Evaluation of the Denver RTD Route Restructuring Project

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Centerhttps://doi.org/10.21949/15266871981PDFTech ReportDonnelly, Robert M.Ong, Paul M.De Leuw, Cather & CompanyJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Department of Transportation. Research and Special Programs Administration. Transportation Systems CenterUnited States. Department of Transportation. Urban Mass Transportation Administration. Office of Service and Methods DemonstrationGaudette, JohnSpear, BruceSwan, SherrillKnight, BobColman, StevenStone, TomConnor, DaveShunk, GordonUnited States. Department of Transportation. Urban Mass Transportation AdministrationDenver (Colorado)Bus transitTransportation planningTravel behaviorFixed routesFree faresLevel of serviceDemonstration projectsData collectionNetworksOff peak periodsRoutingSurveysRevenuesRidershipDriversDOT-TSC-UMTA-81-45;UMTA-CO-06-0010-80-1DOT-1409-15In February 1978, the Denver RTD eliminated the 25 cent off-peak fare and retained a 50 cent peak hour fare for bus boardings during the morning (2 hours) and evening (2 hours) rush hours. The experiment in innovative transit pricing continued for one year as a federally assisted demonstration project to determine the effects of free off-peak transit in a major urban area. During the demonstration RTD also undertook a complete transformation of its network of bus routes and schedules. Following two years of planning, on September 10, 1978 RTD accomplished restructuring its transit services from a network of mostly historic radial routes serving the CBD to one more closely conforming to a grid system. This report summarizes the evaluation of the route restructuring project in Denver with respect to the implementation requirements of a major redesign of fixed route transit services and its effects on 1) travel behavior 2) bus operations, quality of service, costs and revenues; and 3) secondary effects on the environment and public support for transit services and improvements. The extensive data collection activities conducted by RTD as part of the demonstration, including transit operations monitoring, surveys of transit users on-board and follow-up telephone, and general population surveys are documented and their results analyzed. Principal findings of the evaluation are reported and their implications for transit operations and service planning discussed. Both the short term effects of implementing major changes in existing transit service, as well as the long term supply and demand characteristic of the grid concept applied to transit operations in Denver are addressed. Evaluation of the off-peak free fare experiment is provided in an earlier report of this project.138