West Side / West Suburban Sub-Regional Service Changes December 12, 2006 West Side/West Suburban Preliminary Results The preliminary results of the West Side/ West Suburban experiment are very positive. Ridership has increased on the rail lines and bus system in the study area. Customer satisfaction is very high based upon a comprehensive professionally administered multi-lingual survey. West Side/West Suburban Aggregate Rail Ridership (July to October)* July to October 2006 rail ridership has increased by 7.3 % on the Cermak & Forest Park Branches. Branch 2005 2006 % Change Cermak 11,947 12,795 + 7.1 % Forest Park 15,351 16,489 + 7.4 % Cermak/Forest Park 27,298 29,284 + 7.3 % Near West Blue/Pink/Green 14,620 15,118 + 3.4 % West Side Rail 41,918 44,402 + 5.9 % CTA Rail System 526,901 549,167 +4.2 % *October 2005 to October 2006 showed West Side / West Suburban rail ridership increase of 5.3%. West Side/West Suburban Aggregate Rail Ridership (July to October)* Rail Ridership Change by Line Forest Park Blue Line +7% includes Forest Park through Illinois Medical District stations Cermak Blue and Pink Line +7% includes 54th/Cermak through Polk stations Near West Side +3% includes Ashland/Lake & Clinton/Lake Green Line stations and Racine, UIC/Halsted, & Clinton Blue Line stations West Side/West Suburban Aggregate Rail Ridership (July to October)* Rail Ridership Change by Sub-Markets Forest Park to Austin stations +4% Cicero to Western stations on the Forest Park Branch +11% Illinois Medical District and Polk Stations +1% 54th/Cermak to 18th stations +12% Near West Side +3% includes Ashland/Lake & Clinton/Lake Green Line stations and Racine, UIC/Halsted, & Clinton Blue Line stations West Side/West Suburban Peak-period Rail Ridership on Cermak Branch* Cermak Branch Routing Average Customers per Train Average Customers per Rail Car Total Customers Observed % of Total Customers Observed Pink Routing (Cermak Br.) 99 25 6,104 84.8 % Blue Routing (Cermak Br.) 61 8 1,098 15.2 % * As observed in peak direction during AM & PM peak periods at Polk St. West Side/West Suburban Aggregate Bus Ridership (July to October)* July - October 2006 bus ridership has increased by 1.1 % in the affected corridors. Route 2005 2006 % Change #7 Harrison 5,752 5,965 +3.7 % #9/X9 Ashland 30,641 31,048 +1.3 % #12 Roosevelt 11,708 10,982 -6.2 % #20/X20 Madison 23,738 24,159 1.8 % #21 Cermak 7,080 7,129 +0.7 % #37 Sedgwick/#38 Ogden Taylor 2,478 2,375 -0.4 % #52 Kedzie/California 11,435 11,830 +3.4 % #52A South Kedzie 6,988 4,779 -31.6 % #54/X54 Cicero 12,231 13,666 +12.1 % #54B South Cicero 4,989 3,919 -21.4 % #86 Narragansett/Ridgeland 1,869 2,287 +22.4 % #90 Harlem 5,000 5,628 +12.6 % #91 Austin 9,122 8,752 -4.1 % #127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator 266 2,251 +747.5 % West Side Total 133,279 134,790 +1.1 % System Total 987,662 957,039 -3.1 % *October 05 to October 06 showed West Side / West Suburban bus ridership increase of 2.2%. Survey Two evaluations of the West Side and West Suburban rail lines and bus routes were conducted in the summer and fall of 2006. A total of 7,800 responses were collected in multiple languages. Information collected included: Origin & destination, Transfer activity, Satisfaction, Trip Purpose, Awareness of changes Survey Results 80% of rail customers indicated they are satisfied with the Cermak and Forest Park service 83% of bus customers indicated they are satisfied with bus service Customers most cited improvements are the Pink Line and express service on Ashland, Madison and Cicero and the #127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator. Two thirds of the West Side customers interviewed were familiar with the changes made to the bus route or rail line they were riding. Recommended Improvements #11 Lincoln / #37 Sedgwick – Combine into one route #9 Ashland - Improve frequency on local service #20/#X20 Madison - Re-balance service levels #21 Cermak – Adjust layover times and weekend frequency #38 Ogden/Taylor – Adjust PM frequency #X54 Cicero Express – Adjust frequency on fringe hours #86 Narragansett/Ridgeland – Adjust running times north of Wright College #90 Harlem – Adjust AM start time and running time south of Grand #91 Austin – Start service earlier and adjust frequency #127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator - Adjust running times and explore use of Columbus Drive Recommendation Staff recommends a second 180-day experiment. Evaluate travel patterns due to seasonal changes. Continue to monitor and be responsive to customer travel pattern changes West Side/West Suburban Sub-regional Study Questions?