How TMA Services are Shifting the TDM Landscape in Waterloo Region

Engraining TDM in Policy, Programming, and Planning

Mathew Thijssen, MASustainable Waterloo Region@mathew_thijssenlinkedin.con/in/mathewthijssen

James LaPointe, MA., RPP, MCIPRegion of Waterloo@jlapointe_tdmlinkedin.com/in/jamestlapointe

Before Survey #2

The Context | Growth!

2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

5

10

15

20

25

30

27

10 1216

2

6

66

72

4

Private Public Non-Profit

Tota

l M

em

bers

hip

Before Survey #2

The Context | Paid Membership

Sliding scale for membership costs:

• Membership revenue covers about 30%• Gives members a bit more “skin in the game”• Clarity of business case is key

Before Survey #2

The Context | What We Do• Discounted Transit

Passes• gotravelwise.ca• Emergency Ride Home

Before Survey #2

TMA Challenges | Momentum

• Captive business audience

• 50% of members are joint

• Part of a community movement

• Highlights importance

Before Survey #2

TMA Challenges | Streamlining

Before Survey #2

TMA Challenges | Scaling• Biggest budget item is staff time

• If we try and have a ratio of 1:20, it’s tough

Before Survey #2

Credibility | Third Party

• Establishes a semi-independent brand:

▫ Strength of association with Regional/City government

▫ More flexibility to adapt to demand

▫ A different image and level of trust from commuters

Before Survey #2

Credibility | Good Data is Key

• In 2014, we collected 5,200 data points (over 20% of TMA responses)

• Want to use this data to show opportunities for employers and for community infrastructure

Before Survey #2

Credibility | Good Data is Key

Informing Regional Activities

Informing Regional Decision Making

- TMA data are leading to improved decision making for mode-specific endeavors - Segmented marketing for transit

- Informed infrastructure prioritization

- Building into policy goals

- Aligning with “big data”

Integration in Planning Process

Scaled Services have allowed numerous

TDM-solutions to be integrated with planning

development application approvals

- TDM Checklists & Parking Reductions Worksheets

- Minimum “TDM-ness” of developments and TDM

plans

- Seeping into additional professional portfolios,

authorities, and jurisdictions

Before Survey #2

The Ongoing Struggles

• How do we keep building participation from our members?

• How do we expand services available for members?

• How do we balance competing stakeholders and priorities? (non-profit, 3 cities, Regional government)

• How do we balance member priorities knowing that everyone is unique?

• How do we deal with stragglers, or members who aren’t engaged?

• How do we engage with developers?

Before Survey #2

Thanks!The key to TDM

success is long-term systematic integration!

The Ongoing Struggles• How to boost participation (in general)

• Additional services—question for staff??

• Stakeholder engagement—great when it works, overlapping responsibilities, streamlining without stepping on people’s toes?

• Identifying member priorities knowing that everyone is unique?

• Stragglers???

• Developer category?

• Executing services / answering explaining services as part of TDM requirements – additional professional liasoning with transportation planning / spreading tdm staff time thinner between a variety of departments

• Legal agreements – complexity in categories of service and administration

• Economic development,

• Growth and inclusion in additional policy – difficult to maintain focus and