Appendix B – Northeast Sector Area Transit Plan Survey Prepared by NRG Research Group
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Appendix B – Northeast Sector Area Transit Plan Survey Prepared by NRG Research Group November 2013 Northeast Sector Area Transit Plan Survey June 2013 Prepared by: NRG Research Group Suite 1380-1100 Melville Street Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6 Table of Contents Summary…………………………………………………………………….................................................... 3 Method……………………………………………………………………………..................……....................... 6 Participants - Panel………………………………….................…………………………..................................... 7 Weighting – Panel.....………………….................………………………………………..................................... 8 Participants - Public………………………………….................…………………………..................................... 10 Results…………………………………………………………………………………..................…...................... 11 Current Transit Use and Opinions of Service in Northeast Sector............................................... 11 Opinions on Potential Changes to the Northeast Sector Transit Network................................. 23 Public Consultation-Specific Questions....................................................................................... 53 Appendix: Demographics..……………………………………………..................………....................... 57 Appendix: Survey – TransLink Listens Version…...........…………......................................... 65 Appendix: Survey – Consulting (Public) Version…...........………........................................ 73 Appendix: Promotional Materials..........………………………………......................................... 82 Summary Background • From May 28th to June 14th, 2013, TransLink conducted a TransLink Listens* panel survey with residents of the Northeast Sector (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra); as well as those who travel within or through the Northeast Sector at least once a month and reside in Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Vancouver, Burnaby, or New Westminster. A total of 441 TransLink Listens panelists completed the survey. • During the same time period, TransLink also conducted the Northeast Sector Public Consultation Survey. This was a very similar and related survey with the general public using an open link from the TransLink website. This survey received a total of 699 completions. • The purpose of the survey was to gather feedback on the issues and opportunities with the transit network in the Northeast Sector, to provide input into Phase 1 of TransLink’s Northeast Sector Area Transit Plan. • The results from the panel were weighted to reflect the known age, gender, region, and main mode of travel parameters of the Metro Vancouver region (based on census data and prior demographic studies). • The results from the Northeast Sector Public Consultation Survey were not weighted in this way, and should be interpreted as directional and with caution due to the lack of controls within an open link study. *Note: Responses of TransLink Listens panelists may differ from random general population surveying, even with weighting, due to the panel’s likely more frequent experience with transit and transportation surveys. 3 Summary Current Transit Use in Northeast Sector • To have qualified for the study, TransLink Listens panel invitees were required to either live in Anmore, Belcarra, or the Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, or Port Moody) or travel within or through any part of the Northeast Sector by any mode of travel at least monthly or more often. The public survey required no pre-qualification to complete. • Transit Use: • Among panelists, 31% use public transit more than once a week, while one in ten (11%) never use public transit. • Among the public, 66% take transit more than once a week, while only 4% say they never use transit. • Most Common Transit Service Usage in Past Six Months: • Among panelists, 97 B-Line (mentioned by 27%), West Coast Express (20%). • Among the public, 97 B-Line (47%), 160 Port Coquitlam/Vancouver (44%). • Transit Service Usage Differences Between Respondent Groups: • Route C38 has been used in the past six months by 22% of Public Survey respondents, but only 5% of TransLink Listens respondents. • Ratings of overall quality of transit service in the Northeast Sector are similar between the two groups. Panelists give an average rating of 5.2 out of 10 and the Public version averages 5.1. 4 Summary Opinions on Potential Changes to the Northeast Sector Transit Network • The most important change in service that would affect respondents’ decision to use transit in the Northeast Sector more often is the same for both groups: increased service frequency (average rating of 7.6 out of 10 for Panelists, 8.5 for Public). • The other changes suggested are rated as follows: • Make existing service more direct: average rating of 7.5 out of 10 for Panelists, 7.8 for Public • Improve the travel time for existing service: average rating of 7.4 out of 10 for Panelists, 7.9 for Public • Provide new service and/or more direct connections to areas of the Northeast Sector currently without service or direct connections: average rating of 7.2 out of 10 for Panelists, 7.8 for Public • Extend service hours earlier or later: average rating of 7.0 out of 10 for Panelists, 7.7 for Public • Add Park & Ride space at transit exchanges: average rating of 6.7 out of 10 for Panelists, 5.8 for Public • More bus stops with a shelter and route information: average rating of 6.5 out of 10 for Panelists, 6.4 for Public • Improve amenities at transit exchanges (e.g., seating, lighting, retail, etc.): average rating of 5.7 out of 10 for Panelists, 5.6 for Public • More bicycle lockers at transit exchanges: average rating of 4.4 out of 10 for Panelists, 3.9 for Public 5 Method Data Collection & Weighting 6 Participants – TransLink Listens Version TransLink operates an online advisory panel called TransLink Listens among residents of the Metro Vancouver area. This panel is open to all interested residents, and allows residents to have their say on important transportation issues, typically via online surveys. TransLink Listens panelists whose municipality of record is within the Northeast Sector, along with those who reside in Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Burnaby, or New Westminster were invited to complete a survey regarding the current state of transit use in the Northeast Sector. A soft launch involving 200 of the selected panelists was conducted on May 28, 2013. The full launch to all 1,183 remaining Northeast Sector and Burnaby/New Westminster panelists was sent out on May 30. On June 10, a decision was made to include residents of the city of Vancouver (1,649 panelists). The survey was open until 4:00pm on June 14. There were two reminder emails sent to maximize the response rate: one on June 5, and the second on June 13. Of the 3,032 TransLink Listens panelists invited, a total of 441 completed the survey (for a final completion rate of 14.5%). In all, 229 were completed by residents of the Northeast Sector. Another 49 were completed by those who reside in Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge, 71 surveys were completed by residents of the City of Vancouver, and 83 surveys were completed by residents of Burnaby and New Westminster. A small number of surveys (6) were completed by respondents who have moved from the Northeast Sector since they joined the panel. The data in this study were weighed to more closely represent the age, gender, and region profile of Metro Vancouver residents from the targeted regions as well as main mode of travel. The weighting methodology is described on the following slides. 7 Weighting – TransLink Listens Version Weighting the data occurs in two steps, based on the RIM weighting process: Step 1: Calculating Sex-Age by Region weights • Using 2011 Canada Census data, the appropriate proportions of Sex (male and female) and Age (16-34, 35-54, 55+) groups by region are determined for Vancouver, Burnaby/ New Westminster, and Northeast. • This results in a 6 (Sex-Age groups) by 3 (Regions) matrix of proportions that sum to 1.00 (a sample row for Burnaby/New Westminster is shown below). • The obtained proportions for those same matrix cells are then calculated based on the survey results. • By dividing the obtained proportions into the parameter proportions, weights for each group are obtained. Each case is up- or down-weighted in accordance with its under- or over-representation in the sample. M 16 - 34 M 35 - 54 M 55+ F 16 - 34 F 35 - 54 F 55+ Burnaby/ New Westminster 0.03845 0.04126 0.03681 0.03756 0.04413 0.04224 (Parameter) Burnaby/ New Westminster 0.02529 0.05517 0.03908 0.01149 0.03218 0.03448 (Obtained) Burnaby/ New Westminster 1.52 0.75 0.94 3.27 1.37 1.22 (Weight) 8 Weighting – TransLink Listens Version Step 2: Correcting for Main Mode of Transportation after applying the first weights. • Parameters for Main Mode are obtained using the results of a 2008 TransLink Metro Vancouver telephone survey, with responses broken out by region. • Using these parameters, weighting factors are calculated for each mode. • The original weights are then multiplied by the Main Mode weighting factor to obtain the final weights (a sample row for Burnaby/New Westminster is shown below). • The second weights slightly offset the initial corrections, but because of the over- representation of transit users on TransLink Listens, and the under-representation of vehicle users, particularly those whose main mode is to drive alone (SOV), it is an important correction to make when extrapolating to the population of Metro Vancouver. SOV Rideshare Transit Other Burnaby/ New Westminster