Background Analysis DRAFT – Revision 1 An analysis of existing conditions and background information of the PACTS/GPCOG region and transit operators Prepared for: Greater Portland Council of Governments Prepared by: Stantec Consulting Services Inc. December 7, 2017 Revised 12-7-17 BACKGROUND ANALYSIS DRAFT – REVISION 1 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 5 2.0 STUDY AREA PROFILE ...................................................................................................... 6 2.1 POPULATION DENSITY ........................................................................................................ 8 2.2 EMPLOYMENT DENSITY ..................................................................................................... 12 2.3 DEMOGRAPHICS AND SOCIOECONOMICS .................................................................. 16 2.3.1 Minority residents ........................................................................................... 16 2.3.2 Low-income populations .............................................................................. 18 2.3.3 Vehicle ownership ......................................................................................... 20 2.4 TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL PATTERNS ..................................................................... 22 2.5 REGIONAL TRANSIT PROVIDERS....................................................................................... 39 2.5.1 METRO (aka Greater Portland Transit District, Greater Portland METRO) ........................................................................................................... 41 2.5.2 South Portland Bus Service (SPBS, or South Portland Bus) ........................... 41 2.5.3 ShuttleBus-Zoom (aka Sh-Zoom, Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Transit Committee, BSOOB) .............................................................. 42 2.5.4 Casco Bay Island Transit District (aka Casco Bay Lines, CBITD, or CBL) ................................................................................................................. 42 2.5.5 Amtrak Downeaster (aka Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, NNEPRA) ........................................................................................ 43 2.5.6 Regional Transportation Program (RTP) ....................................................... 44 2.5.7 York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC) ............................ 44 2.5.8 Other public transit providers in Southern Maine ........................................ 45 2.6 TRANSIT SERVICE HOURS AND COVERAGE .................................................................... 47 2.7 OPERATING BUDGETS AND FUNDING SOURCES ............................................................ 52 2.8 RIDERSHIP AND PRODUCTIVITY ........................................................................................ 53 2.8.1 Ridership and service supplied ..................................................................... 53 2.8.2 Service efficiency .......................................................................................... 56 2.8.3 Service effectiveness ..................................................................................... 58 2.8.4 Financial performance ................................................................................. 59 2.8.5 Conclusions on operating landscape ......................................................... 61 3.0 PLANNING INFORMATION ........................................................................................... 63 3.1 DESTINATION 2040 (2016) ................................................................................................ 63 3.2 MAINE STRATEGIC TRANSIT PLAN 2025 (2015) ................................................................ 64 3.3 SMART INITIATIVE (2013-2015) .......................................................................................... 64 3.4 SUSTAIN SOUTHERN MAINE – TRANSIT REPORT (2013) .................................................... 65 3.5 SUSTAIN SOUTHERN MAINE – MULTIMODAL TRANSIT PLAN (2013) ................................ 65 3.6 2013 BRANDING AND MARKETING ................................................................................. 66 3.7 2011 SOUTHERN MAINE TRANSIT COORDINATION STUDY ............................................. 66 3.8 2011 REGIONAL ROUTE STUDY ........................................................................................ 66 3.9 GENERAL FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS ...................................................................... 67 i BACKGROUND ANALYSIS DRAFT – REVISION 1 4.0 FARE STRUCTURE, TRANSFERS AND CONNECTIVITY ...................................................... 68 4.1 FARES STRUCTURES ........................................................................................................... 68 4.1.1 METRO Fare structure .................................................................................... 68 4.1.2 South Portland Bus Service Fare structure .................................................... 69 4.1.3 Sh-Zoom Fare structure .................................................................................. 70 4.1.4 Casco Bay Lines Ferry Fare structure ............................................................ 71 4.1.5 NNEPRA Fare structure .................................................................................. 72 4.1.6 RTP Fare structure ........................................................................................... 73 4.1.7 YCCAC Fare structure ................................................................................... 73 4.1.8 Overall view of fare policies and structures................................................. 73 4.2 TRANSFER POLICY ............................................................................................................ 74 4.3 OPERATOR CONNECTIVITY .............................................................................................. 76 4.3.1 Downtown Transit Hub .................................................................................. 78 4.3.2 Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal ..................................................................... 78 4.3.3 Portland Transportation Center .................................................................... 79 4.3.4 Maine Mall (at JCPenney) ............................................................................ 80 5.0 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT RESULTS ......................................................................... 83 5.1 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE ....................................................................................... 83 5.2 METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................. 83 5.2.1 Regional Employer Interviews ....................................................................... 83 5.2.2 Round Table Discussions ................................................................................ 84 5.2.3 General Public Survey ................................................................................... 85 5.2.4 Frontline Employee Workshop ...................................................................... 86 5.2.5 Limitations ....................................................................................................... 86 5.3 FINDINGS .......................................................................................................................... 87 5.3.1 Regional Employer Interviews ....................................................................... 87 5.3.2 Round Table Discussions ................................................................................ 89 5.3.3 General Public Survey ................................................................................... 90 5.3.4 Frontline Employee Workshop ...................................................................... 98 6.0 TRANSIT ASSETS ............................................................................................................ 99 7.0 SYSTEMS REVIEW .........................................................................................................101 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Study area town populations, 2014. ............................................................................... 6 Table 2 ODD zone names and geography. .............................................................................. 26 Table 3 Matrix of trip totals. ......................................................................................................... 30 Table 4 Matrix of trips as percentages of total regional trips. .................................................. 31 Table 5 Old Orchard Beach/Saco/Biddeford travel patterns. ................................................ 34 Table 6 Cumberland/Falmouth/Freeport/No. Yarmouth/Yarmouth travel patterns. ............ 35 Table 7 Raymond/Windham travel patterns. ............................................................................ 35 Table 8 Arundel travel patterns. ................................................................................................. 36 Table 9 Standish travel patterns. ................................................................................................. 36 ii BACKGROUND ANALYSIS DRAFT – REVISION 1 Table 10 Portland travel patterns. .............................................................................................