2016

Powhatan County Rideshare Today

ONLINE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY RIDEFINDERSREPORT BY TYLER WALTER | RIDEFINDERS | JUNE 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction................................................................................................................2

Region of Study.......................................................................................................2Purpose...................................................................................................................2

Summary of Powhatan County...................................................................................2Major Employers......................................................................................................3

Summary of the study................................................................................................3Home and Work ZIP Code........................................................................................3

Home ZIP Codes...................................................................................................3Work ZIP Codes....................................................................................................4

Commuting Trends..................................................................................................5Answer Choices....................................................................................................5

Work Hours..............................................................................................................6ERH Service.............................................................................................................7Reasons for Not Carpooling or Vanpooling..............................................................8Distance Willing to Travel for Carpool/Vanpool.......................................................9Motivating Factors.................................................................................................10Additional Comments............................................................................................11

References...............................................................................................................12

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INTRODUCTIONFrom March 23 to April 30, 2016, RideFinders held an online survey to

identify the commuting trends in Powhatan County, Virginia. During this time span, a total of 84 respondents answered questions about their commuting profile, and their potential interest in ridesharing. Promotion of the survey involved an advertisement and announcement in the Powhatan Today, the county’s local newspaper. The following report analyzes the data collected by RideFinders.

REGION OF STUDYThe area of study is commuters in the Greater Richmond Region who live in

Powhatan County. Powhatan County is a rural county located on the western fringes of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area. Powhatan County is also a member of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission.

PURPOSEThe survey was conducted to see if there is demand and the possibility to

expand RideFinders’ presence in Powhatan County.

SUMMARY OF POWHATAN COUNTY

Powhatan County is a rural county located on the western fringe of the Greater Richmond Region. As of 2013, the county’s population is 28,259. The community of Powhatan, located in central Powhatan County, is the county seat. There are no other census designated areas or towns. Notable populated areas in the county include the unincorporated communities of Powhatan, Holly Hills, Beaumont and Tobaccoville.

Powhatan County was officially founded in 1777 after originally being a portion of Cumberland County north of the Appomattox River. The residents named the county in honor of the late Chief Powhatan.

Major highways in the county include U.S. Route 522, U.S. Route 60, and Virginia Route 13. The three highways intersect in Powhatan. Additionally, a small portion of Virginia Route 288 bisects the county in the extreme northeast sector.

Major natural and geographic features in Powhatan County include the James River, which forms the county’s northern border with Goochland and Henrico Counties. The Appomattox River forms the county’s southern boundary with Amelia County, a portions of Skinquarter Creek create the boundary between southeastern Powhatan County and southwestern Chesterfield County. The county is also home to two protected areas: Powhatan State Park, near Beaumont, and Powhatan Wildlife Management Area, near Powhatan and Macon.

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The county’s government is led by the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors, which composes of five districts. The current Chair of the Board is Bill Melton, who also represents Powhatan’s fourth district. The current Vice Chair is Larry Nordvig, who also represents the county’s second district.MAJOR EMPLOYERSThe largest employer sectors in Powhatan County are correctional facilities, the local government, the service industry and construction. Below are the 10 largest employers in the county:

1. Powhatan County School Board2. Deep Meadow Correctional Center3. Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice4. Wal-Mart5. County of Powhatan Government6. Colony Construction7. Mid-Atlantic Steel Erecto, Inc.8. Food Lion9. Pietech, Inc.10.Moslow Wood Products

It should be noted that over the last three years, Powhatan County is likely to lose two prisons, which employ 383 individuals. The Beaumont Juvenile Correction center is likely to close in 2017 and in October 2014, the Powhatan Main Correctional Center closed.

SUMMARY OF THE STUDYThe study asked respondents where they lived, worked, and how they

commuted to work. The survey then asked respondents whether they would consider ridesharing and under what circumstances would they consider the option.

HOME AND WORK ZIP CODE Powhatan County is composed of only one zip code: 23139. Of the 84 responses, 78 of the respondents lived in Powhatan County. The remaining seven were from zip codes outside of Powhatan County.

HOME ZIP CODES

Table 1: Home ZIP Codes of Respondents

ZIP Code City Perc. Responses23139 Powhatan, VA 92.86% 7823120 Henrico, VA 3.57% 3

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23002 Amelia Court House, VA 1.19% 123027 Cartersville, VA 1.19% 123228 Henrico, VA 1.19% 1TOTAL 84

WORK ZIP CODESAbout one third of the commuters in Powhatan County also worked in Powhatan County (31). Additionally, a total of 20 commuters work in the city proper of Richmond, with slightly more than half of the workers (12) working in Downtown Richmond. The next largest areas of commuting destinations outside of Downtown Richmond included Short Pump, Midlothian, Chesterfield and Goochland. Seeing a large base of workers in the core of the city, as well in these locations offers potential rideshare opportunities to these select locations. Table 2: Work ZIP Codes of Respondents

ZIP Code City Perc. Responses23139 Powhatan, VA 36.90% 3123219 Richmond, VA (Downtown) 13.09% 1123233 Short Pump, VA 5.95% 523113 Midlothian, VA (North) 4.76% 423230 Richmond, VA (Scott’s Addition/Staples Mill) 3.57% 323832 Chesterfield, VA 3.57% 323063 Goochland, VA 2.38% 223112 Brandermill, VA 2.38% 223114 Midlothian, VA (South) 2.38% 223225 Richmond, VA (Woodland Heights) 2.38% 223228 Lakeside, VA 2.38% 223511 Norfolk, VA 1.19% 223226 Richmond, VA (Near West End/Westhampton) 1.19% 123005 Ashland, VA 1.19% 122902 Charlottesville, VA 1.19% 123060 Glen Allen, VA 1.19% 123227 Richmond, VA (Chamberlayne/Rosedale) 1.19% 123250 Richmond, VA (Richmond Intl Airport) 1.19% 123834 Colonial Heights, VA 1.19% 123236 North Chesterfield, VA 1.19% 123298 Richmond, VA (VCU Medical Center) 1.19% 123273 Henrico, VA (JRSCC Parham Campus) 1.19% 123014 Beaumont, VA 1.19% 123294 Henrico, VA 1.19% 1Various N/A 1.19% 1N/A N/A 1.19% 1No answer N/A 1.19% 1TOTAL 85

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Figure 1: Jurisdiction Destination of Powhatan County Commuters

37%

24%14%12%2%

2% 8%

Jurisdiction Destination of Powhatan County Com-

mutersPowhatan County City of Richmond Henrico CountyChesterfield County Goochland County Hanover CountyOther

COMMUTING TRENDSA vast majority of Powhatan County commuters drive alone. Currently, about 96.4% of respondents drive to work alone. Two and a half (2.5%) percent of respondents carpool to work, and 1% of commuters take an express bus from a park-and-ride lot. None of the respondents use a vanpool, train or airplane for their commute.

ANSWER CHOICESFigureTable 3: Commuting choices for commuters in Powhatan County, VA

Choice Perc. ResponsesDrive alone 96.39% 80Carpool 2.41% 2Vanpool 0.00% 0Express bus from park-n-ride 1.20% 1Train 0.00% 0Airplane 0.00% 0

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Figure 2: Commuting choice in Powhatan County

Drive alone

Carpool

Vanpool

Express bus from park-n-ride

Train

Airplane

0 102030405060708090

Commuting choice in Powhatan County

Responses

WORK HOURSMost commuters begin work between 7 and 9 a.m. and finish work between 4 and 6 p.m.

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Figure 3: Working Hours for Powhatan County Commuters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 2405

10152025303540

Working Hours

StartEnd

Hour of the Day (Using a 24 hour clock)

Resp

onde

nts

ERH SERVICEWhen presented with the option to provide a free emergency ride home service (ERH) to Powhatan County commuters, it was divided in half between commuters likely and unlikely to use the service. Thirty-seven (or 40%) of commuters said they were unlikely to carpool or vanpool even if the ERH service was provided. Thirty-six (or 39%) of commuters they were likely to carpool or vanpool if there was an ERH service provided. Twenty (or 21%) of commuters expressed neutrality or other opinions to carpooling. These commuters’ reasons for selecting other or neutral included already carpooling, already telecommuting, or uncertainty to carpooling due to certain conditions such as driving a company vehicle to work, or depending on their work load.Table 4: Likelihood of carpooling or vanpooling to work if ERH is provided

Choice Perc. ResponsesVery likely 20.00% 17Somewhat likely 22.35% 19Neutral 18.82% 16Somewhat unlikely 5.88% 5Very unlikely 37.65% 32Other 4.71% 4

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Figure 4: Likelihood to Carpool/Vanpool with ERH services

18%

20%

17%5%

34%

4%

Likelihood to Carpool with ERH service

Very likely Somewhat likely NeutralSomewhat unlikely Very unlikely Other

REASONS FOR NOT CARPOOLING OR VANPOOLINGThe primary concern for individuals not wanting to carpool or vanpool is the perceived lack of flexibility. The top answer “inability to arrive/leave at any time” was answered by 41 respondents, or about 55% of the respondents. Other individuals answered that their concerns were not knowing the riders (15%), potential increased commute time (8%) and location of carpool/vanpool pickups (8%). In total 72 of the 85 respondents selected reasons for not carpooling, while 13 respondents skipped the question.Table 5: Reasons for not carpooling

Choice Perc. ResponsesInability to arrive/leave at any time 56.94% 41Don’t know other riders 15.28% 11Increase in commute time 8.33% 6Pick-up locations of carpool/vanpool 9.72% 7Safety concerns 9.72% 7

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Figure 5: Reasons for not carpooling or vanpooling

57%15%

8%

10%10%

Reasons for not carpooling/vanpool-ing

Inability to arrive/leave at any time Don’t know other ridersIncrease in commute time Pick-up locations of carpool/vanpoolSafety concerns

DISTANCE WILLING TO TRAVEL FOR CARPOOL/VANPOOLWhile most answers suggested that they would not carpool or vanpool in the first place, most respondents that were willing to carpool selected 1-4 miles. Table 7: Maximum distances willing to travel for carpool and vanpool service

Choice Perc. Responses1-4 miles 30.59% 264-8 miles 14.12% 12More than 8 miles 8.24% 7Does not matter, if convenient 14.12% 12Would not carpool or vanpool 37.65% 32

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Figure 6: Maximum distance willing to travel for carpooling or vanpooling

1-4 miles4-8 miles

More than 8 milesDoes not matter, if convenientWould not carpool or vanpool

0 10 20 30

Maximum distance willing to travel for carpooling/

vanpooling

Responses

Total number of responses

Dis

tanc

es

MOTIVATING FACTORSThe largest motivating factors from the survey were the emergency ride home program and free assistance for carpool and vanpool options. Potential monthly incentives and preferential parking were not seen as factors for Powhatan County commuters. It should be noted that nearly all “Other” choices involved some variation of the respondents saying that they prefer to drive alone no matter what the circumstances are. A few other items in the other choice were the possibilities of saving money.Table8: Factors that would consider people to switch from driving alone to carpooling or vanpooling

Choice Perc. ResponsesPreferential parking 0.00% 0Monthly incentives 0.00% 0Emergency ride home 51.76% 44Free assistance to find carpool/vanpool options 34.12% 29Other/would not carpool 35.29% 30

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Figure 7: Motivating factors to carpool and vanpool

02040

Motivating factors to carpool/vanpool

Responses

Factors

Repo

nses

ADDITIONAL COMMENTSThe final section of the survey asked the respondents to provide any feedback or comments they had. Of the 84 respondents, 18 responded with feedback. Below is a summary of the 18 provided responses:

Six respondents said how they were unsure if they would use it, but expressed that having such a service in their county would be beneficial, and needed. One explained how there needs to be better transportation action for disabled and elderly living in Powhatan County. One said how they would like to see a commuter bus open around Westchester Commons.

Four responses expressed that they enjoy the ability of having the flexibility while driving given their work demands, and in some circumstances, enjoy driving alone to work

Three responses expressed worry about how carpooling and vanpooling would lead to the suburbanization and urbanization of Powhatan County and hurt its rural character

Two responses did not want the government to help them going to work Two responses simply said “none”. One response urged that the government focus more resources in road and

highways over public transportation

RECOMMENDATIONS The total number of responses (84) was less than one percent (1%) of the survey area’s population. It is recommended that RideFinders continues to raise awareness in Powhatan County of the types of service RideFinders provides. These services to make aware include the Rt. 82 line, vanpooling, carpooling, GreenRide matching

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and the ERH. RideFinders also recommends exploring opportunities to share its message within the community at outreach events.

REFERENCES

McFarland, L. (2016, February 27). Powhatan to lose second prion in three years. Richmond

Times-Dispatch. Retrieved June 10, 2016, from http://www.richmond.com/news/local/central-virginia/powhatan/powhatan-today/article_9e5f8818-dd74-11e5-b9b9-47cc26f64354.html

Powhatan Rideshare Today [Interview by RideFinders]. (2015, January 27). In SurveyMonkey.

Retrieved June 9, 2016, from https://www.surveymonkey.com/summary/

zNRw_2BBZ4PkJSASOxj9rYAcb57_2FjQrji8AowUmqH092U_3D

U.S. Census. (2015, August 1). Powhatan County, Virginia QuickFacts (United States,

Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau). Retrieved June 9, 2016, from

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/51145/ql

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