Mass_Transit_September/-October_2019 - 57

understand this reality and have
focused on tactics that increase
service frequency on heavily used
routes, invest in traffic signal
priority systems and reduce the
number of stops to reduce duration of the ride. Additionally, 81
percent of transit buses have adopted automatic vehicle location
systems to optimize operations
and provide real-time bus arrival
notices to riders.
In recent years, we have seen
several agencies roll out "overnight" system redesigns that
concentrate on improving service
along the busiest corridors. Often,
this means a 10-minute wait for
the next bus, rather than 20 or
30 minutes. Agencies have also
extended service hours into the
evenings and have added weekend
hours to accommodate the diverse
schedules of service workers.
In Houston, Texas, for example, a major reimagining of their
METRO bus system has resulted
in reliable service being delivered
to residents seven days a week,
with buses arriving at stops on
heavy-use routes about every 15
minutes. The city reorganized
its routes from a previous radial design into a grid, so buses
now reach more parts of the city.
METRO ridership has increased
since this transformation.

Strategy 2 - Use tech
and partnerships to
make trips seamless

One consequence of concentrating resources on a city's busiest
corridors is that the outlying,
low-density areas may receive
less emphasis in terms of routes
and service frequency. However, it
is important to continue to serve
this market with transit options.
This is why many agencies are
partnering with Uber, Lyft and
other transportation network
companies (TNCs) to create a
seamless solution.
No doubt, transit agencies
and TNCs continue to compete
head-to-head in certain markets,

but increasingly they are realizing
the outsized benefits possible to
both parties when they cooperate. TNCs already are providing transportation to and from
transit hubs but could serve a
valuable role as an extender of
bus services in select geographic
areas through partnerships with
the transit agency. This could include agency subsidies for TNC
rides, potentially a less costly
proposition in low-density areas
where full-sized buses may not
necessarily be the most efficient
way to provide transit services.
Ultimately, consumers make
the decision about the transportation services they'll use,
and they appreciate any effort
to make such decisions easier
and less stressful. This is why
we're seeing more bus agencies
and TNCs collaborating on the
information front, providing
consumers with
transparency in
terms of available
travel options.
Denver, Colo.,
is experimenting
with Uber in this
regard, offering the
public an easy way
to plan multimodal
trips - such as a bus
trip and Uber trip -
in one place. In essence, the Regional Transportation
District is providing real-time bus
(and train) information to Uber,
which in turn incorporates this
information into its ride-sharing
app. This collaboration also lets
riders use the app to buy their
transit tickets and access endto-end directions. Initial findings
of the experiment are promising,
which means that other cities
soon could offer a similar service.

Strategy 3 - Think
outside the bus

Many bus shelters have long been
in need of a makeover, and some

More online
Creating a Sense
of Place at bus
stops improves
the customer
experience
MassTransitmag.
com/21093924

agencies are taking steps to make
the (ever-briefer) wait for a bus
more pleasant. High efficiency
LED or even solar lighting is now
common on shelters. Technology,
too, is playing a role. We're seeing
a trend of digital readouts at bus
stops to provide real-time bus arrival information, as well as WiFi connections so that passengers
can begin to stream their entertainment before boarding their
(Wi-Fi enabled) bus.
Fare collection is rapidly
evolving as well. Most bus rapid
transit (BRT) routes employ offboard ticketing with the aid of
Ticket Vending Machines (TVM).
Increasingly, transit agencies are
moving toward mobile ticketing
whereby passengers can purchase
single ride or even multi-ride
passes on their smartphones -
even if their trip requires a transfer or multiple providers.

Dreamstime

MORE BUSES
will start to
have Wi-Fi
and electrical
outlets in
addition to more
comfortable
seats and better
environmental
controls.

Strategy 4 - Electrify
for the future

On-board Wi-Fi and electrical
outlets are still relatively uncommon, but we believe they'll soon be
ubiquitous. Such amenities, along
with more comfortable seats and
better environmental controls are
part and parcel of the newest buses
rolling off the assembly lines. The
newest buses are dazzling in every
way, and when they roll down the
street, they instantly reframe the
"bus experience" in many people's
minds.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | MassTransitmag.com | Mass Transit |

http://www.MassTransitmag.com

Mass_Transit_September/-October_2019

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