Comprehensive Regional Transit Plan Update Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Overview of GATRA Services ..................................................................................... 2 1.3 Planning Process ....................................................................................................... 2 1.3.1 Review of Transit Services and Market Conditions ......................................... 3 1.3.2 Scenario Planning ........................................................................................... 3 1.3.3 Public Outreach ............................................................................................... 3 1.4 Needs and Recommendations ................................................................................... 4 2. Background and 2020 Context ............................................................................................ 5 2.1 Background ................................................................................................................ 5 2.1.1 Governor’s Commission on the Future of Transportation ................................ 6 2.1.2 A Vision for the Future of Massachusetts’ Regional Transit Authorities ........... 7 2.1.3 Transportation & Climate Initiative ................................................................... 8 2.1.4 MBTA Fare Transformation .............................................................................. 9 2.2 2020 Context .............................................................................................................. 9 2.2.1 COVID-19 Pandemic ....................................................................................... 9 2.2.2 Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act ........ 10 2.3 Plan Considerations ................................................................................................. 10 2.3.1 Transit Demand and Economic Uncertainties ............................................... 11 3. Agency Overview ............................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Transit Agency Background ...................................................................................... 13 3.2 Mission Statement .................................................................................................... 16 3.3 Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................... 19 4. Transit Service Overview (FY 2015–FY 2019) .................................................................. 21 4.1 Description of Transit Services ................................................................................. 21 4.1.1 Service Hours ................................................................................................ 26 4.1.2 Service Frequency ......................................................................................... 26 4.1.3 Funding Sources ........................................................................................... 37 4.1.4 Service Changes ........................................................................................... 40 4.2 Ridership and Service Operations ............................................................................ 41 4.2.1 Bus Route Ridership ...................................................................................... 42 4.2.2 Demand Response Ridership ........................................................................ 42 4.2.3 Annual Operating Trends ............................................................................... 43 4.3 Safety and Security .................................................................................................. 53 4.4 Asset Management .................................................................................................. 55 4.4.1 Facilities ......................................................................................................... 56 4.4.2 Vehicles ......................................................................................................... 57 4.4.3 Technology .................................................................................................... 61 4.5 Policies and Procedures ........................................................................................... 62 4.6 Regional Connections and Other Transit Providers ................................................. 63 4.7 Sustainable Initiatives ............................................................................................... 67 4.8 Fare Rates and Structure ......................................................................................... 69 4.8.1 Collection Methods and Media ...................................................................... 69 4.8.2 Fare Structure ................................................................................................ 69 4.8.3 Fare Policy ..................................................................................................... 72 AECOM ii Comprehensive Regional Transit Plan Update Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority 5. Market Evaluation .............................................................................................................. 73 5.1 Service Area Overview ............................................................................................. 73 5.2 Demographics and Socioeconomics ........................................................................ 73 5.2.1 Population Density ......................................................................................... 73 5.2.2 Older Populations .......................................................................................... 75 5.2.3 Youth Populations .......................................................................................... 75 5.2.4 People with Disabilities .................................................................................. 78 5.2.5 Measures of Income ...................................................................................... 78 5.2.6 Zero-Vehicle Households .............................................................................. 82 5.2.7 Minority Populations ...................................................................................... 82 5.3 Employment ............................................................................................................. 85 5.4 Local and Regional Travel Patterns.......................................................................... 86 5.5 Land Use and Growth .............................................................................................. 89 5.6 Transit Score ............................................................................................................ 90 6. Performance ...................................................................................................................... 93 6.1 Current Performance Measurement Practices ......................................................... 93 6.1.1 State and Federal Monitoring Requirements ................................................. 93 6.1.2 Performance Metrics and Targets from MassDOT Memorandum of Understanding ............................................................................................... 95 6.1.3 How GATRA’s Market Has Been Affected by COVID-19 ............................. 100 6.2 Considerations for the Next 5 Years: Moving to a Data-Driven Performance- Focused Decision-making Framework ................................................................... 103 6.2.1 Data ............................................................................................................. 103 6.2.2 Performance Metrics ................................................................................... 104 6.2.3 Service Guidelines ....................................................................................... 104 6.2.4 Public Transparency .................................................................................... 109 7. Transportation Service Needs ..........................................................................................111 7.1 Needs Identification Process ...................................................................................111 7.1.1 Review of Previous Studies ..........................................................................111 7.1.2 Outreach Effort ............................................................................................ 112 7.2 List of Identified Needs ........................................................................................... 115 7.2.1 General Bus Service Needs ........................................................................ 115 7.2.2 Demand Response Needs .......................................................................... 117 7.2.3 New Service Needs ..................................................................................... 118 7.2.4 Capital Needs .............................................................................................. 120 7.2.5 Technology Needs ......................................................................................