Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Transit Needs Study Final Report September 2010
TRANSPORTATION
Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Transit Needs Survey
Submitted to Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake by IBI Group September 2010
Table of Contents 1.
Introduction ............................................................................................ 1
2.
Background and Context ....................................................................... 2 2.1
Location
2
2.2
Demographics
3
Existing and Projected Population
3
Employment
3
An Aging Community
4
Policy Background
5
Regional Official Plan
5
Official Plan (2004 Consolidation)
5
Official Plan Growth Plan Conformity Exercise
6
Existing Transit Services and Initiatives
6
Community Shuttle Service (discontinued)
6
Taxi Token Program
7
Niagara Region Specialized Transit
7
GO Transit
8
Transit Service to/from Niagara College
9
2.3
2.4
2.5
3.
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NOTL Chamber of Commerce GO Train/Bus Shuttle
10
Niagara Falls to NOTL Shuttle Service (5-0 Transportation)
10
First Student Link Service
10
Region’s Inter-Municipal Transit Initiative
11
Current Market and Travel Demand Analysis .................................... 16 3.1
Telephone Survey
16
3.2
Resident Survey
20
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Table of Contents (continued) 3.3
Key Survey Results
25
3.4
Stakeholder Consultation
26
Focus Group Meetings
26
Members of Town Council and Town Staff
28
Travel Demand Analysis
29
To/From Niagara-on-the-Lake
29
Within Niagara-on-the-Lake
30
3.5
4.
Peer System Review ............................................................................ 32 4.1
5.
36
Fort Erie
36
Port Colborne
36
Elliot Lake
37
Bracebridge
37
Grimsby
37
Pelham Transit (Discontinued)
38
Potential Demand ................................................................................. 39 5.1
Demographics of Town
39
5.2
Travel Patterns – Focusing on the Old Town and Virgil
40
5.3
Mode Share
41
5.4
Travel Market Implications
41
5.5
Inter-municipal Travel Demand
42
5.6
Summary
43
6.
Presentation of Study Findings to Stakeholders............................... 44
7.
Transit Service Options ....................................................................... 46 7.1
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Review of Representative Transit Services
Key Considerations for a Public Transit Service
46
Authority to Operate a Public Transit Service
46
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
46
Provincial Gas Tax
47
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Table of Contents (continued) 7.2
Public Vehicle Act
47
Transit Strategy Options
48
Option 1 – Enhanced Token Program
48
Option 2 – Formal Transit Service - Old Town & Virgil
49
Option 3 – Formal Transit Service - Old Town, Virgil and Glendale
50
Option 4 – Formal Transit Service - Old Town, Virgil, St. David’s and Glendale General Conditions
8.
9.
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52 53
Conclusions .......................................................................................... 55 Demographics and Existing Service
55
Region’s Inter-Municipal Pilot Project
55
Opinion of Residents and Stakeholders
55
Current Travel Patterns
56
Potential Demand
56
Feedback from Stakeholders
57
Potential Options
57
Recommendations ............................................................................... 60
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Table of Contents (continued) LIST OF EXHIBITS Exhibit 2-1: Map of Niagara Region.......................................................................................... 2 Exhibit 2-2 Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Population Growth Forecast 2006-2031 ................ 3 Exhibit 2-3 Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Employment Forecast 2006-2031 .......................... 4 Exhibit 2-4: Age Distribution of Niagara-on-the-Lake Population ............................................. 4 Exhibit 2-5: Zone Map of Niagara Region Specialized Transit ................................................. 8 Exhibit 2-6: Inter-Municipal Work Plan – Recommended Medium-Term System Map .......... 12 Exhibit 2-7: Inter-Municipal Triangle Service Pilot Project...................................................... 15 Exhibit 3-1: Telephone Survey Results – Reasons for Importance of Transit........................ 17 Exhibit 3-2: Telephone Survey Results – Potential Use of Transit by Place of Residence ..................................................................................................................... 18 Exhibit 3-3: Telephone Survey Results – Primary Destinations ............................................. 19 Exhibit 3-4: Telephone Survey Results – Important Aspects to Transit Service .................... 20 Exhibit 3-5: Resident Survey Results – Need for Transit by Age Group ................................ 21 Exhibit 3-6: Resident Survey Results – Reasons for Importance of Transit .......................... 22 Exhibit 3-7: Resident Survey Results – Potential Use of Service by Age Group ................... 22 Exhibit 3-8: Resident Survey Results – Place of Residence and Potential Use of Service .......................................................................................................................... 23 Exhibit 3-9: Resident Survey Results – Primary Destinations ................................................ 24 Exhibit 3-10: Resident Survey Results – Important Aspects to Transit Service ..................... 25 Exhibit 3-11: Trips from Niagara-on-the-Lake, 24-hour Period (2006 TTS) ........................... 30 Exhibit 3-12: Trips from Niagara-on-the-Lake, AM Period (2006 TTS) .................................. 30 Exhibit 3-13: Origin-Destination of Trips within Niagara-on-the-Lake (2006 TTS) ................. 31 Exhibit 4-1: Niagara-on-the-Lake Peer Review Systems ....................................................... 35 Exhibit 5-1: Estimated Niagara-on-the-Lake Population by Area ........................................... 39 Exhibit 5-2: Comparison of Senior Population and Transit Ridership .................................... 40 Exhibit 5-3: Trips made by older adults within and between Old Town and Virgil ................. 41 Exhibit 7-1: Option 2 Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue .......................................... 50 Exhibit 7-2: Option 3A Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue ....................................... 51 Exhibit 7-3: Option 3B Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue ....................................... 52 Exhibit 7-4: Option 4 Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue .......................................... 53
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1. Introduction The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake retained IBI Group in August 2010 to conduct a transit needs survey study with the primary objective of determining the need for a transit service in the Town. As a product of this analysis, the Town wished to understand what the transit options might be to address the identified need, if any, and also to understand the Niagara Region’s initiative to introduce a network of inter-municipal services between the various communities in the region and what the impact might be on the Town. There have been a number of local initiatives by business groups and the Town to respond to requests from residents and businesses for some form of transit service to promote greater mobility within the town. At the same time, the Town has recently worked with a local firm and a service club to financially offset the cost of taxi services, with limited success. The Town, alone, currently offers tokens at a reduced rate to seniors and youth to offset the cost of taxi fares. However, these initiatives have been viewed as short term and the Town now wishes to determine what it should be doing as a longer term strategy and what solutions are feasible. As part of the demand study, the work program has included:
Conducting a telephone survey of 500 residents supplemented by a web-based and hard-copy surveys and stakeholder consultations to assess attitudes and needs for transportation alternatives in the Town;
Determining what the potential demand may be in terms of number of users, user profiles, travel patterns and destinations of the community through analysis of planning data, travel information and the results of the surveys;
Reviewing existing transit initiatives in the Town and Niagara Region; and,
Providing potential direction and alternatives to meet the needs of town residents and businesses.
Currently, the Town does not provide a conventional, fixed-route transit service. However, with an aging population, the potential of expanded inter-municipal transit services, and a growing tourist market, there is a need to consider expanded mobility options for residents, business owners and employees in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The following report provides a summary of the study’s findings, strategy options and recommendations.
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2. Background and Context This section presents some background information and demographic trends of the municipality of Niagara-on-the-Lake as well as a review of the transportation context within the Town and across the Niagara Region including existing transit services, and both current and planned initiatives for inter-municipal links between neighbouring communities.
2.1 Location The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is located in the northeast section of the Regional Municipality of Niagara, which is composed of 12 municipalities, including the larger cities of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Welland (see Exhibit 2-1). Exhibit 2-1: Map of Niagara Region
The Town itself is an agglomeration of several communities, including:
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Old Town Niagara;
Virgil;
St. Davids;
Glendale; and,
Queenston. 2
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The balance of the Town is composed of predominantly rural areas with a high concentration of wineries and vineyards in addition to other agricultural uses. Key employment areas include these communities and rural wineries and are also concentrated in areas such as the Niagara District Airport, and the Niagara College campus at Glendale. The main transportation corridor is Niagara Stone Road extending in a southwest-northeast direction across the Town connecting the Old Town (historic Niagara-on-the-Lake) to the Queen Elizabeth Way through Glendale, Homer, and Virgil. In addition, Four Mile Creek Road and the Niagara Parkway provide north-south connections to Niagara Falls via St. Davids and Queenston, respectively. Lakeshore Road connects Old Town with the northern end of St. Catharines.
2.2 Demographics Existing and Projected Population The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is home to 14,5871 residents (2006), a level that has remained relatively stable over the past several decades, with a growth rate below the Ontario average. The majority of the population resides in five settlement areas noted above. Municipal population and employment targets have been identified by the Region through its Sustainable Community Policies. The Region of Niagara forecasts for the municipality of Niagara-on-the-Lake continued modest growth in the Town’s population, increasing to 19,900 in 2021 and 22,700 in 2031 (Exhibit 2-2). 2
Exhibit 2-2 Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Population Growth Forecast 2006-2031
Forecast Period 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031
Total Population 15,200 16,700 18,400 19,900 21,300 22,700
Employment Niagara-on-the-Lake is a major employment centre within Niagara Region with the majority of jobs in tourism and service sectors. In addition, Niagara College, located in the Glendale community, is a key educational institution and employer. Finally, Ontario Power Generation’s Niagara Plant Group is located at the southeast end of Niagara-on-the-Lake, just south of the Queenston community. Employment targets identified by the Region are forecasted to increase at a rate under the projected population growth from the 2006 forecast target of 11,350 1 2
Statistics Canada (2006), Census Community Profiles Source: Schedule B, Region of Niagara Sustainable Community Policies – Policy Plan Amendment 2-2009
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jobs to 15,100 in 2031 as shown in Exhibit 2-3. Most of this job growth is projected to continue in the winery and tourism related service sectors. Exhibit 2-3 Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Employment Forecast 2006-2031
Forecast Period 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031
3
Total Employment 11,350 12,070 12,820 13,700 14,570 15,100
An Aging Community Niagara-on-the-Lake is an aging community and has a high percentage of residents over 55, resulting from two major demographic trends:
existing residents, primarily baby boomers, aging-in-place; and
new residents, predominantly older, retiring adults attracted by the Town’s amenities and small-town appeal.
As a result, the Town’s median age is among the highest in the province, at 49.1 years, contrasting against a much younger surrounding Niagara Region, the median age of which is just 41.9 years, as shown in Exhibit 2-4. Exhibit 2-4: Age Distribution of Niagara-on-the-Lake Population
The change in the population pyramid illustrated in Exhibit 2-4 also shows a relatively significant decrease in the proportion of young adults, aged 20-40. This suggests the younger segments of the population leaving the Town, likely 3
Source: Schedule B, Region of Niagara Sustainable Community Policies – Policy Plan Amendment 2-2009
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to larger employment centres elsewhere in the Region. If this trend continues, the Town’s population will continue to age at a faster pace, particularly when the age 10-19 cohort reaches employment age. In 2006, approximately 5,900 of the Town’s 14,600 residents are over the age of 55, or 40% of the Town’s population. About a quarter (3,500) of the Town’s population is over the age of 65. These proportions have grown since 2001, when only 36% and 23% of the population were in those groups, respectively. This is significantly higher than the rest of Ontario, where 25% are over 55, and only 14% are over the age of 65. Therefore, there are very specific needs in Niagara-on-the-Lake such as dealing with mobility needs of an older population. An aging community will also create a greater demand for more mobility choices, such as public transit, as older adults may choose, or are forced due to physical limitations, to drive less. In addition, there will likely be increased demand for highly-subsidized specialized transit services. A conventional, accessible public transit service could help relieve the demand for these services.
2.3 Policy Background Regional Official Plan The Regional Municipality of Niagara recently completed its conformity exercise for its Regional Plan (ROPP) as a result of the Province’s Growth Plan. Similar to other regions in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the majority of the predicted population and employment growth is anticipated to be accommodated within existing urban boundaries. The objective of this strategy is to create more transit-supportive urban environments. In the ROPP, most of the growth in the Region is designated to be within the three major urban centres, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Welland. A moderate level of growth is anticipated in Niagara-on-the-Lake, based upon the Region’s population and employment projections as outlined in Section 2.2. The geographical distribution of this growth is described in the Town’s Official Plan, which is summarized in the next section. The key objectives for growth in Niagara Region are to build “transit-supportive, active transportation friendly communities” (Niagara ROPP Sections 4.1, f) while reducing auto dependency and promoting all modes of transportation (Niagara ROPP Sections 4.1, g; 6.1). In addition, Transit Policies have been adopted that place a greater priority for local and regional transit as well as developing a framework and foundation for connections between settlement areas and intra and inter-city transit (ROPP Sections 4.1, 6.3).
Official Plan (2004 Consolidation) The Town’s Official Plan provides limited support for the introduction of public transit, mainly through a policy “to investigate the provision of a public transit system that would offer an effective alternative to travel by automobile and assist in alleviating parking concerns” (Official Plan, 2004 Consolidation, Section 20(3)). This study satisfies this policy in determining the potential market and service alternatives for a public transit system in the Town.
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In addition to identifying the need for a feasibility study, the Official Plan also outlines the possible service parameters of a transit service in its general transportation policies, quoted below: (6) The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake may consider facilitating the planning of a transit system for the Region of Niagara, in consultation and cooperation with the Regional Municipality of Niagara, other municipalities in the Region and any other appropriate agency. The planning of such a transit system would review the need for and feasibility of public transportation servicing Niagara/Old Town, Virgil, Queenston, St. Davids and the Glendale Industrial Area. Any such transit system assumes that public transportation servicing Niagara/Old Town, Virgil, Queenston, St. Davids and the First Capital Business Park (Glendale) would include local and express bus routes on Arterial Roads and local bus routes on Collector Roads. The Town may facilitate the use of any such public transit by providing for adequate pedestrian access to planned bus stops when development applications are approved, and by providing for the construction of bus bays and bus shelters. This study will review alternatives that reflect the above policy.
Official Plan Growth Plan Conformity Exercise Similar to the Regional Plan, the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake also completed a Growth Plan conformity exercise for its Official Plan. The exercise, completed this year, does not expand upon the existing policies on the provision of transit, but does identify the need to plan new communities in a transit-supportive fashion. In addition, the update identifies an intensification area in Virgil, along Niagara Stone Road. This could potentially be an anchor for a transit service in the future.
2.4 Existing Transit Services and Initiatives Community Shuttle Service (discontinued) From 2007 to early 2010, a local specialty transportation firm, Niagara Classic Cabs (NCC), had offered a subsidized shuttle service to residents within the Town. Three fare zones were established within the Town each zone representing a ticket fare. The Town along with a local service club (Rotary Club) had initially provided $5,000 each towards subsidizing 500 booklets (5,000 tickets) for seniors and students. Each ticket had a face value of $5.00; thus with the $1.00/ticket subsidy from the Town and the club, the subsidized value to customers was $3.00. There was no formal agreement in place. One ticket could be used per zone – at this time, the subsidized fare for users was $3.00 inside Old Town and $6.00 (two zones) outside of Old Town. Tickets were available on a first-comefirst-served basis, and all tickets were sold to almost 100 individual purchasers. In 2008, the service provider increased the value of tickets to $7.50 per zone and requested an increase in subsidy funding. The Town increased its funding level to $10,000 and doubled its subsidy contribution to $2.00 per ticket. With SEPTEMBER 2010
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the Rotary Club’s funding of $7,500, the subsidized value of tickets to customers was $4.00. NCC announced in early 2010 that it was discontinuing service partially because the Town was not willing to increase its contribution as the service provider was requesting an increase in subsidy, and more importantly, a desire on the part of the Town to assess the need before investing further.
Taxi Token Program Following the discontinuation of the above-noted shuttle service, the Town implemented a Taxi Token program as an interim measure pending completion of the Transit Needs study. Since March 29, 2010, seniors (65 years and older) and students (18 years and under) can purchase tokens from the Town to be used in any taxicab registered to operate in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The tokens can be purchased for $1.00 and have a cash value of $3.00. This means the Town subsidizes $2.00 of the users’ cab fare. Eligible seniors and students can use only one token per one-way taxi trip within the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Eligibility requirements include proof of age and proof of residency in the Town. Tokens are limited to 25 per customer every 2 weeks.
Niagara Region Specialized Transit Niagara Region provides a specialized inter-municipal transportation service to eligible riders in the region. Persons wishing to use this service must apply and be approved by the Region’s eligibility committee in order to book this service. Eligibility requirements include:
Travel must be from one municipality to another municipality;
Service must be used for travel to/from either medical appointments, place of employment (at least 3 times a week), or education purposes.
Be physically unable to board a conventional transit vehicle or walk 175 meters / 600 feet.
Service is available year-round, Monday to Saturday, with no service on Sundays or statutory holidays. Bookings must be made 2 business days in advance. Fares are based on a zone system, as shown in Exhibit 2-5. The cost of a oneway trip is charged at $7.50 per zone. This means travel within the same costs $7.50, while trips to a different zone costs an additional $7.50 for each zone traveled across. Riders are required to buy in advance multi-ride tickets with 4 $7.50 zone fares (ticket cost is $30). Customers present a valid ticket upon boarding and the driver punches out the appropriate number of $7.50 fares.
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Exhibit 2-5: Zone Map of Niagara Region Specialized Transit
GO Transit GO Transit initiated service to Niagara Region in 2009, offering seasonal weekend train service and daily bus service from St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. The weekend trains operate from May to September and provide one round-trip on Fridays and two round-trips on Sundays. Bus service runs yearround through connections at Burlington GO Station and has four stops in Niagara Region – downtown Niagara Falls and St. Catharines and two intermediate stops at Fairview Mall in St. Catharines and Highway 420 and Stanley Avenue in Niagara Falls. Weekday service runs every hour and weekend service runs every two hours between Niagara Falls and Burlington GO Station. The GO Transit service has been a success, particularly in providing a fast, reliable link for tourism between the Greater Toronto Area and Niagara Falls. It is expected that services will continue to expand over the next decade, with eventual weekday train service during peak periods and expanded bus service. This presents a significant opportunity for a local transit service to link Niagaraon-the-Lake to GO Transit and expand commuter options and the tourist market. A GO Transit bus stop could potentially be established at Niagara College Glendale Campus to provide this connection. Bike Train Service In May 2010, GO Transit began offering a bike train service to accommodate cyclists who bring bikes aboard the Niagara Falls GO Train.
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Transit Service to/from Niagara College During the school year, a number of inter-municipal transit routes are available from the Niagara College Niagara-on-the-Lake (Glendale) campus with connections to the Welland Campus location and to St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. Brock University and Niagara College participate in the U-Pass program. All fulltime students at these institutions pay a low mandatory fee with their tuition and have access to a universal bus pass that allows for unlimited rides on local routes throughout the Niagara Falls Transit, Welland Transit and St. Catharines Transit systems. Part-time students can also join the program by paying the fee. The fees are significantly reduced compared to regular fares and the cost of a Semester Passes available from the transit systems directly. Niagara Falls Transit (NFT) Niagara Falls Transit provides bus service between the Walmart plaza in Niagara Falls and the Niagara College Glendale campus. Schedules for the 2010-2011 school year shows 15 round trips from Niagara Falls:
9 trips departing Niagara Falls every half-hour in the morning, midday and afternoon peak periods.
6 trips departing Niagara Falls every hour between 6:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.; the last bus leaves Niagara College campus at 9:30 p.m., back to Niagara Falls by 9:45 p.m.
Scheduled travel time between Walmart Niagara Falls and Glendale campus is15 minutes; round-trip travel time is 30 minutes.
Niagara Falls Transit also operates 9 round-trip buses between the Niagara Falls Walmart and the Niagara College Welland campus. The service operates from September to April, with no service available on the weekends or holidays including Christmas break and Reading Week. Both routes are available for free to students with a valid U-Pass sticker, and for cash fares of $3.75 one-way or a Semester Pass for $280 (4 month semester term). Welland Transit Welland Transit operates a bus route between the Niagara College campuses in Welland and in Niagara-on-the-Lake (Glendale). The 2010-2011 schedule shows service operates every hour, departing the Welland campus on the half hour from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and departing the Glendale campus on the hour (0:00) from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Scheduled travel time between the two campuses is about 30 minutes. The route operates from September to April, with no service available on the weekends or holidays including Christmas break and Reading Week. It is available for free to students with U-Pass, for a cash fare of $3.25 or intermunicipal passes available from Welland Transit for $27.50 for 10 rides. Local connections are available beyond the campus with a $1.00 transfer fee. Welland Transit also provides bus service between the Niagara College Welland campus and Brock University in St. Catharines. SEPTEMBER 2010
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St. Catharines Transit St. Catharines Transit operates a bus route between the Downtown Bus Terminal in St. Catharines and Niagara College Glendale Campus. Service operates year-round, with no service available on the weekends or holidays including Christmas break and Reading Week. Service is significantly reduced in the summer months compared to September through April. The 2010-2011 campus schedule shows:
Trips departing St. Catharines’ Downtown Bus Terminal at 7:45 a.m. and every half-hour starting at 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and between 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Hourly departures are available between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and after 6:00 p.m.
On Mondays through Thursdays, the last round-trip bus departs the Downtown Terminal at 9:00 p.m. On Fridays, the last round-trip bus departs at 8:00 p.m.
Scheduled travel time between the Downtown Terminal and Glendale Campus is about 15 minutes, with a round-trip of 30 minutes.
The 2010 summer schedule shows service was reduced to 6 round-trips: 3 in the morning, 1 in the midday period, and 2 in the afternoon peak hours. St. Catharines Transit also operates 6 round-trips from the Downtown Terminal to Niagara College Welland Campus during the school year.
NOTL Chamber of Commerce GO Train/Bus Shuttle To attract visitors to Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) from the GO Transit services, the Town’s Chamber of Commerce initiated a shuttle service in the summer of 2010 that meets with selected GO train and bus trips in St. Catharines. The oneway cost of the shuttle service is $10 per person. The service is financially supported in the amount of $10,000 equally by the Chamber and the Shaw Festival.
Niagara Falls to NOTL Shuttle Service (5-0 Transportation) There is currently a shuttle service that runs between Niagara Falls and Niagaraon-the-Lake, provided by 5-0 Transportation, which also provides traditional taxi service within Niagara-on-the-Lake. This shuttle operates between three hotels and the bus terminal in Niagara Falls to the Fort George Bus Lot in the Old Town. During the summer, the 5-0 Transportation offers three round trips daily, and in the winter, one round-trip. In addition, return trips outside scheduled times can be arranged through the taxi service at a reduced rate. The shuttle service is offered at a rate of $10 one-way or $18 return, plus HST.
First Student Link Service First Student Canada (previously Laidlaw Transit) provides bus shuttle service between St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, all year round. The schedule shows one bus from St. Catharines VIA terminal at 10:10 a.m., with a stop at the downtown bus terminal at 10:15 SEPTEMBER 2010
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a.m., to Old Town. Another bus is scheduled to depart Pen Centre at 4:10 p.m. with a stop at the bus terminal at 4:23 p.m. before continuing to Old Town. From April to November, buses depart from Fort George at 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and from November to April, buses depart from the Royal George Theatre at Queen and Regent Streets at the same times. Key stop locations include: Market Square, The Shaw Festival, The Pen Centre, St Catharines Downtown terminal, McDonald's Restaurant (Hwy 55) and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce. The shuttle cost $5 one-way per person.
2.5 Region’s Inter-Municipal Transit Initiative Background The Niagara Region Inter-Municipal Transit Work Plan, developed in twophases, is a proposal to operate transit service across municipalities in the region. Phase 1 involved the development of a service concept for a triangle service connecting Welland, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines - the Region’s three major urban centres. This first phase service concept also identified a number of second-tiered feeder services to support the base triangle. Phase 2 developed a more detailed service strategy for inter-municipal transit services, including a service phasing strategy; estimated costs, ridership and revenues; and fare policies and structure as well as a refined governance implementation plan. Phase 2 Work Plan The Phase 2 Work Plan called for proposed services to be developed in three phases over the next 10 years: Short-Term (Year 1-2) – Triangle Service; Medium-Term (Year 3-5) – Second-tier Feeder Service; and Long-Term (Year 510) – Rural Demand Response Services. The Short-Term Triangle Service phase includes the implementation of three regular weekday inter-municipal services connecting the three major urban centres:
Niagara Falls to St. Catharines (Route 1);
Niagara Falls to Welland (Route 2); and,
Welland to St. Catharines (Route 3).
Inter-municipal post-secondary services connecting Niagara College Glendale Campus would be operated by the local transit agency until Year 2 when a new Route 1A is implemented. Connections to Fort Erie and Port Colborne would continue to be operated by local transit agencies, although the Work Plan calls for coordination of connections during Year 2. The Medium-Term – Second-Tier Feeder Service phase in years 3 to 5 identifies improvements to triangle service routes and the implementation of second-tier services to Fort Erie and Port Colborne. This phase also identifies two other second-tier service routes: Niagara-on-the-Lake connection and Grimsby and Lincoln connection. The Work Plan notes the operation of the Niagara-on-the-
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Lake connection route must be approved by municipality, while the Grimsby and Lincoln connection may be provided by GO Transit. The Longer-Term plan for Years 6 to 10 calls for improved service levels on the second-tier feeder services and the introduction of demand response services to the rest of the areas in the Region. Exhibit 2-6 shows the Work Plan’s proposed inter-municipal routes to be operated through the medium-term phase. Exhibit 2-6: Inter-Municipal Work Plan – Recommended Medium-Term System Map
The financial plan presented in the Work Plan shows net operating costs of $1.6 million in Year 1, gradually increasing to $4.7 million in Year 10, based on the three-phases of proposed service plans. The Work Plan also recommends a cost allocation scheme where 100% of capital costs are allocated to Regional taxpayers, 10% of net operating costs are allocated to Regional taxpayers reflecting the indirect benefits to residents, and 90% of net operating costs are allocated by ridership to areas served by the inter-municipal services.
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The Work Plan also presents governance structure models for both the shortterm and the long-term. The advanced extended municipal services model in the short-term allows for the Region to be responsible for inter-municipal transit planning while delivery is contracted out to public or private service providers. The long-term governance model recommends the establishment of a Regional Transportation Commission responsible for inter-municipal service. Pilot Project On May 12, 2010, the Committee of the Whole for the Niagara Region held a special meeting to discuss inter-municipal transit and the Phase 2 Work Plan details. The Committee received a staff report with recommendations to implement the Phase 2 Work Plan and comments from the public. The Committee also received an Inter-Municipal Transit Proposal submitted on behalf of the municipalities of Fort Erie, Port Colborne, St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls. The Inter-Municipal Transit Proposal by the local municipalities described two service options for the Region to consider as a three-year pilot project to improve inter-municipal transit service in the Niagara Region and monitor longterm feasibility of services. Proposal #1 is similar to the short-term phase recommended in the Work Plan, although it provides service between the downtown terminals without connections to Brock University and the Niagara College campuses. The proposed service plan calls for:
Hourly service from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Saturday.
Routes operate independently of post-secondary inter-municipal buses.
Improving feeder service between:
o
Niagara Falls and Fort Erie - adding Saturday service and operating year-round with holiday exceptions instead of school terms)
o
Welland and Port Colborne - increasing to 6 round trips, from the current 3, adding Saturday service and operating year-round with holiday exceptions.
Purchase of 8 accessible buses capable of highway operations (2 spares).
Proposal #1 requires an initial capital expenditure of $3.7 million from the Region for vehicle acquisition, and net operating costs are estimated at $1.9 million for the first year. Proposal #2 calls for service improvements to some existing inter-municipal routes between Niagara Falls, Brock Hub and Welland, and increased service to Fort Erie and to Port Colborne:
SEPTEMBER 2010
Niagara Falls and Brock – There would be 17 round trips, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday, with hourly service during off-peak periods and half-hour service during peak periods. Service would operate 15 13
IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
round-trips on weekdays during the summer, and 15 round-trips on Saturdays year-round.
Niagara Falls and Fort Erie – same as Proposal #1, the 6 round-trips would be extended to operate Monday to Saturday, year-round with the exception of holidays.
Welland (Niagara College Campus) and Brock - There would be 16 round trips, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday, with hourly service during off-peak periods and half-hour service during peak periods. Service would operate 14 round-trips on weekdays during the summer, and 16 round-trips on Saturdays year-round.
Welland and Port Colborne – same as Proposal #1, service is increased to 6 round-trips, Monday to Saturday, year-round with holiday exceptions.
Purchase of 3 accessible buses, one designated for each transit property.
Proposal #2 notes that with this option service frequency would increase on two routes currently being paid for by student organizations at Brock University and Niagara College, and the Region has to determine how to proceed with this overlap. This proposal estimates an initial capital expenditure of $1.4 million for the three accessible buses, and an annual net operating cost of $0.61 million. Both Proposals recommend all inter-municipal fares would be the same, with farebox capability for data collection, transfers, multi-trip magnetic card reader and smart-card ready. On June 24, 2010, Regional Council approved Proposal #1 as a Pilot Project, as shown in Exhibit 2-7. Financial implications include the need for agreements that the Region provide and transfer $3.7 million in capital funding for the purchase of 8 accessible vehicles for this Pilot Project, and allocate $1.35 million (50% of the estimated annual operating expense for Proposal #1) in the proposed 2011 Operating Budget. Provisions would have to be made for the 2012 and 2013 Operating Budgets to fund the operating expenses of this threeyear pilot project. Staff and managers of the three transit systems (Niagara Falls Transit, Welland Transit and St. Catharines Transit) are working towards agreements for capital purchase and subsequent operation of the Pilot service. Niagara-on-the-Lake’s proportion of the Region’s tax levy is 6.77% (based on 2010 budget). Capital costs would be drawn from reserves, meaning the costs have been collected from past levies to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The only incremental costs would be for expected operating costs. Based on the 6.77% tax levy percentage, Niagara on the Lake’s levy will include approximately $91,400 in 2011 and $182,800 each year thereafter to cover transit operating expenses.
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Exhibit 2-7: Inter-Municipal Triangle Service Pilot Project
SEPTEMBER 2010
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3. Current Market and Travel Demand Analysis 3.1 Telephone Survey Methodology A household telephone survey was designed and implemented by Leger Marketing, our partner for this study. The primary focus of the household survey was to gather information on travel patterns, propensity to use transit if it were available and willingness to pay. The household survey was intended to be a statistical based survey as opposed to the resident “opinion” survey. Data collection for this telephone survey was conducted between July 21, 2010 and July 30, 2010. A total of 500 adults in Niagara-on-the-Lake answered the telephone survey. Respondents were screened to ensure that they reside in the regions specifically within the Niagara-on-the-Lake area and were 16 years or older. There were no other established quotas to allow the survey to fall randomly among the local population. Detailed verification and validation procedures at each stage of the process were taken to ensure data accuracy. With a sample of 500 residents, this method simulates a probability sample which would yield a maximum margin of error of +/- 4.4%, 19 times out of 20 (at the 95% confidence level). Survey Results Key demographic results of the telephone survey are:
Gender: Female – 64%, Male – 36%;
Age: “Older than 55” – 45%; “35-55 years” – 47%; “24-34 years” – 5%; “18-23 years” – 3%; “16-17 years” – 0%;
Student – 3%; Employed Part-time or Full-time – 50%; Retired – 40%; Not Employed – 7%
In terms of area of residence, 40% of the respondents said they lived in Niagara Old Town, with other areas noted to be Virgil (26%) and rural areas of the Town (11%). Four in five respondents (82%) agreed there is a need for local transit services. More women (87%) than men (72%) agreed that this need exists. A higher percentage of residents older than 55 years of age (88%) also agreed there is a need, compared to residents under the age of 55 who feel there is a need (78%).
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Importance of transit service benefits is tied to an aging population and mobility for all, as shown in Exhibit 3-1. Of those residents who believe there is a need for transit service, one third (32%) agreed that provision of transit services would serve their local aging population, as some of those might not be licensed to drive any more with advanced age. Another third spoke to the ability to travel as a possibility for all residents (29% - guaranteed mobility / improve accessibility / for people to get around). Exhibit 3-1: Telephone Survey Results – Reasons for Importance of Transit
Why do you feel that providing a transit service would be important for Niagara-on-the-Lake? Aging population Guarantee mobility for every resident / To improve accessibility / so people can get around For people who don’t drive / don’t have access to a vehicle For the students / for the youth Reduce the need to use a car Because there isn’t any at the moment Reduce congestion downtown during peak season Cost savings for individuals Reduce my need to drive others (e.g. children or friends) The area is remote / we are isolated Environmental concerns To enhance tourism Improve Niagara-on-the-Lake’s image Other Don’t know / refuse to answer
Survey Percentage 32% 29% 9% 6% 5% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 2% 2%
In terms of actual intentions to utilize such transit services, the survey found that just over half of residents (55%) said they would be “likely” (24%) or “very likely” (31%) to use local transit if it were available in the future and convenient to use. Exhibit 3-2 shows potential of using a transit system by the place of residence of survey respondents. In general, within each area the distribution of “how likely the resident was likely to use transit” was evenly spread between the four options, and for most areas more than 50% of the residents were “very likely” or “likely”. The fact remains that people don’t know what to expect of such a service and this result may change in the future if they know more about what will be offered in more detail.
SEPTEMBER 2010
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Exhibit 3-2: Telephone Survey Results – Potential Use of Transit by Place of Residence
How likely are you to use a local transit service if it were available and convenient to you? 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Old Town
Virgil
Glendale Very Likely
St. Davids Likely
Queenston
Unsure
Rural Areas
Other / Unspecified
Never
Twenty-seven (27%) percent of residents said they would not use transit. Residents under the age of 55 were most likely to state they would never use such a service (31%), compared to those making this statement and were older than 55 years (22%). Among the reasons why these residents would not use the service, almost half (46%) said it was because they “expect to drive anyways” either as a driver or passenger, and another third (34%) said they “need to have their car for work”. One in five of these residents had doubts about whether service would meet their needs (22%). Of residents who said they feel there is a need for transit service, only 37% said they were very likely to use the service; a relatively small difference over the percent of total residents surveyed (31%). Additionally, more than one third of those who said there is a need for transit would never (17%) or were not sure (18%) if they would use it. Residents who said they would possibly take transit (including those who were unsure) were asked about their potential destinations. Survey results of destinations named by survey respondents are shown in Exhibit 3-3. Nearly nine in ten residents of Niagara-on-the-Lake that said they would take transit would take it to St. Catharines (87%). Another two in five said they would go to Niagara Falls (43%) or Niagara-on-the-Lake (37%). Among specific areas, key destinations include downtown St. Catharines and Fairview Mall, and Downtown Niagara Falls. A cross tabulation of area of residence and potential destinations show respondents in the Niagara Old Town area were most likely to mention that they would take local transit to go to St. Catharines (91%). The destination of Niagara Falls was popular among those identified as living in Queenston (67%) and in St. David’s (59%).
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Exhibit 3-3: Telephone Survey Results – Primary Destinations
What are the primary destinations you would take transit to? St. Catharines Niagara Falls Niagara‐on‐the‐Lake Niagara Old Town Virgil Glendale Niagara College St. Davids Queenston St. Catharines: Downtown St. Catharines: Fairview St. Catharines: Brock U St. Catharines: The Pen Centre St. Catharines (general mention) Niagara Falls: Downtown Niagara Falls: Hotels / Casino Area Niagara Falls (general mention) Toronto Stanford Welland Shopping mall (unspecified) Hospital / doctor (general mention) Thorold Other Don't know / refuse to answer
87% 43% 37% 26% 18% 8% 10% 8% 6% 63% 46% 12% 7% 6% 36% 10% 6% 4% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1% 6% 3% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Percentage of Survey Respondents (n=365)
Driving is the dominant mode of travel for respondents who would possibly take transit. Nine out of 10 respondents (90%) indicated they would normally “Drive” to the primary destinations. Some respondents said they would ride as a passenger (11%) or carpool (6%). Very few rely on taxi (4%) or cycling (4%), and even fewer walk (1%) or ride a school bus (1%). Almost all residents who would potentially take transit (97%) said they do not have any special needs to prevent them from using a regular transit vehicle.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Residents were asked to select important aspects of a local transit service. As shown in Exhibit 3-4, the majority chose reasons about connections to specific destinations (net result of 83%) and frequency and punctuality (net result of 81%) as being important. Other important features are comfort (63%), direct routes (62%), short travel times (58%) and length of operating hours (56%). Cost was a non-issue (2%). Exhibit 3-4: Telephone Survey Results – Important Aspects to Transit Service
Which of the following aspects of a transit service would be important to you? Connection to St. Catharines Transit * Connection to GO Transit/VIA Rail * Connection to Niagara Falls Transit * Punctual service ^ Frequent service ^ A comfortable ride Direct routes Short travel times Early/late operating hours Cost / affordability Convenient bus stops / easily accessible bus stops Other Don’t know / No answer
Survey Responses 73% 64% 56% 74% 64% 63% 62% 58% 56% 2% 1% 4% 6%
* Number of residents indicating one or more reasons related to connection: 415 (83%) ^ Number of residents indicating one or more reasons related to service: 405 (81%)
The survey results indicate that a reasonable fare for transit services was between $2 and $3, with a weighted average price of $2.60. However, caution is noted to these results as one in five residents did not provide an answer. Some differences showed up in regional numbers, with a mean price of $3.00 from Queenston residents and $2.80 from Niagara Old Town residents.
3.2 Resident Survey Methodology A survey to determine the support and potential use of a transit service, as well as trip purpose and key destinations, was prepared and made available through the Town’s website. Printed copies were also provided at the Town offices. Newspaper advertisements publicized the availability of the survey. The surveys were available for three weeks. This survey provides a good snapshot on resident’s travel habits and their opinion on the need for transit service. A total of 150 surveys were received, 32 of these in paper form and 118 survey submittals on the web, although 3 surveys did not provide any opinion inputs. This represents an approximate response rate of 1.0% of the total town population, which is a low rate for this type of survey. The results should not be considered statistically significant and are presented for insight only.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Survey Results Demographic characteristics of survey respondents are:
Of the 147 completed survey responses, the majority of the responses came from residents who are 55 years or older (53%). The next predominant age group was 35-to-55 years (27%).
In terms of gender, 84 surveys (57%) were received from females and 60 (41%) from males, with 3 surveys not specified.
Retirees represented a significant percentage of the respondents (44%) and full-time employed residents were also a large group (30%). Students, either working or with no employment status, accounted for 10% of the survey responses.
More than half of the residents who responded to the survey said they live in Niagara Old Town, including The Village development (84 surveys). Other areas where a high percentage of respondents said they live are Virgil (25%), and in the Rural areas of the Town (8%).
Eighty-five (85%) of respondents feel there is a need for transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake, as shown in Exhibit 3-5. Teenagers, young adults (20-24 years) and residents over the age of 55 were most likely to state there is a need for transit service. Nine (9%) percent of respondents do not feel there is a need, with two-thirds of these residents being 35 to 55 years old. Exhibit 3-5: Resident Survey Results – Need for Transit by Age Group
Do you feel there is a need for transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake? Yes No Unsure
Age Group 16 to 19 5 -
20 to 24 10 -
25 to 34 11 1 1
35 to 55 28 8 3
Older than 55 70 3 5
Not specified 1 1 -
Total 125 (85%) 13 (9%) 9 (6%)
Among those who said there is a need for a transit system, the dominant reason was to “guarantee mobility for every resident”, as shown in Exhibit 3-6. The second priority was to “reduce the need to use a car”, followed by “Aging population”. Although the survey asked respondents to select a top reason, 5% used the “Other” option to say all or most of the above reasons were important.
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Exhibit 3-6: Resident Survey Results – Reasons for Importance of Transit
Why do you feel that providing a transit service would be important for Niagara‐on‐ the‐Lake? Guarantee mobility for every resident
38%
Reduce the need to use a car
21%
Aging population
16%
Reduce my need to drive others (e.g. children or friends)
6%
Other
6%
Cost savings for individuals
5%
All or most of the above
5%
Reduce congestion downtown during peak season
1%
Environmental Concerns
1%
Improve Niagara‐on‐the‐Lake’s image
1%
Not specified
1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Percentage of Survey Respondents (n=125)
Eighty (80%) of survey respondents said they were “Very likely” (50%) or “Likely” (30%) to use a local transit service if it were available and convenient. Similar to responses about the need for a transit service, teenagers, young adults (20-24 years) and seniors were more likely to use a local transit service, as shown in Exhibit 3-7. Within each age group, only about 60% of residents between the ages of 35-55 years said they were likely to use it, compared to the higher percentages (85-100%) of other age groups. Exhibit 3-7: Resident Survey Results – Potential Use of Service by Age Group
How likely are you to use a local transit service if it were available and convenient for you? 60% Age Group 50%
Older than 55 35 to 55
40%
25 to 34 30%
20 to 24 16 to 19
20% 10% 0% Very likely
SEPTEMBER 2010
Likely
Never
Unsure
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Exhibit 3-8 shows the likelihood of using a transit system by the place of residence of survey respondents. Respondents from Old Town (82%) and from Virgil (86%) were more likely to use a local transit service. Among respondents from the rural areas, 64% of them said they were likely to use it while 27% said never. There were less than five respondents from the other areas. Among those who agreed there is a need for transit service in the area, the percentage of respondents who would use it is higher (93%). Exhibit 3-8: Resident Survey Results – Place of Residence and Potential Use of Service
Place of Residence and Likelihood of Using Transit 70%
Never Unsure
60%
Likely 50%
Very Likely
40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Old Town
Virgil
Glendale
St. Davids
Queenston
Rural Areas
Other / Unspecified
Among those who responded they would never use it (n=16), the primary reasons were “I expect the service will not meet my needs (infrequent, slow, etc.)” (27%), “My typical destinations are unlikely to be serviced well” (20%), and “I need to use my car for work” (18%). Among those who said they were likely or unsure about using a transit service (n=131), their potential destinations noted are shown in Exhibit 3-9. Results show 93% of these respondents noted St. Catharines as a destination. Sixtynine (69%) percent indicated one or more of the destinations in Niagara-on-theLake, while 42% said their potential destinations included Niagara Falls. As to specific areas, key destinations by those who would potentially take transit include Pen Centre and Fairview in St. Catharines, and Niagara Old Town. Other destination areas with a high percentage of these respondents include Virgil and downtown St. Catharines. Although not included as an option in the survey, four respondents (3%) said other destinations include connections to GO Transit, VIA Rail or other transit systems.
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Exhibit 3-9: Resident Survey Results – Primary Destinations
What are the primary destinations you would take transit to? St. Catharines Niagara‐on‐the‐Lake Niagara Falls Niagara Old Town Virgil Glendale Niagara College St Davids Queenston St. Catharines : Downtown St. Catharines : Fairview St. Catharines : Pen Centre St. Catharines : Brock U Niagara Falls : Downtown Niagara Falls : Hotels/Casino Area Niagara Falls : Tourist Core Other in Niagara Region Connections Other
93% 69% 42% 50% 41% 9% 8% 8% 6% 44% 52% 67% 8% 18% 16% 14% 8% 3% 5%
0%
20% 40% 60% 80% Percentage of Survey Respondents (n=131)
100%
Among respondents who would potentially use transit (n=131), driving is the dominant mode of travel. Almost four in five respondents (79%) indicated they “Drive” when asked about how they would normally travel to the primary destinations noted above. Twenty-four (24%) of respondents said they also typically travel “as passengers”. All other modes were indicated in less than 10% of the surveys. Ninety-two (92%) of residents who would take transit said they did not have special needs that would prevent them from taking a transit service, while 8% noted a disability. More than half of the survey respondents said they value “frequent service” (54%) and “punctual service” (54%), as shown in Exhibit 3-10. About half of residents surveyed said connections to St. Catharines (48%) and to GO Transit and/or VIA Rail (44%) service are also important. Other aspects that were high among residents include operational characteristics, such as direct routes, easily accessible routes and schedule information and extended operating hours. Net results show 70% of Niagara-on-the-Lake residents value the quality of service (frequency and reliability) and 64% said connections to other transit services are important aspects to any potential local service.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
About one third (33%) of residents responding to the survey said a reasonable transit fare would be $2 while another 27% said $3. The survey results show a weighted average fare is about $2.65. One in ten surveys did not provide an answer. Exhibit 3-10: Resident Survey Results – Important Aspects to Transit Service
Which of the following aspects of a transit service would be important to you? Frequent service
54%
Punctual service
54%
Connection to St. Catharines Transit
48%
Connection to GO Transit/VIA Rail
44%
Direct routes
39%
Easily accessible route/schedule info.
33%
Early/late operating hours
31%
Connection to Niagara Falls Transit
23%
Short travel times
16%
A comfortable ride
13%
Other (please specify)
10%
Bicycle racks
7%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Percentage of Survey Respondents (n=147)
3.3 Key Survey Results Key results from both the resident and telephone surveys conducted are:
SEPTEMBER 2010
Four in five residents feel there is a need for local transit services in Niagara-on-the-Lake;
The dominant priorities for having transit service was the “Aging population” and to “Guarantee mobility for all residents”; and,
More than half the residents said they were likely to use a transit service were it available. Seniors and students are more likely to use it.
For those that would not use it, the main reasons were that they expect or need to drive to their destinations. Not surprisingly, driving was the dominant mode of travel.
The most popular destination for those who would take transit was St. Catharines. About 2 in 5 residents said they would take it within Niagara-on-the-Lake, with another similar percentage saying they would go somewhere in Niagara Falls. 25
IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
The most important aspects for any transit service were connections to other transit services and quality of service.
Respondents indicated that a reasonable transit fare would be between $2 and $3, with a weighted average around $2.60.
3.4 Stakeholder Consultation This section summarizes the results of the consultation sessions with key transit stakeholders in the community. Stakeholders include residents and business and community leaders who may have an interest in the introduction of a public transit service in the community or who may benefit from a transit service. In order to effectively consult with the wide range of stakeholders involved, meetings were held two focus groups of “key opinion leaders (KOL)”, individuals representing residents, agencies and businesses. The purpose of stakeholder consultation was to explore the value and importance of public transit to the community, discuss relevant issues and generally gather a sense of potential demand for a service in the Town. These meetings were designed to supplement the surveys completed.
Focus Group Meetings Focus groups are an effective process for bringing together various representatives of the community to discuss specific issues, such as transit, to share ideas and explore various issues in a collaborative format. Two focus group meetings were held with 20 people representing community groups, businesses and residents. A total of 32 people had been invited. The individuals were selected in consultation with Town staff and were intended to reflect a cross-section of the community and included residents who had previously expressed interest in the question of a public transit service in the Town. Groups represented included businesses (hotels, B&B’s, restaurants, wineries, Shaw Festival), seniors, students, Niagara Parks Commission, education (Niagara District School Board, Niagara College), resident’s association, disability community, and the business association. Two primary issues were discussed by the focus groups:
The demand, or need, for a transit service: o
Who should it serve
o
Who would use it
o
How often
o
Destinations
o
Acceptable fares
Expectations about a transit service: o
SEPTEMBER 2010
Type of service (taxi, van, bus)
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
o
Service level (how often, days, hours of operation) including ,
o
Investment cost to the Town to support the service
The focus group discussions provided the following information, opinions and issues:
There was good support for the introduction of a formal transit service in NOTL with the view that this would accomplish several objectives: o
Keep older and life-long residents within NOTL especially when they are no longer able to drive
o
Attract visitors/tourists to NOTL by offering an alternative to driving a car
o
Help to link the communities within NOTL together
o
Facilitate or encourage accommodations for students (i.e. rentals) within NOTL for post-secondary students
The groups noted that there are no taxicabs stationed in NOTL;
The people most in need of some sort of transit service are seniors, specifically those unable to drive, and the youth travelling to jobs within NOTL. Local businesses have trouble attracting workers from outside NOTL. Focus group emphasized the high percentage of seniors living within NOTL, second highest in Canada;
Group felt that there were two different services – one within NOTL and one outside NOTL. The primary need was for a transit service internal to NOTL with strong support for connecting links to St. Catharines and Niagara Falls and links to the VIA train and GO train and GO buses;
The Groups expressed the view that with the closure of the high school in NOTL and the presence of medical services in both Niagara Falls and St. Catharines, links to those municipalities were important. Links to outside NOTL would be beneficial for students attending Brock and Niagara College;
Most attendees were aware of the community shuttle service that had existed previously but there was little awareness of the current token system offered by the Town to subsidize taxi fares;
The presence of a “speedy cab” service was raised and highlighted as being illegal since it is unlicensed; used primarily by teenagers/youth;
With regard to the fare to charge for a transit service, the group felt that $3.00 was appropriate depending on the type and level of service;
In terms of municipal investment, there was concern about the potential cost. Would need to see the cost and benefit.
In summary, the focus groups felt that establishing a transit service would be of benefit to the Town and that both a service within the Town and linking to SEPTEMBER 2010
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outside the Town is needed. The persons most in need were seniors followed by youth. There was a concern about the cost to provide that service and perhaps the Town would begin with a small service and build towards a larger service over time and as demand warrants.
Members of Town Council and Town Staff Individual meetings were held with members of Town Council with the primary focus being on key concerns they have with regard to the need for a public transit service and feedback that they have heard from residents and businesses about public transit. The meetings also served as an opportunity for members of Council to ask questions regarding the study process. Seven of the nine members of Council, including the Lord Mayor, were interviewed and collectively they identified a number of issues:
SEPTEMBER 2010
Most felt that there was a need to provide residents, primarily seniors and young people accessing jobs, with some form of transportation as an alternative to the car. This is becoming particularly important for older residents who may no longer be able to drive a car. Seniors need transportation for shopping, doctor appointments, etc;
People with disabilities are in need of a transit service. Councillors were unsure of the role of the Region’s accessible transit service;
The primary areas to serve would be the community’s of the Old Town, St. David’s, Virgil, Glendale and Queenston. It was felt that service to the rural areas was unnecessary as the people who live there have the necessary transportation resources;
There’s a need for connecting service to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines and the VIA and GO Train;
There was a concern about the potential cost to taxpayers to provide a service;
There was a wide range of views with regard to the type and level of transit service needed with some expressing the view that a continuation of the recent shuttle service and current token system to subsidize taxi fares was sufficient while others felt that something more extensive would be required in the morning and afternoon to bring people, primarily teenagers, to and from work in the Old Town. There is a need for a flexible service like the former community shuttle service;
Members of Council were generally unsure of the financial impact on the Town of the Region’s initiative to introduce an inter-municipal transit service. It was felt that the Town either was already paying too much or would pay too much for a service that would have limited value to the Town
Members of Council would like to see what public transit options are available for a service within Niagara-on-the-Lake and what the potential costs would be;
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A transit service could improve access to the Town by out of town visitors but also, on a broader scale, could enhance the attractiveness of visiting the Town since the requirement to use a car would be lessened;
One view was expressed that the private sector should provide a transportation service without Town assistance.
Overall, members of Town Council felt that there was a need for some form of service targeted at seniors and teenagers going to/from work but did want to understand what the service options are and the associated costs. There was support for continuing or expanding the previous shuttle service. They also wish to understand the impact of the Region’s proposed inter-municipal service on the Town.
3.5 Travel Demand Analysis Information on travel patterns to and from Niagara-on-the-Lake was obtained through the 2006 Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS). The following exhibits show the number of trips originating and ending at Niagara-on-the-Lake to and from municipalities/regions in and close to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
To/From Niagara-on-the-Lake Exhibit 3-11 shows the trips to the illustrated destination municipality, over a 24hour weekday period, from Niagara-on-the-Lake. The survey shows about 14,300 trips are made within Niagara-on-the-Lake. The next major destinations for trips originating in Niagara-on-the-Lake are the neighbouring towns of St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, with 9,600 trips and 4,300 trips, respectively. The survey also shows over 500 daily trips are made to Welland, Thorold, Lincoln, Hamilton, and Pelham. Similar travel patterns are shown for the AM peak period, as illustrated in Exhibit 3-12. Around 3,000 trips are made within Niagara-on-the-Lake in the morning and about 2,000 trips are taken to St. Catharines between 4:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Exhibit 3-12 also shows considerable travel to Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Welland, and towards Fort Erie and Toronto in the morning peak period. Travel patterns of trips into Niagara-on-the-Lake also show the majority of trips are within Niagara-on-the-Lake, with another large percent of trips from St. Catharines (9,400 daily trips) and Niagara Falls (4,500). About 20-30% of these made in the morning peak. These analyses illustrate the high percent of internal trips being made within the Town and the potential for public transit to provide residents, as well as visitors to Niagara-on-the-Lake, with an alternative mode of transport for varying work and personal trips around Town. It also shows the potential to provide residents, commuters and visitors with connections to regional and intermunicipal transit services for trips to and from neighbouring communities, including connecting service to Hamilton and downtown Toronto.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Exhibit 3-11: Trips from Niagara-on-the-Lake, 24-hour Period (2006 TTS)
Exhibit 3-12: Trips from Niagara-on-the-Lake, AM Period (2006 TTS)
Within Niagara-on-the-Lake As previously noted, the 2006 TTS survey shows about 14,300 trips are made within Niagara-on-the-Lake on a daily basis. Exhibit 3-13 shows the breakdown of these trips within the Town by origin and destination area. About 50% of the trips are within the communities, while the other half is spread out across the larger rural areas of the Town. The TTS survey shows there are significant travel markets in Old Town and Virgil. Close to 3,200 trips are made within the Old Town area, representing about 22% of the total trips within the Town. About 1,500 trips start and end in SEPTEMBER 2010
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Virgil (10%), and another 1,600 trips are made between Old Town and Virgil (11%). In other words, about 6,300 trips are made within and between the two communities on a daily basis. Trips between other communities are relatively low, and caution is noted that data is reflective of household surveys and extrapolated with expansion factors. Exhibit 3-13: Origin-Destination of Trips within Niagara-on-the-Lake (2006 TTS)
From Old Town Virgil Queenston St. Davids Glendale Rural Areas
To: Old Town 3,195 875 54 161 53 1,175
Virgil 740 1,447 53 71 18 999
Queenston 89 36 107 36 0 162
St. Davids 217 53 54 179 54 198
Glendale 54 36 0 54 0 108
Rural Areas 1,221 984 165 234 126 1,308
In addition, survey data shows 65% of the trips within Old Town, 38% of the trips within Virgil, and 43% of the trips between the two communities, are made by persons over the age of 55 years. This represents about 3,300 daily trips by an older adult population. Data also shows a large percentage of trips within and between Old Town and Virgil, about 3,400 trips, are home-based discretionary trips (purpose other than school or work). The volume, demographics characteristics and discretionary nature of current trips made within and between Old Town and Virgil provide an environment with high potential for a transit service to capture a share of the 6,300 trips in this area of the Town.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
4. Peer System Review This section presents a review of the transit services in Ontario municipalities of similar size which can be considered Niagara-on-the Lake’s “peers”. A direct comparison between any municipalities is not intended or advisable as every municipality has its own characteristics and dynamics. The objectives of this “peer review” are to understand what is being done in other municipalities, review the operating characteristics of transit services in these municipalities, and potentially learn from their experience. This experience can also serve as a basis for understanding what could be provided in Niagara-on-the-Lake and what the likely result might be, in terms of ridership and costs. In Ontario, there are a total of twelve municipalities for which useful transit information is available and that can be considered “peers” to Niagara-on-theLake. While there are other similar size municipalities across Canada including Powell River and Dawson Creek in British Columbia and small systems in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, comparison with the Ontario examples is the most relevant due to similar operating environment. Details and data on the operation of the systems in Collingwood, Brockville, Cobourg, Huntsville, Elliot Lake, Kenora, Port Hope, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Wasaga Beach, Leamington and Orangeville are presented. Data were provided by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) and it should be noted that 2009 data presented here has not been finalized by CUTA. Transit information for these municipalities is grouped into two categories. General characteristics present information describing the municipal systems such as population served, type of operation, hours of service, fares and ridership. Performance Indicators are operational measurements taking into account the population of the community and ridership. These include ridership per capita, and costs per vehicle hour and per capita. Exhibit 4-1 presents the details and data on the operation systems of peer municipalities. General Characteristics The following is a summary of the characteristics and trends of the municipal systems. Municipal Population – the total municipal population ranges from 12,000 in Elliot Lake to 29,925 in Fort Erie. Population Served – the population served by the transit service ranges from 6,700 in Kenora to 28,200 in Orangeville. In eight of the municipalities, the area served by transit is less than the population indicating that there is a rural population which is not served. Method of Operation – Eleven of the 12 municipalities contract their transit system to a private company. In all instances, the private company is an existing local transportation provider (school bus operator). In the remaining SEPTEMBER 2010
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
municipality, Brockville, the transit service is operated directly by the municipality using municipal employees. Type of Transit Service – All systems have a fixed route operation; most of the systems offer a parallel accessible service in addition to the fixed route system. Fleet Size and Peak Vehicles – fleet size ranges from 2 to 4 vehicles, and the number of vehicles operated in the peak period ranges from 1 to 2. Four of the municipalities require all vehicles to operate the service and the remaining systems have one or more vehicles as a spare. Number of Routes – All systems, except Fort Erie and Leamington, have two or more routes serving the municipality. Span of Service – the hours of operation are typically 10 to 12 hours per weekday, from around 7:00AM to close to 7:00PM with shorter hours on Saturday. Only three systems offer Sunday service, and only one (Wasaga Beach) operates holidays. Service Frequency – services typically operate on an hourly schedule. Only Collingwood and Orangeville operate every 30 minutes. Collingwood operates 30 minute headways on two of its routes during the “rush hours” (7AM – 9AM, 2:30PM – 5:30PM). Annual Ridership – ridership ranges from 15,300 in Leamington to 137,958 in Elliot Lake. One system has a ridership below 20,000, three of the systems have ridership in the 20,000 to 49,000 range, five of the systems have ridership between 50,000 and 99,000 annually, and two systems have ridership greater than 100,000. Elliot Lake is unusual with a ridership level of 137,958 in 2009, likely as a result of the high senior population and hilly terrain that limits walking and cycling. Ridership in 2009 was not available for Huntsville. Annual Revenue Hours – this is the total number of hours of transit service provided annually and ranges from 2,000 in Port Colborne to 10,245 in Collingwood. Total Annual Operating Cost – ranges from $161,838 in Wasaga Beach to $596,931 in Collingwood. Fares – typical adult cash fares are $2.00 with reduced fares for buying tickets/tokens, and for seniors and students. Monthly passes are between $50$60, with some systems offering a discounted monthly pass to seniors and students. Annual Passenger Revenue – varies from $17,406 in Wasaga Beach to $238,499 in Elliot Lake. Annual Net Cost – ranges from $114,689 in Kenora to $496,996 in Collingwood. Performance Indicators These are key indicators for measuring transit performance taking into account the population of the community, the level of service and fare, and are derived from the foregoing information. SEPTEMBER 2010
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Revenue-hours per Capita – this indicator expresses the amount of service provided in the community on the basis of population and ranges from 0.11 to 0.83. The average is 0.47 revenue hours per capita. Rides per Capita – this is the number of trips taken on the transit service in a year divided by the population. This ranges from 0.77 to 11.50. The average is 4.81. Cost per Vehicle Hour – this indicator is the total cost to provide transit service divided by the number of revenue hours per year. The value ranges from $39.81/hour to $66.36/hour. The average is $53.05. Net Cost per Capita – this is the net cost, or investment required, after revenues on a per capita basis. This value ranges from $5.19 to $33.13, with an average of $16.87. Revenue/Cost Ratio – this value indicates the percentage of the operating cost recoverable from transit fares. It ranges from 11% to 53%, with an average of 26%. However, most small systems have a cost recovery rate of 20% to 30%. These performance measurement criteria are useful for identifying the potential ridership, service levels and costs for a transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Summary The experiences of the twelve municipalities across Ontario that operate public transit services indicate the following:
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Service in these municipalities typically operates Monday to Friday, with limited service on Saturdays, and usually not on Sundays or holidays. Service usually runs for 10-12 hours on weekdays until about 6-7 p.m.
Ridership levels range between 0.77 and 8.53 riders per capita for systems with 1-2 routes, and between 1.17 and 11.50 rides per capita for systems with 3 or more routes.
The majority of transit service is contracted to a private operator, although buses are typically purchased by the municipality in order to take advantage of funding.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Exhibit 4-1: Niagara-on-the-Lake Peer Review Systems
Niagara on the Lake, ON Year Commenced Municipal Population Population Served Area Served Service Area Description Method of Operation History of Service Type of Service Offer Parallel / Accessible Transit Number of Routes Fleet Size Peak Vehicles Fleet Description Span of Service
15,000
Brockville 1982 19,128 19,128 20.3
Cobourg 1976 18,200 10,602 13
Collingwood 1982 17,290 15,000 18.6
Elliot Lake 1984 12,000 12,000 16
Fort Erie 1979 29,925 21,200 168
Huntsville 1991 18,280 10,000 12
Kenora 1984 13,414 6,700 16
Leamington 1985 28,833 20,000 9.8
Orangeville 1991 28,209 28,200 14
Port Hope Wasaga Beach 1969 2008 16,390 16,700 13,750 16,700 13.1 59.7
Port Colborne 1999 18,600 18,600 40.5
Direct
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Contract
Fixed Route Yes 3 4 3
Fixed Route Yes 2 5 2
Fixed Route Yes 3 3 3
Fixed Route Yes 4 3 2
Fixed Route Yes 1 3 2
Fixed Route No 2 3 2
Fixed Route Yes 2 2 1
Fixed Route Yes 1 2 1
Fixed Route No 3 4 3
Fixed Route Yes 2 2 2
Fixed Route Yes 2 2 2
Fixed Route No 3 2
Weekday Saturday Sunday/Holiday
6:45-18:15 8:45-18:15 No service 11.5
6:15-19:45 8:15-19:45 9:00-16:00 (Sun) 13.5
6:30-21:00 7:00-18:00 9:00-17:00 (Sun) 14.5
7:00-18:30 (M-W) 7:00-21:30 (Th-F) 7:00-18:30 No service 11.5
7:30-19:35 7:30-19:35 No service 12
7:50-19:15 9:50-18:50 No service 11.5
7:00-19:00 9:00-19:00 No service 12
9:00-17:00 9:00-17:00 No service 8
7:15-18:15 8:45-17:45 No service 12
6:00-22:00 8:00-17:00 No service 16
7:00-19:00 7:00-19:00 7:00-19:00 12
8:00-17:00 No service No service 9
Peak Midday Evening Saturday Sunday/Holiday
60 60 0 60 0
60 60 0 60 60
30 60 0 30 30 / 60
60 60 60 (Th-F) 60 0
60 60 0 60 0
120 120 0 120 0
90 60 120(no service at noon) 0 0 60-120 60 0 0
30 30 30 60 0
60 60 60 60 0
187,972 10,113 10,653 95,780 $540,667 $540,667 $155,243 $166,487 $166,487 $374,180 $374,180 $160,000 $214,180 0.53 5.01 8.99 $50.75 $5.64 $3.91 $19.56 $1.62 18.59 31%
218,910 8,781 8,781 77,014 $486,503 $528,289 $134,653 $139,403 $139,403 $347,100 $388,886
217,240 10,245 10,470 110,877 $598,931 $598,931 $101,935 $101,935 $101,935 $496,996 $496,996 $162,974 $334,022 0.68 7.39 10.59 $57.20 $5.40 $4.48 $33.13 $0.92 21.20 17%
173,218 7,647 7,767 137,958 $418,924 $460,924 $238,499 $243,369 $243,369 $175,555 $217,555 $37,919 $179,636 0.64 11.50 17.76 $53.94 $3.04 $1.27 $14.63 $1.73 22.65 53%
220,584 6,969 7,519 47,690 $429,215 $429,215
83,800 4,673 4,673
227,600 9,516 9,516 99,779 $475,890 $475,890 $135,931 $163,504 $163,504 $312,386 $312,386 $151,000 $161,386 0.34 3.54 10.49 $50.01 $4.77 $3.13 $11.08 $1.36 23.92 34%
179,763 8,973 8,973 55,008 $514,720 $543,948 $78,588 $78,588 $78,588 $436,132 $465,360 $53,262 $412,098 0.65 4.00 6.13 $57.36 $9.36 $7.93 $31.72 $1.43 20.03 14%
Average 19,747 15,990
Service Frequency (min)
Revenue Kilometres Revenue Hours Total Vehicle Hours Ridership Direct Operating Cost Total Operating Cost Passenger Revenue Operating Revenue Total Revenue Net Direct Operating Cost Net Operating Cost Gas Tax Municipal Cost Revenue Hours per Capita Riders per Capita Rides per Rev. Vehicle Hour Cost per Rev. Vehicle Hour Cost per Passenger Net Cost per Passenger Net Cost per Capita Average Fare Average Speed Revenue/Cost Ratio
Cash
$2.00
Tickets
$1.50
Monthly Pass
Others
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$388,886 0.83 7.26 8.77 $55.40 $6.32 $4.51 $32.74 $1.75 24.93 26%
$2.00
$1.60 $60 adult; $50 students, seniors; $55 $25 child $15.00 - school student after 6pm Children < 6 Free + weekends
$2.00 adult; $1.75 $1.00 student, seniors
$0.90
$429,215 $110,620 $296,686 0.33 2.25 6.34 $57.08 $9.00
$203,155 $203,155 $23,306 $23,306 $23,306 $179,849 $179,849 $70,544 $109,305 0.47
$43.47
$17.98 31.65
17.93 11%
$2 adult, senior; $1 student; $0.50 children $2.00 preschooler $1.82 adult, seniors; $0.91 student
$55 adult; $45 $30 student, senior
$50 adult, senior; $25 student
Children < 3 Free
62,914 3,189 3,189 57,172 $211,634 $211,634 $96,945 $96,945 $96,945 $114,689 $114,689 $114,689 0.48 8.53 17.93 $66.36 $3.70 $2.01 $17.12 $1.70 19.73 46%
58,800 2,149 2,515 15,300 $161,838 $161,838 $17,406 $37,041 $37,041 $124,797 $124,797 $50,344 $74,453 0.11 0.77 6.08 $64.35 $10.58 $8.16 $6.24 $1.14 27.36 23%
$2 adult; $1.75 senior; $1 student, $2 adult; $1.50 $2.00 child student, senior
$1.80 $1.36 adult
$2 adult; $1.50 student, senior
$1.70 adult; $1.30 student, senior $35 adult; $25 student, senior
$50 adult; $30 student, senior
Children < 12 Free if riding with adult Children < 6 Free Children < 4 Free
35
60 60 60(no service at noon) 0 0 60 0 60 0 181,994 8,756 8,756 25,671 $348,559 $348,559 $39,633 $39,633 $39,633 $308,926 $308,926 $308,926 0.52 1.54 2.93 $39.81 $13.58 $12.03 $18.50 $1.54 20.79 11%
43,000 2,000 3,250 21,715 $132,595 $222,209 $36,098 $36,098 $48,322 $96,497 $173,887 $96,302 $77,585 0.11 1.17 6.68 $40.80 $6.11 $4.44 $5.19 $1.66 21.50 16%
$2 adult; $1.50 student, senior, child $2.00 $1.50 adult; $1.00 student, senior, $1.91 adult; $1.50 child student, senior $69 adult; $59 student; $52 senior Children < 12 Free if riding with adult
154,650 6,918 7,172 67,633 $376,886 $393,772 $96,203 $102,392 $103,503 $269,737 $298,894 $99,218 $222,654 0.47 4.81 9.34 $53.05 $5.57 $3.99 $16.87 $1.48 22.52 26%
IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
4.1 Review of Representative Transit Services Further review was undertaken for the transit services in Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Elliot Lake, given their proximity and similarities with Niagara-on-the-Lake. In addition, the towns of Bracebridge, Grimsby and Pelham were also reviewed as they do not currently operate a public transit service.
Fort Erie Fort Erie commenced transit service in 1979. The transit system is contracted out to a local operator, and has one route currently operated by two buses with a frequency of approximately one hour. Fixed route service operates Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:35 p.m., with no service available on Sundays or holidays. The Town also provides accessible specialized transit service for trips within the municipal boundaries to eligible riders. In addition, shuttle service has been available to and from Niagara Falls. From September to April, this shuttle service is available from Niagara Falls Transit, while service in the summer months has been funded by the Town of Fort Erie and other community groups. A simplified fare of $2.00 per rider has been established.
Port Colborne The City of Port Colborne has contracted Welland Transit (since 2008) to provide its transit services. Service is comprised of two local routes and one link service connecting the towns of Port Colborne and Welland. The local community routes run every hour from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (no service between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.), Monday to Friday. The link service operates Monday to Friday and has only three runs a day: in the morning peak, midday, and afternoon peak. This link connects to Niagara College, the Seaway Mall and Welland downtown terminal. A complex fare structure has been established: Local Routes
$2.00 cash fares
Adults
Econo passes: $42.00 for 22 rides; $22.00 for 10 rides Monthly pass: $69.00
Seniors
Econo passes: $33.00 for 22 rides; $16.50 for 10 rides Monthly pass: $52.00
Students
Econo passes: $33.00 for 22 rides; $19.00 for 10 rides Monthly pass: $59.00
Link Service
$3.25 cash fare $1.00 transfer fee Inter-municipal: $27.50 per 10 rides
Other
Semester Passes: $280 per semester Transfer fee to Link service: $1.00 (additional $1.00 to transfer to Welland service).
CUTA operating statistics show ridership has increased from 8,900 in 2008 to around 21,700 in 2009.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Elliot Lake This community is located half-way between Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie, has a population of 12,000 and is marketing itself as a retirement community. As a result it has a high average age of 50. The community also has a lower average income and low car ownership amongst the senior population. It is a hilly terrain which limits walking and bicycling. As a result, the transit system has a high level of transit use compared to its peer municipalities. There are four transit routes which operate on an hourly basis, using two full-size transit buses, Monday to Saturday. Fares are $2.00 cash for adult, $1.75 cash for seniors and students. Monthly passes are available for $55.00 for adults and $45.00 for seniors and students. In addition, all users can purchase a block of 12 tickets for $21.00.
Bracebridge The Town of Bracebridge is known as the “Heart of Muskoka” and is strategically situated in the centre of Muskoka. The Town has a population of 15,652 (2006 Census) over 617.4 km2, of which approximately 10,000 live within the main urbanized portion of the town. The Town does not currently have a formal public transit service, although other transportation services are available within the Town. Specialized transit is provided through a local transportation operator for residents with mobility limitations on a demand-response basis. A shuttle service, Santa Express, operates at limited times of the year, free of charge to riders, by a private tourist firm although it receives financial support from the Town. A school shuttle connects the downtown area and the high school and sports complex. This school shuttle only operates two round trips, for one hour a day, and is operated by a local transportation operator under agreement with the Town. Another shuttle, operated by a service provided under a contract with the private grocery store, provides a free service two times a week in the morning to persons wishing to go grocery shopping. This service is intended for seniors who must indicate their desire to use the service in advance. In 2008, the Town conducted a study to examine the feasibility of establishing a public transit service and to assess the administrative, operational, infrastructure and financial issues associated with it. To date, the Town has not implemented any public transit service.
Grimsby The Town of Grimsby is located on the northwest section of the Regional Municipality of Niagara. The Town has a population of 23,937 (2006 census) over an area of 68.94 km2, with the majority of the population living on the north part of Town bounded by Lake Ontario and the Niagara escarpment. Grimsby is part of the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area as a result of its commuting flows. The Town does not have a formal public transit service, but it is served by GO Transit, VIA Rail, Greyhound and Coach Canada. In September 2009, Grimsby initiated accessible transit service within the Town available to eligible residents. The service is provided in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Pelham Transit (Discontinued) In 2008, the Town of Pelham contracted Welland Transit to provide bus service in Pelham. The route connected the Niagara College Welland campus to the Fonthill village / Town Square in Pelham, and offered nine round-trips (3 in the morning peak, three in the midday period and three in the afternoon peak period), Monday to Friday, with no service on weekends or statutory holidays. With the exception of a few designated bus stops near the Town Square, customers could flag the bus anywhere along the route for pick-up or drop-off. According to a news article on the Welland Tribune, fares were $2.50 for adults, $1.25 for children between 5 and 12 and free for children with an accompanying adult. Transfer to other Welland Transit buses was available for an additional $1. The news article also notes the route was “designed to link students with the university and college, and also provide a means for other people to have transportation to different events, whether its school or work or into a different city”. The contract with Welland Transit was for one year, ending in August 2009. At that time, service was cancelled. According to a news article on the Pelham News, this first and only year of service cost $66,000 to residents and average daily ridership only about 10 people.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
5. Potential Demand Based upon the review of survey, travel demand, and demographic data, it is determined that there are a number of potential markets for transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The following section analyzes this data and concludes that the greatest potential for a public transit service in the Town is its unique position as an older adult community.
5.1 Demographics of Town In most mid-sized and smaller communities, the older adult population is a major, if not the largest, market for public transit service, either in a conventional, fixed-route system, or through specialized transit. The economic, social, and practical advantages of public transit make it an attractive mobility option for older adults. Transit is often available at a lower cost than car ownership, particularly for those on fixed-incomes; provides an opportunity to socialize and form community connections on transit vehicles; and is a practical means of mobility as citizens age and are unable or do not want to depend on driving. Niagara-on-the-Lake has a very high proportion of older adults and seniors, far above levels elsewhere in Ontario and Canada. Town-wide, over 44% of the population is over the age of 55, with the largest concentration in the Old Town, where 56% of the approximately 3,800 residents are over 554, as shown in Exhibit 5-1. Exhibit 5-1: Estimated Niagara-on-the-Lake Population by Area
4
The estimated populations by area, as well as the respective age breakdowns, are outputs from the Person-level data from the Transportation Tomorrow Survey, 2006. The data is reflective of the surveys conducted within each traffic zone, and have been extrapolated using an expansion factor in order to present a full representation the population.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
The main impact of the uncharacteristically high proportion of older adults is on ridership potential for a transit service, particularly when compared to transit services in peer communities. The peer review in section 4 provides a broad overview of the transit ridership, operating characteristics and cost experience in those communities as a potential comparator for Niagara-on-the-Lake. Port Colborne and Fort Erie are particularly relevant due to their general similarities with Niagara-on-the-Lake, in terms of geographic size, urban form, and population. However, unlike the Town, Port Colborne and Fort Erie have more traditional proportions of older adults. There is some evidence that, among the peer properties in Ontario, there is a correlation between the proportion of older adults and per capita transit ridership, as illustrated in Exhibit 5-2. Exhibit 5-2: Comparison of Senior Population and Transit Ridership
Proportion Aged over 55 Transit Ridership per Capita
Cobourg 37%
Collingwood 34%
Elliot Lake 50%
Fort Erie 31%
Port Colborne 34%
Peer Average
7.26
7.39
11.5
2.25
1.17
4.8
The high transit ridership per capita, when related to the proportion of older adults, is likely due to the transit service in those communities being targeted toward the older adult population. With that in mind, should a transit service be initiated in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the service design and marketing should be focused upon the travel patterns and needs of the older adult population, given that in the combined areas of Virgil and Old Town, 48% of the population is over the age of 55, a level similar to Elliot Lake.
5.2 Travel Patterns – Focusing on the Old Town and Virgil Not only do older adults represent a large proportion of the population in Niagara-on-the-Lake, they also represent an even greater proportion of trips made internal to the Town. Based upon an analysis of 2006 Transportation Tomorrow Survey data of trips conducted within the Town of Niagara-on-theLake, a total of approximately 14,300 trips are made daily internally. Of these trips, 6,300, or over 41%, are made daily between and within the communities of the Old Town and Virgil, which form the largest internal travel market in the Town. More significantly, 53% of Old Town and Virgil based trips are made by residents 55 and over, or approximately 3,300 trips. This represents a large potential market, over a relatively small geographic area that is generally transitsupportive in urban form.
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IBI GROUP TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE - TRANSIT NEEDS SURVEY
Exhibit 5-3: Trips made by older adults within and between Old Town and Virgil
In addition to the magnitude of trip volumes made by older adults in Niagara-onthe-Lake, the trip purposes also provide an opportunity for public transit. Over 51% of all-day trips within the Town are considered home-based discretionary trips, meaning trips for purposes other than work and school, representing approximately 7,300 trips a day. About 3,400 of these trips are made within or between the Old Town and Virgil, with a greater proportion to and within the Old Town. These discretionary trips can provide balanced, all-day demand for transit service, instead of traditional morning and afternoon peak hour patterns.
5.3 Mode Share As a result of the lack of a transit service in the Town, it is not surprising that travel within the Town is dominated by auto travel. However, within the Old Town, 4% of trips are currently walk and cycle trips, trips that are captive to a potential transit service. Based on these factors, a conservative estimated target transit mode share of 3% is reasonable for estimating potential transit ridership in and between the Old Town and Virgil. With 6,300 trips daily in this travel market, this translates into approximately 189 potential daily transit trips.
5.4 Travel Market Implications With a conservative transit mode share target of 3%, there is a potential for approximately 189 daily rides on a conventional transit service circulating within and between the Old Town and Virgil. On an annual basis, this would equate to 66,500 trips (based upon 350 service days). Serving a population of 6,200 in Virgil and the Old Town, the service would attract approximately 10.7 rides per
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capita, comparable to the level in Elliott Lake. Although higher than the provincial rides per capita average, this is a realistic projection considering:
The high proportion of seniors in the two communities (48% over age of 55, comparable to Elliot Lake, where this proportion is 50% with a rides per capita of 11.5);
The transit-supportive nature of the communities served, particularly the Old Town where the compact grid street pattern means that the area could be served efficiently within a 250-metre distance of most residents; and,
The high level of community support for the introduction of a public transit service as demonstrated through resident surveys conducted as part of this study.
5.5 Inter-municipal Travel Demand Although identified as a desired need in the resident surveys, an inter-municipal transit connection is more difficult to justify in the near future due to insufficient and dispersed demand and the uncertainty surrounding the introduction of regional transit services in Niagara Region. The most practical connection point for a link to other transit services in the region is the Niagara College Glendale campus. However, the transit services available there are limited and largely based on the college school year of September to May. Further limiting the usefulness of these services is the fact that they are not full public services, being restricted to Niagara College (and Brock University) students. Other barriers and uncertainties exist in the consideration of an inter-municipal transit service between Niagara-on-the-Lake and the surrounding region:
SEPTEMBER 2010
A high magnitude of trips, but dispersed over a large area and long distances Approximately 13,900 daily trips are made from Niagara-on-the-Lake to either St. Catharines or Niagara Falls, the two markets most likely targeted for inter-municipal service. However, many, if not most, of these trips will be difficult to target by transit due to the dispersed nature of the origins and destinations in both Niagara-on-the-Lake and the two destination cities. An inter-municipal service would likely force additional transfers onto local bus transit services, adding to travel time and perceived inconvenience, both factors that impact transit’s attractiveness as a mode choice.
Uncertainty regarding the establishment of regional transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake The Region of Niagara is currently in the final stages of establishing a pilot inter-municipal transit system between the downtowns of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Welland. There are no immediate plans to provide service to Niagara-on-the-Lake or to include the Niagara College Glendale campus . Ultimately, a feeder bus service from Niagara-on-the-Lake into the regional service is envisioned in the Regional plan, but likely not until the regional service is firmly established and demand warrants.
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As a result of these uncertainties, the need for a transit service to link to destinations outside of Niagara-on-the-Lake is limited in the near term. The Town should, however, continue to monitor the progress of Regional service and maintain discussions with inter-municipal partners to determine when and how such a service can be implemented in the future.
5.6 Summary The results of the surveys indicate that there is a need for a transit service in the Old Town and Virgil areas of the town. The analysis of population and travel patterns conclude that a transit service within the Old Town and Virgil, with their concentration of development, could be established. This potential is supported by a comparison of the public transit experience in the Town’s peer communities. Overall, with a seniors population equal to approximately 48% in the Old Town and Virgil, and considering the concentration of trips taken within and between the two settlement areas, a projected potential transit ridership level of 190 trips per day or 66,500 per year is possible (with established service), presenting an annual rides per capita rate of 10.7, comparable to the City of Elliott Lake. The rides per capita average among the peer group is 4.8 and would represent an annual ridership level of 30,000. This would be a reasonable expectation for an initial transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
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6. Presentation of Study Findings to Stakeholders The results of the Transit Needs Study were made available to the general public at two public information centre (PIC) meetings held at the Centennial/Meridian Credit Union arena on September 23, 2010. A total of 50 people attended the meetings. The results were also presented to the Focus Group of community stakeholders that had been formed at the outset of the study. The feedback received from members of the public and the focus group members are summarized below. Need for Public Transit
Attendees expressed strong support for transit and the need to implement “something” so people had a transportation alternative. Taxi rates are too high and not a financially viable option for many residents.
In addition to benefits to residents, there are other benefits to transit such as reducing the number of cars in town and increasing tourism in the area.
Target Market
Attendees indicated that seniors are most in need of a local public transit system. There is concern that as they get older, they will not be able to drive. Older seniors are having to move away because they cannot get around on their own. Many seniors do not like to drive in winter conditions and would welcome an alternative.
Youth and students are also in need of a transit service. Transit would be great for their children who would then not have to depend on their parents to get around. It is difficult for youth and students to accept jobs in the service industry in Old Town because they cannot get there easily without depending on someone for a ride.
A greater need for transit now that the high school closed and many children have to attend high school outside of NOTL.
Existing Services
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Existing and previous transportation options are not well-known to residents. Many said they were unaware of the Taxi Token Program.
They thought the $2.00 subsidy is small and not enough, especially as taxi fares to outside NOTL are $30.00.
Services are limited and not catered to residents - the Chamber shuttle is good for tourists, the CoachCanada service to St. Catharines only runs twice a day, three times per week and is not convenient for residents. Niagara College shuttles are only available to students.
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Fares
Attendees indicated a $2.00 to $3.00 fare seemed reasonable for trips within Town and would be willing to pay more for trips outside of NOTL.
Service Options
In general, attendees agreed with the need for a formal transit service. Any service should provide options for travel within Town and connections to outside NOTL. The preference was for links to St. Catharines although any outside link is desirable. Niagara College Glendale campus could be a good hub if connections are available to everyone. Fairview Mall is a good connection point as well.
Some attendees expressed concern for those who live in the rural areas and what will be available to them.
There was discussion about how likely and often attendees would be using the service, if provided. Many agreed they would definitely use it, and although not every day they would use it more than once per week. Some would like it available everyday to use to/from work.
Costs / Funding
Many attendees said the estimated costs presented are not unreasonable. They are willing to pay for service for the community.
Other residents expressed concern about the costs to rural area residents. Residents of the rural area said they were not willing to pay if service was not available to them.
There were discussions about the impact to residents/taxpayers. Several residents expressed the view that taxes are already high in NOTL and do not want taxes to increase
One resident suggested that the impact to residents could be around $50/year increase on taxes. Many attendees agreed this cost would not be unreasonable.
Summary Based on IBI Group experience, the meetings can be viewed as well-attended with strong support for improving transportation in the town and establishing a formal transit service. The comments received were consistent with and supported the survey results as well as the experience gathered from the peer review of other communities.
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7. Transit Service Options As concluded in the previous section, there does appear to be a need for some form of public transit service or strategy to increase mobility within the town for those without access to alternative forms of transportation or who wish not to own or drive a car. The survey results and demand analysis indicate that there is a reasonable ridership potential to support a formal transit service primarily between the Old Town and Virgil and secondarily providing an extension to the Niagara College campus in Glendale as a connection point for trips into St. Catharines and Niagara Falls with some restrictions. This is supported by the experience in the Town’s peer group. Accordingly, four potential options for addressing the transit needs of town residents are outlined below. As background to the Town making a decision with regard to the introduction of a transit service, the following are the key considerations related to authority to implement a public transit service, accessibility legislation, and provincial gas tax funding.
7.1 Key Considerations for a Public Transit Service Authority to Operate a Public Transit Service The authority to establish and operate a public transit system falls within the purview of the municipality under the Province’s Municipal Act. No other authority or approval is required. Thus, the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake can establish a service by municipal by-law according to policies and standards it sets forth. In contrast, taxi services are governed by the Region and its Licensing By-law (relative to taxis).
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) This important piece of legislation requires all public services, including public transit, to be accessible to persons with both visible and non-visible disabilities. The AODA requires the Town to ensure that any transit service is fully accessible both in terms of the ability of vehicles and infrastructure (stops, shelters, terminals) to accommodate people with mobility restrictions and those who use mobility devices, but also one that meets the needs of those with significant disabilities. The latter would require a form of specialized service that can take people from “door to door”. Accessibility standards are being prepared for all areas covered by the Act which will set forth the level and method for achieving the accessibility objectives of the AODA. Examples of areas of compliance include:
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Policies and Procedures. Must be developed in support of AODA standards;
Vehicles. Must be accessible and include features for people with sight and hearing impairments; 46
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Bus stops and shelters (and other transit infrastructure). Must be accessible. For example, bus stops would have to have a hard, flat surface with an access ramp from surrounding roadways. Stops would have to be kept clear of ice and snow;
Employee training. All persons involved in providing the transit service must receive sensitivity training;
Stop announcements. All bus stops along a route must be announced on board. This can be handled by requiring drivers to announce the stops or by installing GPS-based automated stop announcement systems. Additionally, pre-boarding announcements, such as when a bus arrives at a stop, must be given to advise the boarding passenger where the bus is heading;
Signage. Buses and stops must have suitable route destination information;
Information and customer service. Information must be available in a variety of formats; and
Planning, Consultation and Reporting, The municipality must report on its compliance to the accessibility standards and performance measures annually.
Municipalities and transit agencies must meet the ‘Information and customer service’ standard by 2011. Compliance with the remaining standards described above is to be phased in over a 3- to 10-year period. The requirement to announce bus stops has been advocated by the Ontario Human Rights Commission and municipalities are required to comply immediately.
Provincial Gas Tax If the Town decides to adopt a public transit service, it would become eligible to receive funding from the province through the Provincial Gas Tax allotment. Two cents of the provincial gasoline tax is dedicated by the Province towards funding transit services across the province. The Provincial Gas Tax is distributed quarterly to each municipality with a municipal transit service based on a formula of 70% transit ridership and 30% population subject to certain conditions. The Provincial Gas Tax can be used for transit operations, the purchase of vehicles and infrastructure (bus stops, shelters), and for marketing and communications activities associated with promoting transit use. However, eligibility for Provincial Gas Tax depends on the type of transit service introduced. A demonstration or trial service would not qualify nor would a subsidized taxi service such as the Town’s token program. Depending on the Town’s own investment (expenditure) on a transit service, it could be eligible for up to approximately $120,000 annually.
Public Vehicle Act If a transit service operates between municipalities, that is, outside the municipal boundaries of one municipality and into the next municipality, a Public Vehicle (PV) Licence issued by the Ontario Highway Transport Board must be obtained as authorization to operate the service. This would include the situation where, for example, a municipal transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake operates into a SEPTEMBER 2010
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neighbouring municipality, such as Niagara Falls or St. Catharines. Such licences are not difficult to obtain provided “there is no existing, competing service.”
7.2 Transit Strategy Options The following are four potential strategy options that the Town can consider to address the stated transportation needs of residents. The options are high-level and are intended to indicate potential transit service options. 1. Enhanced Token Program; 2. Formal Public Transit Service serving Old Town & Virgil; 3. Formal Public Transit Service serving Old Town, Virgil & Glendale; or 4. Formal Public Transit Service serving Old Town, Virgil, St. David’s and Glendale. Service concepts and preliminary estimated costs for these options are described below. Detailed service and operations plans would need to be subsequently prepared prior to deciding whether to proceed with implementation of any of the options. It is to be noted that the inter-municipal (out of town) travel needs of people with disabilities are addressed by the Region’s specialized transit service, NST, and are therefore not considered in these concept options.
Option 1 – Enhanced Token Program Under this option, the Town would continue to provide a subsidy towards the cost of local taxi trips including trips connecting to regional transit services at Niagara College’s Glendale campus but enhanced by increasing the value of the subsidy offered. The level of token use to date has been marginal although this may be due to several factors including limited benefit of the tokens – $2.00 on taxi fares which range from approximately $7.50 for a trip within the Old Town to $15.00 for trips between the Old Town and Virgil, $25.00 from Virgil to Glendale and approximately $40.00 from Old Town to Glendale; limited availability of the tokens (only at Town office in Virgil and by mail); restricted to seniors and teenagers; and a restriction on the number that can be purchased. To enhance the value of the tokens, the Town could:
SEPTEMBER 2010
Increase the subsidy value (Town investment) of the tokens from $2.00 to $3.00;
Expand eligibility for use of tokens to age 18 to 24 (this would include the age group identified by stakeholders as also needing assistance);
Remove limit on total quantities able to be purchased but require minimum purchase of 10 (to minimize administrative burden);
Increase availability of tokens by providing sales outlets in the Old Town, St. David’s and Glendale; and 48
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Expand marketing and advertising of the token program.
The objective of these enhancements would be to increase the number of people using the tokens and the number of trips taken to 10,000 per year representing a potential Town investment of $30,000 and a value of $40,000 including the user purchase cost. The number of trips and token sales are estimated and could vary significantly based on the success of the enhanced program and people’s perceived value of the tokens towards the cost of a trip. Costs associated with marketing and advertising the program would be additional. An amount of $7,500 should be set aside for this purpose. Also, some level of Town staff involvement (two to four hours per week) would be required to oversee the administration and marketing of the program and sales of the tokens.
Option 2 – Formal Transit Service - Old Town & Virgil Under this option, the Town would implement a formal fixed route, accessible small bus transit service within and between the Old Town and Virgil. The service would circulate within both the Old Town and Virgil, and travel via Niagara Stone Road between the two communities. The vehicles used would be accessible with either ramps or a wheelchair lift in order to meet the needs of people with moderate disabilities. To meet the needs of people with more severe disabilities who require door-to-door service within and between the two communities, a supplementary service would have to be provided on a demandresponse basis. The length of a route between the Old Town and Virgil would require one bus and would operate on an hourly cycle. In this option, it is not proposed that any form of transit service be offered in the rural, non-settlement, areas due to the low population density. The service would have the following order-of-magnitude costs, ridership and revenue potential, summarized in Exhibit 7-1. Fare revenue is based on a rate of $3.00 per trip, as suggested by the demand survey results. For the settlement areas not served by the fixed route, (Glendale, St. David’s, Queenston), the Town’s token system, enhanced as described in Option 1, could continue to be offered for trips in those areas. The estimated usage is not anticipated to be significant and may total 2,500 tokens (Town cost of $7,500) per year. This cost would be additional to the forgoing transit service estimates. By introducing a formal transit service, the municipality would be eligible to receive provincial gas tax funding of up to approximately $120,000 annually. The amount of gas tax depends on the amount that the municipality invests in the service. Based on the gas tax funding formula, the Town could receive approximately $75,000 thereby reducing the municipal investment to approximately $103,000 annually for the service. Administrative, infrastructure and marketing/promotion costs would be additional as described below.
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Exhibit 7-1: Option 2 Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue
Operating Characteristic Revenue Operating Hours per Year (fixed route)
Estimated 3,894 hours (1 bus x 11 hours/day x 354 days excluding statutory holidays)
Cost to operate fixed route (private contractor)
$233,000 (3,894 x $60.00/hr estimated including supply of vehicles)
Supplementary Specialized Service
$35,400 (5 trips/day x $20/trip)
Total Operating Cost Estimated Ridership (both services) Fare (both services) Revenue Net Cost – Fixed Route Gas Tax Funding Town token program Municipal Investment (Net Cost – Fixed Route after Gas Tax Funds)
$268,400 30,000 trips (per year) $3.00 per trip $90,000 $178,400 $75,000 $7,500 $110,900
Option 3 – Formal Transit Service - Old Town, Virgil and Glendale This concept option would consist of a fixed route, accessible small bus transit service operating from the periphery of the Old Town on Niagara Stone Road to Glendale via Taylor Road to the Niagara College campus. A supplementary service would be provided on a demand-response basis for person with severe disabilities as required by the AODA. This option does not include service in the rural, non-settlement, areas. The Old Town/Virgil to Glendale route would require one bus and could operate on an hourly cycle. As noted, circulation within the Old Town and Virgil would not be provided since this would significantly increase travel time and require additional resources to provide hourly service (2 vehicles instead of 1) thereby doubling the cost of the service. Alternatively, service in the communities could be provided by a supplementary taxi service within a limited service area that feeds into the fixed route bus service. Similar services exist in Hamilton and Welland and are known as “Trans-Cab”. Basic features of this alternative would be:
SEPTEMBER 2010
Riders arrange for a taxi to pick them up from their origin location and connect them to the fixed route.
In reverse, riders can board the bus and arrange through the driver to have a taxi waiting at the transfer point to take them to their destination.
Riders pay a small fee in addition to the regular bus fare.
A contract between the Town and one or more taxicab providers to ensure connections and transfer fares are available to transit users.
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Option 3A – Fixed Route with No Taxi Feeder Program Order-of-magnitude costs, ridership and revenue potential are shown in Exhibit 7-2, and are based on service being provided approximately 11 hours per day, on an hourly basis, seven days a week (although could be reduced to six days in the off-peak months). Fare revenue is based on a rate of $3.00 per trip. Exhibit 7-2: Option 3A Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue
Operating Characteristic Revenue Operating Hours per Year (fixed route)
Estimated 3,894 hours (1 bus x 11 hours/day x 354 days excluding statutory holidays)
Cost to operate fixed route (private contractor)
$233,000 (3,894 x $60.00/hr estimated including supply of vehicles)
Supplementary Specialized Service
$35,400 (5 trips/day x $20/trip)
Total Operating Cost Estimated Ridership (both services) Fare (both services) Revenue Net Cost – Fixed Route Gas Tax Funding Municipal Investment (Net Cost – Fixed Route after Gas Tax Funds)
$268,400 20,000 trips (per year) $3.00 per trip $60,000 $208,400 $80,000 $128,400
The gas tax funding would be approximately $80,000 thereby reducing the municipal investment for the service to approximately $128,400. Administrative, infrastructure and marketing/promotion costs would be additional as described below. Option 3B – Fixed Route with Taxi Feeder Program Option 3B would include a supplementary taxi feeder program in addition to the Old Town-Virgil-Glendale fixed route bus service for trips within a defined service area and connecting to designated fixed-route stops. Order-of-magnitude costs, ridership and revenue potential are shown in Exhibit 7-3 based on preliminary operating characteristics. The estimated cost of providing a Taxi Feeder Program is highly variable and factors that can affect the costs to the Town are:
SEPTEMBER 2010
Example of Taxi Feeder – Welland Transit provides its Trans-Cab service to limited areas within the Town
the defined service areas where taxi feeder service will be provided;
the additional transfer fare; and,
negotiations with taxicab provider.
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The gas tax funding would increase to the projected maximum level of approximately $95,000 thereby resulting in a municipal investment of approximately $125,880 for the service. Administrative, infrastructure and marketing/promotion costs would be additional as described below. Exhibit 7-3: Option 3B Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue
Operating Characteristic Revenue Operating Hours per Year (fixed route)
Estimated 3,894 hours
Cost to operate fixed route (private contractor)
$233,000
Taxi Feeder Service Supplementary Specialized Service Total Operating Cost Estimated Ridership (both services) Fare (both services) Revenue Net Cost – Fixed Route Gas Tax Funding Municipal Investment (Net Cost – Fixed Route after Gas Tax Funds)
$42,480 (20 trips/day x $6.00/trip x 354 days) $35,400 (5 trips/day x $20/trip) $310,880 30,000 trips (per year) $3.00 per trip $90,000 $220,880 $95,000 $125,880
(1 bus x 11 hours/day x 354 days excluding statutory holidays) (3,894 x $60.00/hr estimated including supply of vehicles)
Option 4 – Formal Transit Service - Old Town, Virgil, St. David’s and Glendale Under this option, a fixed route, accessible small bus transit service would be provided within the Old Town and Virgil and travel between the Old Town and Glendale through St. David’s. It would operate along Niagara Stone Road, Creek Road and York Road and terminate at the Niagara College Glendale campus as a connection point for the municipal transit services from Niagara Falls, Welland and St. Catharines. A feeder taxi service is not contemplated under this option. Option 4 does not include any form of transit service in the rural areas. The fixed-route service would be provided using accessible vehicles with either ramps or wheelchair lifts to meet specialized needs. Two buses would be required for this service. Supplementary specialized transit would be provided on a demand-response basis for persons along the service area that have more severe disability and require door-to-door transportation. The Town’s token system could be discontinued as all of the settlement areas would be covered. The order-of-magnitude costs are summarized in Exhibit 7-4, based on preliminary operating characteristics.
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Exhibit 7-4: Option 4 Estimates of Cost, Ridership and Revenue
Operating Characteristic Revenue Operating Hours per Year Cost to operate fixed route
Estimated 7,788 hours
(2 buses x 11 hours/day x 354 days excluding statutory holidays)
$467,280 (7,788 x $60.00/hr estimated including supply of vehicles)
Supplementary Specialized Service
$35,400 (5 trips/day x $20/trip)
Total Operating Cost Estimated Ridership (both services) Fare (both services) Revenue Net Cost – Fixed Route Gas Tax Funding Municipal Investment (Net Cost – Fixed Route after Gas Tax Funds)
$502,680 35,000 trips (per year) $3.00 per trip (based on two-zones) $105,000 $397,000 $120,000 $277,000
The gas tax funding would increase to the projected maximum level of approximately $120,000 and would reduce the municipal investment to approximately $277,000 for the service. Administrative, infrastructure and marketing/promotion costs would be additional as described below. Service to St. Catharines For trips into St. Catharines, the foregoing options (3 and 4) are based on making connections at Niagara College Glendale with St. Catharines Transit for service into St. Catharines. As an alternative to this approach, a direct route to either the downtown St. Catharines bus terminal or the Fairview shopping area could be provided. This alternative to Options 3 and 4 would provide NOTL residents with a transfer point to other destinations outside of Town. As with going to Niagara College, the Town should negotiate with the other municipalities to provide seamless fares and transfer opportunities. This alternative would have generally the same operating cost profile as outlined above. As identified earlier, any service into another municipality, such as St. Catharines, would require a Public Vehicle (PV) licence.
General Conditions Detailed Service Plan Should the Town wish to pursue any of the public transit route options (Options 2, 3 and 4), the Town should develop a detailed operations and implementation plan to fully define all operating aspects of the service – days, hours, frequency of buses, operating costs, etc. – and to serve as a guide for Town staff and Council to introduce a service. The fixed route and specialized transit services for Options 2, 3 and 4 could be contracted out to the private sector through the Town’s purchasing process. It is
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suggested that a request-for-proposal (RFP) approach be followed to provide flexibility in the process. A fare structure would need to be established although it could be kept simple with a single cash fare required for all users. Tokens or tickets, or a monthly pass could be offered. A supplementary cost could be considered for the taxi feeder service and for the longer trip to St. Catharines. Infrastructure costs associated with installing bus stops (and potentially) shelters as well as ensuring compliance with future AODA standards, would be additional. An allocation of $10,000 should be provided for this purpose. Staff Resources For Options 2, 3 and 4, Town staff resources would be required to oversee the planning and promotion of the service and for contract administration (service provider contract and potentially, taxi feeder program). This involvement could be two to three days per week which would be additional to the above costs. Marketing and promotion of the service would be required. A suitable initial budget allocation would be $30,000 for the first year, with a subsequent sustaining amount of $15,000 annually. Inter-municipal connections at Niagara College Services operated to Niagara College by the other transit systems should be upgraded to full year. At the same time, these services, which are now intended only for Brock University/Niagara College students, should be made fully public services with the same fares as regular transit services. In so doing, the Town should negotiate with the other municipalities for fare “integration”, that is, reciprocal acceptance of each other’s fares.
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8. Conclusions Demographics and Existing Service Niagara-on-the-Lake is an aging community, with a median age that is higher than that of the Niagara Region and among the highest in the Province of Ontario. Around 40% of the Town’s population is over the age of 55 years and 25% is over the age of 65. Existing transit options in Niagara-on-the-Lake are limited to taxis, and intermunicipal shuttles and transit routes that only serve the Niagara College campus in Glendale. The Town does not provide a conventional, fixed-route transit service, and with the current trend of an increasing proportion of senior residents, there will be very specific needs in Niagara-on-the-Lake for providing better mobility choices to persons who may not be able to or choose not to drive. Initiatives by the Region to improve inter-municipal services do not include connections to or within Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Region’s Inter-Municipal Pilot Project The Niagara Region’s pilot project for inter-municipal transit service is due to start in fall 2011 and will continue to 2012 and 2013. The pilot project is downtown to downtown connection between Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Welland. This service is planned in addition to the existing student services from Brock University and Niagara College. Region staff and managers from the three transit systems are working towards an agreement for capital purchases and operations. However, at this time the stop location/ connections at the campuses of the Niagara College Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake (Glendale) as well as the Brock University hub are not planned. Financial implications for the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake are as follows. Niagara-on-the-Lake, along with all other municipalities in the Region, has already contributed to the capital investment of $3.7 million by the Region for the purchase of 8 accessible vehicles. This cost has been drawn from reserves, meaning the costs have been collected from past levies. The Region is expected to allocate $1.35 million in 2011 and $2.7 million every year thereafter for the operations of this Pilot project. Niagara-on-the-Lake’s proportion of the Region’s tax levy is 6.77% (based on 2010 budget). Thus, Niagara on the Lake’s levy will include approximately $91,400 in 2011 and $182,800 each year thereafter to cover transit operating expenses.
Opinion of Residents and Stakeholders IBI Group conducted a survey of Niagara-on-the-Lake residents to gauge the support and potential use of a transit service in the Town. A telephone survey of 500 residents was carried out, and surveys were made available through the Town’s website and at the Town’s offices. Key results from this survey show:
SEPTEMBER 2010
Four in five residents feel there is a need for local transit services in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with many agreeing it would guarantee mobility for all residents and serve an aging population. 55
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More than half of the residents surveyed said they would be potential users, with seniors and students being more likely to use it. These respondents said they would take transit to various destinations in St. Catharines, within Niagara-on-the-Lake, and to Niagara Falls.
For those that would not use it, the main reasons were that they expect or need to drive to their destinations. Not surprisingly, driving was the dominant mode of travel.
Residents valued connections to other transit services and quality of service as important aspects to any potential transit service.
Respondents indicated that a reasonable transit fare would be between $2 and $3.
Consultations with key stakeholders in the community showed that establishing a transit service would be of benefit to the Town and that both a service within the Town and linking to outside the Town is needed. The persons most in need were seniors followed by youth. Stakeholders also expressed that there was a concern about the cost to provide that service and perhaps the Town would begin with a small service and expand service over time and as demand warrants. A peer review of municipalities of comparable size to Niagara-on-the-Lake demonstrates that transit services are provided in those communities. A review of the population and demographic profiles of several of those communities compared to Niagara-on-the-Lake indicate that a transit service could be feasible in the Town.
Current Travel Patterns Current travel patterns show there are about 14,000 trips made within the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake on a daily basis, with another 14,000 trips being made daily to the neighbouring municipalities of St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. A high percent of internal trips being made within the Town are between the communities of Old Town and Virgil. Seniors represent a large proportion of these trips, and a large percent of them are for discretionary purposes. These factors are significant as they are not restricted to peak hours of travel. The analysis of travel patterns and population profile together with the results of the surveys of residents and businesses indicates that a transit service is feasible.
Potential Demand Based upon the review of survey, travel demand, and demographic data, it can be concluded that there are a number of potential markets for transit service in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In particular, the analysis of population and travel patterns conclude that a transit service within the Old Town and Virgil, with their concentration of development, could be established. Projected potential transit ridership level for such a route is estimated to range between 30,000 and 68,000 annual passenger trips. This is based on the average rides per capita among the peer group, and a reasonable conservative SEPTEMBER 2010
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mode share target of 3% given the high proportion of seniors in these communities.
Feedback from Stakeholders Town staff, along with IBI Group, organized two public information centres (PIC) on September 23, 2010 to present the study’s draft findings, conclusions and options to residents and interested parties. The open house format provided an opportunity for the public to discuss the study and present their questions, comments and concerns. The meetings were well-attended, about 50 attendees, with strong support for improving transportation in the town and establishing a formal transit service. The comments received were consistent with and supported the survey results as well as the experience gathered from the peer review of other communities:
There is a need to implement a transportation alternative in the Town, with seniors and teenagers/young adults being the most in need of transit service.
Taxi Token Program is not well known and the subsidy is too low given high taxi rates to get around. Existing services are limited and are not catered to residents.
Attendees agreed with the need for a formal transit service and that any service should provide options for travel within Town and connections to outside NOTL. Concerns expressed were about the service to the rural areas and costs imposed to residents in these areas, and the tax impacts to all residents.
A $2.00 to $3.00 fare seemed reasonable for trips within Town and would be willing to pay more for trips outside of NOTL.
Potential Options Four potential strategy options to address the transit needs of residents that the Town can consider are described below. Option 1 - Enhanced Token Program An enhanced taxi token program intended to expand the value and use of the existing token system. An estimated 10,000 tokens, representing a cost to the Town of $30,000 would be involved. However, this program would have limited application and represents an income supplement strategy rather than a “transit” strategy. Option 2 – Old Town & Virgil The Town would introduce a transit service consisting of a fixed-route operation using small, accessible buses within and between the Old Town and Virgil. The Taxi Token Program would continue to be available for the areas not served by the route. A supplementary service would be provided on a demand-response basis for persons within the service area with severe disabilities as required by the AODA.
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The net cost to the municipality after fare revenues and provincial gas tax for this Option 2 would be approximately $178,000 plus administrative and implementation costs, with potential gas tax funding of about $75,000 and therefore reducing the net cost investment by the Town to $103,000. Option 3A – Old Town, Virgil & Glendale with No Taxi Feeder Under this option, the Town would introduce a transit service consisting of a fixed-route operation using small, accessible buses between the Old Town, Virgil and Glendale. A supplementary service would be provided on a demandresponse basis for persons within the service area with severe disabilities as required by the AODA. This option does not provide for a taxi feeder program, such as TransCab in Welland, to serve within the Old Town and Virgil communities. The net cost to the municipality after fare revenues and provincial gas tax for this Option 3A would be approximately $208,400 plus administrative and implementation costs, with potential gas tax funding of about $80,000 and therefore reducing the net cost investment by the Town to $128,400. Option 3B – Old Town, Virgil & Glendale with Taxi Feeder The Town would introduce a transit service consisting of a fixed-route operation using small, accessible buses between the Old Town, Virgil and Glendale, with a supplementary taxi feeder service for trips within a defined service area to connect to the fixed-route service. A supplementary specialized service would be provided on a demand-response basis for persons within the service area with severe disabilities as required by the AODA. The net cost to the municipality after fare revenues and provincial gas tax for this Option 3B would be approximately $220,880 plus administrative and implementation costs, with potential gas tax funding of about $95,000 and therefore reducing the net cost investment by the Town to $125,880. Option 4 – Old Town, Virgil, St. Davids & Glendale Option 4 introduces a transit service consisting of a fixed-route operation using small, accessible buses between the Old Town, Virgil, St. Davids and Glendale. A supplementary service would be provided on a demand-response basis for persons within the service area with severe disabilities as required by the AODA. Service to Queenston are made available through route deviation on a demand basis. There would be no feeder taxi service under this option. The net cost to the municipality after fare revenues and provincial gas tax for this Option 4 would be approximately $397,000 plus administrative and implementation costs, with potential gas tax funding of about $120,000 and therefore reducing the net cost investment by the Town to $277,000. Inter-municipal Connections For Options 3A, 3B and 4, inter-municipal trips are based on making connections at Niagara College to other municipal transit service. The Town should negotiate with other municipalities to upgrade services operated to Niagara College by the other transit systems to service year-round and made
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available to the general public, as well as negotiate fare integration among all transit systems. As an alternative for Options 3A, 3B and 4 and service to St. Catharines with connections to St. Catharines Transit, a direct route to either the downtown St. Catharines’ bus terminal or the Fairview shopping area could be provided instead of the connection at Niagara College. The Town would require a PV Licence to operate into St. Catharines. As with going to Niagara College, the Town should negotiate with the other municipalities to provide seamless fares and transfer opportunities. Next Steps Should the Town wish to pursue the implementation of a formal public transit service as outlined in Options 2, 3A, 3B or 4, the next step would be to develop each option in more detail including costs, select the preferred option and prepare a service, operations and implementation plan for the preferred option. The service plan would detail the recommended routing, service levels (days, hours, frequency) and how each area of the community would be served, while the operations plan would address how the service would be operated (Town or private contractor), supply of vehicles, infrastructure (bus stops) needs, AODA implications, and required actions to support the service (consultation with the Region, Niagara College, municipal transit partners and costs including more detail regarding gas tax eligibility. The implementation plan component would detail the action steps and timeline for proceeding with the service including any necessary Council resolutions which would be required for receipt of the gas tax. The cost for this next step would be approximately $25,000 for consulting services.
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9. Recommendations It is recommended that: 1. Based on the study analyses and conclusions as outlined in this report indicating there is strong community interest and a need for a public transit service, the Town undertake further analysis of options 2, 3A, 3B and 4 and identify a preferred option together with an operations and implementation plan including estimated costs at a projected cost of $25,000 subject to the final scope of work; and 2. Option 1, Taxi Token Program Enhancement, be considered as an interim step pending a final decision regarding the selection of the preferred transit service option. .
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