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This proposal outlines the implementation of a supplemental on-board bus survey to complement WMATA's Metrobus Passenger Survey. The survey aims to provide detailed information on local bus ridership and trip patterns for subsidy allocation and planning purposes.
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Presentation to the TPB Technical Committee Robert E. Griffiths Technical Services Director October 5, 2007 Regional On-Board Bus Survey Proposal
Background • WMATA has budgeted $750,000 for a Metrobus Passenger Survey in 2008 • TPB Regional Bus Subcommittee requested that additional funding be identified for a supplemental local bus on-board survey that would complement WMATA’s effort • Supplemental Survey would survey riders on local and county agency buses, including systems outside the WMATA Compact area
Spring 2008 Metrobus Survey • Purpose of WMATA’s On-Board Survey • Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Bus Routes • Collection of origin-destination trip patterns for bus route planning and travel demand model validation • Profile of current bus riders
TPB’s Interest in a Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey • With data from the 2008 Metrobus Survey, supplemental survey would provide complete picture of bus transit usage in the region • Would provide information on “bus only” transit ridership in the suburbs, not easily obtained by other means • Would complement the TPB Household Travel Survey currently underway and Spring 2007 Metrorail Passenger Survey • An “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timing
Bus Survey Issues • Survey data collected on WMATA Regional Bus Route needs to be accurate and of very high quality for subsidy allocation purposes • Planners and modelers would like to have very detailed information about bus riders and their trip patterns • Long, complicated survey forms asking “sensitive” questions, like household income, can diminish survey response and data quality
TPB Staff Recommendations • Amend the FY 2008 UPWP to add 2008 Metrobus Survey and Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey • WMATA would transfer $750,000 in funding from their FY 2008 budget to TPB’s 2008 UPWP Budget • Reprogram $375,000 in FY 2008 UPWP funds currently budgeted for the Household Travel Survey and WMATA Technical Assistance for Supplemental On-Board Survey • Conduct WMATA’s 2008 Metrobus Survey and the Supplemental On-Board Survey as a single contract procurement managed by TPB staff • Evaluate impact of questionnaire length and content on survey response and data quality in a survey pre-test
On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Metrobus) • TPB staff with assistance from WMATA will develop the sampling plan for the survey • WMATA regional and non-regional weekday bus routes will be surveyed by contractor hired by TPB staff • Survey will be designed to provide WMATA staff with the high quality data needed for subsidy allocation • An income question will be included on the long version questionnaire in the survey pre-test • WMATA staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on regional and non-regional Metrobus routes
On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Local Bus Systems) • Weekday bus routes on the following systems will be surveyed • Prince George’s County (The Bus) • Montgomery County (Ride On) • Frederick County (TransIT) • The City of Alexandria (Dash) • Arlington County (Art) • The City of Fairfax (Cue) • Fairfax County (Connector) • Prince William County (PRTC: OmniRide, OmniLink) • Loudoun County (LC Transit) • Survey data collected in WMATA and supplemental local bus on-board surveys will be shared with MTA and data collected in MTA commuter surveys will be incorporated into TPB’s regional transit database
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 and 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
Proposed 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