Wichita Transit Community Outreach Study Was Conducted with the Guidance, Support, and Participation of the Following People

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Acknowledgements

The Wichita Transit Community Outreach Services was funded through the City of Wichita and the Federal Transit Administration. The Wichita Transit Community Outreach Study was conducted with the guidance, support, and participation of the following people:

Sanford Alexander Wichita Transit Advisory Board Richard Carlon Wichita Transit Advisory Board Jennifer Connelly Wichita Transit Advisory Board John Dandurand Wichita Transit Advisory Board Jeff Fluhr Wichita Transit Advisory Board Brad Gorsuch Wichita Transit Advisory Board Rev. Kevin Graham Wichita Transit Advisory Board Jim Gulick Wichita Transit Advisory Board George Harris Wichita Transit Advisory Board Irene Hart Wichita Transit Advisory Board Shirley Jefferson Wichita Transit Advisory Board Rebecca McNelly Wichita Transit Advisory Board Rosemary Niedens Wichita Transit Advisory Board Susan Robinson Wichita Transit Advisory Board William Robison Wichita Transit Advisory Board John Rolfe Wichita Transit Advisory Board Richard Schodorf Wichita Transit Advisory Board Ron Terzian Wichita Transit Advisory Board Steve Turkle Wichita Transit Advisory Board Shawn Walters Wichita Transit Advisory Board Rex Wilcox Wichita Transit Advisory Board Janet Miller Wichita City Council Lavonta Williams Wichita City Council Robert Layton Wichita City Manager Brent Holper WAMPO Michael Vinson Wichita Transit Steve Ainslie Wichita Transit Stan Zienkewicz Wichita Transit Michelle Stroot Wichita Transit

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Consultant Team

Clyde Prem Olsson Associates Mark Swope Olsson Associates Tom Worker-Braddock Olsson Associates Triveece Harvey Patti Banks Associates (now Vireo) Karen Falk ETC Nathan Preheim MindMixer

Table of Contents Acknowledgements ...... iii Consultant Team ...... iv Figures ...... v Tables ...... vii Executive Summary ...... viii 1 Introduction ...... 1 2 Strategic Outreach ...... 1 3 Phase I - Identify needs and desired characteristics ...... 2 4 Phase II - Developing Transit Service Alternatives ...... 5 5 Phase III - Validate Concepts and Develop Policy Action Plan ...... 77 Appendix I Public Involvement ...... 87 Appendix II – Data ...... 109

Figures Figure ES.1: Route Concept A Peak Service Frequencies ...... ix Figure ES.2: Route Concept B Peak Service Frequencies ...... x Figure ES.3: Route Concept C Peak Service Frequencies ...... xi Figure ES.4: Route Concept D - outlying community local fixed route extension ...... xii Figure ES.5: Route Concept D - outlying community commuter express service ...... xiii Figure 4.1: Route Concept A ...... 6 Figure 4.2: Route Concept A - Peak Service Frequencies ...... 7 Figure 4.3: Route 1 ...... 8 Figure 4.4: Route 2 ...... 9 Figure 4.5: Route 3 ...... 10 Figure 4.6: Route 4 ...... 11 Figure 4.7: Route 5 ...... 12 Figure 4.8: Route 6 ...... 13 Figure 4.9: Route 7 ...... 14 Figure 4.10: Route 8 ...... 15 Figure 4.11: Route 9 ...... 16 Figure 4.12: Route 10 ...... 17 Figure 4.13: Route 11 ...... 18 Figure 4.14: Route 12 ...... 19 Figure 4.15: Route 13 ...... 20 Figure 4.16: Route 14 ...... 21

Figure 4.17: Route 15 ...... 22 Figure 4.18: Route 16 ...... 23 Figure 4.19: Route 17 ...... 24 Figure 4.20: Northwest flex ...... 25 Figure 4.21: Route Concept B ...... 26 Figure 4.22: Route Concept B Peak Service Frequencies ...... 27 Figure 4.23: Route 1 ...... 28 Figure 4.24: Route 2 ...... 29 Figure 4.25: Route 3 ...... 30 Figure 4.26: Route 6 ...... 31 Figure 4.27: Route 7 ...... 32 Figure 4.28: Route 8 ...... 33 Figure 4.29: Route 9 ...... 34 Figure 4.30: Route 11 ...... 35 Figure 4.31: Route 12 ...... 36 Figure 4.32: Route 13 ...... 37 Figure 4.33: Route 15 ...... 38 Figure 4.34: Route 16 ...... 39 Figure 4.35: Route 17 ...... 40 Figure 4.36: Route Concept C ...... 42 Figure 4.37: Route Concept C Peak Service Frequencies ...... 43 Figure 4.38: Route 1 ...... 44 Figure 4.39: Route 2 ...... 45 Figure 4.40: Route 3 ...... 46 Figure 4.41: Route 4 ...... 47 Figure 4.42: Route 7 ...... 48 Figure 4.43: Route 8 ...... 49 Figure 4.44: Route 9 ...... 50 Figure 4.45: Route 10 ...... 51 Figure 4.46: Route 11 ...... 52 Figure 4.47: Route 12 ...... 53 Figure 4.48: Route 13 ...... 54 Figure 4.49: Route 15 ...... 55 Figure 4.50: Route 16 ...... 56 Figure 4.51: Route 17 ...... 57 Figure 4.52: Route 18 ...... 58 Figure 4.53: Route Concept D serving outlying communities with Commuter Express Service ...... 60 Figure 4.54: Augusta-Andover Express ...... 61 Figure 4.55: Kechi-Bel Aire Express ...... 62 Figure 4.56: Mulvane-Derby Express ...... 63 Figure 4.57: Goddard Express ...... 64

Figure 4.58: Hayesville Express ...... 65 Figure 4.59: Park City-Valley Center Express ...... 66 Figure 4.60: Maize Express ...... 67 Figure 4.61: Route Concept D serving outlying communities through extending local routes ...... 68 Figure 4.62: Andover Local Extension ...... 69 Figure 4.63: Bel Aire Local Extension ...... 70 Figure 4.64: Derby Local Extension ...... 71 Figure 4.65: Hayesville Local Extension ...... 72 Figure 4.66: Park City Local Extension ...... 73 Figure 4.67: Valley Center Local Extension ...... 74 Figure 5.1: Common Funding Mechanisms - Transit Agencies Service ...... 79

Tables Table ES.0.1 Concept Operating and Capital Costs ...... viii Table 4.1: Concept Cost Summary ...... 76 Table 4.2: Concept Capital Costs ...... 77 Table.5.1: Summary of Revenue Sources ...... 81 Table 5.2: Transit Investment Per Capita ...... 82 Table 5.3: Ranking by Annual Transit Operations Funding ...... 83 Table 5.4: Percent of Funding Derived From Fares...... 84 Table 5.5: Percent of Funding Derived From Federal Sources...... 84 Table 5.6: Percent of Funding Derived From State Sources ...... 85 Table 5.7: Percent of Funding Derived From Local Sources ...... 85 Table 5.8: Percent of Funding Derived From Other Sources ...... 86

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Executive Summary

In the summer of 2011, Olsson Associates and Pattie Banks Associates (now known as Vireo) was selected by the City of Wichita and Wichita Transit to conduct a community outreach study that involved gathering feedback from the general public and key stakeholder groups about needs and desired characteristics of transit in the Wichita area. This outreach included a series of stakeholder meetings, multiple public meetings, a county-wide, statistically valid survey of county residents, and an online engagement tool. Input gained was then used to develop a series of responsive transit concepts.

This input led to four concepts developed and presented for comments and evaluation to the public through additional public meetings and online engagement. The four concepts each vary by service span, service type, modes of service, and cost (See Table ES.1).

Table ES.1 Concept Operating and Capital Costs

Concept Description Operating Cost Capital Cost 30 Peak, 60 Off-Peak Frequency $21.1 million $78.5 million (includes Concept A Community Wide coverage Douglas Ave Bus Rapid Sunday and Evening Service Transit) Focuses on highest demand areas $14.9 million $15.7 Million Concept B Eliminates low ridership routes Sunday and Evening Service Eliminates Weekend service by 2013 $10.4 million Eliminates Westside Circulator by 2015 Concept C Shortens service span by 2016 Eliminates Meridian Shuttle by 2017 Extends local connections to Andover, $2.5 million $4 million (local) Bel Aire, Derby, Haysvile, Park City, Valley (Local) $5.4 million (express) Center. $691,000 Local Connections at 60 minute (Express) frequency. Total: $3.2 Concept D Express service to downtown from Million Andover, Augusta, Bel Aire, Deby, Mulvane, Goddard, Park City, Valley Center, Haysville, Maize. Express service is two morning and two afternoon trips.

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Concept A is intended to address the desire for more direct travel with shorter travel times, while preserving city-wide service coverage. This is accomplished through route modifications that would result in the institution of a grid-based system using north-south, east-west oriented route alignments spaced approximately one mile apart throughout most of the City. The system would be built around a north-south spine operating primarily along Broadway and an east-west spine operating along Douglas Avenue/Maple Avenue. The importance of the downtown transit center as a focal point for all transit services would be somewhat lessened as most routes in the system would not directly serve the facility. In lieu of this, more formalized hubs at the Towne East and Towne West Malls would need to be established.

Weekday service frequency on most routes would be 30 minutes throughout the day.

Figure ES.1: Route Concept A Peak Service Frequencies

Concept B was designed to optimize the performance of the transit system; i.e., increase ridership and reduce the cost per trip. This is accomplished by maintaining the current hub and spoke configuration of the system, but re-deploying services from areas of the city that currently yield lower transit ridership to areas of the city that currently yield higher transit ridership. This would result in certain parts of the city having no transit service while other parts of the city would realize increased levels of transit service. With this concept the current routes #1 - West Maple and #4 – College Hill would be combined to form a new route #1 that would serve as an east-west spine for the system linking the Towne east Mall, the downtown Transit Hub, the Towne West Mall and the airport. In addition, routes #10 – West Central, #18 – South Broadway and #19 – Westside Connector would be discontinued.

Weekday service frequency on most routes would be 20 minutes in the peak and 30 minutes in the off-peak.

Figure ES.2: Route Concept B Peak Service Frequencies

Concept C is intended to illustrate what the ramifications of holding transit funding levels static for over a five year period beginning in 2013. This would result in reductions to transit service as service costs increase due to inflation and other factors.

For illustrative purposes a series of service cuts have been identified along with the year in which they would need to occur. Which services would ultimately be reduced or eliminated under this scenario might be different depending on the community’s priorities. Nonetheless, the magnitude of cuts would be directly comparable. These service cuts include eliminating weekend service, eliminating the Westside Connector, shorten service spans, and eliminating the Meridian Shuttle.

Figure ES.3: Route Concept C Peak Service Frequencies

Concept D identifies opportunities for expansion of the current transit system into outlying communities within the metropolitan region. Both commuter express transit service operating from outlying communities into the City of Wichita and connections to and extensions of local fixed route transit service described in Concept A into adjacent communities were identified.

For costing purposes it was assumed that all commuter express transit services would operate Monday through Friday with two trips inbound into Wichita during the morning commute period and two trips outbound from Wichita to each of the outlying communities identified. All of the local fixed-route service in the adjacent communities would operate on a 60 minute weekday frequency.

Figure ES.4: Route Concept D - outlying community local fixed route extension

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Figure ES.5: Route Concept D - outlying community commuter express service

These concepts were presented to the public for reaction. The most frequent comments addressed the following:

 Preference for a combination grid plus hub and spoke system that services areas beyond the city limits. (Concepts A & D)  Streamlining existing services  Extending service hours  Providing more frequent stops.  Reducing service is discouraged.  Updated vehicles and technology.  Availability of holiday service.  Preference for a hybrid system with service to nearby communities and employers (retail, aircraft).  Improve driver professionalism.  Sell reloadable pass cards and discounted passes for students and seniors.  Make bus passes available for purchase in more places.  More public education and marketing.

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 Improved ADA accommodations including automated announcements and interior bus lighting  Preference for expanded transfer locations.

Commonly used funding mechanisms were examined for transit agencies serving markets similar to Wichita. These dedicated funding sources include sales and use taxes, utility taxes, property taxes, motor fuel taxes, and business taxes. The majority of transit agencies (78%) rely on sales tax, with property tax (9%), gasoline tax and other (each 6%), and income tax (1%). Each funding source has advantages and disadvantages, as illustrated in Table ES.2.

Table ES.2: Summary of Revenue Sources1

Revenue Source Use Advantages Disadvantages Sales Tax Operating Generates significant revenue at Requires State action and/or Capital low rates voter approval Easy to administer Hurts retailers Successfully implemented by many Can be regressive transit agencies Subject to economic cycles Wage/Income Tax Operating Generates significant revenue at Unpopular with voters and the Capital low rates business community Long-run growth potential Subject to economic cycles Wage tax can capture commuter Difficult to administer beneficiaries Property Tax Operating Broad coverage of business and Requires voter approval Capital individuals Generally unpopular with Easy to administer taxpayers Generates significant revenue at Heavy competition from school low rates districts and other beneficiaries of tax Motor Fuel Tax Operating Possible deterrent to driving Requires state action Capital Less visible to taxpayers (Constitutional amendment in Significant revenues from small MO) increment Revenues subject to decline as Easy to administer fuel economies improve Vehicle Registration Operating Possible deterrent to driving Requires state action Fee/Tax Capital Easy to administer No direct link to transit Regressive, depending to structure Farebox Revenue Operating Direct users pay Limited revenues Ease of revenue collection Regressive Business Tax(es) Operating Employers pay for labor force Unpopular with business mobility Disincentive for business location decisions

1 TCRP Report 89, Financing Capital Investment: A Primer for the Transit Practitioner. Washington D.C.: TRB. 2003.

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1 Introduction

The City of Wichita embarked on a community outreach process for transit that began during the summer of 2011 and ended during the spring of 2012. It involved gathering feedback from the general public and key stakeholder groups about transit needs and desired characteristics that could then be used to develop a series of responsive transit concepts. The concepts were compared to one another and to scenarios included in the 2008 Wichita Regional Transit Plan. Finally, the transit concepts were presented to the community for review and comment for the purpose of gauging the community’s preferences towards transit service in the community. This then becomes a basis for strategic decision making and for moving forward in the development of an improved transit system in the future.

Wichita Transit led the effort with the assistance of a consultant team made up of Olsson Associates (OA) for transit planning, Vireo (formerly Patti Banks Associates) and MindMixer (MM) for public involvement, and ETC Institute for survey.

2 Strategic Outreach

2.1 Strategic Outreach Plan

A Strategic Outreach Plan (SOP), included in this report on page 61 of Appendix I, was developed for the outreach process. It described the approach, tools, and timing for Wichita Transit’s community outreach effort. Outreach was not included in the development of the 2008 Wichita Regional Transit Plan but played an integral part in the development of the transit alternatives that were produced as part of this outreach effort. The SOP built on the results of the existing transit plan by:

 Coordinating with key stakeholders early in the outreach process to understand key transit concerns in a very detailed fashion.  Consulting local officials about transit concepts, action steps, and policy recommendations developed to support specific transit needs in the community.  Continuing to build working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local institutions, businesses, and government agencies, as well the riders and operators.

2.2 Outreach Process

The strategic outreach process involved three phases:

Phase 1 – Identify needs and desired characteristics: The goals and strategy for outreach were defined, key audiences/stakeholder groups targeted, and surveys deployed and analyzed to better understand what convenience vs. cost effectiveness and coverage vs. performance meant to the community.

Phase 2 – Develop transit scenarios/options/concepts: The 2008 Wichita Regional Transit Plan was evaluated and new concepts that included routes, service levels, and amenities were prepared based on the community input collected during Phase 1.

Phase 3 – Validate concepts and develop policy action plan: Transit concepts were validated with the community.

3 Phase I - Identify needs and desired characteristics

3.1 Targeted Stakeholders

Stakeholders are individuals and groups who are affected by or have an interest in a particular project or action. A wide variety of stakeholders were interested in the way in which transit would be improved in Wichita. Such groups included property owners and residents, business groups, developers, utility companies, school districts, rural residents, umbrella organizations (Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions Clubs, etc.), and elected and appointed officials at the federal, state, county, and local levels. Key stakeholder groups included:

Non-transit users

 Randomly selected individuals

Transit Advocates/Stakeholders

 Independent Living Resource Center  Paratransit Advisory Board  Wichita/Sedgwick County Advisory Board  Central Plains Area Agency on Aging  Sedgwick County Transportation Brokerage  Coordinated Transit District (CTD) 12  Dialysis centers

Institutions

 University and high education providers  Wichita Ministerial League (multi-denominational group)  United Way  Wichita Independent Neighborhoods  Wesley Hospital  Via Christy Hospital  Larksfield Assisted Living  Greater Wichita YMCA, e.g. Dennis Schoenebeck is CEO/General Executive  Visioneering Wichita Environmental Sustainability Alliance

Businesses

 Wichita Metro Chamber  Wichita Hispanic Chamber  Greater Wichita Economic Development Council  Wichita Independent Business Association  Wichita Indo-Chinese Association  Go Wichita  Americans for Prosperity  Young Professionals of Wichita

Government

 Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO)  Sedgwick County Association of Cities (SCAC)  City of Wichita Housing Authority  District Advisory Board (DAB)

Riders and Operators

 Wichita Transit Operators  Arena shuttle riders  Current Transit Riders

3.2 Outreach Activities

Wichita Transit’s outreach effort included a wide range of tools to gather meaningful input from the community. Brief descriptions of specific tools that were utilized during the outreach process and the feedback gathered from each are described below.

3.2.1 Defining Strategy Focus

Outreach Goals Workshop: Issues, goals, and objectives to be addressed through the outreach process were discussed and important stakeholder concerns were considered. They are listed below by type:

Employers

 Service span, coverage, and scheduling of buses  No service to the Cessna plant  Time necessary to travel by bus (lengthy)

Pricing

 Farebox  Community funding

Wichita Transit

 Being able to sell transit  Problems with the existing hub and spoke system  Disabled riders may want a grid system  State sales tax ends in 2013  Potential opportunity to combine transit with other agencies/services

Other

 Safety (perception)  Signage used to communicate route information, timing, how to ride, and more  Customer service  Lack of Sunday service

3.2.2 Understanding the Audience

Stakeholder Identification and Database: Project stakeholders were identified by the Project Advisory Committee. Contact information for those organizations and individuals identified as stakeholders was provided by Wichita Transit staff and this information was compiled into a contact database. This database included contact information for umbrella groups, advocacy groups, neighborhood associations, and more.

Stakeholder Meetings: The database (described above) was used to coordinate a series of five stakeholder meetings with groups representing local service providers, institutions, businesses, transit riders, and communities in Sedgwick County. The results of each discussion were used to help determine improvement concepts for the future of transit in the Wichita area, which would later be presented online and at public meetings for community review and comment. Combined, a total of 41 stakeholders attended the meetings. Participants were asked questions related to transit characteristics, needs, investment, and outreach. In general, comments expressed during the discussions related to one or more of the following:

Perceptions and /or experiences with transit

Convenient and cost-effective transit in the future

Improvements for coverage and performance

Key Transportation issues

Community outreach

4 Phase II - Developing Transit Service Alternatives

Based on the input received during the outreach workshop and stakeholder meetings, a series of transit service scenarios were developed. Input gathered from Wichita Transit and its advisory board was also collected. Each scenario provided a description of service coverage, span of service, service hours and miles, projected ridership and estimated cost.

4.1 Concept A – Hybrid Grid System

system would be built around a north-south spine operating primarily along Broadway and an east-west spine operating along Douglas avenue/Maple Avenue. The importance of the downtown transit center as a focal point for all transit services would be somewhat lessened as most routes in the system would not directly serve the facility. In lieu of this, more formalized hubs at the Towne East and Towne West Malls would need to be established.

Figure 4.1: Route Concept A

For purpose of cost estimating, it is assumed that the service would operate seven days a week with weekday operating hours of 6:00am to 9:00pm, Saturday operating hours of 7:00am to 9:00pm and Sunday operating hours of 7:00am to 6:00pm. Peak service frequency on most routes would be 30 minutes. Midday and evening service frequency would be 60 minutes.

Figure 4.2: Route Concept A - Peak Service Frequencies

A more detailed description of each route follows.

Route 1

Route #1 serves as the east-west spine of the system operating along Douglas Avenue to the east of downtown and Maple Avenue west of downtown. It would connect the Towne East Mall, the Downtown Transit Center, the Towne West Mall and the airport. Service frequency would be 10 minutes during weekday peak periods, 15 minutes during weekday off-peak periods, 30 minutes weekday nights and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.3: Route 1

Route 2

Route #2 operates along East Lincoln and West McCormick connecting Towne East Mall and Towne West Mall. It also provides service to the Crossroads Shopping Center. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.4: Route 2

Route 3

Route #3 operates primarily along East and West Harry connecting Towne East Mall and Towne West Mall. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.5: Route 3

Route 4

Route #4 operates primarily on Central Avenue between N. East Parkway on the east and Tyler Road on the west. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes during weekday nights and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.6: Route 4

Route 5

Route #5 operates primarily along 13th Street North between N. Rock Road on the east and the Sedgwick County Zoo on the the west. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.7: Route 5

Route 6

Route #6 operates primarily along East 17th Street North from North Rock Road east of downtown, west 18th Street west of downtown to Amidon, and then north on Amidon to 29th Street North. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.8: Route 6

Route 7

Route #7 operates primarily along 21st Street North from North Rock Road to Arkansas Avenue then north on Arkansas Avenue to 31st Street North. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.9: Route 7

Route 8

Route #8 operates primarily along North Rock Road between East 39th Street North and Towne east Mall. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.10: Route 8

Route 9

Route #9 operates primarily along North Woodlawn Road between East 37th Street North and Towne east Mall. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes during weekday nights and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.11: Route 9

Route 10

Route #10 operates primarily along Olive Street between East 25th Street North and East 31st Street South. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.12: Route 10

Route 11

Route #11 operates primarily along Hillside Street between East 25th Street North and East Harry Street. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.13: Route 11

Route 12

Route #12 operates from Wesley Medical Center north along North Hillside to North 9th Street East, then east to North Hydraulic, south along North Hydraulic to East Mt. Vernon Street, east on East Mt. Vernon Street to South George Washington Boulevard and southwest on South George Washington Boulevard to Ross Parkway. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.14: Route 12

Route 13

Route #13 operates primarily along Broadway Street between East 21st Street North and Pawnee Street. Service frequency would be 15 minutes during weekday periods and 30 minutes during weekday nights and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.15: Route 13

Route 14

Route #14 operates primarily on along Seneca Street between West 21st Street North and West 47th Street South. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.16: Route 14

Route 15

Route #15 operates primarily along Meridian Avenue between West 13th Street North and West MacArthur Road. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.17: Route 15

Route 16

Route #16 operates primarily along West Street between West 21st Street North and West 31st Street South. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday periods and 60 minutes at night and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.18: Route 16

Route 17

Route #17 operates along East Pawnee Street from South Broadway Street to South Hydraulic Street, south on Hydraulic Street to East 55th Street South, west on East 55th Street South to South Broadway, north on South Broadway to West 47th Street South, east on West 47th Street South to South Clifton Avenue, north on South Clifton Avenue to East MacArthur Road and then west on East MacArthur Road back to South Hydraulic Street. Service frequency would be 60 minutes throughout the day on weekdays, nights, Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.19: Route 17

Northwest Flex

The Northwest Flex is a demand response service operating within an area bounded on the north by West 21st Street North, on the east by North Ridge Road, on the south by West Central, and on the east by North Maize Road. A flex route is a general public demand response service offering curb-to-curb service within the zone, or delivering passengers between the flex zone and connections to other routes. Callers would reserve rides 24 hours in advance, and a subscription service would be available allowing riders to have a regular pick-up without making daily reservation calls. Fares within the flex zone would be the same as regular fixed route bus fare.

Figure 4.20: Northwest flex

4.2 Concept B – Performance-based Radial System

Concept B was designed to maintain the current hub and spoke configuration of the system, but re-deploy services from areas of the city that currently yield lower transit ridership to areas of the city that currently yield higher transit ridership. This would result in certain parts of the city having no transit service while other parts of the city would realize increased levels of transit service. While this concept would increase the annual operating cost of the system by approximately 49 percent, system ridership would be expected to increase by more than 50 percent, thus lowering the average cost per rider.

With this concept the current routes #1 – West Maple and #4 – College Hill would be combined to form a new route #1 that would serve as an east-west spine for the system linking the Towne east Mall, the downtown Transit Hub, the Towne West Mall and the airport. In addition, routes #10 – West Central, #18 – South Broadway and #19 – The Westside Connector would be discontinued.

Figure 4.21: Route Concept B

For purpose of cost estimating, it is assumed that the service would operate seven days a week with weekday operating hours of 6:00am to 11:00pm, Saturday operating hours of 7:00am to 11:00pm and Sunday operating hours of 7:00am to 8:00pm. Service frequency on most routes would be 20 minutes in the peak and 30 minutes in the off-peak..

Figure 4.22: Route Concept B Peak Service Frequencies

A more detailed description of each route follows.

Route 1

Route #1 serves as the east-west spine of the system operating along Douglas Avenue to the east of downtown and Maple Avenue west of downtown. It would connect the Towne East Mall, the Downtown Transit Center, the Towne West Mall and the airport. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off-peak periods, 30 minutes weekday nights and throughout the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.23: Route 1

Route 2

Route #2 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #2 – North Broadway. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off-peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.24: Route 2

Route 3

Route #3 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #3 – East 17th Street. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.25: Route 3

Route 6

Route #6 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #6 – Meridian Shuttle. Service frequency would be 40 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during weekday off-peak periods, weekday nights, and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.26: Route 6

Route 7

Route #7 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #7 – North Waco. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.27: Route 7

Route 8

Route #8 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #8 – Riverside. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.28: Route 8

Route 9

Route #9 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #8 – East 13th Street. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.29: Route 9

Route 11

Route #11 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #11 – Rock Road Shuttle. Service frequency would be 40 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during weekday off-peak periods, weekday nights, and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Figure 4.30: Route 11

Route 12

Route #12 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #12 – South Main. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.31: Route 12

Route 13

Route #13 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #13 – East Lincoln. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.32: Route 13

Route 15

Route #15 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #15 – East Harry. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.33: Route 15

Route 16

Route #16 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #16 – East Central. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.34: Route 16

Route 17

Route #17 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #17 – South Seneca. Service frequency would be 20 minutes during weekday peak periods, 30 minutes during weekday off- peak periods, 60 minutes weekday nights, 30 minutes during the day on Saturdays and 60 minutes on Saturday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays.

Figure 4.35: Route 17

4.3 Concept C – Static Funding (5 year projection)

Concept C is intended to illustrate what the ramifications of holding transit funding levels static for over a five year period beginning in 2013. This, of course, would mean that reductions in transit service would become necessary as service costs increase due to inflation and other factors.

For illustrative purposes the following service cuts have been identified along with the year in which they would need to occur. Which services would ultimately be reduced or eliminated under this scenario might be different depending on the community’s priorities. Nonetheless, the magnitude of cuts would be directly comparable.

2013

Elimination of all weekend service

2014

No reductions

2015

Elimination of Route #19 – Westside Connector

2016

Weekday service span reduced by one hour

2017

Elimination of route #6 – Meridian Shuttle

The resulting weekday service coverage area is illustrated in Figure 4.36.

Figure 4.36: Route Concept C

The resulting weekday service peak service frequency is illustrated in Figure 4.37.

Figure 4.37: Route Concept C Peak Service Frequencies

A more detailed description of each route follows.

Route 1

Route #1 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #1 – West Maple. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.38: Route 1

Route 2

Route #2 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #2 – North Broadway. Service frequency would be 60 minutes throughout the weekday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.39: Route 2

Route 3

Route #3 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #3 – East 17th Street. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.40: Route 3

Route 4

Route #4 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #4 – College Hill. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.41: Route 4

Route 7

Route #7 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #1 – North Waco. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.42: Route 7

Route 8

Route #8 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #8 – Rverside. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.43: Route 8

Route 9

Route #9 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #9 – East 13th Street. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.44: Route 9

Route 10

Route #10 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #10 – West Central. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.45: Route 10

Route 11

Route #11 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #11 – Rock Road Shuttle. Service frequency would be 60 minutes throughout the weekday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.46: Route 11

Route 12

Route #12 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #12 – South Main. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.47: Route 12

Route 13

Route #13 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #13 – East Lincoln. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.48: Route 13

Route 15

Route #15 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #15 – East Harry. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.49: Route 15

Route 16

Route #16 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #16 – East Central. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.50: Route 16

Route 17

Route #17 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #17 – South Seneca. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.51: Route 17

Route 18

Route #18 would operate the same alignment as the current Route #18 – South Broadway. Service frequency would be 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and 60 minutes during midday. Service would operate twelve hours per day Monday through Friday. There would be no weekend service.

Figure 4.52: Route 18

4.4 Concept D – Outlying Communities Service

Concept D identifies opportunities for expansion of the current transit system into outlying communities within the metropolitan region. Both commuter express transit service operating from outlying communities into the City of Wichita and extensions of local fixed route transit service described in Alternative A into adjacent communities were identified.

4.4.1 Commuter Express Services

Commuter express transit services are designed to provide primarily job related transportation options for individuals who commute relatively long distances between their home and their place of employment. In this case, the service would provide transportation options for residents of communities outside of the City of Wichita who work in or near downtown Wichita. The trips would be designed to be competitive, in terms of travel time, with automobile trips by having only a limited number of stops occurring at Park and Ride facilities on the outer ends of the route and then using highways to “express” to the end destination. For costing purposes it is assumed the commuter express transit services described here would operate Monday through Friday with two trips inbound into downtown Wichita during the morning commute period and two trips outbound from Wichita to each of the outlying communities identified.

Figure 4.53 shows all of the commuter express routes that have been identified.

Figure 4.53: Route Concept D serving outlying communities with Commuter Express Service

A more detailed description of each route follows.

Augusta-Andover-Downtown Wichita

This route would be approximately 20 miles in length operating along Highway 54/400/East Kellogg Avenue between Augusta and the transit hub in downtown Wichita. It would have two stops, one serving a park and ride facility in Augusta at Highway 54/400 and SW Santa Fe Lake Road and the other serving a park and ride facility in Andover at Highway 54/400 and South Andover Road.

Figure 4.54: Augusta-Andover Express

Kechi-Bel Aire-Downtown Wichita

This route would be approximately 10 miles in length operating along North Oliver Avenue between K-254 and East 45th Street North, along East 45th Street North between North Oliver Avenue and K-254, along K-254 between East 45th Street North and I-135, along I-135 between K-254 and East Kellogg and along East Kellogg between I-135 and the transit hub in downtown Wichita. It would have two stops, one serving a park and ride facility in Kechi at K-254 and North Oliver Avenue and the other serving a park and ride facility in Bel Aire at North Oliver Avenue and East 45th Street North.

Figure 4.55: Kechi-Bel Aire Express

Mulvane-Derby-Downtown Wichita

This route would be approximately 17 miles in length operating along K-15/Southeast Boulevard between South Rock Road in Mulvane and I-135, along I-135 between K-15/ Southeast Boulevard and East Kellogg, and along Kellogg between I-135 and the transit hub in downtown Wichita.. It would serve park and ride facilities in Mulvane in the vicinity of K-15/ Southeast Boulevard and South Rock Road, and in Derby in the vicinity of K-15/Southeast Boulevard and Market Street.

Figure 4.56: Mulvane-Derby Express

Goddard-Downtown Wichita

This route would be approximately 14 miles in length operating along Highway 54/West Kellogg between Goddard and the transit hub in downtown Wichita. It would have one stop serving a park and ride facility in the vicinity South 167th Street West .

Figure 4.57: Goddard Express

Haysville-Downtown Wichita

This route would be approximately 11 miles in length operating along I-35 between West 71st Street South and I-135, along I-135 between I-35 and East Kellogg, and along Kellogg between I- 135 and the transit hub in downtown Wichita. It would have one stop serving a park and ride facility in the vicinity of I-35 and West 71st Street South.

Figure 4.58: Hayesville Express

Park City-Valley Center-Downtown Wichita

This route would be approximately 15 miles in length operating along West 85th Street North between The east edge of Valley Center and I-135, along I-135 between West 85th Street North and East Kellogg and along East Kellogg between I-135 and the transit hub in downtown Wichita. It would have two stops, one serving a park and ride facility on the east edge of Valley Center at West 85th Street North and the other serving a park and ride facility in Park City at East 61st Street North and I-135.

Figure 4.59: Park City-Valley Center Express

Maize-Downtown Wichita

This route would be approximately 13 miles in length operating along K-96 between West 53rd Street North in Maize and I-235, along I-235 between K-96 and North Broadway Street, along North Broadway Street between I-235 and English, along English between Broadway and Emporia and along Emporia between English and the transit hub in downtown Wichita. It would serve a park and ride facility in Maize at West 53rd Street North and K- 96.

Figure 4.60: Maize Express

4.4.2 Local Fixed-Route Service Extensions

By extending Wichita Transit routes identified in Alternative A, beyond the City limits of Wichita, fixed route transit service could be provided in several adjacent communities. While this would require funding agreements between the City of Wichita and the communities benefiting from these extensions the advantages of such an arrangement to all parties would be that the outlying communities would be able to take advantage of a regional transit system providing access to destinations across the region while only being responsible for the incremental cost of the extension of an existing route.

For costing purposes it is assumed that local fixed-route transit service extensions into adjacent communities would operate weekdays from 6:00am to 11:00pm, Saturdays from 7:00am to 11:00pm and Sundays from 7:00am to 8:00pm. All of the local fixed-route service would operate on a 60 minute frequency.

Figure 4.61 shows all of the route extensions that have been identified.

Figure 4.61: Route Concept D serving outlying communities through extending local routes

A more detailed description of each route follows.

Andover

Local fixed-route service between the Wichita system described in Alternative A and Andover would be provided by a connector route operating along East Kellogg Avenue between Andover and the Towne East Mall, where connections to a number of existing routes would occur.

Figure 4.62: Andover Local Extension

Bel Aire

Local fixed-route service between the Wichita transit system described in Alternative A and Bel Aire would be provided via an extension of route #9 into Bel Aire.

Figure 4.63: Bel Aire Local Extension

Derby

Local fixed-route service between the Wichita transit system described in Alternative A and Derby would be provided via an extension of route #17 into Derby.

Figure 4.64: Derby Local Extension

Hayesville

Local fixed-route service between the Wichita transit system described in Alternative A and Hayesville would be provided via an extension of route #14 into Hayesville.

Figure 4.65: Hayesville Local Extension

Park City

Local fixed-route service between the Wichita transit system described in Alternative A and Park City would be provided via an extension of route #13 into Park City.

Figure 4.66: Park City Local Extension

Valley Center

Local fixed-route service between the Wichita transit system described in Alternative A and Valley Center would be provided via an extension of route #14 into Valley Center.

Figure 4.67: Valley Center Local Extension

4.5 Concept Costs

4.5.1 Operating Costs

Operating costs for each alternative were calculated utilizing assumptions about specific frequencies, route lengths, and layover times. Wichita Transit’s average cost per revenue hour of $85 was used to calculate the cost of each alternative.

Costs for alternatives range from $21.1 million for Concept A, which provides the highest level of local service, to $10.4 million for Concept C which maintains the current funding trajectory by making cuts in both routes and service span. Concept B costs $14.9 million and maintains weekend service, but eliminates the routes with lowest ridership.

Concept D has two variants, either or both of which can be implemented along with any of the other concepts. A local service variant extends existing routes to serve adjacent communities at an all-day service span with 60 minute frequency. This variant costs $2.5 million. The other variant of Concept D provides peak hour commuter service directly from adjacent and outlying communities to downtown Wichita. This variant costs $691,000. The two variants in Concept D will cost $3.2 million. These costs are in addition to the costs identified in Concept A, Concept B, and Concept C.

4.5.2 Capital Costs

Capital costs were evaluated for each concept. The capital costs developed for each alternative represent the incremental cost above and beyond the capital cost associated with the existing service. Concept A had the highest incremental capital cost at $78.5 million. This includes 40 new vehicles ($19 million), a facility expansion for maintenance and storage of the new vehicles ($25 million), bus stop improvements, and hub improvements. This also includes capital costs for the Douglas Avenue Bus Rapid Transit service. Concept B had a total capital cost of $15.7 million, which includes bus stop improvements, further development of a transit spine along Douglas Avenue, and additional transit vehicles. Concept D has a capital cost of $4 million for the local option, and $5.4 million for the express option. This includes vehicles, and express service Park & Ride lots.

Capital costs were not explicitly calculated for Concept C. This concept is primarily a service reduction scenario. No additional vehicles will be required to deliver the reduced service, and maintenance costs will be lower with the lowered revenue hours and revenue miles.

Operating and capital costs are summarized in Table 4.1. Capital costs for each concept are further defined in Table 4.2.

Table 4.1: Concept Cost Summary

Alternative Description Operating Cost Capital Cost (millions) Concept A 30 Peak, 60 Off-Peak Frequency $21.1 million $78.5 million (includes Community Wide coverage Douglas Ave BRT) Sunday and Evening Service Concept B Focuses on highest demand areas $14.9 million $15.7 Million Eliminates low ridership routes Sunday and Evening Service Concept C Eliminates Weekend service (2013) $10.4 million (in Eliminates Westside Circulator (2015) 2017) Shortens service span (2016) Eliminates Meridian Shuttle (2017 Concept D Extends local connections to Andover, $2.5 (Local) $4 million (local) Bel Aire, Derby, Haysvile, Park City, Valley $691,000 $5.4 million (express) Center. (Express) Local Connections at 60 minute Total: $3.2 frequency. Million Express service to downtown from Andover, Augusta, Bel Aire, Deby, Mulvane, Goddard, Park City, Valley Center, Haysville, Maize. Express service is two morning and two afternoon trips.

Table 4.2: Concept Capital Costs

Item Unit Cost A B C D (Express) D (Local)

Bus Stop 280 bus 186 bus $25,000 32 bus stops Improvements stops stops Douglas Avenue $500,000 13.67 miles Spine Douglas Avenue $2,000,000 13.67 miles BRT Hub 2 Transit $500,000 Improvements Hubs Facility $25,000,000 1 Facility Expansion Basic Park & 9 Park & $50,000 Rides1 Rides BRT Bus $600,000 15 Buses

Standard Bus $400,000 25 Buses 11 Buses 8 Buses

Over the Road $550,000 9 Buses Coaches Total: $78,540,000 $15,685,000 $ - $5,400,000 $4,000,000 Notes: Assumes joint use agreements with developers.

5 Phase III - Validate Concepts and Develop Policy Action Plan

5.1 Concept Validation 5.1.1 Public Input

Wichita Transit then held a series of public meetings to discuss transit improvement concepts with the community as follows:

Public Open House: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. and from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Wichita Public Library – Rockwell Branch (5939 E. 9th Street).

Public Open House: Thursday, February 23, 2012 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. and from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Wichita Transit Maintenance Facility (777 E. Waterman).

MindMixer On-line Town Hall: Sunday, February 19 to Friday, March 16, 2012 at www.wichitatransittalks.com.

Thirty-one (31) people attended the public open houses and 12 comment cards were received. Two hundred twenty-eight (228) people participated in the MindMixer on-line town hall meeting and 160 ideas were received. Following the public meetings, Wichita Transit provided concept voting forms to community members asking them for their opinions about each of the concepts. A total of 40 people responded.

A summary of the most popular comments from all of the public input provided below:

5.1.2 Public Input

Brand Tool Kit: A brand tool kit was created that consisted of the final Wichita Transit Talks project logo plus color and font palettes. The kit was applied to the outreach materials that were developed for the project, e.g. the Fact Sheet, MindMixer, and more.

Key Messages: Specific messaging, “Committed to Listening to You”, was developed to compliment the project and the community outreach process. The message, which was paired with the project logo (as appropriate), appealed to stakeholders’ values, and built upon existing Wichita Transit phrasing.

5.2 Policy Planning

5.2.1 Funding Mechanisms

Summary of Commonly Used Funding Mechanisms

Dedicated local funding can come from many sources, including sales and use taxes, utility taxes, property taxes, motor fuel taxes, and business taxes. Some jurisdictions also impose impact fees, special assessments, or tax increment financing approaches to raise needed revenues. Figure 5.1 shows the proportionate use of each of the commonly used funding mechanisms by transit agencies serving populations between 200,000 and one million.

Figure 5.1: Common Funding Mechanisms - Transit Agencies Service 200,000 to 1 Million Population2

2 TCRP Report 89, Financing Capital Investment: A Primer for the Transit Practitioner. Washington D.C.: TRB. 2003

Choosing an Appropriate Funding Mechanism

There are a variety of important considerations to the selection of potential revenue sources for transit operations and capital investments. Table 5.1 offers a summary of the general advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used state and local sources.

Beyond the general consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of the various revenue sources, transit system managers often take into account the following information in coming to a decision regarding the most appropriate revenue source to use:

Revenue yield—How much revenue will be generated by the particular revenue source (e.g., dollars per sales tax percentage or dollars per penny of a gas tax);

Ease and efficiency of collection—How easy/difficult will it be to collect the revenue from the particular revenue source and to what extent will the costs associated collection affect the gross revenues generated by the particular revenue source;

Equity— To what degree do those who are subject to the new charge will benefit from the investment, either directly or indirectly; and

Legal and institutional barriers— To what extent do statutory or administrative regulations impede the implementing of the particular revenue source.

Table.5.1: Summary of Revenue Sources3

Impact Fees Capital Revenues tied to development Possible legal challenges Direct users pay Limited revenues Small base of opposition

Tax Increment Financing Capital Revenue tied to economic Limited and less certain revenues development Complex administration Can tie to transit development Competition from school and specifically other local governments No direct new effect on taxpayers

3 TCRP Report 89, Financing Capital Investment: A Primer for the Transit Practitioner. Washington D.C.: TRB. 2003.

5.2.2 Transit Investment Peer Comparison

Peer reviews can be helpful in understanding how a community’s priorities and overall philosophies compare to what other, similar communities are doing. A comparative review of peer communities can provide some context for decision making. Since each community has its own unique characteristics, a transit service peer review must be used with caution. Topography, service area densities, the climate, local demographics, and economic factors have to be considered when comparing your community to others. The purpose of a peer review is only to help you establish reasonable expectations.

Table 5.2 shows the per capita transit investment for a select group of peer small to medium size urban areas, including the Wichita metropolitan area. As the graph shows, the annual per capita investment in transit across the Wichita metropolitan area is $31.58. This compares to an average per capita investment among the other fifteen urban areas evaluated of $48.30 and ranks Wichita 12th out of the 15 metropolitan areas.

Table 5.2: Transit Investment Per Capita

Rank Funding Per Capita 1 Madison, WI ($150.16) 2 Law rence, KS ($85.84) 3 Des Moines, IA ($66.29) 4 Topeka, KS ($49.56) 5 Lincoln, NE ($42.15) 6 Omaha, NE ($40.07) 7 North Little Rock, AR ($38.35) 8 Knoxville, TN ($37.86) 9 South Bend, IN ($35.83) 10 Colorado Springs, CO ($35.72) 11 Springfield, MO ($33.38) 12 Wichita, KS ($31.58) 13 Tulsa, OK ($31.38) 14 Oklahoma City, OK ($27.47) 15 Davenport, IA ($18.85)

5.2.3 Revenue Sources Peer Comparison

Revenue used by transit providers is generally derived from four sources; Federal, State and local subsidies, and passenger fares. The mix of revenue types varies among transit agencies with some relying heavily on Federal grants and formula funding allocations, some relying on support from State transportation programs for transit and others, either by choice or by necessity, opting for local support as the primary means of funding service.

Table 5.3 through 5.8 provides an illustration of how the City of Wichita’s approach to funding its transit system compared to the 14 peer communities.

Table 5.3: Ranking by Annual Transit Operations Funding (million $)

Rank Total Funding 1 Madison, WI ($49.5) 2 Omaha, NE ($25.1) 3 Des Moines, IA ($24.6) 4 Oklahoma City, OK ($20.5) 5 Tulsa, OK ($17.5) 6 Colorado Springs, CO (16.6) 7 Knoxville, TN ($15.9) 8 North Little Rock, AR ($13.8) 9 Wichita, KS ($13.3) 10 South Bend, IN ($9.9) 11 Lincoln, NE ($9.6) 12 Springfield, MO ($7.2) 13 Topeka, KS ($7.1) 14 Law rence, KS ($6.8) 15 Davenport, IA ($5.1)

Table 5.4: Percent of Funding Derived From Fares

Rank % Fares 1 Law rence, KS (42.8%) 2 Des Moines, IA (37.6%) 3 Madison, WI (22.4%) 4 Colorado Springs, CO (18.8%) 5 Wichita, KS (17.2%) 6 Omaha, NE (16.7%) 7 North Little Rock, AR ( 14.3%) 8 Topeka, KS (14.2%) 9 South Bend, IN (14.0%) 10 Tulsa, OK (13.7%) 11 Lincoln, NE (12.7%) 12 Springfield, MO (12.5%) 13 Oklahoma City, OK (10.2%) 14 Davenport, IA (8.3%) 15 Knoxville, TN (7.8%) Table 5.5: Percent of Funding Derived From Federal Sources

Rank % Federal 1 Colorado Springs, CO (45.2%) 2 Tulsa, OK (42.9%) 3 Wichita, KS (42.2%) 4 Oklahoma City, OK (37.5%) 5 Springfield, MO (33.7%) 6 Omaha, NE (28.3%) 7 Lincoln, NE (27.6%) 8 Des Moines, IA (26.3%) 9 Topeka, KS (26.2%) 10 Law rence, KS (23.6%) 11 South Bend, IN (15.5%) 12 Madison, WI (13.9%) 13 Davenport, IA (13.8% 14 North Little Rock (13.7) 15 Knoxville, TN (11.1%)

Table 5.6: Percent of Funding Derived From State Sources

Rank % State 1 Omaha, NE (53.7 2 Madison, WI (35.4) 3 South Bend, IN (27.1) 4 Knoxville, TN (12.9) 5 Wichita, KS (9.4%) 6 Topeka, KS (6.5%) 7 Tulsa, OK (5.6%) 8 Davenport, IA (5.5%) 9 Lincoln, NE (3.9%) 10 Des Moines, IA (1.6%) 11 North Little Rock, AR (5.5%) 12 Springfield, MO (3.2%) 13 Law rence, KS (1.7%) 14 Oklahoma City, OK (1.6%) 15 Colorado Springs, CO (3.4%) Table 5.7: Percent of Funding Derived From Local Sources

Rank % Local 1 Davenport, IA (71.0%) 2 North Little Rock, AR (67.5%) 3 Lincoln, NE (52.7%) 4 Topeka, KS (52.4%) 5 Knoxville, TN (51.2%) 6 Oklahoma City, OK (49.9%) 7 Springfield, MO (49.4%) 8 South Bend, IN (40.8%) 9 Colorado Springs, CO (35.0%) 10 Tulsa, OK (34.4%) 11 Des Moines, IA (32.0) 12 Wichita, KS (30.2%) 13 Madison, WI (27.2%) 14 Law rence, KS (26.8%) 15 Omaha, NE (0%)

Table 5.8: Percent of Funding Derived From Other Sources

Rank % Other 1 Knoxville, TN (17.0%) 2 Tulsa, OK (3.4%) 3 Lincoln, NE (3.0%) 4 South Bend, IN (2.5%) 5 Davenport, IA (1.4%) 6 Omaha, NE (1.3%) 7 Springfield, MO (1.2%) 8 North Little Rock, AR (1.1%) 9 Madison, WI (1.1%) 10 Wichita, KS (1.1%) 11 Colorado Springs, CO (0.9%) 12 Oklahoma City, OK (0.9%) 13 Topeka, KS (0.7%) 14 Des Moines, IA (0.3%) 15 Law rence, KS (0.1%)

Appendix I Public Involvement

Wichita Transit Community Outreach Coordination

Strategic Outreach Plan

August 2011 City of Wichita, Kansas Introduction

 The City of Wichita is embarking on a community outreach process for transit that will begin during the summer of 2011 and end during the fall of 2012. It will involve gathering feedback from the general public and key stakeholder groups about transit needs and desired characteristics that can be used to develop a series of responsive transit scenarios or concepts. The concepts will be compared to one another and to scenarios included in the 2008 Wichita Regional Transit Plan. Ultimately, a preferred transit concept will be presented to the community for review and comment before a policy document and action plan are developed to support it. Wichita Transit is leading the effort with the assistance of a consultant team made up of Olsson Associates (OA) for transit planning, Patti Banks Associates (PBA) and MindMixer (MM) for public involvement, and ETC Institute for survey.

Purpose of the Strategic Outreach Plan

 The Strategic Outreach Plan (SOP) describes the approach, tools, and timing for Wichita Transit’s community outreach effort. Outreach was not included in the development of the 2008 Wichita Regional Transit Plan but will be an integral part in the development of the action plan and policy document that results from the current 2011 outreach effort. The SOP will build on the results of the existing transit plan by:  Coordinating with key stakeholders early in the outreach process to understand key transit concerns in a very detailed fashion.  Consulting local officials about transit concepts, action steps, and policy recommendations developed to support specific transit needs in the community.  Continuing to build working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local institutions, businesses, and government agencies, as well the riders and operators, in order to obtain informed consent on unresolved issues and concerns, such as funding and right- of-way needed for desired transit improvements.  Collaborating with decision-makers during each phase of community outreach.

Process

The strategic outreach process will involve three phases:  Phase 1 – Identify needs and desired characteristics: During the first phase of the project the goals and strategy for outreach will be defined, key audiences/stakeholder groups

defined, and surveys deployed and analyzed to better understand what convenience vs. cost effectiveness and coverage vs. performance mean to the community.  Phase 2 – Develop transit scenarios/options/concepts: In the second phase the 2008 Wichita Regional Transit Plan will be evaluated and new concepts that include routes, service levels, and amenities will be prepared based on the community input collected during Phase 1.  Phase 3 – Validate concepts and develop policy action plan: Transit concepts will be validated with the community as part of the third phase and a policy report and action plan will be developed for the preferred transit concept.

Key Stakeholder Groups

Stakeholders are individuals and groups who are affected by or have an interest in a particular project or action. A wide variety of stakeholders will be interested in the way in which transit is improved in Wichita. Such groups may include property owners and residents, business groups, developers, utility companies, school districts, rural residents, umbrella organizations (Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions Clubs, etc.), and elected and appointed officials at the federal, state, county, and local levels. Key stakeholder groups include:  Non-transit users  Service Providers  Independent Living Resource Center  Paratransit Advisory Board  Wichita/Sedgwick County Advisory Board  Central Plains Area Agency on Aging  Sedgwick County Transportation Brokerage  Coordinated Transit District (CTD) 12  Dialysis centers  Institutions  University and high education providers o Secondary schools, e.g. Wichita Collegiate, Catholic Diocese, and public schools  Wichita Ministerial League (multi-denominational group)  United Way  Wichita Independent Neighborhoods  Wesley Hospital  Via Christy Hospital  Larksfield Assisted Living  Greater Wichita YMCA, e.g. Dennis Schoenebeck is CEO/General Executive o Health and Wellness Coalition, e.g. Mim McKenzie

 Visioneering Wichita Environmental Sustainability Alliance

 Businesses  All chambers of commerce, e.g. Wichita Metro Chamber, Hispanic Chamber  Economic development groups  Wichita Independent Business Association  Wichita Indo-Chinese Association o Anticipate translation needs, e.g. Spanish and Vietnamese  Go Wichita  Americans for Prosperity o Susan Estes, Bob Weeks, John Todd, Craig Able  Young Professionals of Wichita  Unions  Government  Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO)  Sedgwick County Association of Cities  City of Wichita Housing Authority  District Advisory Board  Riders and Operators  Wichita Transit Operators  Arena shuttle riders  Current Transit Riders

Stakeholder Concerns

Important stakeholder concerns to consider throughout the transit outreach effort include:  For employers  Service span, coverage, and scheduling of buses  No service to the Cessna plant  Time necessary to travel by bus (lengthy)  Pricing  Farebox  Community funding  Wichita Transit

 Being able to sell transit  Problems with the existing hub and spoke system o Disabled riders may want a grid system  State sales tax ends in 2013  Potential opportunity to combine transit with other agencies/services  Other  Safety (perception)  Signage used to communicate route information, timing, how to ride, and more  Customer service  Lack of Sunday service

Tools

Wichita Transit’s outreach effort will include a wide range of tools to gather meaningful input from the community. The use of each will be coordinated to ensure that it:  Helps develop Wichita’s transit future while informing the community of the project, its timeframe, challenges, decisions to be made, and potential impacts.  Gains community understanding, support, and advocacy for transit funding and implementation.  Solicits community input on convenience vs. cost effectiveness (headways, amentieis, and vehicle type), coverage vs. performance (service span and coverage), and funding needs.  Helps develop a relationship for implementation.  Encourages non-transit riders to consider riding the bus.

Examples of tools that have worked well in the Wichita area include:  City Government Channel 7  Incentives, e.g. prizes, for participation in outreach activities  Consideration of the timeframe of available bus services when scheduling public meetings  If service ends at 6:30 PM, meetings can be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.  Surveys that are announced well in advance and are made available to the public online as well as through the mail and over the phone  Social media tools, such as facebook and twitter

Brief descriptions of specific tools that will be utilized during the outreach process are listed below.

 Defining Strategy Focus  Outreach Goals Workshop: Discuss issues, goals, and objectives to be addressed through the outreach process with Wichita Transit.

 Understanding the Audience  Stakeholder Identification and Database: Use existing Wichita Transit contact lists to develop a comprehensive contact database for the project. Update the list with contact information for umbrella groups, advocacy groups, neighborhood associations, and more. The final list may include contact information for up to 1,000 names and will be updated throughout the outreach effort.  Stakeholder Meetings: Use the database (described above) to coordinate a series of five group stakeholder meetings that will be held over single day at a location that Wichita Transit recommends to gather specific input about transit issues/challenges, key messages, and tools that are most effective with stakeholders.  Developing Transit Service Alternatives  Based on this input received during Phase I of the project, a serious of transit service scenarios will be developed. The consultant team will meet with Wichita Transit and the WTAB to obtain input on scenarios/variables that could affect transit options. Each scenario developed will include descriptions of service coverage, span of service, service hours and miles, projected ridership and estimated cost.

 Creating the Message  Logo Concepts: Develop two basic logo concepts that communicate the project to key stakeholders and the general public. Each concept will include a graphic identifiable to the project plus color and font options.  Brand Tool Kit: Create a brand tool kit, consisting of the final project logo and color and font palettes. The Consultant will apply the tool kit to the outreach materials that are to be developed for the project, e.g. the Fact Sheet, etc.  Key Messages: Develop a clear and specific that compliments the project and the community outreach process. The message will be paired with the project logo (as appropriate) and will appeal to stakeholders’ values. The messaging can build on existing Wichita Transit images and phrasing, such as: commitment, affordable, reliable, economical/cost-effective, courteous, convenient. Other terminology or messaging resources could include: o Realistic o Responsive o Plan for the longer term o How are you going to travel in the future o New directions

o Transitions o Affordable . Community . Users o Liveability/sustainability o Ownership . “Your system” o Experience riding transit in other cities is positive o National citizens survey results o Survey for communities outside of Wichita  Branding Discussion: Discuss the project brand (logo concepts, tool kit, and messaging) with Wichita Transit and OA during a scheduled, in person meeting.  Increasing Awareness and Gaining Feedback on Alternatives  Press Releases: Develop three press releases for the project. The first release will kick- off the project, the second will announce the public meeting, and the third will describe the policy plan and next steps in the project.  Webpage: Prepare one page of new content (text and graphics) about the project to be included on as a separate page accessible via the existing Wichita Transit webpage. Include project surveys and a “contact us” option with the page to allow visitors to submit open comments to the Wichita Transit Project Manager and/or consultant team.  Webpage Updates: Prepare content (text and graphics) for four updates to the project webpage. The updates will correspond to key project milestones.  Public Meeting: Coordinate one public meeting for the project. The meeting will be held four times at four different locations around the Wichita. It will focus on transit scenarios/options/concepts. Each two- to three-hour meeting will be held in the late afternoon to early evening, for stakeholders, general public, and media. Representatives from Wichita Transit and the Consultant Team will staff the meetings during the entire period to talk individually with citizens about their concerns. The press release will provide meeting notice. A bus bulletin (no larger than 8.5”x11”) will be developed for Wichita Transit to print and distribute to transit riders and provide at bus stops, transit centers, and other locations in advance of the meeting in order to provide additional notice.  Developing the Policy Report  Summarize data developed during phases I through III into a policy report. The policy report will state the priorities identified and list policy considerations, including funding needs, options and level of support.  Giving Presentations  City Council and WAMPO: Present project information, e.g. improvement concepts and the policy report and action plan, at scheduled City Council work sessions. Present the

same information to WAMPO officials during a regularly scheduled board meeting or work session. The Special Community Action Team (SCAT) building will serve as the meeting location.

Timing

The timeline for the project will begin in the summer of 2011 and end by the fall of 2011, lasting five months as outlined in the schedule below.

Wichita Transit Community Outreach Coordination

Outreach Goals Workshop Notes July 29, 2011 1:00 - 3:00 PM

Welcome and Introductions Meeting participants introduced themselves, noting their particular role in the project. Participants represented Wichita Transit city staff, Wichita Transit Board members, City Council representatives, and the consultant team.

Project Overview Mark Swope (Olsson Associates) discussed the approach to the project, emphasizing project phasing and goals as described below.

Phasing  Phase 1: Identify needs and desired characteristics  Phase 2: Develop transit scenarios/options/concepts  Phase 3: Validate concepts and develop policy action plan

Goals  Move forward with community outreach and planning for the future  Gather community input about transit service for policy-makers  Provide information to develop transit vision, policy, and next steps

The group requested that “managing expectations” be added to the list of project goals, as riders want the $50 million University of Kansas Transit Plan. Wichita Transit doesn’t have the money for the KU Plan but it can improve the system.

Strategic Outreach Plan Triveece Harvey (Patti Banks Associates) explained that results of the day’s Goals Workshop would be incorporated into the Strategic Outreach Plan for the project. She said that the workshop and plan would cover key stakeholders and their concerns, methods and tools for outreach, branding, and coordination. Harvey asked the group a series of questions and received the following responses:

Stakeholders: Who are the key stakeholders in the community?  Independent Resource Center

 Paratransit Advisory Board  Wichita/Sedgwick County Advisory Board  University and high education providers o Secondary schools, e.g. Wichita Collegiate, Catholic Diocese, and public schools  Central Plains Area Agency on Aging  Sedgwick County Transportation Brokerage  All chambers of commerce, e.g. Wichita Metro Chamber, Hispanic Chamber  Economic development groups  Coordinated Transit District (CTD) 12  Wichita Independent Business Association  Wichita Indo-Chinese Association o Anticipate translation needs, e.g. Spanish and Vietnamese  Wichita Ministerial League (multi-denominational group)  United Way  Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO)  Sedgwick County Association of Cities  Go Wichita  Wesley Hospital  Via Christy Hospital  Larksfield Assisted Living o See Michelle Stroup’s list  Americans for Properity o Susan Estes, Bob Weeks, John Todd, Craig Able  Young Professionals of Wichita  Greater Wichita YMCA, e.g. Dennis Schoenebeck is CEO/General Executive o Health and Wellness Coalition, e.g. Mim McKenzie  Visioneering Wichita Environmental Sustainability Alliance  Dialysis centers  City of Wichita Housing Authority  District Advisory Board  Wichita Transit Operators  Arena shuttle riders

Concerns: What transit concerns or issues might key stakeholders hold?  Employers o Service span, coverage, and scheduling of buses o No service to the Cessna plant o Time it takes to travel by bus  Safety (perception) related to income and ability  Signage used to communicate route information, timing, how to ride, etc.

 Customer service  Price point o Farebox o Community funding  No Sunday service  Wichita Transit o Being able to sell transit o Problems with the hub and spoke system  Disabled riders may want a grid system o State sales tax ends in 2013  Opportunity to combine transit with other agencies/services – Ask if community wants this by including a series of funding questions on the survey

Methods and Tools: A series of methods and tools will be used to reach out to the community about the future of transit in Wichita. What questions or concerns do you have about any of the tools? Are there others that you would recommend?  Use City Government Channel 7  Provide incentives, e.g. prizes, for participation in outreach activities  Consider the timeframe of available bus services when scheduling public meetings o If service ends at 6:30 PM, could hold meeting from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.  Post the ETC Survey on the project webpage – Don’t just send it in the mail or make phone calls to get responses o Announce survey availability well in advance  Anticipate presentations at the Special Community Action Team (SCAT) building to: o City Council (work session) o WAMPO  Facebook o Wichita Transit can manage the page, provided initial content is forwarded to them  Project specific webpage will be added to the existing Wichita Transit page on the City’s site o Coordination with the City’s Information Technology Department will be necessary to add the survey to the project page plus a “contact us” section that allows visitors to submit open comments to the City project manager and/or consultant team

Branding: The Consultant Team will develop a brand with corresponding messaging for the community outreach effort. The messaging can build on existing Wichita Transit images and phrasing, such as: commitment, affordable, reliable, economical/cost- effective, courteous, convenient. Are these still valid words, concepts, and phrasing to

apply to the project or should other terminology be developed? If so, what would you suggest?  Realistic  Responsive  Plan for the longer term  How are you going to travel in the future  New directions  Transitions  Affordable o Community o Users  Liveability/sustainability  Ownership o “Your system”  Experience riding transit in other cities is positive  National citizens survey results  Survey for communities outside of Wichita

Coordination: Who will be involved with the project on an on-going and regular basis versus a strategic basis?  On-going/Regular: Management Team made of Project Manager Michelle Stroup, Director Michael Vinson, and other City staff as appropriate  Strategic: Wichita Transit Board, City Council members, and WAMPO representatives

Next Steps Swope explained that following the meeting, the consultant team would coordinate with City staff to develop:  Goals Workshop notes  Draft Strategic Outreach Plan  Contact database for the project  Stakeholder Meeting Outline  Branding Concepts  Draft survey questions

Wichita Transit Community Outreach Coordination

Stakeholder Meetings Summary September 12, 2011 Wichita Transit – Vehicle Maintenance Facility 777 E. Waterman Wichita, Kansas 67202

Overview

Michelle Stroot (Wichita Transit) opened the meeting. Tom Worker-Braddock (Olsson Associates) provided an overview of the Wichita Transit Community Outreach project, noting that the planning process would involve gathering feedback from the general public and key stakeholder groups about transit needs and desired characteristics that could then be used to develop a series of responsive transit scenarios or concepts. Worker-Braddock said that the concepts would be compared to one another and to scenarios included in the Wichita Regional Transit Plan that the University of Kansas developed in 2008. He also said that a preferred transit concept would be presented to the community for review and comment before a policy document and action plan are developed to support it.

Triveece Harvey (Patti Banks Associates) said that the Wichita Transit Community Outreach effort began during the summer of 2011 and was anticipated to end during the fall of the same year. Harvey said that as part of first phase of the process, a series of five (5) group stakeholder meetings would be conducted at Wichita Transit offices during the course of the day with stakeholder groups representing local service providers, institutions, businesses, transit riders, and communities in Sedgwick County. She said that the results of each discussion would be used to help determine improvement concepts for the future of transit in the Wichita area. She also said that the concepts would be presented online and at public meetings for community review and comment.

Comments

Combined 41 stakeholders attended the meetings. As part of each Harvey asked participants questions related to transit characteristics, needs, investment, and outreach. Notes from each group discussion are included in the pages that follow. Comments made during the discussions related to:

Perceptions and /or experiences with transit Convenient and cost-effective transit in the future Improvements for coverage and performance

Key issues Community outreach

Stakeholder Meeting – Service Providers Transit Characteristics: What are your perceptions of and/or experiences with transit in the Wichita area? Bus was easy – 1 block from house with direct route to library (1970s) Complicated – Have to go to transit center – Time consuming May not offer service where and when you need it In the future convenient transit would involve: Well-marked/well-known/easily identifiable bus stops Shelter and places to sit for older, disabled riders After hours service available for 2nd and 3rdf shift workers – Day doesn’t stop at 5PM Connections to destinations beyond Wichita Routes would run on arterials, not always through downtown, which would be easier to understand, especially for those with disabilities Bikes on buses (currently increasing) In the future cost effective transit would involve educating the public on: Current fare ($1.75 + $.025) is fair and cheaper than gas Impacts of all costs, e.g. street widening, green house gases, etc aren’t considered with other modes Wichita saves money with transit Such savings have to be considered and people may not know about them Communities with transit are healthier Wichita Transit is seen as a social service, not as general public transportation Different communities have different perceptions of parking/auto-mobility, e.g. Philadelphia vs. Wichita People need to think the bus is more convenient than it is now in order for them to ride it May mean higher fares Improvements for convenience (12 votes) are more important than those for cost- effectiveness (2 votes)

Transit Needs Who should transit serve? Everyone Coverage area and locations for improvements: Expand to and coordinate with outlying trip generators, e.g. the counties of Harvey, Butler, and Reno and cities of Andover, Augusta, El Dorado, Valley Center, Maize, Goddard, and Derby (all have Wichita commuters), with park-and-rides Park-and-rides are economic development opportunities because they can be combined with eating and shopping venues People choose assisted living based on transit access to key services, such as medical, shopping, post office, etc. Increase performance with: Grid system so transit is understandable A system that allows seniors to use transit for more than medical services Decreased headways to an ideal of 12-minute peak and 20-minute off peak or 20- minute peak and 35-minute off peak Balance area serviced with headway calculations Transit Investment What is the biggest issue facing transit in the Wichita area today? Operating costs Image – People haven’t thought about transit Baby boomers will soon need it Current elderly population will soon be frail People don’t want to drive as they get older Younger people may be more used to using transit and will want to use it Funding transit investment is important: Funding should be tied to areas served Funds for increasing hours of operation Consider public-private partnerships as funding opportunity McDonald’s benefits from transit – Get them to pay for trees Allow smaller parking lot if there’s a bus route – Help pay for the route Opportunity for increased taxes (with education)

Regional funding opportunities Spending priorities: 100% of available funds to increasing frequency of the entire system Meet the needs of the people Could be a draw

Transit Outreach What’s the most important message to communicate to the public about transit? Transit is for everyone “How does it benefit me?” Even drivers benefit Personal and community benefits Air quality, green, and environmental What your investment gets you Gas, public safety Override the perception of convenience Four people going to the zoo – Cheaper on transit? Yes, more convenient People don’t take gas and car insurance into consideration Increase collaboration between Wichita Transit and school bus transportation City bus could transport students, staff, and administrative workers Which tools have been most effective for public outreach? Direct mail, e.g. flyer, as most people don’t have direct access to a computer Radio Cable public access channel, but not everyone is a cable subscriber

Stakeholder Meeting – Institutions Transit Characteristics: What are your perceptions of and/or experiences with transit in the Wichita area? Not much change Very short ride to work but high price Now more expensive than driving Takes time Park-and-ride: very convenient for special events Always on a bus going where you don’t need to go, so don’t take the bus Convenient but time is an issue Sometimes have to work late, can’t use on weekends, and other cities can use transit 24/7, so don’t use transit Shelter residents: Employment is limited to bus service hours – Can’t work evenings or Sundays Infrequent service increase the work day 1.5 hours Like to see more park-and-rides for special events – More spread out around the city Stigma with bus – Only low income or people with disabilities use it Not cool with teenagers but 1/3 ride it Q Line needs to be more frequent, reliable, and understandable In the future convenient transit would involve: Concentrations of employers that are multi-shift Current transit serves only one shift and should serve two Options for taking buses to some employers, as there is no option to take it to some now (mind set of employers) Service to outlying employers Local partners, attractions, and employers helping to pay Service for geriatric population Getting people where they want to go More education for the general public and political entities Only support auto-oriented service now Some policy-makers don’t support transit because they don’t use it – Get policy- makers/city staff to ride the bus (supported bike racks after they were implemented)

Provide student discounts for transit use - Use public transit to serve students In the future cost effective transit would involve: More gas efficient vehicles Never see more than 10 people on a bus in the east side of town – Could have smaller buses to serve the same people Disappointed to see Wichita Transit buy more diesel buses – Could have compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, etc. If air quality reaches none attainment, costs would increase for the entire city Other costs, e.g. health, environment, impact of new development Improvements for convenience are interwoven with those for cost-effectiveness Cost effective improvements may require looking at different buses – Expensive in the short-term but money saving in the long-term Not doing a very good job for most needs but also need to gain acceptance from other stakeholders If we don’t provide transit options for people that don’t have a car, we’ll pay for it later and then can serve other stakeholders Need to sell to general public Prizes for riding the bus Mayor and City Council never ride the bus Transit Needs Who should transit serve? Everyone Arena Build transit downtown and develop outward Can’t leave out major employers Boeing, Sprint, Cesna, Huckabee Coverage area and locations of improvements Current only serves core areas Paratransit providers have to let blind riders off at the street because companies won’t allow them to drive (vehicles) into the parking lot Mall and social security stopped supporting public transit Current schedule requires people to get up early

Should have feeder system with major routes on north-south and east-west streets and other feeder lines going back and forth – Include shelters Improve performance with: Park-and-ride lots Express buses Companies offer incentives to ride bus Companies are interested but transit is perceived as inadequate People have a negative view of transit so are not willing to improve it Political leaders all know business leaders Opportunities to get work/school should be at the top of the list Kids need to learn to ride transit Should start out in junior high Transit Investment What is the biggest issue facing transit in the Wichita area today? Financing Is the KU plan really too expensive or do we just not want to pay for it? Should be a hybrid plan between low cost and expensive Funding transit investment is important: Support county-wide with county residents as riders Regional funding Communities that receive service pay City needs to subsidize transit to get better transit – Time to pay for it Government should encourage employees to use transit by providing them subsidies City, county, and state has 15,000 employees in town Expanded funding sources, e.g. toll roads, gas prices, parking $0.01 Kellogg tax is expiring Charge school system for driving school buses Do we charge school buses for road wear-and-tear? Schools are spending a lot of money on buses Only a small portion of kids are riding the bus Transit Outreach

What’s the most important message to communicate to the public about transit? Ask young people/anybody how to get them on transit (re: convenience) Prizes (re: convenience) Sell idea of transit to big companies (re: convenience) Need private sector champion, e.g. arena or Intrust Bank What does Boeing do in Seattle or Chicago – Are they doing a buy-in? Other cities value transit because they have air quality issues (re: non-attainment vs. attainment cities) Which tools have been most effective for public outreach? Wichita Independent Neighborhoods would help distribute and take project survey Paid advertisements and marketing campaign Transit hasn’t done a good job of marketing Most people don’t know how to use it Frustrating that people have to go downtown to get around (hub and spoke pattern of existing system) Face-to-face sales for transit funding Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Buy five rides, get one free and two for one rides

Stakeholder Meeting – Businesses Transit Characteristics: What are your perceptions of and/or experiences with transit in the Wichita area? Nobody rides transit – Area is very car centric Rode the bus from the airport – Took three buses Not a bad experience but took a while to figure out – Good coverage Taking one and a half hours vs. 12 minutes in a car – Hub and spoke system In the future convenient transit would involve: More frequency Didn’t wait in Chicago for more than a few minutes Use by all social classes – Seen as more convenient than parking a car Improved travel times and stop locations Employers want to have transit available for employees but the travel time and stop locations make it inconvenient In the future cost effective transit would involve: Full buses – More riders Both cost and convenience have to be appealing to get more riders Not trying to be everything to all people Some areas probably don’t need the same level of coverage Focus on smaller areas with larger populations Set up robust system that only serves certain segments of the community Change perception – Transit right now is standing by a pole next to a curb Transit Needs Who should transit serve? If you can fill the buses, transit should go there (performance based) Employers Coverage area and locations of improvements Focus investment on medical/government services People in small towns live there for a reason – May not expect transit on small systems Serve areas with highest transit-needy characteristics Visitors from airport to downtown – Connect Hyatt and Century 2 to Old Town (9 block distance with good restaurants but none near Century 2)

Q line is a loop – So convenient to go in one direction but not in the opposite direction Impressed with number of bikes on buses See bike racks as a necessary component of bus stops Improve performance: To serve employers, you should: Increase frequency in case people miss a bus Provide more information – Is the bus coming? Be supportive; but to what degree? Note: Employee transportation to/from work is not an issue for professional employers but it may be an issue for fast food workers Wichita Area Technical College Wichita State University Newman University Butler Community College Transit Investment What is the biggest issue facing transit in the Wichita area today? If Wichita reaches non-attainment in air quality, employer/employee transit incentives would become increasingly important Funding transit investment is important: Only county-wide tax if other communities are being served More taxes would be a tough sell to the community Need education about why money should be generated or spent on transit vs. job creation Spending priorities: Concentrate investment on performance and improvements that are necessities Maybe where parking is inconvenient Education centers/schools Visitors making the trip from the airport to downtown Transit Outreach What’s the most important message to communicate to the public about transit? Cost efficiency Number of users

Environmental impacts What you’re getting out of each dollar spent Route information Where is it? Are apps being created for trip planning? Disconnect between the Q line and Wichita Transit Q line has better image Which tools have been most effective for public outreach? Mix of social media Outreach to universities, faith-based institutions, and other centers Is goal to increase ridership or to just maintain it? Promote with help from the theaters, Intrust Bank, etc as champions Market to hospitals and entertainment destinations Sell advantages of transit Market based on Q line

Stakeholder Meeting – Transit Riders Transit Characteristics: What are your perceptions of and/or experiences with transit in the Wichita area? Ride the bus often and throughout the city Have ridden the Q line In the future convenient transit would involve: Being on time to/from transit center Trains are holding up buses at crossings Better needed coordination between trails and buses More frequency on heavily used routes More direct connections/2-way services Westside connector to West ___1 Disabled riders used paratransit because its more convenient Marking bus stops – Some routes have unmarked stops More park-and-rides in suburban areas to increase ridership Stop and shop Cannot use transit transfer on the same bus, even when just stopping for a soda In the future cost effective transit would involve: Dedicated funding stream More focus on route efficiency and service delivery No one bus carries only one passenger Transit driver’s pay is a component of costs One driver of a large bus is more efficient than two drivers in smaller vehicles Prefer to combine convenience with cost-effectiveness Needs to be convenient in order to be cost-effective Transit Needs Who should transit serve? Wichita Andover Goodard Derby

Mulvane What are the goals of this plan: Increase ridership or serve existing riders? Coverage area and locations of improvements 11th and Emporia (Old English Court Apartments) – Need shelter to protect against winter Airport connections East 17th should have trolley on weekends for movies, summer jazz fest, arena events, etc Run coverage until 6:45 PM, then run select routes People can utilize the park-and-ride Improve performance with: Up-to-date service (even Sundays) and later, e.g. New York City Prefer to combine coverage with performance Transit Investment What is the biggest issue facing transit in the Wichita area today? Most customers are low-income – How do we attract other types? Need to change the image of transit Choice riders don’t ride because it doesn’t meet the minimal level of convenience Low frequency Limited service span (no buses after 6PM) Need to serve second and third shifts Be able to serve bars after drinking Express bus Funding transit investment is important: Partner with employers Dedicated routes to Boeing and Cesna Incentives for employees Sales tax Funding should be tied to areas it serves Free riding day Won’t work if people can’t get to work

Spending priorities include: Grid type system, e.g. east-west on Douglas Mix of hub and spoke with grid for coverage Increased evening service and frequency during the day Build up a core system Downtown – 13th and Pawnee/Harvey North-south along Cesna to Oliver West Street and Hillside Guaranteed ride home program Transit Outreach What’s the most important message to communicate to the public about transit? Focus on future vision, not on current system National security

Stakeholder Meeting – Sedgwick County communities and Wellington, KS Transit Characteristics: What are your perceptions of and/or experiences with transit in the Wichita area? Used for work and schools while young Event nights on Q line Derby Dash In the future convenient transit would involve: More frequent service – Shorter headways Once an hour is not very convenient Andover wants to get people across Kellogg Access Dillon’s and the YMCA located on the other side of Kellogg Maize should tie into the Westside Connector - Should go down to 37th Street Could connect via sidewalk or driveway and/or through the Wichita State University campus Fast food restaurants are located between 21st and 29th Streets – Workers walk in this area Maize/Wichita boundary is 37th Street A route serving this area would be able to serve Hays Connecting from 21st and Maize to the middle and high schools Right now connection runs across south side of Bellaire Could be a demand responsive service for both Maize and Kechi Need park-and-ride in Derby to connect to Wichita Transit Schedule between both cities needs to be consistent with evening hours for entertainment system Would like to see park-and-rides with delivery of riders to social services, healthcare, etc in Wichita Attracts students to universities, e.g. Wichita State, Newman, and Friends Bus system to serve university living areas – No idea about demand, as such areas currently have no service In the future cost effective transit would involve: Need county-wide education/discussion on transit funding options, e.g. pass through opportunities, etc

Wichita Transit passes dollars to urbanized areas in Butler County, Derby, Andover, and Maize Transit Needs Who should transit serve? Balance between low-income areas and choice riders Can’t make transit available and convenient to everyone Coverage area and locations of improvements Outlying communities would be interested in park-and-rides Wellington/Sprint employer Andover’s community college Airplane employers Three shifts with heaviest first shift, heavy second shift, and weaker third shift City councils would focus on cost of the system Improve performance: Guessing 95% of transit riders are transit dependent – 2% of population uses transit Performance plan would severely impact transit dependent ridership Transit Investment What is the biggest issue facing transit in the Wichita area today? Communication Stakeholder meeting is first time many cities have gathered together to discuss transit Don’t know what Wichita Transit can spend Surrounding cities should have their own survey about interest in transit service Funding transit investment is important: People should pay for riding WAMPO funding already helps pay for Wichita Transit, so some communities are already paying for it Spending priorities: Ridership would say, “Improve service in Wichita first”. Need nodes that aren’t too far away from the existing system – Focus on nodes Transit Outreach What’s the most important message to communicate to the public about transit?

Availability of transit Message needs to be constant and on-going Give people an excuse to come to meetings Which tools have been most effective for public outreach? Water/utility bills Civic group presentations Town Hall meetings Newsletters (electronic) Monthly newspaper Public hearings Share project website

Wichita Public Transportation Survey

FINAL Survey Report

Conducted for City of Wichita

By ETC Institute 725 W. Frontier Circle Olathe, Kansas 66061 (913) 829-1215

In association with Olsson Associates

November, 2011

Contents

Executive Summary ...... i

Charts and Graphs ...... Section 1

Tabular Data...... Section 2

Survey Instrument ...... Section 3

Wichita Area Public Transportation Survey Executive Summary

Overview

Purpose. ETC Institute, in association with Olsson Associates, conducted a public transportation survey of residents in the City of Wichita and surrounding Sedgwick County during the fall of 2011. The purpose of the survey was to gather input from residents regarding issues and opportunities relating to public transportation in the area. Some of the specific topics that were addressed in the survey included:

 Methods of transportation currently used  Barriers to using public transit  Influencing factors for transportation choices  Stated preference choices regarding transit change  Perceived quality of public transit to residents  Preferred sources of funding for transportation improvements.

Methodology. The survey was mailed to a random sample of over 2,000 households and administered to 651 households during October and November of 2011. The original goal of 600 surveys was exceeded by 51 additional surveys. The overall results for the 651 surveys that were administered have a precision of at least +/- 4% at the 95% level of confidence.

Contents of the Report. This report contains:

 an executive summary of the methodology and major findings  charts depicting the overall results of the survey  tables that show the results of the survey  a copy of the survey instrument

Major Findings

 Use of Public Transportation in Wichita. Five percent (5%) of those surveyed indicated that they used public transportation weekly; 7% said they used it occasionally, and 88% rarely or never used it.

ETC Institute/Olsson Associates (November, 2011) Page i

 Experience with Public Transportation OUTSIDE of Wichita. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of those surveyed had used public transportation in other cities.

 Primary Reasons for Using Public Transportation. Though 88% said that they rarely or never use public transit, they were asked to name the primary reasons that they might use public transit in the future; 43% identified going to and from work, 26% said running errands and shopping, 25% said medical and dental appointments and 24% said to take the G-line downtown.

 Primary Barriers to Using Public Transit. The top three barriers identified were “service is not available near my home” (50%), “I just prefer to drive” (46%), and “it takes too long compared to car” (36%).

 Factors that Would Most Encourage Public Transit Use at Least Once a Week. The factors that were most likely to influence transit use at least once a week were; the cost of gasoline going above $5 per gallon (59%), transit stops being located closer to homes or most frequent destinations (51%), and the time it took to use transit vs. driving a car was comparable (47%).

 Preferences When Considering Change to Local Bus Service. o 66% would choose increasing frequency in areas of greatest need over decreasing frequency to operate over a larger area (34%). o 67% would choose to spread service out more into early morning, evening, and weekend days over concentrating the service during weekdays and regular business hours (33%). o 51% would choose to reduce the number of stops in order to make service faster over providing frequent stops and slower service (49%). o 50% would choose to walk shorter distances to bus service that is slower and less direct equally with walking longer distance to bus service that is faster and more direct (50%). o 68% would choose a grid type system with fewer transfers over a hub and spoke system with more transfers (32%).

 Primary Reasons to Provide Transit in Wichita. The top two reasons to provide transit in Wichita, supported by those surveyed, were to help those with no access to a car to 86/5get to work or to school (98%) and to provide service to persons with disabilities, special needs, and the elderly (97%).

 Importance of Supporting and Funding Public Transportation. Eighty-six percent (86%) of those surveyed felt that it was very or somewhat important to fund public transportation in Wichita, or a ratio of 17 to 1 (positives 86% to negatives 5%).

ETC Institute/Olsson Associates (November, 2011) Page ii

 How Transportation Improvements Should be Funded. Those surveyed were asked two questions about funding public transportation. o Should vehicle registration fees and/or taxes be used to help fund public transportation? Forty-six percent (46%) were very or somewhat supportive.

o Prioritizing various tax sources for funding transit in Wichita, 48% chose sales tax, 24% chose motor vehicle registration fees, 14% chose a gasoline tax, and 14% chose property taxes.

 Park and Rides. Those living outside of the City were asked if they would use a park and ride service if it met their transportation needs, and 64% responded that they would

ETC Institute/Olsson Associates (November, 2011) Page iii

Section 1: Charts and Graphs

2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q1. Does anyone in your household currently use public transportation in Wichita? by percentage of respondents

Yes, occasionally 7%

Yes, weekly 5%

Rarely or never 88%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Q2. Have you ever used public transportation in places outside Wichita? by percentage of respondents

Yes 57%

No 43%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 1 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q3. If you were going to use public transportation in Wichita, which of the following would be the primary reason you would use it? by percentage of respondents

Go to/from work 43%

Run errands/go shopping, etc. 26%

Medical/dental appointments 25%

Q-line shuttle for downtown service 24%

Meals, social activities, daycare 15%

Go to/from school 11%

Would never use public transit 26%

Other 6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Q4. What method of transportation do you normally use to go to work, school or your most frequent destination? by percentage of respondents

Car/truck-drive alone 93%

Carpool 5%

Walk 5%

Public Transit 4%

Bicycle 3%

Taxi 2%

Motorcycle 2%

Vanpool 1%

Other 1%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 2 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q5. Which of the following are reasons that you do not use public transit more often? by percentage of respondents

Service is not available near my home 50%

I just prefer to drive 46%

Takes too long compared to car 36%

Service doesn't go where I need it to go 32%

Service is not offered at the time I need it 24% I don't know how to use the service 18%

Buses do not come by frequently enough 17%

No park and ride lots nearby 12%

I don't feel safe riding the bus 7%

I had a bad experience with the service 3%

Other 9%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Q6. Please rate how likely each factor would be to encourage you to use public transit at least once a week. by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 1 to 5 on a 5-point scale (excluding don't knows)

The cost of gasoline goes above $5 a gallon 36% 23% 17% 7% 18%

Transit stops closer to your home/ frequently go 29% 22% 17% 9% 23%

Time spent using transit/driving about comparable 27% 20% 18% 11% 24%

Employer provided incentives/use transit services 24% 23% 19% 6% 28%

Display of arrival provided/accessible electronica 22% 21% 24% 8% 25%

Access the bus route/ on the Wichita Transit web 19% 21% 25% 8% 27%

Easy access to the freeway/ rush hour 20% 19% 23% 9% 29%

Park and ride lots are readily available 19% 17% 25% 9% 29%

Parking difficult/expensive where frequently go 16% 19% 21% 8% 36%

More and larger shelters are provided 15% 19% 29% 9% 28%

Time to get to work increases by 15 min 13% 17% 24% 11% 35%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100 Very likely (5) 4 Neutral (3) 2 Very Unlikely (5) Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 3 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q7. Higher Preference When Considering Bus Service: by percentage of respondents

Increase service 66% 34% Decrease service frequency /concentrate in frequency/spread areas of greatest need. over a larger area so more are served. Concentrate ervice during weekdays and Spread services out regular business 33% 67% more into early hours. morning, evening, and weekend days.

Provide many/frequent Reduce the number of stops even if it means 49% 51% stops in order to make service is slower. service faster.

Walk longer distance Walk shorter distance 50% 50% to bus service that is to bus service that is faster and more slower and less direct. direct.

A grid type system A hub and spoke system 32% 68% with more transfers. with fewer transfers.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Choice A Choice B

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Q8. Primary Reasons to Provide Transit in Wichita by percentage of respondents who rated the item as a 1 to 3 on a 3-point scale (excluding don't knows)

Help those with no car for work/school 87% 11% 2%

Provide service/disabilities,special needs,elderly 83% 14% 3%

Help those with car/save money-using transit 52% 37% 12%

Reduce air pollution/traffic congestion 46% 35% 19%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Strongly Agree (1) Somewhat Agree (2) Do not Agree (3)

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 4 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q9. If you or a family member were no longer able to drive, how would you or they get to work, school, or most frequent destinations? by percentage of respondents

Get a ride from family member or friend 74%

Ride the bus 29%

11% Walk

7% Ride my bike

4% Other

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Q10. Overall, how important do you think it is for the City of Wichita to support and fund public transportation? by percentage of respondents

Very important 63%

Not important 5%

Not sure 9%

Somewhat important 23%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 5 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q11. How supportive would you be of increasing funding for public transportation by raising vehicle registration fees and/or taxes so that an improved level of service could be provided? by percentage of respondents

Somewhat Supportive 28%

Very Supportive 18%

Not Sure 22%

Not Supportive Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011) 32%

Q12. What source of funding would you most support using to expand public transportation or the development of transportation alternatives for the City of Wichita? by percentage of respondents

Sales Tax 48%

Property Tax 14% Gasoline tax 14%

24% Motor vehicle registration fees

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 6 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q13. How many operating vehicles do you have in your household? by percentage of respondents

One 23% Two 40%

None 3%

Three or more Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011) 34%

Q14. Would you support providing a park and ride type of regional service outside the City of Wichita? by percentage of respondents

Yes 61%

No 39%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 7 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q15. If you live outside the City of Wichita, would you use a park and ride service if it met your transportation needs? by percentage of respondents

Yes 64%

No 36%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Q16. What is the age distribution in your household? by percentage of respondents

15-19 years 20-24 years 8% 10-14 years 25-34 years 7% 8% 12% 5-9 years 6%

Under age 5 8%

35-44 years 11% 65+ years 11%

45-54 years 55-64 years 15% 15%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 8 2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q17. What is your total annual household income? by percentage of respondents

$30,000 to $59,999 29% Under $30,000 21%

$100,000 plus $60,000 to $99,999 23% 27%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Q20. Respondent's gender: by percentage of respondents

Male 43%

Female 57%

Source: ETC Institute Wichita Public Transportation Survey (2011)

Charts and Graphs Page 9

Section 2: Tabular Data

2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q1 Does anyone in your household currently use public transportation in Wichita?

Q1 Does anyone in your household currently use public transportation in Wichita? Number Percent Yes, weekly 34 5.2 Yes, occasionally 44 6.8 Rarely or never 572 87.9 None chosen 1 0.2 Total 651 100.0

Q1 Does anyone in your household currently use public transportation in Wichita?(Excluding None Chosen)

Q1 Does anyone in your household currently use public transportation in Wichita? Number Percent Yes, weekly 34 5.2 Yes, occasionally 44 6.8 Rarely or never 572 88.0 Total 650 100.0

Q2 Have you EVER used public transportation in places outside Wichita?

Q2 Have you EVER used public transportation in places outside Wichita? Number Percent Yes 370 56.8 No 281 43.2 Total 651 100.0

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q2a If "yes", where?

Q2A Where Number Percent AKRON OH/SIOUX CITY IA= 1 0.3 ALBUQUERQUE/CALVARY= 1 0.3 ASIA/THAILAND= 1 0.3 ASPEN/SAN FRANCISCO/CANCUN= 1 0.3 ATLANA/NEW YORK/PHILADELPHIA= 1 0.3 ATLANTA= 3 0.9 ATLANTA GA= 5 1.4 ATLANTA GA/WASHINGTON DC= 1 0.3 BIG CITIES LIKE TORONTO= 1 0.3 BOSTON= 5 1.4 BOSTON MA= 1 0.3 BOSTON MA/DENVER CO= 1 0.3 BOSTON/CHICAGO/NEW YORK= 1 0.3 BOSTON/DALLAS/TORONTO/PORTLAND 1 0.3 BOSTON/DC/NYC/MONTREAL= 1 0.3 BOSTON/HONOLULU= 1 0.3 BOSTON/LAS VEGAS= 1 0.3 BOSTON/SF/ORLANDO/SEATTLE/EUROPE. 1 0.3 CA= 1 0.3 CALIFORNIA= 7 2.0 CANADA= 1 0.3 CHARLESTON= 1 0.3 CHICAGO= 27 7.7 CHICAGO IL= 3 0.9 CHICAGO/ATLANTA/SAN DIEGO CA= 1 0.3 CHICAGO/BOSTON= 2 0.6 CHICAGO/DC/SF/LONDON/FAYETTEVILLE. 1 0.3 CHICAGO/EUROPE= 1 0.3 CHICAGO/LAS VEGAS= 2 0.6 CHICAGO/NEW YORK/PARIS= 1 0.3 CHICAGO/NEW YORK/PORTLAND/LAS ... 1 0.3 CHICAGO/NY/S AFRICA/EUROPE= 1 0.3 CHICAGO/NYC/MINNAPOLIS/SAN FRANCISCO 1 0.3 CHICAGO/SAN FRANCISCO= 1 0.3 CHICAGO/ST LOUIS/NYC/WASHINGTON... 1 0.3 CHICAGO/WASHINGTON DC= 3 0.9 CHICAGO/WASHINGTON DC/NY/EUROPE 1 0.3 CLEVELAND OH= 1 0.3 COLORADO= 2 0.6 COLORADO/TENNESSEE= 1 0.3 DALLAS= 4 1.1 DALLAS TX= 1 0.3 DALLAS TX/MCKINNEY TX/BILLOXI MS... 1 0.3 DALLAS/NEW YORK= 1 0.3

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q2a If "yes", where?

Q2A Where Number Percent DALLAS/ROME= 1 0.3 DC/BOSTON/NY/SAN FRANCISCO= 1 0.3 DC/NY/SF/BOSTON/CHICAGO/SAN JOSE= 1 0.3 DC/OLYMPIA WA= 1 0.3 DC/SEATTLE/NEW YORK/BOSTON 1 0.3 DENVER= 3 0.9 DENVER CO= 2 0.6 DENVER/BOULDER/NEW YORK CITY= 1 0.3 DERBY DASH= 1 0.3 EAST COAST= 2 0.6 EDMOND OK/LAS VEGAS NV= 1 0.3 EUROPE= 3 0.9 EUROPE/CANADA= 1 0.3 EUROPE/CHICAGO/NEW YORK= 1 0.3 EUROPE/WASHINGTON DC/CHICAGO= 1 0.3 FLORIDA= 2 0.6 FLORIDA/HAWAII= 1 0.3 GARDEN CITY= 1 0.3 GEORGIA= 1 0.3 GREYHOUND= 1 0.3 HARTFORD CT= 1 0.3 HAWAII= 1 0.3 HAYSVILLE= 1 0.3 HONOLULU= 1 0.3 HOUSTON= 2 0.6 HOUSTON TX= 2 0.6 JOPLIN MO= 1 0.3 KC= 1 0.3 KC KS= 1 0.3 KC/CHICAGO/DC/EUROPE= 1 0.3 KCMO= 7 2.0 KCMO/KC KS/SAN DIEGO/SAN FRANCISCO 1 0.3 KCMO/WASHINGTON DC= 1 0.3 LA= 1 0.3 LAS VEGAS= 7 2.0 LAS VEGAS/FLORIDA= 1 0.3 LAS VEGAS/NEW ORLEANS/WASHINGTON 1 0.3 LAS VEGAS/ORLANDO FL= 1 0.3 LAWRENCE KS= 1 0.3 LOUISIANA= 1 0.3 LONDON= 2 0.6 LONDON ENGLAND= 1 0.3 LONDON/BOSTON= 1 0.3 LONDON/PARIS/ROME/UK= 1 0.3

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q2a If "yes", where?

Q2A Where Number Percent LONDON/PARIS/VIENNA= 1 0.3 LONDON/VEGAS/TUCSON AZ= 1 0.3 LOS ANGELES= 2 0.6 LOUISVILLE= 1 0.3 MADISON WI/CHICAGO IL= 1 0.3 MANHATTAN KS/SAN JOSE/COSTA RICO= 1 0.3 MANY PLACES= 1 0.3 MEXICO= 4 1.1 MEXICO/LAS VEGAS= 1 0.3 MIAMI= 1 0.3 MILWAUKEE WI= 1 0.3 MINNEAPOLIS= 1 0.3 MINNEAPOLIS MN= 5 1.4 MINNEAPOLIS MN/DILLON CO= 1 0.3 MINNEAPOLIS/NM/BOSTON MA= 1 0.3 MINNESOTA= 1 0.3 MISSOURI/TX= 1 0.3 MONTREAL CANADA= 1 0.3 MONTREAL/DC/DALLAS/FT WORTH/GE... 1 0.3 MARTA ATLANTA= 1 0.3 MUNICH IN/HONOLULU/SOLE KOREA 1 0.3 N WACO= 1 0.3 NASHVILLE TN= 1 0.3 NEW JERSEY= 1 0.3 NEW YORK= 12 3.4 NEW YORK CITY= 7 2.0 NEW YORK CITY/ATLANTA= 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/BOSTON= 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/CHARLSTON NC= 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/COLORADO= 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/LAS VEGAS= 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/LONDON= 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/MANCHESTER UK 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/WASHINGTON DC= 1 0.3 NEW YORK CITY/WASHINGTON DC 1 0.3 NEW YORK/ATLANTA= 1 0.3 NEW YORK/CHICAGO= 1 0.3 NEW YORK/CHICAGO/MINNEAPOLIS/DC= 1 0.3 NEW YORK/LAS VEGAS/NEW HAMPSHIRE 1 0.3 NEW YORK/LONDON/BOSTON= 1 0.3 NEW YORK/OKLAHOMA CITY= 1 0.3 NEW YORK/SAN DIEGO/EUROPE/ST LOUIS 1 0.3 NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO/DENVER= 1 0.3 NEW YORK/WASHINGTON DC= 2 0.6

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q2a If "yes", where?

Q2A Where Number Percent NEW YORK/WASHINGTON DC/BALTIMORE 1 0.3 NEW YRK/KCMO= 1 0.3 NUMEROUSE PLACES= 1 0.3 NY= 2 0.6 NY CITY/ATLANTA= 1 0.3 NY CITY/BOSTON/BALTIMORE/EUROPE... 1 0.3 NY/BOSTON/BERLIN/AMSTERDAM 1 0.3 NY/CA/CO= 1 0.3 NY/DC/SF/PARIS/HONG KONG/SHANGHI 1 0.3 NYC= 1 0.3 NYC/BOSTON/CLEVELAND= 1 0.3 NYC/CHICAGO= 1 0.3 NYC/DC/ATLANTA/CHICAGO= 1 0.3 NYC/DC/SAN FRANCISCO= 1 0.3 NYC/DC/SAN FRANCISCO/LA= 1 0.3 NYC/LONDON/SAN FRANCISCO/CHICAGO 1 0.3 NYC/WASHNGTON DC/LONDON/PARIS= 1 0.3 OHIO= 2 0.6 OKC= 1 0.3 OKLAHOMA CITY OK= 1 0.3 OKLAHOMA/TEXAS= 1 0.3 OLYMPIA WA/SAN DIEGO CA= 1 0.3 OMAHA= 1 0.3 OTHER CITIES/COUNTRIES= 1 0.3 PARIS= 1 0.3 PHILADELPHIA= 1 0.3 PHILADELPHIA/BOSTON= 1 0.3 PHOENIX= 1 0.3 PHOENIX AZ= 2 0.6 PORTLAND, NEW YORK CITY= 1 0.3 PROVO UT= 1 0.3 READING PA= 1 0.3 ROANOKE VA/BUS RUNS TILL 8 PM= 1 0.3 ROYAL OAK MUSKOGIE IL= 1 0.3 SALT LAKE CITY= 1 0.3 SALT LAKE CITY/BOSTON/NEW YORK/... 1 0.3 SAN ANTONIO= 1 0.3 SAN ANTONIO/NYC= 1 0.3 SAN DIEGO= 1 0.3 SAN FRANCISCO= 5 1.4 SAN FRANCISCO CA= 1 0.3 SAN FRANCISCO/ATLANTA= 1 0.3 SAN FRANCISCO/BOSTON/NY= 1 0.3 SAN FRANCISCO/CHICAGO= 1 0.3

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q2a If "yes", where?

Q2A Where Number Percent SAN FRANCISCO/DENVER= 1 0.3 SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON DC 1 0.3 SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON/MANILA 1 0.3 SCOTLAND= 1 0.3 SCOTTSDALE AZ= 1 0.3 SE CA/NEW ORLEANS= 1 0.3 SEATTLE= 1 0.3 SEATTLE WA= 4 1.1 SF/DC/BOSTON= 1 0.3 SOUTHERN CA= 1 0.3 ST LOUIS= 4 1.1 ST LOUIS MO= 1 0.3 ST LOUIS MO/MARYLAND= 1 0.3 ST LOUIS/CHICAGO/SEATTLE= 1 0.3 ST LOUIS/GREAT BRITAN TRAVEL 1 0.3 ST PAUL MN= 2 0.6 TEXAS= 1 0.3 TOKOYO JAPAN/BANGKOK THAILAND 1 0.3 TOPEKA= 4 1.1 TORONTO= 1 0.3 TRIP OUT OF STATE= 1 0.3 TX= 1 0.3 UK= 1 0.3 VANCOUVER CANADA= 1 0.3 VEGAS= 1 0.3 VEGAS/KC= 1 0.3 VIENNA/AUSTRALIA/EUROPE= 1 0.3 VIRGINIA/WASHINGTON DC/NY= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON= 2 0.6 WASHINGTON DC= 14 4.0 WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/ATLANTA= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/CANCUN MEXICO/LA... 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/CHICAGO/DALLAS= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/MEXICO CITY/LONDON 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/NEW YORK= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/NEW YORK CITY= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/SEATTLE WA= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/ST LOUIS= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON DC/ATLANTA= 1 0.3 WASHINGTON STATE= 1 0.3 WEST DC= 1 0.3 WILMINGTON NC= 1 0.3 Total 351 100.0

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q3 If you were going to use public transportation in Wichita, which of the following would be the primary reason you would use it? primary reason Number Percent Go to/from work 277 42.5 Go to/from school 71 10.9 Medical/dental appointments 162 24.9 Meals, social activities, daycare 97 14.9 Run errands/go shopping, etc. 172 26.4 Q-line shuttle for downtown service 159 24.4 Would never use public transit 170 26.1 Other 36 5.5 None chosen 11 1.7 Total 1155

Q3 If you were going to use public transportation in Wichita, which of the following would be the primary reason you would use it? (Excluding None Chosen)

primary reason Number Percent Go to/from work 277 42.5 Go to/from school 71 10.9 Medical/dental appointments 162 24.9 Meals, social activities, daycare 97 14.9 Run errands/go shopping, etc. 172 26.4 Q-line shuttle for downtown service 159 24.4 Would never use public transit 170 26.1 Other 36 5.5 Total 1144

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q3 Other

Q3 Other Number Percent AIRPORT= 2 5.9 AIRPORT ONLY= 1 2.9 ATTEND CHURCH ON SUNDAY= 1 2.9 CARPOOL= 1 2.9 CONCERS/COLISSEUM/WSU GAMES= 1 2.9 DONT LIVE IN CITY LIMITS= 1 2.9 DOWNTOWN EVENTS= 1 2.9 EMERGENCY= 1 2.9 ENTERTAINMENT= 1 2.9 EVENTS= 1 2.9 EVENTS DOWNTOWN= 1 2.9 EVERYTHING= 1 2.9 FROM VALLEY CENTER TO WICHITA= 1 2.9 FUN= 1 2.9 HAVE A CAR & STILL DRIVE= 1 2.9 HAVE NOT HAD REASON TO USE= 1 2.9 IF NECESSARY ONLY= 1 2.9 IF NEEDED= 1 2.9 INTOXICATED= 1 2.9 JUST FOR FUN TO GO DOWNTOWN= 1 2.9 LIVE IN THE COUNTRY= 1 2.9 MISC= 1 2.9 NOISE= 1 2.9 ONLY IF BOTH CARS BROKE DOWN= 1 2.9 ONLY IF I DONT HAVE A CAR= 1 2.9 SAVE GAS= 1 2.9 TAXI= 1 2.9 TOO INCONVENIENT= 1 2.9 TROLLEY FOR NOSTALGIA= 1 2.9 USE MY CAR FOR WORK= 1 2.9 VISIT FAMILY & FRIENDS= 1 2.9 WHEN I AM TOO OLD TO DRIVE= 1 2.9 WOULDN'T= 1 2.9 Total 34 100.0

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q4 What method of transportation do you normally use to go to work, school or your most frequent destination? frequent destination Number Percent Car/truck--drive alone 607 93.2 Carpool 29 4.5 Vanpool 3 0.5 Walk 29 4.5 Taxi 10 1.5 Bicycle 17 2.6 Public transit (bus/paratransit) 23 3.5 Motorcycle 10 1.5 Other 6 0.9 None chosen 3 0.5 Total 737

Q4 Other

Q4 Other Number Percent BUS= 1 20.0 COMPANY VEHICLE= 1 20.0 DRIVEN BY FAMILY= 1 20.0 FAMILY/FRIENDS= 1 20.0 USUALLY 2 IN CAR= 1 20.0 Total 5 100.0

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q5 The cost of driving a car to work, school or your most frequent destination, is so much greater (car payment, insurance, car maintenance, GAS) than the cost of riding a bus. Which of the following are reasons that you do not use public transit more often? reasons that you do not use public transit more often Number Percent Service is not available near my home 326 50.1 Service doesn't go where I need it to go 208 32.0 I don't know how to use the service 118 18.1 I had a bad experience with the service 19 2.9 It takes too long to get to destinations compared... 236 36.3 Service is not offered at the time I need it 153 23.5 Buses do not come by frequently enough 108 16.6 I don't feel safe riding the bus 44 6.8 I just prefer to drive 302 46.4 No park and ride lots nearby 80 12.3 Other 58 8.9 None chosen 8 1.2 Total 1660

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q5. Other

Q5 Other Number Percent UNSANITARY 1 1.8 24 HR SERVICE HELPS OTHERS 1 1.8 5 MIN FROM WORK, HAVE A CAR 1 1.8 ACCESS TO PERSONAL VEHICLE 1 1.8 BAD CONNECTIONS 1 1.8 BE ABLE TO WALK TO BUS STOP 1 1.8 CAN WALK TO WORK/GROCERY STORE 1 1.8 CANT SEE BUS STOPS 1 1.8 COMMUTE TIMES-WAITING 1 1.8 DISTANCE HURT ME TO WALK 1 1.8 DONT HAVE TO WAIT FOR BUS 1 1.8 DRIVING BY PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY 1 1.8 ELDERLY CANT FIND DRS OFFICE 1 1.8 FREEDOM 1 1.8 HAVE OWN CAR 1 1.8 HAVE PANIC ATTACKS 1 1.8 HAVE SMALL CHILDREN 1 1.8 HAVE SMALL KIDS WITH ME 1 1.8 HAVE TO BE A STOP EARLY 1 1.8 HAVE WORK TRUCK W/SUPPLIES 1 1.8 HOW TO TAKE HUGE SUITCASE TO APPOINTMENT 1 1.8 I RIDE THE BUS 1 1.8 INDEPENDENCE 1 1.8 IT HAS TO BE CONVENIENT 1 1.8 ITS EXPENSIVE 1 1.8 LIVE 1 MILES FROM WORK 1 1.8 LIVE IN THE COUNTRY 1 1.8 LIVE OUTSIDE WICHITA 1 1.8 LIVED CLOSE TO SCHOOL/NEED CAR 1 1.8 LOTS OF FREEDOM 1 1.8

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q5. Other

Q5 Other Number Percent MEDICAL CONDITION 1 1.8 NOT SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE 1 1.8 MY CAR IS CONVENIENT 1 1.8 MY SCHEDULE CHANGES FREQUENTLY 1 1.8 NECESSARY BENEFIT-NO CAR 1 1.8 NEED CAR FOR BUSINESS 1 1.8 NEED CAR FOR WORK 1 1.8 NEED TO KNOW GET WORK ON TIME 1 1.8 NEED TRUCK FOR WORK 1 1.8 NEED VEHICLE DURING DAY 1 1.8 NEVER TOUGHT OF USING IT 1 1.8 NEW ROUTES ALL THRU TRANSIT CTR 1 1.8 NOT FAMILIAR WITH WICHITA 1 1.8 OWN ROOFING COMPANY 1 1.8 RESPONSIBLE FOR OWN TRANSPORT 1 1.8 RETIRED 1 1.8 SPORATIC SCHEDULE 1 1.8 STILL NEED CAR FOR OTHER TRIPS 1 1.8 TOO DIFFICULT TO WALK TO BUS 1 1.8 TOO EXPENSIVE 1 1.8 UPREDICATABLE DRIVING SCHEDULE 1 1.8 USE MY CAR FOR WORK 1 1.8 VEHICLE 1 1.8 VERY CONFUSING SYSTEM 1 1.8 WALKING ACROSS MAJOR STREETS 1 1.8 WEIRD PEOPLE ON BUS 1 1.8 WORK PART TIME 1 1.8 Total 57 100.0

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

(N=651)

Very Not unlikely 2 Neutral 4 Very likely applicable Q6a Parking becomes difficult or Expensive where you frequently go 31.8% 7.4% 18.2% 16.5% 13.9% 12.1%

Q6b Park and ride lots are readily available 25.8% 8.1% 22.3% 15.1% 16.6% 12.1%

Q6c The time it takes to get to work by car increases by 15 minutes due to traffic congestion 29.8% 9.1% 2 0.1% 14.6% 10.6% 15.8%

Q6d You have easy access to an express bus that has a designated lane on the freeway during rush hour 24.6% 7.5% 20.0% 16.6% 17.1% 14.3%

Q6e Transit stops are located closer to your home and where you frequently go 20.3% 8.3% 15.5% 19.7% 26.4% 9.8%

Q6f An electronic display of arrival times is provided at primary stops and accessible to you electronically 22.6% 7.1% 20.9% 18.7% 19.5% 11.2%

Q6g More and larger shelters are provided 24.9% 8.0% 25.8% 16.4% 13.5% 11.4%

Q6h You can access the best bus route for your needs on the Wichita Transit web site 23.7% 7.1% 21.5% 18.4% 16.3% 13.1%

Q6i Your employer provided incentives to use transit services, such as discounted passes 22.4% 5.1% 15.4% 19.0% 19.4% 18.7%

Q6j The cost of gasoline goes above $5 a gallon 15.7% 6.0% 14.9% 20.4% 32.3% 10.8%

Q6k The time spent using transit is Roughly comparable to the time spent driving 21.5% 9.4% 16.1% 18.1% 24.4% 10.4%

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q6 Here is a list of factors that could encourage you to use public transit in Wichita. Using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means "very unlikely" and 5 means "very likely," please rate how likely each factor would be to encourage you to use public transit at least once a week. (excluding "not applicable") (N=651) Very unlikely 2 Neutral 4 Very likely Q6a Parking becomes difficult or expensive where you frequently go 36.2 8.4 20.7 18.8 15.8

Q6b Park and ride lots are readily available 29.4 9.3 25.3 17.1 18.9

Q6c The time it takes to get to work by car increases by 15 minutes due to traffic Congestion 35.4 10.8 23.9 17.3 12.6

Q6d You have easy access to an express bus that has a designated lane on the freeway during rush hour 28.7 8.8 23.3 19.4 19.9

Q6e Transit stops are located closer to your home and where you frequently go 22.5 9.2 17.2 21.8 29.3

Q6f An electronic display of arrival times is provided at primary stops and accessible to you electronically 25.4 8.0 23.5 21.1 22.0

Q6g More and larger shelters are provided 28.1 9.0 29.1 18.5 15.3

Q6h You can access the best bus route for your needs on the Wichita Transit web site 27.2 8.1 24.7 21.2 18.7

Q6i Your employer provided incentives to use transit services, such as discounted passes 27.6 6.2 18.9 23.4 23.8

Q6j The cost of gasoline goes above $5 a gallon 17.6 6.7 16.7 22.9 36.1

Q6k The time spent using transit is roughly comparable to the time spent driving 24.0 10.5 18.0 20.2 27.3

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2011 Wichita Public Transportation Survey

Q7-1 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:

Q7-1 Increase service frequency Number Percent Increase service frequency and concentrate ser... 380 58.4 Decrease service frequency and spread service... 192 29.5 None chosen 79 12.1 Total 651 100.0

Q7-1 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:(Excluding None Chosen)

Q7-1 Increase service frequency Number Percent Increase service frequency and concentrate ser... 380 66.4 Decrease service frequency and spread service... 192 33.6 Total 572 100.0

Q7-2 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:

Q7-2 Concentrate service during weekdays Number Percent Concentrate service during weekdays and regul... 193 29.6 Spread services out more into early morning, ev... 393 60.4 None chosen 65 10.0 Total 651 100.0

Q7-2 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:(Excluding None Chosen)

Q7-2 Concentrate service during weekdays Number Percent Concentrate service during weekdays and regul... 193 32.9 Spread services out more into early morning, ev... 393 67.1 Total 586 100.0

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Q7-3 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:

Q7-3 Provide many/frequent stops Number Percent Provide many/frequent stops even if it means s... 280 43.0 Reduce the number of stops in order to make s... 290 44.5 None chosen 81 12.4 Total 651 100.0

Q7-3 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service: (Excluding None Chosen)

Q7-3 Provide many/frequent stops Number Percent Provide many/frequent stops even if it means s... 280 49.1 Reduce the number of stops in order to make s... 290 50.9 Total 570 100.0

Q7-4 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:

Q7-4 Walk shorter distance to bus Number Percent Walk shorter distance to bus service that is slo... 284 43.6 Walk longer distance to bus service that is faste... 283 43.5 None chosen 84 12.9 Total 651 100.0

Q7-4 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:(Excluding None Chosen)

Q7-4 Walk shorter distance to bus Number Percent Walk shorter distance to bus service that is slo... 284 50.1 Walk longer distance to bus service that is faste... 283 49.9 Total 567 100.0

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Q7-5 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:

Q7-5 A hub/spoke system w/transfers Number Percent A hub and spoke system with more transfers. 177 27.2 A grid type system with fewer transfers. 380 58.5 None chosen 93 14.3 Total 650 100.0

Q7-5 Circle your preference "A" or "B" when considering bus service:(Excluding None Chosen)

Q7-5 A hub/spoke system w/transfers Number Percent A hub and spoke system with more transfers. 177 31.8 A grid type system with fewer transfers. 380 68.2 Total 557 100.0

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Q8 There are several reasons why the City of Wichita provides a public transit system. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following.

(N=651)

Strongly Somewhat Do not Don't agree agree agree Know Q8a Help people who don't have access to a car to get to work, school, etc 85.9 10.9 2.3 0.9 Q8b Help people who do have a car but choose to save money by using transit 51.0 36.6 11.5 0.9 Q8c Provide service for persons with disabilities and special needs, like the elderly 82.5 14.0 3.1 0.5 Q8d Provide transportation to reduce air pollution and reduce traffic congestion 45.6 35.2 18.6 0.6

Q8 There are several reasons why the City of Wichita provides a public transit system. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following.(Excluding None Chosen)

(N=651) Strongly Somewhat Do not agree agree agree Q8a Help people who don't have access to a car to get to work, school, etc 86.7 11.0 2.3 Q8b Help people who do have a car but choose to save money by using transit 51.5 36.9 11.6 Q8c Provide service for persons with disabilities and special needs, like the elderly 82.9 14.0 3.1 Q8d Provide transportation to reduce air pollution and reduce traffic congestion 45.9 35.4 18.7

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Q9 If you or a family member were no longer able to drive, how would you or they get to work, school, or most frequent destinations?

Q9 If you or a family member were no longer able to drive, how would you or they get to work, school, or most frequent destinations? Number Percent Get a ride from family member or friend 482 74.0 Ride my bike 44 6.8 Walk 70 10.8 Ride the bus 187 28.7 Other 28 4.3 None chosen 10 1.5 Total 821

Q9 Other

Q9 Other Number Percent A NON PROFIT ORG= 1 3.4 ANYTHING BUT RIDE BUS= 1 3.4 CAB= 1 3.4 CALL A CAB= 2 6.9 CAR POOL= 2 6.9 CARPOOL= 3 10.3 CHURCH= 1 3.4 FAMILY= 1 3.4 FRIEND= 1 3.4 MOVE= 1 3.4 RESIGN= 1 3.4 TAXI= 10 34.5 TAXI OR UNITED WAY= 1 3.4 TAXI/LIMOSINE SERVICE= 1 3.4 USE 1ST PRESBYTERIAN TRAN= 1 3.4 WOULDN'T GO= 1 3.4 Total 29 100.0

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Q10 Overall, how important do you think it is for the City of Wichita to support and fund public transportation?

Number Percent Very important 409 62.8 Somewhat important 152 23.3 Not sure 58 8.9 Not important 32 4.9 Total 651 100.0

Q11 How supportive would you be of increasing funding for public transportation by raising vehicle registration fees and/or taxes so that an improved level of service (expanded hours, days and frequencies) could be provided?

Number Percent Very supportive 120 18.4 Somewhat supportive 179 27.5 Not sure 141 21.7 Not supportive 210 32.3 None chosen 1 0.2 Total 651 100.0

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Q12 What source of funding would you most support using to expand public transportation or the development of transportation alternatives for the City of Wichita?

Number Percent Sales tax 258 39.6 Property tax 77 11.8 Motor vehicle registration fees 127 19.5 Gasoline tax 74 11.4 Don't Know 115 17.7 Total 651 100.0

Q12 What source of funding would you most support using to expand public transportation or the development of transportation alternatives for the City of Wichita? (Excluding Don't Know)

Number Percent Sales tax 258 48.1 Property tax 77 14.4 Motor vehicle registration fees 127 23.7 Gasoline tax 74 13.8 Total 536 100.0

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Q13 How many operating vehicles (cars, motorcycles, vans) do you have in your household?

Q13 How many operating vehicles (cars, motorcycles, vans) do you have in your household? Number Percent One 150 23.1 Two 259 39.9 Three or more 221 34.1 None 19 2.9 Total 649 100.0

Q14 Would you support providing a park and ride type of regional service outside the City of Wichita? regional service outside the City of Wichita? Number Percent Yes 372 57.2 No 240 36.9 Don't Know 38 5.8 Total 650 100.0

Q14 Would you support providing a park and ride type of regional service outside the City of Wichita? (Excluding Don't Know)

Q14 Would you support providing a park and ride type of regional service outside the City of Wichita? Number Percent Yes 372 60.8 No 240 39.2 Total 612 100.0

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Q15 If you live outside the City of Wichita, would you use a park and ride service if it met your transportation needs?

Q15 If you live outside the City of Wichita, would you use a park and ride service if it met your transportation needs? Number Percent Yes 358 55.0 No 201 30.9 Don't Know 92 14.1 Total 651 100.0

Q15 If you live outside the City of Wichita, would you use a park and ride service if it met your transportation needs? (Excluding Don't Know)

Q15 If you live outside the City of Wichita, would you use a park and ride service if it met your transportation needs? Number Percent Yes 358 64.0 No 201 36.0 Total 559 100.0

Q16 How many persons in your household (counting yourself), are?

Mean Sum number 2.8 1799 Q16 Under age 5 0.2 139 Q16 5-9 years 0.2 114 Q16 10-14 years 0.2 136 Q16 15-19 years 0.2 139 Q16 20-24 years 0.2 119 Q16 25-34 years 0.3 219 Q16 35-44 years 0.3 194 Q16 45-54 years 0.4 278 Q16 55-64 years 0.4 265 Q16 65+ years 0.3 196

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Q17 What is your total annual household income?

Q17 What is your total annual household income? Number Percent Under $30,000 108 16.6 $30,000 to $59,999 152 23.3 $60,000 to $99,999 144 22.1 $100,000 plus 118 18.1 Not provided 129 19.8 Total 651 100.0

Q17 What is your total annual household income?(Excluding Not Provided)

Q17 What is your total annual household income? Number Percent Under $30,000 108 20.7 $30,000 to $59,999 152 29.1 $60,000 to $99,999 144 27.6 $100,000 plus 118 22.6 Total 522 100.0

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HOME zip code Q18 Home Zip Number Percent 67001 4 0.6 67016 1 0.2 67025 8 1.2 67026 9 1.4 67030 2 0.3 67037 43 6.6 67050 3 0.5 67052 15 2.3 67060 19 2.9 67067 3 0.5 67101 4 0.6 67110 10 1.5 67111 1 0.2 67120 1 0.2 67135 2 0.3 67146 1 0.2 67147 15 2.3 67149 2 0.3 67201 1 0.2 67202 3 0.5 67203 30 4.6 67204 31 4.8 67205 28 4.3 67206 36 5.5 67207 22 3.4 67208 20 3.1 67209 18 2.8 67210 5 0.8 67211 7 1.1 67212 42 6.5 67213 19 2.9 67214 20 3.1 67215 9 1.4 67216 10 1.5 67217 31 4.8 67218 23 3.5 67219 30 4.6 67220 28 4.3 67221 1 0.2 67223 1 0.2 67226 27 4.1 67227 1 0.2 67228 3 0.5 67230 22 3.4 67235 17 2.6 67253 1 0.2 Total 629 96.6

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Q19 What is the zip code of your WORK location? Number Percent 67203 24 3.7 67207 15 2.3 67220 10 1.5 67152 2 0.3 67219 16 2.5 67037 13 2.0 67208 23 3.5 67202 36 5.5 67217 14 2.2 67030 2 0.3 67215 6 0.9 67201 15 2.3 67210 10 1.5 67260 7 1.1 67209 18 2.8 67135 1 0.2 67211 13 2.0 67212 22 3.4 67205 10 1.5 67002 4 0.6 67050 1 0.2 67214 23 3.5 67213 22 3.4 67206 26 4.0 67221 3 0.5 67226 20 3.1 67042 1 0.2 67218 13 2.0 67225 1 0.2 67204 7 1.1 67010 1 0.2 67200 1 0.2 67278 1 0.2 67060 3 0.5 67101 3 0.5 67067 1 0.2 67026 1 0.2 67052 3 0.5 67216 3 0.5 67147 3 0.5 67230 2 0.3 67235 5 0.8 67277 1 0.2 67025 3 0.5 67276 1 0.2 67110 4 0.6 67001 1 0.2 66757 1 0.2 Total 416 63.9

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Q20 Gender

Q20 Gender Number Percent Male 282 43.3 Female 369 56.7 Total 651 100.0

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Section 3: Survey Instrument

CITY OF WICHITA

October 2011

Dear Resident,

On behalf of Wichita Transit, I would like to invite you to fill out the survey included with this letter. Your very important input will be used to study the needs and wants for transit services in the Wichita area.

The City of Wichita Transit Department currently operates fixed route and complimentary para• transit services inside the Wichita City limits. We are in the process of conducting a Community Outreach Study in order to analyze our operations and improve service. Only a limited number of residents in Sedgwick County will receive this survey through a random selection process, therefore your input is very important.

A postage-paid return envelope addressed to ETC Institute has been provided for your convenience. ETC Institute is our partner in the Community Outreach Study that this survey will aid. They will compile the results to help us better determine the needs of Sedgwick County residents.

If you have any questions, please call me at (316) 352-4805. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Sincerely,

Michael Vinson Director, Wichita Transit

Transit Operations Center

777 East Waterman • Wichita, Kansas 67202

T 316.265.1450 F 316.337.9287 www.wichita.gov

Wichita PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SURVEY

We would like your help in shaping the future of public transportation in Wichita. By responding to a few questions, your household will provide valuable direction for change in the coverage of our public transit system. Thank you for taking a few minutes to respond to the survey. When you are finished, please return the completed survey in the postage-paid envelope addressed to ETC Institute, 725 W Frontier Circle, Olathe, KS 66061.

1. Does anyone in your household currently use public transportation in Wichita? (1) Yes, weekly (2) Yes, occasionally (3) Rarely or never

2. Have you EVER used public transportation in places outside Wichita? (1) YES A. If “yes”, where? (2) NO

3. If you were going to use public transportation in Wichita, which of the following would be the primary reason you would use it? [Check all that apply] (1) Go to/from work (2) Go to/from school (3) Medical/dental appointments (4) Meals, social activities, daycare (5) Run errands/go shopping, etc. (6) Q-line shuttle for downtown service (7) Would never use public transit (8) Other:

4. What method of transportation do you normally use to go to work, school or your most frequent destination? (1) Car/truck--drive alone (6) Bicycle (2) Carpool (3) Vanpool (4) Walk (7) Public transit (bus/paratransit) (5) Taxi (8) Motorcycle (9) Other:

5. The cost of driving a car to work, school or your most frequent destination, is so much greater (car payment, insurance, car maintenance, GAS) than the cost of riding a bus. Which of the following are reasons that you do not use public transit more often? (check all that apply) (A) Service is not available near my home (B) Service doesn’t go where I need it to go (C) I don't know how to use the service (need information about routes/fees/schedules) (D) I had a bad experience with the service (treated poorly, arrived late, did not feel safe) (E) It takes too long to get to destinations compared to travel by car (F) Service is not offered at the time I need it (G) Buses do not come by frequently enough (H) I don’t feel safe riding the bus (I ) I just prefer to drive (J ) No park and ride lots nearby (K) Other:

6. Here is a list of factors that could encourage you to use public transit in Wichita. Using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means “very unlikely” and 5 means “very likely,” please rate how likely each factor would be to encourage you to use public transit at least once a week. Very Very Not Unlikely Neutral Likely Applicable (A) Parking becomes difficult or expensive where you frequently go ...... 1 ...... 2 ...... 3 ...... 4 ...... 5 ...... 9 (B) Park and ride lots are readily available ...... 1...... 2...... 3 ...... 4...... 5 ...... 9 (C) The time it takes to get to work by car increases by 15 minutes due to traffic congestion ...... 1...... 2...... 3 ...... 4...... 5 ...... 9 (D) You have easy access to an express bus that has a designated lane on the freeway during rush hour ...... 1...... 2...... 3 ...... 4...... 5 ...... 9 (E) Transit stops are located closer to your home and where you frequently go ...... 1...... 2...... 3 ...... 4...... 5 ...... 9 (F) An electronic display of arrival times is provided at primary stops and accessible to you electronically ...... 1...... 2...... 3 ...... 4...... 5 ...... 9 (G) More and larger shelters are provided...... 1...... 2...... 3 ...... 4...... 5 ...... 9 (H) You can access the best bus route for your needs on the Wichita Transit web site...... 1...... 2...... 3 ...... 4...... 5 ...... 9 (I) Your employer provided incentives to use transit services, such as discounted passes. ....1...... 2 ...... 3 ...... 4 ...... 5 ...... 9 (J) The cost of gasoline goes above $5 a gallon …..1……..2……..3……..4…….5……...9 (K) The time spent using transit is roughly the comparable to the time spent driving………..1..…...2……..3……..4……..5……...9

7. Circle your preference “A” or “B” when considering bus service: Increase service frequency and concentrate Decrease service frequency and spread A service in areas of greatest need. B service over a larger area so more are served. Concentrate service during weekdays and Spread services out more into early A B regular business hours. morning, evening, and weekend days. Provide many/frequent stops even if it means Reduce the number of stops in order to A B service is slower. make service faster. Walk shorter distance to bus service that is Walk longer distance to bus service A B slower and less direct. that is faster and more direct. A hub and spoke system with more transfers. A grid type system with fewer A B transfers.

8. There are several reasons why the City of Wichita provides a public transit system. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following. Strongly Somewhat Do not Reason Agree Agree Agree (A) Help people who don’t have access to a car to get to work, school, etc...... 1 ...... 2 ...... 3 (B) Help people who do have a car but choose to save money by using transit ...... 1 ...... 2 ...... 3 (C) Provide service for persons with disabilities and special needs, like the elderly ...... 1 ...... 2 ...... 3 (D) Provide transportation to reduce air pollution and reduce traffic congestion ...... 1 ...... 2 ...... 3

9. If you or a family member were no longer able to drive, how would you or they get to work, school, or most frequent destinations? (1) Get a ride from family member (3) Walk or friend (4) Ride the bus (2) Ride my bike (5)Other:

10. Overall, how important do you think it is for the City of Wichita to support and fund public transportation? (1) Very important (3) Not sure (2) Somewhat important (4) Not important

11. How supportive would you be of increasing funding for public transportation by raising vehicle registration fees and/or taxes so that an improved level of service (expanded hours, days and frequencies) could be provided? (1) Very supportive (3) Not sure (2) Somewhat supportive (4) Not supportive

12. What source of funding would you most support using to expanded public transportation or the development of transportation alternatives for the City of Wichita? (1) Sales tax (3) Motor vehicle registration fees (2) Property tax (4) Gasoline tax

13. How many operating vehicles (cars, motorcycles, vans) do you have in your household? (1) one (3) three or more _ _ _(2) two (4) none

14. Would you support providing a park and ride type of regional service outside the City of Wichita? Yes No

15. If you live outside the City of Wichita, would you use a park and ride service if it met your transportation needs? Yes No

16. How many persons in your household (counting yourself), are? Under age 5 20 - 24 years 55-64 years 5 - 9 years 25 - 34 years 65+ years 10 - 14 years 35 - 44 years 15 - 19 years 45 - 54 years

17. What is your total annual household income is: (1) Under $30,000 (4) $100,000 plus (2) $30,000 to $59,999 (3) $60,000 (9) not provided to $99,999

18. What is your home street address (or closest intersection) and zip code?

Address: Zip:

19. What is the zip code of your work location? Zip:

20. Respondent's gender: (1) Male (2) Female

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THIS CONCLUDES THE SURVEY

Topic Name: Let's Talk Transit

Idea Title: Nights and Weekends

Idea Detail: Busses along Major streets (E. Harry, Central, the collage, Industrial and places of Entertainment) should run perhaps not 24/7 but certainly until 11pm. That would allow people with 2nd and 3rd shift jobs, people who take evening classes and those who visit Century 2 and the Intrust Bank Arena to be able to leave their cars at home (cutting down on traffic and parking issues) and take the bus. They may need to walk/drive a couple of blocks to get to a "major" street but that would be okay wouldn't it? What say you?

Idea Author: Keith M

Number of Seconds 31

Number of Comments 28

Comment 1: Kris B that is not true. I am very well aware of the report. I read it! However, that is based on 2007 operating costs and revenues. Those would change dramatically with a new, improved, system and more operating hours. With more riders costs would come down. Also, there are such things as fixed, semi-variable, and variable costs which would change dramatically depending on projected ridership. However, it is difficult to predict how customers will respond to the new system so that's why I asked Michelle if they had worked out what they think that bus fare would look like under a new system based on projected ridership. I didn't feel confident that I could accurately derive that figure from the numbers in that report. In the report they don't say how many people would participate. They break it down into hours of operation, and annual riders per bus route; which could be counting individuals several times over and give you misleading numbers. That's why I was wanting clarification because I haven't been able to find out how many actual people they think would actual ride the proposed system in that report. The way you calculated your numbers leaves out a lot of things that can't be ignored. | By Chris E

Comment 2: Chris E, are you expecting the bus system to run on fairy dust and love or something?? TAX dollars are what make it remotely feasible to have public transit. Fares can't possibly pay for the whole budget, especially in this city. It seems like your argument against tax money is that you don't use it, therefore you don't want to pay. That's silly. We ALL pay for things we don't use-- I don't have kids, but I have to pay for schools. How is that fair? I haven't

7 used the fire department, I don't want to pay for it. That whole idea is ludicrous.

Government is about people banding together to increase the well being of the whole community in various ways. One of those is transit. So, suck it up and accept that taxes have to pay for that. | By Valorie M

Comment 3: Valarie M I think you're missing my point. I am not advocating for privatizing the fire department, schools, or any other essential public service so please don't assume that I hate the idea of using tax dollars for anything. I believe government should only step in and use tax money when it is absolutely necessary otherwise private money should be used. I am not a fan of government subsidizing everything. We should be more careful with using public money. I see an opportunity to eliminate the use of public money by raising fares to a reasonable rate. I haven't studied it so I don't know what that would look like here in Wichita, which is why I asked Michelle if she knew. Five dollars per day seems like it would work for daily operations but that depends on how many riders participate and that depends on how good the transit system is, so there are some unknowns I am not able to account for. You would have to ask the question, "How much are people willing to pay for public transit". | By Chris E

Comment 4: By the way I am for using public money for capital improvemnts to transit but the day to day should come from fares. The primary reason this would be a good thing is because I think that if transit really had to really on customer satisfaction to run the system then they would be more responsive to customer needs and we probably would be in the mess we are in now. When you use so much public money and you hit hard times what do you think they will do to those tax dollars for transit? They will cut them of course and then we will have an underfunded system that doesn't meet the needs of the riders like we have now. Do you see? | By Chris E

Comment 5: By the way I am for using public money for capital improvements to transit but the day to day should come from fares. The primary reason this would be a good thing is because I think that if transit really had to rely on customer satisfaction to run the system then they would be more responsive to customer needs and we probably wouldn't be in the mess we are in now. When you use so much public money and you hit hard times what do you think they will do to those tax dollars for transit? They will cut them of course and then we will have an underfunded system that doesn't meet the needs of the riders, like we have now. Do you see? | By Chris E

Comment 6: Michelle technically you charge $5/day but how many people pay that money? The issue is ridership and as you said it would take that up front investment, but isn't that the point of this transit plan? As for being cost prohibitive I don't see how. Even if you spent $5/ day that is far cheaper than the cost of maintaining and operating even a cheap car. For

8 people who are so poor they can't afford that then sure subsidize their fares, but charge everyone else the $5 so that the system can support itself. Why spend public money on anything other than the initial capital investment? If it is a system worth riding then people will ride otherwise they will choose an alternative. If the new system is responsive to customer concerns there shouldn't be a problem. Do you know, or has anyone studied, how much you would have to charge to support the system without public dollars? | By Chris E

Comment 7: We currently cover our costs at 15 to 17% with fares so people would be charged $30 a day to ride the bus to support the system at the current ridership. Even with double the ridership, the costs required to cover total operations would be prohibitive to riders. I also think that increasing prices discourages ridership while decreasing prices encourages ridership. There are many ways of funding systems and I'd like to hear more ideas from everyone. I just don't think fares only will be the likely solution. | By Michelle S

Comment 8: Chris, on page 46 of the Wichita Regional Transit Plan (which you submitted a link to -thank you), a pie chart shows Wichita Transit's 2007 operating costs and funding sources. If fares for that year account for 17 percent of the operating costs we can reasonably figure that fares would have to increased by almost 600 percent in order to be self supporting. That means single rides would be $10.29, transfers $1.47, day passes $29.40... | By kris B

Comment 9: Kris B that is not true. I am very well aware of the report. I read it! However, that is based on 2007 operating costs and revenues. Those would change dramatically with a new, improved, system and more operating hours. With more riders costs would come down. However, it is difficult to predict how customers will respond to the new system so that's why I asked Michelle if they had worked out what they think that bus fare would look like under a new system based on projected ridership. I didn't feel confident that I could accurately derive that figure form the numbers in that report. In the report the don't say how many people would participate they break it down into hours of operation, and annual riders per bus route; which could be counting individuals several times over and give you misleading numbers. That's why I was wanting clarification because I haven't been able to find out how many actual people they think would actual ride the proposed system in that report. | By Chris E

Comment 10: Thank you Michelle. | By Chris E

Comment 11: Thank you Michelle. I guess that's why I have a different opinion about it because I feel that if the system is improved ridership will increase more than double. I understand that as you raise prices you run up against diminishing returns but I think the case could be made that it would save people a great deal of money even at $5 or so a day because

9 given costs of a car, according to that report, it would save riders thousands of dollars. How many riders do you currentlhave on the regular buses annually? I couldn't figure that out on my own. | ByChris E

Comment 12: Thank you Michelle. You answered my question for the most part but can you tell me what current ridership is here in town? How many actual people do you think ride the regular buses? Has anyone done a study on the effects of raising prices on ridership? I wonder how much could be charged before we would start a negative effect. | By Chris E

Comment 13: Everyone has good points here. We recently raised fares by $0.50 and we had an 8% ridership loss. We do not count riders specifically but only counts rides. As we get more riders we would be able to cover more of our costs with fares. Even covering 100% of operations only would be a pretty high target though. We haven't looked into what fares should be for a new system...it would depend on what type of system we decide on and would be decided during the more intensive planning for a new system. Right now we are just looking at the big picture and not the details. Thanks. | By Michelle S

Comment 14: Another way to look at is like this. Suppose you had the choice of going to eat dinner at Ryan's Steakhouse or Scotch & Sirloin. All things being equal you would most likely choose Scotch & Sirloin because they have a superior product and provide superior service. However, if you're like me and poor as hell a $50 meal at Scotch & Sirloin isn't an option for you so you have to go get you a $10 meal at Ryan's, even though you view it as substandard. The transit system is the same way. At this time the only people that ride are the ones that have to. For people that have a choice they choose their vehicle, even though it costs them thousands more per year, because they value the service more than the transit system. This example illustrates why I view lowering prices in a negative light. People pay ridiculous amounts of money for things they value and won't accept something they feel is substandard, even if it was free. | By Chris E

Comment 15: Another way to look at it is like this. Suppose you had the choice of going to eat dinner at Ryan's Steakhouse or Scotch & Sirloin. All things being equal you would most likely choose Scotch & Sirloin because they have a superior product and provide superior service. However, if you're like me and poor as a $50 meal at Scotch & Sirloin isn't an option for you so you have to go get you a $10 meal at Ryan's, even though you view it as substandard. The transit system is the same way. At this time the only people that ride are the ones that have to. For people that have a choice they choose their vehicle, even though it costs them thousands more per year, because they value the service more than the transit system. This example illustrates why I view lowering prices in a negative light. People pay ridiculous amounts of money for things they value and won't accept

something they feel is substandard, even if it was free. | By Chris E Comment

16: Ok, thanks Michelle. | By Chris E

Comment 17: Another way to look at it is like this. Suppose you had the choice of going to eat dinner at Ryan's Steakhouse or Scotch & Sirloin. All things being equal you would most likely choose Scotch & Sirloin because they have a superior product and provide superior service. However, if you're like me and poor as a hell $50 meal at Scotch & Sirloin isn't an option for you so you have to go get you a $10 meal at Ryan's, even though you view it as substandard. The transit system is the same way. At this time the only people that ride are the ones that have to. For people that have a choice they choose their vehicle, even though it costs them thousands more per year, because they value the service more than the transit system. This example illustrates why I view lowering prices in a negative light. People pay ridiculous amounts of money for things they value and won't accept something they feel is substandard, even if it was free. | By Chris E

Comment 18: Another way to look at it is like this. Suppose you had the choice of going to eat dinner at Ryan's Steakhouse or Scotch & Sirloin. All things being equal you would most likely choose Scotch & Sirloin because they have a superior product and provide superior service. However, if you're like me and poor a $50 meal at Scotch & Sirloin isn't an option for you so you have to go get you a $10 meal at Ryan's, even though you view it as substandard. The transit system is the same way. At this time the only people that ride are the ones that have to. For people that have a choice they choose their vehicle, even though it costs them thousands more per year, because they value the service more than the transit system. This example illustrates why I view lowering prices in a negative light. People pay ridiculous amounts of money for things they value and won't accept something they feel is substandard, even if it was free. | By Chris E

Comment 19: I would never compromise routes, even in slow times. Just adjust the number of buses running each route to better suit the need. So long as we don't short ourselves then this would work just fine. | By Chris E

Comment 20: Always have at least 2 buses running each route though. If people are confident that whenever they need that bus it will be there for them then they will be more likely to make riding the bus a part of their lives. | By Chris E

Comment 21: Right now 2/3 of the budget for transit comes from a government entity at local, state, or federal level. This is unacceptable! If the bus system can't support itself through fares then there are problems that need to be addressed. Charge whatever we need to charge to make the system self-supporting, make some initial strategic investments using public money

to help the new system get started, then create a customer feedback system to make sure any concerns that arise are immediately addressed. Public transit doesn't have to suck. | By Chris E

Comment 22: Chris, I appreciate your comments but funding for public transit is much more complicated. No Transit system in the US supports itself on fares alone because the fares would end up being prohibitive. And we do already charge $5 for a day pass. I agree that we need a higher percentage of our income to come from fares but that will require an upfront investment in a better system that encourages higher ridership. | By Michelle S

Comment 23: This is a good idea. I think 24/7/365 is the way to go. As for paying for it that's no problem. Charge more for bus fare, offer subsidy program for people with less money, and invest in technologies/processes that make transit more efficient. Even if you charged $5/day that would still save you thousands of dollars when compared to costs of a car. | By Chris E

Comment 24: It's great if we can run the buses that late but how are we going to pay for it? Are we going to cut routes somewhere so the core routes can run longer or are we going to increase the taxes devoted to transit? I have my own opinions but what's the consensus of the people here? | By Andrew S

Comment 25: The current operating hours make it useless to ride the bus for anyone working second shift on a regular basis. There's virtually no risk in increasing the hours on a test basis for a couple months. I think the demand could definitely meet longer hours provided the right advertising practices are put in place. | By Will J

Comment 26: I think according to the city council or those at the "Transit" this city shuts down at 6...but we want to push tax money to an arena that doesn't start things until 8. | By Broke A

Comment 27: I agree. More hours and days are definitely needed. | By Jennifer M

Comment 28: I think that there should be bus service most hours of the day. Other large cities run 20, 22 hours a day which is about the perfect schedule. It can allow the barflies to get home, the shift workers to get to and from work and all that and still have time to clean busses between shifts. | By Valorie M

Idea Title: More hours of service

Idea Detail: I think we need to add more hours of service for second and third shift workers.

Idea Author: Michelle S

Number of Seconds 30

Number of Comments 19

Comment 1: Have to improve headway, too. 24 hours of service with only one bus an hour isn't a huge improvement. | By Alden W

Comment 2: IN ORDER FOR THE TRANSIT OFFICIALS TO BE ABLE TO LET BUSES RUN LONGER AT NIGHT,SUNDAY,HOLIDAYS AND/OR 24/7 YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM! IF YOUR GONNA TALK THE TALK THEN WALK THE WALK!!! THE CITY HAS LIMITED FUND FOR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM SO ITS UP TO US TO SUPPORT IT!!! | By Frank R

Comment 3: You have to build it first then they will come. Charge $5/passenger/day and it is definitely economically feasible. Use public money for the capital improvemnt program but only user fees to run the day to day. This spreads the cost a bit more and keeps the buses running 24/7/365 even during difficult economic times for the city. The city might cut back on CIP but wouldn't affect day to day. | By Chris E

Comment 4: just a comment here, my dad drove for the transit back in the early fifties. with a smaller city, and less population they ran the busses six days a week from 6am to 2am. | By charles P

Comment 5: Exactly. Wichita used to have a better mass transit system. We had some kinda trolley system unitl they tore it up to make way for cars. My mom has told me countless stories about riding the bus downtown walking around and having a blast when she was a kid. Bottom line is short sighted politicians, Big Oil, and Detroit killed mass transit in this country along with the electric car and everything else that would make life better. That's why I am so glad our city leaders have taken this opportunity to try to fix a major problem here. Wichita Transit can and, with support, will be better here very soon. | By Chris E

Comment 6: I wouldn't even mind paying higher rates after 7 pm as long as it was available to us. The ridership would increase with this option. | By christina M

Comment 7: U.S. PIRG Finds that Public Transportation Project Creates More Jobs Than Building Highways http://www.uspirg.org/bugbwv1psswaec3pwk1tza | By kris B

Comment 8: there are a lot of people with disabilities or people that work 2nd or 3rd shift that need to have later hours I think that would bring more riders to the transit system | By Roxanne B

Comment 9: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | By Shari R

Comment 10: I think Wichita Transit should run 24/7 like the transit systems in other cities. | By Tabitha W

Comment 11: Won't work. Even some very large cities with heavily used transit systems don't run 24/7. For instance, Washington DC is 22 hrs a day, or less on some routes. | By Valorie M

Comment 12: Running 22 hours a day would be perfect. Shut down for 2 hours from 3 until 5. Plenty of time to refuel and clean up before the first shift. Barflys would still be able to get home as well as all the shift workers. | By Valorie M

Comment 13: I believe that if all areas of the city are covered then the amount of riders will increase and 'empty' buses will start filling up. It's just so hard to get around now that most people that have a choice just give up. | By Cindy W

Comment 14: Most people who have a choice don't ride the bus. I've heard from people who have lived here since they were children who have never ridden a city bus. They've heard "stories" or they don't know how to get from one place to another, or "Heaven forbid I would ever have to take the bus!". Perhaps an ad campaign or something that showed the real people riding and getting from place to place? Something people can relate to. Not "pretty people" either. Just regular Joes and Joans. | By Keith M

Comment 15: I agree, Keith. I've been using the bus service for 4 1/2 years, and I watched when the price of gas went to almost $4.00 the ridership really increased. So many people who loved the idea of public transportation said they just couldn't continue because of the time and routes involved. I now live in a part of the city where it would take me up to 2 1/2 hours to get home so I just can't get myself to 'do it'. | By Cindy W

Comment 16: Extending routes is a good idea but all routes should not be extended. There should be a way to see which route are used the most and which hours would be best suited. We have to remember that what ever we extend may possibably increase cost and maybe the solution would be to increase the cost of the later running routes only. Call it an after hours

14 rate. | By Ron D

Comment 17: That's what I meant by the first sentence. Research needs to be done. I like the idea of the special evening rates! Good one! Even if they were double it would be cheaper then parking/gas | By Keith M

Comment 18: If there is a time, say 1pm to 3pm where the busses are consistently running empty (or nearly so) then perhaps those times can but used more productively. Such as one bus rout can be extended into 2 allowing for more passengers to be picked up. by a single bus. They other bus can stop and shut down until "business" picks up. Perhaps this will extend the wait time to 90 minutes but that would not be as much of a hardship as no bus at all. | By Keith M

Comment 19: "Perhaps this will extend the wait time to 90 minutes but that would not be as much of a hardship as no bus at all."

Sure, make those few people who NEED that route WAIT 90 minutes for another bus?! We're all ready having to wait 1 hour between buses now. We're trying to improve the system.... not wreck it. | By Shari R

Idea Title: Wireless Internet

Idea Detail: If the bus not only had wireless Internet but also was able to appear on a map (through the use of Android or other applications) then people would know within a few hundred yards where the bus was and when it would be arriving. Other information could show if a bus was delayed, broken down, involved in a traffic accident or other things that could delay bus service. That way riders would feel that they are informed and can inform others. Also having WiFi on the busses would allow for passenger productivity. (they could also pay using paypal or other electronic means). What say you?

Idea Author: Keith M

Number of Seconds 20

Number of Comments 6

Comment 1: Wichita Transit buses are already broadcasting GPS information. We are at the end of an ITS project which has brought many improvements and puts us in the position to continue to make further improvements. In October we started a real-time app in partnership with Downtown Development Corp for the Q-line: http://downtownwichita.org/mobilemap.php.

We are piloting the Q-line app and do plan to move forward with our entire system in the future. We will also have real-time information on our website: www.wichitatransit.org along with google trip planner. We hope those two items are completed in 2012. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: I thought that would be good too. I didn't realize you had already said that before I posted about it. Oh well, it's a good idea. I would use it. | By Chris E

Comment 3: WiFi is an excellent idea, I certainly would use it for productivity reasons. Smart- phones are slowly becoming the norm and I hope WiFi could be considered for the future. | By Steve S

Comment 4: if our city had funding for extravagances like wifi i would be very diasappointed that they did not put the money toward extending hours and routes instead | By kris B

Comment 5: I especially like being able to check bus location in real time! | By Pat C

Comment 6: I'd be surprised if the MTA busses aren't already broadcasting GPS information. Could each route have a Twitter account, and send bot-tweets or #hashtags at pre-determined locations? That would be great! | By Dan R

Idea Title: Routes on Sundays and Holidays

Idea Detail: It would be very helpful if buses ran on Sundays and most holidays. Not everyone is off of work on Sundays, and it is very inconvenient to ask someone to take you to work and pick you up from work because the buses don't run that day. Same for holidays.

Idea Author: Jennifer M

Number of Seconds 20

Number of Comments 12

Comment 1: Buses should run all day everyday no matter what. If transit does this it would make them more reliable than personal vehicles and would be a selling point for attracting new riders. | By Chris E

Comment 2: For those of you wondering about why the buses were not running on Black Friday was because it is a day that City Hall is closed. That is how it is now determined what holidays the buses run on. | By monica G

Comment 3: It's no wonder people don't choose to ride the bus the way it is now! I can get a family member to work(across town) in 20 minutes. Bus ride: an hour and a half!! I rode the bus to work most days in the 80's and it wasn't this bad!!!! With a grid system and, of course, decent transfer locations, extended hours the buses just might not be so empty.

| By Sandra

Comment 4: The day after Thanksgiving isn't even an actual holiday and the bus service says it is. They need to run everyday but Christmas and thanksgiving because people still haft to work | By christina M

Comment 5: Back in the 80's the ran until about 9pm,had more routes, ran on some holidays that were not federal, All busses ran every 15 minutes peak and 30 minutes off peak and on saturdays I dont remember but I think that they ran later on sunday. Seem like all that they do is cut and change routes cut times and how often that they run raise rates took away the holidays that they use to run and now adding days off and they wonder why the ridership is declining dah figure you should have kept routes times and holidays that you ran back then added afew extended hours and run on sundays and you might not have a bad of problems back in the 80's befor the cuts busses were packed full sometimes | By Wilfrid P

Comment 6: I can understand no bus service in Wichita on Thanksgiving Day; but not the day after. | By Vivian B

Comment 7: Also, I am dreaming of going to WSU in the spring or fall. However, one thing holding me back from committing to pursuing my dream is transportation! With the extended hours that would allow me to "follow my dreams". It would also open job opportunites and REDUCE Wichita's unemployment! Come on Wichita....let's catch up to the bigger cities and EXTEND the services and the hours! | By Shari R

Comment 8: AMEN | By kris B

Comment 9: I'm physically disabled, dependant to a power chair and work full time. With those 3 issues, my choice of transportation is reduced down to almost ZERO. My ONLY mode of transport is now dependant on the Saturday service only and THAT is cut off an hour earlier than week days [the hours I can't ride]. PLEASE extend the hours!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you! | By Shari R

Comment 10: Not only does this need to be open to people who work, but Christians who go to

17 church as well. It is very difficult to get a ride on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights for those who have church activities those nights. | By Tabitha W

Comment 11: I was shocked to see that the buses are not running this Friday...November 25. Not only will all employees who depend on bus service have to find other transportation or pay large taxi fares, but what about the 'shoppers' and people who help other people? | By Cindy W

Comment 12: The point about working on Sundays and holidays is valid. I would also like to see the same service that is provided weekdays on Saturday. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Grid system more efficient than current hub and spoke system.

Idea Detail: We should change immediately to a grid system, which would be more fuel efficient for buses and save time for riders wanting to go farther than just a few blocks. This could be done with a minimum of trouble. We would need more benches and shelters, but then the transit center downtown would not be necessary.

Idea Author: William R

Number of Seconds 18

Number of Comments 10

Comment 1: Hey Mike did you check out somebody's link to the Boulder, CO Transit system? They had a really cool idea there for fixing that problem. You should watch their video. | By Chris E

Comment 2: The virtue of the current system is the way individual routes sepentine to a lot of the places people want to go, whereas a grid would virtually guarantee a transfer from an e/w bus to a n/s for almost every trip. And the transfers would be more stressful--there's a joy in knowing at the Transit Center that you won't miss your connection. However, the necessity of a trip downtown kills off a lot of time. I might suggest adding bi-directional serpentine outer loop routes, kinda like London's Circle line, so that there are more ways to get where you're going, which could alleviate some of the long waits. | By Mike D

Comment 3: sorry keith m2 i think the ride suuuuuuuuucks | By Linus M

Comment 4: the transit center would still be a hub for the routes that go thru downtown. the

18 current system is absolutely outdated and mind blowingly wasteful | By kris B

Comment 5: We lived in San Jose, CA for many years which is also very spread out and their grid system is very usable. | By Pat C

Comment 6: I was told that in the early 1960's we had a grid system. This city has grown quite a bit since then and, needs a grid system, so that passengers don't have to wait an hour without any kind of bench or covered bench (I am referring to the E. Harry route that takes you to Rock Rd). | By Sandra R

Comment 7: I can't second this one because people who travel across town need to transfer and so we need a place for them to do that Otherwise there will be a lot more changing busses. Can you imagine trying to zig-zag your way across this city? | By Keith M

Comment 8: Keith, that's the way it's done in major cities, certainly not zig-zaging, but transferring at different points. For example, right now if I want to get to the westway shopping center at seneca and pawnee (I live near pawnee and hydraulic) I have to go all the way down town to transfer to the south seneca bus. If there were a grid system, I might not have to transfer at all, but even if I did have to transfer I probably would not have to go 20 blocks out of my way to get to pawnee and seneca. | By William R

Comment 9: Point taken. But isn't the ride nice? You get to see the city, meat new people... Okay that might just be me. I never really have to "get somewhere" usually I'm just going someplace not really having to be someplace. We could do with a more "New York" style of system. | By Keith M

Comment 10: I live around Rock Rd./21st area. There have been times when I've only needed to go to the Walmart at 37th and Rock Rd. which means I have to go all the way to Towne East and back around just to go to Walmart which is approx. 45 minute ride. A grid system would really be nice for those times. | By Shari R

Idea Title: Driver Courtesy and Professionalism

Idea Detail: ALL Drivers need to be courteous and polite to all passengers. Some drivers think it is ok to get onto a passenger for lets say, not being at either a marked bus stop, or on a street corner, in front of other passengers, which can be embarrasing. Especially for someone who is possibly new to our city or just visiting, they don't need to start off their first impression of our city, with a rude and unprofessional Transit employee who thinks they can treat passengers any way they want and get away with it. They are in the customer service field,

19 and if they can't conduct themselves in a friendly manner, they need to find another line of work.

Idea Author: Chris B

Number of Seconds 15

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: we have some extremely rude drivers, as well as the people on the phones and management | By kris B

Comment 2: I recently had the opportunity to use public transit, both bus and train, in downtown Chicago, and found the operators there to be very friendly and courteous. If a large MTA like Chicago can manage that, Wichita should be able to do even better! | By Dan R

Comment 3: I too am fed up by the drivers attitudes. I'm in a wheelchair and on some buses I'm too short to reach the money machine and have drivers REFUSE to help me with my card. Luckily I've had other passengers get up from their seats to help me. I've been ridiculed by drivers for riding the big buses and literally tell me "next time, schedule the van bus." I pointed to the ramp/lift and said if I weren't meant to ride these buses....these wouldn't be on here!" | By Shari R

Comment 4: I have experienced and seen drivers who pull away while people are still standing by the till, having paid, or in the process of paying and gathering parcels, being knocked off our feet by the bus moving. | By Laura G

Idea Title: Rude awakening, part two...

Idea Detail: Lacking appropriate transportation changes everything! Seriously diminished is one’s ability adequately support oneself. The pool of employment opportunities from where one might fish becomes a bleak puddle. My current employer will not allow me to work over 28 hours a week in order to ensure I receive no benefits of any kind. Securing another part-time job would necessitate walking an additional two miles from where I am currently employed to the nearest bus stop. Even if I could manage that (my thoughts turn bleak as I think about the storms, wind, cold, ice, etc. to come), I would have no way to get back home after work because, stunningly, Wichita busses stop running, oh…’bout suppertime. It would be laughable if it were not so frightening. Having a mass transit system for all the people who need it in a city the size of Wichita is completely necessary. It allows people such as me to be independently contributing members of society. Is that not one of the primary visions of having

20 a decent transit system in place? As for me, at present, Wichita Transit represents everywhere and all the times I cannot work, nor move ahead toward my own goals.

Please broaden the scope of your routes to include all of incorporated Wichita. Further, please consider that not all of us are offered first shift and must work at night to produce a livelihood. Thank you.

Idea Author: christy A

Number of Seconds 15

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: "The bus isn't a taxi"? Are you crazy? The bus is better than a taxi because it is much more cost effective, ecologically sustainable, and could be more convenient once Wichita Transit is rehabilitated. Christy could not have more eloquently stated what a lot of working people in this city, myself included, have been thinking for a loooong time. | By Chris E

Comment 2: Same issue. Same answer. The bus isn't a taxi. | By Keith M

Comment 3: Why don't you take a taxi everywhere you need to go for a week and tell me how much you like spending a good 20 or 30 bucks a day on cab fare? | By Valorie M

Comment 4: What's the purpose of a taxi? The purpose is to take you where you want to go, correct? Well what do you perceive to be the role of the bus if not as a way of getting people where they need to go? You need to think before you speak sir. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Plastic reloadable pass cards.....

Idea Detail: Instead of cash or the disposable pass cards we use today.... how about offering on-line reloadable "credit cards" paid via PayPal, credit/ATM cards.

Idea Author: Shari R

Number of Seconds 15

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: how about just setting the boxes on the bus up to accept any debit/credit card. |

By charles P

Comment 2: A great idea! Adding convenience to the customer for paying for his/her bus fair. I would suggest a telephone option for those people who do not have computer access. | By Deb B

Comment 3: This would be great often my change cards are unreadable by the time I use them a few days later. | By jabel B

Idea Title: FUNDING: sales tax diversion transit. But the transit service itself was hammered by high fuel prices and ended up having to increase fares.

Sedgwick County has been collecting a dedicated sales tax for 25 years. It's earmarked 1/2 to freeway construction and 1/2 to 'property tax relief'.

So here's the idea: divert the 1/2% freeway sales tax to transit. The Sedgwick County Commission needs to approve this, obviously. They could choose to divert money only when fuel prices spike like they did last summer, or they could divert it permanently. The details are less important than the simple recognition that transit is transportation, too, and a general tax that funds only freeways is a biased tax.

Idea Author: Alden W

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: fderal subsidies? | By ron A

Comment 2: Federal subsidies are unreliable and inefficient. Moreover, for the past 60+ years, federal subsidies have been earmarked almost exclusively for highway construction. I think if we look around the country (and the world) we see that successful transit requires committed local leadership. We need county commissioners and city council members who understand, first, that transit is vital, and second, that freeways aren't. We need leaders who understand that freeway- driven growth is mostly vampiric, stealing vitality away from distant neighborhoods and counties. And we're never going to get that. | By Alden W

Comment 3: Not only that but more people riding the bus takes cars off the roads, less cars is

22 less road maintenance. | By Keith M

Comment 4: I've heard that argument before -- heck, I've used it myself. But I wonder how true it is? Even with no traffic at all, roads suffer wear from, e.g. freezing and thawing. And the wear caused by a single cargo-laded semi-truck is worth several cars. I come back to this: highways are so incredibly convenient that they can and should be profit-making enterprises. The government shouldn't be designing and building highways. Especially _politicians_ shouldn't be permitted to control highway funds. Why, I wonder, are tea-partiers upset about socialized medicine but not socialized highways? Oh, yeah, it's because one is 'change' and status-quo than accept any changes. It's late. I'm rambling. | By Alden W

Idea Title: Tell people what the fare is.

Idea Detail: Little signs on the fare box that say what the fare is would help, because it's uncomfortable having to ask and have transfers explained while people are waiting.

Idea Author: Mike D

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Mike, I really like this idea. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. I will research this. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: More routes and more education

Idea Detail: I'll admit it, I have only ridden public busses when I was on vacation in a big city, so I don't really know much about it. However, I really enjoyed it and I am very open to the idea of riding the bus here in Wichita, however, the one time I looked into the website, it seemed that there were very few bus routes here. The timing was also very difficult. It seemed like it would be nearly impossible to rely on bus service if one had any kind of appointment at all at a certain time and place.

I would love to be able for our family to go down to owning only one vehicle, but that would mean my husband would have to take a bus to and from work daily, and as of now, the routes and times make that impossible.

So to sum it up, for Wichita to have a serious bus service, the routes need to be expanded,

23 more times need to be offered, and the public needs to be educated on how to use the bus system.

Idea Author: r D

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Promote riding the bus to work or to School!

Idea Detail: After routes, schedules, , and frequency issues are improved, to make taking the bus more appealing to the people that do have options for their transportation needs, PROMOTE THE IDEA. Perhaps roll out a advertising campaign which targets large private employers, government employers (City, County, State). Perhaps these employers could offer their employees aninsentive to ride the bus (such as dollars towards the purchase of bus fairs) The idea could be to leavethe car at home, not using up gas, not using up parking places, and could also be seen as a healthier way to get to work or to school. Maybe the City of Wichita could be the leader in such a project.

Idea Author: Deb B

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: See my idea about Express Routes to Downtown, under "Extending Transit". If you want people who will not complain about fares, you need professional people who live on the perimeter of the city, and work downtown. Like me. | By Dan R

Idea Title: Wichita Transit rude awakening...

Idea Detail: Having recently moved here from Seattle, I have found the transit system here a rude awakening. It is an odious thing indeed to be dependent on a system that requires a one and a half mile walk to the nearest bus stop and another mile and a half walk upon disembarking before arriving home. I live near 119th Street, between 13th and Central (not exactly “the boonies”) on the west side of town. In order to ride the bus to my current place of employment, after taking the above-mentioned walk to 13th Street and Maize Road, I would then hop on the Westside Connector. That bus would drop me off one scant mile later at Maize Road and 21rst Street which is as far as its’ boundaries reach. At that point, I would

24 face another two-mile hike to reach my destination (and another two-mile hike upon leaving). Obviously, this is financially and physically implausible. Therefore, I catch a ride with a marginally willing relative who leaves for work at about 6:10 a.m. After the five mile, ten minute drive, I try not to think about how cold I am (and yes, I do know it is only November), until my boss arrives to unlock the door at 8 a.m.

I pay taxes so that others may ride the bus and am fine with that, but I receive no benefit therein, though I desperately need the freedom that mass transit would allow—if only! When I owned an auto, I did not whine about having to pay a portion of my taxes to support something I did not utilize, primarily out of unabashed and gleeful gratitude that I did not have to use it! However, my dissatisfaction and discomfort now finds a voice.

Idea Author: christy A

Number of Seconds 11

Number of Comments 5

Comment 1: This is a complaint not an Idea. We are looking for solutions here. | By jabel B

Comment 2: I can see how you might have viewed my comments as a complaint if you neglected to read the ending (see "Rude Awakening, Part 2"). The second part included two suggestions/ideas which you, evidently, missed. What you labeled a complaint was my way of pointing out WHY a change in structure is needed. (FYI, Jabel, Transit Talks was created to solicit ideas and comments from the citizens of Wichita in an effort to promote open lines of communication between WTA and its' ridership (or potential ridership), to gather input as to the needs of its' riders, and to gather ideas as to workable solutions.) | By christy A

Comment 3: Christy is exactly right. How can we find solutions to problems we don't know exist? The only way to understand what's wrong with the system is through meaningful, intelligent, discussion. You two other guys need to understand that solutions, the really good ones anyways, don't just get discovered out of thin air. To find the best solutions we have to criticize the current system based on how it affects us and others then discuss how to resolve the issues, not criticize people for simply sharing their own experiences. | By Chris E

Comment 4: Sounds like you need to "move to where the food is." I know it's not perfect but you have placed yourself in that situation. Do you see that bike rack on the front of the bus? Get a bike or move to a better location. Lots of empty apartment in Wichita and in the area you work. I'm not trying to be mean here I just think this website is for issues with the MTA and not to solve individual people's travel issues. | By Keith M

Comment 5: I was amused to read that you find issues with the MTA and solving people's travel issues to be mutually exclusive. Bizarre. Are you related to Jabel, by chance? I thought the major point of this web site was to listen to riders' evaluation of current service and to brainstorm workable solutions to various travel issues, where possible. Your comment is confusing, Keith. I would like to ride the bus, but cannot as MTA's current routes do not extend throughout the city, even the well-populated area where I reside. Do you believe I am the sole person in Wichita with this problem? Or that it is unimportant as it does not pertain to you? Or that we should only submit comments in groups? : ) (P.S. I find it fascinating when one person boldly presumes to tell another what s/he "needs" to do. You know very nearly nothing about my circumstances, motivations, prohibitions, health issues, deterrents, etc. Keith, you know about as much about what "I need" as I know about your ability to reason. Ah, perhaps that is an erroneous example.) | By christy A

Idea Title: Sell passes at Dillons and or Quiktrip

Idea Detail: Having bus passes available at grocery stores (or anywhere besides the transit center with its limited hours) might encourage sales of the passes to riders. The transit center is not a pleasant place

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 11

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: Walmart would be a good idea too since I know alot of people go to the Walmart on Pawnee to do thier shopping. | By monica G

Comment 2: The idea of making bus passes available in more places is excellent, when in stock, Dillons already sell them. Quick Trip generally look after motorists but since they now have a wider range of commodities a machine could be successful. I agree the transit center needs a face lift and a more customer friendly atmosphere. As we have to wait up to an hour for some routes putting a fast food restaurant (or something) in there would change the image. My thoughts on food would ensure cleanliness. | By Steve S

Comment 3: wow i am a regular bus rider and i was not aware that dillons sold bus passes. Thank you Steve. I guess this shows that public awareness of general bus related information might be slightly lacking | By kris B

Idea Title: Marketing and advertising the benefit and necessity of WTA

Idea Detail: 40 percent: Reduction in U.S. reliance on foreign oil that would occur if one in ten Americans used public transportation daily.

79: Number of times safer that riding a bus is over riding in your own automobile.

855: Millions of gallons saved (equal to 45 million barrels of oil) from people taking public transportation each year. This is roughly the energy needed to power ¼ of all American homes annually.

6,000: Difference in pounds of global warming pollution that a diesel school bus emits over a natural gas school bus.

20 percent: Carbon monoxide emissions saved if one in five Americans rode public transportation daily; the savings would be greater than the combined emissions from all chemical manufacturing and metal processing industries. source- please see link

Idea Author: kris B

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Number of Comments 8

Comment 1: How about a well-advertised come-try-it free day (perhaps run weekday routes some Saturday for this event?) I drove to the hub once to figure out how to load my bike. I know I need to grow up just do it but I have printed out the routes more than once to figure out how to commute from Kellogg & Tyler to Murdock & Waco and it doesn't look very convenient. | By Karin K

Comment 2: Exactly. The routes are crazy! It would literally take about 2 hours to get from one side of town to the next on a bus as the system currently is. | By Chris E

Comment 3: Free fare days would not be necessary if the system is worth riding. Having the Mayor, City Council, a few members of the Chamber of Commerce, news media, and selected members of various other organizations ride the bus themselves and show citizens how nice the new system is would help sell the idea. Once you tell people how much they will save by not owning a vehicle they would likely jump at the chance without any discounts. | By Chris E

Comment 4: we build roads SO THAT THEY WILL BREAK DOWN. we do this to create jobs. we must sell public transportation to the city and the public in the same way- The U.S. PIRG Finds that Public Transportation Project Creates More Jobs Than Building Highways http://www.uspirg.org/bugbwv1psswaec3pwk1tza | By kris B

Comment 5: work with local universities to come up with ideas .credit for the class free to the transit centr | By ron A

Comment 6: as a society we build roads SO THAT THEY WILL BREAK DOWN. we do this to create jobs. we must sell public transportation to the city and the public in the same way | By kris B

Comment 7: Free fare days? I have been travelling by transit for about 3 years, a passenger once told me of such a day - but that was, well I cannot remember.

The facts given by Kris are great, we all know the more you use transit the better it is for the community, I would never bother to look it up, perhaps we need an internet cafe in the transit center. Educating Wichita citizens is another hurdle which should be addressed. The transit service however, needs to cover all of Wichita if we are to achieve the statistics given. | By Steve S

Comment 8: I never hear about free fare days or transit related news unless i happen to be at the transt center. We cannot expect the public to research into these things. An ongoing and effective campaign of public awareness and education must be implemented in order to encourage single occupant drivers to save money, reduce pollution, and build a better quality of life for our community and its future generations | By kris B

Idea Title: EXTENDED HOURS TEST

Idea Detail: I heard that years ago they allowed the busses to run untilled midnight as a preliminary test to see if it was feasible to run the busses that late. They ran this test for one week. Now the results of this test were that not many people in Wichita are riding that late so it wouldn't be feasible. Well I think that if you only ran the test briefly, and no one knew, then people who would work 2nd and 3rd shift jobs would not have been riding for the test. Furthermore if you had allowed the busses to run on the later schedule for an EXTENDED period of time, then people who are applying for 2nd and 3rd shift jobs but don't (because of no transportation) will now, because they will see that the busses are running and that they gave reliable transportation. I say redo the extended schedule (until 3a.m. so you can gas and clean have em out by 5a.m.), but this time run it for 90 days. This time PUBLICIZE the extended

28 hours so people will know and start taking those late night jobs they were scared of. Soon you will have more riders then you know what to do with.

-Thanks-

Idea Author: Tre J

Number of Seconds 10

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: I agree that as the services and routes are extended there will be MANY more riders. | By Cindy W

Comment 2: Tre has brought up a good point which may also reduce unemployment or increase productivity in Wichita. Yes I feel sure that any changes Wichita Transit make will be tested first. Employment is a big consideration I would like to look for another job, currently it has to be along a bus route and limited to first shift | By Steve S

Comment 3: From the comments made in this forum extended hours and extended routes are a big request to improve transit. Any changes I am sure, would go under test. Currently I am looking for jobs, but must be along the bus routes and on a first shift basis. Limiting? | By Steve S

Idea Title: citys close to wichita

Idea Detail: have bus service to haysville, derby or any other city connected to wichita , also 24 hr bus service is needed on some routes.and expand routes on south side of city to canoe park @ s71 st

Idea Author: Guy G

Number of Seconds 9

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: If the other cities would meet us half way. We could go to Newton and the AM

Track station if they would send their own bus to the half way point. Hutch can do the same. | By Keith M

Idea Title: School/senior/special IDs as fare cards

Idea Detail: The IDs which give some riders a discount on fares could double as reloadable fare cards

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 9

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Reloadable and renewable tickets is an excellent idea, not just for some riders but the option for everybody. Tickets must be available for sale through all possible outlets. | By

Steve S

Idea Title: bus passes

Idea Detail: I think it would be great if people who get half price fare and regular fare could buy there bus passes online and have them mailed to them for a small fee. many people who ride the bus have trouble getting around and this would make life easier. Many cities smaller than Wichita already do this.

Idea Author: christina M

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Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Christina, thank you for your comments. We will look into this option. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: North and South Routes

Idea Detail: We need north and south routes and also the bus does not go west to the new shopping areas.

Idea Author: Dorothy S

Number of Seconds 7

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: need more routes period, longer hours for buses as well as phone operators | By kris B

Idea Title: BIOFUEL powered busses

Idea Detail: an investment which would save money long term, improve our air quality as well as our over all "city appeal". An advertising campaign for these new busses might encourage every day drivers to try out the bus for the first time, increasing ridership and revenue

Idea Author: kris B

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Number of Comments 5

Comment 1: Wichita is last among the nation's largest cities in environmental livability. That's according to a study that analyzed policy decisions for the 55 largest U.S. cities by population. Wichita ranked 55th in the 2011 Sustainability Rankings, complied by Tufts University political science professor Kent Portney. "A lot of cities have really gotten aggressive in recent years to try and find more solutions to improve their environment," Portney said. Those who study environment and public policy call it "sustainability." "Most people call them quality-of-life issues," Portney said. The top cities in the survey have programs to promote clean air and water, conserve energy, limit reliance on automobiles and promote local food programs. The programs also promote self-reliance, local businesses and economic development. Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/08/06/1963857/environment-study-ranks- wichita.html#ixzz1eaFwNKa2 (RON SYLVESTER - Wichita Eagle) | By kris B

Comment 2: What exactly do you mean by biofuel? Where would the City obtain a reliable source of biofuel? | By Chase F

Comment 3: Wikipedia- (portions) Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases. Bioethanol, biodiesel, bioalcohol, bioether, green diesel & vegetable oil are examples of first generation biofuels (liquid fuels for transportation). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofuel Sources for Biofuel in the United States include Blue Marble Energy, DuPont Danisco, Algenol, Gevo, Global Green Solutions, PetroSun, Sapphire Energy, and many more. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biofuel_companies_and_researchers The sooner our cities take the initiative to run on greener cleaner fuels, the sooner this technology will become common-place | By kris B

Comment 4: "Wichita is last among the nation's largest cities in environmental livability. That's according to a study that analyzed policy decisions for the 55 largest U.S. cities by population. Wichita ranked 55th in the 2011 Sustainability Rankings, complied by Tufts University political science professor Kent Portney. "A lot of cities have really gotten aggressive in recent years to try and find more solutions to improve their environment," Portney said. Those who study environment and public policy call it "sustainability." "Most people call them quality-of-life issues," Portney said. The top cities in the survey have programs to promote clean air and water, conserve energy, limit reliance on automobiles and promote local food programs. The programs also promote self-reliance, local businesses and economic development." Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/08/06/1963857/environment-study- ranks- wichita.html#ixzz1eaFwNKa2 (RON SYLVESTER - Wichita Eagle) | By kris B

Comment 5: There's a ethanol plant in Colwich. I am not a fan of corn ethanol but if we could switch it to a more sustainable fuel the plant could be used to support that. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Educate the Planning Process

Idea Detail: WARNING: This idea may seem like common sense.

We have to remind ourselves that we're not alone. Currently as the United States 49th largest city (by population), we need to look at what types of solutions have succeeded and failed for the 48 cities larger than us who have all had to deal with similar challenges. I hate to use an already overused cliche'- but if we fail to plan we plan to fail. I have attached two links, one an

32 example of transit failure and the other (although for a University) is an example of a transit that succeeded. The key here is not to replicate these ideas, BUT to learn from the REASONS WHY they worked and didn't work. I think it's safe to say the last thing any of us wants is to spend a lot of money on ideas that are doomed to fail.

Idea Author: Josh H

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Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: we are not innovators lets stop pretending- learn from their mistakes, maybe can bring the system from 70s teshnology to 80s or 90s | By Linus M

Comment 2: i second | By Linus M

Idea Title: Bus stops

Idea Detail: I feel the city needs smaller buses that will get better gas mileage and save we could sell the big buses and still come out ahead. We diffidently need enclosed places for people to sit while waiting for buses. Right now you do not see many people waiting for buses or using them when you have to stand out in the heat,wind,rain and cold, other city have enclosed places to wait for buses we need to get with the program. I would also suggest when a person uses a bus they have a ticket punched and after 10 punches you get a free ride get the people using the service more. You might be surprised to find out more people might use the bus to get to locations instead of driving their cars.

Idea Author: Hazel W

Number of Seconds 6

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: too many ideas here i like the smaller bus idea though | By Linus M

Comment 2: i dont understand why the recently placed shelters were put in their current locations, half of them are never used. I also dont understand why the left side wall (facing oncoming traffic) is not 100% plexiglass- sitting on the bench blocks you from seeing the bus and blocks the driver from noticing a single person waiting | By kris B

Comment 3: Actually I would like to see the the current bus size remain as it is, but lets just fill them. There is a need to find economic fuels and smaller buses at off peak times. Shelters do not work against wind or rain - there is room for improvement. Currently on a 20 ride ticket you do get one ride free but obviously this is not well known, another action that is required. I cannot believe that Wichita Transit are going to abolish 3-day, the week, and the 30-day passes after December 31, 2011. | By Steve S

Comment 4: Steve, we have decided to keep the 3-day, 7-day and 30-day passes based on the comments on this website and phone calls. We will be putting up signs in the buses and transit center to announce this. Thanks so much for commetning on this. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: shuttles--instead of buses

Idea Detail: How many large buses in Wichita are full? I often see buses drive by with only a few people on them. This is quite a contrast to riding the bus in Chicago or other urban environments where there is often standing room only. It seems to me that many are suggesting more routes and more times. Make the buses smaller or more of a shuttle— perhaps evens a fuel-efficient hybrid. Then expand times and routes.

Idea Author: D H

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Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: D H, our buses aren't as full during certain hours of the day (mid-day typically) and at certain places along a route but we need to have the capacity to serve our peak number of riders on every route. We also still need to provide service at mid-day to make our system workable for passengers. We have looked at hybrid buses but the capital cost is prohibitive. We continue to look at other fueling options for our next bus purchases. Thanks for your comments. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: I agree. In a restaurant chain if you wanted to reach more customers and increase sales you wouldn't move to a smaller space. You would need to figure out why business is slow, fix the problems, then reach out to your customers to regain their trust and business. In order to make people trust transit in this city we have to dispel the perception that it is unreliable and inconvenient. Expanded hours to 24/7/365 and expanded routes are a must with the same size buses we have now. If we improve the service ridership will increase dramatically and trust me the question won't be why are the buses too big it will

34 be why are they so crowded. You gotta have a little faith. | By Chris E

Comment 3: Have you looked at retrofitting the current line of buses? There is a company here in town that does that sort of thing for regular cars and I am sure they could do it on a bus too. I imagine your budget is most likely non-existent so that's probably not an option either haha. | By Chris E

Comment 4: Chris, we haven't looked at retrofitting our buses because they are so old. Their useful lifes will be up in a few years. What we are looking at is the capital and infrastructure costs of alternative fuels. We will be doing research on that in 2012 to prepare for bus buys in 2014 and beyond. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: The Boulder, CO Transit System

Idea Detail: Let's try to model the Wichita transit system after the one in Boulder, CO. The Boulder system will benefit all Wichitans. It will increase ridership with the use of an 'Eco pass.' The Boulder Transit System eliminates the need for set schedules on their busier routes. Please see the attached link for a video of the Boulder transit system. Idea Author: Jerry W

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Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: Wow! The leaders here really need to watch the Boulder Bus system video. A lot of the things they did could be implemented here! Our bus system is where Boulder's was in the 1990's (most passengers riding the bus out of necessity). Listen to what the customer wants and give it to them (within reason). | By Sandra R

Comment 2: Looks impressive. Boulder is, let's face it, a "liberal hotbed." Would Wichita ever elect leaders willing to pay for transit for all? | By Alden W

Comment 3: over 25% of their population rides the bus! | By kris B

Idea Title: transit on holidays and sundays

Idea Detail: I like the idea of transit on holidays and Sundays, my son is disabled and has worked before and would like to work again but most of the jobs would require him to work on Sundays and/or holidays so he is unable to find a job because of this. Case in point: a company here was all ready to hire him until they found out that he had no transportation on

35 holidays and Sundays so he wasn't hired

Idea Author: michael N

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Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: route

Idea Detail: The traffic coming into town on zoo blvd and then central or second street, is really heavy. I work at Reflection Ridge and live near Zoo and Central It would be great to be able to catch a bus that stops at 21st and Ridge, 21st and Tyler and then goes up to New market on 21st and Maize. Is there enough volume to add an express route?

Idea Author: Bill J

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: Kris B and Zane M are correct, the Westside Connector does go by those three intersections but only eastbound, and becasue it is an hour loop your trip could take up to an hour. I have heard other comments on this part of town and I think it is something we can look into for alterations. Thanks for your comments. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: i would improve this idea by turning the "loop routes" into full status routes with a clocwise as well as counter clockwise bus- if possible. i take the west side connector to 21st and ridge and it is a looong way around from 2nd and ridge to get 5 minutes north | By kris B

Comment 3: I agree with Kris B, loop routes with counter and clockwise routes. | By Zane M

Idea Title: towns around Wichita

Idea Detail: up by Maize would be good also

Idea Author: Roxanne B

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Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: I think you're right. Connecting the surrounding suburbs would help encourage people to ride. Just the thought of being able to go anywhere around Wichita on a bus would be enough to get a lot of people on board. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Holiday Information

Idea Detail: I truly believe it would be beneficial to all riders on the regular buses and the paratransit vans to have a schedule posted inside the vehicles at all times that lists the days the vehicles will not be running. It is very frustrating to plan to ride on a certain day, only to find out the vehicles are not running due to a holiday.

Idea Author: Elizabeth A

Number of Seconds 4

Comment 1: I believe buses should run every day, I would not expect staff to give up Thanksgiving or Christmas. There is a need to continue to make timetables available. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Rethink Mass Transit in Wichita

Idea Detail: The following video describes SMT Rail. According to their website www.smtrail.com their stated mission is as follows: "SMT Rail is committed to providing the greenest, safest and fastest mode of transportation at the lowest mobility costs/travel mile to all the nations of the world. It also aims to reduce the human carbon foot print/travel mile to protect the eco-system wherever transportation needs have to expand. SMT Rail will allow communities, municipalities or governments to provide its citizens with 24/7 and 365 days a year greenest, safest, most comfortable and on-demand transportation system. This will also help transportation agencies make substantial annual profits."

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 9

Comment 1: This looks like the monorail at Disney World. That's not a compliment. It looks like an expensive amusement park ride. The Detroit People Mover -- underutilized, overpriced, and practically useless in fighting the city's decay.

The point of transit isn't to build something 'cool'. It's to build something useful. Sorry. | By Alden W

Comment 2: The Detroit People Mover was an example of when people who dared to dream big got the rug pulled out from underneath them by less courageous politicians. If the system was expanded into something that was useful, as we are hoping for here in Wichita, then Detroit's system would be much more appealing. Furthermore, they would need to charge about $5/passenger/day in order to get past government funding of operations. If they made those rather modest changes then the system would be profitable and useful. According to figures obtained regarding the costs of expansion it appears that it would cost about $35 million/mile to build a system like that here, which is about half what the SMT system would cost. Just a thought. | By Chris E

Comment 3: A very innovative idea! I can see how utilizing this technology could alleviate one of my biggest "beefs" with Wichita public transportation; such as being able to operate at later hours. This concept could come to fruition if Wichita, plans, works with the developers, and sets up a budget. I mean, I have seen Wichita come together for the Intrust Arena, so why not this? | By Tre J

Comment 4: Good point Andrew S1 but at the end of the day those are the risks of being first, but that's why it is exciting! I like to dream big. There is nothing wrong with going forward with an ambitious plan like this so long as we do our homework, but at the end of the day we're going to have to take a gamble. Right now it seems like everyone else is slowly putting their toes in the water but no city has jumped all in yet. For me, this is the perfect opportunity for Wichita to jump out front and be the first ones to have a fully functioning system. We can work with the designers on reducing costs without reducing quality if that helps convince some more people but I definitely think we should just dive into this thing and get it done. | By Chris E

Comment 5: WOW talk about major modernization! Very cool, very futuristic, but is it realistic to even dream of Wichita being out ahead of other cities as far as coolness goes? | By kris B

Comment 6: Why not? Wichita is a very innovative town and we always have been. I think it is possible but the cost would certainly be considerable. We would need state and federal help and would need to build in stages. I think using this technology to build a system alongside the existing Kansas Turnpike would be a good start. We could share costs with several governments and still reap some economic benefits. Then, within the city and suburbs we could link it to a traditional, but more modern,bus system somewhat like

Columbia's Transmilenio system. | By Chris E

Comment 7: It sounds good, but my concern is if it's so good, why isn't someone else using it? I'm all for doing our due diligence but I think throwing money at unproven technology is a gamble. 20 miles at 65 million a mile is still 1.3 billion dollars. How special of a bus system can we make with that much money? | By Andrew S

Comment 8: Here is an email I received from SMT about how much a system might cost here in Wichita:

A 20 miles system for a city with 400,000 in population costs are $65 to $75 Million per mile (including: Engineering, EIR, Track and stations Installation, command center, 600 Smart Karts and staffs training **)

** Subject to the site study

SMT_Rail system operation costs are approximately $0.01/ Mile travel/ passenger, our system offers several income producing options to offset the operation costs and in many cases to produce extra incomes for agencies.

We offer a Phase I studies that will includes: traffic study, preliminary project design and evaluation, real life animation presentation and a comprehensive costs study.

The Phase I study costs are based on each city's square mile coverage.

Please send us the name of the city in question, one of our representative will contact you to discuss the details.

Best Regards

Lito Francisco. Project engineer (855) SMT-1717 | By Chris E

Comment 9: I didn't know how many miles a system here would need to be so I just said 20 miles so I could get an estimate, in case anyone wondered. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Funding: Traffic Light Remote Controls

Idea Detail: Thinking about the dilemma of left turns got me thinking... Suppose we installed

39 radio transimtters on buses that could force the light to turn green. Suppose, further that we implemented a priority system, where fire trucks and police could override buses.

Suppose we sold transmitters to individuals, such that a driver could be assured of always hitting green lights except when a firetruck, bus, or someone who paid more was present.

There are some people out there who think they're pretty darned important, and who wouldn't think twice about paying hundreds of dollars annually for the sense of power they could get by making everyone else stop. How many? Your guess is as good as mine.

Idea Author: Alden W

Number of Seconds 3

Comment 1: that would be awesome major selling point to new riders | By ron A

Comment 2: I think we ought to ask the drivers on this one. Money may better be spent in other ways to improve the Transit system rather than enhance our existing one. I understand the system works in larger cities Calgary, Canada for example but Wichita? | By Steve S

Idea Title: Visible (weekly, monthly & trimonthly) bus passes

Idea Detail: sliding your pass into the machine takes time and it often comes out halfway only to be sucked in again. i see the security minded necessity of this for transfers, single rides, etc. but how about making multi-ride passes more like an ID you can simply flash at the driver- wear it on your backpack strap or put in your wallet behind the clear plastic slot. 6 month and yearly passes might also sell

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: EXPRESS vs Local bus

Idea Detail: Indentify high volume areas and provide an EXPRESS bus with limited pick up/drop off locations. Would be able to make more trips quicker.

Idea Author: Zane M

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Something that stopped only at stores or other select locations, so it doesn't take so long to run simple errands | By Ashley W

Idea Title: transit drivers

Idea Detail: This has nothing to do with the routes or anything like that, this whole idea of retooling the transit system is not going to work till we get some friendly drivers, some of they are but a while back before there were bike carriers on the front of the buses, my son (who is high functioning and special needs) was told he could not bring his bike on the bus(he had previously done this that same day, the lady driver was very rude and it was getting dark so he called his dad and I to come and get him, I have talked to several other people who weren't special needs and they experienced the same thing. I called MTA to complain and the person on the other end only focused on "did your son look like he is special needs" to which I replied "what are they supposed to look like?", that wasn't the point, it was the rude bus driver, they never did get around to saying that they would talk to the driver, it was focused on my son like he was at fault, this has been the experience of others I have spoken with as well who dared to complain to MTA

Idea Author: michael N

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Michael, I'm sorry for your experience. Our bus operators do have the discretion to deny bikes on the interior of the bus if the bus is full at the time or during peak hours when ridership is expected to be higher. I would like to hear more about this circumstance because we certainly want to improve our customer service and satisfaction. E-mail me at [email protected] if you wish to further discuss the issue. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Complete System Overhaul

Idea Detail: We have shelters in unused areas, bus stop signs infrequently and where buses

41 do not go past, filthy facilities downtown, constantly unreliable routes where drivers must go 20 mph in certain sections and floor it in others, and obviously disgruntled employees. Riders are predominantly carless therefore choiceless. I believe upgrades are chosen based on their face value alone rather than their actual benefit to the system. I pray that this forum is taken seriously by the administrators and that we can move forward to a more realistic and rideable Public Transportation Transit system.

Idea Author: Linus M

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: longer hours

Idea Detail: When people work 8 - 5. We cant go to the grocery store or other errands after work. We have to cram every thing into Saturday. It would be nice to cover second shift so second shift can get to and from work and first shift can get errands ran. Also people that would work 3rd shift at the hospitals or else where could get to and from work on the transit

Idea Author: Chrystal Y

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: A less "Changing" pay plan

Idea Detail: Adults who pay with Cash pay $2 Children under 13, seniors over 60, and disabled: $1 Persons who buy "passes" (20 rides/transfers) $1.50/ride

Easy to remember, No need to carry anything smaller then quarters or bigger then dollars.

Increases should be in 50¢ increments according economic changes.

What say you?

Idea Author: Keith M

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Li.mit left turns

Idea Detail: Limit the number of left turns on any route. This saves gas and time. I understand that sometimes left turns are necessary, but routes could be designed to limit them. Also if you allow left turns on the route only where there is a protected left turn arrow on the traffic signal, that would save time.

Idea Author: William R

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: High-tech solution: Use transponders to give bus drivers the power to control traffic lights. Green for the bus, red for everyone else. | By Alden W

Comment 2: Perhaps if the drivers in this town would respect the buses they would stop for 2 seconds and allow the bus to turn left. In almost every accident involving a city bus the other driver will say, "I didn't even see the bus!" How can you miss it! It's huge! | By Keith M

Idea Title: teacher your drivers

Idea Detail: this idea would cost you nothing and would probably increase ridership in the long run. you need to teach your drivers how to be polite and civilized the everyone not just the people of there ethnic group. more people would ride if your drivers had some patience and manners

Idea Author: christina M

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Christina complaints should be taken up with the Director of Transit. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Check out Eugene, Oregon

Idea Detail: The Eugene area has a marvelous transit system that operates 7 days a week, from early morning to late at night, and covers the while city and beyond. Poeple 65 and older ride free. It's ludicrous that a city the size of Wichita has such a sub-standard system. Without progress on public transit Wichita will be left in the dust.

Idea Author: Frank D

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: Cities with successful transit systems usually have geographic constraints such as mountains, lakes or ocean that enforce higher density and make it impossible to squeeze in enough roads. It looks like Eugene is surrounded by hills; perhaps that explains their transit system? | By Alden W

Comment 2: what do you base this theory on Alden? | By mildred P

Idea Title: midnight or 1am

Idea Detail: buses should run to midnight or 1am...

Idea Author: Franklin R

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Yes a larger coverage of Wichita and later hours of operation. Saturdays and Sundays included. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Advertise on tv for bus ads

Idea Detail: The entire bus is a moving billboard, other cities seem to have buses full of revenue producing ads. I notice we have sign holders on the outside of buses but they are more often asking for ads than holding an actual ad. I suggest that WTA might drive up sales for these unused spaces with their own ads on tv- HOUCK may be willing to help with costs

44 and they already have a couple videos toward this end

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Transition To Transmilenio

Idea Detail: "Why is TransMilenio so special? The clues could be in its “rail like” capacity and travel speed – not seen before in bus systems, and its ability to transform traditional bus operations with an interesting public-private partnership model. The most interesting aspect is that it has shown that it was possible to innovate, transform, and improve transport conditions in a very large city with profound transport challenges. It proved that cities can think outside the box, and bring solutions to the people without costing a fortune or taking decades to build. Kudos to Mayor Enrique Peñalosa, who started it from scratch, and the following administrations, which have continued and expanded it." -TheCityFix

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: This is a cool idea. | By Chris E

Idea Title: B.A.B.S.

Idea Detail: In order for Wichita Transit to transition into a bright, new, era it will need a new name and a new look. Beyond cosmetics, Wichita Transit will need a new maintenance/service hub, a switch over to a hybrid solar/biofuel system as a primary fuel for the buses, and will need to develop a BRT system to improve speed/quality of service. For the new look I would suggest a bright orange and cream colored paint scheme for the buses. Have local artists come up with a cool graphic design that promotes the bus and uses those two colors. The new name for the bus system should be B.A.B.S., which stands for Bad- Ass-Bus-Service!

The new maintenance/service hub should be located in the old flea market at Pawnee and Meridian. The building should be certified platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council and should be able to be adapted to future needs of the city. Locating the new facility on the south side would give a much needed boost to the economy down there and create some new jobs. Switching to a solar/biofuel power supply for the buses will help reduce costs while being good to the environment. The biofuel chosen should be ecologically sustainable, affordable, and sourced locally in Kansas. This will help keep public dollars invested in the local economy, provide green job opportunities for local residents, all while being environmentally responsible. The BRT system I am referring to stands for Bus Rapid Transit. The best model for this type of system is still the Transmilenio system in Bogota, Columbia. I strongly believe we should learn from that system and adapt its best components to our specific needs here in Wichita. Furthermore, connecting the suburbs of Wichita to our system would also be important to gaining public acceptance of a new bus system.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: I really think improving the current infrastructure to better serve the whole community is our best, and most economical, option. The SMT Rail idea I found would be very cool though. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Sell Promotional Item Idea Detail: Special tote bags and tee-shirts can be sold to promote B.A.B.S. and earn extra revenue. We could also do promotional events where small businesses in the small business directory will agree to give special discounts to anyone who wears/carries their B.A.B.S. shirt or tote bag in when buying making a purchase. This can be done online as well by posting a picture of themselves on the participating company's facebook page with the shirt on or the tote bag in hand.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Paint The Bus!

Idea Detail: My brother had a good idea to promote the new bus system. We could designate a bus or two that could be painted and decorated, tastefully of course, by Wichita kids. Local children's organization could be involved in organizing this.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: I disagree. I would love to see all ads taken off. The ad banners make the bus look trashy so if there has to be ads maybe just put them on the back. It would be nice to give the buses a bright new paint scheme that makes them stand out from traffic and gives Wichita Transit a serious "WOW" factor. | By Chris E

Comment 2: I still think giving a couple buses up for the kids to paint would be a cool thing to do too. | By Chris E

Comment 3: i think the bus looks fine just needs advertisers | By shane F

Comment 4: There are numerous organizations around town that help at risk youth so this could be a nice activity to use as a fundraising event. Area kids could pay some money to paint the bus and the money could then go to the children's organizations. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Transit

Idea Detail: I have a lot to say about transit.

Idea Author: Katie C

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: This is a very very long idea title because I have a lot to say

Idea Detail: lakjwer

Idea Author: Katie C

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: This is another idea so now I have three!

Idea Detail: to

Idea Author: Katie C

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Local vs Express

Idea Detail: Provide EXPRESS busses that would have limited pick up/drop off points to high volume areas such as major businesses, malls, retail stores, etc

Idea Author: Zane M

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Small Buisness Partnership

Idea Detail: Through a friend I have heard there are some business owners who are trying to put together a small business directory for the Wichita area. I think that the creation of this directory could really help Wichita Transit. Under my proposed new transit system, B.A.B.S., we could post special coupons on the B.A.B.S. website for the businesses in the directory. We can make it so that only B.A.B.S. frequent riders have access to them. A smartphone application could also be created to allow these frequent riders to have access to the discounts wherever they are and somehow use their phone to redeem them without having to print the actual coupon out. This would cross-promote B.A.B.S. and local small businesses which is a

48 win-win in my book.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: The cool thing about this is that it wouldn't cost the transit system to issue coupons because they would be offered by the participating companies. All B.A.B.S. would be doing is promoting those coupons those companies already funded through their advertising budgets. So B.A.B.S. could take advantage of the additional sales of bus passes without having to give any discounts. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Toy Buses

Idea Detail: B.A.B.S. could license the rights to manufacture and sell toy buses for children. They could be made as collectibles and sold at any business that wants to sell them here in the Wichita area. This could be an extra revenue stream for B.A.B.S..

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Woot! Woot!

Idea Detail: I think it would be cool to have special lights on the bus at night so that riders could see it coming from far away. We could modify old style police lights or something like that. The lights would also help promote the new bus system.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Raise parking fees to encourage public transit use

Idea Detail: This is an expert from a study I found about price elasticity in regards to public transit: "Hensher and King (1998) calculate elasticities and cross-elasticities for various forms of transit fares and automobile travel in the Sydney, Australia, city center. Table 10 summarizes their findings. The table shows, for example, a 10 percent increase in prices at preferred CBD parking locations will cause a 5.41 percent reduction in demand there, a 3.63 percent increase in park-and-ride trips, a 2.91 increase in public transit trips, and a 4.69 reduction in total CBD trips." So based on this it would seem like a good idea to raise existing parking meter fees and start charging for using what was public parking downtown in order to encourage public transit use. Some people might not like that idea on the surface but according to that study it seems like it might work.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: bully | By shane F

Comment 2: Then again that last part about total reduction in trips to CBD might be an issue. If we raised them a little maybe that wouldn't be such an issue considering that most people who go downtown are going to work and not necessarily shopping. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Price Sensitivity In Public Transit

Idea Detail: The following is an excerpt from a study on how price sensitive people are in regards to public transit.

An important conclusion of this research is that no single transit elasticity value applies in all situations: Various factors affect price sensitivities including type of user and trip, geographic conditions, and time period. Available evidence suggests that the elasticity of transit ridership with respect to fares is usually in the –0.2 to –0.5 range in the short run (first year), and increases to –0.6 to –0.9 over the long run (five to ten years). These are affected by the following factors: Transit price elasticities are lower for transit-dependent riders than for discretionary (choice) riders. Elasticities are about twice as high for off-peak and leisure travel as for peak and commute

50 travel. Cross-elasticities between transit and automobile travel are relatively low in the short run (0.05), but increase over the long run (probably to 0.3 and perhaps as high as 0.4). A relatively large fare reduction is generally needed to attract motorists to transit, since they are discretionary riders. Such travelers may be more responsive to service quality (speed, frequency, and comfort), and higher automobile operating costs through road or parking pricing. Due to variability and uncertainty, it is preferable to use ranges rather than point values for elasticity analysis.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: Michelle, it looks like you were right at least to some extent:) I would like to see maybe a simple survey done of both dependent and non dependent riders to test what is the most they would ever pay for public transit as is and then what they would pay for it if hours/service improved. What do you think about the feasibilty of that? | By Chris E

Comment 2: The less we have to depend on unreliable government funding the better I think. I am afraid if we build this new system and fund 2/3 of it through public dollars that eventually politicians will cut services and leave us all in a lurch again. I just don't want to sell my car then a couple years down the road get surprised by cuts in public transit services. | By Chris E

Comment 3: Thanks for your post Chris. As part of our overall Community Outreach Study, we did a survey. It wasn't specific to asking what the most people would pay for transit was but it did ask about funding sources. You can go to http://www.wichitatransit.org/AboutUs/Pages/TransitTalks.aspx asn click on the

survey to see what questions were on the survey. We had a statistically valid survey done and now we just have it online for anyone to take. I encourage you to spread the word about it. A follow up on funding and willingness to pay would be a good idea though. We will look into that in the future as our budget allows. Thanks | By Michelle S

Comment 4: Awesome survey Michelle, thanks. I shared this. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Run the routes to be able to attend Events

Idea Detail: Run the routes longer to be able to go to events at Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita Orpheum, and Various other city Jobs

Idea Author: Christopher C

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Topic Name: New Transit Services

Idea Title: longer hours

Idea Detail: I think the buses should run for longer hours even to pick up people that do second shift work. When I lived in a town the size of Wichita in the 1980's the last bus ran at midnight, all the routes did. I also think they should go farther out and serve more businesses like Great Plains adventures at Oliver and about 35th street.

Idea Author: Diane N

Number of Seconds 16

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: It's all about the funding. We can't just extend hours and hope more people will ride. We would have to commit to longer hours even if ridership didn't budge. And that means committing to paying subsidies for as long as they are required. That means, dun-dun-dunnn!-- taxes. Thankfully, we already have the necessary 1% transportation sales tax, and merely need to petition to redirect it away from Kellogg and towards transit. | By Alden W

Comment 2: I would ride if they were 24/7. Because I work in between shifts and wouldn't have a problem paying a SMALL amount more. They also need to go more places all threw the city. | By Amber P

Comment 3: YES the hours should be extended , for the ppl who work till 9 or have classes at universities. and should work 7 days a wk and holidays except Christmas and New Years | By Ronald A

Comment 4: Wichita does not close down at 6:30pm weekdays and certainly not 5:30pm on Saturdays. (Sundays do not exist). It is imperative that a bus service be provided to cater for the population of Wichita. Longer hours must be a requirement. | By Steve S

Idea Title: More Transfer Locations

Idea Detail: Having to go downtown to transfer from bus to bus is a pain. If transferring was easier and faster than going downtown, I could see a lot more people using buses to get around.

Idea Author: Chase F Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: I agree gridding is the way to go. We should be able to move around the city without having to go downtown, or 'backtracking'. Having choices at different times will allow many more people the option of using the transit system. | By Cindy W

Comment 2: If we could also implement the idea of park and ride to go along with the tranfer stations we may be able to get more people to drive from areas like Andover and Goddard park and ride the busses downtown or to other locations. | By Ron D

Comment 3: I think this is a good idea but the transfer locations would have to be properly marked and be where a person or persons didn't have to wait in the weather for connections. | By Ron D

Comment 4: GRIDS ARE OUR FRIEND | By jabel B

Idea Title: Sunday and Later Evening Hours

Idea Detail: It would be truly wonderful if we could have bus services on Sunday and longer hours in the evenings. Sunday service would benefit those who would like to attend church and those that work that day. The later eevening hours could also benefit those who work in the evening as well as others who have activities to attend.

Idea Author: Elizabeth A

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 5

Comment 1: better a drunk transit than ten to twenty drunk drivers | By kris B

Comment 2: I would not want to see the service hours be long into the evening, as I do not think it would be good to be a "drunk transit" going between the clubs in the old town area, and other bars and clubs in the outlying areas. | By Twila C

Comment 3: I have to say one sober bus driver will forever be better than ten to twenty drunk drivers. | By kris B

Comment 4: Twila, thank you for commenting. I believe there are many reasons people in our community need a form of transportation in the evenings and on Sundays: work, church, school, social activities, etc. I think Elizabeth's comment was advocating for transportation options for all on Sundays and evenings. | By Michelle S

Comment 5: Most of the people that would get on the bus during the late hours would be trying to get to and from work. The present bus schedule limits availability for work, and in turn hurts people in their job searches. And generally, if people have enough money to get drunk at the club/bar they won't need to hop on the bus. But I agree with Kris B--one sober driver will forever be better than 20 drunk ones | By Ashley W

Idea Title: Bike Share

Idea Detail: We could introduce something along these lines: http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/ (this is JUST an example).

Simple. Fun. Useful. (Relatively) Affordable.

Idea Author: Josh H

Number of Seconds 12

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Route map and schedule app for smart phones and iphones

Idea Detail: The application could be updated with any changes, delays or rerouting and could incorporate real-time bus locations (with the robot street announcement system currently on buses i assume that we have transponders on buses already). This could save money on the printing of route maps which are so readily thrown away

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 12

Number of Comments 5

Comment 1: Kris, thanks for your comment. We do currently have a mobile app for real-time info for our Q-line route: http://downtownwichita.org/mobilemap.php. That app just went live a few months ago. We are still looking at improvements for that app and looking at a mobile app for our entire system. The Q-line is our pilot project for mobile apps. We are also looking into the google transit trip planner and real-time capabilities for our website in the coming year. Our latest ITS project is coming to an end and you are correct - with the completion of that project we do have the capabilities to move forward with more technology improvements. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: Thanks Michelle ill check that out | By kris B

Comment 3: This is an EXTREMELY EXCELLENT idea! The sheer usefulness of an application of this sort is mind-boggling. A city bus patron, if running late or curious as to the time and location of a certain bus; could consult the "android" "iphone" app, and receive a real- time position of each bus on an over-lay of say....Google maps. THIS COULD WORK!, by utilizing individual gps on each bus. I TRULY HOPE WICHITA IS CREATIVELY CONCEPTUALIZED ENOUGH TO PROCEED WITH SUCH A BENEFICIAL ENDEAVOR...... | By Tre J

Comment 4: good idea. | By Chris E

Comment 5: it is 2011 fgs | By ron A

Idea Title: Route schedules on bus stop signs and shelters

Idea Detail: If route-specific or full-system maps were placed on the signs and shelters alot of calls to transit would never be placed. Plus the drivers would not be distracted by as many questions

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 10

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: This plus the smartphone apps that have been suggested would be nice to have for sure. | By Chris E

Comment 2: This method of communication is extremely successful in Europe. It would be helpful now in Wichita but if the transit system expands I think it will become a necessity. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Rapid Transit Idea Detail: It would be great to have trams or a light rail, especially along Douglas. Offer a Park & Ride or have bus travel along north and south streets with a transfer to the rail for east and west travel.

Idea Author: Alexis K

Number of Seconds 9

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: lets get the routes and hours up to date before we go wasting a bunch of money on bragging rights | By kris B

Comment 2: I'm going to rain on this idea. I used to be a LRT fan, too, but it turns out that LRT all too often cannibalizes the bus service budget. For Wichita, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is the answer. It's not as cool as LRT, but it's a whole lot cheaper to build. | By Alden W

Comment 3: While watching the 'barriers' being put up on 96 I realized we had missed a great opportunity to have a light rail system...a perfect location. | By Cindy W

Idea Title: Stop & Shop Transfer

Idea Detail: Please bring back the Stop & Shop tranfer. It was used when you were getting on a bus but needed to make a quick stop; like to Dillon's. You paid for the regular ride; then paid another small amount for a transfer; then you would "stop" and "shop" and get back on the next bus using that transfer for the ride.

Idea Author: Vivian B

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 5

Comment 1: I always think that I should shop somewhere a far distance away just to make the most out of MY money when I have to pay twice to ride the same bus to just make a short ride to the grocery store and back. But hey I will start shopping on the other side of town...on WTA's dime | By Broke A

Comment 2: When I lived in Topeka several years ago, their transit system had a program by which if you shopped at participating businesses, the business would stamp the card, giving you a ride back home. The businesses in turn paid Topeka Transit that fair. | By Deb B

Comment 3: i would like to see transfers have zero limitations- they could be 2 hour passes maybe? having to validate your transfer with participating businesses sounds overly complicated, causing major administration headaches and passenger confusion | By kris B

Comment 4: i would like to see transfers have less limitations- they could be 2 hour passes maybe? having to validate your transfer with participating businesses sounds overly complicated, causing major administration headaches and passenger confusion | By kris B

Comment 5: Instead of dealing with transfers we should just have a flat daily rate and you could ride as much as you want wherever you want eliminating the hassle altogether. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Use the PA System

Idea Detail: When a bus isn't going to make the lineup, it would be great if those catching that bus could be advised that it won't be in on time. You could use the PA system just so we know ahead of time, just in case we want to catch another bus or go inside the transit center and sit

57 down. They could also advise of where the bus is and approximately how long we will be waiting for it.

Idea Author: Vivian B

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: It's just a simple common courtesy that would only take a few seconds to do. I agree that a little verbal warning would be helpful. Most people don't even pay attention to the new marquees... | By Ashley W

Comment 2: when on the bus it would be great if the driver could advise riders of their missed connections too. and for the routes that seem to always miss the line up why not shave a couple blocks off the end or some other looping, zig-zagging section- to avoid missing possible riders the bus stops could have signs advising that you must call the transit center (between whichever busy hours) to get guaranteed service, the way some routes already have done in the past for specialty stops | By kris B

Comment 3: (only during peak hours) | By kris B

Idea Title: Bus Card Machine

Idea Detail: Is there such a thing as a machine that sells bus cards? I would love to be able to buy one at anytime, especially with the new office hours and it not being open at all on Saturday.

Idea Author: Vivian B

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 5

Comment 1: There is a company that sells and leases a machine that can dispense bus cards during the hours the booth is not occupied. In the meantime, sell the bus cards in the vending machines.

Then patrons could purchase them anytime. | By Gessler W

Comment 2: Just put it online and then you can access it from anywhere. If people don't have computers they should be able to add money to a reloadable bus pass via automatic phone service. Then we wouldn't have to spend money on machines and risk them being vandalized. | By Chris E

Comment 3: YES PLZ!!! on campus | By ron A

Comment 4: again i would not appreciate if funds were spent on this rather than route and hour expansion | By kris B

Comment 5: I agree if a choice had to be made between route expansion or ticket availability we would choose the expansion of service. However, more ticket sale outlets are required over and above Dillons | By Steve S

Idea Title: Check om where the largest crowds go.

Idea Detail: I think Wichita State and Boeing are both underserved. But inorder for the people who go to these places to use transit the hours must be extended. I think a cirdular route using Oliver, Hillside 47th S and 21st N. could attract riders

Idea Author: Donald F

Number of Seconds 7

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: If we went to the grid system lots of people have been talking about this would solve that problem quick. We could also have an express shuttle form areas where there are high concentrations of students/workers. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Beams and Bubbles

Idea Detail: Wichita is growing; and that is a good thing. As we transform into a big city we need big city thinking. Take a look at this article and video. But, before you judge and think this is too far out of reach for a city like Wichita, expand your mind to 20 years down the road. If we fail to plan big NOW, when will we?

Idea Author: Josh H

Number of Seconds 6

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: Steve S3...I agree, radical is a pretty good word when examining this idea. The one thought about costs is to think in terms of phasing. Let's get some solid CORE infrastructure in place that can be added on to and expanded as the city grows/expands. This would help mitigate costs. | By Josh H

Comment 2: It is true there may not be another chance to improve our transit system for a long time and radical change now is required. A project noted and proposed above would be very costly, but should we concern with cost it is improvements we need. Accountants - just make it work | By Steve S

Idea Title: Hire The Environmental Defense Fund

Idea Detail: This agency has many proven successes in revamping a communities public transportation services. Some of their ideas have been thought of previously in this forum and include allowing buses the right of way thru stop lights, allowing buses to drive on shoulders and bike lanes, allowing buses to deviate from their routes up to 3/4 of a mile to pick up and drop off passengers, transponders which shorten red lights and lengthen green lights, frequent "free fare" days (which must be advertised in order to encourage new riders) and more.

Link contains a video

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 6

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: I think that over complicates things. If the buses deviate from routes that only delays the other passengers. If we run an effective BRT then that shouldn't be necessary. The stop light thing sounds good though. I think we should do that for all vehicles though, not just buses. Free fare days would only put more financial restraints of the system. People will come to expect free fares and this will make it difficult for the system to be self sustaining. The rates are too low as is and free fares would not help. Raise the rates about threefold and then the system can support itself, offer great service to riders, and still be much more cost effective than private cars. | By Chris E

Comment 2: Here is an existing resource with a proven track record! Let's get on that! | By Pat C

Idea Title: Funding ideas to help get some changes paid for

Idea Detail: To help with funding, how about a video system that runs local weather and top news headlines, interspersed with high quality commercials? Those ad spots could be either by way of corporate sponsorship or as revenue earnings for the transit system. Or perhaps a combination of the two.

Idea Author: Pat C

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: I take it you mean on the buses, right? I would also like to see free wireless, perhaps also with commercials. | By Alden W

Idea Title: BRT/Grid Hybrid

Idea Detail: There is a lot of support for moving to a grid system and I agree with that, as it improves accessibility. We should also look to build transit culture by offering faster and more frequent service. What if we converted a few under-utilized right-of-ways to be transitways for exclusive bus use? It would speed up the trip, making them competitive with cars and also develop corridors of high-frequency transit service.

Open-BRT would have most of the buses run on the transitway for a portion of their route and then leave when they reach the street they are to serve. That way, once my bus route reaches the transitway, I have access to all the bus lines in my area without going all the way to downtown. Or, if I want to travel across town, trips on the transitway are faster. Then we can effectively run a gridded system, with most of the buses still going downtown to a common exchange (for cross-town connectivity).

For example, lets say we use lanes on Southeast Boulevard as a transitway. Routes serving south Hydraulic and East 31st, Pawnee, Mt. Vernon, Harry, and Lincoln could all run on the transitway for a portion of their route. Other routes may not run on the transitway but could terminate there for connections. So if I’m traveling north on a bus headed downtown on Hydraulic, once I reach the transitway, I would exit at the station that serves my desired line.

The station area would hopefully be nicer than a stop on the side of the street and I could wait for buses traveling outbound on the other roads. If frequencies are increased to 15 minutes, routes are not pulsed from downtown, and I have 4 routes coming the other way, I have a bus passing just under every 4 minutes on the transitway. I put together a map if that helps visualize the idea. Short waits, easy transfers outside of downtown, and fast travel are all achieved.

Possible corridors: SE Blvd, McLean, SW Blvd, Zoo Blvd, old railroad ROWs to the west, north, and east of downtown.

Idea Author: Andrew S

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: This is a really good idea. | By Chris E

Idea Title: HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes

Idea Detail: Can we push the city to embrace well established, tried and true public transportation ideas from other cities? These lanes are dedicated to vehicles which contain more than one person- fines are strictly enforced for using them without having at least one (non-driving) passenger onboard. Motorcyclists are usually exempt from this fine and they encourage the use of buses and carpooling.

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: I gotta say I am not too excited about this. I get what you are saying but I just don't want to be told I can only drive in one lane. I think that people shouldn't be strong armed like that. If the buses are really that good people will choose to ride them and won't need much encouragement. Plus I don't want to see the expansion of roads, which is what would probably happen if we started dedicating lanes for HOV. | By Chris E

Comment 2: Where do you want to add the lanes? I feel like most roadways in the city flow

62 pretty freely already. | By Andrew S

Comment 3: Carpool lanes are only applicable to highways | By kris B

Idea Title: Park and Ride from suburbs

Idea Detail: How about park and ride locations in the suburban neighborhoods. Base pricing on location of residence. This could also contribute to regional transit. Denver has a great system (see link).

Idea Author: Brandon M

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: I would go further and suggest we just extend mass transit to smaller suburbs outright instead of a park and ride. I think it would benefit the smaller towns economically and costs could be managed to accommodate this. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Express loops

Idea Detail: Could possibly use loop bus that would express from downtown hub using Kellogg or Canal route to get to their loop area.

Idea Author: Zane M

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Please elaborate further on this idea. I am intrigued. | By Mitchell W

Idea Title: Party Pass

Idea Detail: This would be a special bus that takes you bar hopping to hot spots all around town. There could be a predesignated route and people could get picked up along the way and have a great time.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Add 30 min. route

Idea Detail: The North Broadway route is a NIGHTMARE for commuters trying to get to their destinations on time because the of the Trains crossing 21st street. Adding a 30 min. bus all day to this route would really help in getting people to work on time and all the other time sensitive destinations they may have.

Idea Author: Liz C

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Add 30 min. service

Idea Detail: The West Maple bus route is the busiest route there is. The drivers work extra hard on this route to get it into the Transit on time for our connections to other bus routes, but it is sometimes impossilble. Adding a 30 min. bus all day to this route would really help Transit riders get where they need to go, and also take some pressure off the driver.

Idea Author: Liz C

Number of Seconds 1

Comment 1: Thanks for your comment Liz. That route is definately one of our busiest. We will look at our ridership and see if our mid-day service is on the correct routes and see if there are any changes we could realistically make. Thanks | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Double Decker sight seeing bus for tours/tourists

Idea Detail: revenue builder in a similiar vein as the current Q Line

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Amphibious (land and water) sightseeing route

Idea Detail: Another possible revenue builder for fun and for tourists. we have the rivers and this novelty seems to do well in cities like Pittsburgh PA. The company Ducky Tours is a private, for-profit endeavour. marketing this might help our over all "city appeal" (when the river level is high enough)

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: thst would be awesome | By ron A

Idea Title: A "search" field on the transit website

Idea Detail: A time saver which would help people looking for information online. the current site is overly Text-Intense In my opinion

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 0

Comment 1: I noticed the new site has a search field ...THANK YOU | By kris B

Comment 2: I agree - especially for ones new to the transit system it can be overwhelming and discouraging. | By Pat C

Idea Title: Simple Stuff

Idea Detail: Two things I think would be nice to have on a bus would be a headphone jack so passengers could listen to the local radio stations in the morning and a tray table with cup holder(gotta have the cup holder:). These two things would provide passengers with some simple comforts while on the bus. They can listen to talk radio, eat their breakfast, and safely drink their coffee, while riding B.A.B.S.. Sounds good to me.

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: It may sound silly but I think the small things are important. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Digital Marquee

Idea Detail: When I visited San Fransisco their buses had a digital sign that listed what bus stop they were approaching. Also, a digital verbally said what bus stop we were approaching. I think applying that to our buses would be a good idea too.

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: Good to know those got put on there. It's been awhile since I have seen the buses. Yes, in San Fransisco they had the sign inside at front of the bus and then also the digital voice making announcements. | By Chris E

Comment 2: Chris, our buses do have automated stop announcements. For the digital signs, were they located on the interior of the bus? We do have interior signs that show the stop that is beign approached. Our exterior signs show the route and say inbound or outbound. This

technology was implemented earlier this year. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Bus Shelters

Idea Detail: Having larger, and more comfortable, bus shelters would be a nice addition to the new transit system. Shelters should be designed to comfortably hold 120% of projected peak riders for that specific stop. The extra room will give the system room to grow and allow for people to not feel crowded. In addition, using geothermal heating and cooling technology to provide some heat and air conditioning to riders as they wait would definitely be important for keeping ridership up. Putting solar strips on roof of the shelters could provide power for this. The solar strips could also power security lights at night.

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: Geothermal works in houses and commercial buildings for sure. It uses water pipes buried under the ground to take advantage of the constant temperature of the ground and pumps that water back up through the house, business, or whatever to heat/cool. It is renewable, sustainable, and cost efficient. The only thing I would question is whether it would be effective at a bus shelter. I guess we'd have to ask an engineer about that. | By Chris E

Comment 2: Chris, our shelters on East Douglas do use solar power for lighting. | By Michelle S

Comment 3: Oh really? That's cool I didn't know that. Good deal. Implement that system wide and we can call it good. What do you think about geothermal? It sounds crazy but I think it might work, but then again I am not an engineer. | By Chris E

Comment 4: I don't know much about geothermal but we're always interested in hearing about new ideas. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Tourista Pass

Idea Detail: We should have a special Q-Line that takes tourists, and residents, around to all the shopping centers around town. Downtown KC looks awesome at Christmas time, which is why people go there from far away to shop, so we should do something like that in Wichita and

67 support it through this special Q-Line.

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Staycation Pass

Idea Detail: This bus would take riders to predetermined locations around the Wichita MSA that offered riders a few hours of fun without taking them too far from home.

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Don't Trash Wichita Transit

Idea Detail: It would be good to have (2) trash receptacles on the bus to make sure when ridership increases that people keep it clean. The bus drivers would clean the bus every hour or two, wipe everything down, sweep the floor, and riders would help out by using the trash cans.

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Name the Buses,So people will want to ride.

Idea Detail: Watch this video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ByCtfcvX-z4

Idea Author: Jerry W

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Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Going to more areas of town

Idea Detail: If the transit could go into more areas and make it easier to get to places you need to go across town

Idea Author: Chrystal Y

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Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: We can't serve everywhere. I think it's better to stop encouraging development that's not already served by bus service. Realistically, we should be discouraging sprawl- development, because it's not just bus service that has to be extended out into the county. F'rinstance, developers should be required to pay for utility installation up front, and not foist it off on residents as special taxes.

This is all getting way beyond busing, but nothing and nobody exists in a vacuum. We need politicians and leaders who actively support transit. | By Alden W

Idea Title: Doctor visit

Idea Detail: With the medical offices moving to North east and North west Wichita. It would help those who depend on the transit or should depend on the transit to get to Doctor visit. I would agree the area should expand

Idea Author: Chrystal Y

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Number of Comments 0

Topic Name: Transit Viability

Idea Title: Why transit is not viable.

Idea Detail: Let's be realistic: for the vast majority of Wichita residents, transit will never be the preferred mode of travel. Cars are just too convenient. For many people, the notion of waiting even 5 minutes for a bus is intolerable. The notion of sitting with strangers is appalling.

No, transit is not viable. It is, however, vital. And this is what we need to make people understand. Your comfortable suburban lifestyle, where the only time you spend outside is mowing the lawn or walking across the parking lot at work, is more fragile than it looks. One accident, you could need paratransit for the rest of your life. Lose your job, you will wish you had voted to fund viable mass transit. But you didn't, so now you're stuck driving to your minimum wage temporary job, paying $3/gallon...

We have to get across that maintenance of a viable transit system is like owning a fire extinguisher. You may never use it. You may not _want_ to ever use it. But you need it to be there, and you need it to _work_. In Wichita, we have failed, miserably, to get this point across. As a result, transit is, for the vast majority of citizens, for all practical purposes, nonexistent.

Idea Author: Alden W

Number of Seconds 15

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: It is this vast majority of citizens that never would ride a bus, that are complaining all the time about the cost of gas. The math says it all, it is by far cheaper to ride public transit than to drive a car in this city. It may be a little inconvienent, but money talks. | By charles P

Comment 2: I use the transit symstem in Wichita but what the people that be need to do is do exactly what this statement says...make if viable. You like your job don't you? Do more than come to work and collect a pay check....make your job viable....Make it a service that people do not look down upon, or think is useless. Make it a service that people use, and see that it does good for themselves and others in their community. It is you commmunity that pays your paycheck and can take it away. | By Broke A

Comment 3: "Wichita Transit is committed to meeting the needs and priorities of the citizens of Wichita with the most courteous, affordable, reliable, and economical public transportation

70 possible." - http://www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/Transit/ this is the commitment that Wichita council makes. What happened? Public Transit is essential for any city and especially for one that is growing. Coverage must be made available to enable the service of Wichita's needs at the growing proportion. Transit is viable not a white elephant | By Steve S

Comment 4: I agree that most people are so impatient that they do not want to wait on anything, much less a bus, however, if the transit system were to be given even a small portion of consideration that is given to developing roads, parking lots, etc. as well as the financial appropriation which would support that consideration; the result could be a very viable transit system that would serve the entire city of Wichita 7 days a week and most hours of the day. A city as large as Wichita, not only deserves an efficient transit system, but needs to strive to create a system that will both serve the riders that now ride, and attract the ones who think it is an inconvenience to take a bus. | By Deb B

Idea Title: Ease of payment

Idea Detail: The Transit Center should encourage customers and potential customers with the ease to pay. Currently the kiosk in the Transit Center is open when riders and potential riders are at work (8 – 5) and operates on a cash basis only. In order to increase riders, we must increase the outlets and distribution of a variety of bus passes, offering discounts for advance purchases. Utilizing additional outlets could be achieved through the participation of many stores, malls, Wichita council partners, over the internet, and other employers. In addition, the introduction of debit and credit cards as a form of payment in the Transit Center should be acceptable. Make it simple for customers and secure future passengers.

Idea Author: Steve S

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: Accepting debit and credit cards at the Transit Center is definitely something I will encourage our staff to look into for implementation. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: I completely agree with you on this. We gotta bring transit into the 21st century. | By Chris E

Idea Title: More bus pass options.

Idea Detail: Transit is viable even in Wichita where it seems people are attached to cars moments after they are born. The fare may have to be raised another quarter or more, some routes added, others changed, service hours extended. I would like to see quarterly and semi- annual bus passes offered to general public like semester bus passes to students. It would be a lot more convenient for people who ride the bus frequently.

Idea Author: William R

Number of Seconds 12

Number of Comments 7

Comment 1: I agree with the pass idea as well. Lots of money gets spent when you pay ride- for-ride. For instance, a ride from south to north wichita will take two ride with transfers(which costs $4). I would say that the day pass is effective but to even get to the transit center to buy one still costs $1.75. Variety in pass length will play a major role. I think a lot of passes will be bought if this idea moves forward. | By Ashley W

Comment 2: The Transit Center should encourage customers and potential customers with the ease to pay. Currently the kiosk in the Transit Center is open when riders and potential riders are at work (8 – 5) and operates on a cash basis only. In order to increase riders, we must increase the outlets and distribution of a variety of bus passes, offering discounts for advance purchases. Utilizing additional outlets could be achieved through the participation of many stores, malls, Wichita council partners, over the internet, and other employers. In addition, the introduction of debit and credit cards as a form of payment in the Transit Center should be acceptable. Make it simple for customers and secure future passengers. | By Steve S

Comment 3: All of these ideas make a lot of sense, after all that is what makes transit work, loyal riders. A pass of any type is both convenient to the passengers and speeds the process of loading the buss, allowing it to stay on schedule. | By Deb B

Comment 4: Along with this idea, I would keep the month, week, and day passes, for people who cannot pay a great deal up front for a longer pass. | By Laura G

Comment 5: I completely agree with Laura. If the passes are withdrawn then what alternative are the passengers given. Should everybody ensure they have change to dump in the machine? Hardly productive for the customers and very productive to hold up the drivers? | By Steve S

Comment 6: I agree Laura. I am going to encourage our staff to re-evaluate our decision to limit the passes we sell. | By Michelle S

Comment 7: Laura, I'd like to let you know that we are keeping our passes. Thank you all for your comments. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: We need to change our attitudes about public transit

Idea Detail: It's a difficult planning and cost situation, however at this point with energy, economic and environmental concerns I feel we must have good public transit in and around Wichita as soon as possible. Longer run times and more effectively planned routes that get riders where they need to be in better time as well perhaps better scheduling around business times.

Idea Author: Pat C

Number of Seconds 12

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: everyone that rides the bus is not poor, it's not user frirndly if you have to leave work and can't return untill two hours later... | By jo B

Comment 2: purchase smaller buses and run routes more frequently | By jo B

Comment 3: I like to say that transit is a matter of national defense, because high gas prices amount to economic warfare. It's a bit of a stretch, but gets people's attention. | By Alden W

Comment 4: the bus is cooler if its green ours is only in theory | By ron A

Idea Title: What's going on?

Idea Detail: It seems everytime someone ask a question about why the transit system doesn't do something, we hear the "we are in a budget delimna." My question is, If the city is facing such a huge budget shortfall with the transit system, why is it everyday when I reach the transit center there is one and sometimes two busses idling in the express lanes? I have yet to see these busses do anything else but sit there and idle for hours. Wouldn't it save fuel costs to not have them there.

Idea Author: charles P

Number of Seconds 5

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: We call those buses that wait in the express lane Goodwill buses. They are there to replace any buses that break down during peak times or handle any extra work. We do a trip to the north Goodwil once in the morning and once at night with those buses as well. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: There's a branch of mathematics called "queuing theory" that studies, e.g. people waiting in line at a bus stop. It's highly important in computer scoence. One of the key things we've learned from this study is that you can't push a system past about 80% usage, or it will thrash, and response times will go through the roof. So, in a real sense, it is mathematically necessary for there to be unused bus capacity in a properly functioning system. | By Alden W

Comment 3: i have to agree here, i dont know all the facts but it may have something to do with their being fueled by diesel? | By kris B

Idea Title: Just Say No

Idea Detail: Here's a pretty simple idea: when someone approaches the city with a request to use tax dollars to help build, for instance, a "53,000-square-foot indoor sports fieldhouse", and that development is not within wichita transit's service area, SAY NO. Make the developer promise to underwrite bus service to their new facility, or build their project on one of the thousands of empty lots already served by the bus.

Remember, for someone who is dependent on transit, that new Cabela's development might as well be in Omaha. Remember, one accident could render you, or me, or any of us, dependent on transit.

Just. Get. A. Clue.

Idea Author: Alden W

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Wichita Transit is Viable!

Idea Detail: Public transit in Wichita is not only viable it is vital! If we moved to a grid system for our buses, connected the suburbs, and increased bus fares to about $5/person/day, then we could afford an excellent public transit system without compromise. The poor would benefit the most by getting rid of their cars, or at least reducing the number they have. The savings per year would be in the thousands. The increase in the disposable income of every commuter would pump badly needed local dollars into the local economy.

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: Car ownership involves many hidden costs. It also provides one huge benefit: convenience. For the vast majority of Americans, that $2600 annual savings is paltry compared to the convenience of not having to walk to transit, wait for transit, or worry about staying out too late and missing transit. For transit to truly be viable, we either need to make transit itself a whole lot more convenient, or we need to make car ownership either less convenient or _lots_ more expensive. The European solution has been to make car ownership expensive with exorbitant gasoline taxes. In America, that's a non-starter. Some American cities make cars less convenient with, for instance, inadequate parking and turnpikes. Wichita's not dense enough to make parking scarce. This basically leaves turnpikes. Alternatively, we focus on making transit more convenient by building an extremely flexible system that is, essentially, para-transit for all. | By Alden W

Comment 2: According to the Economic Policy Institute's Family Budget Calculator it costs about $339/month for transportation for a single parent with one child. That means that in a year that family would spend $4,068 on transportation. With B.A.B.S. charging $4/day, when buying in bulk, that same family would only spend $1,460 on transit, which is a savings of $$2,608 per year! | By Chris E

Comment 3: Even with a rate hike to $5/day the bus would save a person thousands of dollars per year. | By Chris E

Idea Title: The Future of Transit Is Bright

Idea Detail: Computers are getting faster all the time, and cars are getting smarter. Self-driving

75 cars have been around for nearly 20 years. Eventually the legal and marketing logjam will break and the personal cybernetic chauffeur will become ubiquitous. We will all be able to spend our commute texting our friends, reading the news, even working if we choose.

When this future arrives, it will change everything. Paratransit, which today is reserved for those with no other option, will become widespread, as people realize they don't have to keep a car in their garage, but can simply call one at will. Traffic signals will become redundant, as cars negotiate on the fly who will cross an intersection first. Urban freeways will become overpriced, unnecessary white elephants. Drunk driving will be a memory.

This is because when this future arrives, people will be able to make the cost/speed calculation for every individual journey: Will I pay the premium price for a solitary high-speed ride, or will I pay a lower fee and ride with my neighbor? And, just as most people today choose not to upgrade their airline seats or pay for private jets, so too will most people choose to share the ride. And the result will be a distributed, personalized transit system. So, yes, the future clearly belongs to transit.

The question today is, what should we, as a community, do to ease and shape the triumph of transit?

I'll leave this as a question for now, because I want to hear what other people have to say.

Idea Author: Alden W

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Number of Comments 9

Comment 1: I see where you are coming from Alden W but I disagree with that perspective. I think that we should pay for the transit system's day-to-day costs through fares and the capital improvement projects by using public tax dollars. If you read the comments for the Night and Weekends idea I more clearly stated my position on that. The freedom I am referring to is not the freedom to drive but rather the freedom to choose how you want to live. I think that public transit should be so good that people will choose to use it over cars. By implementing user fees you would essentially be forcing them to make a choice for public transit due to financial pressures. That is the part I don't like about user fees. I do agree with you though that we need a superior mass transit system that is affordable. However, I believe that it is possible to

76 achieve this while still making the process convenient, green, and friendly to business without twisting anyone's arm. | By Chris E

Comment 2: It sounds like you're saying that toll roads would necessarily be so expensive that it would amount to government coercing people not to use them.

I contend that, under our noses, exactly the opposite has been happening. Government has been taking tax dollars and using them to build a freeway system, while neglecting funding of transit. This is an uneven playing field that essentially forces people to make a choice for cars due to financial pressures.

Let's examine the expense question. Taxpayer-supported roads means money is collected, sent to Topeka and Washington, and then doled back out to individual projects (frequently with earmarks). If all freeways were turnpikes, on the other hand, there would be no need for gasoline taxes. Fees would stay close to the place they were generated. Thus, overall costs would be lower with turnpikes.

I think I'm using the same reasoning you are, but applying it to the current system, and finding it lacking. | By Alden W

Comment 3: What I am saying is that transit doesn't have to be cost prohibitive and that forcing people to subsidize transit through tax dollars makes the program susceptible to sudden shifts in funding, program cuts, and so on, that then make the system miserable to use. If the system is miserable then only people who are so poor they to ride will ride. If you make the system relatively independent of the government, except for capital improvement, then it is less likely to be a victim of fickle politicians and will instead be forced to provide a transit system that people actually like. If people do like it they will support it. Most people are able to afford $5/day. The transit system, as Michelle pointed out, already charges $5 for day passes so my proposal isn't unreasonable. Now, for those that are too poor to pay the full amount then it is fine to discount their rates. We need to provide an excellent system that people will be willing to pay for in order for it to work. $5 is still cheap. | By Chris E

Comment 4: Now, as for covering costs it is possible to charge a low rate of $5 if, and a big if, enough people ride it regularly. Part of encouraging ridership is by providing a system that is great to use and then also charging a reasonable price so people will be willing to make the switch from car to bus. I think $5 will get that accomplished. In the first year the program will need to be subsidized by government but after that enough people will have made the switch that the program can pay everyday expenses on its own. | By Chris E

Comment 5: I see where you are coming from Alden W but I disagree with that perspective. I think that we should pay for the transit system's day-to-day costs through fares and the capital improvement projects by using public tax dollars. If you read the comments for the Night and Weekends idea I more clearly stated my position on that. The freedom I am referring to is not the freedom to drive but rather the freedom to choose how you want to live. I think that public transit should be so good that people will choose to use it over cars. By implementing user fees you would essentially be forcing them to make a choice for public transit due to financial pressures. That is the part I don't like about user fees. I do agree with you though that we need a superior mass transit system that is affordable. However, I believe that it is possible to achieve this while still making the process convenient, green, and friendly to business. | By Chris E

Comment 6: Nickel-and-dimming people will just make them mad and further impoverish already poor people/businesses. America is supposed to be about freedom not endless fees. Let's not over complicate things here and just keep it simple. Affordable mass transit 24/7/365 for anyone and everyone who wants to ride it. No catches, no tricks, no blackout dates, no b.s., just great public transit for all. Charge a fair, but profitable, daily price and the system will pay for itself. | By Chris E

Comment 7: Let's see... point 1 is that highway fees will impoverish already-poor people. I think the opposite will happen. First, less convenient transportation will bring jobs home from overseas. Second, there are plenty of people driving now who can't actually afford it; the more people who decide to use transit, the better it will be and the less people will have to drive. Point 2 is about freedom. Driving is not a freedom on the level of speech, assembly and voting. Would you rather have America be about high taxes, or user fees? Point 3 is about complication. Yes, this is true. I think that at some point a "pay-to- drive" system will, however, become _necessary_, as people change to alternative fuels and driverless cars become commonplace. Point 4 is about just focusing on decent transit. Unfortunately, we cannot do that without first solving the funding problem. Who should pay? I think the people who make it necessary to build all those highways should. | By Alden W

Comment 8: OK, here's an idea: urban turnpikes. We should install K-tag sensors and cameras at all urban freeway entrances/exits and make people pay for the convenience of high-speed unobstructed travel. We should stop hiding road construction costs behind fuel taxes, sales taxes, property taxes and car registration fees. We should charge congestion pricing, because it is rush hour drivers that define how big our roads have to be.

It's not enough to just throw money at transit and hope people will ride. We have to look at the

"driving" side of the equation as well, and move, as quickly as practical, to a system based on usage fees rather than taxes. | By Alden W

Comment 9: Implement a proper grid system, have plenty of decent transfer locations, run heavily traveled routes every 10 to 15 min. Less busy ones every 30 min. Extend hours so 2nd and 3rd shifters can ride, include Sundays and some holidays, courteous drivers, plenty of signs that signify where bus stops are located, Park and ride locations | By Sandra R

Idea Title: A Transit District

Idea Detail: This may not be a popular idea, but what if we consolidated transit offerings to a smaller area where densities and need dictated? It's nice to think that everyone has accessibility to transit but in reality spreading it out so thin is making it useless to almost everyone with the frequencies and hub-and-spoke system that are necessary to serve such a broad space. Not serving the far flung cul-de-sac neighborhoods could allow more frequency, longer hours, and more routes within the district.

It's not shrinking the service area too much but I'm thinking roughly Ridge on the west side to Rock on the east and 29th on the north and 47th on the south sides. Then if something would benefit from transit service (like Hawker Beechcraft) an extension to a route from within the district could be run.

I don't know the politics involved but maybe the "Transit District" could vote to raise taxes a quarter to a half-dollar for the improved services then the people accessing the buses are the ones paying for it? Any community outside of the district could then pay for a service if they want it to run into the district, like in the long-range plans currently proposed.

Idea Author: Andrew S

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: I think that isn't too bad of an idea but I still really believe that extending service to all of Wichita and the surrounding suburbs is the best way to go. You bring up a good point about population density but that wouldn't be solved through what you are proposing it would just make it so that the poorest of people in the city would cluster in certain areas, further segregating the city based off of income. What I would suggest instead is for the city to focus on encouraging investment in mixed-use properties and mid-rise apartment complexes which

79 offer affordable housing in combination with more expensive housing. This would help solve the population density problem and allow us to expand access to routes at the same time. | By Chris E

Comment 2: I definitely agree that it could cause the impoverished to cluster but there are other forces that are causing that to happen already. I think a solid investment in a district that prioritizes quality service in that area would actually alleviate poverty by making the entire region, with all its jobs and services, more accessible. Developments at the edges of town are often designed specifically to require a car and are intentionally difficult to access. Universal coverage is a nice idea but how many of the people on the edge of town will use the bus and what benefits are the people needing the bus gaining by having access to those areas? There is a point where an increase in services doesn't offer much increase in ridership. We just have to find where that line is exactly. | By Andrew S

Idea Title: B.A.B.S. Pass

Idea Detail: To make payments easier we could come out with a card that will be slid through a reader on the bus as each passenger steps on. You would scan this each time you got on a bus for that day but would only be charged once based on the rate plan you purchased. The basic information this card would gather would help determine whether buses needed to be added or dropped, where rider hot spots are, and so on. The cards could be reloaded over the internet. The system would be similar to what NET10 (prepaid cellphone company)does on its website. You just pick a rate plan, with varying discounts for bulk purchases, and conduct a secure transaction over the net. No kiosks to maintain, no people to operate ticket booths and info centers, or none of that just a slick and simple website. I would offer a $5 1-day pass, a 3- day pass for $13.50(10% off), and a 30-day pass for $120(20% off).

Idea Author: Chris E

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Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: I'll salute this idea, because I know it works. A couple of years ago when my daughter was at school in Minneapolis, we got her a "Go Card". I put money in through the internet, and she swiped the card to ride the bus. | By Alden W

Comment 2: This could definitely work! | By Chris E

Idea Title: Wichita Regional Transit Plan

Idea Detail: This was a plan developed by some graduate students at KU and I thought it was very interesting so I thought I would share it.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: I have read this before, and just wondered why KU students could not run our Transit System. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Buying Passes you cant get into the transit center to buy the day pass or 30 day pass. The one day I could get there at 4:50. I was told they couldnt sell me one it was to late

Idea Author: Chrystal Y

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: Dillons does sell 20-ride passes, but no other passes. We are looking at trying to get more passes at different locations because of the hours of operation for the booth at the TC. I'm sorry to hear about your experience at the Transit Center. Please let me know if you have any other poor customer service experiences. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: I understand dillons sells bus passes but runs out fast? | By kris B

Idea Title: Link to Wichita's Budgetary Survey

Idea Detail: is there anything in the entire budget survey referring to public transportation because i could not find it. COMPLETE THE SURVEY and in the other section simply write "Public Transportation"

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Topic Name: Transit Experiences

Idea Title: takes too long

Idea Detail: for a fifteen minute ride it takes over two hours to get to the destination place I am thinking maybe if you work out the routes better you probably would have more riders it takes me all day to get to and from a doctors appoint from the west side of town to hill side and central normally in a car fifteen minutes there and fifteen back having to get on three different buses seriously

Idea Author: Roxanne B

Number of Seconds 14

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: Yes!! The average commute time in a car is about 17 minutes here in Wichita. If the bus system is ever going to compete we have to at least match that. | By Chris E

Comment 2: GRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDDD | By ron A

Idea Title: All Drivers do not pick up or Drop off the same

Idea Detail: Either Post more drop off points and benches and shelters, An older bus driver today would only drop us off at a bench 2 -3 blocks after we signaled to be dropped off. Other drivers only look for the permanent signs of where to drop off and won't drop off at other intersection corners. some drivers are really strict as to where they drop off and pick up just a short distance from the curb and varies from where other drivers drop of and pick up. some drivers do help handicap people or older or children by lowering the bus if the lift is not called for other drivers might not even when asked to lower the bus. It needs to be more uniform and clear to even the riders as to where to be picked up and dropped off.

Idea Author: Wilfrid P

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: the drivers would be more friendly if they enjoyed their work, the city should promote riding the bus with a positive spin, creating reasons why people would want to ride the bus, starting with the professionalism, expertise and friemdliness of the drivers, even if they have to be trained to be pleasant employees | By jo B

Comment 2: the intro video is totally unrealisticitseems like get a kick out of stopping far from where you are | By malachi L

Comment 3: Most drivers are helpful and pleasant but there are a few who always seem bitter and vicious, making eye contact as they drive right past you or belittling you whenever possible. send them to the yard to service the buses if you cannot fire them | By kris B

Comment 4: I agree Kris, by far the majority of drivers are pleasant, and sure it is one or two who are not so. I think in terms of PR we have a case of one bad apple spoiling the barrel. I recently visited Europe and I must say Wichita drivers are better in terms of customer relations. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Q-Line

Idea Detail: If you've never taken advantage of Wichita's Q-Line you should. It's a great way to access a large area of the core of our city (mostly Old Town, Delano and Downtown). It still runs on nights and most the day Saturday. However, it used to also be offered over the lunch hour. That was very convenient for those who didn't want to drive to lunch destinations and it also helps to reduce parking needs. Since it was priced at only a quarter it was great motivation to use this service. I say bring back the Q-Line over lunch- I know this isn't Hawaii- but stop 'paving paradise'.

Idea Author: Josh H

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 5

Comment 1: Michelle- that is GREAT news! Thanks for the update and information regarding the "app"- that will be a more than helpful addition. I also think the increased frequency will be beneficial- hopefully it will help entice more folks to ride. Thanks again. | By Josh H

Comment 2: Josh, thanks for your comment, we are making plans to bring back the lunch time

Q-line service with 6-7 minute frequencies to make it easier for people to get to lunch and back to work in an hour. Look for that to begin around May. I encourage you to continue to ride the Q-line. We have a new mobile app that tracks the Q-line in real time: http://downtownwichita.org/mobilemap.php | By Michelle S

Comment 3: Is there an Android version of this app coming soon? Hopefully, you'll be able to expand it to all routes. Thanks! | By Dan R

Comment 4: Hi Dan, I am going to tell you what the person who developed this told me: It is technically not an app but is a website that only works on mobile phones. It does work on the Android. If you type in the attached address you should be able to get to it. We are still working out the issues with the Q-line part, but we are in place to move forward with the whole system, since we've already started. Due to our tight budget, I'm not sure if we'll get it done in 2012, but we will have real time info on our regular website sometime in 2012. That website is www.wichitatransit.org. Thanks for taking interest. | By Michelle S

Comment 5: Josh, thank you for your comment. We are getting ready to bring back lunch time service for the Q-line in January. It will be a more frequent service as well. Look for more information on Q-line services in the next month. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: To avoid the smell- plastic seats rather than uplholstery

Idea Detail: This would cut down on the "musty" bus experience. some riders unfortunately seem unable to keep up on their hygeine and it is highly unpleasant

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: When a rider enters the bus and the driver gets the Lysol out it is a warning to us all of the passenger with a hygiene problem. Plastic seats would be uncomfortable, passengers would still make the seats sticky, put their feet up or any other disrespectful act. Cleaning them more often could be a solution. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Kill the Germs!

Idea Detail: I think that it would be a good idea for the drivers to use disinfecting cloths to wipe

84 down the handles on the backs of seats and the poles a couple times a day when the bus is empty. I know you have to be careful about people with allergies to "clean" but it's better then spreading contagions isn't it?

Idea Author: Keith M

Number of Seconds 7

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Good old fashioned bleach water would do the trick. | By Chris E

Idea Title: $5 pass costs $7 ??? Sell Day Passes Directly From The Fare Box

Idea Detail: I read Karin K's idea (Educate public AND ticket vendors) and called the transit center to see if they would refund or put the cost of the trip downtown toward a day pass and they actually laughed.. they dont want drivers to have to handle money which is a good policy. But cant the machines be configured to print and sell day passes? I have riden buses in other cities which understood and accepted five dollar bills as well as 2-3 singles at once as long as they were fanned out and they sold day passes directly. It seems like charging $6.75-$7 for an item listed at five dollars would hamper day pass sales quite a bit

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 6

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: We could also just do like a credit card style reloadable bus pass. That way we could just slide the card as we enter the bus. We could then reload it by phone or online. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Not An Option

Idea Detail: The current bus system in Wichita has never been an option for me. Twice I have tried to figure out any possible way I could make the system work for me so I could get rid of my car and save thousands of badly needed dollars. However, the fact that it takes a couple of

85 hours to get across the city, is not available 24/7/365, and does not have many convenient stops around town there was never any way I could ride the bus on a daily basis. Needless to say I have been very frustrated by the lack of available services with Wichita Transit.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 5

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: I agree Steve | By Chris E

Comment 2: If we have a better system than I would definitely ride it everyday! | By Chris E

Comment 3: Chris, a better system for me would be operation of later hours, a larger coverage of Wichita and easy access of tickets to name a few. There are many riders now who's only mode of transport is the bus system, not many choose for economic reasons. We have to change. | By Steve S

Idea Title: Educate public AND ticket vendors

Idea Detail: Went to Dillons to purchase a bus pass. They don't seem informed at all (2 different stores) so pretty much had to know what I wanted instead of them telling me my options. Was surprised they don't sell anything less than 20-ride passes (best the clerk and I could tell) but didn't know until I rode the bus this morning (with my 20-ride transfer pass) I could have done single rides with $2 cash which would include the transfer. Also saw the message on the transit site they've decided to continue to sell all unlimited-ride bus passes but can not see anywhere what they cost. I'm willing to give public transportation a try but feel like it's on MY shoulders to figure out a lot of details.

Idea Author: Karin K

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Hi Karin, we took our pass prices off of our site when we were going to dicontinue them but now that we are keeping them (thanks to all of you for commenting) we will post the prices again. Please conitnue to give your input on our customer service. We want to improve

86 how we get information to people and provide the best service we can. Thanks! | By Michelle S

Idea Title: B.A.B.S. Application For Smartphones

Idea Detail: Having a smartphone application that allows you to see where the bus is in relation to you, and its E.T.A., would be very useful for riders. The application could also help you decide which buses to take to get to your destination the fastest taking into account buses that may be broke down, road constructions, traffic accidents, and the like.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 4

Comment 1: Chris, we recently developed our first smartphone application for real time data. It only applies to the Q-line right now. It is http://downtownwichita.org/mobilemap.php and only avaiable as a mobile app. We are making plans to launch the google transit trip planner and real-time information for all of our buses in the coming year. Those two would be on our new website www.wichitatransit.org | By Michelle S

Comment 2: thanks | By Chris E

Comment 3: bring the city into the 21st century now thats an idea | By charles P

Comment 4: Guess I should have put this under New Transit Services. I wasn't paying attention, sorry. | By Chris E

Idea Title: an accessibility issue

Idea Detail: Overhead lighted signs inside the bus showing all major intersections as they are approached, and automatic recorded announcements of the same, would make the difference, for those of us with visual or hearing impairments or lack of familiarity,between being able to access the route services or not. ( Paratransit is too expensive and restrictive.)

Idea Author: Laura G

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Laura, thanks for your cemments. We have recently installed automated stop announcmements in all of our buses. Interior signage showing stops is an excellent idea. We will need to research the feasibility of that for our next bus purchases. Thanks. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Take Transit Survey!!!

Idea Detail: Michelle told me about this survey for transit in Wichita and I would encourage everyone to take it to help them understand our needs better.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: letting children/babys back in the strollers

Idea Detail: parents should be aloud to have there kids/babys in the strollers its just safer then being on the parents lap

Idea Author: Brandy K

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: I have seen this done well in a big city transit system so I don't understand why they wouldn't here. That's just weird. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Mobile WiFi

Idea Detail: I think one service that could be offered is WiFi. Each Bus could be a hotspot and allow people wireless access to internet while they ride. Most people would probably uses this for entertainment rather than work but I still think it would nice to have.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Guess I should have put this under New Transit Services. I wasn't paying attention, sorry. | By Chris E

Idea Title: B.A.B.S. Security Application

Idea Detail: Another smartphone application we could use is for security. Occupy protesters have an application available that says, "I've been arrested", and sends a text to everyone on the call list. This could be modified for B.A.B.S. to say, 'I'm in danger", and send a message to B.A.B.S. Security and the Wichita Police Department. This application would help people feel more safe on the buses in combination with the other security features already in place.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Guess I should have put this under New Transit Services. I wasn't paying attention, sorry. | By Chris E

Idea Title: Offer transit maps electronically

Idea Detail: I was in Washington DC and found that they had a great interactive transit map that I could also download.

Idea Author: Nathan P

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: This would be great! What about a mobile app as well?!? | By Emily J

Idea Title: education of public AND ticket vendors

Idea Detail: Went to Dillons to purchase a bus pass. They don't seem informed at all (2 different stores) so pretty much had to know what I wanted instead of them telling me my

89 options. Was surprised they don't sell anything less than 20-ride passes (the the clerk and I could tell) but didn't know until I rode the bus this morning (with my 20-ride transfer pass) I could have done single rides with $2 cash which would include the transfer. Also saw the message on the transit site they've decided to continue to sell all unlimited-ride bus passes but can not see anywhere what they cost. I'm willing to give public transportation a try but feel like it's on MY shoulders to figure out a lot of details.

Idea Author: Karin K

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Sell day passes directly from the buses

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Big City Transit

Idea Detail: A couple of years ago I went to San Fransisco and rode on their bus system. I can't say that I was thrilled with my experiences. The buses were old, outdated in design, depressing, and were all around not comfortable to ride on. The drivers were rude and distant, passengers were like zombies, and the ride was so jerky that it felt like the driver was playing bumper cars with the bus. For our transit system I would definitely design a system that doesn't have people standing up clinging to a pole, has bus drivers that are friendly, buses that are modern and clean, and a system that offers a high level of rider comfort.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: In S.F., Caltrain, BART and the MUNI lines all are much nicer than the bus system. Same thing in Chicago, D.C. and just about everywhere else that has both rail and bus.

Also, the clientele on rail seemed more educated and wealthy than those on the bus. It would be interesting to know why this is. | By Alden W

Comment 2: Did I mention I hated San Fransisco's buses!! | By Chris E

Idea Title: try something different

Idea Detail: offer something different, put something into action and stop talking and studying, I have been in focus groups etc., for past 4 years, the only thing that has changed is the fare

Idea Author: jo B

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Topic Name: Transit Route Evaluation

Idea Title: Sunday service.

Idea Detail: I know that there are many older people who would like to be able to attend church services on Sunday, but who, for one reason or another, do not drive. Some kind of bare bones service on Sundays would be nice.

Idea Author: William R

Number of Seconds 13

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: What if there was a company out there providing Sunday and evening transportation? Would folks support it? What type of places and where do the people want to go? We can make this a reality. | By Mitchell W

Comment 2: Churches sometimes have their own rideshare programs or busses to transport members who don't drive. I'm not concerned about that too much...but the fact that people who don't drive cannot work on Sunday, can't shop, can't do ANYTHING really is a big problem. Until this town has REAL transit every single day and most of the hours of the day we will not be able to compete with big cities for residents and new business. | By Valorie M

Comment 3: Sunday transit service will enable employees to get to work and also give regular users a chance to 'day off' errands. | By Cindy W

Idea Title: Go to a grid system.

Idea Detail: Develop a broad grid system that can develop into a more dense system as ridership increases

Idea Author: David 1 B

Number of Seconds 10

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: somebody said that already | By malachi L

Idea Title: major employers

Idea Detail: I would like to see the bus provide service to major employers which are currently difficult to get to using public transit - such as Koch Industries and Cessna. I believe that, especially during the winter months, many employees of these companies would ride the bus, therefore cutting down on traffic and parking hassles.

Idea Author: kirsten A

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: i no students who would agree w this for night classes | By ron A

Comment 2: Maybe these large corporations would be willing to financially invest in extended routes and hours to match their shifts for the benefit of their employees. Maybe someone could approach these companies to send out an internal e-mail asking employees to comment here on this forum whether or not they would use the bus and for which shifts. | By Rebecca M

Idea Title: Advise riders of rerouting for construction or any reason

Idea Detail: throw a burlap bag over the bus stop sign or in some way please make it known that the bus will not be coming by that section of route.

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Kris, thank you for your comment. We do need to find a better way of notifying the public of detours. Right now you can call 265-7221 or go to www.wichitatransit.org to find out about detours. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Stick to major streets.

Idea Detail: Keeping to major streets will take most people to where they want to go most of thew time, although there are some exceptions (invision, for example).

Idea Author: William R

Number of Seconds 7

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: why was the west side connector a short bus at one time

Idea Detail: I never see more than 2 other people on this route, and the route itself is a long meandering zigzag of a behemoth. i appreciate that it exists and use it weekly but it could use some trimming or rerouting. possibly poll the drivers and get rid of areas that are not used by travellers- to keep the route on schedule it might be extended out further (east north south

93 west i dont know), instead of right right, left left etc

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 7

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Kris, the westside connector was once a short bus. That is something we may look into going back to. Because it covers such a large area it does zigzag around a lot but I do agree we need to look at simplifying that route and probably a few others. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Flexibility of travel

Idea Detail: I get the impression that all of the routes today lead to and from the center of town with no way to travel radially about the center of town. I would think that some circular routes would make the system more useful. This would be a spider web of routes; some radiating from the central point and others traveling on somewhat circular paths about the city.

Idea Author: walter H

Number of Seconds 6

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: When the Wichita Transit had a public meeting recently they made sure everybody was taken home, irrespective of time. The buses did not keep to any particular route but had the flexibility of travel. We should therefore expect the same service to be provided at other large events. Sports,concerts etc. There are so many opportunities that are missed by Wichita Transit | By Steve S

Comment 2: Steve, thank you for your comment. We did make sure everyone had a ride home that night due to the timing of our public hearing. We did try to make drop offs along our routes as much as possible. A barrior to that type of flexible service is cost. Flibility at certain hours or maybe a guarenteed ride home program could accomplish some flexibility. Those are just some ideas. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Even Superman would be stumped....

Idea Detail: Posing the question of best/worst transit routes in Wichita is a logical conversation

94 starter. The question, however, becomes less compelling as the site user discovers no venue to ascertain where the current transit routes are located. Does the City of Wichita presuppose its’ citizens to have preserved each route to memory in excess of our time not spent trying to figure out how to survive our current state of economy? Perhaps the City believes its’ bus- riding citizens to be so enthralled with Wichita Transit that we have heretofore traversed every Wichita route available in preparation to enter into this very discourse! I propose that the City of Wichita consider adding the aforementioned routes to this site, thereby enabling its’ citizens to begin a constructive discussion concerning this admittedly important question.

Idea Author: christy A

Number of Seconds 5

Number of Comments 6

Comment 1: Even with the maps it is somewhat difficult to remember how good/bad the roads are without traveling them regularly so I do kinda see your point. | By Chris E

Comment 2: The routes are on the website for the city just fyi. | By Chris E

Comment 3: i appreciate you letting me know that, chris. | By christy A

Comment 4: i like that you can download a pdf of each route from their site, i keep them on my phone | By kris B

Comment 5: Wichita.gov has all the routes and current info. Go down the list of options on the city's home page, click on transit. | By Laura G

Comment 6: thanks for the info, laura! | By christy A

Idea Title: New Routes

Idea Detail: I think there should be more Loop Routes like the West Side Connector and the Rock Road Shuttle. They would offer service past the regular routes but can be accessed through an existing bus route. I would love to see service continue on 21st past Rock Road to Greenwich and connect with the Waterfront.

Idea Author: Vivian B

Number of Seconds 5

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: saving fuel

Idea Detail: you could save on fuel costs by cutting out the needless stopping at every block. I understand doing so for elderly customers, but I see 99% of younger and able bodied who are just plain lazy and refuse to walk two or three blocks that pull the stop request cord every block. this not only wastes fuel with more starting and stopping but increases travel time on the bus for others as well as causing delays in the schedueled route times.

Idea Author: James W

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: at douglas and oliver (westbound) there are two bus stop signs within 100 yards of each other? | By mildred P

Idea Title: Bus Shelters

Idea Detail: After riding the West Side Connector, I must say I enjoyed the ride and was plesantly surprised at it's stopping at the zoo. The only thing that would make it better would be the addition of a bus shelter at 21st and Ridge in front to the County Extension Center and the removal the the bus bench across the street where the bus no longer runs.

Idea Author: Vivian B

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Vivian, thank you for pointing out the bench that is no longer needed. We will address it's removal if it is a Wichita Transit bench. We currently do not have plans for shelter installments but do them fairly regularly - every 1 to 2 years. We will keep this location in mind. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Dont fix whats broken

Idea Detail: I feel that most of the tranist routes need a little TLC because some routes take longer then others to make it back to the tranist center!! For example west maple goes all the way to tyler rd and then meets the west side connector off in the neighbor by wilbur middle school. It would be easier to have west maple go up tyler to central back over to ridge, thats where west side connector should meet at it would save time and gas!!

Idea Author: Frank R

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Background info

Idea Detail: Provide information to people in the "mix" about the current transit routes; that is a Map of the routes.

Provide info to the "mix" of some examples of how you would use the system to go from point A to B. For example: How to go from A, Oliver and Douglas, to B, WSU. How to go from Town East to Tall Grass. How to go from Rock and 21st to Boeing.

Idea Author: walter H

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Ridge road

Idea Detail: the westside connector used to go down ridge road they stopped doing that and goes around 13th to 21st what about inbetween it may not sound far to walk but when it is bitterly cold or extremely hot out I cannot do it because of health please bring that bus back by

Idea Author: Roxanne B

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Two-way service

Idea Detail: This is a corollary to the suggestion to move to a grid system. A grid implies buses running back and forth on the same street, as opposed to running around in circles, squares, doughnuts or whatever. The West side connector is the worst offender in this regard, but even the q-line runs in a loop rather than point-to-point. Avoid those loops!

Idea Author: Alden W

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Route 33 along McAdams Park is a great route

Idea Detail: I take this route everyday to work. It's quick and convenient.

Idea Author: Emily J

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Replace/Enhance Current School Busing Services

Idea Detail: USD 259 pays millions of dollars to bus children to schools all over the city. Oftentimes, those buses only have a handful of students on them. Why not adjust the routes

98 to allow students to ride the city bus to school, and the the district pay for ride passes. This has to be less expensive than paying a bus company to transport 2 - 3 students all over town.

Idea Author: Maas T

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Topic Name: Extending Transit

Idea Title: Extend bus routes to surrounding cities

Idea Detail: Create a regional transit system that connects Wichita and surrounding cities like Derby, Goddard, Andover, Valley Center, etc. For this to happen, routes inside Wichita need improvement in order for riders (especially commuters) to give up the convenience of their cars. Other metropolitan regions use this type of model.

Idea Author: Brandon M

Number of Seconds 10

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Express Service To Downtown From AT LEAST Four Points

Idea Detail: If you had an express from New Market Square at 21st and Maize to downtown that ran 15 minutes or so, I'd ride it every weekday.

Idea Author: Dan R

Number of Seconds 9

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Extended service

Idea Detail: I'd like to see it extended to outside communitys AFTER they make it everywhere 24/7.

Idea Author: Amber P

Number of Seconds 9

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: I would not like to see wichitas buses outside of wichita

Idea Detail: ...at least not until we have covered our cities necessities. My apologies to residents of the surrounding towns but i believe we should spend money on perfecting our city system before we extend to the county. We lack in many areas and to build on the roof without good foundation is disastrous. Express routes to and from outlying towns should be (at least half) paid for by the county or that town- as our residents would certainly not be going to andover nearly as much as they will be coming to wichita.

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 8

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: transit to other cities

Idea Detail: I think this is a great idea,I lived in a city the size of Wichita in the 1980's and their buses went to towns equivalent to the distance of Clearwater, Belle Plaine and even Winfield, it was wonderful!!!!

Idea Author: Diane N

Number of Seconds 5

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Transit to Derby

Idea Detail: Transit to Derby, especially since there are WSU classes there now.

Idea Author: Valorie M

100

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Derby is perhaps the only place in the metro area where LRT might make sense, due to already existing tracks. OTOH, the line goes by the sewage treatment plant, so... probably not. | By Alden W

Idea Title: Transit to Andover

Idea Author: Valorie M

Number of Seconds 4

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: There are many people in Andover who like to shop and work in Wichita. The transit service would be an invaluable tool to increase trade. An express service would be ideal, however there would be no reason not to create an "Andover Connector" service from East Harry at Greenwich (Walmart/McDonald's/I-Hop)bus stop. | By Steve S

Comment 2: Agreed | By Rebecca M

Comment 3: Transit to the BCC El Dorado Campus. Most if not all the scholarship opportunities for the school apply only to things available on the El Dorado Campus like sports and journalism. | By Rebecca M

Idea Title: WHY SUPPORT BUSES GOING TO OTHER CITIES WHEN THEY CAN BARLEY RUN

Idea Detail: HOW CAN YOU WANT BUSES TO GO TO OTHER CITIES WHEN THEY CAN BARLEY MAKE A LINEUP WITH THE BUSES THAT BREAK DOWN A LOT!!

Idea Author: Frank R

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 2

101

Comment 1: You have to think about how you want the system to work in the future and not get wrapped up with how it is now. Clearly there are issues with Wichita Transit, and you just enlightened me on another one, but this whole forum is trying to take the public's temperature in regards to how they feel, what they want to change, so on, so you have to be willing to open your mind to some more idealistic ideas. Maybe connecting to other cities is a bad idea with the current system but once a improvement plan is developed, and the money starts rolling in, then things can really start to change for the better. So, upgrading/replacing buses is a good idea but so is extending to the outerlying cities. If people realize that with the new system they can travel from Derby to Goddard, Goddard to maize, Maize to El Dorado, El Dorado to anywhere in Wichita and back to Derby without a hitch then they would definitely put their faith back in transit and make public transit apart of their daily lives. | By Chris E

Comment 2: Wichita Transit has such a poor reputation that they need to really invest intelligently in abetter system before people will come around and start using it on a daily basis. It will take a minute for people to trust the system. For people like me never in my life has the transit system been viable so there are literally a couple generations of people in this city that need to be convinced this thing can work for them. The best way to do that is extend service 24/7/365, make it more comfortable and convenient, slap a couple coats of new paint here and there, then also extend service to outerlying cities. It will work. | By Chris E

Idea Title: outside of city

Idea Detail: place hubs there but let the individual towns pay for it

Idea Author: jo B

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Let's run an express shuttle from downtown Wichita to Valley Center

Idea Detail: There are lots and lots of commuters who drive in everyday. Sure would be great to have a transit option.

Idea Author: Nathan P

Number of Seconds 0

102

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Offer an express shuttle from downtown Haysville to downtown Wichita

Idea Detail: Lots of people drive this route everyday. Let's offer a transit option.

Idea Author: Emily J

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: mulvane?

Idea Detail: With the Kansas Star Casino opening soon in Mulvane, I think it would be a wonderful idea if the city transit would offer some type of ride to and from the casino. Maybe just once a day to and back.

Idea Author: charles P

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Also, have the turnpike commission charge a lot to use the Mulvane exit, thus making the bus look more economical by comparison. | By Alden W

Idea Title: outlying communities

Idea Detail: a relative of mine lived in a city the size of Wichita and their buses ran till 10:30 at night, and ran to cities the equal distance of Winfield, Derby, Haysville, Clearwater, etc, she was able to go from her residence to a smaller town and catch another bus to go to her job in a town that was the distance of Winfield from Wichita, the buses were always full with commuters going to and from work

Idea Author: michael N

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

103

Idea Title: Derby and Andover

Idea Detail: I would use the library and big Dillons in these areas

Idea Author: Chrystal Y

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Topic Name: Transit Locations

Idea Title: the Transit Center

Idea Detail: I think it is time for the city to do away with a centralized location for transfers. A lot of the major cities run their busses on the north,south,east, and west major streets, and you can get to about anywhere. You could transfer several times. Of course I dont know what they charge but it sure seems to work better than the hub system.

Idea Author: charles P

Number of Seconds 10

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: I thank all of you for your comements on this page. We do now have a transfer fee for single rides but we also offer day passes that allow you to ride the whole day. I also agree that we need to stay on the major streets and keep our routes more direct. | By Michelle S

Comment 2: They shouldn't nickel and dime people for transfers. In my opinion we should do what you are saying and have a daily fee that would allow you to ride as much as you want for one set price. | By Chris E

Comment 3: This idea has been submitted multiple times but i will second it in every form | By kris B

Idea Title: Everywhere

104

Idea Detail: I personally think you should be able to travel to any major area in Wichita on the transit system. Specifically though, every apartment complex and grocery store should be connected to the transit system so that poorer people have the ability to get rid of their cars.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 7

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: Even further than allowing people to get rid of their cars, remember that a lot of people don't have vehicles or licenses, so this would assist them in getting to all types of stores they need to get to. | By Ashley W

Comment 2: There should be a bus stop at every major shopping center as well. | By Chris E

Comment 3: Thanks Chris, we continue to look at locations for future bus shelters and benches. We have been installing benches and shelters pretty regularly over the last few years. Unfortunately we won't be able to in 2012 due to our budget. We hope to pick up with installations as soon as we can becasue passenger ameneties are extremely important to encourage riders. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Open Door Facilities

Idea Detail: We would like to see regular service to the Open Door facilities at 1611 N Mosley. We would also like to see it available on the first and third Saturday of the month. We host a Head to Toe Hygiene Pantry for those in need on the first and third Saturdays and many of our participants ride the bus. We have to call the bus service to have them come to the facility. We are only open from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Thank you.

Idea Author: Debbi G

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: Thansk for your comments Debbi. I'm sure you know that the E 17th bus goes by 13th and Mosley at approximately 25 after the hour outbound and on the hour inbound (and we

105 deviate to Open Door when called). If we are able to make chagnes to our system, I encourage you to join in the conversation and voice your concerns. It's always great to hear these things to know what our riders go through. | By Michelle S

Idea Title: Andover (Butler CC)

Idea Detail: Transit routes to Andover road and Butler Community College.

Idea Author: Rebecca M

Number of Seconds 2

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Add a 2nd Transit location

Idea Detail: A 2nd transit location would allow buses to run to our city limits, it would decongest the the downtown site, and allow buses to serve more communities for longer time frames.

Idea Author: Kbrini M

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: West Maple

Idea Detail: It would be nice to have transit service a little further west to 135th and Maple.

Idea Author: Sheri P

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Transit route to Cargill

Idea Detail: Sure would be great if more commuters could bus in!

Idea Author: Emily J

106

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: down Maize rd north by new market square and up by Target

Idea Detail: they should send a bus up further North on Maize rd as a matter of fact into Maize but at least by new Market square and the Target and those newer places

Idea Author: Roxanne B

Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: NE TARGET and Regency Lakes Shopping Center

Idea Detail: Webb and Greenwich have almost zero bus coverage

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 1

Comment 1: This is an example of how we shoot ourselves in the foot with freeways. That shopping center wouldn't even exist if not for K-96. Meanwhile we have empty buildings all over town. | By Alden W

Idea Title: Expanding service

Idea Detail: I would travel to the Derby library if the transit went that direction. I would go often if I could get there.

Idea Author: Chrystal Y

Number of Seconds 0

Number of Comments 0

Topic Name: Transit Street Evaluation

Idea Title: West Maple is a very bouncy ride

Idea Detail: no idea for a fix

Idea Author: kris B

Number of Seconds 5

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: I agree that Maple is bad. From Tyler to West Street is is in need of repair for sure. | By Chris E

Comment 2: hovercraft haha jk how bout a rail line | By ron A

Idea Title: Southbound Rock Road 37th St to 21st St

Idea Detail: Having the Rock Road bus travel south from 37th St to 21st St.

Idea Author: Cindy W

Number of Seconds 3

Number of Comments 2

Comment 1: One barrier to 2-way service on North Rock is the transfer point with the 17th- street route at 21st and Woodlawn. If the transfer point could be moved to 37th and Woodlawn, this would eliminate that barrier. 34th and Woodlawn might be even better, as there is a lot of vacant land in there. | By Alden W

Comment 2: It might be posible to do this by having the 17th-street/Rock Road Shuttle transfer point moved from 21st & Woodlawn to 37th & Woodlawn. | By Alden W

Idea Title: Northbound Oliver, 21st to 37th

Idea Detail: With several businesses (Goodwill, ResCare, Rainbows, manufacturing and

hotels) in the area, the closest transportation is at 21st and Oliver (with shelter), 25th and Oliver (no shelter) or Goodwill's XO at 715a and 315p only. We need access to these areas 6a-6p at leastIdea Author: L S Number of Seconds 2 Number of Comments 0

Idea Title: Bumpy Roads

Idea Detail: Maple between West Street and Maize needs to be redone. Tyler Road between Maple and 13th needs work. Maize Road between Maple and 21st needs to be redone. Rock Road south of Kellogg needs some attention also. Thanks.

Idea Author: Chris E

Number of Seconds 1

Number of Comments 3

Comment 1: I agree with Chris, but just about every major street in Wichita needs repairs, and as Michele says its not the transit departments job. Just a funny thought, a friend of mine from out of state once asked me why we have 4 wheel drive vehicles in Kansas, it being so flat. Then he rode with me on our roads after last winter, now he understands the need for 4 wheel drive. | By charles P

Comment 2: Chris, I thank you for your comments but the Transit Department does not handle road construction. The Public Works Department handles street maintenance and construction. | By Michelle S

Comment 3: Oh I know but the topic stated it wanted to know which streets people think are good/bad for transit right now so that's why I was talking about the roads. | By Chris E

Idea Title: This road is terrible because of the vast number of potholes

Idea Detail: The street department should fill these potholes.

Idea Author: Nathan P

Number of Secon

Appendix II – Data