Bus Riders Union of Austin, Texas | El Sindicato de Pasajeros

Free Fare Demonstration

Project Review
(April - June 1990)

By Capital Metro

-MEMORANDUM-
TO:	Chairperson and Members of the Board of Directors
FROM:	Anthony M. Kouneski, General Manager
DATE:	August 7, 1990
SUBJECT:	Free Fare Demonstration Project Review (April - June 1990)

 

Please find attached an evaluation of the third three months (April - June 1990) of the Free Fare Demonstration Project. The format of this report follows that established for two previous reports which you have received.

If you would like additional information, please let me know.

Thank you.

TMK:HG/pm

Attachment

 

FREE FARE DEMONSTRATION
PROJECT REVIEW
April - June 1990

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ridership Trends
Average Weekday Ridership	Page 1
Performance Indicators
Passengers per Revenue Hour	Page 1
Passengers per Revenue Mile	Page 3
Cost per Vehicle Mile	Page 3
Cost per Vehicle Hour	Page 3
Cost per Passenger	Page 4
Cost per Revenue Hour	Page 4
Cost per Revenue Mile	Page 4
Information Calls/Passenger Complaints
Information Calls	Page 6
Complaints Received	Page 6
Ratio of Complaints/1,000 Passengers	Page 6
Percentage Breakdown of Complaints	Page 8
Security Incidents/Passenger Accidents
Summary of Security Incidents	Page 9
Ratio of Passenger Accidents/1,000,000 Riders	Page 10
Ratio of Vehicular Accidents/100,000 Miles	Page 12
Ratio of Passenger Accidents/100,000 Miles	Page 14
Public Opinion
Results of Free Fare Public Hearing	Page 16

 

FREE FARE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
SECOND QUARTER REVIEW
JANUARY - MARCH 1990

 

RIDERSHIP TRENDS

Average Weekday Ridership
(less STS and UT Shuttle)

Month	Ridership	Percent Change
April 1990	77,215	+ 83.4%
April 1989	42,107
May 1990	76,265	+ 76.3%
May 1989	43,256
June 1990	77,962	+ 84.8%
June 1989	42,179
April - June 1990	77,147	+ 81.4%
April - June 1989	42,514

 

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Passengers per Revenue Hour
(less STS and UT Shuttle)

Month	Passengers	Percent Change
April 1990	47.11	+ 86.6%
April 1989	25.25
May 1990	45.06	+74.9%
May 1989	25.77
June 1990	43.99	+74.9%
June 1989	25.15
April - June 1990	45.39	+ 78.8%
April - June 1989	25.39

Average Weekday Ridership

 

Passengers per Revenue Mile
(less STS and UT Shuttle)

Month	Passengers	Percent Change
April 1990	3.11	+ 80.8%
April 1989	1.72
May 1990	3.03	+ 73.17%
May 1989	1.75
June 1990	3.00	+ 75.4%
June 1989	1.71
April - June 1990	3.05	+ 76.3%
April - June 1989	1.73

 

Cost Per Vehicle Mile
(less UT)

Month	Cost	Percent Change
April 1990	2.78	+ 0.77%
April 1989	2.80
May 1990	3.38	+ 9.77%
May 1989	3.08
June 1990	2.73	- 11.4%
June 1989	3.06
April - June 1990	2.96	- 0.8%
April - June 1989	2.98

 

Cost Per Vehicle Hour
(less UT)

Month	Cost	Percent Change
April 1990	42.56	+ 4.7%
April 1989	40.66
May 1990	51.07	+ 14.%
May 1989	44.65
June 1990	40.32	- 9.0%
June 1989	44.29
April - June 1990	44.65	+ 3.4%
April - June 1989	43.20

 

Cost Per Passenger
(less UT)

Month	Cost	Percent Change
April 1990	1.36	- 43.6%
April 1989	2.41
May 1990	1.70	- 34.6%
May 1989	2.60
June 1990	1.33	- 49.0%
June 1989	2.61
April - June 1990	1.46	- 42.4%
April - June 1989	2.59

 

Cost Per Revenue Hour
(less UT)

Month	Cost	Percent Change
April 1990	51.47	+ 5.6%
April 1989	48.73
May 1990	61.53	+ 15.2%
May 1989	53.39
June 1990	47.97	- 9.3%
June 1989	52.88
April - June 1990	53.66	+ 3.9%
April - June 1989	51.67

 

Cost Per Revenue Mile
(less UT)

Month	Cost	Percent Change
April 1990	3.20	- 0.6%
April 1989	3.22
May 1990	3.87	+ 9.3%
May 1989	3.54
June 1990	3.10	- 11.9%
June 1989	3.52
April - June 1990	3.39	- 1.2%
April - June 1989	3.43

Cost Per Passenger

 

INFORMATION CALLS/PASSENGER COMPLAINTS

Information Calls (474-1200)

Month	Calls Handled	Percent Change
April 1990	63,601	+ 48.0%
April 1989	43,033
May 1990	69,795	+ 46.0%
May 1989	47,912
June 1990	81,047	+ 53.0%
June 1989	52,592
April - June 1990	214,443	+ 49.0%
April - June 1989	143,897

 

Complaints Received

Month	No. of Complaints	Percent Change
April 1990	761	+ 19.0%
April 1989	641
May 1990	678	+ 41.0%
May 1989	481
June 1990	808	+ 78.0%
June 1989	454
April - June 1990	2,247	+ 43.0%
April - June 1989	1,576

 

Ratio of Complaints per 1,000 Passengers

Month	# Complaints	Ridership	Complaints/1,000 Riders
April - June 1990	2,247	5,875,195	.382 / 1000
April - June 1989	1,576	3,252,449	.485 / 1000

Information Calls (474-1200)

 

Percentage Breakdown of Complaints

10 Most Frequent Categories

April - June 1990

April - June 1990

 

SECURITY INCIDENTS

An increase in security incidents was reported during the third three months of the Free Fare Program. A major contributing factor to the increase in incidents was due to the beginning of summer vacation for all levels of school age children. However, due to continuing incidents, security staffing has been increased - particularly in areas where special attention is required. In response, the security program has been revised to meet these changing conditions. Coverage has been increased on weekend nights. A detail has been established at the North Lamar Transit Center to closely monitor suspected gang activities at this 1ocation. A summary of reported security incidents is provided below:

Type of Incident	Oct - Dec 1989	Jan - March 1990	April - June 1990
Rocks or other objects thrown	26	19	24
Disputes between passengers with no injuries and disputes between passengers with injuries	32	22	38
Operator assaults with no injuries	6	3	2
Operator assaults with injuries	1	2	4
Operators verbally abused	15	26	31
Intoxicated passengers	21	29	69
Vandalism on buses	13	6	8
Weapons on buses	6	5	2
Other	0	0	15
TOTAL	120	119	193

 

CAPITAL METRO
PSGR. ACCIDENTS PER 1,000,000 PSGRS.
1986 THROUGH 1989

 

PASSENGER ACCIDENTS
PER 1,000,000 PASSENGERS

1990 Budget: 11.5

Definition: Passenger type accidents involving revenue vehicles (per 1,000,000 vehicles)

CURRENT MONTH				YEAR-TO-DATE
	1990 Actual #	1990 Actual %	1989 Actual %		1990 Actual #	1990 Actual %	1989 Actual %
JAN	18	10.0	20.4		18	10.0	20.4
FEB	21	12.4	13.7		39	11.1	17.2
MAR	27	14.2	15.5		66	12.2	16.8
APR	21	11.7	15.0		87	12.1	16.3
MAY	18	9.5	18.5		105	11.5	17.1
JUN	10	5.4	26.5		115	10.5	18.4
JUL			19.0				18.5
AUG			21.8				19.0
SEP			19.1				18.9
OCT			11.1				17.7
NOV			12.4				17.1
DEC			10.7				16.3

 

CAPITAL METRO
VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS PER 100,000 MILES
1985 THROUGH 1989

 

TOTAL VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS
PER 100,000 MILES

 

1990 Budget: 3.2

Definition: Collision type accidents involving revenue vehicles

CURRENT MONTH				YEAR-TO-DATE
	1990 Actual #	1990 Actual %	1989 Actual %		1990 Actual #	1990 Actual %	1989 Actual %
JAN	28	3.8	2.8		28	3.8	2.8
FEB	17	2.5	4.4		45	3.2	3.6
MAR	19	2.4	2.3		64	2.8	3.2
APR	25	3.2	3.7		89	3.0	3.5
MAY	18	2.3	4.1		107	2.8	4.1
JUN	22	2.8	3.1		129	2.8	3.5
JUL			3.2				3.3
AUG			3.4				3.4
SEP			4.0				3.4
OCT			3.7				3.5
NOV			2.4				3.4
DEC			3.5				3.4

 

CAPITAL METRO
PASSENGER ACCIDENTS PER 100,000 MILES
1986 THROUGH 1989

 

PASSENGER ACCIDENTS
PER 100,000 MILES

 

1990 Budget: 2.4

Definition: Passenger type accidents involving revenue vehicles (per 100,000 miles)

CURRENT MONTH				YEAR-TO-DATE
	1990 Actual #	1990 Actual %	1989 Actual %		1990 Actual #	1990 Actual %	1989 Actual %
JAN	18	2.4	2.7		18	2.4	2.7
FEB	21	3.1	1.7		39	2.8	2.2
MAR	27	3.4	2.2		66	3.0	2.2
APR	21	2.7	2.2		87	2.9	2.2
MAY	18	2.3	2.7		105	2.8	2.3
JUN	10	1.3	3.6		115	2.5	2.5
JUL			2.5				2.5
AUG			3.2				2.6
SEP			3.0				3.0
OCT			2.6				2.6
NOV			2.7				2.6
DEC			2.1				2.6

 

FREE FARE PUBLIC HEARING

On Monday, April 30, a public hearing on the Free Fare Demonstration Program was held in the Capital Metro Board Room. The hearing was publicized through newspaper and radio advertisements, passenger notices, postings on buses, a public (newspaper) notice and distribution of a press release.

Forty-five people attended the meeting, with 31 of those people speaking before the Board. Seventeen speakers supported continuation of free fares, while 12 speakers advocated reinstituting fares before the end of 1990. (Two speakers spoke on other unrelated matters.)

Twenty of the 31 speakers stressed the importance of effective security measures. Seven speakers referred to truancy and other problems related to young riders. Other issues mentioned operators, buses running off schedule, the need to maintain service quality and the value of maximizing revenues through the collection of fares.

Seven speakers asked the Board to consider reduced fares and/or substantially reduced pass prices should fares be reintroduced. Two speakers asked that fares be waived for selected groups such as individuals with low incomes.

A petition, signed by 215 bus operators, was presented at the meeting. It called for reinstatement of fares as soon as possible. The petition cited "an increase in attacks and incidents on all Capital Metro buses, causing undue stress and delays to both passengers and bus operators".

Summary

Based on marketing surveys conducted at the beginning of this period, the public hearing, and input received through the Passenger Assistance Center, there appeared to be support for continuation of free fares through 1990. However, there was also considerable support for increased security measures.

In response, staff has undertaken the following actions: Uniformed security patrols now provide mobile, on-demand coverage of the service area 165 hours per week. In addition, these services have been augmented with undercover officers 60 hours per week. Another 30 hours per week is dedicated to the N. Lamar Transit Center. The undercover activity is aimed at deterring problems on the buses through uncertainty. All services are provided between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and 12;00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. Finally, specific problem areas are handled with additional coverage as determined by input from operators and concerned patrons.

Attachment	Size
farefreequarterly_aprjune1990.pdf	802.66 KB