Customer Service Performance March 2015 West Coast Express

Transcription

1 Customer Service Performance ch 2 West Coast Express Synovate

2 Table Of Contents Highlights and Recommendations 3 Project Objectives 8 Methodology 9 Detailed Findings WCE Performance Trends in Transit Usage Among WCE Riders 22 Trends in WCE Usage 29 Customer Profiles 36 APPENDICES Appendix A - Survey Instrument 2

3 Highlights and Recommendations The revised West Coast Express Customer Service Performance Survey was launched in ch 23. The survey was redesigned to focus solely on the aspects of service that are most positively correlated with system performance ratings from customers. In addition, the redesigned survey implements the Transportation Research Board s Impact Score Method to identify and prioritize those service attributes that are most negatively impacting the largest number of customers. This will assist in the prioritization of service improvements. 3

4 Highlights and Recommendations Please note: The interviewing process was interrupted on ch 4 th and ch 5 th due to the cancellation of WCE service after a fire at Port Metro Vancouver. Also, CP Rail has been performing rail maintenance that resulted in delays to many of the WCE runs during the period of this study. Therefore, service ratings might have been affected and should be interpreted with caution. In general, WCE service performance has shifted downward from previous waves, with 73% of WCE riders giving goodto-excellent ratings (8- out of ) to Overall Service, and an average score of 8.1 out of. This is the lowest level observed since 2. Some attributes are showing improvement: Having Clean, Graffiti-Free Vehicles and Stations (93%), Feeling Safe From Crime On-Board and at the Station (92%), Having Courteous, Competent and Helpful Staff (92%), and Not Being Overcrowded (64%) are all up from ch 2 values (82%, 85%, 87% and 53%, respectively). On-time, Reliable Service shows the most significant drop in performance this quarter, slipping by more than 2 percentage points since ch 2 to its current historical-low of 61%. Riders who reduced their usage of WCE in the past 6 months give the lowest evaluations to On-time, Reliable Service. Many other attributes have also shown negative shifts, with Delays Announced and Explained (57%) and Good Connections (53%) dropping significantly from both last wave and a year ago. Also, Convenient Hours of Operation remains an area with room for improvement, with only 43% giving good-to-excellent scores and 3% awarding low ratings of 5 or less. Compared to a year ago, WCE riders are making fewer one-way transit trips (8.8 versus 9.3) in the last seven days and fewer WCE trips (8.6 versus 9.3) in an average week. The most popular payment method continues to be the 28-day WCE pass (77% of transit trips); however, usage of the pass has dropped by 5 percentage points from a year ago and 8 percentage points from last wave. On the contrary, the usage of cash fares has been growing steadily over the past year and is currently used on 9% of the transit trips taken by WCE riders. Nearly one-half (45%) of transit trips made by WCE riders in the past seven days were made on WCE exclusively. Unchanged from last wave but down from a year ago, another 5% of transit trips were made using a combination of WCE and bus/skytrain. 4

5 Highlights and Recommendations Performance on West Coast Express Attributes % Good to Excellent (8-) Average Rating Performance on Specific Attributes Vehicle and Station Cleanliness Safe from Crime On-board and at the station Courteous, Competent, Helpful staff Currently 73% of riders give Overall Service a score of 8 or higher out of. This is a decrease from last wave and a year ago. The average score has also decreased. Safe Equipment Trip Duration Staff Availability Safe from Crime in Parking Lots Performance for most service attributes has slipped from the previous two waves. In particular, On-Time, Reliable Service shows the most significant drop with ratings down to an alltime low of 61%. Overall Service Sufficient Parking Availability of Transit Information Ratings for Delays Announced and Explained and Good Connections also show significant downward shifts from last wave and a year ago (57% and 53% respectively). Good Connections Not being Overcrowded Delays Announced and Explained On-time, Reliable Service Frequency of Service Value for Money The top-performing attributes continue to be Vehicle and Station Cleanliness (93%), Safe from Crime On-board and at the Station (92%), Courteous, Competent, Helpful Staff (92%) and Safe Equipment (9%). In particular, ratings for Cleanliness have jumped by percentage points since ch 2. Convienent Hours of Operation Base =

6 Highlights and Recommendations Areas to be Addressed to Improve Perceptions of the WCE Service Impact scores are calculated to identify the attributes that have the greatest negative impact on overall perceptions of service and the greatest number of customers experiencing problems with an attribute. The larger the impact score for an attribute, the more that attribute should be targeted for improvement. This wave, the following two attributes have a significant negative impact on Overall Service perceptions. Attribute On-time Reliable Service Value for Money Overall Service Rating From Those Rating 1-5 (A) From Those Rating 6- (B) GAP Score (B-A=C) Proportion Rating 1-5 (D) Impact Score (CxD) On-time Reliable Service This attribute currently has the highest impact score of.39 and earns very poor to neutral ratings from % of WCE riders. The major complaints received from riders include frequent train breakdowns or that services have gone downhill recently. Riders who have decreased usage in the past 6 months are also the ones who give the lowest evaluations in this area (42% award a score of 1 to 5) compared to their counterparts. Value for Money At.27, Value for Money is the attribute that has the second greatest negative impact. Currently, % of riders give a low rating for this attribute. Similarly, riders who have reduced their use of WCE within the last 6 months have the lowest perceptions of this attribute (47% give a low rating). The majority of riders who give low scores say that WCE is too expensive. 6

7 WCE Rider Profile West Coast Express Rider Profile Unchanged from historical trends, most WCE riders reside in the region of Coquitlam East to Maple Ridge (83%), are aged 25 to 54 years old (74%), have at least some university education (65%), are working full-time (87%) and have annual household incomes of $65, or more (67%). WCE riders made an average of 8.8 one-way trips on transit in the past seven days (unchanged from last wave, but down from 9.3 in ch 2). For trips made on WCE specifically, they report making an average of 8.6 trips per week (down from 9.2 last wave and 9.3 a year ago). Just under one-half (45%) of riders say they made transit trips exclusively on WCE in the past week. In general, most WCE riders started using the service within the last 4 years, which is consistent with previous waves. Meanwhile, onequarter (24%) of riders are new to WCE this year. WCE usage frequency remains the same for most riders, with 84% saying that they have not changed their usage frequency in the past six months. However, the proportion of riders who report using WCE with the same frequency as six months ago has been trending down over the last two waves (from 92% in ch 2 and 88% last wave). In terms of fare payment, the 28-day WCE pass continues to be the most popular method among WCE riders (77% of trips paid for by 28-day WCE pass). Still, usage of this fare payment method has dropped since last year (down from 82% in ch 2 and 85% in tember 2). 7

8 Project Objectives The primary objectives of this project are to: Evaluate the quality of service provided by the West Coast Express. Identify what aspects of service have the strongest impact on perceptions of service quality. Provide recommendations regarding what aspects of service need to be modified to improve and maintain high levels of service quality. To assess customer behaviour and motivation relating to the use of WCE. To track changes over time in any of the above mentioned areas. 8

9 Methodology Ipsos Reid (formerly Synovate) began conducting the new West Coast Express Customer Service Performance Survey in ch 23. In this section, we present the methodology Ipsos uses to collect and weight the data, as well as the sampling errors associated with the survey results. 9

10 Methodology Sample Design A total of 325 surveys were administered to a random sample of riders travelling on board West Coast Express. To ensure representation across day of travel, interviews were conducted across all weekdays from ch 2 nd to ch th in 2. However, please note that the interviewing process was interrupted on ch 4 th and ch 5 th due to the cancellation of WCE service. Quotas were set to reflect the actual number of riders that travel on each of the five trains heading westbound in the morning and on each of the five trains heading eastbound in the afternoons/evenings: AM Westbound Train Surveys Collected PM Eastbound Train Surveys Collected 5:27AM 16 3:5PM 29 5:57AM 24 4:2PM 31 6:27AM 41 4:5PM 5 6:57AM 39 5:3PM 43 7:27AM 37 6:2PM TOTAL 7 TOTAL 168 Quotas were also set to obtain about an equal number of surveys among passengers boarding (westbound) or arriving (eastbound) at each of the seven stations (excluding Waterfront); as well as to obtain about an equal proportion of each gender: Westbound Boarders Surveys Collected Eastbound Disembarkers Surveys Collected Mission City 21 Mission City 22 Port Haney 22 Port Haney 2 Maple Meadows 24 Maple Meadows 24 Pitt Meadows 21 Pitt Meadows 24 Port Coquitlam 24 Port Coquitlam 31 Coquitlam 22 Coquitlam 22 Port Moody 23 Port Moody 25 TOTAL 7 TOTAL 168

11 Methodology Data Weighting The stratified sampling plan, with an equal number of surveys conducted for each station, necessitates the use of weights to bring the sample in line with the actual boardings and disembarkings at each station. Starting in 2, the weights were based on a combination of actual 2 physical counts and ticket sales provided by TransLink. Means (Average Ratings) The margins of error for means (or average ratings) will vary depending on the sample sizes and standard deviations for each attribute. When comparing total results for different waves, a difference of at least.16 to.37 in the average ratings is required to be statistically significant at the 95% level of confidence. When comparing smaller sample sub-groups, the differences between average ratings must be proportionately larger to be statistically significant (e.g. at least.23 to.46 when comparing two samples of and at least.39 to.78 when comparing two samples of 5). Percentages The margins of error will depend on the sample sizes and level of consensus on a question. With this in mind, a shift of 8 percentage points is usually required between waves before that change can be considered statistically significant at the 95% level of confidence. Survey Instrument The questionnaire was designed by TransLink keting Research in consultation with WCE regarding survey content. The survey took approximately 17 minutes, with the first section being administered by the interviewer and the latter filled out by the respondent. The questionnaire can be found in Appendix A. Fieldwork All surveys were conducted during weekdays from ch 2 to, 2. However, please note that due to a serious fire at Port Metro Vancouver on ch 4 th, WCE service was cancelled. This interrupted the interviewing process on ch 4 th and ch 5 th. In addition, there were several train delays during this period, due to ongoing track maintenance by CP Rail. Implementation of FTA Impact Score Method The redesigned survey implements the Federal Transportation Authority s Transportation Research Board Impact Score Method to identify and prioritize the service attributes that most negatively impact the largest number of customers. This will guide service improvements.

12 Detailed Findings WCE Performance This section presents an evaluation of the overall performance of the West Coast Express and covers the following areas: Overall Service Performance Performance on Specific Attributes

13 WCE Performance: Overall Service Value For Money Q8. How would you rate the service of West Coast Express overall? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun 73 Overall Service Assessments of Overall Service have declined significantly this wave, with only 73% of riders awarding top ratings. The average score has also dropped to 8.1 out of. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2 - % - 9% There are no apparent differences in ratings at the station level. 2 Base = 325 Q9f. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Value for the money? Value for Money Over one-half (53%) of riders rate WCE highly for Value for Money in ch 2; this is down from last tember % Good to Excellent (8-) Jun 53 Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2-9% - 7% Riders who use the Port Moody station and the Port Haney station tend to give the most positive evaluations for Value for Money (65% and 64% respectively). Among those who give a score of 1 to 5 for this attribute, a majority of them say that WCE is too expensive. Avg Score Base = 325 = Significant upward / downward shift

14 WCE Performance: Staff Available to Assist with Problems Courteous, Competent and Helpful Staff Q9a1. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Staff available to assist with problems? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun Staff Availability Consistent with previous waves, approximately eight-in-ten riders (78%) give good-to-excellent ratings for Staff Availability. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2-3% - 1% There are no apparent differences among the different stations in this regard. Q9m How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Courteous, competent and helpful staff? Base = 324 % Good to Excellent (8-) Courteous, Competent And Helpful Staff WCE staff continue to perform very well, with 92% of riders rating them as Courteous, Competent and Helpful. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2 No change + 5% Riders who use the Port Moody station are most positive in this regard, with nearly all of them (98%) awarding good-toexcellent scores to this attribute. Avg Score Jun 2 Base = 324 = Significant upward / downward shift

15 WCE Performance: Good Connections Delays are Announced and Explained Q9c. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Good connections with other transit modes with a reasonable wait time? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun 2 Base = Dropping significantly from last wave and a year ago, 53% of riders now give WCE high ratings for having Good Connections. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: Good Connections tember 2 ch 2 - % - % Maple Meadows riders are the least positive when it comes to rating WCE for Good Connections (38%). Among the 9% of riders who give low ratings (1 to 5), primary complaints include not having good connections between the train and buses, and shuttle buses being full. Similar to previous trends, most riders (85%) continue to say that a 5- minute wait between connections is reasonable. Q9k. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Delays are announced and explained? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun 77 2 Base = Significantly fewer riders award high ratings to the service for announcing and explaining delays (57%). Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: Delays Announced and Explained tember 2 ch 2 - % - % One-in-ten riders give a low rating to this attribute, mostly because delays are not explained or are not always announced. At the station level, there are no apparent differences in terms of how this attribute is rated. = Significant upward / downward shift

16 WCE Performance: On-Time Reliable Service Frequency of Service Q9b. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Providing on-time, reliable service? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Q9h. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Frequency of service (how often the trains run during hours of operation)? Jun % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Base = 324 Jun 2 Base = 321 On-Time Reliable Service Scores for On-Time Reliable service have slipped to an alltime low, with 61% giving high ratings to this attribute. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: Of the % who give a low score (1 to 5), most of the issues are related to train breakdowns or that services have gone downhill recently. No differences are observed at the station level. Frequency of Service Ratings of Frequency of Service have decreased from last wave and trended down from a year ago to 61% currently. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2-26% - 23% tember 2 ch 2-8% - 5% Riders using the Pitt Meadows station are most satisfied with the Frequency of Service, with 82% giving a good-toexcellent rating. Of the % who give very-poor-to-neutral ratings, the majority (61%) say that the service should run every to under 25 minutes. = Significant upward / downward shift 16

17 WCE Performance: Convenient Hours of Operation Trip Duration Q9g. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Convenient hours of operation? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun 2 Base = 31 Convenient Hours of Operation Trending down over the last two waves, just four-in-ten riders (43%) award good-to-excellent scores for having Convenient Hours of Operation. This remains the lowestrated attribute of WCE service. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2-7% - % There are no apparent differences between stations. Among those who gave low ratings (3%), over half of them would like to see weekend service, later service in both directions and the introduction of mid-day service. Q9j. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Trip duration from the time you board to when you get off? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun Trip Duration Consistent with historical trends, 82% of riders rate the service highly for Trip Duration. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2-4% + 2% For this wave, Port Moody riders are most positive in their evaluations for this attribute (91%). Following closely are Pitt Meadows and Coquitlam riders (89%). 2 Base = 324 = Significant upward / downward shift 17

18 WCE Performance: Availability of Transit Information Not Being Overcrowded Q9i. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Availability of transit information at the stations?* % Good to Excellent (8-) Jun 65 Availability of Transit Information With a good-to-excellent score of 65%, ratings for Availability of Transit Information have dropped significantly from last wave and are trending down from a year ago. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2 - % - 6% At the station level, there are no significant differences in ratings for this attribute. Avg Score *Prior to t 2: availability of transit information on board and at the stations Q9o. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Not being overcrowded? % Good to Excellent (8-) Base = 323 Avg Score Jun 67 2 Base = Not Being Overcrowded Consistent with last wave but improved over a year ago, 64% of riders give good-to-excellent ratings for Not Being Overcrowded. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2-2% + % Among the % of riders who give a low rating, half (51%) of them say it s because of the overcrowding in the morning. There are no apparent differences by the different stations. = Significant upward / downward shift 18

19 WCE Performance: Clean Graffiti-Free Vehicles and Stations Safe Ride Q9l. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Clean and graffitifree vehicles and stations?* % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun Clean, Graffiti-Free Vehicles and Stations Unchanged from last wave but up from a year ago, 93% of riders rate the WCE highly for having Clean, Graffiti- Free Vehicles and Stations. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2 + 1% + % There are no apparent differences at the station level. 2 Base = 325 *Prior to 24, clean and graffiti-free vehicles, stops and stations. Q9n. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Safe West Coast Express equipment provides a safe ride? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Jun 2 Base = 323 Safe WCE Equipment Provides a Safe Ride In line with previous waves, nine-in-ten riders (9%) give top ratings to WCE for having Safe Equipment to Provide a Safe Ride. As well, all riders award a score of 6 or above for this attribute. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2-2% + 4% At the station level, no differences are observed in terms of how this attribute is rated. = Significant upward / downward shift 19

20 WCE Performance: Feeling Safe From Crime On-Board and at Station Feeling Safe From Crime in WCE Parking Lots Q9d. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Feeling safe from crime on-board and at the station? % Good to Excellent (8-) Avg Score Q9e1. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Feeling safe from crime in WCE parking lots? Jun % Good to Excellent (8-) Base = 325 Avg Score Jun 2 Base = Safe From Crime On-Board and at the Station Consistent with last wave and up from a year ago, nine-inten riders (92%) report feeling Safe From Crime On-Board and at the Station. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: Similar to historical trends, all stations receive good-toexcellent assessments from at least 88% of riders. Safe From Crime in WCE Parking Lots Dropping significantly from last wave but still remaining in line with one year ago, ratings for feeling Safe From Crime in WCE Parking Lots are currently at 58% good-toexcellent. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: tember 2 ch 2 No Change + 7% tember 2 ch 2-9% - 2% Port Moody station receives the highest ratings for this attribute (73%). Among the 4% of riders who give very-poor-to-neutral ratings for this attribute, their main reasons include cars being vandalized and not feeling safe at night or in the dark. = Significant upward / downward shift 2

21 WCE Performance: Having Enough Parking at WCE Parking Lots Q9e2. How would you rate West Coast Express in terms of: Having enough parking at the WCE parking lots?* Avg Score % Good to Excellent (8-) Jun Base = Just under half (45%) of riders give WCE high ratings for Having Enough Parking at WCE Parking Lots, which is consistent with a year ago but down from last tember. Good-to- Excellent ratings compared to: Sufficient Parking at WCE Parking Lots tember 2 ch 2 - % + 2% Another 38% of respondents were unsure how to respond to this question: This has been trending higher in the past few years, suggesting that an increasing proportion of riders are not driving to the station. A high proportion of Don t know responses leads to a low percentage of respondents giving good-toexcellent scores, but does not affect the average score. Among the 5% of riders who give this attribute low ratings, most complain that there is not enough parking in general or that there is no parking at all at Port Haney Station. At the station level, the percentage of good-to-excellent ratings for this measure are as follows: 1. Maple Meadows 58% 2. Pitt Meadows 55% 3. Coquitlam 52% 4. Mission 51% 5. Port Coquitlam 41% 6. Port Haney 34% 7. Port Moody 27% = Significant upward / downward shift 21

22 Detailed Findings Trends in Transit Usage Among WCE Riders This section presents trends in the motivation and behaviour of WCE customers. It illustrates trends in the following areas: Shifts in mode use Reasons for using WCE over other modes Average number of trips made on transit Transit modes used Time of transit trips Purpose of transit trips Method of fare payment 22

23 (Percent) Trends in Transit Usage Among WCE Riders: Shifts in Mode Use Qa. In the past, before you started taking the West Coast Express for this trip, what main mode of transportation did you use to reach this destination? Jun Note that proportions are based on multiple responses and may add up to more than %. Added option for New to the area served by WCE in ch 2; responses are included with None/live/worked elsewhere SOV Car/vanpool Bus SkyTrain Other None/live/worked elsewhere Similar to most historical waves, driving alone is the most common mode of transportation that current WCE riders used prior to switching to the WCE (34%). The second most popular method that was used before starting on the WCE was the bus (3%, consistent with last wave but down from a year ago). The proportion of former carpoolers remains in line with previous waves (9%). On the other hand, those who used to take SkyTrain have been trending up from 5% in tember 2 to % in ch 2. Close to one-quarter (23%) of riders report no other transportation mode was used prior to taking WCE or that they lived or worked elsewhere and therefore didn t use the WCE (up from last wave and a year ago). 2 Base =

24 (Percent) Trends in Transit Usage : Main Reasons for Taking WCE Qb. What are the main reasons that you take the West Coast Express rather than some other mode of transportation?* Avoid driving/traffic/can relax or work on train Faster than driving Faster/more direct than other transit modes Stations are close to my home and/or destination Avoid parking hassles/expense Save money on gas Comfortable seats Environmental reasons *Respondents are provided a list and asked to choose up to 3 reasons. 2 Base = 323 The top three reasons for choosing WCE rather than some other mode of transportation include avoiding to drive (61%, up from a year ago), faster than driving (36%, up from a year ago) and faster or more direct than other transit modes (34%, down from a year ago). The proportion of those who say they use the WCE because stations are close to their house and/or destinations has grown from 21% in ch 2 to 24% in tember 2 to 32% this wave. 24

25 Trends in Transit Usage Among WCE Riders: Average Number of Trips (Mean) Q2. How many one-way trips have you made on transit, that is, Bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain, and West Coast Express in the last seven days? The average number of one-way transit trips in the past seven days made by WCE riders has been trending down over the last two waves, from 9.3 in ch 2 to 9.1 in tember 2 to 8.8 this wave. Compared to: tember Last Year ch Last Year DOWN.3 DOWN Jun 2 Base = 325 However, the majority (74%) of riders have still made or more transit trips in the last seven days. Compared to riders who use other stations, those who use the Maple Meadow station made the fewest one-way transit trips in the past week (an average of 7.8 trips). Note: Changes from previous waves are in bold if significant, otherwise are directional only. 25

26 Trends in Transit Usage Among WCE Riders: Modes Used (Percent of one-way transit trips) Q3. Of the one-way transit trips you made in the last seven days, how many did you make using the Other Transit (non-wce) West Coast Express & all other modes West Coast Express & ST & Bus West Coast Express & ST West Coast Express & Bus West Coast Express Only Among WCE riders, close to onehalf (45%) of transit trips in the last seven days were made using WCE exclusively (down from last wave but up from a year ago). Another one-in-five (22%) trips were made using a combination of WCE and SkyTrain (unchanged from last wave but down from a year ago) Transit trips that were made using a combination of WCE and Bus (17%) have dropped from both last wave and last year. Jun Up from last tember but consistent with a year ago, % of transit trips were made using a combination of three modes (WCE, SkyTrain and Bus). 2 Base = 2,863 trips 26

27 (Percent of one-way transit trips) Trends in Transit Usage Among WCE Riders: Trip Timing and Purpose (Percent of one-way transit trips) Q4. Of the one-way transit trips you made in the last seven days, how many did you make? Q5. Of the one-way transit trips you made in the last seven days, how many did you make? Wknds/holidays PM off-peak PM peak All other reasons To/from school To/from work Mid-off-peak 8 AM Peak Jun 2 Base = 2,863 trips 6 Jun 2 Base = 2,863 trips Transit Trip Timing Transit Trip Purpose Unchanged from previous waves, nearly all transit trips made by WCE riders in the past seven days were made during AM peak hours (49%) or PM peak hours (48%). The primary purpose of transit trips made by WCE riders in the last seven days is for work purposes (93%, showing a slight downward trend over the last two waves). Only 4% of trips were made to go to/from school, which is in line with past trends. 27

28 Trends in Transit Usage Among WCE Riders: Fare Payment Method (Percent of one-way transit trips) Q6. Of the one-way trips you made in the last seven days, for how many did you use?* Fare Payment Method Used Other U-Pass BC Employer Pass Transit Day Pass Monthly FareCard 28-day WCE pass While the 28-day WCE pass remains the most popular payment method for transit trips taken by WCE riders (77%), its usage has decreased significantly from last wave and a year ago. On the other hand, the use of cash fares has been trending up over the last two waves (from 6% in ch last year to 9% this wave). Up from last wave but consistent with a year ago, 6% of trips were paid for with the Weekly WCE pass Jun Weekly WCE pass Cash fare/wce ticket/return ticket 2 Base = 2,863 trips * Prior to tember 2, Transit Day Pass was listed as Transit Day Pass + Add On Fare. 28

29 Detailed Findings Trends In WCE Usage This section presents trends in West Coast Express Usage And Motivations. It illustrates trends in the following areas: Average number of trips made on WCE Length of time taking WCE Mode used to get to/from station Choice vs. Captive WCE riders Changes in WCE usage frequency in the last six months Reasons for riding WCE more or less often in the last six months 29

30 (Mean) Trends in WCE Usage : WCE Trip Frequency Q7. Now thinking about your trips on West Coast Express, how many one-way trips do you make in an average week? WCE Trip Frequency. 9. Down from last wave and a year ago, current WCE riders make an average of 8.6 trips on WCE in a typical week Compared to: tember Last Year ch Last Year DOWN.6 DOWN Specifically, riders who use the Maple Meadows station make the fewest trips on WCE (an average of 7.4 one-way trips in a typical week) Jun Nearly three-quarters (73%) of WCE riders indicate that they make at least one-way trips on WCE in an average week. 2 Base = 325 Note: Changes from previous waves are in bold if significant, otherwise are directional only. 3

31 (Percent) Trends in WCE Usage : Duration of WCE Usage Q. Approximately when did you begin taking West Coast Express? Years Ago 7 Years Ago 6 Years Ago 5 Years Ago 4 Years Ago 3 Years Ago 2 Years Ago 1 Year Ago This Year Jun Med.Yrs=4. Med.Yrs=3. Med.Yrs=4. Med.Yrs=5. Med.Yrs=4. Med.Yrs=4. Med.Yrs=4. Med.Yrs=4. Med.Yrs=4. 2 Base = 323 Duration of WCE Usage Unchanged from historical trends, over-half (52%) of WCE riders have started using the service within the last 4 years. Specifically, one-quarter (24%) of riders report that they began using WCE in the past year, trending up from 2% in ch 2. Another one-in-three (34%) riders began taking WCE 8 or more years ago. This proportion has been growing since last ch (27%). 31

32 Trends in WCE Usage : Mode to and from Station Q1c. This morning/afternoon how did you get to the station to board the train? Q1d. And when you get off the train this morning/afternoon, how will you get from the station to your destination? Carpooled/vanpooled/got a ride Drove alone (SOV) Walked to the station Bus/shuttle SkyTrain SeaBus Other *Includes % of PM WCE riders who used the Canada Line. < * % AM Riders (n=7) * 49 PM Riders (n=168) Walk SkyTrain Bus/shuttle Carpooled/vanpooled/got a ride SeaBus Drove alone (SOV) Other *Includes 17% of AM WCE riders who used the Canada Line * % AM Riders (n=7) * 52 PM Riders (n=168) Mode to the Boarding Station Similar to previous waves, morning WCE riders tend to carpool (29%), drive alone (23%), walk (23%) or take the bus (22%) to the WCE station to board the train. Most WCE riders in the afternoon choose to walk (49%), take the SkyTrain (33%) or take the bus (%) to the boarding station. Mode after Disembarking Morning WCE riders are most likely to walk (52%) or take the SkyTrain (36%) to reach to their final destination after they get off the train. On the other hand, afternoon WCE riders tend to take the bus (33%), carpool (28%) or drive alone (27%) after they disembark from the WCE station. 32

33 (Percent) Trends in WCE Usage: Choice/Captive Q. Did you have access to a car, van or truck for your trip today rather than taking the West Coast Express? Choice vs. Captive Similar to historical trends, a large proportion of WCE riders (76%) are Choice riders, meaning they have access to a vehicle for the trip they choose to make on WCE. However, this proportion has dropped significantly from last wave (83%). The remaining 24% are considered Captive riders, which means they do not have vehicle access for that trip (up from 17% last wave). 2 Jun Yes (Choice) No (Captive) Refused/Don't Know 2 Base =

34 Trends in WCE Usage: Changes in Usage Over Last Six Months (Percent) Q16a. Over the past six months, has your use of West Coast Express increased, decreased or remained the same? Changes in Usage Over Last Six Months % of WCE riders report currently using the service with the same frequency as six months ago. This is significantly less than a year ago (92%) and directionally down from last wave (88%) Increased Remained the same Decreased The proportion of riders who have changed their frequency of usage over the last six months has increased over the last two waves (from 7% a year ago to 16% this wave). Specifically, % say they are now using WCE more frequently while 6% report using it less often in ch Jun Base =

35 Trends in WCE Usage: Reasons for Riding More/Less Regularly Q16a1. Why are you riding more often? Changed work circumstance Live/moved elsewhere To avoid driving/dealing with traffic Changed school circumstances Just decided to start using it * Caution: small base size. Other (n=34*) Reasons for Riding More Often The most common reason for taking WCE more often continues to be changes in work circumstances (5%) (n=35*) (n=*) 5 59 (n=23*) (n=31*) Reasons for Riding Less Often Similarly, a change in work circumstances is also the top cited reason for using WCE less often (41%). Q16a2. Why are you riding less often? Changed work circumstances WCE is expensive Carpool (n=*) Other (n=*) (n=6*) (n=*) (n=19*) * Caution: small base size. 35

36 Detailed Findings Customer Profiles This section presents profiles of key customer segments. In the current wave, the profiles of Choice versus Captive riders and Low, Medium, and High Frequency riders are presented. The demographic profile of WCE riders is also presented, relative to the demographic profile of residents of Metro Vancouver who are age 16 or older. 36

37 Customer Profiles: Choice Versus Captive Riders Choice Versus Captive Riders Three-quarters (76%) of WCE riders are considered Choice riders, meaning they have access to a vehicle for the trip that they make on WCE. The remaining 24% are classified as Captive riders which means they do not have vehicle access. The characteristics of Choice and Captive riders are as follows: Choice Riders (76%): More likely than Captive Riders to take WCE only (52% versus 25%) More likely than Captive Riders to walk (37% versus %) or drive alone (18% versus 2%) to their final destination after they arrive at the WCE station Almost all of the WCE trips that they make are for work purposes (95% versus 85%) Tend to give higher ratings for having Good Connections with other transit modes (an average score of 8.1 versus 7.5) More likely to be employed full time, hold an university degree and earn a higher household income than Captive Riders Captive Riders (24%): More likely than Choice Riders to get to the WCE station by taking the bus (29% versus %) Also more likely to use the bus to reach to their destination after they depart from the station (38% versus %) More likely to use a combination of WCE, SkyTrain and Bus for their transit trips (23% versus 7%) In terms of method of payment, they are more likely to use Weekly WCE pass (% versus 4%) and U-Pass (7% versus 1%) compared to their counterparts. More likely to give high ratings for Trip Duration (89% versus 79%) and Courteous Staff (98% versus 91%) More likely than Choice Riders to be a full-time student (% versus 3%) and reside in Maple Ridge (28% versus 17%) 37

38 Customer Profiles: High/Medium/Low Frequency Riders Profile of High, Medium and Low Frequency Riders West Coast Express riders can be classified into three groups based on their transit use. High Frequency riders make or more one-way transit trips per week, Medium Frequency riders make 4 to 9 one-way trips and Low Frequency riders make 3 or less one-way trips per week. The key characteristics of each group are as follows: High Frequency Riders: Consist of 74% of current WCE riders. Are the most likely rider group to be making trips for work purposes (95%) Are most likely to use a 28-day WCE pass (86%) Are the least likely rider group to have decreased their usage of WCE in the past 6 months (3%) Expect a shorter wait time (an average of 5 mins) between connections compared to other rider groups (7.6 mins overall) Are most likely to be employed full-time (92%) and least likely to be seniors aged 65+ (2%) Medium Frequency Riders: Are comprised of 18% current WCE riders. Are the most likely rider group to be using a Compass Card loaded with BC Gov t Bus Pass or CNIB Pass (%) Are more likely than High Frequency Riders to be a full-time student or employed part-time Are most satisfied with WCE s Value for Money compared to their counterparts (68% rate good-to-excellent) Low Frequency Riders: Make up only 8% of current WCE riders. Are the most likely rider group to use a cash fare or one-way WCE ticket (84%) Are the most likely rider group to be making trips for entertainment purposes (%) Are more likely than other rider groups to give a high score for WCE s service being On-time and Reliable (89%) Are the most likely rider group to be retired (2%) 38

39 Customer Profiles: Demographic Profile of WCE Customers The following table compares the demographics of WCE riders to Metro Vancouver residents aged 16+ and transit users surveyed in the Bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus Customer Service Performance Survey. WCE riders are more likely than other transit users to be between the ages of years old, employed full-time, have an university degree and earn a higher household income. They also tend to live in Coquitlam East to Maple Ridge area compared to their counterparts. Metro Van Pop. 16 Years Or Older 1 Bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain Riders, 16+ Years Q4 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders Jun 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 BASE 2,4 2, Age 4 : % % % % % % % % % % % % and older Gender 4 : % % % % % % % % % % % % Male Female Employment 4 : % % % % % % % % % % % % Employed full-time Employed part-time Student (FT/PT) Homemaker Retired Not employed <1 - Refused <1 < Education 4 : % % % % % % % % % % % % Some high school or less < Graduated high school Voc./college/tech Some university Graduated university Refused Source: Mustel 2,4 surveys conducted among Metro Vancouver residents in ch, May, tember and December 2 Omnibus waves. 2 Category is for the Bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain Riders surveys. 3 Category includes both high school or less and graduated high school. 4 Percentaged among those who gave a response (i.e. not the full sample). WCE Riders 2 39

40 Customer Profiles: Demographic Profile of WCE Customers Metro Van Pop. 16 Years Or Older 1 Bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain Riders, 16+ Years Q4 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders Jun 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 WCE Riders 2 BASE 2,4 2, Household Income 2 : % % % % % % % % % % % % Less than $25, $25, - $44, $45, - $64, $65, or more $65, - $84,999 n/a $85, or more n/a $85, - $94,999 n/a $95, or more n/a Refused/Don t know <1-1 Municipality of Residence 2 : % % % % % % % % % % % % Coquitlam East to Maple Ridge Port Coquitlam/Coquitlam n/a Maple Ridge n/a Port Moody/Belcarra/Anmore n/a Pitt Meadows n/a n/a Unspecified Surrey/North Delta/Langley/White Rock Vancouver <1 1 Burnaby/ New Westminster <1 <1 <1 1 Richmond/South Delta <1 - - North Shore <1 - - <1 <1 Outside Metro Vancouver n/a n/a Mission n/a n/a Abbotsford n/a n/a Chilliwack n/a n/a < <1 Other n/a n/a <1 <1 1 Unspecified < <1 Refused n/a n/a Source: Mustel 2,4 surveys conducted among metro Vancouver residents in ch, May, tember and December 2 Omnibus waves. 2 Percentaged among those who gave a response (i.e. not the full sample). 3 Includes both Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. WCE Riders 2 4

41 Appendix A Survey Instrument 41

42 TransLink Customer Service Performance ch 2 Interviewer Name: A1. Date: M T W Th F ch ch 9 A2. Train Departure Time: Train 1 Train 2 Train 3 Train 4 Train 5 AM Train Left Mission at 5:27 AM 5:57 AM 6:27 AM 6:57 AM 7:27 AM Train 6 Train 7 Train 8 Train 9 Train PM Train Left Waterfront at 3:5 PM 4:2 PM 4:5 PM 5:3 PM 6:2 PM Hello, my name is from Ipsos Reid (a Vancouver-based research firm). Today we re conducting a survey about the service on West Coast Express. Do you have 8 to minutes before you get off the train to answer some questions? A3. To the best that you recall, did you participate in a WCE customer service survey in tember, 2? 1. Yes THANK AND END INTERVIEW 2. No CONTINUE A4. Do you or does anyone in your household work for TransLink, Coast Mountain Bus Company, SeaBus, SkyTrain or West Coast Express? 1. Yes THANK AND DISCONTINUE 2. No CONTINUE A5. GENDER: 1 MALE 2 FEMALE - Page 1 -

43 Q1a. Q1b. At what station did you board the West Coast Express today? CIRCLE ANSWER. At what station will you get off the West Coast Express today? CIRCLE ANSWER. AM WESTBOUND TRIPS QUOTA COLUMN ON Stop OFF Stop Mission 1 Port Haney 2 2 Maple Meadows 3 3 Pitt Meadows 4 4 Port Coquitlam 5 5 Coquitlam 6 6 Port Moody 7 7 Waterfront 8 PM EASTBOUND TRIPS QUOTA COLUMN ON Stop OFF Stop Waterfront 8 Port Moody 7 7 Coquitlam 6 6 Port Coquitlam 5 5 Pitt Meadows 4 4 Maple Meadows 3 3 Port Haney 2 2 Mission 1 AM SURVEYING: Q1c. This morning, how did you get to the station to board the train? INDICATE UP TO 2 MODES. PM SURVEYING: Q1c. This afternoon, how did you get to the station to board the train? INDICATE UP TO 2 MODES INTERVIEWER: CLARIFY ANY CAR/DRIVING RESPONSES GIVEN IN THE AFTERNOON Walked to the station Carpooled / vanpooled / got a ride Bicycle Motorcycle Taxi Drove alone (SOV) 7 Bus / shuttle specify route #: 8 9 SkyTrain Was it the Canada Line? 1 2 Yes No Other (specify) - Page 2 -

44 AM SURVEYING: Q1d. And when you get off the train this morning, how will you get from the station to your destination? INDICATE UP TO 2 MODES. PM SURVEYING: Q1d. And when you get off the train this afternoon, how will you get from the station to your destination? INDICATE UP TO 2 MODES. INTERVIWER: CLARIFY ANY CAR/DRIVING RESPONSES GIVEN IN THE MORNING Walk from the station Carpool/vanpool / get a ride Bicycle Motorcycle Taxi Drive alone (SOV) 7 Bus / shuttle specify route #: 8 9 SkyTrain Is it the Canada Line? 1 2 Yes No Other (specify) Q2. How many one-way trips have you made on transit, that is, bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain (including Canada Line) and West Coast Express in the last seven days? A one-way trip is any trip to a single destination. For example, a trip to and from work would count as two one-way trips. NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: A TRIP TO AND FROM WORK USING THREE MODES (E.G., BUS, SEABUS AND SKYTRAIN) WOULD BE TWO ONE-WAY TRIPS ONLY NOT MORE. TOTAL NUMBER OF ONE-WAY TRIPS Q3. Of the [# FROM Q2] one-way trips you made in the last seven days, how many did you make using the READ [Q3a-i MUST ADD TO TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS IN Q2] a. West Coast Express only b. West Coast Express and bus c. West Coast Express and SkyTrain d. West Coast Express & SkyTrain & bus e. West Coast Express and another transit mode f. Bus only g. SkyTrain only h. SeaBus only i. Bus and SkyTrain j. Bus and SeaBus k. SkyTrain and SeaBus l. Bus, SeaBus, and SkyTrain - Page 2 -

45 Q4. Of the [# FROM Q2] one-way transit trips you made in the last seven days, how many did you make.? [Q4a-d MUST ADD TO TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS IN Q2] a. Monday to Friday, between 5am and 9:3am b. Monday to Friday, between 9:3am to 3pm c. Monday to Friday, between 3pm and 6:3pm d. Monday to Friday, after 6:3pm e. On a Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday Q5. Of [# FROM Q2] you made in the last seven days, how many did you make... READ [Q5a-f MUST ADD TO TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS IN Q2] a. To or from work b. To or from school c. To or from shopping d. For personal business such as the doctor or bank e. For entertainment or social reasons f. For any other purpose Q6. Of the [# FROM Q2] you made in the last seven days, for how many did you use [Q6a-h MUST ADD TO TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS IN Q2] a. A Cash fare OR one-way WCE ticket OR return WCE ticket b. A weekly West Coast Express Pass c. A 28-day West Coast Express Pass d. FareSaver tickets e. A Monthly FareCard INTERVIEWER: CONFIRM MONTHLY FARECARD OR 28-DAY WCE PASS f. A Transit Day Pass plus an add-on fare to ride West Coast Express h. U-Pass BC (in conjunction with a WCE ticket/pass ) BEING USED WITH COMPASS CARD INTERVIEWER: CONFIRM IS NOT j. Compass card loaded with U-Pass BC (in conjunction with a WCE ticket/pass), BC Government Bus Pass or CNIB pass i. Other (specify) - Page 3 -