MPOs and Transit Systems Meet to Discuss Funding Scenarios

Just like the riders who use transit, the population of North Carolina is on the move. New residents are moving to the state, and others are moving between cities and towns, resulting in a shift in the state’s population. These changes were reflected in the 2010 census, which determined that more areas in the state were now identified as “urban,” meaning that they have a population of at least 50,000. Thirty six additional areas in the country are now classified as urban.

According to the Federal Transit Administration, this change will have a significant effect on funding formula allocations. Metropolitan Planning Organizations that allocated funding to one urban transit system in their area may find themselves with multiple systems now eligible for federal funding. To prepare for these cha

nges and others under MAP-21, the N.C. Department of Transportation Public Transportation Division recently brought together MPOs and urban transit systems together for a day of discussion and planning to make sure that no matter what the future brings, they are prepared to serve the riders who depend on public transportation.

Representatives from FTA began the day-long session with an overview of population changes, funding programs that would be impacted and guidance on receiving FTA funding. Speakers including NCDOT Transportation Planning Branch Manager Mike Bruff provided the group with a background of MPOs, their purpose, and what their duties and responsibilities are. Kai Monast with the N.C. State Institute for Transportation Research and Education then divided the audience in to groups with other systems and MPOs from areas different from their own for a mock exercise. Each group was presented with three scenarios and had to work together to create a consensus among all group participants.

Best practices were then shared from systems and MPOs currently working with their regions. The randomly organized groups continued to work on allocation exercises before ultimately returning to their regional groups to participate in the same exercise they had just performed in their random groups. The day rounded out with discussions about why MPOs should take an active role in their regions, and how MPOs and regions can get out in front of the coming changes. Presentations can be found online here under the “Conferences and Workshops” heading.

Greensboro Transit Authority takes top prizes at North Carolina Public Transportation Association Roadeo

By Greensboro Transit Authority Strategic Information Specialist Kevin Elwood

Congratulations to Greensboro Transit Authority operators who participated and placed in the 2014 North Carolina Public Transportation Association Bus Roadeo in Charlotte April 4-6. 

The team brought home first place in Overall Bus, beating competing teams from Charlotte, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem and more. In individual categories, GTA Operator Nate Love took first in Bus while SCAT Operator Cornell Starks captured first in Light Transit Vehicle. Also competing for Greensboro were operators Robin Dillon, Stephanie Hartgrove, Bonita Hunt and Dexter Vines. 

The annual competition allows bus operators from across North Carolina to showcase their driving skills, knowledge and appearance. The Roadeo is held annually in conjunction with the North Carolina Public Transportation Association Annual Training Conference.

Automatic Passenger Counter User Group Meeting

Accurately recording ridership data is a necessity for any public transportation system. By keeping an up-to-date and reliable record of ridership data, such as how many riders use a particular route and at what dates and times, systems can better plan route schedules and make the best decisions when developing transit plans for the needs of their communities. Several North Carolina urban systems met with other organizations earlier this year to discuss APCs and how they could benefit their services.

In February, Capital Area Transit in Raleigh hosted their annual meeting for North Carolina’s users of Automatic Passenger Counter technology. APC technology uses infrared beams to record boarding and departures at fixed-route bus stops. 

The meeting included representatives from eleven North Carolina urban fixed-route transit systems, the APC vendor – Urban Transit Associates of Cincinnati, OH, the N.C. State University Institute for Transportation Research and Education, and the N.C. Department of Transportation. During the meeting, the group discussed innovative practices in service planning and reporting using APC data.

The meeting was organized into the following four categories:

1.       Analyzing APC data to provide value to transit users;

2.       Successful methods for maintaining APC technology;

3.       How to use APC data for required annual reporting; and

4.       Best practices in collecting and analyzing APC information.

Each session consisted of up to five presentations, where experts shared their insights among the group. The presentation concluded with questions and discussion. The attendees left the meeting energized and excited to apply their new knowledge to improving transit service in their communities.

In order to get approval for using APCs, transit agencies must notify the Federal Transit Administration of when they plan to start using these systems, develop a plan to maintain the system, conduct approximately six months of testing to compare manual counts with counts from APCs and then finally compile their findings in a report.  

The NCDOT Public Transportation Division awards grant funds to local public transportation systems. These grants enable systems to provide people in all 100 counties access to education, job opportunities and health care.

For more information on grant programs through the Public Transportation Division of NCDOT, as well as transit systems that serve the public throughout the state, visit www.ncdot.gov/nctransit.

North Carolina Public Transportation Ridership on Rise – Systems Adjusting to Meet Rider Needs and Changes in Funding

North Carolina is growing. New residents are coming, and companies are seeing the many benefits of locating in our state. These factors, combined with others such as an aging population, are just some of many reasons why motorists are looking for other ways to get around besides driving their personal cars. One option more and more drivers are turning to is public transportation.

North Carolina’s 99 public transportation systems serving all 100 counties of the state have seen a steady increase in ridership during the last 10 years. During Fiscal Year 2013, (June 30, 2012 – July 1, 2013) more than 77 million trips were made on North Carolina public transportation systems, compared to more than 73 million in FY 2011. Ridership has increased steadily on urban-area transit systems in recent years. These fixed-route systems carried almost one million more passengers in FY 2013 than in FY 2009, an increase of 15 percent. Passengers per-hour and passengers per-mile also increased by 15 and 16 percent, respectively, while administrative and operating expenses increased by a modest two percent during this time period.

Although ridership has been increasing on urban systems, rural systems have seen a slight decrease in ridership – two percent since FY 2012. Despite this decrease, the increase in ridership on urban systems has been large enough to bring overall ridership statewide up. While there is no specific reason for the decrease in rural ridership, research from the N.C. State University Institute for Transportation Research and Education shows that it could potentially be due to reductions in funding, resulting in the elimination of some services among systems. Also, increases in Medicaid-funded trips on 34 percent of rural systems have made up for losses on the remaining majority of rural systems.

With most rural transit riders being dependent on public transportation, systems are looking at ways to maintain service despite reductions in funding. Several rural transit systems are shifting away from demand-response service, and are beginning to offer structured services, such as fixed routes, which are more cost effective and more efficient to operate than demand-response.

“On our deviated fixed routes we are able to more efficiently service a higher number of riders than on our more costly door-to-door routes,” said Kerr Area TransportationAuthority Executive Director Rob Brink.

In another effort to maintain services, rural systems are also beginning to utilize more federal funding sources in addition to traditional state funding.  Total federal funds have increased 67 percent since FY 2009, while state-funded section 5311 funds have increased 15 percent during the same time period.

“Our transit systems in North Carolina are continuing to grow their business by being creative in how they look for new resources and partners to fund new services,” said NCDOT Public Transportation Division Director Debbie Collins “This is vital to their ability to sustain existing service levels and continue to grow.”

Initiatives like these, along with others such as regionalization of rural transit systems, and continued planning work with local metropolitan planning organizations and rural planning organizations, will enable transit systems to continue to serve the needs of their riders and communities.

About N.C. Public Transportation

Public transportation systems provide a safe, cost-effective and environmentally friendly option for residents who cannot or choose not to drive. Systems range from small rural systems to large urban systems, as well as the LYNX light rail in Charlotte and intercity bus routes. NCDOT’s Public Transportation Division also coordinates intercity bus transportation with Greyhound and Horizon Coach Lines, as well as vanpool service with systems in the urban areas of the state.

NCDOT’s Public Transportation Division works directly with these systems to foster the development of intercity, urban and rural public transportation in North Carolina. The division awards grant funds to local public transportation systems, enabling them to provide people in all 100 counties access to education, job opportunities and health care.

Mecklenburg County Transportation Driver to The Rescue

Vehicle drivers are the outward face of public transportation systems. Not only do they pick up and drop off riders at various locations throughout the day, their riders depend on them for their day-to-day needs – whether that be going to the grocery store, being taken to work or arriving at a doctor’s appointment. Being out in the community can bring challenges and unexpected situations at any time. For one driver in Mecklenburg County, her quick actions meant the difference between life and death for a local resident.

On the morning of January 9, Mecklenburg Transit System driver Elloree Massey was on her daily route when she noticed an elderly man on the railroad tracks of Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte. Massey saw the safety arms drop on the railroad track as the train was getting closer.

She said she had the choice to “watch him get hurt or try to help.” Massey immediately hopped out of her van and quickly coached the man to safety just before the locomotive passed. The entire scare was capture on the dash cam video of Massey’s MTS vehicle. On Tuesday, March 18, Massey was recognized by the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners for her act of heroism.

For more information, watch this video by Mecklenburg County Government.

The Mecklenburg Transportation System provides a variety of transportation services to Mecklenburg County residents.  Most of MTS services are aimed to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, rural transportation for the general public. Through a combination of in house and contracted vendor providers, they are able to provide transportation services seven days a week.