Student Free Fare Program Update: April 19, 2016

County of Fairfax, Virginia

Student Free Fare Program UPDATE

Fairfax County TACApril 19, 2016

FCDOT Transit Services DivisionFCPS Transportation


Student Free Fare ProgramProvide free trips on Fairfax Connector buses to Fairfax County high school and middle school students

• Developed in response to a Board Matter • FY2015 budget language requested the Department

of Transportation explore transportation partnerships with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

• County and FCPS LOBs intersection project

Department of Transportation 2


Purpose• Provide Fairfax County students with

transportation options– Freedom to access before and after

school activities such as, tutoring, sports, clubs, community service, and employment

• Workforce commuter preparedness– Preparing the next generation of transit

riders for a more urban transportation and multi-modal environment



Goals• Short Term

– Fill gaps for school transportation services impacted by new school hours for FCPS high school students

– Provide flexibility for students to travel on existing service

– Increase Fairfax Connector ridership



Goals• Long Term

– As the County continues to grow more urban & densely populated; positions Fairfax Connector to be a vital and sustainable transportation option

– Establishes transit as an important component of the County’s transportation system -- especially with Millennials

– Reduces congestion on transportation network, by reducing the number of trips that parents must make to transport students

– Workforce commuter preparedness



Pilot Program Requirements• Pass required to ride• Pass distribution and permission forms maintained and

distributed by FCPS• Passes valid on Fairfax Connector only

‒ Monday - Friday‒ 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Parent/guardian permission required• Adherence to Fairfax Connector rules of conduct• Provisions for home and private school students who

reside in Fairfax County



Fairfax Connector Responsibilities• Outreach

– Public & School

• Pass production– Cost sharing with FCPS

• Operational readiness– Enhanced bus operator training– Farebox programming (ridership data)



FCPS Responsibilities

• Pass distribution and tracking – 6,200 passes distributed to schools– Unique serial number

• allows schools to administratively track passes assigned to students

• Regular coordination with FCDOT on school outreach strategies and pass distribution



In-School Outreach• Targeted 5 schools based on

– Fairfax Connector bus service access– Geographic distribution

• Schools– Chantilly High School (Chantilly) – Edison High School (Alexandria)– Madison High School (Vienna)– Mount Vernon High School (Alexandria)– South Lakes High School (Reston)



Outreach

• Elizabeth’s Journey: How to Ride– Featured on Channels 16 & 21; in school media– Travel training– Bike & Ride training – Rules of riding

• “Give respect to get respect”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaFYZsCDgmA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaFYZsCDgmA


Outreach• Web & social media

campaign • Pre-school Year Events/Open

Houses– On-site pass sign-up/

distribution– On-site Fairfax Connector

bus, operator & staff– Customized map with bus

stop and route information


http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/news/2015/15_014.htm


Student Participation Targeted 5 Schools


Location # of Passes Distributed

High School Population

% of Students with Passes

Chantilly HS

191 2,680 7%

Edison HS

814 1,936 42%

James Madison HS

81 2,109 4%

Mt. Vernon HS

314 1,963 16%

South Lakes HS 943 2,430 39%

TOTALS 2,343 11,118 students 22% (average)


08/31-09/06/1509/07-09/13/1509/14-09/20/1509/21-09/27/1509/28-10/04/1510/05/10/11/1510/12-10/18/1510/19-10/25/1510/26-11/01/1511/02-11/08/1511/09-11/15/1511/16-11/22/1511/23-11/29/1511/30-12/06/1512/07-12/13/1512/14-12/20/1512/21-12/27/1512/28-01/03/1601/04-01/10/1601/11-01/17/1601/18-01/24/1601/25-01/31/1602/01-02/07/1602/08-02/14/1602/15-02/21/1602/22-02/28/1602/29-03/06/1603/07-03/13/1603/14-03/20/16

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500252

5931,300

1,8452,218

2,5202,499

3,2073,277

2,6633,140

3,4742,346

3,2783,873

4,0041,1991,220

3,2843,484

1,515890

3,3863,634

2,5113,971

3,7124,233

2,211

Fairfax Connector Weekly Student Ridership

Major holiday

Severe weather

Spring break


75,739 Student Trips in 29 Weeks



A total of 904 student trips taken on before 6AM or after 8PM

5 AM 6 AM 7 AM 8 AM 9 AM 10 AM 11 AM 12 PM 1 PM 2 PM 3 PM 4 PM 5 PM 6 PM 7 PM 8 PM 9 PM 10 PM 11 PM162

1,186

11,637

4,170

2,4851,876 2,108 2,359

3,351 3,611

15,157

10,940

7,575

4,226

2,487

1,034442 206 94

Weekday Student Ridership by Time of Day **Total weekday ridership since inception


• Some student pass usage on weekends was recorded in our ridership data– Demonstrates demand for weekend service,

which was also noted in student survey responses

– Working with service contractor to monitor and address


Student Ridership


Surveys: Assessing Opinions

• Program impact – Surveys

• Quantitative and qualitative data from students, parents, school officials, and bus operators

– Student surveys capture ideas for refining program • Increasing ridership



Student Survey ResultsSurvey Participation Rate (94 responses in total)

– 3.9% overall South Lakes HS student pop.

– 10% of students with passes

– Near even distribution grades 9-12


1.1%

27.7%

23.4%25.5%

22.3%

What grade are you in?

8th grade

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

12th grade


Pass Data


Do you have a Free Student Bus Pass?

Yes No

20.5%

79.5%


Program Information


If you heard about the free bus pass at school, can you be more specific?

Answer Options Response Percent

School announcement 52.40% Friends 22.00% School orientation event 13.40%

Teacher, counselor, or administrator4.90%

Parent or guardian 4.90%

School website 1.20%

Fairfax Connector flier 1.20%


Pass Usage


How often do you use your free bus pass?

1-2 days a week 3-4 days a week

5 days a week Once every 2 weeks

Once a month Other (please specify)

50%

This category includes: don’t have a bus pass, everyday use, or use it when necessary


When do you use the pass?


Morning Middle of the day Afternoon Evening Weekends

49.3%

12.3%

82.2%

37.0%

20.5%


Where do you go with your pass?

Where do you typically travel with the free pass? (select all that apply)Answer Options Response Percent

To your home 45.6%To your school 32.3%To an after school job 11.8%To another school for a special program or activity 4.4%To an activity center (e.g. the mall, RECenter, parks, movie theater)

5.9%



How would you improve the program?


Extend hours Include Saturday Include Sunday Other

60.3%

75.9%

62.1%

5.2%

What would you do to improve the program? (select all that apply)

“Because some students have to go

to school on the weekends.

We have practice and activities to attend and we don’t have a

ride.”

“Post flyers at every

single high school;

More bus frequency”


What the students are saying…


“I think it’s a great idea to train kids to

ride the bus at an early age.” “It’s helpful to my

education because it provides me with

transportation when I stay after school with

my teachers to improve my expertise on a subject. Without the pass I would not

have transportation.”

“This Connector pass is VERY convenient and VERY helpful to me and so many other students. This makes my commute to and from school so much simpler and

has helped me so much especially when staying after school.”


What Administrators are saying…


“Many of our students come from either dual income working families or single- low income working families. This makes transportation an issue for students who are involved with afterschool and extracurricular activities.

By having access to free transportation, our students are able to participate and be able to get home and back to their events.

It also allows the students to be active participants in the school.”


Fairfax Connector is Increasing Student Engagement


77.8%

22.2%

Have you seen increased student participation or their ability to engage in after school activities because the Fairfax Connector service is avail-

able?

Yes Don't know


Fairfax Connector is Improving Student Tardiness/Absenteeism


44.4%

22.2%

33.3%

Do you feel that the Student Bus Pass Program has improved the rates of student tardiness or absen-

teeism?

Yes No

Don't know


What Administrators are saying…


“Connector gives our

students more flexibility in

their ability to stay after

school for clubs

and activities

as well as extra help from teachers.”

“Connector allows students to stay late for remediation and

activities EVERY day.

Students who would ordinarily miss school

altogether end up coming tardy rather

than not at all.”

“With the early start times and lack of late buses in the afternoon, students are able to stay at school or come early to receive their education.”


Assessing Challenges• 168 bus operators

surveyed – Student behavior on

buses• a NON-issue • Rated by our operators

as the SAME as other passengers

• Behavior description rated at “GOOD” or “VERY GOOD”


No Response11%

Better behaved than other riders

11%

About the same as other riders

65%

Not as well behaved as other riders

13%

Student Rider Behavior


Assessing Challenges• Pass “Loss”

– Max 2 replacements per student to prevent abuse– School principals set their own policy for replacement– Administrator survey recommendation suggests charging a

“replacement fee” that increases with each replacement.

• Suspected Unauthorized Pass Use– Suspicious activity monitored

• Students boarding buses without pass• Bus pass sharing

– Friends– Older, non-eligible riders



Assessing Challenges• Need for a photo-ID pass

– Based on bus operator and administrator input

– Prevent abuse– Requires further coordination



Recommendations


Program Recommendations

BOS & School Board

Outreach Experienc

e

Program Data

Ridership & Survey

Data

Lessons Learned


Data Driven Recommendations• Seek Board and FCPS feedback • Seek Board approval for revised 2015-2016 school

year program• Expand program days and time

– 5 am – 10 pm– 7 days a week (add use on Saturday & Sunday) – September 2016 – September 2017

• Add photo to Bus Pass/Universal Student ID’s



Data Driven Recommendations (con’t.)

• Additional high schools for targeted outreach; plus middle schools

• Reinforce availability for all high school and middle school students

• Return recommendations to Board Transportation Committee on May 24, 2016



Expanding & Continuing Partnerships

• Partner with other transit service providers – City of Fairfax CUE– Explore options for students and schools served only by Metrobus

• FCPS– The Department of Vehicles Services

• Buses, cars and service trucks are maintained at the four county garages.– Radio Systems and Services Center

• The radios for buses, cars and service trucks are installed and maintained by the radio shop. The entire system of repeaters and antennas are all part of the working relationship of the County and FCPS



Refine & Engage • Parity

– Include bus pass information/forms along with school parking pass information

• Outreach – Create “toolkit” for administrators– Update “Elizabeth’s Journey” PSA video, as needed– Update outreach materials and pass; color code – Robust social media campaign– Increase in-school and other outreach opportunities



Questions/Discussion




A total of 633 student trips taken on Sat & Sun over 29 weeks

5 AM 6 AM 7 AM 8 AM 9 AM 10 AM 11 AM 12 PM 1 PM 2 PM 3 PM 4 PM 5 PM 6 PM 7 PM 8 PM 9 PM 10 PM 11 PM

14

5

2016

33

25

49

44

52

64

53

60 59

37 36

29

18

12

7

Weekend Student Ridership by Time of Day **Total weekend ridership since inception

Student Free Fare Program Update: April 19, 2016

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