Kansas Statewide INTERCITY BUS STUDY December 2012 Kansas Statewide Intercity Bus Study December 2012 Prepared for: The Kansas Department of Transportation by: HDR Engineering, Inc. 4435 Main Street, Suite 1000 Kansas City, MO 64111 with: Heartland Market Research, LLC T.J. Brown & Associates Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Existing System ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Ridership Markets and Stakeholders ........................................................................................................ 1 Demand Analysis and Needs .................................................................................................................... 2 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Introduction to Intercity Bus ..................................................................................................................... 5 General Characteristics ............................................................................................................................. 5 Operational Characteristics ....................................................................................................................... 6 Transportation Interfaces .......................................................................................................................... 6 Funding and General Business Model ...................................................................................................... 7 2. Existing Intercity Bus System in Kansas .................................................................................................. 9 Routes and Stops ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Station/Stop Characteristics .................................................................................................................... 10 Modal Connections ................................................................................................................................. 11 Fares ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 Schedules ................................................................................................................................................ 14 Providers ................................................................................................................................................. 17 Operational Data ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Public Funding ........................................................................................................................................ 20 3. Statewide Transportation Context ........................................................................................................... 21 General Kansas Demographics ............................................................................................................... 21 Public Roads ........................................................................................................................................... 21 Aviation .................................................................................................................................................. 22 Passenger Rail ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Local Fixed-Route Transit Systems........................................................................................................ 23 Rural/Regional Transit ........................................................................................................................... 24 4. Economic Impacts of Intercity Bus in Kansas ........................................................................................ 27 National Statistics ................................................................................................................................... 27 Costs and Funding .................................................................................................................................. 27 Benefits ................................................................................................................................................... 30 Economic Contribution of Intercity Bus to Kansas ................................................................................ 34 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................ 35 5. Ridership Markets & Stakeholders ......................................................................................................... 37 Current Users .......................................................................................................................................... 37 Transit Riders ..................................................................................................................................... 40 Institutions .............................................................................................................................................. 42 Universities (Students) ....................................................................................................................... 42 Justice System .................................................................................................................................... 43 Military ............................................................................................................................................... 46 Population Groups .................................................................................................................................. 47 General Population/Low Income ....................................................................................................... 47 Persons with Disabilities .................................................................................................................... 48 Senior Citizens ................................................................................................................................... 49 Native American Population .............................................................................................................. 51 Hispanic Population ........................................................................................................................... 53 General Themes ...................................................................................................................................... 55 6. Intercity Bus Demand Analysis .............................................................................................................. 64 ICB Rider Feedback ............................................................................................................................... 64 Transit Provider/Stakeholder Organization Feedback ............................................................................ 66 Survey Feedback ..................................................................................................................................... 68 Demographic Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 70 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................ 74 7. Summary of ICB Needs in Kansas ......................................................................................................... 78 In-State Service Expansion ..................................................................................................................... 78 Awareness ............................................................................................................................................... 79 Connectivity ........................................................................................................................................... 80 Service Enhancement ............................................................................................................................. 80 8. Recommendations ................................................................................................................................... 82 Goals ....................................................................................................................................................... 82 Potential Solutions .................................................................................................................................. 82 Prioritized Strategies/Solutions .............................................................................................................. 84 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................