Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Final Report
July 2012
The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grant[s] from the Federal
Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, under the State Planning and Research Program, Section 505 [or Metropolitan
Planning Program, Section 104(f)] of Title 23, U.S. Code. The contents of this report do not
necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Table of Contents
Page
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... ES-1
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... ES-1
Study Approach................................................................................................................................................... ES-1
Key Issues Facing RTAs ....................................................................................................................................... ES-1
Improvement Opportunities ............................................................................................................................... ES-2
Recommendations and Implementation Plans ................................................................................................ ES-3
1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1-1
Approach and Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 1-1
2
RTA Profiles ................................................................................................................................. 2-1
Overview ............................................................................................................................................................. 2-1
Berkshire Regional Transit Authority.................................................................................................................. 2-2
Brockton Area Transit Authority.......................................................................................................................... 2-6
Cape Ann Transportation Authority ................................................................................................................ 2-10
Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority ............................................................................................................ 2-14
Franklin Regional Transit Authority ................................................................................................................. 2-18
Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority .............................................................................. 2-22
Lowell Regional Transit Authority .................................................................................................................... 2-26
Martha's Vineyard Regional Transit Authority ............................................................................................. 2-30
Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority ............................................................................................... 2-35
Metrowest Regional Transit Authority ............................................................................................................ 2-40
Montachusett Regional Transit Authority ....................................................................................................... 2-44
Nantucket Regional Transit Authority ............................................................................................................. 2-49
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority...................................................................................................................... 2-53
Southeastern Regional Transit Authority ........................................................................................................ 2-58
Worcester Regional Transit Authority ............................................................................................................ 2-62
3
Stakeholder and Civic Engagement............................................................................................. 3-1
Overview of Approach ........................................................................................................................................ 3-1
Stakeholder Outreach .......................................................................................................................................... 3-2
Advisory Committee.............................................................................................................................................. 3-3
Stakeholder Interview Process ............................................................................................................................ 3-5
4
Initiative Development and Analysis.......................................................................................... 4-1
Initiative 1: Develop and Use Service Guidelines: Practices in Other Areas and
Potential MA Improvements ........................................................................................................... 4-3
Initiative 2: Improve Service Planning ............................................................................................................ 4-20
Initiative 3: Develop Consistent Data and Reporting ................................................................................ 4-31
Initiative 4: Enhance Public Information ......................................................................................................... 4-44
Initiative 5: Improve Contracting ..................................................................................................................... 4-59
Initiative 6: Improve Capital Planning ........................................................................................................... 4-75
Initiative 7: Additional Revenue ...................................................................................................................... 4-89
Initiative 8: Improve Funding Processes ....................................................................................................... 4-107
Initiative 9: Foster Cross-Border Collaboration.......................................................................................... 4-129
Initiative 10: Improve MassDOT-RTA Collaboration ................................................................................. 4-138
5
Recommendations and Implementation Plans ............................................................................. 5-1
Draft Recommendations ....................................................................................................................................... 5-1
Implementation Plans ......................................................................................................................................... 5-13
Appendix A: Advisory Committee Meetings
i
Table of Figures
Page
Figure ES-1
Proposed Implementation Timeline ................................................................................................. ES-5
Figure 4-1
Figure 4-2
Figure 4-3
Figure 4-4
Figure 4-5
Figure 4-6
Figure 4-7
Figure 4-8
Figure 4-9
Figure 4-10
Figure 4-11
Figure 4-12
Figure 4-13
Figure 4-14
Figure 4-15
Figure 4-16
Figure 4-17
Figure 4-25
Figure 4-26
Figure 4-27
Figure 4-28
Figure 4-29
Systematic Transit Planning ................................................................................................................ 4-3
Sample Page from Oregon DOT Transit Agency Quarterly Report ...................................... 4-34
2009 RTA Scorecard Example Ranking ....................................................................................... 4-38
Public Information Examples ........................................................................................................... 4-45
MetroLINK Website .......................................................................................................................... 4-46
MetroLINK Desktop Widget............................................................................................................ 4-46
ACTR Website.................................................................................................................................... 4-47
Combined CCTA/GMTA Overview System Map ....................................................................... 4-48
NRTA Overlay System Map ............................................................................................................ 4-49
MWRTA Schematic System Map .................................................................................................... 4-49
System Map Implementation Among RTAs ................................................................................... 4-50
MWRTA Schedule Card ................................................................................................................... 4-52
Service Alert Example (GATRA) ..................................................................................................... 4-53
Best Massachusetts RTA Websites.................................................................................................. 4-54
Examples of Real-Time Transit Information.................................................................................. 4-56
RTA Contracted Management Fee – Includes Fixed-Route and ADA Service (2011) ........ 4-69
RTA Contracted Management Fee as a Percentage of Operating Expenses
(Fixed-Route and Demand Response) ........................................................................................... 4-69
RTA Fixed-Route Costs per Revenue Vehicle Hour ..................................................................... 4-70
RTA ADA Paratransit Service Costs per Revenue Vehicle Hour ............................................... 4-71
RTA Fixed-Route Fares ..................................................................................................................... 4-91
Ratio of Minimum Fixed-Route Base Fare to Minimum ADA Complementary Base Fare ... 4-91
Impact of Paratransit Fare Levels on Farebox Return ............................................................... 4-92
Massachusetts Student Populations by RTA Service Area ......................................................... 4-95
Transit Funding by State, Top 10 States
(in Terms of Combined Operating and Capital Funding, 2010) ........................................... 4-108
Share of Operating Funds for Each RTA by Source................................................................. 4-114
Quad Cities Joint System Map ..................................................................................................... 4-131
ACTR Regional Information ........................................................................................................... 4-132
MART and FRTA Connecting Services .......................................................................................... 4-134
North Billerica Station .................................................................................................................... 4-134
Figure 5-1
Proposed Implementation Timeline ................................................................................................ 5-23
Figure 4-18
Figure 4-19
Figure 4-20
Figure 4-21
Figure 4-22
Figure 4-23
Figure 4-24
ii
Table of Tables
Page
Table 4-1
Table 4-2
Table 4-3
Table 4-4
Table 4-5
Table 4-6
Table 4-7
Table 4-8
Table 4-9
Table 4-10
Table 4-11
Table 4-12
Table 4-13
Table 4-14
Table 4-15
Table 4-16
Table 4-17
Table 4-18
Table 4-19
Table 4-20
Table 4-21
Table 4-22
Table 4-23
Table 4-24
Table 4-25
Table 4-26
Table 4-27
Table 4-28
Table 4-29
Table 4-30
Table 4-31
Table 4-32
Table 4-33
Table 4-34
Table 4-35
Table 4-36
Common Service Standards and Performance Measures ............................................................ 4-4
Examples of Bus Service Classification Systems ............................................................................. 4-5
KCATA Service Delivery and Performance Guidelines ................................................................ 4-6
KCATA Productivity Guidelines by Service Type and Time of Day
Passengers per Revenue Vehicle Hour ............................................................................................. 4-6
LAVTA Fixed Route Performance Measures and Targets ............................................................ 4-7
MBTA Service Objectives & Standards ........................................................................................... 4-7
MART Service Standards .................................................................................................................... 4-8
TTA Performance Measures ............................................................................................................... 4-9
RTA Service Standards & Productivity Measures .......................................................................... 4-9
WRTA Performance Targets & Actions ......................................................................................... 4-10
Pennsylvania Statewide Transit Performance Measures ........................................................... 4-13
Most Common State Performance Measures ............................................................................... 4-17
Levels at Which States Conduct Performance Evaluations........................................................ 4-17
Greater Minnesota Transit Report- Agency Snapshot ............................................................... 4-33
Printed Schedule Implementation Among RTAs ........................................................................... 4-51
RTA Website Review ........................................................................................................................ 4-55
Real-Time Information Implementation among RTAs .................................................................. 4-56
Overview of RTA Service Contracts .............................................................................................. 4-64
RTA Fixed-Route Service Contracts – Contract Lengths and Cost Escalation Rates ............. 4-66
MA Transportation Project Evaluation Criteria............................................................................ 4-77
Virginia Capital Assistance Evaluation Criteria .......................................................................... 4-78
Pennsylvania Criteria for Ranking Asset Improvement Projects ............................................... 4-81
SANDAG Performance Measures Used in Regional Project Selection ................................... 4-83
MBTA Capital Project Prioritization Criteria................................................................................ 4-84
RTA Operating Funds FY 2012 in Millions of Dollars ................................................................ 4-89
Average Fares and Farebox Recovery Rates ............................................................................. 4-93
Potential Revenues from Fare Increases – Fixed-Route............................................................. 4-93
Potential Revenues from Fare Increases – Demand-Responsive .............................................. 4-94
Current Agreements between RTAs and Massachusetts Universities and Colleges ............. 4-96
Massachusetts Colleges and Universities by Town and RTA ................................................... 4-106
RTA Operating Budget Totals for FY2012 in Millions of Dollars .......................................... 4-109
RTA Service in Large Urban Areas .............................................................................................. 4-110
FTA Section 5307 Funds Used for Operations (millions; FY 2010)....................................... 4-111
FTA Section 5311 Funds (FY 2011) ............................................................................................. 4-111
State Contract Assistance (millions; FY 2012) ........................................................................... 4-112
Local Assessments (millions; FY 2012) ......................................................................................... 4-113
iii