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Phase I Final Report and Recommended Plan 19 April 2012 Phase I Final Report and Recommended Plan 19 April 2012 BPT Contract #4400006253 – MMOE2 Work Order #52 – Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority Deliverable #7 – Recommended Plan and Phase I Final Report Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (Page Intentionally Left Blank) ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page i Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page Introduction 1 Service Area Profile 3 Population Trends 5 Population Density 11 Transportation-Disadvantaged Population Groups 14 Employment and Commuting 28 Major Travel Generators 34 Mobility Needs Assessment 40 Future Land Use 42 Existing Conditions 45 Service Description 45 Fare Structure 53 Demand Responsive Services 55 Physical Plant and Assets 55 Organization 57 Trends 59 Summary 64 Peer and Trend Analysis 65 Peer Selection 65 Overview of Analysis Techniques 67 Peer Group Analysis 70 Trend Analysis 80 Combination Analysis 88 Rider Survey 94 Survey Methodology 94 Survey Results 99 Resident Survey 113 Survey Methodology 113 Survey Results 114 ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page ii Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page Community Leader Interviews 129 Community Leaders 129 Findings and Results 129 Staff Input 140 Process 140 Findings and Results 140 Route Diagnostics Analysis 143 Analysis Overview 143 Data Assembly 143 Diagnostic Techniques 144 Cost Centers 146 Contribution Analysis 151 Strategic Planning 154 Ordinal Ranking 158 Supply and Demand Review 161 Service Guidelines and Adequacy 165 Service Availability 166 Service Design 176 Service Quality 181 Fiscal Condition 188 Fare Structure Review 193 Existing Fare Structure 193 Fare History 197 Fare Structure Evaluation 199 Fare Proposals 201 Marketing Plan 204 System Identity 204 Passenger Information and Marketing Materials 205 Customer Experience 212 Advertising 213 Public Relations/Outreach 214 Program Definition 214 ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page iii Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page Recommended Plan 216 Planning Inputs 216 Overall Planning Goals 219 Recommendations – Current Routes 220 Recommendations – New Services 263 Recommendations - Other 269 Implementation Schedule 272 Capital Program 273 Operating Forecasts 280 Monitoring Program 284 Summary 288 Appendix A A1 Appendix B B1 ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page iv Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (Page Intentionally Left Blank) ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page v Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1 – Berks County Population Changes 6 Table 2 – Disabled Population 28 Table 3 – Major Travel Generators 36 Table 4 – Route Description 46 Table 5 – Frequency of Service 49 Table 6 – Span of Service 52 Table 7 – Fare Structure 54 Table 8 – Fixed Route Vehicle Fleet 57 Table 9 – Staffing 58 Table 10 – Operating Statistics 60 Table 11 – Ridership and Productivity 60 Table 12 – Operating Financial Results 60 Table 13 – Financial Measures 61 Table 14 – Financial Results by Mode 62 Table 15 – Operating Funding by Source 63 Table 16 – Capital Expenditures by Category 63 Table 17 – Capital Funding by Source 64 Table 18 – Comparison of Peer Group with BARTA 72 Table 19 – Peer Analysis – Social Effectiveness Measures 73 Table 20 – Peer Analysis – Revenue Generation Measures 74 Table 21– Peer Analysis – Cost Efficiency and Effectiveness Measures 75 Table 22 – Peer Analysis – Transportation Efficiency and Effectiveness Measures 77 Table 23 – Peer Analysis – Maintenance and General and Administration Performance 79 Table 24 – Trend Analysis – Comparison of Peer Group with BARTA 81 Table 25 – Trend Analysis – Social Effectiveness Measures 82 Table 26 – Trend Analysis – Revenue Generation Measures 83 Table 27 – Trend Analysis – Cost Efficiency and Effectiveness Measures 84 Table 28 – Trend Analysis – Transportation Efficiency and Effectiveness Measures 85 Table 29 – Trend Analysis – Maintenance and General and Administration Measures 87 Table 30 – Combination Analysis – Social Effectiveness Measures 89 Table 31 – Combination Analysis – Revenue Generation Measures 90 Table 32 – Combination Analysis – Cost Efficiency and Effectiveness Measures 90 Table 33 – Combination Analysis – Transportation Efficiency and Effectiveness Measures 91 Table 34 – Combination Analysis – Maintenance and General and Administration Measures 92 Table 35 – Summary Performance Rating 92 Table 36 – Community Leader Interview Participants 130 ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page vi Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority LIST OF TABLES (CONTINUED) Page Table 37 – Fully Allocated Cost Model 148 Table 38 – Financial Results By Route 150 Table 39 – Farebox Recovery and Contribution to Deficit 153 Table 40 – Deficit Per Passenger and Market Share 157 Table 41 – Passenger Productivity Score and Rank 160 Table 42 – Deficit Score and Rank 161 Table 43 – Service Supply Characteristics 162 Table 44 – Route Spacing Guide 167 Table 45 – Bus Stop Spacing Guide 172 Table 46 – Bus Route Classification Guide 173 Table 47 – BARTA Route Classifications 174 Table 48 – Span Guide 174 Table 49 – Frequency Guide 175 Table 50 – Directness Guide 177 Table 51 – Speed Guide 177 Table 52 – Route Directness 179 Table 53 – Route Speed 180 Table 54 – On-Time Performance Guide 182 Table 55 – Bus Shelter Priority Guide 186 Table 56 – Bench Priority Guide 186 Table 57 – Farebox Recovery Guide 190 Table 58 – Route Farebox Recovery 191 Table 59 – Productivity Guide 191 Table 60 – Route Productivity 192 Table 61 – Existing Fare Structure 194 Table 62 – Ridership and Revenue Composition (FY 2010-2011) 196 Table 63 – Fare History 198 Table 64 – Percent Changes in Fares (FY 2002-2003 to FY 2010-2011) 199 Table 65 – Weekday Ridership Versus Saturday Ridership 270 Table 66 – Farebox Recovery Rate and Passenger per Hour Rankings 271 Table 67 – Sunday Transit Worthiness Score 272 Table 68 – Implementation Schedule 273 Table 69 – Fleet Requirement 274 Table 70 – Bus Purchase Program 275 ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page vii Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority LIST OF TABLES (CONTINUED) Page Table 71 – Recommended Bus Stop Signs by Route 276 Table 72 – Recommended Shelters and Benches by Route 277 Table 73 – Information Kiosk Locations 278 Table 74 – Capital Improvement Program (Current Year Dollars) 279 Table 75 – Capital Funding Forecasts 280 Table 76 – Operating Forecasts 280 Table 77 – Ridership Forecasts 281 Table 78 – Three-Variable Cost Model (Fiscal Year 2011-12) 282 Table 79 – Financial Forecasts 282 Table 80 – Operating Assistance (Current Year Dollars) 283 Table 81 – Operating Assistance (Percent) 284 Table 82 – Service Standards 285 ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page viii Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (Page Intentionally Left Blank) ______________________________________________________________________________ Final Report Page ix Transit Development Plan for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 – Berks County (Study Area) 4 Figure 2 – Municipal Population 7 Figure 3 – Municipalities Exceeding Berks County’s Population Growth Rate 8 Figure 4 – Municipal Population Change (Percent) 9 Figure 5 – Municipalities Accounting for 90% of Berks County Population Growth from 2000 to 2010 10 Figure 6 – Municipal Population Change (Numeric) 11 Figure 7 – Population Density 12 Figure 8 – Municipalities with Population Densities Exceeding 1,500 Persons/Sq. Mile 13 Figure 9 – Senior Citizen Population by Municipality 16 Figure 10 – Density of Senior Citizens by Municipality 17 Figure 11 – Percentage of Senior Citizens by Municipality 18 Figure 12 – Youth Population by Municipality 19 Figure 13 – Density of Youth Population by Municipality 20 Figure 14 – Percentage of Youth Population by Municipality 21 Figure 15 – Low Income Population by Municipality 22 Figure 16 – Density of Low Income Population by Municipality 23 Figure 17 – Percentage of Low Income Population by Municipality 24 Figure 18 – Zero Car Housing Units by Municipality 25 Figure 19 – Density of Zero Car Housing Units by Municipality 26 Figure 20 – Percentage of Zero Car Housing Units by Municipality 27 Figure 21 – 2002 to 2009 Employment Change by Municipality 29 Figure 22 – Job Distribution and Density 30 Figure 23 – 2002 to 2009 Employment Change by Job Sector 31 Figure 24 – Distribution of Resident Workers by Place of Work 32 Figure 25 – Distribution of Employed Workers by Place of Residence 33 Figure 26 – 2000 & 2009 Work Mode Split 34 Figure 27 – Major Travel Generators 35 Figure 28 – Mobility Needs Score 42 Figure 29 – Future Land Use Plan 44 Figure 30 – BARTA System Map 47 Figure 31 – Administrative Organization 59 Figure 32 – Performance Indicators
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