Act Canada Tdm Evaluation 102208

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Smart Commute EvaluationTools, Techniques and Lessons Learned in Monitoring and

Evaluating Workplace-based TDM Programs



Outline

1. Background

2. Approach3. Monitoring Tools

4. Evaluation

5. Results

6. Challenges

7. Lessons

8. Next Steps

Ryan Lanyon

Team Lead, Smart Commute

Metrolinx (GTTA)

October 22, 2008



At-a-Glance

Build evaluation into your initial planning

Monitor activities, benefits and customer service Scrutinize and understand indicators

Learn from results and mistakes

Resources available at www.smartcommute.ca

Just do it!

Smart Commute works with various stakeholders to

relieve traffic congestion, improve air quality and health,

and reduce emissions that cause climate change.



Background

Smart Commute

Focus on commuters and workplaces

Partnership with municipalities

Staged development – 2001: Pilot TMA - BCRTMA

– 2004: Pilot regional implementation - Municipalities

– 2008: On-going implementation – Metrolinx + Municipalities



Background

Metrolinx (Greater Toronto Transportation Authority)

Formed in 2007

Coordinates transportation across GTHA

Regional Transportation Plan

6.13 million residents, 3 million commuters



Background 2001: BCRTMA / NTV

2004: 404-7

2005:

Mississauga

NE Toronto

2006:

Brampton-Caledon

Halton

2007: Central York

Durham

2008: Toronto-Central

2009: Airport?



Background

Employer program

Improve and encourage commuting options

Assessment of current conditions - Baseline

Development of a plan

Implementation – ‘Commuter benefits program’ – Carpool Zone and ERH

– Walking, cycling, transit, carpool, telework programs

– Campaigns, contests and special events

Follow-up assessment – Measured against baseline



Approach - Ideal

Goals

ObjectivesRegional Transportation Plan

Municipal Plans Implementation

Strategic Plan Monitoring

Evaluation



Approach - Actual

Goals Objectives

RTP

Municipal PlansImplementation

Strategic Plan

Monitoring

EvaluationFederal Funding Requirements

Implementation

Implementation



Approach

2004-2007 - Contribution Agreement

Negotiated between funder and municipalities 2008 - Monitoring Framework

Established by Smart Commute stakeholders – TMAs and Smart Commute Association (implementers)

– Municipalities and Metrolinx (funders)

Multipurpose – Measure activity levels for funders

– Track impacts to justify funding

– Collect statistics for marketing purposes



Approach

Inputs / Activities

Number of businesses – Active

– Engaged

– Supporting

Number of pamphlets distributed

Number of cycling programs Number of media releases

Number of commuters reached



Approach

Outputs / Benefits / Results

Brand awareness – % of employees aware; change from baseline

Commuter satisfaction – Ratings of Smart Commute program

Reductions

– GHG emissions

– CAC emissions

– Vkt and trips

Commuter cost savings



Monitoring

Levels of monitoring

Regional

TMA

Employer

Commuter / customer

Types of monitoring Behaviour change

Attitudinal change

Customer service



Monitoring

Regional

Existing sources – Statistics Canada

– Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS)

– Conducted by University of Toronto

– Detailed behaviour survey

– Conducted every five years

– Cordon Count Program

– Conducted by municipalities, compiled by University of Toronto

– Observed data

– Conducted every two to three years



Monitoring

Regional

New sources – Commuter Attitudes Survey

– Conducted by Metrolinx

– Detailed attitudinal questions

– Conducted every two years

– Carpool Zone

– Conducted by Metrolinx

– Monthly activity survey

– TMAs and Employers

– Compiled data from localized sources



Monitoring

TMA

Quarterly reports – tied to Metrolinx funding

Summary of activities per employers

Communications and outreach activity

Qualitative results

Comparison of activity levels between TMAs



Monitoring

Employer – Baseline Module

Baseline employee survey – Standardized across all TMAs and employers

– Census survey

Site assessment – Current conditions

– Inventory of advantages and deficiencies Vehicle and occupancy count

– Discreet sites

– 1,000+ employees



Monitoring

Customer – Commuter

Service-related – Monthly Carpool Zone microsurvey

– Emergency Ride Home post-ride survey

Employee surveys

Campaign-related data collection e.g. Car Free Day



Monitoring

ModeStatisticsCanada

(2006)

TTS

(2006)

CAS

(2008)

Surveys

(2001-08)

DriveAlone

65.90% 64.7% 48% 75.91%

Transit 19.93% 19.7% 28% 10%

Cycling 0.97% 0.7% 1% 0.89%



Evaluation

Benchmarks and Trends

75 employee baseline surveys

Statistics Canada

Transportation Tomorrow Survey

Cordon Counts

Commuter Attitudes Survey



Evaluation

External

Employer surveys – Biannual survey – program satisfaction rating

– Satisfaction with Smart Commute services

– Conducted by third party through Metrolinx

Commuter surveys

– Employee follow-up surveys – program satisfaction rating – Annual survey – Carpool Zone satisfaction

Internal

Smart Commute Technical Committee



Evaluation

External Review

Consultant evaluation of operational models

Research Partnerships

University of Toronto (Mississauga) – Factors for successful carpool formation

– Further research

Ryerson University – TMA Toolkit assessment

http://www.ryerson.ca/index.html



Results

Almost 100 members and partners

March 2007 – 50 employers

March 2008 – 75 employers

June 2008 – 89 employers

http://www.cgi.ca/web/en/home.htm

http://www.citibank.ca/

http://intranet/C7/C11/Health%20Safety%20%20Environment/default.aspx

http://www.hbc.com/

http://www.messier-dowty.com/

http://www.veridian.on.ca/

http://www.worldvision.ca/

http://www.samsung.ca/



Results

Transportation indicators

76.4 million vkt

1.3 million trips

Equivalent of 10,000 cars

Increase in carpooling – 7% to 12% to 13%

Cars Off the Road



Results

Primary Mode Shift

2

5

7

34

50

0 20 40 60

%

1

6

13

28

48

0 20 40 60

%

1

4

12

31

48

0 20 40 60

%

Drive alone

Public Transit

Car/vanpool

Walk/Jog

Bike

2006 20052008



Results

Environmental indicators

17,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – Enough to fill Rogers Centre almost six times

100,000 kg of criteria air contaminants – Equivalent amount of NOx to smoking 3 billion cigarettes



Results

Communications and Outreach

400+ stories

75+ million media impressions

Brand recognition – Smart Commute ↑

– Carpool Zone ↓

5

9

14

27

17

0 10 20 30

%

Smart Commute

Carpool Week

Clean Air Commute

Carpool Zone Website

Commuter Challenge

Awareness

(2008)



Challenges

Pressures to implement right away

Show action

Pent-up demand

More interesting than planning or evaluating

All the pieces not always in place

Monitoring not appreciated until results urgentlyneeded

Objectivity

Of course my ‘baby’ was successful!



Challenges

Defining success

Setting targets without enough information – Are examples applicable?

Are targets achievable with the resources alloted?

Can these targets be effectively monitored?

What happens if we don’t reach these targets?



Lessons

Measurement and Evaluation

Some items simple, but time-consuming – Do you really need the data?

Project benefits less easy to isolate – Double-counting also possible through employee surveys

and Carpool Zone surveys

– External factors – environmental concerns, gas prices One clear conclusion: an impact was made.

Time and consistency open up opportunities – Benchmarking



Lessons Measure and Evaluation

Access resources at your disposal for help Universities

Municipalities

Provincial and Federal Governments

Evaluate what you do and how you do it

Give an adjustment period to monitoring Test! Test! Test!

Allow partners time to understand and see value



Lessons

Provide incentives for monitoring

Tie completion to access

Award and reward success

Measurement and Evaluation

Learn from mistakes – you will make them!

Learn from poor results – Was the program effective?

– Was the monitoring effective?



Questions?Ryan Lanyon

Team Lead, Smart CommuteMetrolinx

[email protected]

416-874-5933

Act Canada Tdm Evaluation 102208

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