Metrobus Transit Study.pdf - City of St. John's

St. John’s Transportation Commission (Metrobus) 2011
Market Assessment and Strategic Directions Study – Part D: Strategic Directions
Route 10 is a well used service between the Avalon Mall and the downtown. However, to access the
downtown, the route first goes through Memorial University and the Health Sciences Centre, adding
real and perceived travel time for passengers destined to the downtown. As seen in Figure 21, while
the strongest demand from the north to the downtown is from Memorial University/Health Science
Centre and Marine College/CNA/Confederation Building, there is still some demand from the
Avalon Mall, and the potential for a direct route from the Avalon Mall to the downtown should also
be considered.
Overall, the route structure should streamline services between major origin-destination pairs as
much as possible to avoid multiple transfers and reduce travel time. As the system grows, direct
two-way service between each of the origin-destination pairs identified in Figure 21 should be
considered. While some of these travel demands are well serviced by existing routes (i.e. Route 1
and 2), there may be additional routes or modifications to consider. In particular, the role of Avalon
Mall as a transfer facility should be re-examined in a follow-up service review with a potential to
relocate this facility at the Memorial University /Confederation Building node.
TRANSFERS
Waiting time typically has the largest negative impact on ridership since the transit user is no closer
to getting to their destination, no matter how long they wait. Wait time consists of both waiting for
the initial bus and waiting for a transferring bus and is influenced by overall frequency and the need
to transfer.
The time spent waiting at bus stops/terminals for transfers and the need for transfers to get from
origin to destination greatly influence the satisfaction of a transit passenger’s trip. All surveys (online,
Memorial University student, CNA student, and on-board) queried respondents on the number of
transfers they have to make on their primary (most prevalent) or current trip. The results are as
follows:
online community survey - 48 percent require transfer(s);
on-board passenger survey – 40 percent require 1 transfer, 6 percent require 2 transfers;
CNA student survey – 45 percent require 1 transfer; and
Memorial University student survey – 24 percent require 1 transfer, 3 percent require 2
transfers, and 1 percent requires more than 2 transfers.
This is considered a high number of transfers and opportunities to reduce the number of transfers
or the impact of transfers were explored. There are three ways to minimize the impact of transfers:
1. Arrange for timed transfers at terminals were possible;
2. Avoid the transfer altogether; and
3. Interline routes with a high number of transfers.
For passengers requiring a transfer, transfer-waiting time is shown to be of greater importance than
the initial wait time for the first bus. This is because with a reliable service, the initial wait time is
within a passenger’s control (they can adjust their time of arrival at the transit stop). In contrast,
waiting time at the transfer point cannot be controlled by the passenger unless the schedule provides
timed transfers (routes depart a transfer point at the same time).
Dillon Consulting Limited Page 63