Short Range Transit Plan 2008-2013 - Omnitrans

IBI GROUP
SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN REPORT
OMNITRANS COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT
& SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN
9. NEEDS ASSESSMENT/COA FINDINGS
The following needs assessment was based on a detailed line-by-line analysis conducted in the Summer
and Fall 2006 on the 30 bus routes that were in place at that time. As a result of the assessment, several
deficiencies were corrected in the May 2007 service adjustment including the elimination of one route.
The needs assessment below reports on the 2006 findings and notes instances where corrective actions
were taken in May 2007.
In May 2006, Omnitrans provided 30 fixed bus routes including 18 routes in the East Valley, 11 routes in
the West Valley and 1 regional express route. The fixed routes include 15 base routes in the main travel
corridors, 14 local routes in the various cities, and 1 regional express route. In May 2007, Omnitrans
discontinued one local route and now has 29 fixed routes.
Passenger on/off counts, a passenger survey, stakeholder consultation and the historical performance of
the bus routes were used to identify deficiencies in each route and route section. These on/off counts
were taken on typical weekdays on all vehicles in May 2006; they provided boardings, alightings and
loadings by stop by route, which enabled the current ridership performance (as measured by passengers
per revenue hour) to be determined for each route and route section. The passenger survey was taken in
April 2006 and provided demographic and travel information on the passengers riding each bus.
Stakeholder consultation occurred over the July-October 2006 period and involved city officials, transit
policy makers, Omnitrans management and operating staff, and the operators of the 30 routes. The
consultation provided information on the strengths and weaknesses of each route and advice on the
improvements that should be considered to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the transit
system’s routes and services.
The transit system’s fixed routes are reviewed in this chapter based on the route and service standards
that were in place in May 2006. The operating characteristics and performance of each route are shown
in Figure 9-1 through Figure 9-4. Appendix G provides profile maps for each fixed route.
9.1 Route Assessment (Fixed Route)
9.1.1 EAST VALLEY ROUTES
The East Valley (east of I-15) has nine base routes, nine local routes and one express route, covering the
cities of Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, and
Yucaipa. The routes use 89 buses and have an average overall weekday performance of 29 passengers
per hour as compared to the weekday standard of 25 passengers per hour.
Base Route 1: ARMC-San Bernardino-Del Rosa – This East Valley base route serves Colton and San
Bernardino. It provides 15-30 minute daytime and 30-minute evening service on weekdays, 45-minute
daytime service on Saturdays, and 30-minute daytime service on Sundays. On weekdays, the south
section in Colton provides 15-minute service all day in the Valley/Mt. Vernon corridor between the
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and the Fourth Street Transit Mall in downtown San Bernardino; it
has an above standard performance of 35 passengers per hour. The north section in San Bernardino
provides 30-minute service in the Waterman corridor between the Transit Mall and Del Rosa; it has a
significantly above standard performance of 36 passengers per hour. When considering Route 5 in the
Waterman corridor, the corridor receives a combined 10-20 minute service on weekdays and 20-minute
service on weekends. The route has a declining ridership, with monthly average passengers per revenue
hour of 32 on weekdays, 23 on Saturdays, and 29 on Sundays, which are above standard for a base
route.
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