Regional On-Board Bus Survey Proposal Presentation to the TPB Technical Committee Robert E. Griffiths Technical Services Director October 5, 2007

2 Background WMATA has budgeted $750,000 for a Metrobus Passenger Survey in 2008 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 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 Supplemental Survey would survey riders on local and county agency buses, including systems outside the WMATA Compact area WMATA has budgeted $750,000 for a Metrobus Passenger Survey in 2008 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 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 Supplemental Survey would survey riders on local and county agency buses, including systems outside the WMATA Compact area

3 Spring 2008 Metrobus Survey Purpose of WMATA’s On-Board Survey Purpose of WMATA’s On-Board Survey Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Bus Routes Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Bus Routes Collection of origin-destination trip patterns for bus route planning and travel demand model validation Collection of origin-destination trip patterns for bus route planning and travel demand model validation Profile of current bus riders Profile of current bus riders Purpose of WMATA’s On-Board Survey Purpose of WMATA’s On-Board Survey Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Bus Routes Subsidy allocation for WMATA’s Regional Bus Routes Collection of origin-destination trip patterns for bus route planning and travel demand model validation Collection of origin-destination trip patterns for bus route planning and travel demand model validation Profile of current bus riders Profile of current bus riders

4 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 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 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 Would complement the TPB Household Travel Survey currently underway and Spring 2007 Metrorail Passenger Survey An “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timing An “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timing With data from the 2008 Metrobus Survey, supplemental survey would provide complete picture of bus transit usage in the region 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 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 Would complement the TPB Household Travel Survey currently underway and Spring 2007 Metrorail Passenger Survey An “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timing An “unique” opportunity in terms of survey timing

5 Bus Survey Issues Survey data collected on WMATA Regional Bus Route needs to be accurate and of very high quality for subsidy allocation purposes 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 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 Long, complicated survey forms asking “sensitive” questions, like household income, can diminish survey response and data quality Survey data collected on WMATA Regional Bus Route needs to be accurate and of very high quality for subsidy allocation purposes 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 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 Long, complicated survey forms asking “sensitive” questions, like household income, can diminish survey response and data quality

6 TPB Staff Recommendations Amend the FY 2008 UPWP to add 2008 Metrobus Survey and Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey 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 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 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 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 Evaluate impact of questionnaire length and content on survey response and data quality in a survey pre-test Amend the FY 2008 UPWP to add 2008 Metrobus Survey and Supplemental On-Board Bus Survey 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 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 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 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 Evaluate impact of questionnaire length and content on survey response and data quality in a survey pre-test

7 On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Metrobus) TPB staff with assistance from WMATA will develop the sampling plan for the survey 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 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 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 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 WMATA staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on regional and non-regional Metrobus routes TPB staff with assistance from WMATA will develop the sampling plan for the survey 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 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 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 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 WMATA staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on regional and non-regional Metrobus routes

8 On-Board Bus Survey Planning Assumptions (Local Bus Systems) Weekday bus routes on the following systems will be surveyed Weekday bus routes on the following systems will be 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 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 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 Weekday bus routes on the following systems will be surveyed Weekday bus routes on the following systems will be 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 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 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

9 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 staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on their bus system 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 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 staff will approve the survey design and final questionnaire used on their bus system 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

10 Proposed Schedule Review of UPWP Amendment by TPB Technical Committee – Nov 2 rd TPB Action on UPWP Amendment – Nov 14 th Issue RFP – Nov 15 th Select Contractor – Dec 19 th 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 2 rd TPB Action on UPWP Amendment – Nov 14 th Issue RFP – Nov 15 th Select Contractor – Dec 19 th Start Contract – January, 2008 Survey Pre-Test Early March, 2008 Conduct Survey – April & May, 2008 Data Delivery – June, 2008