Transit Open House Survey Results September 28 to October 18, 2016 A summary of the results of the transit open house and online survey are below. A total of 723 responses—both electronic and paper—were received. (Totals do not necessarily add up to 723 because some questions were not answered, and for question 3 many people indicated more than one option.) Introduction Beaumont is planning to introduce a commuter transit service that would operate at peak morning and afternoon times from Beaumont to Century Park, and back to Beaumont. We want to hear your thoughts on the proposed service. Please take a few moments to complete this survey to provide your comments. 1. Schedule The proposed transit service will be a commuter transit service. The buses will operate five times in the morning and five times in the afternoon (see the poster board for the proposed schedule).
Would you use a commuter bus service that operates at peak morning and afternoon times? Yes 202 No 503 2. Fares The cost of a one-way ticket from Beaumont to Century Park is proposed to be $5 (10-pass $45; monthly pass $85). Then, riders will pay the ETS fare of $3.25 to continue their commute. For example, a commute from Beaumont to the University of Alberta and back to Beaumont would cost $5 + $3.25 +$3.25 +$5 (regular fare not including discounts for 10-packs or monthly pass holders). Do you think the proposed fare structure is reasonable? Yes 221 No 456 3. Bus Stop Locations The bus service is proposed to operate on 50 Street. Ten bus stop locations have been explored. (There would be stops for northbound and southbound buses). The final locations will be based on residents’ feedback and the budget. Based on advice from our consultants and Edmonton Transit System, a Park and Ride is being proposed for the KNRRC parking lot. In addition, the following locations are under consideration. Please indicate which location would best serve you and your family. Which bus stop locations would you use? 41 respondents agreed they would use 32 Avenue/Soleil Boulevard 34 respondents agreed with 43 Avenue 67 respondents agreed with 50 Avenue 40 respondents agreed with 55 Avenue 88 respondents agreed with Coloniale Way/Montalet Street 16
128 respondents agreed with KNRRC Park and Ride 389 respondents would not use any bus stop locations
Is there another location you would suggest? No-Frills, A park and ride at Aqua-Fit Bus stops on the ring road 4. Capital Costs Beaumont will purchase 3 buses at a cost $1.75 million. $1.17 million has been received through the GreenTRIP grant from Alberta Transportation. The remaining funds will come from municipal dollars. Comments: The majority of respondents felt the capital costs were too high. Many respondents felt the timing was not good, given the current economic conditions. Some respondents indicated Beaumont should make an arrangement with ETS to use their buses. 5. Operating Costs The commuter transit service will require additional funds to operate, maintain and store the buses. In 2017, the operating expenses are estimated to be $337,700 with $20,400 in fare revenue generation (September to December 2017). In 2018, the operating expenses are estimated to be $830,700 with $61,200 in fare revenue generation (first full year of operation). Comments: The majority of respondents felt the cost was prohibitive and unsustainable, and that Beaumont should not proceed with transit. Many respondents felt the projected ridership was too low to proceed at this time. Some indicated Beaumont needs a better commercial tax base before proceeding with transit. Some pointed to successful systems such as Sherwood Park and felt people would use a commuter transit service if available.
17