The Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority’s (NAIPTA) cost-efficiency efforts and investment in a new bus route to more effectively serve its community paid off with hefty ridership increases and won it APTA’s 2013 “Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award.”
Over the past three years, NAIPTA’s ridership rose from 950,000 to 1.8 million, Jeff Meilbeck, GM, NAIPTA, says. The spike is a result of the transit system building a high-capacity transit route, Mountain Link, connecting Northern Arizona University to Flagstaff’s downtown business district and Woodlands Village, a popular shopping and residential area for students, at a cost of $6.4 million. NAIPTA launched the route in August 2011 and has seen tremendous ridership growth ever since.
Ad Loading...
From September 2011 through August 2012, there were 631,377 trips taken on Mountain Link. From September 2012 through August 2013, that number increased to 654,892 trips, Meilbeck says.
Meanwhile, the agency employed cost efficiencies that reduced the cost per passenger from $3.47 to $2.70 per trip. As a result, the agency was able to add service hours without needing to increase indirect and overhead costs.
The increase in riders was one of the biggest factors in NAIPTA’s cost savings, with combined cost control methods and increased ridership creating significant change in cost per passenger, Meilbeck explains.
The cost per passenger drop can also be attributed in part to a newer fleet that decreased maintenance costs. Additionally, 95% of NAIPTA’s fleet is comprised of hybrid-electric buses, supplied by Gillig.
NAIPTA also saved money by reducing employee hours, eliminating overtime and moving some maintenance functions in-house.
Ad Loading...
Meilbeck says community support has been integral to enhancing the transit system. In 2008, NAIPTA went to voters with five transit initiatives and each one passed at supermajority levels.
A survey conducted by R&R Partners in February 2013 is more evidence of that support. It gauged the sentiments toward public transit in communities across the state. Statewide, the positive score was 42%, but in Flagstaff that score was 88%, says Meilbeck.
The visit is part of the SF Fed's ongoing engagement with major employers and industries across Southern California and, more broadly, the western U.S. to better understand regional economic conditions and business outlooks.
Advances in data and analytics are giving transit agencies new opportunities to refine maintenance practices, improve efficiency and make more informed decisions about asset performance.
Today’s riders—and the communities you serve—expect more from public transit. While ADA compliance is required, leading transit agencies know that true accessibility also means delivering dignity, efficiency, and a better rider experience. This whitepaper reveals why forward thinking agencies nationwide choose the Low Floor Frontrunner as their first choice for ADA compliant vehicles—setting a new standard with passenger first design, faster boarding, improved safety, and unmatched operational performance.
In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.
Under this extension, Keolis will continue to manage and operate fixed-route bus service across the East Valley, serving communities including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, the town of Gilbert, parts of Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community.
The new network reflects extensive input from riders and the community through Reimagine DART on what matters most in public transit — and those priorities are reflected in the changes ahead.
While recognizing regional economic constraints and continuing to improve service, the budget increases the jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, significantly below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target, said agency officials.
Coalition leaders outline priorities for preserving bus funding, maintaining competitive grants, and ensuring flexibility for transit agencies nationwide.
