Unlimited Access
Jeffrey Brown
Daniel B. Hess
Donald Shoup
Institute of Transportation Studies
US Transit Ridership
• Some foreign cities have more transit
ridership than all U.S. systems combined
• Riders now occupy only 27% of available
seats on public transit
• Service improvements to attract new
riders have been disappointing and costly
What is Unlimited Access?
• Students present university ID to board
public transit
• A transit ride to campus or anywhere
else is free at any time everyday
• The university pays the transit agency
for student rides
35 Unlimited Access Programs
• 61 ¢ cents per
ride
• 50 rides per
person per year
• $30 per person
per year
Why is Unlimited Access So Cheap?
• Universities buy at the pass rate
• Universal coverage avoids adverse
selection
• Uses excess transit capacity
Unlimited Access Fills Empty Seats
Source: Student Response to 1998-1999 CTA U-Pass Program. Chicago Transit Authority.
Who Pays for Unlimited Access?
• 1/3 of universities pay the full cost
• 2/3 of universities require students to
pay some or all of the cost
Students Strongly Support Unlimited Access
In February 1997 students voted 4 to 1 in favor of a transit pass
program, and the program began operation in April of the same
year.
Central Ohio Transit
Authority
The student body reaffirmed their support by voting 15 to 1 in April
1997 to raise student fees to enhance the transit pass program.
University of Colorado at
Boulder
In Spring 1996 student voters approved, with 84% of the votes cast
in support, continuing the transit pass program.
UNLIMITED ACCESS INCREASES STUDENT RIDERSHIP
University
Cal. State. Univ., Sacramento
University of California, Davis
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Univ. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
University of Colorado, Boulder
Year
Began
1992
1990
1996
1989
1990
First-Year Increase in Student Ridership
Fare
Before
After
Change
Elasticity
315,000
587,000
812,000
1,058,000
300,000
537,700
1,054,000
1,653,000
3,102,000
900,000
+ 71 %
+ 79 %
+ 104 %
+ 193 %
+ 200 %
* Subsequent growth rate not available because the program started in 1996.
-0.26
-0.28
-0.34
-0.49
-0.50
Subsequent
Growth
Rate
(%/year)
+2%
+ 10 %
*
+8%
+8%
Unlimited Access Reduces Parking Demand
The philosophy behind starting our program in 1989 was a
cost avoidance measure to keep from building more
campus parking.
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
The bus program has reduced parking demand by about 750
spaces, and has reduced political pressure to expand the
parking supply.
University of Colorado at
Boulder
Unlimited Access Increases Students’ Access
Students love the program. It gives them tremendous freedom at
an acceptable cost.
Marquette University
Students can live in better neighborhoods and get free rides to
the university. They can also get to movies, shows, sports,
and shopping.
University of Pittsburgh
Unlimited Access Saves Students Money
TABLE 2. FINANCIAL AID BUDGETS FOR UCLA UNDERGRADUATES, 1996-97
Off-Campus Housing
Cost
Books & Supplies
On-Campus Housing
$930
Independent
$930
Parents’ Home
$930
Living
$6,490
$7,101
$1,812
Personal
$1,201
$954
$1,836
$172
$2,007
$2,777
$4,050
$4,050
$4,050
$12,843
$15,042
$11,405
1%
13%
24%
Transportation
Fees
Total Cost
Transportation as
% of Total Cost
Source: “Report on the University of California 1996-97 Cost of Attendance Survey, Appendix J.”
Office of the President, University of California. Oakland, 1997.
Transit Agency Goals
• Increase Transit Ridership at a Low
Marginal Cost
• Improve Transit Service for All Riders
• Improve Public Image by Demonstrating
Willingness to be Innovative
• Foster Town-Gown Links with
University
How Transit Systems Benefit
from Unlimited Access
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increase Total Ridership
More Riders per Bus
Reduce Operating Costs per Ride
Add Vehicle Miles of Service
Reduce Operating Subsidy Per Ride
Reduce Total Operating Subsidy
Examining Transit System Benefits
• Methodology
– Federal Transit Administration’s National
Transit Database
– Before and after data:
•
•
•
•
•
vehicle revenue miles
unlinked passenger trips
passenger miles
annual operating expense
passenger fares
Small Transit System
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and Champaign-Urbana MTD
• Unlimited Access began in 1989
• In 1997-1998, students made 191 rides per
year at a cost of $0.38 per ride
• Unlimited Access rides account for 61% of
all rides on system
Total Ridership
Total Bus Ridership in Champaign-Urbana and the U.S.
7,000
10
6,000
U.S. Transit Systems
5,000
8
4,000
6
3,000
4
Champaign-Urbana M TD
2
2,000
Before Unlimited Access
After Unlimited Access (1989)
1,000
National Average
0
1981
0
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Total Bus Ridership (millions)
U.S. Transit Systems
Total Bus Ridership (millions)
Champaign-Urbana MTD
12
Riders per Bus
Riders per Bus in Champaign-Urbana and the U.S.
20
Riders per Bus
15
U.S. Transit Systems
10
Champaign-Urbana M TD
5
Before Unlimited Access
U.S. - Bus
After Unlimited Access (1989)
0
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Vehicle Miles of Service
Vehicle Miles of Service in Champaign-Urbana and the U.S.
(million vehicle revenue miles per year)
2,500
Champaign-Urbana MTD
2,000
2
U.S. Transit Systems
1,500
1,000
1
Before Unlimited Access
After Unlimited Access (1989)
500
National Average
0
1981
0
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Vehicle Miles of Service (millions)
U.S. Transit Systems
Vehicle Miles of Service (millions)
Champaign-Urbana MTD
3
Operating Cost per Ride
Operating Cost per Bus Ride in Champaign-Urbana
and the U.S. (1999$)
Operating Cost per Bus Ride
$ 5.00
U.S. Transit Systems
$ 4.00
$ 3.00
$ 2.00
Champaign-Urbana M TD
$ 1.00
Before Unlimited Access
Bus Only U.S.
After Unlimited Access (1989)
$ 0.00
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Large Transit System
• University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
(1994) and Marquette University (1995)
have Unlimited Access programs with the
Milwaukee County Transit System
• In 1997-1998, students made 114 rides per
year at a cost of $0.54 per ride
• Unlimited Access rides account for 3% of
all rides on system
Total Ridership
Total Bus Ridership in Milwaukee and the U.S.
7,000
6,000
80
U.S. Transit Systems
60
5,000
4,000
M ilwaukee Co unty Transit Sysetm
3,000
40
2,000
20
Before Unlimited Access
After Unlimited Access (1994, 1995)
National Average
1,000
0
1981
0
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Total Bus Ridership (millions)
U.S. Transit Systems
Total Bus Ridership (millions)
Milwaukee County Transit System
100
Riders per Bus
Riders per Bus in Milwaukee and the U.S.
20
Riders per Bus
15
U.S. B us Transit Systems
10
M ilwaukee Co unty Transit System
5
Before Unlimited Access
After Unlimited Access (1994, 1995)
0
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Operating Cost per Ride
Operating Cost per Bus Ride in Milwaukee
and the U.S. (1999$)
Operating Cost per Bus Ride
$ 5.00
$ 4.00
U.S. Transit Systems
$ 3.00
$ 2.00
M ilwaukee Co unty Transit System
$ 1.00
Before Unlimited Access
After Unlimited Access (1994, 1995)
$ 0.00
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Why Don’t More Universities and Transit
Agencies Offer Unlimited Access?
• More universities add Unlimited Access every year
– Since our study year (1997/98) 6 to 8 programs have
begun, plus the Chicago U-Pass program (20 colleges)
• Many have not heard of Unlimited Access
– failure to innovate, be creative
• Unlimited Access has high start-up costs
– overcome tremendous resistance
– hard work and careful negotiation
BruinGO
Institute of Transportation Studies
Top-Ranked Bus Transit Systems in U.S., 1997
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Santa Monica
Champaign-Urbana
Unlimited Access
Tucson
Santa Barbara
Unlimited Access (2 programs)
Milwaukee
Unlimited Access (2 programs)
Method: Each system’s ranking was determined by comparing its
performance against national averages for 12 different measures.
Source: Hartgen, David T. Comparative Performance of Major U.S. Bus Transit Systems. Charlotte, N.C.: Center for Interdisciplinary Studies,
University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Goals of BruinGO
• Increase public transit ridership to campus
• Reduce vehicle trips to campus
• Reduce parking demand on campus
Preliminary Results
• Faculty and Staff:
– Transit ridership to campus increased by 73%
– Vehicle trips to campus fell by 6%
– 828 fewer vehicle trips to campus per day
– Campus parking demand reduced by 828 spaces
How Does it Work?
• All UCLA students, faculty,
and staff are eligible
• Riders swipe UCLA ID card
through electronic farebox
• Riders can use the Blue Bus
on any line, day or night, in
any direction
Cost of BruinGO
Walk Share Increased
“Both my husband and I work on the UCLA campus.
Although we have a parking permit, we ‘walk and
swipe’ to work several times a week. While we
have the parking space, we use it less because of
the ability to use the bus.”
Cost of BruinGO
$ 0.45 per ride x 1.5 million rides
$ 673,000 total for first-year pilot program
$10 per person
Benefits of BruinGO
• Reduced parking demand
• Reduced vehicle travel
• Reduced vehicle emissions
• Savings for students, faculty, and staff
Daily Transit and Vehicle Trips
UCLA Faculty and Staff
Before
BruinGO
After
BruinGO
Change
%
Change
Transit Trips
1,656
2,871
+ 1,215
+ 73 %
Vehicle Trips
14,499
13,671
- 828
-6%
Reduced Parking Demand
• Reduces parking demand by 828 parking spaces
• 828 spaces x $2,517 per space = $2,085,000
“I love BruinGO. I gave up my parking permit because of it.”
“I never plan to apply for a parking permit again.”
“I mothballed my car and take the bus to school every day.”
Reduced Vehicle Travel
• BruinGO eliminated 273,000 faculty and staff
vehicle trip to campus
• 273,000 trips x 8.8 miles per trip = 2.4 million VMT
“Its about time that LA and its universities started to take some
responsibility for the horrendous traffic problems.”
“My car now sits in my driveway for weeks on end because I don’t
need it.”
Reduced Vehicle Emissions
• 42,000 fewer pounds of CO
• 3,018,400 fewer pounds of CO2
• 3,800 fewer pounds of Nox
• 5,100 fewer pounds of ROG
“Students contribute to a healthier Los Angeles and we aid the
community with this simple innovation that reduces pollution.”
“I feel good about not driving to campus and thereby conserving
natural resources.”
Reduced Fare Payments
• UCLA paid $ 673,000 for 1.5 million bus rides
• This subsidy is a direct benefit for riders
“I love the BruinGO program. I have like 700 bucks total … no
kidding … and the BruinGO program is like my lifeline.”
“I save about $10 weekly getting back and forth from school. $40 a
month buys a lot of groceries.”
“I know $1 a day doesn’t seem like a lot, but being able to ride free
means I can put the $25 I save per month to other things like
schoolbooks.”
Comparing the Benefits and Costs
• Total benefits: $ 3,252,000 (reduced fares, reduced
emissions, reduced congestion, reduced parking demand)
• Total costs: $ 673,000
• Benefit/cost ratio: 4.8
“BruinGO is one of the smartest things UCLA has done in years.”
“Its wonderful to have ‘free’ transportation.”
“BruinGO makes me feel proud to be a Bruin.”
Benefits and Costs of BruinGO
WHO RECEIVES THE BENEFITS?
Total Benefits = $ 3,252,000
(reduced fares, reduced emissions,
reduced congestion, reduced parking demand)
Students
26%
WHO PAYS THE COST?
Total Cost = $ 673,000
(UCLA payments to the Blue Bus)
Non-UCLA
50%
Students
17%
Non-UCLA
54%
Faculty and Staff
22%
UCLA Departments
2%
Faculty and Staff
25%
UCLA Departments
4%
Conclusion
BruinGO is
• a successful transportation policy
• a creative financial aid program
Conclusion
• Nearly 3/4 of all seats on public transit are
empty
• Unlimited Access is a creative, low-cost way
to take advantage of excess capacity
• Unlimited Access improves students’ mobility
• Unlimited Access reduces vehicle trips
• Unlimited Access benefits students,
universities, transit systems, and communities