translink public transport user survey...

TransLink Public Transport User

Survey Summary

The materials presented in this publication are an information source only. The TransLink Transit Authority makes no statements, representation or warranties about the accuracy, currency or completeness of any information contained in this publication.

The TransLink Transit Authority disclaims all responsibilities for the

information and liability (including without limitation, liability for negligence) for any loss, damage, expense and costs arising from any information being inaccurate or incomplete in any way for any reason.

Materials from this publication may be used or reproduced for study, research or training

purposes providing the meaning is unchanged and the TransLink Transit Authority is acknowledged.

For more information

Web translink.com.au Phone 07 3888 4000 Fax 07 3888 4001 Mail TransLink Transit Authority GPO Box 50 Brisbane Qld 4001

About TransLink

In July 2008, TransLink Transit Authority was established as the statutory authority responsible for purchasing, delivering and managing public transport services within South East Queensland – an area that stretches from Gympie and the Sunshine Coast to Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, and west to Helidon.

We are committed to developing and delivering a world-class public transport network for the people of South East Queensland.

We contract 18 service delivery partners – including QR, Brisbane City Council and 15 private operators – to deliver public transport. In conjunction with these partners and other stakeholders we drive the improvement and expansion of public transport services across the network.

TransLink’s key functions include:

• overseeing the delivery of public transport services across South East Queensland to meet a demand which has increased by 50 per cent in thepastfiveyears

• managing and ensuring the standards of contracted service delivery partners

• delivering and managing infrastructure, including a 24 km network consisting of the Eastern, South Eastern, Inner Northern and Northern busways, and train station upgrades

• managing ticketing products, including the development of the go card which was rolled out in 2008

• providing customers with a single point of contact for feedback and information

• planning, coordinating and integrating services for bus, train and ferry across a 10,000 sq km area.

As a statutory authority, the board of TransLink is accountable to the Queensland Government’s Minister for Transport.

TransLink Public Transport User Survey Summary 3

Contents

4 Survey sample

5 Contents

6 Methodology

7 Responses

8 User characteristics

User types

Age group

Age by mode

9 User characteristics

Gender

License holders

Access to motor vehicles

10 Tickets and Fares

Ticket type

Fare type

11 Public transport usage

Weekday usage

Weekend usage

Main reason for using public transport

12 Mode split

Mode split by TransLink region

Mode split by suburbs

13 Access by region

Access to mode by TransLink region

Access to mode by top 15 suburbs

Access by mode

14 Train station entries

17 Survey useage

4 TransLink Public Transport User Survey Summary

Public Transport User Survey

Thank you for taking part in this survey. We ask that you complete the survey each time you receive it, even if that means you respond more than once.

Your confidential response will help TransLink plan future public transport services. This survey collects a few details about you and the journey you are now making. Your response will be merged with thousands of other responses to help us understand how different types of people use public transport. See the back of this form for privacy information.

Please place your completed survey form, and the pencil provided, in the specially marked survey box or hand to the TransLink representative before you leave the bus / ferry.

Please tell us a little about yourself...1. Which of the statements below best describes your current situation? (tick one only)

I am on holiday / a tourist

I work full-time

I work part-time

I am a university / TAFE / other student

I am a primary / high school student

I am retired

None of the above

2. Do you currently live in Australia?

No, I am a tourist from another country

Yes, I currently live / work / study in Australia

Suburb where you usually live:

3. Year you were born:

4. Your gender:

Female Male

5. Do you hold a valid driver’s license?

Yes No

6. Did you have the choice to use a motor vehicle for this journey?

Yes No

7. Which suburb did you stay in last night?

21. From Monday to Friday, how often do you use public transport, on average? (tick one only)

Every weekday

3 – 4 weekdays

1 – 2 weekdays

At least one weekday a month

Less than one weekday a month

22. On weekends, how often do you use public transport, on average? (tick one only)

Every weekend

2 – 3 weekends a month

1 weekend a month

Less than 1 weekend a month

23. What is the most important reason you are using public transport today? (tick one only)

A car was not available

I am unable to drive

It is expensive to park a car at my destination

It is difficult to park a car at my destination

I want to avoid driving in the traffic

Public transport is the cheapest option

Public transport is the fastest option

Public transport is the most reliable option

Public transport is better for the environment

Public transport provides time to relax /work / read / listen to music

Normally don’t use public transport but had to today

Don’t forget:Please place your completed survey form, and the pencil provided, in the specially marked survey box or hand to the TransLink representative before you leave the bus or ferry.

Your Privacy

TransLink is collecting the information on this survey form to assist in the planning of future public transport infrastructure and services. TransLink may give some or all of this information to other government agencies such as the Department of Transport and Main Roads and Local Government and our contracted operators.

A full privacy statement is available on the TransLink website www.translink.com.au or by calling TransLink on 13 12 30.

Please tell us about the journey you are now making...

8. What ticket type are you using? (tick one only)

Daily

Single

A free ticket / pass

Other

9. What is your fare type? (tick one only)

go card

Monthly or longer

Weekly

Off-peak daily

Senior

Adult / full fare

Child

Student Concession

Repatriation/Pensioner Concession

BU

S

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Before your journey14. WHAT were you doing just before you began this journey? (tick one only)

Shopping / buying something

At university / TAFE / other education

At primary / high school

At work

At home

Doing something else (please describe):

15. WHERE were you just before you began this journey? (please provide as much information as you can)

Place name (for example name of school, shop or building):

Street address:

Suburb:

Nearest intersection or landmark:

16. WHAT TIME did you leave this location?

:

Getting off the bus / ferry17. WHERE will you get off this bus / ferry? (provide as much information as you can)

Bus / ferry stop or station number or name:

Street address:

Suburb:


18. HOW will you get to your destination when you get off the bus / ferry? (tick all that apply)

Drive a motor vehicle

from a car park at the stop / station

from elsewhere

Picked up by motor vehicle

Taxi

Transfer to a train

Transfer to a bus

Transfer to a ferry

Cycle

Walk

Journey destination19. WHAT will you do at your destination? (tick one only)

Go shopping / buy something

Go to primary / high school

Go to university / TAFE / other education

Go to work

Go home

Do something else (please describe):

20. WHERE is your destination? (please provide as much information as you can)

Place name (for example name of school, shop or building):

Street address:

Suburb:


Getting on the bus / ferry10. WHAT bus route number / ferry route did you catch?

11. WHERE did you get on this bus / ferry? (provide as much information as you can)

Bus / ferry stop or station number or name:

Street address:

Suburb:


12. HOW did you get to this bus / ferry stop / station? (tick all that apply)

Drove a motor vehicle

to car park at the stop / station

parked elsewhere

Dropped off by motor vehicle

Taxi

Transferred from a train

Transferred from a bus

Transferred from a ferry

Cycled

Walked

13. WHAT TIME did you ….?

...arrive at the stop/station: :

...get on the bus/ferry: :

ampm

ampmam

pm

Public Transport User Survey

BUS_Public Transport User Survey.indd 3-4 23/4/10 2:29:10 PM


1. OutlineThe Public Transport User Survey (opposite page) was undertaken across South East Queensland over a four week period in May 2010.

The survey was undertaken to collect a sample of public transport passenger use behaviours in SEQ. The data was collected to provide a representative picture of current origin-destination movements, access and egress modes by location/route, transfer locations, trip purposes andpassengertypeprofilesbylocation/route.

While the current ticketing system provides excellent information on passenger volumes, including those entering and exiting the system, the data collected from the Public Transport User Survey supplements this by providing the following additional information:

• true origin and destination of passengers (e.g. home location, work location, etc)

• trip purpose (e.g. commuting, education, shopping, recreation, etc)

• access and egress modes to public transport services (e.g. walk, cycle, transfer, kiss ‘n’ ride, park ‘n’ ride, etc)

• demographic characteristics (e.g. occupation, residency, age, gender, etc).


2. MethodologyThe survey was undertaken in May 2010. Surveys were handed out on bus, ferry and train services over a total of 20 weekdays during the collection period.

This period was chosen as it is commonly seen as one of the more appropriate months for transport data collection due to the absence of public and school holidays during the month.

Figure 1 provides an outline of the process followed to undertake the survey.


The survey questionnaire forms were developed based on similar surveys which had been undertaken in previous years. Research was also undertaken on similar surveys which had been conducted internationally including those in London and New York.

Due to the slight difference in terminology between public transport modes, two survey forms were produced – one for bus/ferry and one for train.

A pilot survey was undertaken during a single day in March 2010 to test the method proposed for undertaking the survey, test the understanding of the questions and to determine the likely response rates.

Recommendations were made following the pilot survey including issues relating to logistics, questionnaire design, data collection and data entry. A number of these were incorporated into the methodology as part of the main survey.

The main survey was undertaken each weekday from 4-31 May 2010 between the hours of 6.30am and 8.00pm. The survey was undertaken as follows:

• Train passengers:

- received survey forms and pencils prior to entering stations

- completed the survey while waiting for and travelling on train services

- returned completed forms in collection boxes provided at each station.

• Bus and ferry passengers:

- received survey forms and pencils when boarding services

- had their completed forms collected as they exited the vehicle.

• Control counts were undertaken across all modes to assist in data validation.

Completed forms were collected from collection bins on a weekly basis.

At the completion of the survey period, data entry, cleaning and basic analysis was undertaken before more detailed analysis.

Passengers under the age of 17 were not surveyed.

3. ResponsesA total of 56 513 survey records were collected across the TransLink network during the survey period.

Upon completion of the survey the following statistics were provided:

• 39 per cent of total passengers boarding bus/ferry services accepted forms and the overall valid response rate of bus/ferry surveys was 19 per cent

• 31 per cent of total passengers boarding train services accepted forms and the overall valid response rate of train surveys was 10 per cent


4. ResultsThe following sections present a rangeoffindingsbasedonanalysisof the survey data to date.

4.1 User Characteristics

Note – primary and secondary students did not participate in the survey.

The majority of PT users are workers and tertiary students.

Almost half the passengers on the network are under 30 years of age.

Bus users are relatively young, reflecting high use by students and those without access to a car. Train users have a more even age distribution reflecting high use by CBD workers who choose to use public transport.


Females make up 59% of passengers, compared to 40% for males.

72% of passengers indicated that they held a driver’s licence.

53% of passengers indicated that they didn’t have access to another means of transport (i.e. a motor vehicle) to make their journey.


4.2 Tickets and Fares

The majority of passengers were travelling using a go card. The Daily, Weekly and Monthly paper ticket products have since been phased out.

Adult/full fare and student concession fares made up the bulk of fare types. Seniors and pensioners made up only 8% of passengers.


4.3 Public Transport Usage

In a typical week, more than half of all passengers use public transport every weekday.

More than 40 per cent of weekday users indicate that they use public transport on at least two weekends a month.

The top four reasons for using public transport were:

• It is difficult to park a car at my destination (18%)

• I am unable to drive (18%)

• A car was not available (15%)

• Public transport is the cheapest option (12%).


With the exception of the Western and Northern regions, bus accounts for more than 60 per cent of total public transport mode share.

At the suburb level, bus generally accounts for over half the public transport mode share (with the exception of Fortitude Valley and Nundah). Bus usage is very high in suburbs where major bus stations are located such as Herston, Upper Mount Gravatt, Carindale and Chermside.

Walking is the main mode used to access public transport across the network. The proportion of passengers accessing the network using park ‘n’ ride and kiss ‘n’ ride is higher in the Northern, Eastern and Western regions.


At the suburb level, walking is the main mode used to access the public transport network. The proportion of park ‘n’ ride and kiss ‘n’ ride access is generally higher in suburbs further away from the Brisbane CBD.

Majority of passengers walk to public transport.


80 per cent of train station entries are concentrated at 40 per cent of stations.


4.5 Train Station Control Counts

Off-peak station entries are for between 9.00am and 3.00pm, then displayed as a percentage of the all day line count. Inner, Ipswich and Caboolture lines have high off-peak station entries in absolute terms. The Airport line has the highest proportion of off-peak travel.


5. Uses

The survey data will be used as inputs into a number of SEQ transport models and other related network planning activities.

These activities include evaluating market needs, understanding of network planning catchment areas, developing trends regarding future origin-destination movements and informing planning and policy development.

To date, the survey results have been used to inform a number of planning activities, including:

• the bus connections to train for the June 2011 train timetable change

• the bus replacement services when the ferry network ceased operations during January and February, 2011

• the interlining of routes as part of the future planning of high frequency bus services.

The survey results will continue to be a valuable input for ongoing network planning activities.

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