Post on 20-Feb-2016
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October 2006Somerville Bus Survey
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 2
Survey Goals
• Benchmark current usage of and satisfaction with MBTA bus service through Somerville
• Identify any issues with specific bus routes• Quantify potential improvements to bus service
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 3
Survey Methodology
• Survey distributed via paper and email• Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French
• Mail-in paper survey distributed across Somerville, including handouts at bus stops and local events (e.g., ArtBeat)
• Link to Web-based version on SomervilleSTEP.org, City of Somerville web site, Somerville Journal, and email invitations
• Survey open July 15 - October 11, 2006• 245 total survey completions (53 via paper survey)
• Survey findings are directional and not based on a statistically accurate sampling of the Somerville population
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 4
Key Findings
• Many Somerville residents depend on bus service for a variety of needs and ride buses regularly
• Though satisfied overall with bus routes and stop locations, people are generally dissatisfied with frequency of service
• Bus routes with the highest satisfaction include the 88, 87, and 80
• Bus routes with the lowest satisfaction include the 95, 90, and 92
• The most important improvements are better adherence to schedule, more trips, and bus schedules posted at stops
• Reliability is the top reason for those who don’t use buses
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 5
Neighborhood of Residence
Survey respondents represent a cross-section of Somerville neighborhoods
Union Square17%
Winter Hill15%
Davis Square12%
Spring Hill12%
West Somerville9%
East Somerville7%
Tufts7%
Prospect Hill4%
Magoun Square3%
Powder House3%
Inner Belt / Cobble Hill1%
Ten Hills0%
I don't live in Somerville
10%Which Somerville
neighborhood do you live in or closest
to?
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 6
Ethnicity
White respondents are overrepresented in the survey
White88%
Asian / Pacific Islander4%
African American2%
Hispanic2%
American Indian1%
Other3% Which best
describes your ethnicity (optional)?
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 7
Age
Survey respondents represent a cross-section of ages, with strong representation in late 20s and 30s
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Under18
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 orolder
Please select your age group (optional).
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 8
No46% Yes
54%
Car Ownership and Bike Ridership
More than a third do not own a car, and slightly more than half ride a bike
No38%
Yes62%
Do you own a car? Do you ride a bike?
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 9
Active Ridership
The vast majority of survey respondents ride Somerville buses
No16%
Yes84%
Do you currently ride MBTA buses in Somerville (at least once a month)?
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 10
Frequency of Bus Usage
72% ride Somerville buses at least a few days a week
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Once ortwice amonth
Once aweek or so
A few daysa week
Everyweekday
Every day
How often do you ride MBTA buses in Somerville?
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 11
Reasons for Bus Usage
Many rely on buses for more than commuting to work
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Commuting towork
Forrecreational
purposes
Shopping Meetingappointments
Visiting familyand friends
For what reasons do you ride buses? (Check all that apply.)
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 12
Reliance on Bus Service
Half rely on buses as their primary mode of transportation
No50%
Yes50%
Are buses your primary mode of transportation?
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 13
Multi-Modal Transit Users
Most regularly use buses in combination with other transportation, such as subway
No31%
Yes69%
Do you usually ride buses in conjunction with another mode of transportation, such as transferring to a subway line?
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 14
Overall Satisfaction with Somerville Bus Service
80% are neutral or negative about frequency of service; bus routes and stop locations generally satisfy riders
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Verydissatisfied
Very satisfied
Frequency ofservice
Cleanliness ofthe buses
Location ofbus stops
Routes takenby buses
How would you rate your overall satisfaction with bus service in Somerville? Please rate each of the following.
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 15
Overall Satisfaction by Bus
Highest satisfaction with the 88, 87, and 80;
lowest satisfaction with the 95*, 90, and 92*Aggregated mean ratings of 4 characteristics of each bus
1 2 3 4 5
9590929186899496
101CT2
85808788
Very dissatisfied
Very satisfied
Please rate the following aspects of each bus line that you ride regularly. If you do not ride a particular bus regularly, leave that question blank.• How often this bus runs• How often this bus is on time• What route this bus takes• Where the bus stops are located
* * Only 11 respondents for these buses
*
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 16
Satisfaction with Frequency by Bus
Frequency of trips is a particular problem with the 90, 85, 95*, 92*, and 91
Mean ratings of “How often this bus runs”
1 2 3 4 5
9095859291948986
CT2101
96808788
Very dissatisfied
Very satisfied
Overall rating of route
** Only 11 respondents for these buses*
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 17
Satisfaction with On-Time Service by Bus
On-time service is a particular problem with the 86, 91, 90, and 96
Mean ratings of “How often this bus is on time”
1 2 3 4 5
8690919695948992
CT2101
88878085
Very dissatisfied
Very satisfied
Overall rating of route
*
* Only 11 respondents for these buses
*
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 18
Satisfaction with Routes by Bus
People appreciate the routes of most buses, especially the 85, CT2, 88, and 87; the 95* route should be examined
Mean ratings of “What route this bus takes”
1 2 3 4 5
9592908994
101808691968788
CT285
Very dissatisfied
Very satisfied
Overall rating of route
** Only 11 respondents for these buses
*
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 19
Satisfaction with Stop Locations by Bus
People appreciate the stop locations of most buses, especially the 88, 80, and 87; the 95* stops should be examined
Mean ratings of “Where the bus stops are located”
1 2 3 4 5
95929085
101CT2
9196869489878088
Very dissatisfied
Very satisfied
Overall rating of route
** Only 11 respondents for these buses
*
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 20
Priorities for Improvements
The most important improvements are on-time service and frequency of service
How important would each of the following changes be to you? (1-5 scale, mean value)
1 2 3 4 5
New bus routes
More bus shelters
Better/clearersignage
More trips onweekends
Bus schedulesposted at bus stops
More trips onexisting bus routes
Better adherence toschedule
Not at allimportant
Veryimportant
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 21
Reasons for Not Riding Buses
The most common complaints from those who don’t ride buses regularly are unreliability of service and poor bus routes
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Busservice isunreliable
Bus routesdon't gowhere I
need to go
I prefer todrive
Busesdon't runwhen Ineed totravel
I prefer towalk or bik
I neverride a bus
inSomerville
but I doelsewhere
Bus stopsare too far
from me
Buses aretoo
expensive
Why don't you ride buses in Somerville? (Check all the reasons that apply.)
(37 responses)
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 22
Likelihood of Increasing Ridership
45% of those who don’t ride buses regularly are likely or very likely to ride more often if improvements are made
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Not at alllikely
Very likely
If bus service in Somerville were improved, how likely would you be to ride buses more often?
(36 responses)
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 23
No92%
Yes8%
SCM Transportation Awareness and Usage
About half of respondents are aware of SCM, but very few who have heard of it have used it
No51%
Yes49%
Are you aware of transportation services for disabled and elderly Somerville residents
provided by SCM Transportation?
If yes, have you or any family
members used SCM?
(Of respondents who answered yes to awareness question)
Somerville Bus Survey, October 2006 24
No94%
Yes6%
MBTA RIDE Awareness and Usage
Most respondents are aware of RIDE, but very few who have heard of it have used it
No35%
Yes65%
Are you aware of transportation services for disabled and elderly Somerville residents
provided by RIDE (MBTA)?
If yes, have you or any family
members used RIDE (MBTA)?
(Of respondents who answered yes to awareness question)