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Jessie HuangCEP Class of 2013

AbstractGet on the Bus!

A research project on public transit demand factors and ways to increase bus ridership.

Bellevue, a satellite city of Seattle, is characterized by its super blocks and congested

traffic. Although it also serves as a transit hub connecting much of the Puget Sound region

from Issaquah to Renton, Bellevue remains highly auto-oriented and not easily walkable. As

part of the citys attempt to become more sustainable, my project examines the factors

affecting public transit demand in Bellevue and identifies ways to raise bus ridership in the

city as an effort to help reduce traffic. To do this, I reviewed Bellevues existing

Transportation Management Program, and examined data from travel time analysis andsurveys evaluating public perceptions of and expectations for Bellevues transit system. I

also researched ways to increase bus ridership by looking at various transit incentive

programs and ideas from other cities. My suggestions, along with a literature review and data

analyses from the surveys, will be incorporated into a final comprehensive report and

submitted to the citys transportation department. Because of my interests in urban

sustainable development and behavioral change, I hope my project will shed new light on

what Bellevue can do to encourage the use of public transit in Bellevue.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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INTRAODUCTION

CONTEXT

Why Public Transit?

Why Bellevue

How is this project academically related?

Introduction to Bellevue, WA

LITERATURE REVIEW

Researchable questions

Factors of public transit demand

Theories of Behavior Change

METHODOLOGY

FINDINGS

Bellevue Transit Improvement Survey

Bellevue Travel Time Analysis

Making Transit Fun!

SUGGESTIONS

CONCLUSION/REFLECTION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX

Context

Why public transit?Economy recovery and population growth in the post-war 1950s accelerated the expansion in

many American cities. Rapid urbanization during this period created a surge in car sales, slowly

building up the automobile culture that would later dominate the society and radically reshape


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cities functions and landscape. Cars have greatly improved accessibility to different places and

transformed peoples mobile pattern. However, the convenience of driving has certainly paid its

price by bringing traffic congestion, noise, and climatic pollutions that have had great impact on

the quality of life (Urbanized).

The detrimental impact of automobile and growing concerns for sustainability have made

clear that public transit is perhaps the most viable solution to cure all the side effects of driving.

Yet, there are benefits that only public transportation is able to produce. A recent study done by

the American Public Transportation Association points out the substantial financial benefit of

riding public transit. An individual, according to the report, can save up to $10,000 annually

when commuting by public transportation. This estimation comes from the total spending on car

insurance, gasoline, and parking (EPA).

With the emergence of various environmental issues brought forth by urban development,

there has been a growing concern for sustainability over the past few years, both in the public

and private realms. The need to balance environmental health and human activities in the

metropolises make public transit the most ideal travel mode.

Why Bellevue?With its superblocks and booming high rises forming the citys streetscape, Bellevues scale

does not make it a very walkable environment. This characteristic not only makes driving the

ideal mode to travel in Bellevue, but greatly reduces personal mobility, namely, the freedom and

ability to travel from one place to another. Because of my interest in urban sustainable

development and behavior change, I wanted to create a project unique from most of the transit

studies that mainly revolves around the built structures and logic behind public transportation.

Moreover, as resident of Bellevue, my hope was to complete a project holistic enough that will

potentially help transform my community.

How is this academically related?

Last summer I had the honor to intern at EPA Region 10, where I helped develop a Coffee

Cup Campaign, an environmental campaign aimed at raising the employees environmental

awareness on paper cups and waste diversion. From branding and marketing for the campaign to

surveying public attitude on related issues, I eventually developed an interest in peoples

perceptions and the motivations behind their decisions.


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Through what mechanisms are we able to influence public perceptions and thus induce pro-

environmental behavior is a major challenge in a national trend of promoting sustainability. The

same concept also applies to a wide spectrum of issues, and this includes public transit. How to

make public transportation an appealing and viable travel alternative in auto-oriented regions is a

topic that many places have been exploring.

Introduction to Bellevue

The scope of this project focuses primarily on the City of Bellevue, the fifth most populous cityin Washington. Located just east of Lake Washington and spans more than 30 square miles to

Lake Sammamish, Bellevue is a thriving city with blooming skyscrapers and a diversity of

industries and local entrepreneurships. According to U.S. census data, population in Bellevue

reached 122,363 in 2010 with more than 40% of it being diverse ethnicity groups. A majority of

the local residents are highly educated. The wide range of industries and the public transit

network in Bellevue has helped shape the city into a Central Business District and a major hub

connecting the greater Puget Sound. A recent employment report published by the Puget Sound

Regional Council shows Bellevue as the second highest employment concentrated city in King

county. 122,635 covered employment was estimated alone within the city limits of Bellevue.

High-tech jobs constitutes 24% of the total, with Boeing, Microsoft, Paccar being the major

companies that headquartered in Bellevue (PSRC 2011 Covered Employment Estimates/ Puget

Sound Business Journal 2012). In the next 20 years, population is projected to increase by 20,200


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while local job opportunities is expected to go up by 40,000 (Economic data for inventors, City

of Bellevue).

The geographical location, diverse demographics, and employment concentration in

Bellevue contribute to a vibrant community. However, along comes the many challenges cause

by rapid economic growth. The most pronounced change is perhaps traffic congestion during

peak hours, when lines of cars inhabit major arterials and streets, making the environment even

more intimidating for pedestrians and cyclists.

Researchable Questions

What explains public transit demand? And in what ways do they affect bus ridership? Given the different variables of bus ridership, what can planners or transit agencies do to

bring up patronage?

What are some mechanisms for inducing attitudinal and behavioral change?

Literature Review

This section provides an overview on the research focus of this projectfactors that

affect public transit demand and potential strategies to increase ridership. While it is heavily

focused on transit studies and relevant information, it also examines behavior change and

phenomena that intertwine with it. Along with the drivers for different travel patters, the theories

behind inducing environmentally responsible behavior and American consumerism onautomobiles are two other components incorporated in this section.

Factors of Public Transit Demand

Countless factors have been identified as influences ofindividualsperceptions of public

transit and their decisions in choosing a travel mode. Studies have shown personal mobility,

the freedom of point-to-point travel, as major influence. Whatever is capable of maximizing the

freedom to travel efficiently and effectively is thus the ultimate goal of frequent commuters. To

increase personal mobility, many transit researchers have studied transit infrastructure and

network connectivity, hoping to increase patronage through solely concentrating on the built

form of public transit. Recent reports have, nonetheless, showed a divergent direction in studying

public transit demand. Instead of researching on the relationship between transit ridership and

infrastructure, the trend has shifted to studying individuals perceptions of public transit and how


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that plays into means of travel. Despite their different approaches, these studies all share an

identical vision and objective, that is, to bring up transit ridership by improving their service.

Frequency & HeadwayWhen it comes to a major difference between driving and riding buses, the unavoidable

wait time is perhaps the top concern and what deter people from using public transportation. In

fact, many research have identified headways as the foremost contributor to commuters

dissatisfaction with public transit (Walker 2011; Iseki et al., 2011). For one, time spent on

waiting and traveling to a bus stop generally feels longer than the in-vehicle travel time. An

individuals perceived wait time and the accompanied anxiety can exaggerate significantly as

wait time increases. McCord et al. investigates the correlation between the perceived wait and

the actual wait time (2006) by surveying bus passengers at the Ohio State University. A linear

regression model was run to test their hypothesis. While the result reveal that the headway has a

positive influence on the expected wait time, it does not support that the expectation increases at

an identical rate after a certain time range. Moreover, it is important to note that walking has an

exaggerated effect. The longer the walk is, the greater the perceived time. Despite the size of the

sampling pool of this research, it does, however, give an overall idea on commuters point of

view and information that can be incorporated into more complex models.

Another similar study conducted by Iseki et al., Thinking outside the Bus, provides a

comprehensive foundation on the correlation between commuters perception and public transit

ridership. The study begins by examining the discrepancy between increasing subsidies and low

ridership. Recent transportation planning has sought to expand transit services in addressing

social and environmental challenges. However, such approach has failed to get people on the

bus, misspending subsidies that were expected to produce the opposite effect. The most effective

solution, as researchers point out, is to make waiting and walking time less burdensome rather

than raising the speed alone. In fact, there are a variety of strategies that can make travel time

more worthy and useful to the commuters, including improving the design of a stop/station or

increase bus operations. Prior to proposing any changes to the system, it is necessary to

understand the expectations of bus riders, what aspects they consider the most important in

enhancing their entire travel experience.

Safety


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Aside from riding the bus, a daily commute might also include walking, waiting, and

transferring. As previously noted, the overall travel journey relies on the experience in each

segment insofar that even neighborhood walkability can dissuade one from using a public

transportation. While transit agencies tend to focus on improving the concrete aspects of a transit

system (i.e. bus stop design), the surveys conducted in California cities nonetheless suggest

riders priorities are otherwise (Iseki et al, 2010). Public perception on transit travel differs

greatly from that of planners or transit managers. For many commuters, personal security, being

a basic need of all human beings, are valued more than any other expectation that one might have

for transit service. Service quality, accessibility to direct service, or the amenities of a bus

stop/station may not be significantly important as it is for transit agencies. Safety at night,

according to the surveys, appears to be the most significant aspect of transit travel, and yet the

least satisfied.

Other research that focuses on the ridership effect of safety, whether on or out-of-vehicle,

serves as a determinant for travel mode. In fact, non-commuters feel less secured toward public

transit than do frequent users, which it makes public transit less appealing than private vehicles

(Wallace et al., 2011). The common dissatisfaction with public transit, according to one study,

stems from the fear of crime as well as the homeless groups and gangs that frequent or live near

bus stops. Stereotypes as well as past experience with crime amplify the fear of victimization,

deteriorating the quality of services that transit agencies strive to provide (McCray et al., 2011).

When it comes to safety of public transit, safety awareness is indeed an influential factor

that should not be overlooked. However, the amenities of transit facilities, too, can affect the

level of personal security through lighting, cleanliness, and the presence of security guards. Most

surveys pointed low level of safety to waiting at night and insufficient lighting (McCray et al.,

2011). Transit users, in particular females, feel more insecure than males do, especially when

waiting alone or see suspicious people around. Even though concerns for personal safety have

been raised for public transit, Iseki et al. nonetheless, consider safety as the least prioritized area

for improvement. Personal safety, as one of the primary bases for service satisfaction, can

sometimes lie complete outside the control of transit agencies (Iseki et al., 2011).

Consequently, to provide more reliable services, improvements cannot be restrictedly addressed

on either the built environments or public understanding of safety.


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Real-time bus information

Technology advancement has brought immense convenience to our lives, of which many

transit providers have taken advantage to enhance their performance. Many cities across the U.S.

have employed the real-time bus information system, a cost-effective way to maximize personal

mobility by offering first-hand information for commuters. GPS devices are installed on different

routes of buses, keeping track of their locations en route and the estimated time to the proceeding

destination. Because such up-to-date information is made available via public display signs as

well as smart phones, travelers are able to make last-minute changes to their plan and better use

of their time (Watkins et al., 2011). Based on the real-time bus information, they can choose

between other travel modes, an alternative bus route, or switching to different an activity while

waiting for the next bus. As noted above, out-of-vehicle travel experience is the most tedious

fragment of a trip, and can often times deter the public from taking the bus. Nonetheless, with the

provision of such technology, freedom to travel and the perception of public transit can be

greatly improved.

A10-year research was conducted from January 2002 in Chicago in hopes to measure the

effectiveness of traveler transit information system on bus ridership (Tang and Thakuriah, 2012).

A similar analysis was also completed in King County, Washington in 2011 to test the mobile

application OneBusAway on affecting personal mobility (Watkins et al.). Although both reports

prove the success of the information system, the findings of Tang and Thakurah suggest a small

gain in bus ridership when other factors are controlled. Admitted by the researchers, the findings

overlook the lack of public outreach, which, in the long-run, would yield great benefit not only

for the transit companies, but the general welfare as well. Basing on the pre-established studies,

Watkins et al. use a different approach through focusing on a real-time bus information

application on mobile devices. The results, although similar, shows insightful implication on

perceived and measure wait time. From interviews with those who use and do not use the

application, Watkins et al. conclude that the real-time information is capable of shortening the

perceived wait time significantly. Additionally, the mobile application has proven to be more

effective than the traditional public signage since it increases users flexibility to change their

travel plan by offering them more control.

Gasoline Price


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In recent years, the world has witnessed events of oil price fluctuations along with their

impact on public policies and individuals lifestyles. In response to this phenomenon, many have

adapted different lifestyles trying to save their wallets. The most conspicuous difference is

perhaps the shift in travel mode. The rise of oil fuel prices has not only boosted the sales of

hybrid and electric cars, but also driven people to start using public transportations. Evidently, as

most research suggest, the number of patronage of public transit swings along fuel prices, which

can be explained by the basic supply-demand theory: when prices rise, demands decline, and vise

versa (Chen et al., 2010; Curry and Phung, 2008). As matter of fact, during the oil crisis in 2006,

public transit ridership reached its peak since the 19050s. Previous empirical analyses have

quantified this growth relationship transit ridership: For10% increase in gas prices, U.S. transit

demand has increased by around 1.2% (Curry and Phung, 2008). Moreover, Chen et al., also

note that the gas prices contribute mainly to short-term effect. Mainly the growth in ridership

manifests itself most distinctively with rises in gas cost; the level of impact may not be as

significant were there a decline in prices.

However the majority of evidence has pointed out the effect of fuel prices on public

transit demand, the drivers for increase ridership may not be as simple as they appear. Apart

from fuel prices, Households income as well as car ownership also account for the adaptation in

mobile style. In other words, socioeconomic status plays a key role in determining travel modes

(Chen et al., 2010). The relationship between socioeconomic status and public transit demand

will be discussed further.

Transit Fare

In a free market, prices are indisputably a major influence on consumer preferences.

Likewise, as a demand-driven service, public transit would not be able to operate and profit

without meeting the needs of their customers. Aimed to attract more riders, agencies have come

up with a variety of strategies in order to attract more passengers. Monetary incentives, has

perhaps, become the most powerful marketing tactic in encouraging the use of public

transportations. In fact, a few educational institutions have partnered with local transit agencies,

providing unlimited bus access for their faculty and students for free, or at a discounted rate.

Examples such as BruinGo pass of the University of California at Los Angeles and U-Pass of the

University of Washington. The common objectives of these incentive programs aims to: (1)


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increase bus ridership to campus, (2) reduce vehicle trips to campus, and (3) reduce parking

demand on campus (Brown et al., 2003). Based on the evaluation conducted by Brown et al.,

financial incentives are able to attract more riders, leading to a substantial increase raised bus

patronage, a decline in auto users, as well as parking accommodations. Another similar program,

Dump the Pump, was designed to motivate employees at the UCLA to switch to public transit

by offering a free transit pass for a limited of time and a discounted pass after the promotion. The

program did show an increase in ridership, especially from the previous auto-drivers. However, it

is shown that the DtP program, although successful in driving a behavior change, the overall

effect was brief and many individuals returned to their previous travel mode. According to the

analysis, individuals with different demographic profiles, working parents, in particular, are less

likely to change their travel habit regardless of the incentives and available alternatives (Zhou

and Schweitzer, 2011). Again, choice of transportation involves complex reasons that are

associated with not only the built environment factors, but individuals socioeconomic statuses.

Parking Facilities

In an effort to improve transit accessibility and alleviate traffic congestion, many cities

have adopted bus-based Park and Rides as another travel alternative for commuters, especially

for whom driving is the preferred travel mode. To some level, it is an attempt to entice drivers to

use public transportation by widening their option (Meek, Ison, Enoch, 2008), and for those who

are transit-dependent or need to make multiple transfers in their commute, Park and Ride

facilities provide superior connectivity as well as direct asses for these individuals to easily

abridge segments of their journey (Meek, Ison, Enoch, 2008; Karamachev and Reeven, 2011). In

addition to enhancing public transit service, P&R, as a matter of fact, exerts positive influence on

many aspects of urban development, including traffic management, economic, and

environmental benefits.

With population and car ownership booming in most urban areas, there came a demand

for road expansion and infrastructure renovation. In a recent evaluative study on the roles of

P&R, the researchers examine the development and impact of this interconnecting transportation

facility in the U.K.. The apparent benefits include increased parking spaces, easy access to public

transit and ridesharing services (Meek, Ison, Enoch, 2008), but the more in-depth effects

originate from P&Rs influence on urban core development. For one, locating on the edge of a


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cities, P&R facilities help reduce traffic inflow to major activity centers by making parking

available and easier to ride a public transportation. While the sum for constructing a parking

garage in an urban core is substantial, as it requires expenditure on purchasing a lot and laying

pavement, building P&R stations near core areas essentially bring economic benefits for the city

to attract tourists and workers.

In addition to P&R being a cost-saving strategy to encourage the use of public

transportation, numerous studies have also highlighted their environmental advantages. For

example, provision of parking spaces and the sites being a transit hub are incentives to motivate

discretionary drivers to ride the buses. The transition from private to public travel mode reduces

the overall use of automobiles, which abates GHG emissions and other climatic pollutions.

Moreover, from an urban areas perspective, increased parking availability at P&R facilities

entails no need for road and street parking expansion, creating additional public space for

pedestrians and cyclists (Meek, Ison, Enoch, 2008).

With all the findings focusing on the positive aspects of P&Rs, many scholars have

nonetheless warned against the counter effect of these facilities. They consider P&R a potential

disincentive to induce travel behavior change since it raises commuters total travel mileage,

which fundamentally speaking, undermines the environmental objective that they were expected

to achieve (Meek, Ison, Enoch, 2008).

Theories of Behavior Change

Behavior change has long been a subject of studies for public health. However, the

emergency of climate change and related ecological problems has shifted the attention on

behavior change toward fostering a pro-environmental lifestyle. Whether it is promoting a

healthy lifestyle or encouraging environmentally friendly behaviors, the ultimate end is to

influence an individuals attitude and actions. The objective may appear dissimilar, but the

theories behind are essentially identical. From personality, family background, to society, drivers

for behavioral change originate in different levels. An individuals attitude toward certain subject

depends heavily on how information is processed psychologically, and this involves both

biological and external factors.

Theory of Planned Behavior, according to Azjen, is defined as an individuals intention

to perform a given behavior, and the word intention here are indicators of how much of an

effort [people] are planning to exert in order to perform the behavior (Ajzen, 1991). The


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performance of an action, as a result, is contingent upon how hard one tries. Furthermore, Ajzen

points out the so-called behavior control, a persons resources and abilities, also have

determining effects ones ability to initiate an action. Motivations, along with behavior control,

are two intertwining factors that are both able to affect conducts and also restrict the degree to

which one influences the performance of a behavior (Ajzen, 1991). In addition to intentions and

non-motivational factors, another significant element in the Theory of Planned Behavior is the

perceived behavior control, which is largely parallel to the ideas of perceived self-efficacy.

Many psychological research have identified confidence as one important driver for behavior. To

illustrate, when two individuals, who are equally motivated, are trying to acquire a new skill, the

person who is more self-assured has a higher chance to eventually master that skill than the one

who has doubts in him/herself. Again, perceptions and behavior stemmed from more than

dispositions or the surroundings. The agent of an action, too, has considerable influence on them.

With the fundamental postulations on behaviors, psychologists were enabled develop

theories in predicting behaviors as well as the drivers behind them. In journal Theory of Planned

Behavior, Azjen asserts three major variables that give rise to intentions: attitudes, subjective

norms, and perceived behavior control. Attitude is how much a person views a certain behavior

as favorable or unfavorable whereas subjective norms is the social pressure whether to initiate

an action or not. The last term, perceived behavior control, refers to how difficult it is to perform

a behavior based on past experience [and] anticipated impediments and obstacles (Azjen,

1991). Correspondingly, the level of intention increases when an action is considered favorable,

less obligatory, and can be completed with ease. However, the applicability and level of

importance between these determinants of intention vary from behaviors and circumstances.

While the above variables can be applied to predict motivations, what explains peoples

behaviors primarily, are their personal opinions or knowledge on a certain behavior. Since

beliefs are generally associated with various aspects (i.e. objects, characteristics, and activities),

personal beliefs decide an individuals attitude. Attitude toward a behavior is therefore linked to

beliefs in anticipated outcome or the effort needed to perform that particular behavior. This

explains why individuals prefer to perform actions that they believe will lead to a favorable

outcome and vice versa. Additionally, perceptions and attitude can also be affected by past

experience, peer-pressure, or personal feelings of moral obligation or responsibility to perform,

or refuse to perform, a certain behavior (Gorsuch & Ortberg, 1983; Pomazal & Jac- card, 1976;


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Schwartz & Tessler, 1972).

Human perceptions and behavior has been a complex, yet fascinating subject for

researchers ofa wide range fields. Motivations behind mankinds conduct involve not only the

apparent external factors, but the internal complexity that causes intermediate impact on

performance of the behavior. To dig more into the subject, Azjen continues his study on behavior

change by incorporating affect and evaluation into the analysis. Any general reaction that

could be located along a dimension of favorability from negative to positive was considered an

indication of attitude. Similar to beliefs, attitudes can also be distinguished into categories:

affective and evaluative. The fist category focuses on feelings linked to performing an activity

while later judgment of the pros and cons of that activity (Azjen, 1991). Generally speaking,

affects can be positive or negative feelings or simply physical senses (i.e. hot and cold);

evaluation is more of calculating the potential gains or loss incurred by performing a particular

behavior. Both are equally important in studying beliefs and behavior. However, human beings

affective nature has been further examined and developed into a theoretical framework in

explaining behaviors.

Many discussions are inclined to draw distinctions between feelings and affects, as

researchers have been exploring their correlations with behaviors. In her book, The Transmission

of Affect, Dr. Teresa Brennan offers her explanations on these two terms: Feelings are sensory

states produced by thought, while interruptive thoughts are produced by affects. Feelings are

thoughtful, and affects are thoughtless (Teresa Brennan, The Transmission of Affect, 2004).

Because the concept of affect is so abstract, one cannot fully describe them verbally, but to

personally experience them. Silvan Tomkins, a leading scholar who presented the affect theory

maintains that human behaviors are largely governed by affects and emotions, which ultimately

mold the interrelated processes of perception, imagination, memory storage and retrieval, and

consciousness (McGroarty, 2004).

MethodologyTo gain a basic understanding of public transit and ridership effect of different variables,

I first conducted a literature review on factors that affect transit demand, looking at journal

articles that focus on transit demand with public perceptions, public policies, and infrastructure.

During this vigorous research process, I was able to extract insightful information and began to

draw connections to drivers for various travel patterns. Furthermore, as my interests revolve


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around behavior change, I also researched on theories of behavioral change. There are countless

theories on motivations and behaviors; however, I chose to focus on the relationship between

human affects and motivations, as these two topics are most relevant to social marketing for pro-

environmental behaviors. Studying topics on behavior change was a great platform for me to

come up with ideas that might have the potential of raising bus ridership. Essentially, The goal

for researching behavior change was to use the theories to develop a strategy to motivate people

to commute by bus in Bellevue. However, employing the affect theory as a tool to induce

behavior change posed limitations to increasing bus ridership. First of all, affects cannot be

quantified fully as they are inherently subjective. Further, it is unlikely to assess the degree of

perceptional and behavioral change by solely looking at the publics feelings toward public

transportation. Under the influence of various social-marketing mechanisms, an individual might

eventually become more environmentally conscious, but his/her lifestyle may not reflect the shift

in beliefs and actions.

Hoping to know more about Bellevues public transit system and its future plans, I

collaborated with two other volunteers at Bellevues transportation department and conducted a

travel time analysis. A travel time analysis is a comparison of the travel time and costs between

driving and riding buses from an activity center to a major neighborhood in Bellevue. Even

though the data is mostly quantitative, the numbers however tells the mobility patterns in the

city. For instance, traveling by bus in Bellevue often times require a long walk to a bus stop,

making public transit even more inefficient that it already is to driving. Other patterns that the

analysis implies include the infrequent bus service during off-peak periods and speed of service.

In addition to travel time analysis, I examined Bellevues Transit Improvement Survey, a report

concluding public perceptions of and expectations for the citys transit service. A summary of

the survey results was incorporated into this report, in hopes to unveil information useful for

developing ways to increase awareness as well as the use of public transportation.

As I was researching ways to bring up bus ridership, I came across the book Making

Transit Fun: How to Entice Motorists from Their Cars by Darrin Nordahl. This book takes a

alternative approach in looking at the challenges of public transit in many American cities,

giving examples of cities that have successfully raised bus ridership using distinctive strategies.

The examples provided in book offered me clearer directions on research case studies. By

examining approaches that different places have explored, I was able to draw connections and


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discuss the weaknesses and strengths that these approaches might have were they applied in

Bellevue.

The purpose of this study, a research-based study, is to look at public transit demand and

various ways to increase it and later apply the findings to the city of Bellevue. Compiled with all

the research findings and suggestions, this written report is the final product of my project, which

will later be submitted to Bellevues transportation department.

Findings

Transit Improvement Results

To provide better transit services for the community, the City of Bellevue conducted a

Transit Improvement Survey in 2012 in an effort to incorporate public perception and vision into

the planning process. Various outreach events were held to reach out to a great diversity of

people reside or work in Bellevue. While the planners and transit agencies have strived to serve

all members in the community, it is nonetheless impossible to fully satisfy everyones

expectations since each individual has different interests and needs.

The survey questionnaires were first structure based on how often one uses the transit in

Bellevue (i.e. frequent users, former user, and those who never used transit) and were further

organized according to the participants residency as well as purpose of commute. A total of

4,252 people participated in the survey, of which 52.7% reported as current users, 16.1% as

former users, and remaining 31.2% are those who have never used transit in Bellevue.

A general travel profile was generated from the surveys. This include the three most

visited activity center by the participants: Downtown Seattle (78%), Downtown Bellevue (64%),

and the University District (31%). One in ten bus riders in Bellevue does not have access to a

car, and nearly 90% of them are frequent transit users. Bellevue residents tend to drive more than

those of other municipalities.

Below is a short summary of the major requested improvement from the survey:

Top two priority of service quality:1. Speed of service2. Frequency of weekday service3. On-time service (over half of workers and students reported that they have been late

for class, meeting, and etc. due to late buses)


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Top three areas for the citys future transit investments:1. Roadway and traffic signal infrastructure2. Real-time bus information system installation at major stops

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Determinants of transit

demand can be overwhelmingly

complex since it involves factors

that expand from the environments

to an individuals demographic

status. Researchers have identified a

great deal of variables that affectones travel mode preferences,

examining potential ways to induce behavior change. Yet, the subject is way too complex to only

be judged upon factors that pose direct impact on. For instance, household size, population

density, and socioeconomic status can also influence public transit demand. A person with lower

income or inability to operate a car is mostly transit-depend in contrast to one who makes much

more salary and drives a SUV. Student populations contribute to a higher bus ridership due to

their financial circumstances. Because of the demographic information that places distinctive

priorities in meeting ones needs, it would perhaps be beneficial to combine the discussion with

the Maslow Abraham hierarchy of needs.

Figure 1. "Transit Travelers' Hierarchyof Preferences"


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Figure 2. Maslow's pyramid of needs

Human motivation, as claimed by Maslow Abraham, is ranked according to the level ofsatisfaction, which basically states that when lower level of needs are not met, it will be

unnecessary to fulfill the higher ones. In other words, it would be challenging aiming for the

higher needs were the basic drives are not achieved (Melloul and Collin, 2001). Maslows

hierarchy of human needs has been widely applied to explain various cases that concerned with

human-centered development. While the objective of this project aims to research the factors that

influence public transit demand, let us also take this theory into account as we compare travel

behavior of different socioeconomic profiles. An Individual with financial difficulty who relies

on public transit for work is less likely to value transit amenities as the top determinant of their

mobile. The center of his/her life revolves around meeting the fundamental needs, which in the

example of public transit, lie on personal security and/or mobility to employment. On the

contrary, people who make higher earnings or have access to private vehicles would be most

concerned with the availability of bus information, the facilities, or the cleanliness of public

transit. From a consumers standpoint, this group of individuals inherently holds plenty more

travel alternatives options than the transit-dependent population. When conducting a market

research, transit agencies would benefit themselves from using Maslows pyramid of needs along

with different demographics as an index to prioritize their area of services.

Transit demand involves many elements, not only considering the built environment, but

also understanding the demographic profiles and public perception. In order to raise bus ridership

in a cost-effective way, transit agencies and transportation planners should not focus on any one


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specific field for improvement. To increase personal mobility and help the City of Bellevue

transform itself into a more sustainable and livable place, public surveys provide valuable

reference, yet there are more aspects that would need to be considered or strategies to be

implemented.

Making Transit Fun

Transportation is not an endit is a means to having a better life, a more enjoyable life

In the work of Darrin Nordahl, Making Transit Fun: How to Entice Motorists from their

Cars (2012), he inserted this quote emphasizing the true purpose of public transportation, which

is in accordance to his unique ideas that he later introduced in the chapters. Nordahl maintains

that the major problems of public transit in most American cities are rooted from the automobile

industry that has long dominated the society and more significantly, our consumerism, in which

cars have come to symbolize power. To solve such a dilemma as to make public transportation a

more appealing option, he suggests make travel experience more enjoyable to the users. His

ideas were in fact inspired by TheFunTheory.com, a website created by a group of people who

aimed at promoting behavior change with different experiments using fun as the central theme

for design. They recorded peoples reactions before and after the experiments, and the results

were just amusing as they had anticipated. For instance, the design group installed interactive

piano stairs at a subway station in an Netherlands in hopes to encourage people to take the stairs.

After a period of observation, there appeared to be a 60% increase in the number of commuters

who chose to use the stairs instead of the escalator (funtheory.com). What is so fascinating about

these experiments is not the results, but the group of people behind them. The website, and the

theory was established by one of the most leading car company in the worldVolkswagen.

The example of the fun theory shows how emotions can be used in changing peoples

attitudes and behaviors. As Nordahl argues in the book, the reason that cars has become a huge

part of American culture is because the car industry has been so successful in targeting

consumers emotions to sell their products. The marketing teams in different car companies are

experts of marketing that they create advertisements that speak to the consumers by persuading

them their products will help create their unique identity. A good example of such concept would

be a recent commercial launched by Mini Cooper. Entitled Not Normal, the commercial begins

by showing the life of an ordinary individualgoing to work and heading home on a subway.


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Eventually jumping into the highlight of the story following the narrator saying normal can

never be amazing, the commercial introduces the products by showing all the fancy tricks that a

Mini Copper is capable of.

How can we expect people to want to ride the bus when it is the homeliest vehicle on the

road, offering the most ordinary of experiences? (Nordahl, 2012) If we are able to transform the

ordinary everyday commute into a more enjoyable or even a fun ride, chances are public transit

might be a more preferable mode of travel.

Suggestions for Bellevue and transit agencies

Why isnt public transit the preferred travel mode in Bellevue? Given that the large

number of discretionary riders in the city, how can we make buses an appealing option for them

using the concepts that Darrin Nordahl proposes in his bookBettermarketing, better design,

and better packaging. While improving transit performance by increasing frequency or adding a

real-time bus information system can certainly increase ridership, using community-based social

marketing as an outreach mechanism is another viable way to promote public transit in Bellevue.

The objective of community-based social marketing is to effectively induce behavior change

through taking initiatives on a community level. In the case of Bellevue, this strategy might be an

ideal strategy for targeting discretionary riders or those who have never used transit. After all, an

individuals attitude and behaviors can be greatly affected by the social institution that he/she is a

part of. A well-designed campaign combined with vigorous outreach effort may be a good start

for Bellevue to at least increase awareness of public transit.

Another approach worth considering would be rebranding public transit by giving each

route a unique identity. This approach has proven to be effective at increasing public awareness

in Boulder, Colorado. Through the collaboration between residents, planner, and transit agencies,

the community decided on naming different bus routes and give each a unique design,

transforming local buses into a more user-friendly means of travel. The story of Boulder, CO has

become a successful example of rebranding public transit. What is truly amazing about their

strategy is not just the increased number of bus passengers, but the fact that the buses have

literally become a source of local pride.

These suggestions are mostly based on the concepts of human motivations and behavior

change. They may not appear practical to those who favor service efficiency over service


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amenities. However, I would like to argue that while these approaches may not be applicable to

reality, they will influence the public in a long-run once the transportation infrastructure has been

improved. At that time, the city of Bellevue will need to take both the built form of public transit

and the alternative ways to increase ridership into account.

Conclusion/Reflection

Marketing is most powerful when it promotes something that actually exists.

Cost and efficiency are critical pieces of creating a public transportation system that seduces

ridership. But its beyond simple utility.

These two quotes summarize the limitation of my study, especially for the suggestionspart. While Nordahls ideas on making transit more appealing sound certainly interesting, some

have criticized these ideas as impractical since without a solid infrastructure and sufficient

funding, better design or better packaging is quite impossible to achieve. However, I would like

to argue that, in the case of Bellevue, where I personally have noticed a weak sense of

community/belonging, both of these strategies are necessary for improving transit service and

raising public awareness. The biggest obstacle that I have encountered in completing this project

is the lack of communication with my mentor. After a couple of discussions with him, I came to

realize how different our visions are. He is more interested in improving public transit through

the built forms rather than the people aspect. Moreover, his level of interest in my project was

perhaps the biggest discouragement, which made me shift the focus of this project even more.

After consulting to Cheryl, I decided to shift my study a little bit. Because of my interest in

behavioral change, I wanted to lean toward more on the psychological aspect public transit

demand.


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