Data Gathering and Analysis
The Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority has embarked on a year long process to plan the next 20 years of public transportation for Corpus Christi and surrounding service areas.
As we proceed into 2012, CCRTA wants to keep the public informed on our progress. The first phase of the ¡Vámonos! long term system plan is data gathering including evaluation of CCRTA operations, analysis of the existing transit system, ridership surveys, public opinion, stakeholder interviews and peer reviews in comparison to other transportation systems similar to that in the Coastal Bend.
The consultant team began the initial phase of the project with an analysis of productivity data, system coverage, span of services, and frequency of service and travel time. The team then descended into the field to observe local operations at transit facilities and ride bus routes. The local transit service data is being reviewed paying close attention to established transit hubs, potential park-and-ride locations, and major ridership generators.
By surveying rider behavior including where riders board the bus and disembark from the bus and what locations they are traveling to and from such as home, work, mall, or hospital, an analysis of route productivity was developed. The project team is converting the data into route profiles for each route which demonstrate all the operational characteristics of each individual route based on passenger numbers.
An attitudinal survey to assess community opinions on present and future options for public transportation on Corpus Christi and surrounding service areas has been available to the public during the data gathering phase of the project. Riders and non-riders have had the opportunity to complete the survey on buses or online. If you have yet to complete the survey and would like to do so, please Click here to take the online survey.
Elected officials and community stakeholders were interviewed representing the City, County, healthcare district, CCISD, Del Mar College, TAMU-CC, outlying service areas and many other regional organizations. The stakeholder interviews were focused specifically on public transportation’s role in the region.
The project team has conducted a peer analysis, in which CCRTA is compared to groups of similar transit systems. A review of peer transit providers helps CCRTA understand how the transit system compares with similar agencies around the country on measures ranging from fares to ridership to operating costs. Peer agencies were selected based on a set of evaluation criteria including system size, service area population, similarity of geography, and land-use. Thirteen peer transit agencies were evaluated including transit systems in Laredo, Reno, Colorado Springs, Tulsa, Daytona Beach and El Paso.
The data gathering phase has two ultimate purposes. One is to understand the current system, its strengths and weaknesses, and how people are using the system today. The second purpose is to draw out community aspirations for the future of the system and distill those into a singular vision for the long range plan. That process will be the focus of the community workshop on March 20th. The goal is to form and articulate a clear understanding of the outcomes that are desirable for CCRTA and its constituents and use that understanding to guide changes in the short term that will strengthen the system consistent with the long range vision.
Please visit the Stay Informed page and sign up to receive updates on the planning process as well as information on upcoming meetings and presentations.
