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Surveys were distributed on Advance Transit's five regular bus routes on September 24, 2008. A total of 593 surveys were distributed and 572 were returned, for a response rate of 96.5%.
Twenty-six percent of regular route riders said their trip involved a transfer between bus routes. Sixty-nine percent gave "work" as their primary trip purpose. The Blue and Brown routes had the highest percentage of work trips. Eighty-two percent of blue route trips were work related, while 71% of Brown route trips were work related. "Work" was the primary purpose for 67% of Green route riders, 54% of Red route riders, and 46% of Orange route riders.
Nearly half of Advance Transit bus riders said they use the bus service five days a week. Another 33% said they ride 3 or 4 days a week. The combined total for people who ride 3 or more days a week was 82%.
Thirty-three percent of survey respondents said they started using Advance Transit within the last year. This is similar to the response to this question in 1999 and 2004.
Thirteen percent of survey respondents indicated that they were enrolled as students at Dartmouth College. Nineteen percent of Dartmouth student bus riders were undergraduates, and 81% were graduate students.
Twenty-eight percent of the Advance Transit passengers who participated in the survey are employed by Dartmouth College. Survey results suggest that Dartmouth employees and students together account for 41% of Advance Transit ridership.
Twelve percent of Advance Transit passengers said they are employed by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The distribution of DHMC employees was 82% on the Blue route, 7% on the Orange route, 4% on the Green route, 3% on the Brown route, and 3% on the Red route.
Fifty-three percent of Advance Transit survey respondents indicated that they had a car available for their trip. The percentage of Advance Transit riders who chose to ride instead of drive increased from 25% in 1999 and 43% in 2004 to 53% in 2008. Sixty percent of Advance Transit riders indicated that they have a valid drivers license.
There has been some shift in passenger perception about the availability of seats. In the 1999 survey, 66% of riders said it was nearly always easy to find a seat. In 2000, 71% said that it was nearly always easy to find a seat. In the 2008 survey, this number dropped to 55%.
There is very strong support for continuing the Advance Transit program, with 99% of survey respondents agreeing that this is "very important," and the remaining 1% saying "somewhat important." Eighty percent of participating individuals feel that it is "very important" to keep the service free, while an additional 17% said free service is "somewhat important." Two percent of participating individuals suggested that keeping Advance Transit free is "unimportant."
"What do you like about Advance Transit bus service?"
Many survey participants offered words of praise and appreciation for Advance Transit. They like the friendly and helpful drivers. They like that it is free. And they appreciate the environmental benefits of the service. A Hanover resident said: "This is a wonderful community service. I really enjoy riding the bus even though I have a car available. Keep up the great work!"
A Lebanon resident said: "AT provides a wonderful and vital service to the community. The drivers are always cheerful, polite, and helpful. It's fantastic that it's free. The community needs to continue to support public transportation alternatives like the AT."
A Blue route commuter who live in Grafton said: "I very much appreciate the service. It is convenient, environmentally right, and economically important in these trying times." A Lebanon resident said: "The drivers are all extremely nice and professional. This is a great service for the Upper Valley."
An Enfield resident said: "I think it is very important to decrease the number of cars on the road and reduce America's carbon footprint. That's why I think the service should be free - to reward and encourage those who are willing to use mass transit."
Many riders said they would have difficulty getting to work without the service. A Canaan resident said: "This is my only way to get to and from work, as I don't drive." A Lebanon resident said: "In this economy, I believe more and more people will come to rely on your service." An Enfield resident said: "I'm a new mother without a license. I'd have no other way to get to work. Thank you for your service." A Lebanon resident said: "Without it, I'd spend $30-$40 a day in taxi fares."
A Green route passenger from White River Junction said: "I'm so impressed with how the drivers communicate to make sure transfers are taken care of." A Green route rider from Hartford Village said: "I like that one bus will wait for a short time for transfers. This is something I really appreciate. In the big cities this is never done."
A West Lebanon resident on the Red route said: "Reduces traffic, saves on gas." A Red route rider from Hanover said: "It helps me get my child around. I am very low on money, so it is very helpful." A Canaan resident said: "I like that the AT is free and available to all." A West Lebanon resident said: "Everyone is treated respectfully." Another West Lebanon resident said: "Every driver is very understanding of the passenger' needs. I am going blind."
A Norwich resident on the Brown route said: "The drivers are very helpful with new people, almost like ambassadors for the town and college. They remind you if you forget things on the bus and wait if they see you running. I think it's one of the best things about living here." Another Brown route rider from Norwich said: "Great service. Love the bus. More convenient than driving and having to park. Free is important."
An Orange route rider from White River Junction said: "I'm a student with limited finances. I don't yet have a license, and my husband is physically unable to drive (legally blind). These buses have enabled me and my husband to continue school, do our grocery shopping, and get to the doctors, which are all very important. Definitely keep AT!!"
"What can we do to improve the service?"
While passengers praised Advance Transit, they also offered suggestions for improving the service. A Lebanon resident said: "More frequent buses between Lebanon and West Lebanon would be nice. However, the primary flaw of AT is the lack of evening and weekend service."
A Blue route passenger from lebanon said: "Extend hours for 12.5 hour employees at DHMC." A Red route passenger said: "I work late and don't have a ride. So I think you should do some night service to help people who don't have a license." A Norwich commuter on the Brown route said: "I know lots of people who don't ride because they usually stay on campus late and there is no service then."
A Lebanon resident on the Red route said: "There are many new grad students and others without cars. We don't want to be stuck at home every weekend." Weekend service was the most common request submitted by Advance Transit riders.
Many commuters from Canaan and Enfield said more seats are needed during peak commute times. They also asked for an evening express that bypasses downtown Lebanon. There were also several requests for midday bus service to Enfield and Canaan.
>Riders associated with Dartmouth Medical School said that 15-minute service between DMS and DHMC should start earlier in the morning. A faculty member suggested that 15-minute service should begin at 7:30 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m.
Several people asked for better information about bus stops. A Lebanon resident on the Blue route wrote: "A more detailed map of the bus stops online would be helpful." Another Lebanon resident said: "Once you know the routes it is easy to use the service, but learning where a route goes if you haven't taken it before is very difficult."
Some people asked for a direct commuter route to job sites at Centerra Park. Others asked for midday bus service to the Co-op at Centerra.
Many Green route passengers asked for later service on their route. One Green route rider said: "Even one more southbound trip from Hanover at night would help. 5:30 p.m. for the last bus is just not late enough." Another said: "I work until 5:30 p.m. some days and am unable to take the bus those days. Extend the hours (even one hour later!) please."
Several people asked for more frequent service to improve connections between buses that meet in West Lebanon. A Red route passenger said: "Add a bus to the Red line for every 1/2 hour to the plazas. This would reduce crowding and be more convenient for workers and shoppers."
Several Norwich residents suggested extending the Brown route to the Huntley Meadow playing fields on Turnpike Road. Another Norwich resident said: "All bus stops in Hanover need shelters, especially by Parkhurst."
Bus riders asked Advance Transit to add bus service to surrounding towns. Suggested communities included Lyme, Grafton, Cornish, Plainfield, and West Hartford.
A Dartmouth Medical School faculty member said that Advance Transit should add a secure donation link to its web site through Groundspring.org. A Lebanon resident suggested: "Start a 'Friends of Advance Transit' group to spread the word."
