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May 5, 2003
Comprehensive transit study under way
By Teresa Buika
Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) has begun a yearlong study
of the interaction between the UCSC Shuttle system and the Santa Cruz
Metropolitan Transit District (Metro) buses serving university locations
on and off campus.
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Respondents who complete the annual TAPS
Transportation Survey or the onetime UCSC Transit Survey by May
16 are eligible to win one of five $100 cash prizes. (Winners
must include an e-mail address.) The survey begins on May 9, when
it will be posted on the TAPS web
page. Staff and students without Internet access may receive
printed copies of either survey by calling TAPS at (831) 459-2190.
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The Comprehensive Transit Study follows the addition of bidirectional
buses on campus in recent years, and comes amid campus growth and constrained
budgets.
The study is designed to provide a dialogue between the campus and
TAPS to maintain an efficient and effective transit system.
Ubritran, a transportation consulting firm with expertise working on
university campuses, is conducting the study, funded by an $80,000 federal
transit planning grant. A steering committee of staff, faculty, students,
city officials, and Metro will oversee and provide input to the study.
In April, Urbitran conducted a variety of "stakeholder" interviews
with many different constituent transit users and key campus administrators,
and met with TAPS and Metro staff. The consultants also spent a day
at various bus stops on and off campus conducting spot surveys with
transit riders.
During the week of May 5, Urbitran consultants will conduct an on-board
survey of Metro bus, UCSC Shuttle, and UCSC Disability Van Service riders
to gather data about destinations and transit use. This information
will be key in assessing future recommendations for route changes and
service changes.
From May 9 to 16, TAPS will be conducting a onetime UCSC Transit Survey
of all faculty, staff, and students to hear views on the transit services
currently offered. This survey will reach all university affiliates,
not just those who use mass transit. At the same time, TAPS will also
conduct its annual UCSC Transportation Survey.
Over the summer, the consultants will use the data to develop recommendations
on how to make the overall university transit system more effective.
These recommendations could include new or changed routing for UCSC
shuttles and/or Metro buses, both on and off campus; creation of new
express routes to campus for commuting purposes; creation of new services;
and improvements to serving the ever-growing off-campus administrative
offices.
Draft findings are scheduled to be presented in late fall or early
winter, with input sought from all campus constituents.
Anyone wishing to offer comments on the study or other topics may
e-mail TAPS.
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