Early Win, Quick Cures to Increase Ridership

Customer Service

"Good service poorly-communicated is worse than poor service well-communicated."  Transit systems could do a better job of communicating with their customers.

At Burlington Station, it is unclear what track the train you want to ride will be on and GO makes no announcements. 

At other GO stations, there is a board in the entrance area with information on arrivals and departures, but nothing on the platform.

Solution:

1. Better use of enunciator boards in the station and platform areas
2. Better use of audio announcements in the station and platform areas

Schedule Frequency

Bus service isn't frequent enough, i.e. GO service is once per hour during off peak times. Some bus schedules give a range of times for the next pick-up.  This creates uncertainty and safety issues for children waiting for the next bus.

Solution:

1. If demand is too low for more frequent bus service, accessibility and convenience of existing service could be improved through better communication.

Bus Schedules at Stops

There is no information at bus stops about when the next bus is. You can't be sure if you're early and there's a bus in five minutes, or if you're late and there's a twenty minute wait. In these circumstances, kids will walk instead. 

Solution:

1. An effective, low-tech solution would be to post the schedule at each stop.

Using Local Transit to Access Go Transit

It is difficult to access GO Transit service using local transit. Many people are unaware of the steps to take advantage of using local transit as a way of connecting with GO Transit.

Solution:

1.  An effective, low-tech solution would be to drop local transit maps, schedules, directions, and travel information on the windows of cars parked in GO parking lots.
2.  Can also distribute through newspaper inserts, house drops, websites, fridge magnets, small coloured posters. Include details for connecting at the other end i.e. how to travel through Union Station and how to connect to the underground Path system.
3. Join and utilize the Metronauts Ground Crew  - "a sorta-Guerilla Advocacy/Marketing/Promotion group for both Metronauts and the transit systems". See also Guerilla Advocacy.
4. Make GO station parking free for car poolers and charge fee for single operators

Transit Data Accessibilty

Many technologically adept members of the public are willing create tools such as MyTTC.ca and the TTC Google Map, to improve access to transit systems.  However, transit organization's unwillingness to not only share their data but to share it in an easily-ingestible form, make the job of these volunteers much more difficult. 

Solution:

1. Transit organizations should be much more forth coming with their data   

Special Programs

1. Burlington is proposing a program to increase ridership by offering free transit for downtown employees.
2. Burlington has as $20/month, Student Activity Pass which allows free service after 5:00 p.m.  

The Youth Market

Teens don't drive but want to be independent. They all have cell phones and know how to use them. 

Solution:

1. They should be able to access transit schedules using their cell phones. 
2. Improve web based information distribution      

Winnipeg Transit

• Winnipeg Transit has a real-time information on traffic congestion so that transit users can make informed choices about what route(s) to use to get to their destination.
• Winnipeg also has an online trip planner called Navigo
• the Winnipeg system is designed to get you to the hub, green represents hub connector, red represents main line and blue represents ????

Customer Service Audits

• Transit systems should do customer service audits,
  •  asking the public its opinions about their experiences
  • identify customers needs
• Design systems from travellers needs
• Design transit routes before construction of new developments
  • publicize transit information pre-construction as a selling feature

Metrolinx Green Paper 4 - Transportation Demand Management

• Transportation Demand Management is "the use of policies, programs, services and products to influence whether, why, when, where and how people travel.  Its goal is to make personal travel decisions more sustainable and to make more efficient use of our existing transportation system."
• make people want to take the bus
• not supply management
• more info here, slide show here 

Other Challenges

• time issue
  • sometimes it is faster to take a car rather than use transit
• rider confidence and reliability of service
• route planning
  • some stops are too far away