Transit

“GoBORO” Mobility Greensboro 2045 Long Range Public Transportation Plan –Greensboro, NC

This project provided the City with a new vision of being car optional by 2045. The project involved a highly grass-roots oriented, city-wide public outreach effort in two phases. SRI developed the messaging and logo for the project, which is referred to as, “GoBORO”, to represent transit options, movement and connection, while incorporating the moniker, BORO, to represent the City’s nickname. At the onset, SRI hit the ground running, guided by a very proactive outreach process that included pop-up events, open houses, presentations, classroom discussions and workshops. These activities were engaging to all communities, including the underserved/minority communities, students and Greensboro’s international (refugee transit-dependents) communities.

An online survey was developed and shared with the public, gathering a total of 1,871 responses during Phase 1 outreach and nearly 1,400 during Phase 2! Coordination with UNC-Chapel Hill graduate students enabled us to conduct on-board bus and Hopper Trolley surveys, which generated considerable feedback from riders. Website and social media content, posts and ads were consistent throughout the project, promoting the survey and creating a lot of visibility for GoBORO. As a result of public response, SRI also conducted outreach events to promote the official launching of the new Crossmax Purple, a “one seat”, east-west route with 15-minute frequencies, on March 4, 2024. This route is the first “crosstown” route derived from the Draft Recommended Network Plan, with others to follow once the Final Network Plan is approved and funding becomes available.

RIDER/Cabarrus County Transportation Services (CCTS), Customer Satisfaction Surveys –Concord-Kannapolis, NC

This project challenged SRI to comprehensively coordinate stakeholders in four counties, requiring more than 200 presentations, committee meetings and public hearings and extensive multimedia materials. SRI was involved in all facets of the project, including the planning, engineering and visualization components. Our firm developed all project materials, website, videos and even prepared a project scrapbook of all outreach activities and events. Because of the significant impact that this project had on the entire Tampa Bay region, it was one of the most highly visible and exceptional projects that SRI has undertaken.

SRI conducted two rounds of bus rider customer satisfaction surveys, the first round in January 2024 and the second round in April/May 2024. The purpose of this effort was to provide RIDER and CCTS feedback from riders/customers about current service features, as well as to set a baseline for future surveys where satisfaction levels of customers would be compared after changes have been implemented. Each round captured 200 RIDER customer surveys and 50 RIDER and CCTS paratransit/on-demand surveys.

Our team included 4 surveyors who conducted on-board surveys over 2-3 weekdays. We also set up a table inside the RIDER Transit Center during survey days to provide paper surveys to those waiting for their buses or those who the surveyors did not capture. Assistance was provided to customers needing help in completing the surveys. Postcards with the survey QR code were also distributed at the Depot and social media posts directed customers to the survey.

RIDER provided giveaways as incentives for completing a survey, as well as raffled a smart table to one lucky RIDER customer and a $100 gift card to one paratransit/on-demand customer. For the latter group, customers were surveyed via telephone using call lists provided from both agencies.

Winston Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) Route Study

WSTA embarked on a study to identify areas for route improvement and recognize future needs for affordable and reliable transit service. Throughout this process, a stakeholder involvement campaign was implemented to engage WSTA management, bus operators, dispatchers, customer service representatives, other staff, and the public about changes that would improve performance of the bus system. Public workshops were also effective in gaining critical feedback, such that several routes recommended to be cut were “reinstated” as a result of public response. Social media posts, bus advertising, website content (www.movewinstonsalem.com), television/news media and email notifications to resource agencies were among the activities used to generate attendance and feedback.

Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), System Redesign

TANK’s goal in this redesign study was to re-imagine their existing network structure to enhance efficiency and reliability of TANK services, increase use of TANK services and improve mobility within the Northern Kentucky region. SRI was responsible for conducting all public outreach and involvement efforts, including coordination with two Stakeholder Advisory groups. Conducted bus operator interviews, stakeholder meetings, public open houses and online survey. Interactive exhibit boards were used at the public meetings to engage participants and gather pertinent information about their transit needs. The online survey generated nearly 800 responses. SRI also prepared social media posts and all outreach materials for meetings and public information. Received over 500 comments regarding the proposed changes. This project was very inclusive of all populations and outreach efforts were very effective in identifying what was important to current riders of TANK, as well as future needs of northern Kentucky residents.

Transit Oriented Development Comprehensive Plan, Winston-Salem DOT, NC

Conducting stakeholder engagement and public outreach activities for the TOD Study for the City of Winston Salem. Coordinating and organizing a Roundtable Discussion with local minority and women-owned businesses, non-profit/for profit organizations and business incubator-type organizations to address barriers to success and identify opportunities for small businesses to overcome these obstacles, as well as provide grant and other funding resources. Will also conduct public meetings and assist with developing a new website for the TOD and other City-driven planning studies. (SRI also conducted public outreach for the Feasibility Study conducted in 2013).

CLEMSON TRANSIT AUTHORITY (CATbus), Re-Imagining Project, Clemson, S.C.

This transit study enabled CATbus to completely re-examine their bus system, including their Demand Response (ADA) service. SRI was responsible for all public education and involvement activities, including development of and on-line survey, stakeholder and bus operator interviews (both in-person and via telephone), working sessions with committee members, and coordination of social media with CATbus. The involvement of Clemson University made this project unique, as it entailed coordination with their bus system, Tiger Transit, growth opportunities, TOD and consolidation considerations. SRI also worked with team members to conduct a “Re-imagining” exercise, similar to a blank slate approach where clients and stakeholders drew the bus system from scratch to accommodate the needs of current and future riders. This project was widely supported by the community and implementation of the recommendations began shortly after the project was completed.

Midland Odessa Urban Transit District (EZ RIDER), Comprehensive Operations Analysis, TX

Team leader for all public involvement activities for the COA, including online discussion forums, in person meetings, pop-up event, virtual and in person stakeholder interviews, online survey, in-person interceptor surveys and postings on social media. With COVID protocols still in place, but with the need to gather public comments, we held a pop-up event at two local Walmart’s to provide transit information, show proposed routes and gather feedback. This effort was much more effective than the initial public meetings, which hosted only nine participants compared with 80 at the pop-up events. Also worked with EZ-Rider staff, bus operators and MOUTD members to develop recommendations.

OTHER TRANSIT PROJECTS:

Ashland Transit SRT, Stakeholder Interviews, ODOT, Ashland, OH
Owensboro Transit System (OTS), Transit Network Study, Owensboro, KY
Asheville Regional Transportation (ART), Transit Master Plan, Asheville, NC
HiTran, Short Range Transit Plan, High Point, NC
Fayetteville Area System Transit (FAST), Fayetteville, NC