The Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Transit, presents…
“The Forgotten Mode”
Intercity Bus in Minnesota
Minnesota Public Transit Association
Annual Conference
October 16, 2013
This session
One
30%
Zero
38%
Two
18%
Four or Three
More
6%
8%
What is
intercity bus?
What is intercity bus?
Intercity bus…
…is regularly scheduled
Intercity bus…
…is for the general public
Intercity bus…
…operates between communities
not in close proximity
Intercity bus…
…is meaningfully connected with
the larger network
What is NOT intercity bus?
A niche mode
Source: 2001
National
Household Travel
Survey
Early success
The long decline
“The
Forgotten
Mode”
New life
Intercity Bus Trivia Time
What do these two
have in common?
The Answer: Hibbing, MN
Intercity bus
in Minnesota
Section 5311(f)
Section 5311
Local, non-urbanized public transportation, §5311
85%
Intercity bus, §5311(f)
15%
= $2.2 million
(Minnesota FFY 2013)
Operating assistance
Capital assistance
Marketing assistance
Learn more
MN Intercity Bus Network Study
• How can MnDOT improve our state’s current
intercity bus service?
• How can MnDOT better evaluate 5311f
funding applications?
• How can MnDOT encourage competitiveness
and diversity among applicants?
Existing network
Subsidized network
Ridership by stop on
subsidized network
Recent History
• Trend in service reduction
• Greyhound eliminated most routes. Some
taken up by Jefferson
• Service lost in: Hastings, Red Wing, Lake City,
Mora, Cambridge, Park Rapids, Madelia,
Paynesville, Northfield
• Unserved connections: Walker-Wadena, St.
Cloud-Willmar, Mankato-Fairmont
Opportunities
Direct participation
Coordination
Awareness
Time of service on
subsidized network
Potential Unmet Needs
• Latino/Hispanic
– Pelican Rapids, St. James, Madelia, Northfield
• Amish
– Fillmore County
• Colleges
– Northfield, St. Bonifacius, New Ulm, Collegeville,
Canby, Thief River Falls, International Falls, Ely
• Correctional facilities
– Togo, Red Wing
• Medical facilities
– Park Rapids, Red Wing
Riders
• Median income $28,000
– 18% below poverty
• 66% white, 19% black, 6% Hispanic
• 80% some college or high school; 25% college
graduates among infrequent/first time riders
Getting to the bus
• 57% dropped off by friend/relative at bus stop
– 10% took transit to intercity bus stop
– 18% riders under 25 walked
• Tickets: 57% visit website, 27% did not visit the
website, 15% no internet
– First time customers more likely to purchase ticket at a
bus station
• Price important factor to this mode
– 27% riders no access to a vehicle
Satisfaction
• 54% satisfaction on subsidized vs. 44% on unsubsidized
– Satisfaction higher among those 55+, more likely to
recommend
• High:
–
–
–
–
Driver professionalism
Heating/air conditioning
Luggage
Purchasing ticket
• Low:
– Frequency
– Amount of travel time
– Availability of power outlets on buses
Next Steps
• Refine survey analysis
– Add household survey results
•
•
•
•
Convene advisory committee
Develop performance indicators
Recommend program implementation policies
Final report early 2014
Minnesota Intercity Bus Service
• Jefferson serves more than 70 Minnesota
communities
• Each day Jefferson operates more than 8,000
miles in Minnesota or more than 3 million
miles annually
• During the past two years, Jefferson has
contributed over 1.7 million dollars in private
funding to support the rural intercity bus
program in Minnesota
Intercity Bus Service in the United
States
1978
2013
• 15,000 communities
had Intercity Bus
Service
• 2,400 communities
have intercity bus
service
THE JEFFERSON AIRPLANE
Ride the Jefferson Fat Cat to Kansas City
Jefferson’s Tour to Europe Begins in Your Home Town
My trip to Italy started on a Creston, Iowa transit bus
Region 2 Transit
Demand Response From Eight Iowa Counties
The transit operator provides transportation to an
intercity bus depot and charges the passenger the
regular transit fare
• Works with Demand Response service
• This works well for small communities with limited
potential.
• Jefferson provides a toll free information number that can
give intercity bus information as well as transit referral
information
• Works best with passengers traveling from the service area
rather than to the service area
Working together in Grand Rapids
Arrowhead provides local service to the Jefferson
Lines Bus Depot
Arrowhead & Jefferson Joint Marketing Campaign
•
•
•
•
•
Paul Bunyan sells tickets and package express
Transit receives a commission
Good cross-promotion of services
Jefferson is on Paul Bunyan’s web site
Paul Bunyan is on Jefferson’s web site
The transit operator provides regular scheduled
service to the closest intercity connection point
• The transit operator provides regular scheduled
service to one or more communities to the closest
intercity connection point
• The passenger travels on one interline ticket
• The transit operator shares revenue on the interline
ticket
• Works best when population exceeds 10,000 or the
scheduled service also serves other needs
• Transit operator has a sponsored membership in
National Bus Traffic Association
New Interline Service from Morris, Starbuck and Glenwood to Alexandria
Pierre, SD Population: 13,500
Pierre, South Dakota
River City Transit
• Sells bus tickets and package express and
receives a commission
• Operates interline feeder service from Pierre
to Vivian on Highway 90 – shares revenue
• Operates demand response from 13 counties
into Pierre – charges transit fare
• Adding a new interline service from Pierre to
Bismarck – will share revenue
Critical Elements of Success
• Community based marketing plan tailored to
the area
• Local Commitment to Project
• When did the community have intercity bus
service?
• Intercity Marketing of the transit connection
Marketing tailored to the community
Media release
Newspaper and radio ads
Community website link to Jefferson Lines
Brochure and poster distribution to colleges,
grocery stores, medical offices, veteran and
social services
• On the transit bus brochures or ads
•
•
•
•