UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Sustainability Program Student Research Report Mobility Patterns, Ex
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Sustainability Program Student Research Report Mobility Patterns, Experiences, and Preferences of University Students: Evaluating University of British Columbia Students’ Use of Single Occupancy Vehicle and Major Public Transit Routes Kendall Andison, Sean Bailey, Craig Busch, Matthew (Matt) Callow, Michelle Cuomo, Nidah (Nida) Dara, Desiree Givens, Laura Hillis, Emily Huang, Jacqueline Hunter, Emily Johnson, Cody Kenny, Robbie Knott, Jordan Konyk, Sarah Labahn, Wendee Lang, Mengying Li, Simon Liem, Geneva Lloyd, Sarah Lone, Katrina May-Yanitski, Tadayori Nakao, Tanja (Tanya) Oswald, Halina Rachelson, Lily Raphael, Naomi Reichstein, Maureen Solumndson, Jessica Todd, Anelise van der Veen, Pascal Volker, Jose Wong Cok, Rachel Wuttunee, Kelsey Yamaski, Zakaria Zenasni, Stella Zhou University of British Columbia PLAN 522 Themes: Transportation, Community March 2018 Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS Sustainability Program provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student research project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore, readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Sustainability Program representative about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report”. Mobility Patterns, Experiences, and Preferences of University Students: Evaluating University of British Columbia Students’ Use of Single Occupancy Vehicle and Major Public Transit Routes Report to the UBC Alma Mater Society by PLAN 522 Students School of Community and Regional Planning Under the Supervision of Dr Leonora Angeles & Dr Penny Gurstein March 2018 i ii Table of Contents Executive Summary I. Introduction II. Understanding Travel Patterns and Behaviour: A Review of Related Literature A. Public Transit User Experience: Satisfaction Criteria and Rider Perceptions B. Multi-Modal Traveler Satisfaction B.1. Multi-trip service satisfaction: attitudes and perceptions B.2. Travel information and transit-route decision-making C. Why People Change Their Driving Habits: Linking Public Transit Users’ Satisfaction, Intention and Behavioural Change D. Conclusions: Addressing Service-Amenities Gaps, Needs, and Desires III. Route # 25 IV. Route # 33 V. Route # 41 VI. Route # 44 VII. Route # 49 VIII. Route #99 B-Line IX. Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) Bibliography Appendices iii List of Figures: Figure 1.A: Public Transit Going to UBC Figure 1.B: UBC Transit Exchange Map Figure 2. The 25 Bus Route from UBC to Brentwood Station Figure 3. Participant Observation Protocol Figure 4. Route Switching and Delays Figure 5. Boarding Time and Volume Figure 6. Photovoice Observation #1 Figure 7. Photovoice Observation #2 Figure 8. Photovoice Observation #3 Figure 9. Photovoice Observation #4 Figure 10. Photovoice Observation #5 Figure 11. Spatialized Postal Code Data, Transfer Routes and Alternative Routes Figure 12. Route of Bus # 33 Figure 13. Methodology Used in Study of 33 Bus Route Figure 14 - UBC Bus Loop Bay 9 for 33 Bus Route Figure 15. Boarding Locations of Surveyed Students Figure 16: Bus Route 41 Joyce Station/Crown/UBC Figure 17: Observation and Survey Location Figure 18: Map of Route 044 Figure 19: Departures Per Hour Figure 20: Student Respondents by Postal Code (first 3 digits) Figure 21. Long Line-Up for Bus 044 Figure 22. Map Route of Bus #49 Figure 23. Iterative Research Process Figure 24. Afternoon bus departures from UBC Figure 25: Morning Bus Arrivals to UBC Figure 26: Percentage of Respondents Taking Bus 49 by Time of Day Figure 27: Heat Map of Number of 49 Bus Users’ Zip Codes & Transfer Location Figure 28: Quotes from Select Interviewees Figure 29. Interconnected Themes Relating to Student Transit Experience. Figure 30. 99 B-Line Route Map Figure 31: Large overhead structure running horizontal to 99Bline Bus Figure 32: Shelter for People Boarding 99BLine Figure 33: UBC 99 B-Line Bus Station Horizontal Overhead Covering and Well Lighted Physical Environment during Night Time Figure 34. Thematic web Figure 35: Number of SOV Commuters from each Metro Vancouver Municipality Figure 36: Driving Origins of Commuters Identifying “Time” as Primary Reason iv List of Tables: Table 1. Sub-routes of the #25 Bus Route Table 2. Participant Demographics Table 3. Participant Observation Periods Table 4. Intercept Survey Results Related to Themes Table 5: Field Sheet of Observation Recording Table 6: Themes and Codes Used to Analyze Interview and Survey Data Table 7: Results of Observations Table 8: Scheduled Time vs. Actual Time of 49 at 49th and Main St. Table 9: Coding themes and subthemes - SOV Table 10: Primary Reasons for using SOV to Commute to UBC List of Charts: Chart 1. Home Postal Codes of Survey Respondents Chart 2. Number of Weekly Commutes on Route #25 Chart 3. Time of Day and Travel on Route #25 Chart 4. Factors Experienced by Students Travelling via Route #25 Chart 5. Factors Influencing Use of Public Transit Chart 6. Reasons for Taking Public Transit to UBC Chart 7. Factors Affecting Transit Choices Chart 8. Frustrations with Route # 33 Chart 9. Frequency of Campus Travel Chart 10. Frequency of Use of Bus Route 33 to Campus Chart 11. Initial Survey Responses Chart 12. Second Survey Responses Chart 13. Self-Identified Gender of Survey Participants Chart 14. Age of Survey Participants Chart 13. Survey Responses of Student Experiences on Bus Route 41 Chart 14. Factors that Influence Students Choice of Using Bus Route 41 Chart 15. Time of Day Students Take Bus Route 41 to and from Campus Chart 16. Reasons Students Take Public Transit Over Driving Charts 19 and 20: Demographic Profile of Respondents, Age and Gender Identity Chart 21. Transit Behaviour and Characteristics Described During Surveys Chart 22: Timeliness of UBC-Bound 49 bus, Morning Chart 23: Age of Survey Respondents (n=44, 100% response rate). Chart 24: Frequency of respondents’ travel to campus on 49 bus (n=44) Chart 25: Respondents Reporting on Experience Taking Bus 49 (n= 40 out of 44) Chart 26: Respondents per Factor Affecting Transit Choice (n=42 out of 44). Chart 27. Survey Respondents per Values Influencing Transit Choice (n= 42 out of 44) Chart 28. Factors Affecting Choice of Transit Chart 29. Factors Affecting Quality and Perception of Transit Experience: Chart 30. Main Reasons for SOV Use v List of Appendices: Appendix A. Participant Observation Tool – Route # 25 Appendix B. Survey Tool - Route # 25 Appendix C. Interview Questions, Coding Values and Transcript - - Route # 25 Appendix D. Participant Observation Collection Tool Appendix E. Survey Questions Route Appendix F. Sample Interview Questions Appendix G. Research Tools – Route #49 Appendix H. Survey Data Results - #99BLine Appendix I. Interview Transcripts- #99 BLine Appendix J. SOV Study Intercept and Interview Survey Questions Appendix K. SOV Study Compilation of Research Data vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Context and Goals: This study produced by PLAN 522 (Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis) students of 2017-2018 was supported by the University of British Columbia (UBC) Alma Mater Society (AMS) and the SEEDS Program. It evaluates UBC students’ travel patterns and experiences on six (6) major bus routes: 41 (Joyce), 25 (Brentwood), 44 (Downtown), 33 (29th Ave), 49 (Metrotown), and 99 B-line (Commercial-Broadway). Six teams of Masters in Community and Regional Planning (MCRP) students at UBC were assigned to these routes and a seventh group focused on SOV users. Research Questions: Two primary research questions and corresponding secondary or subquestions guided the data collection and analysis: 1. How can a mixed methods analysis of UBC students’ travel patterns and experience inform the AMS advocacy work to improve public transit service to the University? 2. How can Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) student-commuters to UBC be encouraged and incentivized to use transit, cycling or walking instead of driving? Methodology: To address these questions informed by existing literature on transport systems and travel behaviour, the seven research teams developed data collection instruments, and analysed qualitative and quantitative data on UBC commuters and their travel experience on these major capacity-constrained routes. Over the course of January and February 2018, data was collected through verbal-textual data collection methods (e.g. surveys, and in-depth interviews) and visual-spatial data collection methods (e.g. participant observation, Photovoice, mapping, etc.) Using mixed methods research, the study assessed information about the length of commute, transit choices, interface between major routes and other modes of transportation, how students choose routes, what characteristics they prefer about their chosen route, and how they choose their routes when multiple route options exist. Findings and Recommendations: Route # 25: This research centers on the student user perception and experience of the #25 bus route. The #25 bus route operates from Brentwood Station and the UBC bus stop, largely in an east-west direction. Findings were largely consistent across the three data sets from participant observation, surveys, and in-depth interviews, as well as with existing literature. They pointed to a widespread perception of crowding during peak hours, the need