2014 RTD Market   Segmentation Study  Regional Transportation District   

REPORT 

Report  December 31, 2013 

2014 RTD Segmentation Study  Prepared for  Regional Transportation District  1600 Blake Street  Denver, Colorado 80202      Prepared by  BBC Research & Consulting  1999 Broadway, Suite 2200  Denver, Colorado 80202‐9750  303.321.2547  fax 303.399.0448  www.bbcresearch.com  [email protected] 

 

SECTION I. Introduction and Methodology The Regional Transportation District – Denver (RTD) is responsible for providing public transportation services to Denver-area residents.1 RTD operates various transportation services including buses, the Light Rail, Access-a-Ride, Call-n-Ride, the 16th Street Mall Shuttle, SkyRide, and various transit services related to local sporting events. RTD commissioned BBC Research & Consulting (BBC) to conduct a market segmentation study to help define different segments, or groups, of Denver-area residents based on their attitudes toward public transportation and their use of RTD services. RTD would like to use that information to more effectively tailor its future messaging and communications. BBC based the market segmentation study on data from a large-scale survey with Denver-area residents. The study team used the survey to collect information about attitudes toward public transportation, transportation behaviors, communication preferences, demographic characteristics, and other topics. BBC identified segments of Denver-area residents based primarily on their attitudes toward using public transportation and RTD services. The study team then used attitude and other information from the survey to develop detailed descriptions of each segment. The information that BBC provides in this report will allow RTD to better understand current and potential riders and create focused communications that the agency can disseminate to appropriate segments of Denver-area residents.

Methodology BBC conducted telephone surveys with 2,000 Denver-area residents across RTD’s eight-county service area to gather information about their attitudes toward public transportation, their use of RTD services, and other topics. Figure 1 presents the number of survey completes by county.

Survey instrument. BBC worked closely with RTD management and staff to design, revise, and finalize the survey instrument.2 The full survey instrument that BBC used for the study is presented in Appendix A. The survey covered the following topics:  

Transportation behaviors including forms of transportation that participants typically use, RTD services that they used recently, frequency of their RTD use, and why they use or do not use RTD services;

 

Attitudes toward public transportation including participants’ attitudes toward various aspects of public transportation such as safety, comfort, cost, and convenience;

1 RTD’s service area includes Adams County, Arapahoe County, Boulder County, Broomfield County, Denver County, Douglas

County, Jefferson County, and parts of Weld County. 2 The instrument was informed by a survey instrument that The Gilmore Research Group created for a market segmentation

study for TriMet in Portland, Oregon.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 1

Figure 1. Survey completes by county Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

Completes

County Adams County Arapahoe County Boulder County Broomfield County Denver County Douglas County Jefferson County Weld County

336 329 339 35 337 201 332 91 Total

2,000

 

Communication preferences including how participants have recently received information about RTD and how they would prefer to receive such information in the future; and

 

Demographic information including level of education, occupation, household income, familial status, race/ethnicity, age, and gender.

Survey administration. The study team used random-digit dialing to complete 2,000 surveys with a demographically representative random sample of Denver-area residents. The BBC study team conducted surveys in the first half of November 2013. The study team called Denver-area households up to 10 times each on different days of the week and at different times of the day in order to minimize the rate of non-response. The study team reached 16,943 households to complete the 2,000 surveys (response rate of approximately 12%). Approximately 72 percent of those households (12,134) answered the telephone on a landline, and the remaining 28 percent (4,809) answered the telephone on a cellular line. The response rate for landline households (11.4%, or 1,383 survey completes) was lower than that for cellular households (12.8%, or 617 survey completes). On average, the survey took approximately 14 minutes for participants to complete. The telephone surveyor identified RTD as the study sponsor. Participants were not offered an incentive to participate in the survey.

SECTION II. Results BBC analyzed survey results to identify key segments of Denver-area residents. BBC conducted all statistical analysis using STATA 13.0. The study team made determinations of statistical significance using two-tailed tests at the α = .05 level unless noted otherwise.

Key Segments BBC used a cluster analysis to define segments of Denver-area residents based on participants’ responses to questions that assessed their attitudes toward various aspects of public transportation and factors that would affect the likelihood of them using RTD services (specifically, see questions 18 through 39 of the survey instrument). Participants were asked to BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 2

rate the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with a statement about transportation or about RTD services on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicated that they completely disagreed with the statement and 9 indicated that they completely agreed with the statement.

Principal components analysis. Before conducting the cluster analysis, BBC conducted a principal components analysis to examine the underlying structure of the attitude questions and to determine whether any questions should be omitted from the cluster analysis. The study team removed three questions from the cluster analysis, because they did not load on the components identified in the principal components analysis in predictable or intuitively explainable ways:  

I am comfortable driving in a car or other personal vehicle in heavy traffic. (Q31)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I felt that I would receive good value for the cost. (Q37)

 

People who use public transportation are a lot like me. (Q39)

After removing those questions, the study team identified five components from the principal components analysis that it used to organize attitude question results — Safety/Comfort, Car Preference, Cost-Consciousness, Social/Environmental Consciousness, and Efficiency. Appendix B presents detailed results from the principal components analysis.

Cluster analysis. BBC used a k-means cluster analysis in which the study team specified five segments of Denver-area residents based on their responses to the 19 attitude questions that the study team included in the analysis.3 Figure 2 presents mean ratings for each of the 19 attitude questions for each of the five segments that the study team identified in the cluster analysis.4 Figure 3 presents information about the degree to which each segment uses RTD services. The top panel of Figure 3 presents the percentage of each segment that is made up of RTD riders and RTD non-riders. RTD riders are participants who have used revenue-generating RTD services in the past 12 months. RTD non-riders are participants who have not used RTD services in the past 12 months or who have only used the 16th Street Mall Shuttle.5 The middle panel of Figure 3 presents the RTD services that members of each segment reported using in the past 12 months. The bottom panel of Figure 3 presents the percentage of each segment that is made up of Frequent RTD riders and Infrequent RTD riders. Frequent RTD riders are those riders who ride RTD services at least once per week. Infrequent RTD riders are those riders who do not ride any RTD services at least once per week.

3 The study team transformed the data for the 19 questions into z-scores before using them in the cluster analysis to account for between-participant differences in use of the rating scale. For each participant, the study team transformed the rating that he or she gave to each attitude question using the following equation: (x-xm)/σ, where x is the rating for a particular item, xm is the participant’s mean rating across all 19 attitude questions, and σ is the standard deviation of the participant’s ratings across all 19 attitude questions. The study team transformed the data back to raw scores for reporting purposes. 4 When aggregating survey data across participants from different counties, BBC weighted responses to accurately reflect the population of each county. For example, 17 percent of survey respondents were from Arapahoe County, but Arapahoe County residents represent 19 percent of the total population of the eight-county RTD service area. The study team applied a weight of 1.14 to the responses of Arapahoe County participants to appropriately increase their representation in the analysis. 5 The study team considered participants who have only used the 16th Street Mall Shuttle as non-riders, because the 16th Street

Mall Shuttle is free to users and thus is not a revenue-generating service for RTD.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 3

Figure 2. Mean ratings for each attitude question by segment

Attitude questions

Practical Travelers n = 429

No-hassle Travelers n = 415

Segment Car Avid RTD Travelers Users n = 306 n = 484

Conscientious RTD Travelers n = 309

Factor 1: Safety/Comfort Q18 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that I would be safe while waiting for an RTD vehicle. Q19 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I would be safe while riding in an RTD vehicle.

7.4 +

7.7 +

3.7 -

8.0 +

4.5 -

7.4 +

7.5 +

3.7 -

8.1 +

4.0 -

7.3 +

7.8 +

5.6 -

8.0 +

5.4 -

6.6 +

6.5 +

3.8 -

6.9 +

4.6 -

6.4 +

5.6

3.7 -

6.2 +

4.2 -

7.3 +

7.2 +

4.5 -

7.6 +

5.0 -

6.5 +

6.3

5.6 -

6.9 +

5.3 -

Q28 - I would consider riding the Light Rail or RTD shuttles, but I wouldn't consider riding RTD buses.

4.5 +

5.2 +

4.7 +

2.5 -

3.4 -

Q30 - In most circumstances, I prefer driving in a car or other personal vehicle for my transportation needs.

8.0 +

7.8 +

8.5 +

6.0 -

6.4 -

5.8 +

5.4 +

6.7 +

3.4 -

3.1 -

6.7 +

4.6 -

4.4 -

7.0 +

6.1

7.2 +

4.1 -

3.4 -

7.0 +

5.6

7.7 +

2.5 -

3.3 -

7.8 +

6.7 +

3.2 -

4.2

2.8 -

6.1 +

5.9 +

4.1 -

5.2

3.8 -

7.3 +

7.0 +

7.5 +

7.0

4.8 -

7.6 +

6.7

7.0 +

6.7

4.6 -

7.6 +

6.4

Q23 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I didn’t have to transfer to get to my destination.

7.0 +

7.0

4.8 -

7.2 +

6.3

Q24 - When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is getting to my destination as quickly as possible.

8.1 +

7.8

7.9

8.0

7.8

Q20 - When considering my transportation options, one of my main concerns is personal safety. Q25 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I could sit down during the trip. Q26 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that the RTD vehicle wouldn't be crowded. Q27 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that the RTD vehicle would be clean. Q29 - When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is comfort. Factor 2: Car Preference

Q32 - I would only take RTD services if I had no other choice. Factor 3: Cost-Consciousness Q35 - When considering my transportation options, one of my main concerns is cost. Q36 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if they cost less money. Q38 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if my employer or school would pay for at least part of my fare. Factor 4: Social/Environmental Consciousness Q33 - When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is the social impact of my decision on the Denver Metropolitan Area. Q34 - When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is the environmental impact of my decision on the Denver Metropolitan Area. Factor 5: Efficiency Q21 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I would never have to wait more than 10 minutes for a vehicle. Q22 - I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that there was a station or stop closer to me that I didn't have to drive to.

Notes:

+ indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly higher than the value for all other participants considered together. - indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly lower than the value for all other participants considered together.

Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 4

Figure 3. Degree to which individuals use RTD services by segment Segment Practical Travelers n = 429

No-hassle Travelers n = 415

Car Travelers n = 306

Avid RTD Users n = 484

Conscientious RTD Travelers n = 309

67% 33%

53% 47% +

47% 53% +

77% + 23% -

80% + 20% -

35% 47% 43% 1% 2% 5% 3% 5% 7% 25%

18% 40% 34% 2% 3% 6% 4% 5% 6% 38%

21% 34% 30% 1% 0% 4% 2% 4% 4% 45%

52% 47% 50% 3% 4% 8% 5% 11% 12% 17%

+ + -

47% 53% 55% 3% 3% 6% 6% 8% 21% 16%

26% 74%

14% 86% +

40% + 60% -

27% 73%

Riders vs. Non-riders Rider Non-rider RTD services used RTD Buses Light Rail 16th Street Mall Shuttle Call-n-Ride Access-a-Ride BroncosRide RockiesRide BuffRide SkyRide None of these

-

+

+

+ + +

+ + +

+ + -

Frequency of RTD use Frequent RTD riders Infreqent RTD riders Notes:

9% 91% +

+ indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly higher than the value for all other participants considered together. - indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly lower than the value for all other participants considered together.

Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

Based on results from the cluster analysis and on the information presented in Figure 2 and Figure 3, the study team identified the following five segments.

Segment 1 – Practical Travelers (22% of participants). Segment 1 represents “Practical Travelers,” whose transportation decisions are driven by cost, safety, and the efficiency with which they can get to their destinations. Although Practical Travelers prefer traveling by car, they are open to using various forms of public transportation. They are somewhat concerned with comfort when making transportation decisions, but they are relatively unconcerned with the social or environmental impacts of their transportation decisions. Two-thirds of Practical Travelers have used revenue-generating RTD services in the past 12 months. Nearly one-half of them used the Light Rail (47%) and about one-third of them used RTD buses (35%). About one-quarter of Practical Travelers (26%) are considered Frequent RTD riders.

Segment 2 – No-hassle Travelers (21% of participants). Segment 2 represents “No-hassle Travelers,” who are similar to Practical Travelers in terms of their attitudes toward public transportation except that they are unconcerned with cost when making transportation

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 5

decisions. Their transportation decisions are driven primarily by safety, comfort, and the efficiency with which they can get to their destinations. Although No-hassle Travelers prefer traveling by car, they are open to using various forms of public transportation. They are relatively unconcerned with the social or economic impacts of their transportation decisions. More than one-half of No-hassle Travelers (53%) have used revenue-generating RTD services in the past 12 months, fewer than all other segments considered together. Many of them used the Light Rail (40%), but relatively few of them used RTD buses (18%). Only 14 percent of No-hassle Travelers are considered Frequent RTD riders.

Segment 3 – Car Travelers (16% of participants). Segment 3 represents “Car Travelers,” whose transportation decisions are driven by the fact that they have a strong preference for car transportation and are relatively uninterested in public transportation. They are not particularly concerned with safety or cost when making transportation decisions, nor are they concerned with the social or economic impacts of their transportation decisions. However, they are concerned with comfort and the efficiency with which they can get to their destinations. Car Travelers are the only segment for which less than half of participants (47%) have used revenue-generating RTD services in the past 12 months, fewer than all other segments considered together. About one-third of them used the Light Rail (34%) and about one-fifth of them used RTD buses (21%). Only 9 percent of Car Travelers are considered Frequent RTD riders, lower than any other segment.

Segment 4 – Avid RTD Users (25% of participants). Segment 4 represents “Avid RTD Users,” who, compared to other segments, prefer car travel much less and prefer public transportation much more. Their transportation decisions are driven by safety, cleanliness, and cost. They are particularly concerned with the environmental impacts — but not the social impacts — of their transportation decisions. They are also concerned with the efficiency with which they can get to their destinations. Most Avid RTD Users have used revenue-generating RTD services in the past 12 months (77%), more than the other segments considered together. More than one-half of them used RTD buses (52%) and nearly one-half of them used the Light Rail (47%). About 40 percent of Avid RTD Users are considered Frequent RTD riders, more than any other segment.

Segment 5 – Conscientious RTD Users (16% of participants). Segment 4 represents “Conscientious RTD Users,” whose transportation decisions are driven by concerns about the social and environmental impacts of those decisions. In addition, they are concerned with cost and the efficiency with which they can get to their destinations. They are not particularly concerned with safety or with comfort when making transportation decisions. Conscientious RTD users still somewhat prefer traveling by car, but, as evidenced by their use of RTD, they are very open to using various RTD services. Conscientious RTD Users are more likely than all other segments to have used revenuegenerating RTD services in the past 12 months as 80 percent reported having done so. More than one-half of them used the Light Rail (53%), and nearly one-half of them used RTD buses (47%). About 27 percent of Conscientious RTD Users are considered Frequent RTD riders.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 6

Demographic characteristics. The study team examined how individuals across the five segments differ from one another in terms of their demographic characteristics including gender, age, race/ethnicity, and education. RTD can use that information to help identify members of the different segments and tailor their messaging and communications accordingly. Figure 4 presents demographic characteristics by segment. Key differences among the segments include the following:  

 

 

 

Practical Travelers: ¾

Younger than other Denver-area residents

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to have a college degree

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to be married

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to have children

¾

Have lived in the region for less time than other Denver-area residents

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to have household incomes of $50,000+

No-hassle Travelers: ¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to be female

¾

Older than other Denver-area residents

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to be racial/ethnic minorities

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to have a college degree

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to be retired

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to be married

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to have children

¾

Have lived in the region for more time than other Denver-area residents

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to have household incomes of $50,000+

Car Travelers: ¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to be female

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to be racial/ethnic minorities

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to be married

¾

Have lived in the region for more time than other Denver-area residents

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to have household incomes of $50,000+

Avid RTD Users: ¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to be female

¾

Younger than other Denver-area residents

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to be racial/ethnic minorities, particularly Hispanic

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to have a college degree

¾

Less likely than other Denver-area residents to have household incomes of $50,000+

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 7

Figure 4. Demographic characteristics by segment

Practical Travelers

No-hassle Travelers

Segment Car Travelers

Gender

n = 429

n = 415

n = 306

n = 484

Male

49%

42%

60%

41%

56%

Female

51%

58% +

40% -

59% +

44%

Characteristic

Avid RTD Users

Conscientious RTD Users n = 309

n = 429

n = 415

n = 306

n = 483

n = 309

Average (SD )

42.0 (16.4) -

50.9 (18.1) +

46.9 (17.1)

43.7 (16.1) -

45.0 (15.0)

Race/ethnicity

n = 408

n = 401

n = 288

n = 467

n = 301

Non-Hispanic White

74%

81%

81%

67%

76%

Minority

26%

19% -

19% -

33% +

24%

n = 414

n = 301

Age

College degree

n = 427

n = 482

n = 308

Yes

53% -

62% +

56%

49% -

68% +

No

47%

38%

44%

51%

32%

Employment

n = 425

n = 411

n = 302

n = 477

Employed

72%

62% -

73%

75%

84% +

3%

1%

2%

3%

1%

Unemployed

13%

11%

9%

10%

7%

Retired

12%

26% +

16%

12%

8%

n = 302

n = 477

Student (unemployed)

Married

n = 425

n = 411

n = 306

n = 306

Yes

60% -

69% +

70% +

60%

63%

No

40%

31%

30%

40%

36%

n = 429

n = 415

n = 306

n = 484

Children

n = 309

Yes

45% +

36% -

42%

43%

41%

No

55%

64%

59%

57%

59%

n = 427

n = 415

n = 306

n = 482

Disability

n = 308

Yes

4%

5%

2%

3%

4%

No

96%

95%

98%

97%

96%

Years in Denver

n = 425

n = 408

n = 304

n = 480

n = 304

Average (SD )

24.8 (15.7) -

29.8 (19.4) +

28.3 (17.2) +

24.6 (15.9) -

24.4 (15.9) -

Household income

n = 366

n = 342

n = 255

n = 426

n = 265

Less than $50,000

41%

26%

26%

40%

30%

$50,000 or more

59% -

74% +

74% +

60% -

70%

Notes:

+ indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly higher than the value for all other participants considered together. - indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly lower than the value for all other participants considered together.

Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 8

 

Conscientious RTD Users: ¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to have a college degree

¾

More likely than other Denver-area residents to be employed

¾

Have lived in the region for less time than other Denver-area residents

Location. The study team also examined the concentration of each segment within the Denver area so that RTD can more effectively localize members of the different segments. Figure 5 presents the concentration of each segment by county. As shown in Figure 5, there are key differences in the concentration of each segment across the RTD service area counties:  

Adams County, the segments with the highest concentrations are Avid RTD Users (28%) and Practical Travelers (26%).

 

Arapahoe County, the segments with the highest concentrations are Practical Travelers (26%) and No-hassle Travelers (23%).

 

Boulder County, the segments with the highest concentrations are Avid RTD Users (30%) and Conscientious RTD Users (24%).

 

Broomfield County, the segments with the highest concentrations are Practical Travelers (27%) and Avid RTD Users (27%).

 

Denver County, the segments with the highest concentrations are Avid RTD Users (27%), No-hassle Travelers (20%), and Practical Travelers (20%).

 

Douglas County, the segments with the highest concentrations are No-hassle Travelers (30%) and Practical Travelers (25%).

 

Jefferson County, the segment with the highest concentration is Practical Travelers (23%).

 

Weld County, the segments with the highest concentrations are No-hassle Travelers (28%) and Avid RTD Users (28%).

Figure 5. Segment concentration by county County Adams n = 326

Segment

Arapahoe n = 323

Boulder n = 327

Broomfield n = 33

Denver n = 328

Douglas n = 197

Jefferson n = 324

Weld n = 85

Practical Travelers No-hassle Travelers Car Travelers Avid RTD Users Conscientious RTD Users

26% 18% 16% 28% 12%

26% 23% 16% 22% 14%

16% 19% 12% 30% 24%

27% 15% 12% 27% 18%

20% 20% 15% 27% 18%

25% 30% 16% 19% 10%

23% 20% 20% 20% 17%

16% 28% 16% 28% 11%

Total

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

To provide more location detail about each segment area, the choropleth maps of the Denver area presented in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 show the concentration of each segment by ZIP code.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 9

FFigure 6. C Concentration of Practical Travelerrs in the Denver area

SSource: 2013 RTD Markett Segmentation Survey.

B BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING O

PAGE 10

FFigure 7. C Concentration of No-hassle Travele ers in the Denver area

SSource: 2013 RTD Markett Segmentation Survey.

B BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING O

PAGE 11

FFigure 8. C Concentration of Car Travelers in the Denver area

SSource: 2013 RTD Markett Segmentation Survey.

B BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING O

PAGE 12

FFigure 9. C Concentration of Avid RTD Users in n the Denver area a

SSource: 2013 RTD Markett Segmentation Survey.

B BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING O

PAGE 13

FFigure 10. C Concentration of Conscientious RTD Users in the De enver area

SSource: 2013 RTD Markett Segmentation Survey.

B BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING O

PAGE 14

Communication. Participants provided information about the sources from which they would prefer to receive information about RTD and public transportation. Figure 11 presents those results separately by segment. The study team observed several key trends in communication preferences by segment:  

Practical Travelers and No-hassle Travelers most often reported that they prefer to receive information about RTD and public transportation through similar sources — Internet/websites (46% and 40%, respectively), word of mouth (36% and 35%, respectively), and network television (35% and 33%, respectively).

 

Car Travelers most often reported that they prefer to receive information about RTD and public transportation through word of mouth (34%). Car Travelers were the only segment who most often reported that they prefer to receive such information through word of mouth. Compared to other segments, Car Travelers were least likely to report that they prefer to receive such information from the Internet/websites (32%) and most likely to report that they prefer to not receive such information (16%).

 

Compared to other segments, Conscientious RTD Users (59%) and Avid RTD Users (53%) were most likely to report that they prefer to receive information about RTD and public transportation from the Internet/websites. Conscientious RTD Users also reported that they prefer receiving such information through word of mouth (36%) and radio (33%). Avid RTD Users reported that they prefer receiving such information through word of mouth (37%) and network television (36%).

Impressions of RTD. The survey included two questions to assess participants’ general impressions of RTD. The first question asked participants to report the first word that comes to mind when they think about RTD services. Figure 12 presents those results by segment. The study team observed several key trends in participants’ responses to that question:  

All segments most often reported that “convenient” is the first word that comes to mind when they think about RTD services. Avid RTD Users (34%) were more likely than other segments to do so and Car Travelers (18%) were less likely than other segments to do so.

 

After “convenient,” all segments most often reported that “good/great” is the first word that comes to mind when they think about RTD services. Avid RTD Users (18%) were more likely than other segments to do so.

 

For four segments, “fast/efficient” was one of the top reported words that come to mind when they think about RTD services. The only segment for which “fast/efficient” was not one of the top reported words was Car Travelers.

 

Several Practical Travelers (5%) reported that the first word that comes to mind when they think about RTD services is “expensive/unaffordable.” Practical Travelers were the only segment for which “expensive/unaffordable” was one of the top reported words. In contrast, Avid RTD Users were the only segment for which “affordable” was one of the top reported words (3%).

 

For three segments, “Inconvenient” was one of the top reported words that come to mind when they think about RTD services — Car Travelers (8%), No-hassle Travelers (4%), and Conscientious RTD Users (4%).

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 15

Figu ure 11. Com mmunication preferences p by b segment

Notess:

+ indicates that the value for the seggment is statistically significantly higher tthan the value for all other participants cconsidered together. t value for the segment is statistically significantly s lower thhan the value for all oother participants co onsidered together. - indicates that the

Sourcce: 2013 RTD Marke et Segmentation Survvey.

BBC C RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAG GE 16

Figure 12. First word that comes to mind when thinking about RTD services by segment

CONVENIENT (28%) Practical Travelers n = 414

GOOD/GREAT (10%) FAST/EFFICIENT (9%)

EXPENSIVE/UNAFFORDABLE (5%) TRANSPORTATION (5%+)

CONVENIENT (26%) No-hassle Travelers n = 388

GOOD/GREAT (11%) INCONVENIENT (4%) FINE/OKAY (4%) FAST/EFFICIENT (4%-)

CONVENIENT (18%-) Car Travelers n = 289

GOOD/GREAT (10%) INCONVENIENT (8%+)

TRANSPORTATION (6%+) FINE/OKAY (5%)

Avid RTD Users n = 463

CONVENIENT (34%+) GOOD/GREAT (18%+) FAST/EFFICIENT (10%+) RELIABLE (3%) AFFORDABLE (3%)

CONVENIENT (27%) Conscientious RTD Users n = 295

GOOD/GREAT (10%) FAST/EFFICIENT (8%) FINE/OKAY (6%+) INCONVENIENT (4%)

Notes:

+ indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly higher than the value for all other participants considered together. - indicates that the value for the segment is statistically significantly lower than the value for all other participants considered together.

Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

The study team also asked participants to rate the overall quality of RTD services, even if they had never used them in the past 12 months (in that case, participants were asked to rate their impression of the overall quality of RTD services). Participants made their ratings on a scale from 0 (poor) to 9 (excellent). Figure 13 presents those results by segment. As shown in Figure 13, Avid RTD Users (mean of 7.4) rated the quality of RTD services higher than other Denver-area residents did. Car Travelers (mean of 6.5) rated the quality of RTD services as lower than other Denver-area residents did.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 17

Figu ure 13. Ratings of overall quality of RTTD services byy segment

Notess:

+ indicates that the value for the seggment is statistically significantly higher tthan the value for all other participants cconsidered together. - indicates that the t value for the segment is statistically significantly s lower thhan the value for all oother participants co onsidered together.

Sourcce: 2013 RTD Marke et Segmentation Survvey.

SEECTION N III. Su ummarry and Recom mmend dationss RTD D commission ned BBC to co onduct a mark ket segmentaation study to o identify disttinct segmentts of currrent and poteential RTD rid ders. BBC con nducted a largge-scale surveey and used ccluster analyssis to id dentify five seegments of Denver-area reesidents baseed on survey p participants’ attitudes tow ward public trransportation n and toward using RTD seervices. BBC u used that and other info ormation from m the survey — use of RTD D services, deemographic ch haracteristicss, location info ormation, com mmunication preferences, and impressiions of RTD — to provide detailed descriptions of each e segmentt. RTD will be able to use in nformation frrom the studyy to tailor futu ure com mmunicationss to the attitudes and behaaviors of each h segment. Figgure 14 proviides summaryy descriptions of each e of the fiv ve segments that t BBC iden ntified. For mo ore details ab bout each group, see Section II of this report.

Recommendations As shown s in Figu ure 14, there are several siimilarities am mong the segm ments but theere are also man ny key differeences. RTD sh hould consideer that and otther informattion carefully when dev veloping strattegies to comm municate effeectively with current and p potential rideers. Ideally, RT TD wou uld tailor its communicatio c ons to each seegment that tthe study team m identified, using messagging thatt resonates most m with the unique desires and preferrences of the members of eeach segmentt. BBC C presents sev veral recomm mendations fo or RTD’s conssideration.

BBC C RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAG GE 18

Figure 14. Summary descriptions of the five segments that BBC identified Practical Travelers (22% of participants)

No-hassle Travelers (21% of participants)

Transportation decisions driven by cost, safety, and efficiency

Transportation decisions driven by safety, comfort, and efficiency

Two-thirds have used RTD services recently; Onequarter use them frequently

One-half have used RTD services recently; Relatively few use them frequently

Younger, no college degree, single, have children, lower income

Female, older, white, collegeeducated, retired, married, no children, high income

Highest concentrations in Broomfield, Adams, and Arapahoe counties

Highest concentrations in Douglas, Weld, and Arapahoe counties

Relatively low impression of RTD quality

Relatively low impression of RTD quality

Avid RTD Users

(25% of participants) Transportation decisions driven by safety, cleanliness, cost, and environment Prefer public transportation to car travel Majority have used RTD recently; Large percentage are frequent RTD users Female, younger, diverse, no college degree, lower income Highest concentration in Boulder, Adams, and Weld Counties High impression of RTD quality

Car Travelers

(16% of participants) Transportation decisions driven by strong preference for car travel Less than one-half have used RTD services recently; Very few use them frequently Male, white, married, high income Highest concentration in Jefferson County, equally concentrated in other areas Lowest impression of RTD quality Most likely to not prefer to receive RTD information

Conscientious RTD Users

(16% of participants) Transportation decisions driven by environmental and social impacts and efficiency Majority have used RTD services recently; Onequarter use them frequently College-educated, employed, haven’t lived in region as long Highest concentration in Boulder, Broomfield, and Denver Counties High impression of RTD quality

Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 19

Keep in mind that car travel is everyone’s primary mode of transportation. Survey results indicate that 90 percent of participants typically use car travel to get around the Denver area. Even the vast majority of Avid RTD Users (84%) indicated that they use car travel to get around the Denver area, and they indicated using car travel less than any other segment. RTD should use that information to set realistic objectives with regard to its ability to affect Denver-area residents’ public transportation use. For example, although Avid RTD Users and Conscientious RTD Users are RTD’s best customers (77% and 80%, respectively, reported that they recently used RTD services), it may still be realistic to expect some growth with those segments. Only 48 percent of Avid RTD Users and 42 percent of Conscientious RTD Users reported that they typically use RTD services to get around the Denver area. Moreover, their attitudes toward public transportation indicate that they would be more amenable to using RTD services in the future. In contrast, it may be more difficult to grow ridership among No-hassle Travelers. Only 15 percent reported that they typically use RTD services to get around the Denver area and their attitudes toward public transportation may be far less conducive to future RTD use. Tailor messages to people’s attitudes toward RTD and public transportation. The segments that BBC identified indicate that different groups of Denver-area residents have different attitudes about public transportation and that different factors motivate their transportation decisions. RTD should take that information into account when crafting messaging and communication about RTD services. For example, factors that motivate the transportation decisions of No-hassle Travelers include comfort, safety, and efficiency. Highlighting information about the relatively low crime rate on or around RTD vehicles, the availability of seats on RTD vehicles, or how riding RTD could cut commute times to certain destinations might resonate particularly well with Nohassle Travelers. Similarly, in addition to that information, highlighting information about the affordability of RTD relative to car travel might resonate particularly well with Practical Travelers. RTD should consider the information presented in Figure 2 when making such decisions. Consider demographic information when crafting future communications. The segments that BBC identified differ considerably in terms of the demographic characteristics of the individuals that comprise each group. RTD should consider those differences when creating tailored messaging for each segment. For example, Practical Travelers are more likely than other segments to have children and to have lower household incomes. In contrast, No-hassle Travelers are less likely to have children and have higher household incomes. RTD could highlight information about the convenience and affordability of its services for families when communicating with Practical Travelers and instead highlight other, more demographically appropriate information when communicating with No-hassle Travelers (for example, the availability of seats on RTD vehicles, which may be more relevant to No-hassle Travelers who also tend to be older than other segments). Take geography into account when communicating with current and potential riders. The segments that BBC identified appear to be concentrated in different parts of the Denver area. For example, Practical Travelers are heavily concentrated in the southern part of the RTD service area (e.g., ZIP codes 80135 and 80116) whereas Avid RTD Users tend to be concentrated in the western and southwestern parts of the RTD service area (e.g., ZIP codes 80466 and 80470). RTD should use that information — especially the information presented in Figures 6 through 10 —

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 20

to help localize individuals that belong to each segment. For example, RTD should consider sending messaging tailored to Practical Travelers to households in Douglas County. In contrast, RTD should consider sending messaging tailored to Avid RTD Users to households in Boulder, the City of Denver, and parts of Jefferson County.

Communicate with each segment using media that they prefer. Survey results indicated that nearly one-half (47%) of all participants received information about RTD or public transportation from signs on RTD vehicles. However, only 30 percent of all participants indicated that they prefer to receive information about RTD in that way. Instead, members of all segments showed a strong preference for receiving information via websites and other Internet sources, particularly those segments that use RTD services the most (Avid RTD Users and Conscientious RTD Users). RTD should explore ways to move toward more Internet-based communications. One way RTD could consider doing so is by directing current and potential riders to Internet-based communications through other modalities such as newspaper and media advertisements, outdoor signage, and billboards, all modalities for which participants showed relatively strong preferences. RTD could direct current and potential riders to its Internet-based communications by using URLs or QR codes. Encourage Light Rail ridership to those who have never used RTD services before. Denver-area Residents who have not used revenue-generating RTD services in the past 12 months would overwhelmingly consider using the Light Rail in the future (52%) over other revenue-generating RTD services (the next closest revenue-generating RTD service that non-riders would consider using is RTD buses at 28%). That result is true across the five segments that BBC identified (although it is particularly true for No-hassle Travelers and Practical Travelers). Thus, the Light Rail might be an effective “gateway” service for RTD to encourage non-riders to try using. Light Rail use among non-riders might lead to the use of other RTD services as well, such as RTD buses. Consistent with that possibility, data from the survey indicates that one-half of Denverarea residents who have used the Light Rail in the past 12 months have also used other revenuegenerating RTD services.

Next Steps RTD should consider the totality of the information that BBC presents in this study when making decisions about future communications with current and potential riders. RTD should also compare results from this study to data that the agency has collected as part of previous research efforts to better understand the characteristics of both riders and non-riders.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 21

APPENDIX A. Final Survey Instrument Hello, my name is ___________ calling from Davis Research. We are calling on behalf of RTD to conduct a brief public opinion survey about topics affecting public transportation in the region. As a resident of the Denver Metropolitan area, your opinions on such topics are very important. To help shape the direction of activities within the region, would you be willing to participate in the survey? It will take about 15 minutes of your time. [IF YES, say, “Thanks for volunteering your time to participate in the survey,” and begin with screener questions.] [IF NO, say, “Thanks anyway. Have a great day,” and terminate the phone call.]

Screeners [CODE GENDER] 1 = Male 2 = Female 1.

What is your age? __________________________ [TERMINATE IF YOUNGER THAN 18 YEARS OLD] [REPORT IN YEARS AND ACCORDING TO THE CATEGORIES BELOW] [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = 18 – 24 years old 2 = 25 – 34 years old 3 = 35 – 44 years old 4 = 45 – 54 years old 5 = 55 – 64 years old 6 = 65 years or older

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 22

2.

Which county do you live in? __________________________ [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Adams [QUOTA = 333 COMPLETES] 2 = Arapahoe [QUOTA = 333 COMPLETES] 3 = Boulder [QUOTA = 333 COMPLETES] 4 = Broomfield [QUOTA = 35 COMPLETES] 5 = Denver [QUOTA = 333 COMPLETES] 6 = Douglas [QUOTA = 200 COMPLETES] 7 = Jefferson [QUOTA = 333 COMPLETES] 8 = Weld [QUOTA = 100 COMPLETES] 9 = Other [TERMINATE]

3.

What is your ZIP code? __________________________ [OPEN-END] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE]

Ridership 4.

Which of the following forms of transportation do you typically use to get around the Denver Metropolitan Area? [READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] [RANDOMIZE OPTIONS, EXCEPT “OTHER”] 1 = Car 2 = Bicycle 3 = Walk 4 = RTD/Public transportation 5 = Any others (specify): ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 23

5.

Which of the following RTD services have you used in the past 12 months, even if only once? [READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] [RANDOMIZE OPTIONS] 1 = RTD buses 2 = Light Rail 3 = 16th Street Mall Shuttle 4 = Call-n-Ride 5 = Access-a-Ride 6 = BroncosRide 7 = RockiesRide 8 = BuffRide 9 = SkyRide

6a.

[IF “None” on Q5] What are the primary reasons why you haven’t chosen to use RTD services in the past 12 months? [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] 1 = Crowded/cramped/uncomfortable 2 = Disability 3 = Don’t go anywhere 4 = Don’t like public transit 5 = Don’t like taking kids on public transit 6 = Expensive/unaffordable 7 = Inconvenient or infrequent scheduling 8 = Language barrier 9 = No routes where I need to go 10 = No direct routes where I need to go 11 = Prefer to walk/bike 12 = Prefer car 13 = Slow/time inefficient 14 = Too far/No line or services nearby 15 = Unsafe/dangerous/crime 16 = Waiting/long waits 17 = Other (specify): ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ 99 = Don’t know/Refused [IF “NONE” ON Q5, SKIP TO Q15]

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 24

6b.

[IF NOT “NONE” ON Q5] What are the primary reasons why you’ve chosen to use RTD services in the past 12 months? [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] 1 = Cheap/economical/affordable 2 = Comfortable 3 = Convenient 4 = Environment/environmentally-friendly/green 5 = Fast/time efficient 6 = Safe 10 = Other positive: ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________

For each of the RTD services that you indicated using in the past 12 months, please indicate how frequently you typically used each service. 7.

[ONLY IF INDICATED “1” IN Q5] About how frequently have you used RTD buses in the past 12 months? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Every day 2 = Almost every day 3 = A few times every week 4 = Once every week 5 = A few times every month 6 = Once every month 7 = Once every few months 8 = A few times in the past 12 months 9 = Once in the past 12 months [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 25

8.

[ONLY IF INDICATED “2” IN Q5] About how frequently have you used Light Rail in the past 12 months? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Every day 2 = Almost every day 3 = A few times every week 4 = Once every week 5 = A few times every month 6 = Once every month 7 = Once every few months 8 = A few times in the past 12 months 9 = Once in the past 12 months [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

9.

[ONLY IF INDICATED “3” IN Q5] About how frequently have you used 16th Street Mall Shuttle in the past 12 months? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Every day 2 = Almost every day 3 = A few times every week 4 = Once every week 5 = A few times every month 6 = Once every month 7 = Once every few months 8 = A few times in the past 12 months 9 = Once in the past 12 months [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 26

10.

[ONLY IF INDICATED “4” or “5” IN Q5] About how frequently have you used Access-aRide or Call-n-Ride in the past 12 months? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Every day 2 = Almost every day 3 = A few times every week 4 = Once every week 5 = A few times every month 6 = Once every month 7 = Once every few months 8 = A few times in the past 12 months 9 = Once in the past 12 months [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

11.

[ONLY IF INDICATED “6” OR “7” OR “8” IN Q5] About how frequently have you used BroncosRide, RockiesRide, or BuffRide in the past 12 months? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Every day 2 = Almost every day 3 = A few times every week 4 = Once every week 5 = A few times every month 6 = Once every month 7 = Once every few months 8 = A few times in the past 12 months 9 = Once in the past 12 months [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 27

12.

[ONLY IF INDICATED “9” IN Q5] About how frequently have you used SkyRide in the past 12 months? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Every day 2 = Almost every day 3 = A few times every week 4 = Once every week 5 = A few times every month 6 = Once every month 7 = Once every few months 8 = A few times in the past 12 months 9 = Once in the past 12 months [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

13.

For which of the following purposes have you used RTD services in the past 12 months? [READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] [RANDOMIZE OPTIONS, EXCEPT FOR OPTION 10] 1 = Commuting to work or school 2 = Shopping 3 = Visiting friends/relatives at their homes 4 = Sporting events 5 = Medical appointments 6 = Personal business 7 = Gym/exercise 8 = Restaurants/bars 9 = Other recreational activities 10 = Any others (specify)? ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 28

14.

How have you typically paid for your fare for the RTD services that you’ve used in the past 12 months? [DO NOT READ LIST UNLESS NECESSARY] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] 1 = Cash (fare box or ticket machine) 2 = RTD tokens 3 = Monthly pass 4 = 10-ride ticket 5 = Day pass 6 = Valupass (annual pass issued monthly) 7 = EcoPass (business) 8 = EcoPass (neighborhood) 9 = Student pass (CU-Boulder) 10 = Student pass (CU-Auraria) 11 = Student pass (University of Denver/DU) 12 = Student pass (other: specify) ____________________________ 13 = Transfer 14 = Free ride coupon 15 = Other (specify): ______________________________________ 99 = Refused

15.

Which of the following RTD services do you think you would be most likely to consider using in the future? [USE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE IF “NONE” ON Q5] Even though you haven’t used any RTD services in the past 12 months, which of the following RTD services do you think you would be most likely to consider using in the future? [READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] [RANDOMIZE OPTIONS] 1 = RTD buses 2 = Light Rail 3 = 16th Street Mall Shuttle 4 = Call-n-Ride 5 = Access-a-Ride 6 = BroncosRide 7 = RockiesRide 8 = BuffRide 9 = SkyRide

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 29

Attitudes 16.

I’d like to talk about your general impression of RTD services. What one word comes to mind when you think about RTD services? [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Cheap/economical/affordable 2 = Comfortable/relaxing 3 = Convenient 4 = Environment/environmentally-friendly/green 5 = Fast/time efficient 6 = Fine/okay 7 = Good/great 8 = Safe 9 = Use it 10 = Other positive (specify): ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ 11 = Bad/no good 12 = Crowded/cramped/uncomfortable 13 = Dirty/unsanitary 14 = Don’t use it 15 = Expensive/unaffordable 16 = Inconvenient 17 = Slow/time inefficient 18 = Unsafe/dangerous/crime 19 = Waiting/long waits 20 = Other negative (specify): ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ 21 = Nothing 22 = Transportation/means of transportation 23 = Other neutral (specify): ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 30

17.

How would you rate the overall quality of RTD services? Please rate the overall quality of RTD services on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates poor and 9 indicates excellent. [USE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE IF “NONE” ON Q5] Even though you haven’t used any RTD services in the past 12 months, what is your impression of the overall quality of RTD services? Please rate the overall quality of RTD services on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates poor and 9 indicates excellent. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

I’m going to read you a list of statements about using RTD services. I’d like to know how much you agree or disagree with each one on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates that you completely disagree with the statement and 9 indicates that you completely agree with the statement. [AS NECESSARY, REMIND PARTICIPANT OF SCALE] [RANDOMIZE QUESTION ORDER] 18.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that I would be safe while waiting for an RTD vehicle. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

19.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I would be safe while riding in an RTD vehicle. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

20.

When considering my transportation options, one of my main concerns is personal safety. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

21.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I would never have to wait more than 10 minutes for an RTD vehicle. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

22.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that there was a station or stop closer to me that I didn’t have to drive to. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

23.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I didn’t have to transfer to get to my destination. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

24.

When considering my transportation options, one of my main concerns is getting to my destination as quickly as possible. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

25.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I could sit down during the trip. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

26.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that the RTD vehicle wouldn’t be crowded. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

27.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that the RTD vehicle would be clean. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

28.

I would consider riding the Light Rail or RTD shuttles, but I wouldn’t consider riding RTD buses. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

29.

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is comfort. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 31

30.

In most circumstances, I prefer driving in a car or other personal vehicle for my transportation needs. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

31.

I am comfortable driving in a car or other personal vehicle in heavy traffic. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

32.

I would only take RTD services if I had no other choice. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

33.

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is the social impact of my decision on the Denver Metropolitan Area. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

34.

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is the environmental impact of my decision on the Denver Metropolitan Area. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

35.

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is cost. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

36.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if they cost less money. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

37.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I felt that I would receive good value for the cost. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

38.

I would be more likely to use RTD services if my employer or school would pay for at least part of my fare. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

39.

People who use public transportation are a lot like me. [RECORD 0 – 9; 99 for Don’t know/Refused]

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 32

Communications 40.

From which of the following sources of information have you received any information about RTD or public transportation in the past 12 months? [READ ENTIRE LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] [RANDOMIZE OPTIONS, EXCEPT OPTION 14] 1 = Network television 2 = Cable/satellite television 3 = Newspaper 4 = News magazines 5 = Radio 6 = Internet/websites 7 = Social media (for example, Facebook or Twitter) 8 = Word of mouth 9 = Community meetings 10 = Direct mail 11 = Billboards 12 = Outdoor signs 13 = Signs on vehicles 14 = Any others (specify)? ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ [DO NOT READ] 15 = None of these [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 33

41.

[IF MORE THAN ONE PURPOSE SELECTED IN Q40] From which sources would you prefer to receive information about RTD and public transportation? [READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] [USE SAME RANDOMIZATION AS IN Q40] 1 = Network television 2 = Cable/satellite television 3 = Newspaper 4 = News magazines 5 = Radio 6 = Internet/websites 7 = Social media (for example, Facebook or Twitter) 8 = Word of mouth 9 = Community meetings 10 = Direct mail 11 = Billboards 12 = Outdoor signs 13 = Signs on vehicles 14 = Any others (specify)? ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ [DO NOT READ] 15 = None of these [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

Demographics These final questions are demographic purposes only. 42.

What is the highest level of education you have completed? [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = No high school 2 = Some high school 3 = High school graduate/GED 4 = Associate’s degree/trade/vocational degree 5 = Some college 6 = Bachelor’s degree 7 = Some graduate school 8 = Graduate degree

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 34

43.

What is your occupation? [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Professional/Managerial 2 = Sales/Clerical/Service 3 = Laborer/Craftsman/Foreman 4 = Student (not employed) 5 = Student (employed) 6 = Homemaker 7 = Retired 8 = Unable to work due to disability 9 = Unemployed and looking for work 77 = Other (specify): __________________________ 99 = Don’t know/Refused

44.

Including yourself, how many adults older than 18 years old live in your household? [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] __________________________

45.

How many children younger than 18 years old live in your household? [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] __________________________

46.

Do you have a disability or medical condition that prevents you from driving a car? [DO NOT READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Yes 2 = No 99 = Don’t know/Refused

47.

I’d like to know how often a car or other motor vehicle is typically available to you when you need to commute somewhere, either for work, recreation, or for other reasons. Please make your response on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates that a vehicle is never available to you when you need it and 9 indicates that a vehicle is always available to you when you need it [RECORD NUMBER 0-9] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 35

48.

I’d like to know how well you speak English. Please rate your ability to speak English on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates that you don’t speak English at all and 9 indicates that you are completely fluent in English. [RECORD NUMBER 0-9] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

49.

Which of the following best describes your marital status? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Single 2 = Married 3 = Living with unmarried partner/domestic partner 4 = Divorced/separated 5 = Widowed [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

50.

For how many years have you lived in the Denver Metropolitan Area? [IF ASKED THE DENVER METROPOLITAN AREA INCLUDES ADAMS, ARAPAHOE, BOULDER, BROOMFIELD, DENVER, DOUGLAS, JEFFERSON, AND WELD COUNTIES] [RECORD NUMBER 1-100] 9999 = Don’t know/Refused

51.

Which of the following categories includes your household’s total annual income from all sources in 2012? [READ LIST] [ALLOW ONLY ONE RESPONSE] 1 = Less than $15,000 2 = $15,000 - $24,999 3 = $25,000 - $34,999 4 = $35,000 - $49,999 5 = $50,000 - $74,999 6 = $75,000 - $99,999 7 = $100,000 or more [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 36

52a.

Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin? 1 = Yes 2 = No 9 = Refused

52.

Which of the following best describes your racial/ethnic background? [READ LIST] [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES] 1 = White/Anglo/Caucasian 2 = Black/African American 4 = Subcontinent Asian 5 = Pacific Asian 6 = Native American 77 = Other (specify): __________________________ [DO NOT READ] 99 = Don’t know/Refused

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 37

APPENDIX B. Principal Components Analysis Results BBC conducted a principal components analysis to examine the underlying structure of survey questions that assessed participants’ attitudes toward public transportation (survey questions 18 through 39) and to determine whether any questions should be omitted from the cluster analysis. Figure B-1 presents the components and corresponding eigenvalues that resulted from the principal components analysis. As shown in Figure B-1, six components exhibited eigenvalues of 1.00 or greater, explaining 60 percent of the variance. Figure B-1. Components and eigenvalues from principal components analysis of survey questions 18-39 Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

Component

Eigenvalue

Cumulative variance explained

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

6.53 2.13 1.31 1.10 1.05 1.01 0.87 0.81 0.78 0.71 0.65 0.65 0.57 0.53 0.50 0.48 0.46 0.43 0.41 0.37 0.36 0.28

0.30 0.39 0.45 0.50 0.55 0.60 0.64 0.67 0.71 0.74 0.77 0.80 0.83 0.85 0.87 0.90 0.92 0.94 0.95 0.97 0.99 1.00

PAGE 38

Figure B-2 presents how participant responses to the attitude questions loaded on the six components that exhibited eigenvalues of 1.00 or greater. Two questions — Q31 and Q39 — appear to load most heavily on Component 6. Because BBC did not predict that those questions would be related to one another prior to conducting the study, nor did those questions load particularly strongly on any other components, the study team decided to omit those questions from the cluster analysis. The study team kept Q20 in its analyses, because it also loaded heavily on Component 1. The study team also omitted Q37 from the cluster analysis because it did not load on the factors in an intuitive or predictable way. Figure B-2. Factor loadings from principal components analysis of survey questions 18-39 Source: 2013 RTD Market Segmentation Survey.

Question

1

2

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

0.28 0.29 0.21 0.25 0.22 0.23 0.11 0.28 0.27 0.28 0.12 0.22 0.03 -0.03 0.11 0.20 0.19 0.20 0.25 0.27 0.22 0.13

0.07 0.10 0.13 -0.02 -0.02 0.06 0.17 0.04 0.08 0.09 0.35 0.11 0.49 0.28 0.40 -0.23 -0.30 -0.17 -0.13 -0.08 -0.23 -0.27

Component 3 4 -0.32 -0.31 -0.38 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.26 -0.05 0.03 -0.16 0.02 -0.15 0.20 0.21 0.15 -0.10 -0.10 0.40 0.37 0.19 0.24 0.00

-0.20 -0.22 -0.08 0.04 0.06 0.12 0.15 -0.04 -0.02 -0.18 0.22 0.12 0.10 0.16 0.18 0.55 0.52 -0.18 -0.20 -0.22 -0.08 0.10

5

6

0.08 0.02 -0.07 0.33 0.26 0.29 0.54 -0.03 -0.12 0.06 -0.31 -0.08 -0.04 0.21 -0.32 -0.16 -0.06 -0.26 -0.26 0.01 -0.02 0.05

0.11 0.11 0.33 -0.27 -0.13 -0.29 0.13 -0.23 -0.23 0.04 -0.11 0.13 0.11 0.58 -0.18 0.07 0.09 0.26 0.06 0.05 0.02 0.25

Unexplained Variance 0.29 0.25 0.35 0.38 0.59 0.46 0.43 0.43 0.44 0.40 0.48 0.60 0.41 0.36 0.38 0.25 0.25 0.30 0.27 0.40 0.50 0.66

The remaining five factors, which explained 55 percent of the variance, were:

Factor 1. Safety/comfort, which included responses to the following questions:  

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that I would be safe while waiting for an RTD vehicle. (Q18)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I would be safe while riding in an RTD vehicle. (Q19)

 

When considering my transportation options, one of my main concerns is personal safety. (Q20)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I could sit down during the trip. (Q25)

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 39

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that the RTD vehicle wouldn’t be crowded. (Q26)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that the RTD vehicle would be clean. (Q27)

 

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is comfort. (Q29)

Factor 2. Car preference, which included responses to the following questions:  

I would consider riding the Light Rail or RTD shuttles, but I wouldn’t consider riding RTD buses. (Q28)

 

In most circumstances, I prefer driving in a car or other personal vehicle for my transportation needs. (Q30)

 

I would only take RTD services if I had no other choice. (Q32)

Factor 3. Cost sensitivity, which included responses to the following questions:  

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is cost. (Q35)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if they cost less money. (Q36)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if my employer or school would pay for at least part of my fare. (Q38)

Factor 4. Social and environmental conscientiousness, which included responses to the following questions:  

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is the social impact of my decision on the Denver Metropolitan Area. (Q33)

 

When considering transportation options, one of my main concerns is the environmental impact of my decision on the Denver Metropolitan Area. (Q34)

Factor 5. Efficiency, which included responses to the following questions:  

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I would never have to wait more than 10 minutes for an RTD vehicle. (Q21)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew that there was a station or stop closer to me that I didn’t have to drive to. (Q22)

 

I would be more likely to use RTD services if I knew I didn’t have to transfer to get to my destination. (Q23)

 

When considering my transportation options, one of my main concerns is getting to my destination as quickly as possible. (Q24)

BBC RESEARCH & CONSULTING

PAGE 40