Island Transit Comprehensive Plan (DRAFT) Status Report

1. THE GOODMAN CORPORATION Island Transit Comprehensive Plan(DRAFT) Status Report Intermodal Transportation Committee October 23, 2013

2. Outline Purpose Operational Findings Public/Stakeholder Input Operational Alternatives Bus Stop Infrastructure Marketing Recommendations Policy Recommendations Maintenance Review Next Steps

3. Purpose • Evaluate efficiency, coverage of existing services • Recommend operational improvements • Ascertain publicand stakeholder opinion about Island Transit services • Evaluate maintenance practices • Evaluate other areas (capital, infrastructure, marketing, policies, personnel), recommend improvements

4. Operational Findings • Excellent coverageoverall • Ridecheck • Comprehensive understanding of how, where, and when riders are using the system • All 279 weekly bus trips ridden by data collectors, noting passenger boarding/de-boarding activity • No identified “peak” (e.g., commuter hours) – rather, IT is an “all day” system • Highest productivity: Rt 6 (27 passengers/trip, weekdays) • Lowest productivity: Rt 4 (7.6 passengers/trip, weekdays) • Some schedule adherence issues • All recommended schedule/route changes developed in context of ridecheck results • Maximize riders positively affected, minimize riders negatively affected

5. Public Input • Public Meetings • Six (6) meetings held (one in each Council District) in May • Surveying/Interviews • On-board • Public Meetings • Online (Survey Monkey) • Water Bills • Visitors • Stakeholder interviews • 279 total responses from riders, 754 from non-riders

6. Public Input – Common Themes • Return to 30-minute frequency • More shelters, benches • Later service at night • Earlier service on Sunday morning • Length, travel time on “combination” routes • Driver courtesy • New buses

7. Stakeholder Input • Approximately 25 interviews conducted • Groups representing seniors, low income, minorities, schools/colleges, tourism, businesses, others • Common themes: • “Best kept secret on the Island” • “How do you know how to use the system?” • Not accessible or attractive to tourists • Not engaged with community • Lack of solutions to specialized transit needs • Unsafe stops, not enough benches and shelters • 1-hour headways a burden, reduce ridership • No access to downtown Houston • No access to Social Security office • Buses old, unattractive to choice riders

8. Current Operations • Seven (7) fixed routes • 30-min headways on Route 2, 30/30/60 on Routes 5 & 6. All other routes on 60-min headways • Seven (7) buses used • 33,157 annual revenue hours • Other services • Dial-A-Ride Transit (DART) • Victory Lakes, Mall of the Mainland P&Rs • UTMB Shuttle • Cruise Ship Shuttles

9. Desirable Service Adjustments • Headways • Span of Service • Limited service on Seawall and Broadway • Direct service between Route 7 and Downtown • Route 7 transfers • Depending on final destination, some Route 7 passengers must transfer twice • Travel time on “combination” routes • Temporal service gaps • e.g., Target/TAMU on Rt 1, DPS on Rt 3, Fort Crockett on Rt 5 • Limited service to TAMU • Service to new Galveston College campus

10. Operational Alternatives • No capital, cost impacts: • Re-route and re-time all routes to move to new Downtown Transit Terminal • Minor Route 5 re-routing and re-scheduling in Fort Crockett area • Extend late night service by one hour, operate Sunday service one hour earlier and one hour later • Additional 765 weekday, 156 Saturday, 336 Sunday annual revenue hours (1,257 total) • No additional buses required

11. Operational Alternatives (cont’d) • Combine Routes 1 and 7, alter Route 1 for more Broadway coverage • One-seat ride between Route 7 area and Downtown • Net savings of 418 annual revenue hours • Extend Route 3 to Galveston College on Broadway • Running time ↑ from 45 mins to 60 mins • Add new Route 8 • Increased service to TAMU • One additional bus required • ~ 3,692 additional annual revenue hours • Redesign and re-schedule Route 1/3/4/2 combination route • ~ 1,965 additional annual revenue hours

12. Operational Alternatives (cont’d) • Restore Routes 1, 3, 5, and 6 to 30-minute headways • Four (4) additional buses required • ~ 13,260 additional annual revenue hours • Cost effectiveness of all options currently being evaluated

13. Bus Stop Infrastructure • Shelters • Approximately 290 bus stops system wide; 22 currently have shelters • Recommendation: install shelter in locations with 10+ daily boardings • 13 locations (based on ridecheck data) • Will bring total to 35 stops with shelters (~12%), but 56% of boardings would occur from sheltered stop • Benches • Recommendation: install bench in locations with 5-9 daily boardings • 31 locations • At least 75% of boardings would occur from a stop with a shelter or a bench

14. Bus Stop Infrastructure (cont’d) • Bus Stop Signs • Current signs are inconspicuous “No Parking” signs with bus icon • Recommendation: Better signs • Route # • Island Transit phone #, website • Route, schedule info at busiest stops • Island Transit branding • Other signage • On par with new CVB signage

15. Marketing Recommendations • Full roll-out of 2012 re-branding components • Website overhaul • Existing site not favorably regarded by public • Route Maps/Schedules • Update when route/schedule changes implemented • Add major destinations, activity centers • Make more widely available • Social Media

16. Policy Recommendations • Eliminate “Flag Stops” • Evaluate allowable transfer locations • Level of Service • 30-minute frequency • Fleet Composition & Equipment • Low-Floor Vehicles • Automatic Passenger Counters • Fare Cards • Personnel • Pay, Training, Career Ladder • Full-time vs. Part-time • Morale • Public Information Officer

17. Maintenance Review • Last review in 2003 • Evaluate maintenance program, database, fluid consumption, preventative maintenance, staffing levels/schedule, staff training, facility maintenance, capital needs • Recommendations in work

18. Next Steps Finalize recommended options Develop capital and operating finance/implementation strategy Brief Council, City staff, City Finance Committee Public meetings

19. Intermodal Transportation Committee THE GOODMAN CORPORATION October 23, 2013 Yvonne Fedee yfedee@thegoodmancorp.com (713) 951-7951