HOV Attitudinal Research Among Hampton Roads Commuters Sponsored by

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HOV Attitudinal Research Among Hampton Roads
CommutersSponsored by
Conducted by THE MARKETING SOURCE, INC
August 2002
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The Hampton Roads HOV Lane System
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Peninsula HOV lanes
Southside HOV lanes
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Peninsula HOV Lanes (I-64) Southside HOV Lanes
(I-264)
Non-Barriered
Diamond Lane
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Southside HOV Lanes (I-64)
Reversible lanes, Barrier-separated
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HOV Attitudinal Research among Hampton Roads
Commuters
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Study Objectives

• Determine attitudes and perceptions of Hampton
  Roads residents regarding
• Ridesharing
• HOV lanes (in general)
• Identify how area residents feel about area HOV
  lanes.
• Awareness/usage
• Support
• Willingness to use

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Study Components
Southside
Peninsula
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Methodology Initial Studies
Peninsula Southside
Survey population (Corridor emphasis) Mostly Hampton and Newport News Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth
Data collection Phone Phone
Number of surveys 405 313 (I-64) 302 (I-264)
Data collected Nov. Dec. 2001 (Before HOV lane opening) March April 2002
Margin of Error /- 4.9 /- 4.0 area /- 5.7 corridor
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Criteria for participation

• Commuters who travel on an HOV corridor (I-64 or
  I-264)
• at least 3 times per week.
• for 2 or more exits.
• during restricted times (600 800 a.m. or 400
  600 p.m.)
• travel in the direction of the HOV lanes (for
  barrier separated lanes)

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Geographic Location
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Demographic Profile
Peninsula Southside
Gender 50 male 50 female 48 male 52 female
Average age 42 years 40 years
Avg. HH income 57,083 66,222
Employed full-time 75 84
Length of residency 20 years 18 years
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Results

• The Commute
• Attitudes Toward Ridesharing
• Attitudes Toward HOV Lanes
• Support
• Willingness To Use
• Peninsula Follow Up Study

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For most, the commute is work-related.
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Average Distance and Commute Times
Peninsula Southside
Distance traveled (1-way) 20 miles 20 miles
Distance traveled on HOV Corridor 16 miles 15 miles
Average morning commute time 26 minutes 29 minutes
Average evening commute time 28 minutes 31 minutes
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Common Origin/Destination Points
Peninsula

• Destination

Origin Hampton Newport News Elsewhere on Peninsula Southside
Hampton 36 34 10 20
Newport News 34 31 18 16
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On the Peninsula, eastbound and westbound travel
is nearly the same for morning and evening
commutes.
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Common Origin/Destination Points
Southside

• Destination

Origin Chesapeake Norfolk Virginia Beach Other Southside Peninsula
Chesapeake 24 39 19 13 5
Norfolk 11 39 24 10 15
Virginia Beach 12 44 29 7 8
12 travel to Naval Station Norfolk.
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The vast majority of Hampton Roads commuters
drive alone.
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How does this compare to other studies?
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Factors That Influence Mode Choice
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Travel time and costs continue to be the most
important factors in mode choice.
Only those employed responded.
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Many need their car for childcare needs or
errands.
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• Have shared a ride (anywhere) to use HOV lanes
  during restricted times.

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Compared to SOV drivers, alternate mode users
are more likely to

• be female (67).
• earn under 50,000 annually.
• not have vehicles (10).
• support HOV lanes.
• work in Norfolk (parking issues).
• feel comfortable knowing where to enter and exit
  the HOV lanes.
• not need a car during the day for personal
  errands or work related travel.

Caution, low sample
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Top reasons that alternate mode users choose to
rideshare.
Reason Peninsula (prior to HOV lane opening) Southside
Lower commute costs 82 73
Save time 32 62
Avoid traffic congestion 73 61
Less stressful 50 48
To have companionship 41 53
Decrease air pollution 41 42
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What would motivate SOV drivers to consider
ridesharing?
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Attitudes toward HOV Lanes
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Regional Benefits
I agree that

• Southside

• Peninsula
• Prior to HOV Lane Opening

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Regional Benefits
I agree that

• Southside

• Peninsula
• Prior to HOV Lane Opening

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Regional Benefits
I agree that

• Southside

• Peninsula
• Prior to HOV Lane Opening

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Individual Benefits
I agree that

• Southside

• Peninsula
• Prior to HOV Lane Opening

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However

• Over half (60 Peninsula 56 Southside)
  feel that HOV lanes do not save enough time to
  justify ridesharing.

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Usage of HOV Lanes (Southside)
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Frequency of using HOV lanes.

• 78 of those who use the lanes at least once a
  week are SOV drivers.

Southside Study
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• Among Southside I-64 commuters

Southside Study
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Half (51) of Southside alternate mode users rate
enforcement of HOV lanes favorably.
Southside Study
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Overall, commuters are in favor of local HOV
lanes.
Attitude toward HOV Lanes I-64 Peninsula I-64 Southside I-264
In favor 62 63 61
Neutral or Unsure 28 19 25
Not in favor 10 18 14
In 1991, 54 were in favor of local HOV lanes.
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Those in favor of HOV lanes are more likely to

• be more knowledgeable about HOV lanes and park
  and ride lot locations.
• have convenient access to HOV lanes
• believe that HOV lanes are beneficial.
• Lower costs, save time, and reduce traffic
  congestion
• be more price-sensitive (cost of commuting).
• have annual household incomes under 50,000.
• have past rideshare experience or are current
  alternate mode users.

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Those not in favor of HOV lanes are more likely
to

• be 45-65 years old.
• hold professional, managerial, or administrative
  positions.
• have no previous rideshare experience.
• lack information about
• park and ride lot locations.
• how to enter/exit HOV lanes.
• do not see HOV lanes as a long term solution to
  traffic congestion.
• are not likely to share a ride to work under any
  circumstance.

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Attitudes about HOV lanes.
HOV Lanes Favor HOV Neutral/ Undecided Not Favor HOV
Relieve traffic congestion 85 65 30
Lower costs 88 82 63
Move more people 84 69 44
Improve air quality 80 71 43
Are safer 56 46 35
Reduce travel time 76 65 48
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Most support HOV lanes on the main roads they
travel.
Peninsula (pre-opening)
Southside
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Likelihood that SOV commuters will rideshare to
use HOV lanes.
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Find someone to ride with 24
Gasoline prices become much more expensive 20
Traffic congestion becomes much worse 23
What would have to happen for you to share a
ride and use the HOV lanes?
Convenient Park Ride lots 17
Longer commute 19
More limited parking 16
Transit/vanpool subsidies 17
Express Bus service 16
Southside Study
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SOV drivers interested in ridesharing are likely
to

• be female.
• earn under 50,000 annually.
• have previous rideshare experience.
• be in favor of HOV lanes.
• be motivated to rideshare most by
• higher gasoline prices
• increased traffic congestion
• finding a companion

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Carpools have the most appeal among SOV
commuters who are interested in ridesharing.
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• Overall, about half of Peninsula (47) and
  Southside (58) commuters agree that there was
  not an adequate number of commuter park-n-ride
  lots in the area for car and vanpoolers to park.

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Over half of the commuters indicated that a Park
and Ride lot or commuter parking lot was not
convenient to them.
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Peninsula HOV Lanes Follow-Up Study
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Methodology
Initial Study Follow-Up Study
Survey population Commuters who travel I-64 on Peninsula Those who agreed to participate in future research
Data collection Phone Phone
Number of surveys 405 150
Data collected Nov. Dec. 2001 (Before HOV lane opening) May 2002
Margin of Error /- 4.9 /-6.2
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Awareness and familiarity of HOV Lanes.
Initial Study Follow-up Study
Aware of HOV Lanes 70 87
Aware of HOV Restrictions N/A 93
Aware that all vehicles could use lanes during non-restricted hours N/A 91
Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Since the lanes opened in mid-December

• 60 of those interviewed had traveled at least
  once on the HOV lanes during the restricted
  times.

75 had traveled on the lanes during
non-restricted times.
3 have switched from driving alone to carpools.
Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Reaction to the lanes has polarized.
Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Regional Benefits
I agree that

• Peninsula Follow-Up Study

• Peninsula Initial Study

Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Regional Benefits
I agree that

• Peninsula Follow-Up Study

Peninsula Initial Study
Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Regional Benefits
I agree that

• Peninsula Follow-Up Study

• Peninsula Initial Study

Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Individual Benefits
I agree that

• Peninsula Follow-Up Study

• Peninsula Initial Study

Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Likelihood that SOV commuters will rideshare to
use HOV lanes.
Likelihood Initial Study Follow-up Study Difference
Very likely 7 5 -2
Somewhat likely 15 9 -6
Not very likely 51 60 9
Not at all likely 27 26 -1
Peninsula Follow-Up Study
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Carpools rise in appeal as alternate mode.
Peninsula Follow-Up Study
Caution Low base
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Key Findings

• Commuting and Ridesharing
• Many need their vehicle for childcare needs or
  errands (particularly in Southside).
• Decreasing air pollution is a key motivator to
  rideshare.
• Over a third of commuters have shared a ride to
  use the HOV lanes (anywhere).
• SOV commuters appear to use the lanes during
  restricted hours along all HOV corridors.
• Over half thought that a Park and Ride lot was
  not convenient to them.

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Key Findings

• HOV Lanes
• Commuters are aware of the lanes and know how to
  use them.
• Most commuters are in favor of HOV lanes and
  support the lanes on the roads they travel.
• Most agree that HOV lanes
• Relieve congestion by reducing the number of
  vehicles on the road
• Reduce overall traffic congestion for everyone
• Move more people in fewer vehicles
• However, many think that the time savings are too
  insignificant to bother ridesharing.
• The barrier-separated I-64 HOV lanes are not
  accessible and convenient to more than half of
  the roads users.

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Key Findings

• Identifying the Target Audience
• Alternate mode users (both current and potential)
  tend to be women, earning under 50,000, who
  support the HOV lanes, and know how to use them.
• Among the target audience, carpooling is the
  preferred alternate mode.
• Market Differences
• Peninsula and Southside commuters share similar
  factors
• commute distance
• mode split
• attitudes about ridesharing
• opinion about HOV lanes
• Willingness to rideshare is similar.
• Peninsula Follow Up Study
• Support for the HOV lanes has held.

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Communicate the same message to the Peninsula and
Southside markets.
VDOT Hampton Roads
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Target women and commuters who have household
incomes under 50,000.
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Explore more Express Buses.
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Target downtown Norfolk commuters.
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Coordinate with regional rideshare and
environmental programs.
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Target those who have rideshare experience.
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Promote the environmental benefits of ridesharing.
Reduced air and water pollution
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Promote existing Park and Ride lots place
additional lots in convenient locations.
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Other suggestions

• If possible, promote safety on the less crowded
  HOV lanes.
• Communicate the benefits of the 65 mph speed
  limit on Southside HOV lanes.
• Educate those who are not in favor of
  ridesharing. They are not buying the idea that
  HOV lanes are relieving congestion, moving more
  people, or offering a long term solution.
• Promote the Guaranteed Ride program as an option
  for those commuters who think they need their car
  everyday.

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HOV Attitudinal Research Among Hampton Roads
CommutersSponsored by
Conducted by THE MARKETING SOURCE, INC
August 2002