As the sidebar on the benefits of public transportation describes, improving public transportation opportunities in a community can significantly increase energy efficiency and liveability. However, this can also be one of the most difficult things for a community to tackle in a proactive way, since most municipalities in BC share responsibility for it with BC Transit.
The BC Transit Municipal Systems Program administers transit planning and funding for all systems outside Victoria and the Lower Mainland. Through this program, BC Transit partners with local communities to provide a level of service that balances the needs of various stakeholders.
Quesnel's experience shows that a community can be very much an active partner in this relationship.
The City of Quesnel is currently served only by a 'para-transport' system that is primarily aimed at people with specific (mostly ambulatory) needs.
However, largely through the enthusiasm and commitment of one member (see sidebar on Political Leadership), Quesnel Council recognized the key role improved transit could play in enhancing air quality and meeting other objectives. The City advised BC Transit of recent changes to its transportation needs, and invited it to assess potential public transportation options. Following a feasibility study by BC Transit, Council and BC Transit agreed to initiate a new, expanded transportation system.
Communities elsewhere in BC can similarly assume responsibility for alerting BC Transit to their changing needs. In this section, we summarize the kind of information BC Transit looks for in assessing the viability of a public transport system in a smaller community, with the intention of empowering local people to monitor these local indicators themselves.
BC Transit works with communities to develop an appropriate level of service. In performing a transit feasibility study, BC transit follows a relatively predetermined procedure of the following logical steps:
Local communities can assume a proactive role in their relationship with BC Transit by using their local knowledge to keep abreast of developments in the first activity (identifying perceived local transport objectives) and the fourth (examining potential transit markets).
BC Transit uses a variety of sources to assess the public transportation needs of the communities in its jurisdiction on an ongoing basis. For example, it uses statistical data generated by BC Stats to estimate the potential demand for each demographic group in each community.
However, as Mike Doyle's experience has shown, local people are best placed to understand the specific situations behind the statistics and so pick up on local needs before an external agency. In this section we draw from the BC Transit study prepared for the City of Quesnel to highlight the issues communities may wish to be alert to.
In performing a market analysis, BC Transit typically looks at the transport requirements of the community from the perspective of the following groups (Persons with a disability are also considered a specific target group by BC Transit because of their need for special services. However, these needs cannot be generalized in the same way as the others because they incorporates people of all ages):
Unsurprisingly, each group has distinctive needs and patterns of transit use that are fairly consistent across communities. Significant changes in the local transportation situation of any of the following groups should be raised with BC Transit. By taking note of these local indicators, communities can begin to assume a proactive relationship with their public transport provider.
This group typically has limited transportation options, other than walking or cycling, and so is potentially a captive market for transit. Essentially a commuter market to and from school, other main uses include weekday afternoons and weekends to central areas. Transit's main strategies to maximize ridership in this group are to offer fixed schedule/route services to and from school, and central areas on weekday afternoons and weekends.
Possible indicators of changing transit needs in this group may therefore include the following:
Establishing ridership at this stage will increase likelihood of transit use in later life.
This group is again a potentially relatively captive market for transit, though many typically rely on family and friends for most transportation. This group tends to make multiple trips for a variety of personal errands; evening ridership higher than for youths. College students have commuting needs that may not conform to typical peak periods. Transit's strategies to capture this group therefore include include offering fixed schedule/route services to and from college, possible evening services, and consistent, moderately frequent fixed-route service during weekday business hours.
Possible indicators of changing transit needs in this group may therefore include the following:
Adults are most likely to own a private car. Some do not, however, and typically have same needs as young adults. Some also choose not to use private car, for a variety of reasons. Adults will typically need transport for commuting, as well as during evenings and on weekends to core areas.
Adults might best be attracted to transit by offering fixed-route, fixed-schedule commuter service, consistent, moderately frequent fixed-route service during weekday business hours and possibly an evening service. Transit can also work with employers to create a 'Travel Options' strategy to reduce single occupancy vehicle use and peak time congestion.
Possible indicators of changing transit needs in this group may therefore include the following:
Non-driving seniors are again a relatively captive market for transit, who tend to be midday riders. BC Transit tries to encourage multiple trips in a day, thereby giving passengers more ability to independently arrange their days and trip plans. A fixed-route, fixed-schedule service that offers consistent midday service and 'personal' service will appeal to a broad base of seniors.
Possible indicators of changing transit needs in this group may therefore include the following:
(Source: BC Transit)
Reduced Infrastructure and Congestion Costs
Increasing automobile numbers bring with them a number of direct costs to the community. These include:
If some of the growth in automobile traffic, particularly at peak travel times, can be diverted to transit, significant savings can be realized.
Reduced Environmental Costs
An average transit trip results in significantly less energy use and pollution production per person than the same trip made by private automobile. Transit trips also require less land consumption since the same number of people can be carried on less road space and there are reduced parking requirements.
Community Development
Community transportation systems support and promote numerous aspects of economic and social development, including:
Improved Mobility and Accessibility
Transit provides mobility to many people who do not have access to other modes of travel due to age, disability, or income.
Independent Living Transit provides the elderly and disabled, as well as those unable to drive for other reasons, freedom to travel without relying on others.