West Michigan

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West Michigan Transit Linkages Study Wednesday,
June 4th, 2008 1000 a.m. Grand Valley State
University Kirkhof Center Conference Room 2266
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Study Parameters Funding Available
110,000 Tentative Start Date ASAP End Date
September 31, 2009
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• Problem Statement
• There are several transit providers in West
  Michigan that provide limited services in
  different regions
• Holland MAX/Disability Network recently completed
  a transit needs study which determined that
  transportation-to-work as the number one unmet
  transportation need
• Rising fuel prices

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• Purpose Page 1
• Conduct a needs assessment and feasibility study
  of commuter transit services in West Michigan
• Why commuter transit services?
• - Need to meet FTAs definition of Commuter
  Bus
• Service
• 1. Predominantly in one direction during peak
  periods
• 2. Having limited stops
• 3. Using multi-ride tickets
• 4. Routes of extended length
• 5. Coordinated relationship to another mode
  of transportation
• - Complementary Para-Transit Services
• 1. Must be origin-to-destination service
  (door to door)
• 2. On-call bus service or para-transit feeder
  service to an
• accessible
  fixed route
• 3. Shall provide complementary para-transit
  service to origins
• and
  destinations within a width of ¾ miles of the
  fixed route

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• Purpose Page 1
• Three commuter transit needs
• 1. Traveling between existing public transit
  service areas
• - Harbor Transit
• - Macatawa Area Express (MAX)
• - Muskegon Area Transit System (MATS)
• - The Rapid
• 2. Traveling from communities without existing
  transit systems
• - Allendale Township (except GVSU campus)
• - City of Coopersville
• - Georgetown Township
• - City of Hudsonville
• 3. Traveling to major employers
• - Focusing on employers with 500 employees
  (standard)
• - Employers must be located outside of
  existing public transit service areas
• - Employer coordinated pick-up/drop-off
  service at transfer

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• Needs Assessment Page 3 4
• Service Provider Identification
• - Public and private transit providers
• - Non-profit agencies
• Service Provider Assessment
• - Type of services provided
• - Service area
• - Hours of operation
• - Fare structures
• - Capabilities (types of riders that can be
  accommodated)
• - Population served/demographics
• - Total number of riders provided (current and
  historical)
• Locations of major trip originations and
  destinations
• Survey major employers to analyze specific
  transportation needs

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• Commuter Transit Service Options - Pg. 4 5
• Commuter Bus Routes
• Must meet FTAs definition of commuter bus
  service
• Provide direct links between existing public
  transit service areas and communities without
  existing transit systems
• Minimize travel time (to the greatest extent
  possible)
• Commuter Bus Stops
• Must meet FTAs definition of commuter bus
  service
• Accommodate areas where the greatest need for
  commuter transit service is present
• Provide service to communities without existing
  transit systems
• Locate stops at or near existing facilities such
  as park and ride lots
• Frequency of Service (arrival/departure times)
• - Accommodate the needs for commuter transit
  services
• - Accommodate schedules of major employers

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• Commuter Transit Service Options - Pg. 5 6
• Transfer Station(s)
• Must meet FTAs definition of commuter bus
  service
• Utilize existing transfer stations
• 1) Harbor Transit Transfer Station (previous
  Greyhound area)
• 2) MAX Padnos Transportation Center (Amtrak,
  Indian Trails)
• 3) MATS Herman Ivory Transfer Terminal
  (Indian Trails)
• 4) Rapid Central Station (Indian Trails,
  Amtrak potentially)
• Provide options for new buildings/facilities if
  necessary
• 1) Locate to as to accommodate areas of
  greatest need
• 2) Must be designed so as to accommodate
  current and estimated
• ridership over the next 20 years
• 3) Provide options for the infrastructure
  needs
• 4) Meet accessibility requirements of the ADA
• Hours of operation and staffing needs
• 1) Accommodate the proposed bus route schedule
• 2) Accommodate other modes of transportation

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• Commuter Transit Service Options - Pg. 6 7
• Vehicle Fleets
• - Meet accessibility requirements of the ADA
• - Most efficient (fuel and cost) for the
  estimated ridership
• - Ability to accept multi-ride tickets
• Multi-Ride Tickets
• - Requirement of commuter bus service
• - Promotes commuter use as opposed to
  infrequent usage of the system
• Service Provider(s)
• - Utilize existing public or private
  transit providers
• - Create partnerships among major
  employers
• - Creation of a new system
• - Combination of methods, or others
  proposed by Consultant

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• Commuter Transit Service Feasibility - Pg. 7
• Overall Cost
• - Capital, administrative, and operational
  costs necessary to implement
• and sustain commuter transit services
• 1) Annual Basis
• 2) Ten-year period, include maintenance/service
  costs
• Itemized Cost
• - Provide cost to implement and sustain
  commuter transit services for
• each of the proposed bus route
  options
• - Determine the cost per ride for each
  bus route option
• Funding
• - Identify all funding sources and
  itemize by their intended purpose
• - Determine amount of gap funding that
  will be necessary to implement
• and sustain commuter transit
  services
• - Identify revenue sources that could
  be utilized to eliminate funding
• shortfalls

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• Commuter Transit Service Feasibility - Pg. 7 8
• Transfer Station(s)
• - Willingness/ability of transit agencies to
  allow the use of
• existing transfer stations
• Major Employers
• - Willingness/ability to adjust hours of
  operation and/or shifts in order
• to accommodate commuter transit
  services
• - Willingness/ability to provide
  pick-up/drop-off service for their
• employees at the transfer station
• - Willingness/ability to initiate commuter
  incentive programs and/or
• other incentive programs (transit
  vouchers, flexible hours)
• Service Providers
• - Willingness/ability of each of the
  transit service provider options to
• provide commuter transit
  services
• - Willingness/ability of demand-response
  transit service providers to
• provide coordinated service at
  each of the transfer station options

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• Recommendations - Pg. 8
• Commuter Bus Service
• - Final recommendation must meet the FTAs
  definition of commuter
• bus service
• Final Recommendations
• - Final recommendation must be based on the
  need, overall cost,
• funding availability, and
  willingness/ability of the service provider(s)
• to provide commuter transit services.

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• Coordination - Pg. 8
• Harbor Transit Study
• - Demand-response efficiency study
• - Explore option to expand service area
• - Feasibility of fixed-route services
• Grand Valley Metropolitan Council Study
• - Determine feasibility of expanding service
  area
• Disability Network Study
• - Focus area Hudsonville/Georgetown Township
• - Analyze the impact that lack of transit has
  on individuals in focus area

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Questions?