Review of Bus Service & Performance in Co-op City with Recommendations for Service Enhancements , January 2014 Metropolitan Transportation Authority , TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 REVERT TO PRE-2010 SERVICE (NYCT & MTA BUS) 5 BX38 EXTENSION TO SECTION 5 (NYCT) 6 BX38 EXTENSION TO LEHMAN COLLEGE (NYCT) 6 BX29 EXTENSION TO SECTIONS 1-4 (NYCT) 6 MODIFICATION OF BX23 SERVICE PATTERN (MTA BUS) 6 IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW BUS STOP ON Q50 LIMITED ROUTE (MTA BUS) 7 NEW LOCAL BUS STOP ON ASCH LOOP AT ADLER PLACE (NYCT & MTA BUS) 7 BX28 REROUTE INTO ASCH LOOP (NYCT) 7 INTRODUCTION 9 METHODOLOGY 9 CHARACTERISTICS OF CO-OP CITY 10 CURRENT BUS SERVICE & SCHEDULE 10 RECENT CHANGES TO CO-OP CITY SERVICE 13 HEADWAY CHANGES 16 QUALITY OF SERVICE 17 WAIT ASSESSMENT (WA) 18 ENROUTE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE (OTP) 19 BUS RELIABILITY 19 PASSENGER ENVIRONMENT SURVEY (PES) 19 LOADING GUIDELINES 20 BUS STOP FURNITURE 20 CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION 22 SUMMARY OF QUALITY OF SERVICE IN CO-OP CITY 22 MARKET SURVEY 23 DESTINATIONS 23 LOCATION OF RESIDENCE 25 TRIP PURPOSE 26 AGE GROUP 28 REGULAR USAGE 29 USAGE PRIOR TO 2010 30 SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT SERVICE 31 1 Metropolitan Transportation Authority , EXPRESS BUS SURVEY 35 BUS FREQUENCY & RIDERSHIP 35 BUS BOARDING AND ALIGHTING ESTIMATION DEVELOPMENT 35 VALIDATION 36 ORIGINS AND DESTINATIONS OF CO-OP CITY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS 37 BOARDINGS AND ALIGHTINGS AT CO-OP CITY STOPS 40 ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS 41 REVERT TO PRE-2010 SERVICE (NYCT & MTA BUS) 41 BX38 EXTENSION TO SECTION 5 (NYCT) 43 BX38 EXTENSION TO LEHMAN COLLEGE (NYCT) 43 BX29 EXTENSION TO SECTIONS 1-4 (NYCT) 44 MODIFICATION OF BX23 SERVICE PATTERN (MTA BUS) 46 NEW STOP ON Q50 LIMITED ROUTE AT DREISER LOOP (MTA BUS) 47 NEW LOCAL BUS STOP ON ASCH LOOP AT ADLER PLACE (NYCT & MTA BUS) 48 BX28 REROUTE INTO ASCH LOOP (NYCT) 49 RECOMMENDED SERVICE MODIFICATIONS 50 INCREASE IN TRIPS 50 RUNNING TIME MODIFICATIONS 51 ROUTE MODIFICATIONS 52 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED SERVICE CHANGES 53 NEXT STEPS 54 APPENDICES I APPENDIX A – MARKET SURVEY I APPENDIX B – RIDERSHIP ANALYSIS MAPS II APPENDIX C – CO-OP CITY SITE PLAN III 2 Metropolitan Transportation Authority , LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 - BUS SERVICE FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS (SINCE 2010) 16 TABLE 2 - CHANGE IN WEEKDAY BUS HEADWAY IN MINUTES (2010 TO 2013) 17 TABLE 3 – WEEKDAY BUS PERFORMANCE AND PASSENGER ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY 18 TABLE 4 - BUS WAIT ASSESSMENT FOR CO-OP CITY ROUTES 18 TABLE 5 - BUS ON-TIME PERFORMANCE IN CO-OP CITY 19 TABLE 6 - PASSENGER ENVIRONMENT SURVEY 19 TABLE 7 - BUS STOP FURNITURE IN CO-OP CITY 21 TABLE 8 - RIDER SURVEY SUMMARY TABLE (WEEKDAYS) 32 TABLE 9 - RIDER SURVEY SUMMARY TABLE (SATURDAYS) 32 TABLE 10 - CO-OP CITY WEEKDAY BUS TRIP DISPERSION FROM AFC DATA 38 TABLE 11 - RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL TRIPS 51 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 - CURRENT (2013) CO-OP CITY BUS SERVICE 11 FIGURE 2 - BX23 SERVICE PATTERN 11 FIGURE 3 - NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT CO-OP CITY ROUTE CHANGES IMPLEMENTED IN 2010 13 FIGURE 4 - QBX1 ROUTE MAP (2010) 14 FIGURE 5 - BX23 ROUTE MAP (2013) 14 FIGURE 6 - Q50 ROUTE MAP (2013) 14 FIGURE 7 - CO-OP CITY BUS ROUTES (2010) 15 FIGURE 8 - CO-OP CITY BUS ROUTES (2013) 15 FIGURE 9 - RIDER SURVEY: DESTINATION (WEEKDAY RIDERS) 24 FIGURE 10 - RIDER SURVEY: DESTINATION (SATURDAY RIDERS) 24 FIGURE 11 - RIDER SURVEY: CO-OP CITY RESIDENCY STATUS (WEEKDAY RIDERS) 25 FIGURE 12 - RIDER SURVEY: CO-OP CITY RESIDENCY STATUS (SATURDAY RIDERS) 25 FIGURE 13 - RIDER SURVEY: HOME ZIP CODE (NON-CO-OP CITY) 26 FIGURE 14 - RIDER SURVEY: TRIP PURPOSE (WEEKDAY RIDERS) 27 FIGURE 15 - RIDER SURVEY: TRIP PURPOSE (SATURDAY RIDERS) 27 FIGURE 16 - RIDER SURVEY: AGE GROUP (WEEKDAY RIDERS) 28 FIGURE 17 - RIDER SURVEY: AGE GROUP (SATURDAY RIDERS) 28 FIGURE 18 - RIDER SURVEY: BUS USAGE DURING PAST WEEK (WEEKDAY RIDERS) 29 FIGURE 19 - RIDER SURVEY: BUS USAGE DURING PAST WEEK (SATURDAY RIDERS) 29 FIGURE 20 - RIDER SURVEY: DID YOU MAKE THIS TRIP PRIOR TO 2010 (WEEKDAY RIDERS) 30 FIGURE 21 - RIDER SURVEY: DID YOU MAKE THIS TRIP PRIOR TO 2010 (SATURDAY RIDERS) 30 FIGURE 22 - RIDER SURVEY: SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT SERVICE (WEEKDAY RIDERS) 31 FIGURE 23 - RIDER SURVEY: SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT SERVICE (SATURDAY RIDERS) 31 FIGURE 24 - RIDER SURVEY: SATISFACTION BY AGE GROUP 33 FIGURE 25 - RIDER SURVEY: SATISFACTION BY AREA 34 FIGURE 26 - RIDER SURVEY: SATISFACTION BY DESTINATION 34 FIGURE 27 - RIDER SURVEY: SATISFACTION BY TRIP PURPOSE 35 FIGURE 28 - SHORT BUS ROUTE VALIDATION (BX23) 37 FIGURE 29 - LONG BUS ROUTE VALIDATION (Q50) 37 FIGURE 30 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: REVERT TO 2010 (BX25/26) 42 FIGURE 31 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: REVERT TO 2010 (BX28) 42 FIGURE 32 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: BX38 EXTENSION TO SECTION 5 43 FIGURE 33 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: BX38 EXTENSION TO LEHMAN COLLEGE 44 FIGURE 34 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: BX29 EXTENSION TO SECTIONS 1-4 45 FIGURE 36 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: BX23 ALL-DAY CIRCULATOR 47 FIGURE 37 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: Q50 STOP AT DREISER LOOP 48 FIGURE 35 - ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS: BX28 REROUTE INTO ASCH LOOP 50 3 Metropolitan Transportation Authority , Executive Summary In June and September 2010, several service changes were made affecting the routing and frequency of NYC Transit and MTA Bus Company bus service in Co-op City, Bronx. In response to community requests, this study was undertaken in the fall of 2013 to assess current service and propose any revisions or service changes. This study utilized a large amount of archived MTA Bus Time data, integrated with Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) data from Metrocards. The data were captured and analyzed to evaluate bus service, performance, and ridership. This methodology provided service planners with a comprehensive dataset based on 100% of actual data over a full month. A bus passenger interview survey was also conducted at various stops throughout Co-op City that asked service-related questions to determine ridership trends and satisfaction levels. The Co-op City Review of Bus Service and Performance study is the first large- scale use of these data for planning purposes. Key Findings: The following findings resulted from this research: Bus service in Co-op City is generally at or better than the MTA Board approved guideline levels of service and generally exceeds the performance of buses throughout the Bronx; however, some areas were identified for potential improvements and are included in the study recommendations. Although many customers have adjusted to the bus route changes, some customer confusion remains regarding the bus route patterns, which creates perceived long wait times and difficulties in traveling between the northern and southern sections of Co-op City. Many of the community requests that led to this study indicated that riders want a single bus route that would connect all sections of Co-op City in the same way throughout the day. The survey and ridership analyses show that the majority of bus riders are Co-op City residents traveling to points outside of Co-op City for work and, secondarily, for shopping. These riders are best served by bus routes that travel quickly out of Co-op City, without making circuitous trips around all sections. Service options were considered to address the needs of intra-Co-op City users without placing an undue burden on other riders. A significant majority of survey respondents during all time periods reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with current service. Although some people have stated that the 2010 service changes created two-fare zones and/or additional transfers within Co-op City, there are actually no trips within Co-op City that cannot be completed on a single bus, throughout the day, without transferring, except some trips to/from Bay Plaza Mall, which also required a transfer prior to 2010. The only two-fare trips that were created by the 2010 service changes are between northern Co- op City and the 4 train (also accessible with a single fare via the 2 or 5 train), the Bx1/2, Bx22 and Bx32. Approximately 20 people make this trip to the 4 train on an average weekday, half of whom walk five blocks from the Bx38 to avoid the extra fare. Approximately 45 people make the trip to one of the above bus routes on an average weekday. 4 Metropolitan Transportation Authority , Changes Since 2010: The following changes have been made to bus service in Co-op City since 2010 to improve service in the area: Bus Time implementation in late 2012, allowing customers to get information about how far the next bus is from their stop; Bx30 rerouted into Asch Loop in January 2012, reverting to its former routing to provide more of a Co-op City circulator service; Additional trips scheduled for several routes in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (Bx28/38, Bx30, Q50, Bx12 SBS) to accommodate increased ridership; Hours of service extended on Bx23 (Winter and Summer 2011) and Q50 (Winter 2011 and Fall 2012) to accommodate additional ridership; Guide-a-Ride canisters with maps and schedules were installed for the first time at Bx23 and Q50 stops in 2012, similar to those that were already present on the other Co-op City bus routes; Bx23 Section 5 weekday PM peak period service reversed in Winter 2011 from clockwise to counterclockwise in response to community requests; and Distributed customer information brochure in 2012 providing detailed travel information for Co- op City bus riders. Routing Options: This study considered several options for route changes based on rider impact, service coverage and cost: Revert to Pre-2010 Service (NYCT & MTA Bus) This option would include the following changes: