Phase One evaluation of the South Miami-Dade busway (On-board survey)

One of the main goals of the Federal Transit Administration\u27s (FTA) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Demonstration Program is to determine the effects of 10 nationwide BRT demonstration projects through a scientific evaluation process. The FTA has designated the South Miami-Dade Busway as one of its 10 BRT demonstration sites. The 10 BRT demonstration projects will serve as learning tools and as models for other locales throughout the country and possibly the world. In keeping with the FTA\u27s evaluation guidelines, the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), working jointly with Miami-Dade Transit (MDT), conducted an on-board passenger survey of South Miami-Dade Busway customers in March 2001. The survey asked customers to evaluate various elements of service as well as overall satisfaction, with the ultimate purpose of measuring the impact of the Busway on customer perceptions compared to standard local bus service after the introduction of the Busway. Specific questions focused on customer behavior, including trip origins and destinations and frequency of Busway use. Questions also obtained information on the ability to recognize the Busway corridor itself and perceptions of bus cleanliness. Demographic questions provided a basis to assess changes in the demographic profile of Busway and local customers. Overall, the survey results clearly show that Busway customers are satisfied with the service offered by the Busway. In fact, customers who responded to the survey indicated that they are more satisfied with the service offered by the Busway compared to that offered by conventional MDT local bus service. This finding suggests that the Busway service offered by MDT has elevated the overall quality of the various public transit services offered by MDT from the customers\u27 perspective