Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority

Chamber of Commerce staffer tries transit, tells story

2011-07-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Mike Biberstine, public policy director for the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, parked his car for a week in June and relied on IndyGo for transportation. Watch Mike discuss his experience in this video.

How often do you use IndyGo or another transit service? If you haven't tried it yet, what's holding you back? Have a question about using transit in Central Indiana? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Update: A (Former) Transit Rider with a Choice

2011-05-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

By Christy Campoll, Program Liaison

Last October, I shared my reflections on commuting to work via IndyGo. I rode the Route 10 bus to and from work almost every day for six months. Because it was an experience with mixed results – and because I’m what’s known as a “transit user with a choice” – last month I made the choice to start driving to work again. That led me to realize that I have other choices as well.

Of course, my decision to drive each day came with ramifications. Making the trek in my large, gas-guzzling pick-up truck meant re-introducing myself to the cost of gas, the stress of downtown driving and the guilt that comes with adding emissions to our air. The benefit? I got another hour each day to care for family, home and self.

You see, after a few months on the bus it dawned on me that my six-mile one-way commute consumed a lot of time. I’d leave the house at 7 AM, walk to the bus stop, ride the bus, walk from the bus stop to my office and be in chair at 7:50 AM. The way home was less predictable. Thanks to rush hour traffic, my bus routinely was 5-10 minutes late, and 20-minute delays weren’t unusual. This brought my evening commute time to a full hour.

Compare that to my door-to-door, 20- or 25-minute commute by car and you see that I can save an hour per day by driving. That’s priceless, especially for a working parent.

Granted, it’s not all been great. Since I started driving again, I’ve locked my keys in the truck three times – once forcing my husband to drive in from his east-side office, and twice forcing me to get dirty and embarrassed crawling under the truck to find the magnetic key box on its underside. (I now keep one spare in my purse and one in my desk drawer.) One day, after unknowingly parking in a private lot, I returned to find my car on a tow truck (cost: a $100 drop fee). And then there’s the car I bumped while squeezing into a tight parking space. Fortunately, the car’s owner was able to buff out the damage.

OK: I probably get into these situations more than the average commuter, but all drivers have problems once in a while. (At least I was still on the bus during the worst of pothole season.)

These experiences prompted another choice: two wheels rather than four. I tried bicycling to work and found it to be quicker and more enjoyable than I anticipated. Ninety percent of my ride is on roads with bike lanes and little traffic. As a YMCA member, I can shower at the Athenaeum before heading into the office. The garage under my office building provides secure bicycle parking, out of the elements. The 13-mile round trip provides a solid workout, eliminating the need to squeeze workouts into my busy life.

I also learned that, if I commute by bike three times per week, I become eligible for the Emergency Ride Home benefit offered by Central Indiana Commuter Services. Carpoolers, vanpoolers, transit riders and those who walk to work are also eligible for this benefit. That makes me wonder if I could find someone to carpool with on the days I do not bike, further decreasing the cost of my decision to trade in my bus pass for a parking permit.

The bottom line? My choices aren’t limited to bus or car … I have plenty of options. How about you? Have you tried different modes of commuting and compared the costs and benefits of each? How did you choose your present mode of commuting? Share your story by leaving a comment.

Transit and the 2011 Indiana General Assembly: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2011-05-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

Early in the 2011 session of the Indiana General Assembly, we were thrown a curve ball: the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee inserted a $10 million cut to the state Public Mass Transportation Fund in the biennial state budget bill. Central Indiana transit advocates had been focused on the future of transit, monitoring the potential of the legislature to enable local referenda on creating dedicated revenue to finance transit system improvements such as the plans laid out in Indy Connect. We didn’t expect any action concerning the present. The prevailing attitude about the current state of affairs is that policymakers can’t make it much worse in our state, whose transit systems lag far behind peer systems in other states, both in funding and level of service.

The Public Mass Transportation Fund (PMTF) is was a fixed source of sales tax revenue for all of the transit systems in the state – from rural demand-responsive programs to small city programs to IndyGo. A total of 66 transit agencies divide the .67% portion of Indiana’s sales tax allocated to the PMTF. The proposed cut in the House budget bill would have reduced the PMTF to .551% of the sales tax. The 17.8% cut would have impacted transit agency budgets to the point of service cuts and layoffs. IndyGo was facing a direct loss of $2 million. What’s more, transit agencies use their PMTF money to cover the local match required for receiving federal grants. Therefore, IndyGo would have lost up to $8 million more in federal funds – a severe blow to its budget of about $55 million per year. Take a look at IndyGo’s system map and imagine one out of five of those routes gone. Thousands would lose access to their jobs, medical appointments and other necessities. This is what a transit funding cut looks like.

After two months of anxiety and pleading, Indiana’s transit advocates breathed a sigh of relief when the final version of the biennial budget bill passed with 2012 transit funding levels intact (the good). 2013 funding was frozen at 2012 levels (the bad), which was disappointing, but less of crisis. Then, our relief took a nose dive when we learned about the ugly: that the 30-year-old guaranteed source of dedicated sales tax revenue known as the Public Mass Transportation Fund was eliminated. Instead, transit funding has been relegated to one of thousands of line items in the state’s general fund, which change from year to year. It will now be up to INDOT to decide every two years whether they want to allocate some part of its agency-wide allocation to public transportation.

The elimination of the PMTF funding mechanism will set the tone for General Assembly’s Joint Study Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Assessment and Solutions, a newly enacted committee of legislators who will do the following during the interim periods between sessions(IC 2-5-28.5):

(1) Assess the condition of Indiana's transportation infrastructure in both the public and private sectors.
(2) In connection with the Indiana department of transportation and other interested parties, project Indiana's transportation demands through 2035.
(3) Determine whether Indiana's existing transportation infrastructure is capable of meeting the transportation demands projected under subdivision (2).
(4) Establish appropriate roles and responsibilities for:
(A) the state and county and municipal governments; and
(B) the private sector;
in meeting Indiana's projected transportation demands.
(5) Identify potential funding sources for both public and private transportation and infrastructure projects.
(6) Report its findings to the governor and, in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6, the general assembly.

This summer, transit advocates will be paying close attention to the activities of this committee. Will you join us? Interim Study Committee schedules and proceedings are announced at http://www.in.gov/legislative/index.htm (lower left side).

11 Benefits of Transit

2011-04-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

This article was published in the Spring 2011 newsletter of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization, where you can read about regional transportation planning efforts such as bikeways, long-range planning and more.

1. Investment in public transportation is good for business. Analysis of Portland, Oregon's transit system and land use patterns revealed that the associated reductions in commute time and vehicle miles travelled freed up $2.6 billion per year for general consumer spending [i]. Studies have found that transit systems boost annual area business sales: $16.3 billion in sales due to Philadelphia's total system, $3.8 billion due to Dayton, Ohio's total system, and $4.6 billion from upgrades to Chicago's system [ii].

2. Transit increases property values. In Portland, residential property values were found to increase by ten percent when the homes were located within ¼ mile of rail stations [iii]. Residential property values in St. Louis were found to increase $140 for every 10 feet closer the homes are to rail stations; a home located 100 feet from a station has a price premium of $19,029 compared with the same house located 1,460 feet away [iv]. Proximity to bus rapid transit stations has also been shown to increase property values [v].

3. Transit systems create jobs. IndyGo provides employment for approximately 450 local residents. Supplying the system with everything from buses to fuel to uniforms creates a multiplying effect in the local and national economy. Nationwide, 24,000 jobs are supported for one year per billion dollars spent on public transit capital investments. For every billion dollars used for operational expenses, 41,000 jobs are supported [vi]. These jobs generate hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenue and boost national GDP.

4. Public transportation provides personal mobility and freedom for people from every walk of life. Access to transit gives people travel options to get to work, go to school, visit friends, or go to a doctor's office. More and more people are expressing their desire to reduce their dependence on their cars, especially young professionals and recent college graduates, who are likely to choose places to live based quality of life factors including the availability of mass transit [vii].

5. Transit is the primary mobility option available to people who are unable to drive a car. According to the National Household Travel Survey, 9% of driving-aged individuals do not drive [viii]. Public transportation is the key to independent living for many people who are elderly or have a disability. With access to transit, non-drivers can work, shop, get medical care and enjoy a quality of life that is more equal to that of people with the ability to drive and the means to own a car.

6. Public transportation saves drivers time by reducing congestion on our roadways. In the Indianapolis metro area, we each spend an average of 25 hours per year idling in congested traffic [ix]. The more people choose transit over driving, the fewer hours we spend sitting in congestion. A full IndyGo bus takes 38 cars off the road (more if some passengers stand because the seats are full). Full Indy Express Bus vehicles take up to 55 cars off the road.

7. Using transit instead of driving a car results in substantial household financial savings. The average cost to own and operate an average-sized sedan is $8,487 or 56.6 cents per mile if you drive 15,000 miles per year [x]. Expenses include financing, gas, depreciation, insurance and maintenance. What is the price of 12 IndyGo monthly passes? $720. That's a monthly savings of $647.

8. Transit use reduces pollution. If an individual with a 20-mile roundtrip commute chooses public transportation over driving, his or her annual CO2 emissions will decrease by 4,800 pounds per year, equal to a 10% reduction in a two-car household's carbon footprint [xi].

9. Public transportation is good for your health. People who take public transportation on a regular basis walk more. After a light rail line opened in Charlotte, North Carolina, people who used the system more than once a week for 8 months had a 1.18 kilogram reduction in body mass index (BMI). That's a loss of between 6.4 and 7 pounds for a person who's around 5'5'' [xii].

10. Riding transit is safer than driving a car. In 2008, 12.2 transit riders were injured per 100 million passenger miles traveled. In contrast, 51.1 car occupants involved in crashes were injured per 100 million passenger miles [xiii]. In other words, people riding in cars are more than four times more likely experience crashes causing injuries than transit passengers.

11. The presence of public transit makes for a more livable urban environment. When transit systems are built, transit-oriented development is likely to occur near transit stations, increasing the density of housing, offices, stores, and services. This makes pedestrian access easy and reduces the need to drive a personal vehicle. The benefits of transit-oriented development and the resulting increase in urban density range from improved public safety to reduced energy consumption to the preservation of rural areas and open space.

[i] Cortright, Joe, "Portland's Green Dividend", http://www.impresaconsulting.com/node/42

[ii] Cambridge Systematics, "Public Transportation and the Nation's Economy A Quantitative Analysis of Public Transportation's Economic Impact", http://www.camsys.com/pubs/publictransp_nationseconomy.pdf

[iii] Al-Mosaind, M A, Dueker, K J and Strathman, J G, "Light-rail transit stations and property values: a hedonic price approach", http://pubsindex.trb.org/view.aspx?id=383269

[iv] Garrett, Thomas A., "Light Rail Transit in America: Policy Issues and Prospects for Economic Development", Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (http://www.stlouisfed.org/)

[v] National Bus Rapid Transit Institute, "Land Use Impacts of Bus Rapid Transit: Effects of BRT Station Proximity on Property Values along the Pittsburgh Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway", http://www.nbrti.org/docs/pdf/Property%20Value%20Impacts%20of%20BRT_NBRTI.pdf

[vi] American Public Transportation Association, "Economic Impact of Public Transportation Investment", http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/economic_impact_of_public_transportation_investment.pdf

[vii] Crain's Detroit Business, http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20070812/SUB/708130316

[viii] US Department of Transportation, National Household Travel Survey, http://nhts.ornl.gov/

[ix] Texas Transportation Institute, "2010 Urban Mobility Report". http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/report/

[x] AAA, "Your Driving Costs, 2010 edition" http://www.aaaexchange.com/Assets/Files/201048935480.Driving%20Costs%202010.pdf

[xi] IndyGo, http://www.indygo.net/pages/go-green

[xii] National Public Radio, "Riders Who Take Mass Transit Regularly May Lose Weight", http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/06/30/128210165/riders_who_take_mass_transit_regularly_may_lose_weight

[xiii] Analysis of US Bureau of Transportation Statistics figures, http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/

Saving money with transit

2011-03-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Gas prices are up more than 30 cents in the past two weeks, and more increases are reportedly on the way. How do commuters cope? In Central Indiana, there are several alternative transportation options that can save you money at the pump.

Do you know what you are spending on your commute? Use the Central Indiana Commuter Services Commute Cost Calculator to find out. Normally when we drive somewhere, we think about the cost in terms of the gallons of gasoline used. We don’t think about the money spent throughout the year on maintenance, replacement tires, or deprecation. Depreciation alone costs 23 cents per mile for the average-sized sedan. This figure is based on the AAA’s estimate that sedans decline in value by $3,554 per year (assuming 15,000 miles driven annually).

Local alternatives to commuting alone in your car include riding IndyGo, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, using on-demand transit in rural/suburban areas, or using Indy Express Bus if you live in Fishers or Carmel. There are savings to be found in each mode.

The commute from Carmel and Fishers to downtown Indianapolis is about 30 miles per round-trip. Indy Express Bus takes commuters from park-and-ride lots in those communities to several locations in downtown Indianapolis. The fare is $10 for a round trip, which is less than the $14.35 it would cost you to drive your own car, as shown in the graphic. This figure does not account for parking costs. Parking in a downtown Indianapolis garage usually costs around $80 to $120 per month. That’s $4 to $6 per day. Therefore, using Express Bus could save you over $200 on a monthly basis.
Central Indiana Commuter Services (CICS) organizes carpools and vanpools throughout the Indy metro region. It’s easy to confidentially enter your home and worksite locations and work schedule in order to be matched with others who have the same commute. Click here to sign up. A common concern about carpooling is what happens when an emergency causes a member of a carpool to need to leave work early or late. The CICS Emergency Ride Home program offers free vouchers to registered carpoolers to take a taxi home up to five times per year.
If you live in Indianapolis, it is likely that you live within walking distance of one of IndyGo’s 30 local routes. Monthly fare passes are $60 ($30 for students, seniors and people with disabilities) and can be purchased online, by phone at (317) 635-3344, on the bus with cash, or at the IndyGo retail center at 34 N. Delaware Street. 2-adult households can often get by owning just one car if one or both adults take the bus to work. The annual monthly pass cost of $720 is a lot easier on the budget than the $8,487 per year it costs to own and operate an average-sized sedan (according to the AAA). Fixed route bus service is also available in other Central Indiana communities, including Johnson County routes that connect with IndyGo at the county line.
It is becoming easier to bicycle in Central Indiana, thanks to planned and existing trails and bikeways. Cycling to work has the added bonus of approximately 700 calories burned per hour. With a small investment in some gear, you could save money by forgoing the car and the gym, too. If you’re intimidated by the idea of changing a flat or performing other bike maintenance, try a class at Bicycle Garage Indy.
Residents of outlying counties also have a transportation option in on-demand transit. To use this type of service, individuals must call to arrange a trip at least a day in advance. Availability is based on demand. Fares usually range from $2 to $5 per trip. Most on-demand transit providers in counties adjacent to Marion County will drop passengers off at IndyGo stops that are close to the county line.

What are you doing differently in response to rising gas prices? Have you cut back on driving, or reduced spending in another area of your budget? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Indy Express Bus

2011-01-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Indy Express Bus began serving downtown Indianapolis-bound commuters from the communities of Carmel and Fishers on January 3, 2011. As non-renewable federal funding for IndyGo’s ICE routes came to an end, CIRTA and Miller Trailways formed a partnership to keep the popular transportation option going despite a lack of government funds. Miller Trailways stepped up to run the service without subsidization with fewer runs and increased fares. We’re happy to report that a loyal core ridership has kept on using service, and ridership has steadily grown over the first four weeks of operation. Now we’re ready to get more folks on the bus by improving passenger amenities and getting the word out!

Commuters debark in Fishers park-and-ride lot

A survey completed last week by Express Bus passengers yielded feedback that tells us how we are succeeding and where we can improve. 75% stated that they are highly likely to encourage someone else to use the service, with another 19% as somewhat likely. The #1-ranked reason that the respondents ride the Express Bus is “I don’t have to worry about driving.” Other reasons included financial savings (particularly on parking), environmental impact, avoiding wear/tear on vehicle, and the ability to get work done during the ride. A few respondents indicated that the availability of the bus meant that they/their family could go without buying a(nother) car. Requested changes had mostly to do with schedules and fare collection. Improvements are in the works for both.

Indy Express Bus stop sign serving Carmel route

What’s next for Indy Express Bus? First, we need to get the word out in order to build the ridership necessary to make the service financially sustainable in the long run. Got ideas for creative or low-cost promotional strategies? Please share them in the comment section below this post (or send to info@cirta.us). Future developments could include more routes for current Express Bus riders to choose from, service from other communities experiencing rush hour congestion, or reverse commute service traveling from the Indianapolis urban core to suburban locations with high numbers of jobs. Do you have your own ideas for commuter express service in the Central Indiana region? Share them here by leaving a comment.

Transit testimonials

2010-11-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

We've recently come across some great testimonials from individuals who have chosen to get around primarily by mass transit and/or bicycle rather than a personal car.

Chris Hrubesh, a senior video editor at CNN in Atlanta, says that trading in his car for a bicycle was one of the best decisions he's ever made. Check out what he has to say about the experience and watch him commute by bike on video. The benefits of this change include a ten-pound weight loss, a savings of $300-$500 per month, and the opportunity to demonstrate a car-free lifestyle to his son. Kudos to his employer for treating him to a free gym membership and transit passes in order to incentivize the decision to commute without a car. When Chris does want to drive, he rents a car by the week or borrows a Zipcar for an hour or two.

The Grist article "Why public transportation is good for kids" by Carla Saulter - AKA the SeattleBusChick - has been making the rounds on Twitter and Facebook. She and her husband have been car-free since 2003 - even after having two kids. Their toddler "took her first bus trip home from the hospital at one day old and has ridden almost daily ever since." We learned about the Seattle area's Undrivers movement through Carla's transit-focused blog. Her post explaining how she saves time by taking the bus instead of driving is eye-opening.

Over the past year, the American Public Transportation Association has gathered the testimonials of individuals whose lives have been positively impacted by public transportation. The APTA "Telling Our Story" campaign collected transit users' stories in an effort to demonstrate to the US Congress the importance of maintaining government support of transit services. This project produced a "video wall" of people speaking about the role of public transportation in their lives. Speakers include employers, riders with disabilities, students, transit agency employees and commuters.

Do you have a testimonial about using one of these transportation alternatives? Do you ride the bus to school, run errands on your bicycle, or carpool to work? Tell us your story by leaving a comment.

What you need to know about the revised Indy Connect long-range transportation plan

2010-11-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

As you may have already heard, Indy Connect version 2.0 is here! An updated long-range transportation plan for Central Indiana has been developed after an extensive public outreach and feedback-gathering effort. You can review this plan, ask questions and submit comments here or at any of the public meetings happening around the region over the next 2 weeks.

Here are eight key facts to know about the plan:

1. Indy Connect, Central Indiana’s Transportation Initiative, has developed a long-range transportation plan following an extensive public outreach effort. This is the most comprehensive transportation plan we have ever created – with more help and input from the public than ever before.

2. The long-range transportation plan centers on a comprehensive regional bus system that connects to rail, as well as roadways and bike and pedestrian pathways.

3. We sharpened our pencils and developed a plan that addresses our critical transportation system needs. It considers available funding and addresses feedback we received about cost, which indicated a willingness to pay an average of $15 per month per household.

4. The goal is to build a transportation system that provides various types of transportation that connect people to jobs, healthcare, shopping and education and increases the region’s competitiveness, economic development opportunities and mobility.

5. The bus system in this plan provides three times the service of today’s IndyGo, with more cross-town service, fewer downtown transfers, more direct routes and extended operating hours.

6. An enhanced bus system, known as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), supplements the traditional bus system and provides service with frequent stops and quick travel along highly traveled streets.

7. Rail will be built on existing lines from Union Station running north to Noblesville and south to Franklin. If funding allows, rail could be extended northwest to Zionsville.

8. BRT will be available along Washington Street and will be replaced, over time, with light rail transit. The first light rail line to be built will be from Union Station to the Indianapolis International Airport.

The next step in the process is to decide on a new dedicated source of local funds to build and operate the bus and rail components of this system. Federal grants, state dollars, the current property tax that funds IndyGo, and transit fares will be utilized, but will only cover half the $2.5 billion cost of creating the system. It will be up to the Indiana state legislature to determine what kind of local funding will be used. The funding sources will likely include an increase in the local option income tax or sales tax.

What parts of this system do you see yourself using? How is your neighborhood affected by the new plan? How would you feel about an average tax increase of $15 per month to fund the system? With construction potentially beginning within a couple of years, the time to consider your part in the grand scheme of Central Indiana transportation is now.

Public Goods

2010-10-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

Few of us engaged in the fight for better public transportation would disagree with author Malcolm Gladwell when he says, “There is enormous power in the concept of the public good.” But would we really expect that power to show up tangibly in the heart health of a small Pennsylvania town?

Those of us who had the chance to hear Gladwell speak at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Public Transportation Association certainly see the connection. Delivering the keynote address for the October 3-6 event, the bestselling author of The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers: The Story of Success brought a unique and powerful perspective on public transportation to the table – and made his most compelling points though the story of Roseto, PA.

As Gladwell explained, Roseto was settled in the late 19th century by immigrants from Italy and, for decades, thrived economically and socially as close-knit Italian-American community. A chance conversation among area physicians in the late 1950’s led to the discovery that the town experienced extremely low rates of heart disease as compared to surrounding communities. An academic study comparing Roseto with neighboring towns found that the key factor in keeping residents healthy was not diet, exercise, low tobacco use or genetics. Instead, it credited community cohesion and civic-mindedness with the community’s heart strength.

Isolated during its beginnings from older, surrounding communities by anti-immigrant discrimination, Roseto developed a community strongly focused on familial loyalty, civic institutions and social equality. Roseto’s citizens disapproved of overt displays of wealth and status, participated in social clubs, revered their elders and observed rituals and traditions. It was noted that they often went out on walks in the town, patronized local businesses and ate meals with extended family and friends. In other words, Roseto treasured communal life and public resources. The study’s authors state that “the community was their base of operations and each inhabitant felt a responsibility for its welfare and quality.”

Having first studied the town in 1960, the study’s authors returned in 1985 to re-examine heart disease rates and attitudes toward community. They found that younger generations had moved from the town center to suburban areas, walked less, drove more, and stopped going to church as much. They patronized large supermarkets rather than neighborhood groceries, placed their elderly parents in nursing homes instead of their own, and more earnestly pursued material wealth.

Did this communal change of heart have an impact on the residents’ hearts? Apparently, yes. During the same timeframe, rates of heart disease, hypertension and deaths from heart attacks rose to close the gap between Roseto and surrounding areas. The study authors attributed this to the social change in the community. As Roseto lost its unique sense of communal life, it also lost its uniquely high level of public health.

What does this have to do with public transportation? Think about the makings of a close-knit community like Roseto. Members of the older generations had abundant opportunities to develop relationships with one another. They walked more than they drove, so they apparently had safe places to walk through the town. They came together in clubs and churches, so there must have been plentiful public space available for those types of activities. Businesses were small and locally owned, meaning that customers routinely interacted both with owners and fellow patrons.

Now think about what public transportation is, and what it can achieve. It is a public good in which the entire community invests and which all are entitled to use. It is a resource that can enable us to forgo the expense of private car ownership and feel secure in our ability get to where we need to go. It enhances social equality by providing transportation opportunities to the poor and the disabled. It goes hand-in-hand with pedestrian-friendly business and residential districts. It provides us with a venue for becoming familiar with our neighbors, if only because we see the same faces day in and day out. It decreases congestion, pollution and wear-and-tear on our streets. And, as in Roseto, public transportation can even enhance our physical health – a notion further supported by the weight lost by commuters in Charlotte, N.C., who switched from their cars to a new rail line.

During his address, Mr. Gladwell asked his audience to think about what it would be like to be billionaires. With access to every private good conceivable, what more would we want? His answer? Plenty… of public goods. We’d still want clean air to breathe, safe water to drink, adequate protection from disaster or crime, less time spent in traffic and more time spent at home with our families. In other words, he suggests that we’d want more of the sorts of things the good citizens of Roseto valued … and the sorts of things that, judging by the evidence, did their hearts good.

The question then becomes, how strong a link do you see between the public good and your own personal well-being, and how are you willing to invest in that link?

A Transit User With A Choice

2010-10-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

By Christy Campoll, Program Liaison

I joined CIRTA as its Program Liaison in June. As an employee, I can choose either a free monthly parking garage permit or a free monthly IndyGo pass. When I started at CIRTA, in order to economize, my husband (who works on the east side of Indianapolis) and I commuted together in our pick-up truck and utilized the parking permit. We were temporarily residing in Danville (Hendricks County) during my first two months on the job and travelled a 40-mile round-trip to and from Indianapolis. My household’s options for transportation include:
-- the pick-up truck, which has about 65,000 miles and gets 20 mpg;
-- my husband’s motorcycle, which I am too chicken to ride;
-- several bicycles; and
-- an old broke-down Toyota Echo that got over 40 mpg and probably will again if we ever get around to fixing it.

The only good thing I have to say about losing two hours of our lives each day to that drive is that we became more informed about current events, listening to hours of news on the radio. When I started working for CIRTA, we began to look for a house to buy. We placed high priority on finding a home in closer proximity to our jobs, preferably on a bus line or within walking/bicycling distance. We found a house on the east side with a stop for IndyGo’s downtown-bound Route 10 within steps of the end of the driveway. Even better, we are only two miles from my husband’s place of employment. I now ride the bus and my husband cycles to work.

The change in our commutes has improved the quality of our lives in several ways. Riding the bus saves me ten miles of driving each day – that’s a gallon of gasoline every other day. I also avoid the likelihood of experiencing a vehicle collision in congested rush-hour traffic. We’ve already had one crash during my husband’s morning commute from Danville earlier this year – hence the broke-down Toyota sitting in our garage. While I don’t save any time by riding the bus instead of driving, I do save myself a lot of stress. When I started commuting on IndyGo, I noticed that I felt much more relaxed when I arrived at the office in the morning and especially when I got home at night. Personally, I find that more rewarding than the financial and safety benefits. One other benefit that came as a pleasant surprise was getting to know a few of my neighbors by interacting them daily on the bus. I sometimes eat lunch with a fellow Route 10 rider who works two blocks from my building. As for my husband, he has enjoyed having more free time with a pared-down 15-minute commute that gives him a daily cardiovascular workout. Between the two of us, we save 68 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per week by bicycling and using transit.

Riding the bus and adopting a lifestyle that is more independent of our car has spurred me to think critically about the transportation system and other city infrastructure. While I am pleased enough with IndyGo to continue to using it, I understand why so many other commuters stick with their cars. Common complaints that even I utter myself at one time or another include:
-- routes that run as infrequently as once per hour;
-- the need to transfer to get most places that are not downtown, necessitating additional fares and more waiting at stops;
-- operating hours that don’t accommodate non-traditional work shifts or later-evening activities;
-- stops with inebriated, overly sociable individuals or bad smells; or
-- lack of shelters, seating or even sidewalks at stops. My stop is simply a sign stuck into a patch of weeds and grass.

I’m glad that the Indy Connect transportation initiative is addressing the quality and efficiency of our local public transit system. Unlike me, most mass transit users in the Indy metro area today do not have a choice between driving and riding the bus. They are likely unable to afford to own or insure a vehicle, are elderly, or have a disability that makes them unable to drive. Most commuters who do have a choice will choose transit only if our system is made more convenient, efficient and attractive. It will cost taxpayer dollars to make these improvements, but the returns will pay us back in the form of a less congested, less polluted region that attracts jobs and high-quality development.

What do you think it will take to get more commuters to leave their cars at home and choose transit? Your comments are appreciated both here and at the Indy Connect comment page, where you can make suggestions for transit system improvements and fill out brief questionnaires about your transportation preferences.

Transportation funding: doing more with less

2010-09-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Last week, the General Assembly Commission on State Tax and Financing Policy took up the issue of transportation funding during its second meeting. During this summer and fall, the interim Commission is examining a roster of financial issues including transportation, county income tax, fire protection territories, tax credits for school foundation contributions and others. Chairperson Scott Pelath stated in a press release about the Commission that “We will come to grips with dissipating sources of road dollars, establish realistic levels for state and local road funding, and scrutinize our infrastructure priorities.”

The meeting’s transportation session began with a presentation by the Purdue Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) that mapped the complex state transportation financing structure. We also heard from INDOT on the status of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded transportation projects. Stimulus monies have funded 1,087 transportation projects around the state, ranging from road resurfacing to bridge repair to transit vehicle upgrades. Indiana’s ARRA projects have a completion deadline of February 17, 2012.

For the rest of the session, local public officials, citizens and interest group representatives made comments before the Commission. Just about all of the comments concerned the scarcity of transportation funding. City and town managers spoke of the hardships they face in funding local road maintenance. Several comments referenced the LTAP 2008 Statewide Bridge Sufficiency Rating Report, which reports that 21.6 percent of the state’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Some relayed concerns about the expense of constructing Interstate 69 in the southwest region of the state. Another issue that came up was vehicle fuel efficiency. Improvements in fuel efficiency (along with other factors such as the economic downturn) are decreasing the amount of gasoline sold, leading to a reduction in the gasoline tax revenues that fund much of the nation’s transportation programs.

Though the session’s main theme was the shortage of funds for meeting our transportation needs, the dialogue focused on lack of money – there was no discussion how we can reduce those needs to begin with. We are rightfully concerned about meeting the demand for transportation infrastructure. But what if we could reduce that demand? Transportation demand management is the process by which we change travel behavior (how, when and where people travel) in order to increase transportation system efficiency. Using transportation demand management strategies, we can do more with less. For example, we can reduce the number of vehicles on the road by increasing carpooling to work through incentives such as HOV lanes or preferential parking and resources like online carpooler matching databases. If we improve bus service and rail options, maybe we can divert enough traffic from the roads to reduce the expense of continually repairing and expanding highways like I-465. Another strategy is to employ transit-oriented development principles in constructing or redeveloping our neighborhoods and urban corridors.

There are dozens of other transportation demand management strategies to consider as governments plan for a future of increasing mobility needs and fewer funds to meet those needs. Which of these measures would work in your community? What are the best alternatives to making more and more room on the roads for single-occupancy vehicles?

Central Indiana Commuter Services

2010-09-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

The following is a message from our friends at Central Indiana Commuter Services! Check out their options for reducing the cost of your commute. BTW - that cost doesn't just involve money, but stress and pollution, too. You can read some firsthand stories about the benefits of using an alternative to driving alone to work at the Commuter Profiles section of the CIRTA website.

Transit and wellness

2010-09-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Lately, a lot of items in mass transit news have had a common theme: “transportation and wellness.” For example:

While doing research on commuting, we discovered the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a project that surveys more than 1,000 U.S. adults per day and assigns them a well-being score based on six sub-indexes: life evaluation, emotional health, physical health, work environment, healthy behaviors and access to basic necessities. (On a 1-100 point index, with 100 being a state of maximum well-being, the overall score for the survey population was 49.6 in July 2010.) In August, the index published data regarding commute times. The results? People with the longest commutes scored the lowest on the Well-Being Index, and those with the shortest commute times (0-10 minutes) had less back pain and lower cholesterol, and they weighed less. Long commutes also take an emotional toll, according to the findings: “Among employees who take more than 90 minutes getting from home to work, 40% experienced worry for much of the previous day – significantly higher than the 28% among those with negligible commutes of 10 minutes or less,” the report said. “Conversely, workers with extremely long commutes were less likely to have experienced enjoyment for much of the previous day or to say they felt well-rested that day.”
As we prepared a report the other day, we took a look at the state-by-state totals of vehicle-miles driven per-capita. The list seemed remarkably similar to something else we had recently seen, so we checked and, sure enough, the states with the most vehicle miles also rank high on the state rankings for obesity. In fact, many of the states rankest highest for resident with a body mass index over 25 are the states with the highest per-person miles driven. Four states occupy the Top 10 list for each. Of course, it works the other way, too: New York, Hawaii and the District of Columbia rank at the bottom of the list for both weight and VMT.
A report released last month by the American Public Transportation Association confirms what we could suspect from the report mentioned above: People living near public transportation drive less, exercise more, live longer and generally are healthier than those living in places with inadequate transit. Considering factors ranging from air pollution, vehicle accidents, walking to and from transit stops and consumer cost savings, the report examines and attempts to quantify the different health impacts of transit use.
Another recent study demonstrates health benefits – including weight loss – of using transit with an analysis of the public health effects of a new rail line. When the nine-mile Lynx South Corridor Light Rail line opened in Charlotte, N.C., a group of physicians started tracking the weight and exercise habits of people living nearby. Collecting data before and after construction of the line, the physicians found that users of the rail line had lost an average of 6-7 pounds just eight months after construction.

So what does all of this mean for Indiana, a state with an underdeveloped transit system? Well, we rank 20th in overweight/obesity and 15th for vehicle miles per-capita. Which raises the question: As we discuss the economic and environmental benefits of transit, should we be working harder to make the case based on the health benefits of transit? Or would that be, um, biting off more than we can chew?

Why do we have to choose?

2010-08-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

by Ehren T. Bingaman, Executive Director

“INCREASE MOBILITY BY ENCOURAGING MULTIMODAL AND INTERMODAL SOLUTIONS, POLICIES, AND TECHNOLOGIES - AASHTO will collaborate with shippers and carriers, relevant associations, and additional partners to develop funding and policy initiatives that help state DOTs (departments of transportation) improve multimodal and intermodal passenger and freight mobility.”
-American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Strategic Plan, 2009-2013

Even the highway guys get it. AASHTO is the voice of the highway construction industry in the United States.

An investment in transit isn’t in lieu of investment in roads. Lots of people think it’s a choice – that we should do one or the other. Take for example the intersection of I-69 and I-465 in the northeast corridor of Central Indiana. Transit advocates will ask me why we can’t just put a rail line in that corridor rather than adding more lanes up to exit 5. The reality is transit wouldn’t be able to serve all the pent up demand in that corridor. On the other hand, adding lanes won’t meet the demand on the corridor during peak congestion (AM and PM commutes) on its own either.

Rail transit works best as a release valve for high demand corridors. It takes less time and money to add a train set in a high volume corridor than it does to add more lanes.

Busses and roads help each other in a different way. First of all, busses love good roads – so do bus riders! Second, busses take cars off of the road. Fewer cars on the road, aside from the positive environmental impacts, create two other opportunities: safety and movement. By reducing the number of cars on the road we make automobile travel safer. By reducing cars on the road we also make car and truck (big trucks, shipping) more efficient.

There’s a fine point to this because it boils down to money. I’ll write more about national transportation funding another time, for now let’s keep if focused on Indiana. Major Moves is the landmark road construction project of our state’s history. All of that money, all of it, will go to build roads and highways.

That’s great. That money is for roads. Leave it there.

Where’s our Major Moves for transit? Traditional road and highway folks agree, our infrastructure needs are great and the pot should be larger for investment in all modes of transportation. We shouldn’t be looking back, we should be looking forward. The next wave of Indiana’s transportation infrastructure construction needs to get focused on diversification. The highway guys have gotten theirs. And judging by their strategic plan the road people agree, it’s time for transit to get its do.

The pattern of choosing one investment strategy over another, when we need more of both, is a losing strategy.

Distracted driving

2010-07-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that 27% of all American adults say they have sent or read text messages while driving. That compares with 26% of all American teens ages 16-17 who reported texting at the wheel in 2009. 49% of adults say they have been passengers in a car when the driver was sending or reading text messages on their cell phone. 75% of adults who use cell phones report talking on the phone while driving.

Overall, 44% of adults say they have been passengers of drivers who used the cell phone in a way that put themselves or others in danger. The relationship between cell phone use and distracted driving has been documented by researchers. A University of Utah study found that using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. Perhaps more unsettling is that while some of the study’s participants crashed their virtual vehicles while using a cell phone, none of them crashed while drunk.

Many of us rely on frequent, if not constant, access to cell phones, text messaging and email in our work, family and social lives. This aspect of modern life does not mix well with dependence on the single-occupant vehicle to get around. Increasing the availability of alternatives to driving is one way to make our technology-dependent lives safer. What are your thoughts about mobile phone use, driving and mass transit?

What difference can transit make?

2009-12-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

Think public transportation isn’t vital to the interests of Central Indiana citizens? Read the following, a heartfelt plea from a writer who goes by the name “Free Spirit”:

I'm about to lose my job because my car broke down and I can't find anyone to carpool from where I live in Castleton to where I work in Anderson. I haven't been to work in 3 weeks. I'm not getting paid. I will soon lose my apartment when I can no longer pay next month’s rent. http://cirtaconnects.blogspot.com/2008/04/cost-to-commute-tell-us-your-story.html#comments

Most of us are so accustomed to our car-bound lives that we can’t imagine what life would be like without an automobile in the driveway, ready to take us where we need to go when we need to go there. And I’m not talking about the convenience of being able to drive to a friend’s or to go to a movie. I’m talking about the daily needs that we meet by simply putting a key in the ignition. Need a gallon of milk? Jump into the car. Need to pick up a prescription? It’s just a short drive. Need to get to work? Just make sure you leave early enough to beat the traffic, right?

Complicating the matter is the fact that Free Spirit’s job isn’t just around the corner, or a few blocks away. It’s in another city, a situation that’s not uncommon in this area or this modern marketplace.

If Free Spirit lived in a number of other American metropolitan areas, this emergency might be little more than an inconvenience. A car breaking down might make you change your habits but not put your job at risk. The distance from Anderson to Castleton – roughly 30 miles – is well within the range of many major metro areas’ regional transit systems.

We're going to do what we can to help Free Spirit make the connection he needs to save his job, his apartment and whatever else hangs in the balance. And, long term, we're going to continue to work to bring a regional transit system to Central Indiana. Because, let’s face it: While a dead battery, flat tire or failed transmission might be a pain in the neck for some of us, for others it’s the difference between getting a paycheck and going hungry.

Transit is on the move in Central Indiana

2009-09-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

By Christine Altman

Headlines this week about IndyGo’s commuter express bus routes grabbed public attention and renewed discussion—among transit users and non-users alike—about the state of transportation options in Central Indiana.

Conversations circle on who has service, who uses it … and who wants it—and why. And they will continue to evolve as CIRTA (the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Agency) works with IndyGo and the City of Indianapolis MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) to fine-tune transportation planning for our near-, short- and long-term future.

Good. These are important discussions, and they need to extend beyond the relatively short life of three demonstration routes in Carmel, Fishers and Greenwood. While vital to research and planning for regional transportation, these three commuter routes were funded by a one-time CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation Air Quality) grant to find out what kind of interest transit might generate in a few key corridors.

The results are encouraging. We learned from the demonstration service that there is commuter demand for transportation between Downtown Indianapolis and the partnering communities. Yet this is a single element in the full research process underway for developing a transit system worthy of a region the size of Central Indiana.

Already, despite severely limited resources and funding, IndyGo provides between 8.5 and 9.5 million rides each year—with service mostly ending at the Marion County line. All the while, population densities and traffic congestion in certain corridors are obvious targets for regional connectivity. So while commuter stress in certain corridors (such as Greenwood) may be less severe than in others (e.g., Fishers and Carmel) , that doesn’t mean our regional transportation plan won’t plan for growth and transit service to these surrounding counties to accommodate future increases in density and for alternate mobility options.

Of course. The vision of regional transit is a comprehensive system of multiple transportation types—a combination of fixed routes and express service provided by buses and rail—that connect with sidewalks, trails and bike routes. The system takes people to work, to school, and to leisure and cultural activities in a convenient, affordable way.

So, what does this discussion and planning related to regional transportation mean for greater Indianapolis residents and visitors? That’s easy: We are preparing for a future of growth and accessibility throughout the region. As one doesn’t happen without the other.

Development of transit impacts several layers of our vision to become a world-class city. It is a key driver to business growth, marketable livability and tourism. By enhancing employee access to jobs and business access to employees—and by improving traffic congestion, air quality and other quality of life factors, Central Indiana will only enhance its allure to a range of suitor types.

But that’s not all. Safe, reliable and economical transportation choices decreases household transportation costs, reduces our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improves air quality, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and promotes public health. It’s not just about us.
It will take a little time though. Rest assured: There’s planning; it’s regional; and it is being developed in phases to ensure that it’s a meaningful and sustainable plan for Central Indiana.

So let’s keep talking. The future of transit in Central Indiana has never looked more promising.
Visit http://www.cirta.us/ for up-to-date information about transit developments.

To learn more about IndyGo and access trip planning assistance, please visit http://www.indygo.net/ or call IndyGo Customer Service Center at 635-3344.

For more about the benefits of public transportation, visit the American Public Transportation Association website at http://www.apta.com/.

Join the Indiana Citizens’ Alliance for Transit: http://www.indianacat.org/ to help promote transit options statewide.

Altman is the chair of CIRTA, the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority, and is a Hamilton County Commissioner.

Four things we must do … in a particular order

2009-09-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

After we clarify that CIRTA is not a mattress company, folks unfamiliar with us often ask what we do. My first response is to say that we’re developing a system of transit alternatives for the Central Indiana region. Their blank stares prompt me to add, “You know: commuter rail, busses, carpooling, sidewalks … all that stuff.”

That usually does the trick. In fact, at that point, most folks are interested enough to ask, “So, what do we need to do to build this system?” My answer is always the same: “Four things.”

1. Create a regional transit vision. CIRTA isn’t looking at only one route, mode or community … we’re working with area planners and business and community leaders to develop a regional transit vision. Soon we’ll share that vision and work through a public involvement process to build consensus and understanding of our long-range vision – a vision in which bus and rail work in concert with improved sidewalks and trails for pedestrians, increased capacity for rural/on-demand transit providers, and expanded rideshare programs for car and van pooling.
2. Create the organization to implement that vision. While CIRTA, a coalition of county and local governments, is leading the charge on regional transit, a number of other Central Indiana entities also are getting involved, including three metropolitan planning organizations, 10 rural on-demand transit providers, three bus companies, one ride-share program, and a regional transportation authority. These entities work well together, but it makes you wonder: Is this conglomeration the best way to deliver a regional transit system? Is there a better model?
3. Figure out how to pay for building and operating this vision. Regardless of what the final vision is, we need to assess our opportunities for transit funding and get the policy in place to make it a reality. In other regions, this requires a mix of local, state and federal funds. Certainly, there’s room for public-private options, but all systems require some kind of public investment.
4. Build and successfully operate the northeast corridor rail line. Nothing says, “We can do this!” like actually getting it done, and done well. Central Indiana hasn’t made a significant investment in transit in decades. The first leg of a regional commuter rail system will kick us into high gear. Now we’re in the environmental documentation phase for the northeast corridor line; it should last about a year. Then we’ll get into funding and design, with a goal of construction in 2012. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be a perfect process, but we must get this first line built.

This is our action plan. It won’t happen in a vacuum. It requires new partners and energy, fresh ways of thinking, and a commitment to doing what’s best for the long-term good of our community.

Cost to commute, tell us your story...

2008-04-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

Over the last 4 years the cost of commuting for Central Indiana residents has more than doubled to over $4,000 annually! Tell us how transportation costs are impacting you.

Keep the momentum

2008-02-08T11:16:00.001-08:00

Our goal with this forum is to encourage those interested in the mobility issues facing Central Indiana well informed and engaged in the planning and development process of our transit system. While we encourage debate and comment, we also intend to use this forum for the express purposes of providing information about transit and CIRTA. We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you remain engaged in helping Central Indiana get connected to the places you want to go.

Tell us about your commute time to work

2008-02-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

Hoosiers spend an average of 22 minutes on the road going to and from work. Tell us about your commute time.