Regional Transportation Development Program Advisory Committee Meeting

Wednesday, August 20^th, 2008

Fowler Family Southside Campus – NCC – 3:00 p.m.

Walter Cherwony of Abrams-Cherwony, Inc, the lead consultants for this study, presented a power point presentation on the progress of the effort to date. This included a description of the existing LANTA system of transit service, a comparison of LANTA to 10 ‘peers,’ as well as the ‘outcome’ of the public rider and non-rider survey, an expert panel review of the system and comments from the Advisory Committee from the May 28^th meeting. The group was asked then asked to discuss ‘what LANTA should look like’ in the future. These are the responses:

--Move to hydrogen fuel buses; work with Air Products; goal of 10 years for fleet replacement

--Develop dedicated bus lanes on major arteries

--Develop or improve Park and Ride lots at ‘hubs’ with amenities like refreshments and bathrooms

--Ensure safety and comfort on buses

--Use smart card technology like EZ-Pass for paying fares

--Build intermodal facilities that merge LANTA with inter-city buses and rail

--Implement local taxing for support of transit

--Flex routes (1/4 mile)

--Add capacity to reduce overloaded buses

--Develop Bus Rapid Transit in core service areas

--Reduce trip times and increase frequency

--Add suburban Park and Ride lots

--Add routes that serve suburb to suburb

--Bring back trolleys

--Increase the number of ‘work trips’

--Add service for ‘shift workers’

--Add BRT to increase population density in core areas

--Establish ridership ‘goals’

--Improve relationships between LANTA and local business committee

--More visible marketing

--Improve customer service, particularly faster pickup of telephone calls

--Explore new modes of transportation, including rail

--Improve service frequency

--increase ‘span’

--More service to suburbs

--Real-time information at bus stops

--This effort is “B.S.”

--Concentrate service where there is employment density (city vs. suburbs)

--Put no rail across the Delaware River. Either drive, walk or take a shuttle bus to New Jersey.

-- Some questioned the ‘expert’ nature of the expert panel.

--Simplify routes

--Work to better municipal cooperation with LANTA

--Enforce rules near bus stops, shelters, etc. Particularly “No Parking” signs