2013 SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN Santa Cruz METRO SANTA CRUZ METRO SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN May 2014 2013 SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN Santa Cruz METRO This page intentionally left blank. (Acknowledgements forthcoming from SCMTD staff) Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. 2013 SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN Santa Cruz METRO Table of Contents Page Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... i 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Relationship to the Regional Transportation Plan ............................................................................... 2 2 System Overview ............................................................................................................... 3 Weekday Service and Performance ..................................................................................................... 4 Weekend Service and Performance ..................................................................................................... 9 Historical Trends ....................................................................................................................................... 11 ParaCruz Performance ........................................................................................................................... 13 3 Route Summaries .............................................................................................................. 17 4 On-Time Performance ....................................................................................................... 48 5 Demographic Analysis ..................................................................................................... 59 6 Passenger Survey ............................................................................................................. 69 Survey Findings ........................................................................................................................................ 70 Respondent Demographics..................................................................................................................... 80 7 Stakeholder and Public Input ............................................................................................ 83 Major Transportation Challenges Facing Santa Cruz County......................................................... 83 General Transit Challenges Identified by Various Stakeholder Groups ..................................... 84 Building Support for Transit ................................................................................................................... 88 Observations by METRO Staff ............................................................................................................. 90 METRO Facilities ....................................................................................................................................... 92 Dot Exercise at Public Meetings ............................................................................................................ 93 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 93 8 Document Review ............................................................................................................. 95 9 Policy and Practice Recommendations ............................................................................. 99 Revised Policies ........................................................................................................................................ 99 New Policies ........................................................................................................................................... 101 Practices .................................................................................................................................................. 107 10 Service Plan .................................................................................................................... 111 Fixed-Route Service Recommendations ............................................................................................ 111 Expanded Service Recommendations ............................................................................................... 131 Paratransit Service Alternatives ........................................................................................................ 136 11 Capital and Financial Plan .............................................................................................. 143 Funding Sources ..................................................................................................................................... 143 Plan Assumptions ................................................................................................................................... 144 Service Changes.................................................................................................................................... 145 Sustained Funding Scenario ................................................................................................................ 146 Expanded Funding Scenario ............................................................................................................... 151 Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 155 12 Marketing Plan ............................................................................................................... 157 Markets ................................................................................................................................................... 157 Marketing Strategies for METRO ...................................................................................................... 158 Next Steps: Evaluation of Marketing Impacts ................................................................................. 179 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 180 13 Implementation Plan ....................................................................................................... 183 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. 2013 SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN Santa Cruz METRO Table of Figures Page Figure 1 Description and Service Region of METRO Transit Routes ............................................... 3 Figure 2 Annual Ridership by Route ...................................................................................................... 4 Figure 3 METRO Weekday Service Span and Frequency ............................................................... 5 Figure 4 Weekday Operating Statistics by Route............................................................................. 6 Figure 5 Weekday Boardings per Revenue Hour by Route ............................................................ 7 Figure 6 Weekday Boardings per Trip ................................................................................................ 7 Figure 7 Weekday Boardings per Mile ............................................................................................... 8 Figure 8 Weekday On-Time Performance by Route ......................................................................... 8 Figure 9 Weekend Span and Frequency ............................................................................................. 9 Figure 10 Weekend Operating Statistics by Route ........................................................................... 10 Figure 11 Weekend Boardings per Revenue Hour by Route ........................................................... 11 Figure 12 Fixed Route Operating Trends............................................................................................. 12 Figure 13 Annual Ridership: 2010 - 2013 ........................................................................................... 13 Figure 14 Passengers per Revenue Hour Systemwide: 2010-2013 ............................................... 13 Figure 15 ParaCruz Operating Trends ................................................................................................. 14 Figure 16 ParaCruz Origin and Destination Table ............................................................................ 15 Figure 17 ParaCruz Origin and Destination Locations ...................................................................... 16 Figure 18 Route 66 On Time Performance Summary ........................................................................ 50 Figure 19 Route 68 On-Time Performance Summary ........................................................................ 52 Figure 20 Route 69 On-Time Performance Summary ........................................................................ 54 Figure 21 Route 71 On-Time Performance Summary ........................................................................ 56 Figure 22 Route 91X On-Time Performance Summary...................................................................... 58 Figure 23 Santa Cruz Population Density, 2010 ................................................................................ 61 Figure 24 Youth Density, 2010 ..............................................................................................................