October 2004 was a 14% improvement over system-wide results from a 2002 on-board survey.1

Figure 3-4 Rapid Bus Service

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Don't Know


1San Francisco State University’s Public Research Institute conducted a system-wide on-board survey for AC Transit in the fall of 2002.


Travel BehaviorThe survey provides information on travel behavior including trip purpose, trip origin and destination, and fare payment.

Trip PurposeThe percentage of “choice riders” (those who rode the bus for reasons other than lack of access to a vehicle) declined from 47% in March to 34% in October. The October Rapid Bus results are 8% lower than the system-wide numbers, which are likely inflated by the large percentage of “choice” riders on the Transbay routes. Overall the data shows that factors such as “avoiding traffic” and “convenience” play key roles in determining riders’ transportation decisions. While Rapid Bus has successfully a�racted both “choice” riders and those dependent on transit services, the decline in choice riders may be a source of concern for the future.

Figure 3-5 Reason for Riding the Rapid Bus

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Avoid traffic

Less expensive

More convenient

No car available

Parking problems

Other




Trip Origins and DestinationsRespondents were asked to provide the name of the bus stop where they boarded the bus and the bus stop where they planned to alight the bus. The two figures below display a distribution of boarding and alighting activity at the five heaviest points in the system. This data shows that Del Norte BART and University Avenue were both popular origins and destinations (see figures below). In addition, the pa�ern of responses shows that there may have been an imbalance in survey responses, indicating a slight bias in the southbound direction. These numbers are generally consistent with those produced in the ridecheck survey.

Figure 3-6 Top 5 Weekday Trip Origins

Figure 3-7 Top 5 Weekday Trip Destinations

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%

Contra Costa College

Del Norte BART

University Ave

Stone St/El Portal

40th St


0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%

Del Norte BART

14th St

12th St

University Ave

Berkeley Way



Marketing Rapid BusThe majority of riders said that they learned about the Rapid Bus “on the street” or through “word of mouth”, which may be a result of successful bus branding with unique and recognizable shelters and signs. The sources of information about the service cited by respondents were very consistent from March to October 2004.

Figure 3-7 How Did You Find Out About Rapid Bus?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Ads/Promotion

On the street

Word of mouth

Bus Driver

Other




Fare PaymentNearly half of riders (46%) in October 2004 paid the regular $1.50 fare in cash, and this was consistent with responses from March. System-wide about 10% more riders paid with cash fare than on the 72R. The number of riders using the 31-day pass increased slightly in October (36%), compared to March (33%), which shows continued satisfaction with the Rapid Bus.

Figure 3-8 Fare Payment Method

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Cash

AC Transfer

EcoPass

10-Ride Pass

31-Day Pass

Class Pass

Other



Passenger ProfileThis section provides key demographic indicators of Rapid Bus riders, including frequency and length of AC Transit use, age, ethnic origin, auto availability, and household income.

Frequency of UseThe number of riders saying they used the Rapid Bus for five or more trips per week increased in October to over 60% from responses given in March (57%). The number of respondents saying they use the Rapid three to four times a week, dropped slightly in October (19%) from March results (22%), suggesting that the proportion of riders who rely on the service for all of their weekday trips is increasing.

Figure 3-9 How Often Do You Ride the Rapid Per Week?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

5+ days per week

1-2 days per week

3-4 days per week

Less than once per week

First time riding




Length of UseMore than thirty percent of riders in both surveys said they have ridden AC Transit for less than one year, strongly suggesting that the introduction of Rapid Bus has been a catalyst for a�racting new riders.

Figure 3-10 How Long Have You Been Using AC Transit?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Less than 3 months

3 to 6 months

6 months to 1 year

1 to 5 years

More than 5 years



AgeNearly half of passengers in October 2004 (44%) fell into the 25 to 64 year old category, while only 4% of riders were over 64. These results were consistent from responses given in March, and follow system-wide pat-terns. The Rapid has been successful in a�racting young riders, as 18% of respondents in October stated they were under 18 years of age, which was an increase from 15% in March. The number of riders falling within the college age bracket of 18 - 24 year olds, remained consistent at about 20% for both October and March. (see figure below).

Figure 3-11 Age of Respondents

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Under 18 years

18 to 24 years

25 to 34 years

35 to 49 years

50 to 64 years

65 years or more




Ethnic OriginIn October 2004 nearly half (45%) of all riders identified themselves as African American, which is about 6% higher than the system average. This was a slight decline from 48% in March. Results in October showed an increase in ridership among the Asian American (13%) and Latino (21%) communi-ties, which shows the increasing appeal of the Rapid Bus to a diversity of communities. Ridership can o�en reflect the demographic breakdown of the communities in the corridor, which has not been analyzed as part of this report.

Figure 3-12 Ethnic Origin

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

African American/Black

White

Hispanic

Asian/Pacific Islander

Native American

Other



GenderThe gender of Rapid ridership was fairly balanced in both surveys, with fe-male riders having a slight edge over male riders (about 52% versus 48%).

Figure 3-13 Gender of Respondents

45% 46% 47% 48% 49% 50% 51% 52% 53%

Female

Male




Auto AvailabilityMore than one-third of the riders surveyed indicated that they have no ac-cess to a car. These results are consistent with the 2002 AC Transit system-wide survey.

Figure 3-14 How Many Motor Vehicles Are Available In Your Household?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

none

one

two

three+



Household IncomeRapid Bus riders in the San Pablo corridor are generally lower income than the system-wide average, although this is most likely due to the influence of higher-income Transbay riders on the overall numbers. About 8% of respondents in both surveys reported household incomes of $100,000 and over, compared to 10.5% system-wide. Over half of respondents in October reported incomes below $30,000 (60%), which was a slight increase from March (57%). This compares to about 49% of riders system-wide.

Figure 3-15 Total Annual Household Income

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Less than $10,000

$10,000 to $29,999

$30,000 to $49,999

$50,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999

$100,000 and over


Appendix A

On-Board Survey Instruments

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Page A-1


1. Why are you riding this bus today? (Check all that apply)

1 Avoid traffic 4 No car available 2 Less expensive 5 Parking problems 3 More convenient 6 Other (Specify): ___________

2. What is the main purpose of your trip today?

1 Work 4 Visit/Personal 2 Medical 5 School 3 Shopping 6 Other (Specify):

3. How did you make this trip before Rapid Bus?

1 Bus (go to question 3a) 4 Car 2 Did not make trip 5 Other (Specify): ________ 3 BART

3a. If you answered “Bus” on Question 3, what bus line or lines did you use previously?

Line #:_____________________________

4. How did you get to the bus stop for this bus today?

1 Transferred from Bus Line#: _______________ 2 Transferred from BART 5 Walked 3 Drove 6 Got a ride 4 Bicycle 7 Other (Specify): _________________________

5. How did you pay for your fare on this bus?

1 Cash 4 10-Ride Pass 2 AC Transfer 5 31-Day Pass 3 Eco Pass 6 Class Pass 7 Other (Specify):__________________________

6. If cash, what kind of fare did you pay on the bus?

1 Youth 4 Senior 2 Adult 5 Disabled

7. Has your travel time changed with Rapid Bus?

1 15+ min. faster 4 1-5 min. faster 2 11-15 min. faster 5 About the same 3 6-10 min. faster 6 Slower

Dear AC Transit Rapid Bus Rider:Please take a minute to fill this out and help us evaluate our service. Place the survey in the collection box as you exit the bus, or hand it to the person who gave it to you.

8. On your trip today, please indicate on the map below the Rapid Bus stops where you: got on and will get off this bus. Please circle both stops, and mark “On” where you got on the bus, and “Off” where you will get off.

9. How will you get from the bus stop to your destination today?

1 Transfer to Bus Line#:____________ 2 Transfer to BART 5 Walk 3 Drive 6 Get a ride 4 Bicycle 7 Other (Specify): ______________________

AC Transit Rider Survey — Rapid Bus

February 2005Page A-2

12. Which of the features in Question 11 is the most important in your decision to ride Rapid Bus?

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

10. How did you find out about the Rapid Bus?

1 Ads/promotion 4 Bus Driver 2 On the street 5 Other (Specify): 3 Word of mouth

11. Please Rate AC Transit’s Rapid Bus performance on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being very poor and 5 being excellent.

Very Poor

Poor Fair Good Excellent

a.Frequency of buses (how often they run)

1 2 3 4 5

b. Quality of bus shelters 1 2 3 4 5

c. Quality of new buses 1 2 3 4 5

d.Routes go where I need to go

1 2 3 4 5

e. Reliability 1 2 3 4 5

f. Travel time on the bus 1 2 3 4 5

g. Value for fare paid 1 2 3 4 5

h. Availability of seats 1 2 3 4 5

i. Cleanliness 1 2 3 4 5

j. Information at bus stops 1 2 3 4 5

k. Driver courtesy 1 2 3 4 5

l. Personal safety on buses 1 2 3 4 5

m.Easy to identify the right bus

1 2 3 4 5

n. Wheelchair securement 1 2 3 4 5

o Location of bus signs 1 2 3 4 5

p Rapid bus service overall 1 2 3 4 5

Thank you for your participation in this survey. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential.

Finally, for statistical purposes, please tell us a little about yourself. All replies are confidential.

13. How often do you ride the Rapid Bus? (Check one)

1 5+ days per week 2 1-2 days per week 3 3-4 days per week

14. How long have you been using AC Transit service?

1 Less than 3 months 4 1 to 5 years 2 3 to 6 months 5 More than 5 years 3 6 months to 1 year

15. Your age is . . .

1 Under 18 years 4 35 to 49 years 2 18 to 24 years 5 50 to 64 years 3 25 to 34 years 6 65 year or more

16. Your ethnic origin is . . .

1 African American/Black 2 White 3 Hispanic

4 Asian/Pacific Islander 5 Native American 6 Other (Specify): ___________________

17. You are:

1 Female 2 Male

18. How many working motor vehicles are available in your household?

1 None 3 Two 2 One 4 Three+

19. Your total annual household income is . . .

1 Less than $10,000 4 $50,000-$74,999 2 $10,000-$29,999 5 $75,000-$99,999 3 $30,000-$49,999 6 $100,00 and over

20. Please give us any other comments you have on the Rapid Bus service.

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

4 Less than once a week

5 First time riding

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Page A-3


1. ¿Porque esta usted usando este autobus hoy? (compruebe todo el que apliqúese)

1 Evitar trafico 4 No tengo auto (carro) 2 Menos costo 5 Problemas de estacionamento 3 Es mas conveniente 6 Otro (especifique):

_______________________

2. ¿Que es la razón principal de su viaje hoy?

1 Trabajo 4 Visita/Personal 2 Medical 5 Escuela 3 Compras 6 Otro (especifique):

______________________

3. ¿Como hacia esta viaje antes del Rapid Bus?

1 Autobus (valla la pregunta 3a) 4 Auto (carro) 2 No hacia este viaje 5 Otro (especifique): 3 BART ___________________

3a. Si, usted puso “autobus” a la pregunta 3 ¿cual linea o lineas tomaba?

La linea previamente #:__________________________

4. ¿Como llego ha la parada del autobus hoy?

1 Traslado - autobus linea #: _______________ 2 Traslado del BART 5 Caminando 3 Manejo 6 Alguien me traslado 4 Bicicleta 7 Otro (especifique):

5. ¿Como pago por su pasaje hoy?

1 Efectivo 4 Pasaje de 10 dias 2 Traslado AC 5 Pasaje de 31 dias 3 Eco Pass 6 Class Pass 7 Otro (especifique):__________________________

6. Si dinero ¿que clase de pasaje pago en este autobus?

1 Adolecente 4 Senior 2 Adulto 5 Desabilitado

7. ¿Le ha cambiado su tiempo de viaje con Rapid Bus?

1 15+ min. mas rapido 4 1-5 min. mas rapido 2 11-15 min. mas rapido 5 Casi lo mismo 3 6-10 min. mas rapido 6 Mas lento

Querido suario del AC Transit Rapid Bus:Por favor tome un minuto para ayudarnos a valur nuestro servicio. Ponga este estudio en la caja de colleción cuando se baje del autobus o se lo entrega a la persona que se lo dio.

8. En su viaje hoy, por favor indique en el mapa abajo las Rapid Bus paradas onde usted se subio y onde usted se va abajar.

9. ¿Como va ha llegar ha su destinación del autobus hoy?

1 Traslado - autobus linea #: ______________ 2 Traslado del BART 5 Caminando 3 Manejo 6 Alguien me traslado 4 Bicicleta 7 Otro (especifique):

AC Transit Estudio de Usario — Rapid Bus

February 2005Page A-4

12. ¿Cuantas de las qualidades en la pregunta 11 son las mas importantes en su decision para usar Rapid Bus?

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

10. ¿Como supo usted de Rapid Bus?

1 Promoción 4 Autobus manejator 2 En la calle 5 Otro (especifique): 3 Palabra de persona a persona

11. Por favor grade AC Transit’s Rapid Bus. Desempeño con la escala de 1-5, con 1 como pobre hasta e 5 como excellente.

Muy Pobre

Pobre Normal Bueno Excellente

a.Frequencia del los buses (cuantes veces corren)

1 2 3 4 5

b.Calidad de las casetas de las paradas del autobus

1 2 3 4 5

c.Calidad de autobuse nuevos

1 2 3 4 5

d. Rutas que necesito ir 1 2 3 4 5

e. Reabilidad 1 2 3 4 5

f.Tiempo que viajo en autobus

1 2 3 4 5

g.Valvdes por el pasaje que pago

1 2 3 4 5

h. Abulidad de asientos 1 2 3 4 5

i. Limpieza 1 2 3 4 5

j.Informacion de paradas de autobus

1 2 3 4 5

k. Contecia del chofer 1 2 3 4 5

l.Seguridad personal en los autobuse

1 2 3 4 5

m.Facilidad de indentificar el autobus exacto

1 2 3 4 5

n.Seguridad de silla de ruedas

1 2 3 4 5

oLocalidad de rotulo del autobus

1 2 3 4 5

pServicio de Rapid Bus sobre todo

1 2 3 4 5

Muchas gracias pro su participación en este estudio. Sus repuestas sean estrictamente confidential.

Al Fin, para obieto estatistico, por favor diganos un poco de usted. Todo la que nos diga es confidencial.

13. ¿Cuantos veces se sube el Rapid Bus? (escoja uno)

1 5+ dias por semana 2 1-2 dias por semana 3 3-4 dias por semana

14. ¿Por cuanto tiempo ha usted usado los servicios de AC Transit?

1 Menos de 3 meses 4 1 ha 5 años 2 3 ha 6 meses 5 mas de 6 años 3 6 meses ha un año

15. Tu edad es . . .

1 Menos de 18 años 4 35-49 años 2 18-24 años 5 50-64 años 3 25-34 años 6 65 años o mas

16. Tu origen ethnic es . . .

1 Afro-Americano 2 Anglo-Sagon 3 Hispano

4 Asiano/Pacifico Islando 5 Indigeno 6 Otro (especifique): ___________________

17. Tu eres:

1 Mujer 2 Hombre

18. ¿Cuantos vehículos que trabajan tiene en su hogar?

1 Ninguno 3 Dos 2 Uno 4 Tres+

19. Su salario anual es . . .

1 Menos de $10,000 4 $50,000-$74,999 2 $10,000-$29,999 5 $75,000-$99,999 3 $30,000-$49,999 6 $100,00 y mas

20. Por favor escríba su comentario de los servicios de Rapid Bus.

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

4 Menos que un dia por semana

5 Primera vez

Documents

Evaluation of Rapid Bus Service in the San Pablo Avenue Corridor · 2010-09-27 · Evaluation of Rapid Bus Service in the San Pablo Avenue Corridor F I N A L R E P O R T ... Figure