HANDOUT FOR AGENDA ITEM #4
SUBJECT:
Unmet Transit Needs—Summary of Survey Results
MEETING DATE:
February 10, 2009
STAFF CONTACT:
Michael Powers, Aubrey Spilde
SBCAG received 61 Transit Needs Assessment (TNA) surveys from the following sources:
• 7 from Bea Merwin
• 33 from Vibiana Saavedra
• 20 from COLT
• 1 received in the mail
Although SYVT had planned to distribute TNA surveys, due to a miscommunication, SYVT’s consultant
did not distribute the TNA surveys and instead sent data from surveys completed in June 2008 as part
of SYVT’s Short Range Transit Plan update. Unfortunately the data was not appropriate for the TNA.
92% of respondents took the survey in English.
respondents’ transit service usage and home cities.
The graphs below show the distribution of
Transit Services used by Survey
Respondents
28
27
13
3
2
4
1
0
1
6
5
2
1
1
3
0
*Response "SYVT route(s): Casino Chumash" was counted under both SYVT and the Chumash Casino Shuttle.
**Several people marked none; however, they also marked one or more services.
1
Survey Responses by Home City
Guadalupe
1
did not
specify*
14
Santa
Maria
23
Lompoc
16
Orcutt
6
Mission
Hills
1
*Of the 14 respondents who did not specify a home city, 11 are likely from the Lompoc area and 3 are likely from the Santa
Maria area.
Comments and requests received included operational issues such as cleaner buses, better security,
more space for grocery bags, more bicycle racks, weather protection and benches at stops, posted bus
schedules at stops, and more stops. There were also several requests for service in Santa Maria, a
city already planning to use all TDA funds for transit this year, such as more frequent service
(especially on major routes such as Broadway and Main Street), later service (especially on weekends),
and more residential service. Many respondents also requested service from Santa Maria to cities in
San Luis Obispo County, which, except for service to Atascadero, is already provided by SLORTA
Route 10. The table below displays the primary requests that are potentially applicable to the TNA.
Table 1: Survey Input
Request
COLT Sunday service
Daytime service from Santa Maria/Orcutt to Santa Barbara
later COLT service, including Saturdays
COLT service 6 AM-8 PM Monday-Sunday
Breeze weekend service
Express route to Orcutt
Sunday service from Orcutt to Santa Maria for church
Service between Mission Hills and Vandenberg Village without going downtown
2 COLT buses an hour to Mission Hills
COLT routes on College Ave and Ocean Ave
Reverse COLT blue route
Start COLT yellow line at 6:15 AM to connect with the Clean Air Express
COLT SB Shuttle should take riders to hospital, etc., not just MTD transit center
Service from Lompoc to the Santa Maria VA Outpatient clinic
Service from Orcutt to the Santa Maria VA Outpatient clinic
Service from Orcutt to Waller Park
Service from Orcutt to Lake Marie
2
Count
12
10
6
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
The following tables list all requests received during the TNA public comment period. Tables 2-4 list
requests staff will analyze to determine whether or not they are unmet transit needs reasonable to
meet. Table 5 lists requests that are not unmet transit needs or are not applicable to the TNA, either
because they are operational concerns, request service in jurisdictions already using all TDA funds for
transit, or require wholesale changes to the transit system. In addition, some of the requests in Table 5
are outside SBCAG’s jurisdiction, are already met by existing transit services, or do not provide enough
information for analysis.
Table 2: Requests for New or Expanded Local Service
Request
COLT on Sundays
Later COLT, including Saturdays
COLT beginning at 6 AM
Reverse COLT Blue line
COLT on College, Ocean
COLT Yellow line at 6:15 AM to meet Clean Air Express
2 COLT buses an hour to Mission Hills
Between Mission Hills and Vandenberg Village w/o going downtown
COLT SB Shuttle to hospital, etc. in addition to MTD Transit Center
Lompoc to SM VA Outpatient Clinic
Orcutt to Santa Maria Express
Orcutt to Santa Maria [earlier] on Sunday for church
Orcutt to Waller Park
Orcutt to Lake Marie
Orcutt to SM VA Outpatient Clinic
Table 3: Requests for New or Expanded Interregional Service
Request
Between Santa Barbara and Santa Maria/Orcutt
Source
Surveys (12)
Surveys (7)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
SMAT Workshop (2)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Surveys (1)
Amtrak Surf station to Lompoc
Orcutt to LAX or Burbank Airport
Source
Email (1)
Surveys (10)
SMAT Workshop (1)
Surveys (3)
Email (1)
Survey (1)
Table 4: Requests for New or Expanded Commuter Service
Request
Additional Clean Air Express bus from Lompoc to Santa Barbara
Santa Ynez Valley to Lompoc
Santa Ynez Valley to Santa Maria
Santa Barbara to Lompoc
Santa Barbara to Santa Maria
Guadalupe Flyer after last Breeze
Source
Email (2)
Email (1)
Email (1)
Email (2)
Email (1)
Email (1)
Breeze Weekend
3
Table 5: Requests that are Not Unmet Needs or are Not Applicable
Request
Ad in paper on day of workshop
Lighting in bus shelters
Bench at bus stop at Maple and O
Information about Breeze on COLT buses
Low-priced ADA monthly-unlimited pass
New transit center should be two stories
More covered shelters
More bus service on east side of town
New bus stops at Clark/Broadway, north side of Foster
Better signal synchronization at Cook/McClelland
Adjust turning lanes
Don’t divide routes 1 and 2
Relocate Oak Knolls bus stop
Lighting at most stops
Bilingual information booths inside buses
Improve outreach (e.g., schools, churches, etc.)
Convene SMAT-RAC every two months
Improve connection between Santa Maria and Guadalupe
Amtrak Station
Increase service in northeast side of town
Bi-directional routes
Increase service frequency
Snack bars in new transit center should be run by local vendors
Invite neighborhood to transit center grand opening
More bus service for school children on E side of town,
especially NE
Night service from Guadalupe to Santa Maria three nights/week
Independent transit agency in north county like SBMTD
SMAT routes are too tight
Buses passing by clients in wheelchairs
Hour between connections in Santa Maria is too much wait time
More evening SMAT routes
More transportation for students in Santa Maria
Buses are overcrowded in Santa Maria
More service for students after school
Improve COLT service for the disabled
Better Clean Air Express waiting area at J St/Cypress Ave in
Lompoc
Adjust the Valley Express schedule
Earlier/later departures on the Clean Air Express
Source
COLT Workshop
COLT Workshop
COLT Workshop
COLT Workshop
COLT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
Reason Not Unmet/Not Applicable
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Operational
Operational
Operational
Change to transit system
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Santa Maria, Guadalupe expend all TDA for transit
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
SMAT Workshop
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Change to transit system
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Operational
Operational
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
SMAT Workshop
Public Hearing
Public Hearing
Public Hearing
Public Hearing
Public Hearing
Public Hearing
Public Hearing
Public Hearing
Email
Email
Guadalupe, Santa Maria expend all TDA for transit
Change to transit systems
Operational
Operational
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Operational
Operational
Email
Email
Operational
Operational
4
Request
Another Clean Air Express stop at UCSB
Service from Lompoc to Santa Maria for jobs, medical
appointments
Service from Lompoc to Santa Barbara for jobs, medical
appointments
Design SMAT routes to go east-west or north-south
Connections between routes are too tight (SM)
Routes only run in hour intervals—should be more frequent (SM)
Extra route at school peak hours (SM)
Routes do not run late enough for work schedules
People in wheelchairs are being passed by when buses are
running late
No transportation on VAFB
Fixed route SMAT buses frequently run late
Insufficient loading time for persons with disabilities (SMAT)
Late SMAT drivers become frustrated and rude to persons with
disabilities
Late SMAT drivers pass by people with disabilities at bus stops
Late SMAT drivers take short cuts in tying down wheelchairs
Late SMAT drivers take short cuts and skip stops
New SMAT slide passes are difficult to use (too flimsy)
New SMAT slide passes are becoming demagnetized
Add a SMAT bus stop at Hagerman Softball Field and YMCA
hourly
Add a SMAT bus stop in the shopping center at 500 block of S.
Blosser
SMAT buses are full during high school departure hours
Express service from Town Center Mall to VTC in SM at 8:45
AM
Express service from VTC to Town Center Mall in SM at 1:30
PM
Late SMAT buses not making afternoon transfer from VTC to
McCoy Lane
More wheelchair access on buses in Santa Maria
More transfer points in Santa Maria
Out of town trips from Lompoc
More frequent SMAT buses (10-30 minutes)
Later SMAT service, especially on weekends
More residential service in Santa Maria
SMAT service to Panera Bread
SMAT service from Cottage to Hospital at 4:30
SMAT service from Bradley to Costco at 5:50
SMAT service on College from AM to late PM
Source
Email
Email
Reason Not Unmet/Not Applicable
Operational
Met—Breeze
Email
Met—Clean Air Express, COLT SB Shuttle
Telephone
Letter
Letter
Letter
Letter
Letter
Change to transit system
Operational
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Operational
Letter
Letter
Letter
Letter
Not within SBCAG’s jurisdiction
Operational
Operational
Operational
Letter
Letter
Letter
Letter
Letter
Letter
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Operational
Letter
Operational
Letter
Letter
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Letter
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Letter
Operational
Letter
Letter
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Operational
Change to transit system
Not enough information
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
5
Request
Special SMAT routes to mall and shopping centers
A commuter van for meetings, etc. in Santa Maria
Service to the VA Outpatient Clinic in Santa Maria
Service from Guadalupe to Lopez Lake
Service from Guadalupe to Guadalupe Beach
Service from Paso Robles/Atascadero to Santa Barbara
Service from SLO to the VA Outpatient Clinic in Santa Maria
Service from South Coast to the VA Outpatient Clinic in Santa
Maria
1 trip in the AM and 1 trip in the PM from the Mall (SM) to VAFB
Service from Santa Maria to SLO
Service from Santa Maria to Pismo Beach
Service from Santa Maria to Arroyo Grande
Service from Santa Maria to Avila
Service from Santa Maria to Paso Robles
Service from Santa Maria to Atascadero
Service from Orcutt to Betteravia Government Center in SM
Service from Orcutt to Allan Hancock College
COLT service to Vons West on Ocean
Service from Lompoc to Santa Barbara
Cleaner buses, better security in Guadalupe, Santa Maria
An all teenager bus that goes everywhere [Santa Maria, Orcutt]
Good maintenance and good drivers are most important [Santa
Maria]
More grocery bag space on the bus in Santa Maria
COLT website should say Senior/Disabled, not just Senior
Sign off for COLT ADA pass should include who can sign (like
SMAT’s)
Bike racks on front and rear of SMAT buses
More frequent SMAT service
More SMAT stops
Weather protection at SMAT stops
Bus schedules at SMAT bus stops
More COLT stops
More posted COLT schedules
COLT Red line should arrive at Mission Plaza sooner
Service to the hospital when there’s an emergency [Lompoc]
Source
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Reason Not Unmet/Not Applicable
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Guadalupe expends all TDA for transit
Guadalupe expends all TDA for transit
Not within SBCAG’s jurisdiction
Not within SBCAG’s jurisdiction
South Coast expends all TDA for transit
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Met—Breeze
Met—SLORTA Route 10
Met—SLORTA Route 10
Met—SLORTA Route 10
Met—SLORTA Route 10
Met—SLORTA Route 10
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Met—SMAT Route 1B
Met—SMAT Route 1B + Route 7
Met—COLT Black line
Met—COLT Santa Barbara Shuttle
Operational
Does not allow “equivalent access or opportunity”
Operational
Survey
Survey
Survey
Operational
Operational
Operational
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Survey
Operational
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Santa Maria expends all TDA for transit
Operational
Operational
Not enough information
Operational
Operational
COLT Yellow and Red lines stop near the hospital, but 911 should be used
in emergency situations
Operational
Operational
Operational
Bus stop sign on the eastbound side of H street in Lompoc
Benches at V and North and Pine and V in Lompoc
COLT stop at 3rd and Cypress
Survey
Survey
Survey
6