patrick a. gough, aicp aecom transportationsurveying transit riders | patrick a. gough, aicp | aecom...

Techniques for Surveying Transit Riders Patrick A. Gough, AICP AECOM Transportation

[email protected]

Session Function Code: S586

1 American Planning Association National Conference | Seattle | April 2015


Surveying Transit Riders | Patrick A. Gough, AICP | AECOM Transportation

Patrick A. Gough, AICP M.A. Urban & Environmental Planning University of Virginia Senior Transit Planner + Project Manager AECOM Transportation, 11 years Arlington, VA / Oakland, CA / Toronto, Canada Areas of Expertise: Transit Planning – corridor studies, data analysis, route/line restructuring Public Involvement – outreach strategies, communications, agency coordination Primary Clients: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) Metrolinx (Province of Ontario)



What I’ll be discussing in this presentation: 1.  Why survey transit riders?



What I’ll be discussing in this presentation: 1.  Why survey transit riders? 2.  How a rider survey can fit into your public involvement process



What I’ll be discussing in this presentation: 1.  Why survey transit riders? 2.  How a rider survey can fit into your public involvement process 3.  Developing questions: what do you hope to learn?



What I’ll be discussing in this presentation: 1.  Why survey transit riders? 2.  How a rider survey can fit into your public involvement process 3.  Developing questions: what do you hope to learn? 4.  Methods for conducting surveys: paper, on-line, in person



What I’ll be discussing in this presentation: 1.  Why survey transit riders? 2.  How a rider survey can fit into your public involvement process 3.  Developing questions: what do you hope to learn? 4.  Methods for conducting surveys: paper, on-line, in person 5.  Tools for collecting and tabulating survey responses



What I’ll be discussing in this presentation: 1.  Why survey transit riders? 2.  How a rider survey can fit into your public involvement process 3.  Developing questions: what do you hope to learn? 4.  Methods for conducting surveys: paper, on-line, in person 5.  Tools for collecting and tabulating survey responses 6.  Tools for analyzing and presenting survey data



1.  Why survey transit riders? 2.  How a rider survey can fit into your public involvement process 3.  Developing questions: what do you hope to learn? 4.  Methods for conducting surveys: paper, on-line, in person 5.  Tools for collecting and tabulating survey responses 6.  Tools for analyzing and presenting survey data 7.  What to expect and not expect 7.  What to expect and not expect



1.  Why survey transit riders? 2.  How a rider survey can fit into your public involvement process 3.  Developing questions: what do you hope to learn? 4.  Methods for conducting surveys: paper, on-line, in person 5.  Tools for collecting and tabulating survey responses 6.  Tools for analyzing and presenting survey data 7.  What to expect and not expect 8.  Tips for avoiding pitfalls along the way 7.  What to expect and not expect 8.  Tips for avoiding pitfalls along the way



1. Why survey transit riders? •  Obtain input from customers who frequently use a service



•  Obtain input from customers who frequently use a service •  Corroborate what you already know about that service •  Obtain input from customers who frequently use a service •  Corroborate what you already know about that service



•  Obtain input from customers who frequently use a service •  Corroborate what you already know about that service •  Help guide the public involvement process •  Help guide the public involvement process



•  Provide greater visibility to agency’s planning efforts



•  Provide greater visibility to agency’s planning efforts •  Promote inclusiveness, diversity of opinion •  Promote inclusiveness, diversity of opinion



•  Corroborate what you already know about that service •  Help guide the public involvement process •  Provide greater visibility to agency’s planning efforts •  Promote inclusiveness, diversity of opinion •  Because you have to (Title VI, agency regulation, etc.) •  Because you have to (Title VI, agency regulation, etc.)



2. How surveys can fit into your public involvement process:

Public Involvement Plan

Outreach Strategy Stakeholder Identification Agency Coordination




Rider Survey

Develop/Approve Questions

Determine Survey Method(s)

Print/Distribute/ Upload Surveys

Collect/Tabulate/ Analyze Responses






Public Meetings

First Set: Gather Input from Public and Transit Riders

Second Set (Post-Data Analysis): Present Preliminary Recommendations

Rider Survey










Final Recommendations: Input received via public participation helps inform implementation of project

Public Meetings

First Set: Gather Input from Public and Transit Riders

Second Set (Post-Data Analysis): Present Preliminary Recommendations

Rider Survey









3. Developing questions: What do you hope to learn? •  What is the purpose of the survey?

- Preferences for operational improvements, alignments? - New types of vehicles and services? - Origin/destination, transfer locations? - Gauging potential reaction to service reductions? - Combination of these?





•  Figure out the primary reason for the survey and stick to it.





•  Figure out the primary reason for the survey and stick to it. •  Do you want a snapshot of service on that day, or riders’ overall

impression of service in general?





•  Figure out the primary reason for the survey and stick to it. •  Do you want a snapshot of service on that day, or riders’ overall

impression of service in general? •  Do you want feedback on a specific route, a line with multiple

routes, or the transit network as a whole?



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?)



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays).



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays). •  Limit the number of answer choices to four or five.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays). •  Limit the number of answer choices to four or five. •  Use scales (1-5) to determine the extent of problems.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays). •  Limit the number of answer choices to four or five. •  Use scales (1-5) to determine the extent of problems. •  Don’t ask questions that won’t affect decisions about the service.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays). •  Limit the number of answer choices to four or five. •  Use scales (1-5) to determine the extent of problems. •  Don’t ask questions that won’t affect decisions about the service. •  Unless you’re required to, don’t ask demographic questions.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays). •  Limit the number of answer choices to four or five. •  Use scales (1-5) to determine the extent of problems. •  Don’t ask questions that won’t affect decisions about the service. •  Unless you’re required to, don’t ask demographic questions. •  Don’t let anyone hijack your survey for their own purposes!



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays). •  Limit the number of answer choices to four or five. •  Use scales (1-5) to determine the extent of problems. •  Don’t ask questions that won’t affect decisions about the service. •  Unless you’re required to, don’t ask demographic questions. •  Don’t let anyone hijack your survey for their own purposes! •  Stay ethical: don’t lead anyone a certain way with your questions.



Important Tips for Devising Questions: •  Keep the survey short! Limit the number of questions. •  Keep the questions themselves short. •  Avoid jargon and planner-speak. •  Have a non-planner edit for clarity. •  Make questions concrete; avoid abstract/theoretical questions. •  Avoid obvious questions (e.g., Would you like more frequency?) •  Use multiple-choice and yes/no questions when possible (no essays). •  Limit the number of answer choices to four or five. •  Use scales (1-5) to determine the extent of problems. •  Don’t ask questions that won’t affect decisions about the service. •  Unless you’re required to, don’t ask demographic questions. •  Don’t let anyone hijack your survey for their own purposes! •  Stay ethical: don’t lead anyone a certain way with your questions. •  Always ask for e-mail address, so you can contact respondents about

public meetings later.



4. Methods for conducting surveys: A.  Paper B.  On-line C.  In-person



Pro Con

Paper •  Good visibility •  Good inclusivity •  Multilingual

On-Line

In Person

Pros & Cons:



Pro Con


•  Expensive: printing, die cutting, postage, BRM account

•  Tabulating is time/labor-intensive •  Paper can get messy

•  Requires most coordination

On-Line

In Person

Pros & Cons:



Pro Con





On-Line

•  Least expensive •  Easiest to tabulate

•  Easiest to create graphics •  Most customizable •  Multilingual

In Person

Pros & Cons:



Pro Con





On-Line



•  Less inclusive

In Person

Pros & Cons:



Pro Con





On-Line




In Person •  Good visibility •  Good inclusivity

•  Can drill down into issues

Pros & Cons:



Pro Con





On-Line




In Person •  Good visibility •  Good inclusivity

•  Can drill down into issues

•  Most time/labor-intensive •  Worst response rate •  Need an interpreter

•  Riders change the subject! •  Safety/security issues

•  Weather

Pros & Cons:



4A. Methods for conducting surveys: paper •  At stops

- “Take One” display - Hand out to waiting riders - Look at data for highest boarding locations





•  On buses - “Take One” display - Hung from overhead rails (requires die cutting)






•  Use heavy cardstock paper






•  Use heavy cardstock paper •  Collection pouches at buses and stops






•  Use heavy cardstock paper •  Collection pouches at buses and stops •  Business Reply Mail / Post Office Box

- Permit, annual fee, postage fees







- Permit, annual fee, postage fees •  Can include link to website and QR code for on-line survey







- Permit, annual fee, postage fees •  Can include link to website and QR code for on-line survey •  Requires significant coordination with bus garages, supervisors,

and operators



4A. Methods for conducting surveys: paper •  Tip: Tabulate your paper surveys using the same program you’ll

use for the on-line survey! - Set program to allow more than one response from your computer - Enter data into same “collector” - More user-friendly than Excel - Easier to create graphics later



4A. Methods for conducting surveys: paper

•  Name of survey •  Route or Line being studied

•  Familiar agency logo •  “Rider Survey”

•  QR code

•  Link to project website

•  “Project Hotline”




•  Brief introduction •  Purpose of survey •  Deadline for return •  Postage paid

•  Essay / short answer

•  “Optional Demographic Questions”

•  Get nomenclature correct

•  E-mail address

•  Name / snail mail address?




•  Multiple choice questions

•  Very short answer questions

•  ZIP Code (for GIS)

•  Design tip: alternate between gray and white

•  Rate service issues

•  Focus group?



4A. Methods for conducting surveys: paper Flip side of survey

•  Spanish version of survey •  Ensure all questions ask for

the same info as English •  Same sequence of questions •  Get translation done well

ahead of time •  Establish deadline for edits to

questions

•  Business Reply Mail panel

•  DESIGN TIP: Use In Design or similar graphics program!




•  USPS provides bar code and PDF of form for your use

•  Do NOT alter or change the size of the PDF!

•  Permit fee, annual fee, and postage deposit

•  Where do you want your responses to go?

•  Decide on the size & format of your mailpiece before you go to the USPS!



4B. Methods for conducting surveys: on-line •  Choose a vendor, get everyone’s approval, open a paid account



4B. Methods for conducting surveys: on-line •  Choose a vendor, get everyone’s approval, open a paid account •  Make sure that the questions you ask in the on-line survey are the

same questions, in the same sequence, as the paper survey




same questions, in the same sequence, as the paper survey •  Have parallel versions of survey in multiple languages if needed

-Tip: Set on-line program to send all responses to one “collector”




same questions, in the same sequence, as the paper survey •  Have parallel versions of survey in multiple languages if needed

-Tip: Set on-line program to send all responses to one “collector”

•  Distribution: - Link to project website - Link to agency or government web page - Share link with stakeholders



4B. Methods for conducting surveys: on-line

•  Distribution: place posters in shelters at high-ridership locations - Set program to allow only one response per IP address - Coordinate with/get permission from owner of shelters

Use tinyurl.com to create a free URL specific to each survey

Agency logo

Unique QR code for each survey

11” x 17”



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods •  Bring a tablet with an on-line version of the survey



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods •  Bring a tablet with an on-line version of the survey •  Set program to allow more than one response from that device



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods •  Bring a tablet with an on-line version of the survey •  Set program to allow more than one response from that device •  Don’t let respondents get off the subject or hold you too long



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods •  Bring a tablet with an on-line version of the survey •  Set program to allow more than one response from that device •  Don’t let respondents get off the subject or hold you too long •  Go in pairs with another staff member



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods •  Bring a tablet with an on-line version of the survey •  Set program to allow more than one response from that device •  Don’t let respondents get off the subject or hold you too long •  Go in pairs with another staff member •  Talk with stop/station supervisor in advance, show credentials



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods •  Bring a tablet with an on-line version of the survey •  Set program to allow more than one response from that device •  Don’t let respondents get off the subject or hold you too long •  Go in pairs with another staff member •  Talk with stop/station supervisor in advance, show credentials •  Let transit police know your activities, if possible



4C. Methods for conducting surveys: in-person •  Same questions, sequence, collector as paper & on-line versions •  Go to high-ridership stops during peak periods •  Bring a tablet with an on-line version of the survey •  Set program to allow more than one response from that device •  Don’t let respondents get off the subject or hold you too long •  Go in pairs with another staff member •  Talk with stop/station supervisor in advance, show credentials •  Let transit police know your activities, if possible •  Go on the buses or trains themselves to conduct in-person surveys




- Advantage: You have a captive audience




- Advantage: You have a captive audience - Disadvantage: You can become the captive audience



5. Collecting and tabulating survey responses:



5. Collecting and tabulating survey responses:

On-line survey!



6. Analyzing and presenting survey data: •  Bar charts •  Stacked bar charts

•  Technical Memorandum



Presenting Survey Data: Technical Memorandum



7. Managing your expectations

What to expect What not to expect

Response rate will largely depend on ridership, although time/effort yields more responses.

Don’t expect more than 10% of riders on a route or line to respond to your survey.







Most of your responses will come from daily commuters to work, i.e. “choice” riders.

Don’t expect low-income riders to respond at the same rate as those in more affluent communities.









Many riders will complain about things over which the transit agency has little or no control (traffic, poorly lit stops, crime, garbage, rude teenagers).

Don’t expect all riders to have enough information about the service to give meaningful feedback.











Most riders will appreciate the driver’s hard work, professionalism, and commitment to safety.

Don’t expect all riders to see the drivers that way. 1 in 10 will hate the driver no matter what.











Most riders will appreciate the driver’s hard work, professionalism, and commitment to safety.

Don’t expect all riders to see the drivers that way. 1 in 10 will hate the driver no matter what.

A wide-lens view of riders’ perceptions about transit service. Take with a grain of salt.

NOT a scientific study! Self-selecting and informal. Don’t let people confuse it with science.



Thanks!

Any questions?

Techniques for Surveying Transit Riders Patrick A. Gough, AICP AECOM Transportation

[email protected]

Session Function Code: S586


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