Implementation and Outcomes of Fare-Free Transit Systems (2012) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Pages 17-34
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 17... ...
18 Survey Methodology -- IdentIfIcatIon of fare-free SySteMS The purpose of any TCRP synthesis is to summarize the current state of the practice within the transit industry, usually requiring a survey of public transit agencies that provides information and insights on agency experiences. Because only a limited number of public transit agencies offer farefree service, it was not practical to survey all transit agencies in the United States.
|
From page 18... ...
19 Attached is a questionnaire that I have prepared. It is not a fill-inthe-blank type of instrument, because we need to know in more depth what your experience has been.
|
From page 19... ...
20 eight public transit agencies in university-dominated communities serve not just the university but the surrounding community as well. However, substantial percentages (in six of the eight cases)
|
From page 20... ...
21 in gas prices and declines in times of accelerated economic activity. Small urban and rural service areas can often be quite large, and travel distances can be long for work, medical services, or training.
|
From page 21... ...
22 well, owing to the higher number of passenger miles entered into the allocation formula. As an example, the Marion City Bus Department in Indiana decided to eliminate its $0.50 fare in 2008 and offer fare-free service.
|
From page 22... ...
23 affected. The fare was eliminated after a year when the Illinois governor exempted senior citizens from paying fares since students and people with disabilities had already been exempted and university students were prepaid; the only people left paying were the poorest people.
|
From page 23... ...
24 reaSonS for fare-free ServIce In reSort coMMunItIeS Public transit agencies in resort communities have their own unique reasons to offer fare-free service. In ski resort towns, as noted earlier, communities can be swamped by visitors on weekends and holidays in particular.
|
From page 24... ...
25 22 agencies that reported that they had not considered establishing a nominal fare. The primary reasons for not charging a nominal fare was the very low net gain (or loss)
|
From page 25... ...
26 progressive areas, communities described as conservative or mixed have also adopted and maintained such policies. In addition to noting their policy-making environment, respondents provided the organizational structure of which they are a part.
|
From page 26... ...
27 at approximately 100,000 riders per year. Once the fare was eliminated, ridership from that same segment increased quickly by 200%.
|
From page 27... ...
28 None of the responding agencies reported that capacity was a critical issue. even large percentage increases can be handled with existing capacity if the base number of passengers prior to fare-free policies is relatively small.
|
From page 28... ...
29 • Customer satisfaction surveys indicate a very high degree of satisfaction with the quality of our services. • We have done 20 surveys and we get consistently excellent ratings.
|
From page 29... ...
30 than one might expect, and their experience is no worse than systems that charge fares. Two responding transit systems noted that they provide a police substation at their bus transfer center that deals with people who fail to cooperate with their code of conduct policies.
|
From page 30... ...
31 A few of the respondents indicated that there are occasional complaints from taxpayers who grumble about the service being fare-free, although the magnitude of these complaints has not been great enough for any system to reconsider their status as providers of such service. In some cases there are municipal officials whose jurisdiction provides matching funds to federal grants and who ask why their agencies should pay if the direct recipients of services are not paying.
|
From page 31... ...
32 Small Urban and Rural System Responses University Community Systems Responses Resort Community Systems Responses Operators prefer it because of fewer arguments over fares Operators are grateful not to deal with fares Operators have had some difficulties with rowdy passengers Operators love it (two agencies) Operators totally embraced it Operators feel safer and many have come to work at their agency because it is fare-free Operators can serve as ambassadors for the system with more time to answer questions Operators embrace and support fare-free Operators have many distractions and are very pleased not to deal with fares Operators strongly desire it Operators appreciate not monitoring fares, but more need to police vagrants Operators were wary, but have been pleasantly surprised by lack of incidents Operators love it Operators glad not to collect fares, but sense a lack of respect Operators love to be ambassadors for the town Operators loved going to farefree Our drivers love not dealing with money Drivers say there would be more arguments with fares Operators had mixed feelings, but believe a fare should be charged due to economy Operators can focus on the safe operation of their bus TABLe 15 FARe-FRee PUBLIC TRANSIT AGeNCIeS' BUS OPeRATORS' ATTITUDeS TOWARD FARe-FRee SeRVICe TABLe 16 HOW FARe-FRee TRANSIT AFFeCTS ON-TIMe PeRFORMANCe Small Urban and Rural Systems Responses University Community Systems Responses Resort Community Systems Responses Operates more efficiently by boarding through both doors (three agencies provided this response)
|
From page 32... ...
33 the many awards they have received from the International City Management Association, APTA, and the state of South Carolina. Its fare-free service has helped to bridge the normal tensions between a university and its surrounding community.
|
From page 33... ...
34 A number of agencies provided estimates of the environmental benefits that their systems produce: • The Breckenridge Free Ride transit agency submitted a Livability Grant to the federal government, citing the transit-oriented developments that are being built for affordable housing and the reduction of 202,336 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in the prior year because choice riders used the system. • Streamline Transit estimated a net reduction of 929,043 vehicle-miles traveled and a carbon dioxide savings of 1,041,642 pounds during the first ten months of 2009.
|
From page 34... ...
35 Area Transit, Crested Butte, and Steamboat Springs) ; and how they believed their public transit service has a valueadded impact in their communities.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.