PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
CATALYST FOR
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Terry Garcia Crews, CEO & General Manager
Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority
A national perspective
Every $1 invested in public transportation returns $4
to the economy.
Every $1 invested in public transportation
generates $4 in economic returns.
Source: American Public Transportation Association
1.1 million jobs are
created by investing in
public transportation.
Public transportation funding
leads to $66 billion in sales
each year.
Why transit matters
• Transit enhances livability
• Transit provides access to goods and services
• Transit connects neighborhoods, businesses, destinations
Community and regional impact
• A variety of transportation options = livable community
• Eastern Corridor: multimodal with commuter rail
• Metro*Plus:
Bus Rapid Transit demo project
• Transit acts as a focal point for land use options
• Transit-oriented development
Collaboration among regional
transit partners
• Working with other transit providers to develop seamless
transportation (Metro, TANK, BCRTA, CTC)
• Applying Metro’s resources to successful implementation
• Increasing compatibility:
• Fareboxes
• Regional passes
• Similarly branded routes: Metro*Plus, TANK’s Rt. 1
(Dixie Plus)
Metro*Plus
is averaging
1,500 rides
per weekday
How Metro compares to peer cities
Austin, TX
Charlotte, NC
Cincinnati
Cleveland, OH
Columbus, OH
Denver, CO
Indianapolis,
IN
Louisville, KY
Minneapolis,
MN
Pittsburgh, PA
Raleigh, NC
St. Louis, MO
Peer Cities Study (2013)
OPERATIONAL
EFFICIENCY
CINCINNATI
#1
#2 MINNEAPOLIS
#3(T) DENVER
#3(T) PITTSBURGH
#5 CLEVELAND
#6 (T) CHARLOTTE
#6 (T) ST. LOUIS
#8 (T) COLUMBUS
#8(T) INDIANAPOLIS
#10 LOUISVILLE
#11(T) RALEIGH
#11(T) AUSTIN
Peer Cities Study (2013)
SERVICE LEVEL
PROVIDED
CINCINNATI
#7
#1 PITTSBURGH
#3 DENVER
#4 MINNEAPOLIS
#5 (T) ST. LOUIS
#5 (T) CLEVELAND
#5 (T) CHARLOTTE
#6 AUSTIN
#9 COLUMBUS
#10 LOUISVILLE
#11 RALEIGH
#12 INDIANAPOLIS
Peer Cities Study (2013)
STATE/LOCAL
FUNDING
CINCINNATI
#10
#2 AUSTIN
#3 COLUMBUS
#4 CHARLOTTE
#5 CLEVELAND
#6(T) ST. LOUIS
#6(T) RALEIGH
#7(T) LOUISVILLE
#7(T) PITTSBURGH
#8 DENVER
#9 INDIANAPOLIS
#11 MINNEAPOLIS
Peer Cities Study (2013)
BUS ONLY
BENCHMARK
S
OPERATIONA
L EFFICIENCY
SERVICE
LEVEL
PROVIDED
STATE/LOCAL
FUNDING
CINCINNATI
#1
#1
#5
COLUMBUS
#21
#2
#1
INDIANAPOLIS
LOUISVILLE
RALEIGH
#21
#5
#4
#4
#3
#3
#5
#4
#2
1 – tied for position #2
Metro overview
Cincinnati,
Hamilton County
and adjacent
counties
346-bus Metro
fleet
17 million rides;
837 employees
Metro supports the local economy
• 20% of downtown
commuters ride
• Half of all trips (8.5 million)
are work-related
• Major employer with 837
employees
• $128.7 million 2014 budget
Metro partners with local employers
Good things happening at Metro
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Active involvement: OKI, Eastern Corridor, streetcar
Agenda 360 regional transit/BRT work team
$4 million increase in contract revenue
New Glenway Crossing transit center, uptown express
New park & rides in Colerain Township, Montgomery
New fare technology and payment options
Real-time bus information, ticket vending machine
Upgraded fleet: 27 hybrids, 5 articulated buses
Coming soon: Uptown Transit District
What’s coming in the future?
go*Forward long-range vision
PROPOSED BRT CORRIDORS
PROPOSED NEW EXPRESS SERVICES
PROPOSED CROSSTOWN SERVICES
PROPOSED SMALL BUS SERVICES
PROPOSED TRANSIT CENTERS & ENHANCED STOPS
Questions & discussion