GoRaleigh Bus System, now and the future

[orulz]

From what it seems to me, the local lanes (frontage roads) on Capital will be two to four lanes wide, and would be a free alternative to tolled free-flowing bypass lanes that would be basically equivalent to what’s there today already on Capital.

[keita]

@Nickster

What about those coming down Capital to hit the Beltine? […] until we have a comprehensive network, transit will continue to be a challenge unless your destination is within the vicinity of a BRT stop.

That’s why all the other transit initiatives around Raleigh are super important, too.

Remember that GoRaleigh’s already in the process of running buses inside 440 that come every 15 minutes or less. This is one of the big goals in the Wake Transit Plan for 2027:

There’s also the Midtown-St. Albans study that’s been mentioned in a few other threads. This plan still needs to be ratified by the Planning Commission and City Council, though.

Finally, there’s the RTA’s “freeway-and-street-based transit” (FAST) study to run faster, more frequent, and more reliable buses. What this means and what this looks like is still a mystery, but they’re planning on putting out some recommendations on July 17th.

You’re right in that transit will continue to be a challenge outside of BRT corridors. …but the ways to mitigate those risks are right in front of us, too.

[colbyjd3]

You’re a freaking rockstar with this stuff. I have so much trouble keeping track of all the different studies and groups that are facilitating those studies.

[keita]

Once you stare at government documents for long enough, it all just kinda clicks in your head -and then, it’s not too hard to google the right things

[keita]

While I was citing my sources for a different post, I came across something interesting: Raleigh applied for CARES Act aid for transit (among other needs), and the FTA gave us a $29M grant to make up for COVID-related project cuts. This grant (no local matching or payback required) basically means some of the projects that were put on ice due to COVID-related funding cuts can come back online!

The city recommended breaking this money up as follows:

• $1.2M: cover FY20 operating costs (incl. cleaning supplies, PPE)
• $5.7M: “cover operating expenses and any net deficit in FY21” if needed
• $3.8M: hold in reserve -or- cover for FY22 funding needs/net deficit
• $19M: restart these planning/construction projects:

(By the way, the CARES Act also gave $2.8M to help people with urgent housing needs. I wrote more about this in a different thread.)

[colbyjd3]

Just posted this thread on Twitter, but I thought I’d drop it here as well in case anyone has any input.

Really wish there was some kind of overnight park-and-ride in West Raleigh that linked up to @GoTriangle Route 100. Be really nice for those of us who aren’t super close to downtown but don’t want to pay for an Uber or airport parking.

I’m guessing that’s one of the considerations of the current park-and-ride study, but even something temporary that can be implemented quickly would be nice. Perhaps take advantage of one of these lots.

Not that any of my followers care about this. But I think it’d help in attracting more transit users in a post-COVID Triangle. Everyone’s looking for an easy way to get to the airport, even people who prefer cars.

And before anyone suggests using the park-and-ride lot at Regional Transit Center, I’m pretty sure GoTriangle discourages overnight parking there.

Thoughts?

[maverick333]

The lot on the corner of Blue Ridge and Trinity Rd would make a great park-and-ride spot.When I was without a Car for about a Year I took the 100 to get to RTC, and transfer to the 300, Bus would drop me off in front of my Job. Also the GoRaleigh 27 bus stops there, so the 100 and the 27 stop at that corner. Even though I drive to work, there are times when I do take the Bus when I don’t need to drive.

[pierretong]

New GoTriangle survey out about what things you would want to prioritize/de-prioritize with the loss of revenue from the pandemic: http://wakeinput.metroquest.com/

[keita]

What if we had zero-fare buses in the Triangle, even if you don’t live near a university or are under 18 or over 65? The RTA wondered that, too, and asked the engineering firm HDR yesterday to see just how ridiculous that idea is.

And the evidence makes it look …pretty realistic???

So realistic, in fact, that HDR is suggesting that, for six months:

• GoRaleigh, GoDurham, and GoTriangle try out zero-fare weekends

• GoCary tries out zero-fare weekends or 7-days-a-week free transit

How could zero-fare transit be a civic duty?

@RTA directory Joe Milazzo II

Our nation is in need of change. The change needed is in people’s lives — less fear, more understanding, and an expanded vision of the common good.

While some changes can occur at an individual level — I am going to exercise more, I am going to volunteer more, etc. — many changes in people’s lives will require changes in policy — legislation, ordinances, practices, standards, and policies at all levels of government.

I believe that policy changes require changes in culture — that is, the belief and activity “system” or mindset that is prevalent on a topic. Cultural changes emerge from increased understanding, empathy, and willingness to confront what may be an uncomfortable reality, often about the plight of some members of our society.

[…]

In communities with zero fare, including Chapel Hill, ridership has increased significantly—typically 25% or more—meaning more people are benefiting from the community’s investment in transit, and more people are sharing in a common travel experience.

An expansion of zero fare for everyone in the Triangle will create more shared travel experiences. More opportunities to engage, to learn, to listen, and to literally and figuratively travel the journey together.

[…]

In order to form a more perfect union, the nation needs “less others, more us.” An expansion of zero fare for everyone, and improving regional transit overall, can help build that union by bringing more of us together across our beloved Triangle.

See article here.

I said 'zero-fare' and NOT 'fare-free' on purpose

@RTA directory Joe Milazzo II

Nothing is “free” however, and there are some issues that need to be addressed to the agency’s or community’s satisfaction in order to have a successful zero fare for everyone policy, including:

• Replacing the lost revenue, or
• Recognizing the tradeoffs/other uses for that revenue
• Cost to “paratransit” (you might know this service as “dial-a-ride”)
• Every issue associated with a “free” service, including value for money

See article here.

Pros and cons of zero-fare transit

@From the HDR slide deck - slide 9

Notice how the last several points in the right side of that slide sound wishy-washy.

Does zero-fare transit cause people to use buses for loitering? What does that look like? Is it a problem for passengers -and if so, what could we do about that?

What are these “operational challenges” arising that could make bus operations slower?

Do maintenance/operation costs actually go up? …it probably will, but is the increased ridership worth it?

These questions are why this study is important: the answer is not obvious, so:

1. we need to know what these questions are, and;
2. we need a way to answer them.

This presentation checks off that first point. As for the second point, look at the next drop-down.

The dirty secret of fare revenue

Fun fact: farebox revenue is nowhere NEAR the primary source of revenue for GoTriangle-sized transit agencies!

@From the HDR slide deck - slide 21

Also, the fare revenue of a GoTriangle-sized transit agency is a drop in the bucket in the multi-billion-dollar grand scheme of things.

What does that mean? If you keep running buses on weekends but get rid of that weekend fare revenue, you can safely test to see if zero-fare transit is worth it without risking a big source of your agency-wide revenue.

@From the HDR slide deck - slide 22

Why focus on Zero Fare weekends pilot?

• Lowers cost risk due to ridership, paratransit increase
• Mitigates crowding risk
• Easier to fill revenue gap
• [less unfair for] lower income population
• “Zero Fare Weekends” [are] easy to explain

This sounds cool. When will this happen?

Short answer: when a transit agency lets it happen. From the RTA’s webinar yesterday:

@From the RTA slide deck - slide 89

The next two slides talked about what still needs to happen. This checklist basically looks like:

• HDR completes preliminary findings report

• Triangle transit agencies might comment by late August

• RTA looks at feedback from its members
  (though I don’t think anyone is stopping any of us from writing to Dir. Milazzo, too, at zerofare@letsgetmoving.org …right??)

• RTA commissions follow-up study
  Look at different ways for zero-fare weekend could happen, challenges thereof, and how to address 'em

• 1 or more agencies decide to give this test run a shot
  RTA needs to work with each agency to create a game plan, as well as how to measure if this (doesn’t) work

• Triangle companies and residents give a damn about this idea
  County transit plans are being rewritten. …so this is where you scroll up to Pierre’s comment, get yo’ butt in the comments section, and tell planners to make this (not) a priority.

[colbyjd3]

I’m not a big fan of a full implementation of zero-fare because Triangle transit agencies need all the funding they can get right now (especially with NCDOT’s strong prioritization of highways over transit). That being said, I think fare-free weekends are brilliant. Some drivers might give transit a shot because it’s free, which will lead them to consider using it for their weekday commute. I hope at least one of the agencies gives it a shot.

[Will]

What if it was free rides between 7-9 and 4-6 to encourage taking the bus instead of sitting in traffic?

[orulz]

Assuming fares cover 10% of costs, and that 10% extra money can be raised somehow, the question is (as always) what is better for the public: eliminating fares or adding 10% more service?

I am not sure what the answer is, but using Chapel Hill as an example, within 2 years of going fare free, ridership increased by about 90%.

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me?

[colbyjd3]

Don’t disagree with you there… I just know how difficult it is for these agencies to get funding as it is, so until something changes (like a fuel tax increase, tolling, or congestion pricing, which I’m all for), we’re kind of just screwing them over.

Unless, of course, the increase in ad space utilization on the bus fleet (which would inevitably follow a ridership increase) compensates for the loss in revenue.

[keita]

I think the idea is that agencies could try out zero-fare transit in the near future once they have the information to convince them. The current fight is to get someone to agree on a six-month test run; no one is saying we should immediately make this a thing, right this minute (especially since it’ll take time, anyways).

@colbyjd3

ad space utilization on the bus fleet

I feel like GoTriangle buses, especially, don’t pursue this anywhere as much as they could. So that could be a good idea!

…though I’m not entirely sure if it’s worth it go as far as Chapel Hill Transit does:

(via Capital Wraps, which conveniently has a shop just north of RDU)

What about corporate sponsorships for bus stops? Similar to adopt-a-road programs or SunRail’s Tupperware station.

[Francisco]

Chapel Hills getting 10 new electric buses. What happened to GoRaleigh’s electric fleet, I haven’t seen a single electric bus out.

[colbyjd3]

I think the four or five they ordered are supposed to arrive in spring. Pretty sure it usually takes Proterra about 1-1.5yrs to fulfill requests due to backorders and the fact that they’re still a relatively small op.

[Francisco]

I asked GoRaleigh, their response is: “We are hoping to receive 5 electric buses late 2020. Thank you.”

[colbyjd3]

Sweet! I’ve been waiting to ride one of those. Haven’t had a chance to ride any of the GoTriangle ones because my commute changed to just a GoRaleigh route.

[Boltman]

Greensboro has had a bunch of them for well over a year now

[colbyjd3]

Aye, and RDU has had theirs for close to a year as well. But I rarely go to Greensboro, and I always get rides to the airport.