Regional On-Board Bus Survey ProposalRegional On-Board Bus Survey Proposal

Presentation to the

TPB Technical Committee

Robert E. Griffiths

Technical Services Director

October 5, 2007

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BackgroundBackground

WMATA has budgeted $750,000 for a WMATA has budgeted $750,000 for a Metrobus Passenger Survey in 2008Metrobus Passenger Survey in 2008

TPB Regional Bus Subcommittee requested TPB Regional Bus Subcommittee requested that additional funding be identified for a that additional funding be identified for a supplemental local bus on-board survey that supplemental local bus on-board survey that would complement WMATA’s effortwould complement WMATA’s effort

Supplemental Survey would survey riders on Supplemental Survey would survey riders on local and county agency buses, including local and county agency buses, including systems outside the WMATA Compact areasystems outside the WMATA Compact area

WMATA has budgeted $750,000 for a WMATA has budgeted $750,000 for a Metrobus Passenger Survey in 2008Metrobus Passenger Survey in 2008

TPB Regional Bus Subcommittee requested TPB Regional Bus Subcommittee requested that additional funding be identified for a that additional funding be identified for a supplemental local bus on-board survey that supplemental local bus on-board survey that would complement WMATA’s effortwould complement WMATA’s effort

Supplemental Survey would survey riders on Supplemental Survey would survey riders on local and county agency buses, including local and county agency buses, including systems outside the WMATA Compact areasystems outside the WMATA Compact area

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Spring 2008 Metrobus Survey

Spring 2008 Metrobus Survey

Purpose of WMATA’s On-Board SurveyPurpose of WMATA’s On-Board Survey

Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Bus RoutesBus Routes

Collection of origin-destination trip patterns Collection of origin-destination trip patterns for bus route planning and travel demand for bus route planning and travel demand model validationmodel validation

Profile of current bus ridersProfile of current bus riders

Purpose of WMATA’s On-Board SurveyPurpose of WMATA’s On-Board Survey

Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Bus RoutesBus Routes

Collection of origin-destination trip patterns Collection of origin-destination trip patterns for bus route planning and travel demand for bus route planning and travel demand model validationmodel validation

Profile of current bus ridersProfile of current bus riders

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TPB’s Interest in a Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey

TPB’s Interest in a Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey

With data from the 2008 Metrobus Survey, With data from the 2008 Metrobus Survey, supplemental survey would provide complete supplemental survey would provide complete picture of bus transit usage in the regionpicture of bus transit usage in the region

Would provide information on “bus only” transit Would provide information on “bus only” transit ridership in the suburbs, not easily obtained by ridership in the suburbs, not easily obtained by other meansother means

Would complement the TPB Household Travel Would complement the TPB Household Travel Survey currently underway and Spring 2007 Survey currently underway and Spring 2007 Metrorail Passenger SurveyMetrorail Passenger Survey

An “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timingAn “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timing

With data from the 2008 Metrobus Survey, With data from the 2008 Metrobus Survey, supplemental survey would provide complete supplemental survey would provide complete picture of bus transit usage in the regionpicture of bus transit usage in the region

Would provide information on “bus only” transit Would provide information on “bus only” transit ridership in the suburbs, not easily obtained by ridership in the suburbs, not easily obtained by other meansother means

Would complement the TPB Household Travel Would complement the TPB Household Travel Survey currently underway and Spring 2007 Survey currently underway and Spring 2007 Metrorail Passenger SurveyMetrorail Passenger Survey

An “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timingAn “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timing

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Bus Survey IssuesBus Survey Issues

Survey data collected on WMATA Regional Bus Survey data collected on WMATA Regional Bus Route needs to be accurate and of very high Route needs to be accurate and of very high quality for subsidy allocation purposes quality for subsidy allocation purposes

Planners and modelers would like to have very Planners and modelers would like to have very detailed information about bus riders and their detailed information about bus riders and their trip patternstrip patterns

Long, complicated survey forms asking Long, complicated survey forms asking “sensitive” questions, like household income, “sensitive” questions, like household income, can diminish survey response and data qualitycan diminish survey response and data quality

Survey data collected on WMATA Regional Bus Survey data collected on WMATA Regional Bus Route needs to be accurate and of very high Route needs to be accurate and of very high quality for subsidy allocation purposes quality for subsidy allocation purposes

Planners and modelers would like to have very Planners and modelers would like to have very detailed information about bus riders and their detailed information about bus riders and their trip patternstrip patterns

Long, complicated survey forms asking Long, complicated survey forms asking “sensitive” questions, like household income, “sensitive” questions, like household income, can diminish survey response and data qualitycan diminish survey response and data quality

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TPB Staff Recommendations

TPB Staff Recommendations

Amend the FY 2008 UPWP to add 2008 Metrobus Amend the FY 2008 UPWP to add 2008 Metrobus Survey and Supplemental On-Board Bus SurveySurvey and Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey WMATA would transfer $750,000 in funding from their WMATA would transfer $750,000 in funding from their

FY 2008 budget to TPB’s 2008 UPWP BudgetFY 2008 budget to TPB’s 2008 UPWP Budget Reprogram $375,000 in FY 2008 UPWP funds currently Reprogram $375,000 in FY 2008 UPWP funds currently

budgeted for the Household Travel Survey and WMATA budgeted for the Household Travel Survey and WMATA Technical Assistance for Supplemental On-Board Technical Assistance for Supplemental On-Board SurveySurvey

Conduct WMATA’s 2008 Metrobus Survey and Conduct WMATA’s 2008 Metrobus Survey and the Supplemental On-Board Survey as a single the Supplemental On-Board Survey as a single contract procurement managed by TPB staffcontract procurement managed by TPB staff

Evaluate impact of questionnaire length and Evaluate impact of questionnaire length and content on survey response and data quality in a content on survey response and data quality in a survey pre-testsurvey pre-test

Amend the FY 2008 UPWP to add 2008 Metrobus Amend the FY 2008 UPWP to add 2008 Metrobus Survey and Supplemental On-Board Bus SurveySurvey and Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey WMATA would transfer $750,000 in funding from their WMATA would transfer $750,000 in funding from their

FY 2008 budget to TPB’s 2008 UPWP BudgetFY 2008 budget to TPB’s 2008 UPWP Budget Reprogram $375,000 in FY 2008 UPWP funds currently Reprogram $375,000 in FY 2008 UPWP funds currently

budgeted for the Household Travel Survey and WMATA budgeted for the Household Travel Survey and WMATA Technical Assistance for Supplemental On-Board Technical Assistance for Supplemental On-Board SurveySurvey

Conduct WMATA’s 2008 Metrobus Survey and Conduct WMATA’s 2008 Metrobus Survey and the Supplemental On-Board Survey as a single the Supplemental On-Board Survey as a single contract procurement managed by TPB staffcontract procurement managed by TPB staff

Evaluate impact of questionnaire length and Evaluate impact of questionnaire length and content on survey response and data quality in a content on survey response and data quality in a survey pre-testsurvey pre-test

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On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Metrobus)

On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Metrobus)

TPB staff with assistance from WMATA will develop TPB staff with assistance from WMATA will develop the sampling plan for the surveythe sampling plan for the survey

WMATA regional and non-regional weekday bus WMATA regional and non-regional weekday bus routes will be surveyed by contractor hired by TPB routes will be surveyed by contractor hired by TPB staffstaff

Survey will be designed to provide WMATA staff Survey will be designed to provide WMATA staff with the high quality data needed for subsidy with the high quality data needed for subsidy allocationallocation

An income question will be included on the long An income question will be included on the long version questionnaire in the survey pre-testversion questionnaire in the survey pre-test

WMATA staff will approve the survey design and WMATA staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on regional and non-final questionnaire used on regional and non-regional Metrobus routesregional Metrobus routes

TPB staff with assistance from WMATA will develop TPB staff with assistance from WMATA will develop the sampling plan for the surveythe sampling plan for the survey

WMATA regional and non-regional weekday bus WMATA regional and non-regional weekday bus routes will be surveyed by contractor hired by TPB routes will be surveyed by contractor hired by TPB staffstaff

Survey will be designed to provide WMATA staff Survey will be designed to provide WMATA staff with the high quality data needed for subsidy with the high quality data needed for subsidy allocationallocation

An income question will be included on the long An income question will be included on the long version questionnaire in the survey pre-testversion questionnaire in the survey pre-test

WMATA staff will approve the survey design and WMATA staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on regional and non-final questionnaire used on regional and non-regional Metrobus routesregional Metrobus routes

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On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Local Bus Systems)

On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Local Bus Systems)

Weekday bus routes on the following systems will Weekday bus routes on the following systems will be surveyedbe surveyed Prince George’s County (The Bus)Prince George’s County (The Bus) Montgomery County (Ride On)Montgomery County (Ride On) Frederick County (TransIT)Frederick County (TransIT) The City of Alexandria (Dash)The City of Alexandria (Dash) Arlington County (Art)Arlington County (Art) The City of Fairfax (Cue)The City of Fairfax (Cue) Fairfax County (Connector)Fairfax County (Connector) Prince William County (PRTC: OmniRide, OmniLink)Prince William County (PRTC: OmniRide, OmniLink) Loudoun County (LC Transit)Loudoun County (LC Transit)

Survey data collected in WMATA and supplemental Survey data collected in WMATA and supplemental local bus on-board surveys will be shared with MTA local bus on-board surveys will be shared with MTA and data collected in MTA commuter surveys will and data collected in MTA commuter surveys will be incorporated into TPB’s regional transit be incorporated into TPB’s regional transit databasedatabase

Weekday bus routes on the following systems will Weekday bus routes on the following systems will be surveyedbe surveyed Prince George’s County (The Bus)Prince George’s County (The Bus) Montgomery County (Ride On)Montgomery County (Ride On) Frederick County (TransIT)Frederick County (TransIT) The City of Alexandria (Dash)The City of Alexandria (Dash) Arlington County (Art)Arlington County (Art) The City of Fairfax (Cue)The City of Fairfax (Cue) Fairfax County (Connector)Fairfax County (Connector) Prince William County (PRTC: OmniRide, OmniLink)Prince William County (PRTC: OmniRide, OmniLink) Loudoun County (LC Transit)Loudoun County (LC Transit)

Survey data collected in WMATA and supplemental Survey data collected in WMATA and supplemental local bus on-board surveys will be shared with MTA local bus on-board surveys will be shared with MTA and data collected in MTA commuter surveys will and data collected in MTA commuter surveys will be incorporated into TPB’s regional transit be incorporated into TPB’s regional transit databasedatabase

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On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Local Bus Systems) (cont)

On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Local Bus Systems) (cont) TPB staff with assistance from local agency staff will

develop the sampling plan and questionnaire for each local bus system

Survey questionnaire will include same core questions that are on 2008 WMATA Metrobus survey

Local agency staff will approve the survey design staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on their bus systemand final questionnaire used on their bus system

Survey contractor hired by TPB staff or contractors already under contract to local transit will conduct on-board survey

TPB staff with assistance from local agency staff will develop the sampling plan and questionnaire for each local bus system

Survey questionnaire will include same core questions that are on 2008 WMATA Metrobus survey

Local agency staff will approve the survey design staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on their bus systemand final questionnaire used on their bus system

Survey contractor hired by TPB staff or contractors already under contract to local transit will conduct on-board survey

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Proposed ScheduleProposed Schedule

Review of UPWP Amendment by TPB Technical Committee – Nov 2rd

TPB Action on UPWP Amendment – Nov 14th

Issue RFP – Nov 15th

Select Contractor – Dec 19th

Start Contract – January, 2008 Survey Pre-Test Early March, 2008 Conduct Survey – April & May, 2008 Data Delivery – June, 2008

Review of UPWP Amendment by TPB Technical Committee – Nov 2rd

TPB Action on UPWP Amendment – Nov 14th

Issue RFP – Nov 15th

Select Contractor – Dec 19th

Start Contract – January, 2008 Survey Pre-Test Early March, 2008 Conduct Survey – April & May, 2008 Data Delivery – June, 2008