Customer Service and Operations Committee

Board Action Item III-A

September 8, 2011

Metrobus Service Considerations

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TITLE:

Service Considerations FY2012

PURPOSE:

To obtain Committee and Board of Directors approval to take the necessary steps, including meeting public hearing requirements, to modify bus services to improve service effectiveness and customer satisfaction.

DESCRIPTION:

The Washington region is consistently in the top three “most congested traffic areas” in the Country. Economic development projects, street realignment projects and increasing amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists continue to affect the flow of traffic, including Metrobuses. In addition, workplace locations change, (e.g., BRAC related office moves), neighborhoods grow, and street patterns are altered. To serve our customers efficiently, bus services must also change.

Metrobus has established criteria to determine service effectiveness, including average ridership per day, passengers per revenue trip, passengers per revenue mile, subsidy per passenger, and cost recovery. Working within available resources, we want to maximize service efficiency, more closely matching capacity to demand and redirecting resources to areas of greatest need. This approach to service realignment would not increase operating costs nor require additional buses, but would increase ridership and the farebox recovery ratio, and maintain or improve overall on-time performance and customer satisfaction.

The approval of the Customer Service and Safety Committee and Board of Directors is sought to take actions, including holding public hearings, to modify bus services to improve service effectiveness and customer satisfaction.

Specific service adjustment recommendations, which if approved in their entirety will be cost neutral, are detailed in the attachment.

FUNDING IMPACT:

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Board Action/Information Summary

Action InformationMEAD Number:

101343 Resolution:

Yes No

Define current or potential funding impact, including source of reimbursable funds. Project Manager: James Hamre

Page 1 of 2

8/31/2011http://mead/prod/reports/bais.cfm?RequestTimeout=300

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RECOMMENDATION:

Approval to take the necessary steps, including meeting public hearing requirements, to modify bus services to improve service effectiveness and customer satisfaction.

Project Department/Office: Bus Planning

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8/31/2011http://mead/prod/reports/bais.cfm?RequestTimeout=300

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Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Metrobus Service Considerations forMetrobus Service Considerations for FY2012

Customer Service and Operations CommitteeSeptember 8, 2011

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Purpose

To obtain Committee and Board of Directors approval to take the necessary steps, including public hearing requirements, to modify bus services to improve service effectiveness and customer

i f isatisfaction

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Background

• The Washington region is consistently in the top three “most congested g g y p gtraffic areas” in the Country

• Economic development projects, street realignment projects and increasing amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists continueincreasing amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists continue

• This growth in congestion and transportation related projects impact the running time of buses

• Workplace locations change, neighborhoods grow, and street patterns are altered. To efficiently serve our customers, bus services must change as well

• Working within available resources we want to maximize service efficiency, more closely matching capacity to demand

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Service Adjustment Considerations

Established criteria to determine serviceEstablished criteria to determine service effectiveness, which includes:

• Average ridership per day• Average ridership per day• Passengers per revenue trip• Passengers per revenue mile

b d• Subsidy per passenger• Cost recovery

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Service Adjustment Considerations

Service Improvements:

• Add trips on routes where crowding is an issue

• Add running times to routes that areAdd running times to routes that are consistently late

• Add trips to current routes to extend service l hlater in the evening

• Add Saturday or Sunday service to areas of the greatest demandthe greatest demand

• Restructure routes to eliminate duplicative segments of service

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Service Adjustment Considerations

Service Adjustments:j

• Remove specific early and late trips on routes where ridership is proven to be very lowp p y

• Expand headways on routes that would not create overcrowdingg

• Eliminate trips or sections of routes where other viable bus services are available options

• Terminate full routes that do not meet operating criteria

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Anticipated Results

This approach to service realignment would:pp g

• Not increase operating cost

N t i dditi l b• Not require additional buses

• Increase ridership

• Increase the farebox recovery ratio

• Maintain or improve overall on-time performance andMaintain or improve overall on time performance and customer satisfaction

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Service Proposal FY2012 – District of Columbia

Route Location R/NR * Service Days

Description Public Hrng Avg Wkdy Riders

Avg Sat Riders

Avg Sun Riders

On Time Perfor-mance

District of Columbia

42, 43Mount Pleasant R WK Convert 17 AM 42/ trips to 43, widen midday headway from

10 to 11-12 minutesNo 7,811 4,394 3,183 68%

B2 Bladensburg Rd-Anacostia R WK Running time adjustments for better reliability No 6,802 4,181 2,634 76%

D1Glover Park-Federal Triangle

R WK Widen AM Peak headway from 8 to 10 minutes No 517 0 0 74%

Sibley Hospital-Stadium- R WK Improve AM Peak headway from 10 to 8 minutes No 4 825 2 131 1 558 74%D6

Sibley Hospital StadiumArmory

R WK Improve AM Peak headway from 10 to 8 minutes No 4,825 2,131 1,558 74%

G8Rhode Island Avenue R WK Running time adjustments No 3,845 1,695 1,215 77%

L1, 2, 4

Connecticut Avenue R WK SA SU Eliminate L4 route. Reroute L1 via Virginia Ave NW between C and 23rd St. Reroute L2 to Columbia Road instead of 18th St, and to Dupont Circle underpass to Connecticut Ave and Farragut Square. Increase running times

Yes 4,220 2,205 1,497 57%

N6 Massachusetts Avenue R SA Widen headway from 24 to 30 minutes No 3,919 1,306 961 69%

U2Minnesota Avenue-Anacostia

R SA SU Add weekend service at 30 minute headway over a 16 hour span

No 2,230 0 0 75%

62,64,A4, B2,G2Various R WK SA Eliminate low-productive late Friday and Saturday night trips Yes

Subtotal District of Columbia Regional Service

Congress Heights Shuttle NR WK Extend to shopping center at Stanton & Alabama No 863 0 0 92%M8,9

Congress Heights Shuttle NR WK Extend to shopping center at Stanton & Alabama No 863 0 0 92%

P1,2,6

Anacostia-Eckington NR WK SA SU Eliminate P1 and P2. Reroute P6 via M Street SE and SW, and 4th St SW. Increase P6 running times. After midnight on Fri and Sat eliminate P6/ service between Rhode Island Avenue and Archives

Yes 3,457 1,656 991 64%

U5,6Mayfair-Marshall Heights NR WK Running time adjustments No 3,192 1,627 1,356 74%

D2 D8 H8 P6 Various NR WK SA Eliminate low-productive late Friday and Saturday night trips YesD2,D8,H8,P6 U4,U5, W2, W6,8

a ous S ate o p oduct e ate day a d Satu day g t t ps es

Subtotal District of Columbia Non Regional Service

TOTAL District of Columbia Service

* R/NR: Regional & Non-RegionalPage 14 of 64

Service Proposal FY2012 - Maryland

Route Location R/NR Service Days

Description Public Hrng

Avg Wkdy Rid

Avg Sat Riders

Avg Sun Riders

On Time Perfor-

Riders mance

MARYLAND

C8 College Park - White Flint

R WK Divert into FDA (White Oak) and Archives II during weekday business hours

No 2,329 1,431 0 70%

D12 13 14 Oxon Hill Suitland R WK SA SU Provide additional running time Add 4 weekday trips No 4 390 2 932 1 725 77%D12,13,14 Oxon Hill - Suitland R WK SA SU Provide additional running time. Add 4 weekday trips (3AM and 1 Late PM) , 2 Sat AM, and 2 Sun AM trips

No 4,390 2,932 1,725 77%

F4, 6 New Carrollton-Silver Spring

R WK Provide additional running time and increase capacity; break into separate lines. Reroute F6 to Fort Totten Station (for former R3 riders)

Yes 7,728 4,220 2,724 76%

R1 2 5 Riggs Road R WK SA SU Reroute R2 via 23rd Avenue (for former R3 customers) Yes 3 793 1 128 893 74%R1, 2, 5 Riggs Road R WK SA SU Reroute R2 via 23rd Avenue (for former R3 customers). Eliminate R5 route designation; service provided by R1 and R2.

Yes 3,793 1,128 893 74%

C4, J2, Q4, Y7,9 Various R WK SA SU Eliminate low productive late night trips Yes

Subtotal Maryland Regional Service

C22 26 Central Avenue NR WK Eliminate 2 late trips Yes 2 757 1 162 665 76%C22,26 Central Avenue NR WK Eliminate 2 late trips Yes 2,757 1,162 665 76%

R3 Greenbelt-Fort Totten NR WK SA SU Eliminate line as part of Hyattsville area service restructuring

Yes 1,315 756 308 66%

89 Laurel NR WK Shorten rush service headways from 40 minutes to 30 minutes

No 850 0 0 86%

S bt t l M l d N R i l S iSubtotal Maryland Non-Regional Service

TOTAL Maryland Service

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Service Proposal FY2012 - Virginia

Route Location R/NR Service Days

Description Public Hrng

Avg Wkdy

Avg Sat Riders

Avg Sun

On Time Perfor-

Riders Riders mance

VIRGINIA

1F Wilson Boulevard R FRI Eliminate late night service Yes 3,878 2,219 1,307 81%

3T Pi it Hill R WK SA Eli i t S t d i C t b k Y 852 318 0 83%3T Pimmit Hills R WK SA Eliminate Saturday service. Cut back weekday service from Tysons-Westpark to Tysons Corner.

Yes 852 318 0 83%

23A,C McLean-Crystal City R WK SA SU Add running time for better reliabilty and schedule adherence

No 3,440 2,160 1,515 73%

25A Ballston-Bradlee-Pentagon

R WK SA SU Reroute via Parkfairfax and eliminate Shirlington loop midda Monda Frida

No 1,303 386 353 86%Pentagon Shirlington loop midday Monday- Friday;

add PM peak running time; add two earlier trips on Sunday, one in each direction.

28A,X Leesburg Pike R WK Implement AM e/b and PM w/b service on 28X and extend to Mark Center at current 30 minute headway

No 5,488 4,290 3,392 82%

minute headway

TOTAL Virginia Service

TOTAL METROBUS SYSTEM

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Next Steps

R i C i l• Receive Committee approval

• Receive Board approval

Tentative public hearing schedule 2011:

− Hearings week of October 10Hearings week of October 10

− Board report complete October 19

− Board acceptance of the public hearing report November 17

• Implement service changes by mid 2012

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Recommendation

A l k h i l di bliApproval to take the necessary steps, including public hearing requirements, to modify bus services to improve service effectiveness and customer satisfaction

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PROP

OSED

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PROP

OSED

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PROP

OSED

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PROP

OSED

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