Cost Benefit Analysis of Proof of Payment (POP) Off Board Fare Collection for Bus Systems-Westchester County
This project will consist of an analysis of proof of payment (POP) off board fare collection for bus systems and identify an appropriate model for the Westchester County Bee-Line system on the Route 20/21, which travels in the Central Avenue Corridor from the Bronx to White Plains, New York.
As ridership has grown on the Route 20/21, more service has been added and running times have lengthened, resulting in increased operating costs. Reducing the time it takes to collect fares on bus systems shortens bus travel times and reduces the number of vehicles required to provide the same level of service. This can reduce operating costs and allow bus systems to provide more service with the same resources.
Key tasks include:
- A literature review of existing POP off board fare collection systems for bus systems. Particular areas of interest include reductions in dwell times, increases in speeds, costs of implementing the systems, reductions in operating costs, enforcement issues and impacts of fare evasion.
- Recommendation of a POP off board fare collection system for the Bee-Line system, including transit fare inspector staffing and scheduling, appropriate outreach and education and other factors needed for a successful POP system.
- Preparation of a Final Report summarizing the findings of Tasks 1 and 2.
Customer Perceptions of Select Bus Service Enhancements -NYCDOT
From 2008-2013, NYCDOT has partnered with MTA New York City Transit to implement Select Bus Service – a form of Bus Rapid Transit – on six routes around New York City. The overall results of these services are well documented, with buses traveling about 20% faster, and ridership increasing about 10%. This 9/11 Fellow would look at Select Bus Service from the rider perspective, determining how bus riders perceive different elements of Select Bus Service, including bus lanes, longer stop spacing, bus bulbs (enhanced stations), and real time passenger information, to understand how these different elements affect rider decision-making, including potential effects on travel mode choice and frequency of trips. The fellow would also do an analysis of how these elements affect bus operations, in order to compare perceptions of riders with the on-street results. The end product of this study will help NYCDOT and NYCT design future SBS routes to maximize the elements that most attract new riders to the service.
Evaluation of NYMTC’s Public Involvement Plan -NYMTC
Under federal planning regulations, NYMTC is required to maintain and periodically evaluate its Public Involvement Plan. This project will design and execute an evaluation of the plan, resulting in a report and recommendation for plan revisions.
Regional Bicycle – Pedestrian Handbook -NYMTC
The project would be to create a Regional Bike Ped Handbook that would illustrate successful projects in the NYMTC area that enhance mobility, safety, sustainability, and economic development. The basic concept would be to define the improvement strategies, provide the research on what is working, illustrate successful regional projects, describe the fund sources that were used, and possibly to describe how the project was conceived and the path to construction. The examples would be balanced to include the entire NYMTC area. So it would be a type of catalog that planners could use for reference when they are developing projects and applying for funding.