CYWB: What exactly is Traffic Signal Priority and where is it being implemented?

John: TSP is simply the idea of giving special treatment to transit vehicles at signalized intersections. Since transit vehicles can hold many people, giving priority to transit can potentially increase the person throughput of an intersection. TSP is currently active for RapidRide buses at all but three intersections on the B Line, which will come online as construction in Bellevue finishes.

CYWB: Could you describe how the technology works to a layperson, like ourselves, and explain why we should be excited about it?

John: TSP is part of our Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) architecture where the buses, roadside and central systems are all connected via a single network. The buses know their location using GPS and other technologies. When it reaches a defined point on their trip, the bus sends a wireless message with about 25 pieces of information to a device on the roadside. This device generates a request to the signal controller if the criteria set by Metro and the City are met. TSP doesn’t just make the trip faster, it’s also more reliable. So, buses come more regularly, get to their destination faster, and it costs less for Metro to provide service.

CYWB: How can you tell (as a rider) when it’s in effect?

John: TSP is a priority treatment, not a preempt, so a rider or driver won’t really notice an obvious change happening at the signal as with an emergency vehicle. The green light is held a little longer or the wait at the red light is shortened for the bus, but the lights will never change order. People get to know the patterns of familiar intersections, so if they get the feeling a light has been green for longer than expected, look around for a bus. In general, though, it’s hard to know for certain that a bus got priority at a specific light without looking into the system logs. But over a trip a rider will notice that the bus spends less time stopped at lights than a car.

CYWB: Will we see its use expanding to other routes as well?

John: TSP is a core feature of RapidRide, so the A Line and all future lines (we currently have plans for 6 total) will have this technology. Every bus in the fleet is equipped with the same on-board equipment as the RapidRide coaches so this could be expanded to other bus corridors as well, although there is no budgeted project to do so at this time.

CYWB: Can you name any “TSP success stories”?

John: On the A Line one less bus was needed than was initially scheduled to provide service due to the success of TSP and other priority treatments.

CYWB: What is the relationship (if any) between TSP and the new SCATS system being implemented in Bellevue??

John: SCATS is a very cool new generation signal control system that’s very smart and uses a lot of information inputs to adapt to traffic conditions. The first SCATS intersections with TSP are currently planned to be installed in January/February 2012 at 120th/NE 8th and 124th/NE 8th. With their integration, our system can be considered one of the inputs to their adaptation. As you probably know, modern thinking about traffic management is that the infrastructure is intended to move people and freight, not vehicles. SCATS can be much more successful about moving people by knowing which vehicles are buses full of them. We should be able to be more aggressive in how long we could hold a green light for a bus, as we have confidence SCATS can compensate quickly for those movements that were delayed a little more.

CYWB: At Metro, are you working on any technology-related projects besides traffic signaling that could potentially make bus rides go faster?

John: As I mentioned above TSP is just one part of our ITS architecture. This architecture includes the next bus arrival signs and ORCA card readers located at the RapidRide stations on what we call the “Tech Pylons”. Paying your fare while you’re waiting for the next bus is a great way to get on board and on the road faster. We designed the architecture so that new technology systems can be more easily integrated, which is one of the reasons it was nominated for this year’s ‘Best of ITS’ award that will be announced soon!

The Downtown Bellevue Transportation Plan Update is a focused, 18-month planning effort just getting underway, intended to update transportation plans and projects that will accommodate the growth that is expected in our city
between now and 2030.

There are two main objectives for this meeting: to provide information to a broad section of the community about the purpose of updating the Downtown Transportation Plan at this time; and to receive comments and suggestions regarding specific transportation issues that affect Downtown mobility and livability.

Following an overview presentation in the Council Chambers, those in attendance will be invited to the Concourse to join in small group conversations with City staff focused on specific mobility modes such as pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and roadways. In this format, the City hopes to hear from the community about the transportation system issues that concern them and their ideas for improvements. People are encouraged to visit more than one of the mobility display tables to help in the challenging task of planning for a multi-modal transportation system in a complex and dense urban environment.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Bellevue City Hall – Council Chambers and Concourse
450 – 110th Avenue NE

For further information, consult the web site: www.bellevuewa.gov/downtown-transportation-plan-update.htm

You may also contact the project manager, Kevin McDonald at 425-452-4558, or kmcdonald@bellevuewa.gov.

See you there!

Deric received his Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington, and has lent his expertise to a diverse array of organizations, including the Sightline Institute, the Puget Sound Regional Council, and the Trade Development Alliance at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

In just one year at BC, he has already spearheaded a successful movement to bring Metro bus route 240 to campus, heightened the campus sustainability web and social media presence (see Facebook and Twitter pages), as well as instituted a college-wide paid parking program that began this fall.

We chatted with Deric about organizing, land use, making biking “cool,” and what’s next for Bellevue College.

CYWB: Can you begin by telling us a little bit about how you came to work at Bellevue College, and what you do there?

Deric: I began working at Bellevue College in September of 2010, following a year of traveling through the Middle East and Southern Africa by bike on a fellowship through the University of Washington. The first thing I was tasked with was tackling the longstanding transportation issues on our campus. I quickly helped to develop a task force comprised of students, faculty and staff that served as a platform for ongoing discussions about how we continue to grow mindfully while remaining an accessible institution for everyone.

CYWB: We hear you’re a something of a community organizer—would you mind telling us the happy story of bus route 240?

Deric: Earlier this year, I worked with student groups in an effort to get the Metro bus route 240 to make a stop at the Eastgate Park and Ride, the closest transit station to the College. We determined that 23% of Bellevue College students come from areas that would be served by this route, and that the cost of this change would be a mere five minutes for some commuters, but would save our students about a half an hour. We encouraged students to send letters and emails of support to the King County Council, and they went and testified before Council about how critical the bus service was to them. Their testimony tipped the scales, and as of October 1, the 240 now stops at Eastgate. Students often don’t count as much as jobs in transportation route planning, but they matter just as much, which I’m glad the Council recognized.

CYWB: Bellevue College has also been in the headlines lately for their new paid parking program, which is quite a change for the suburban-style campus where about 70% of the students and faculty drive alone. Can you explain how this came about?

Deric: We’ve long offered subsidized ORCA passes for our students, but with sharp increases in the cost of the pass, we realized we wouldn’t be able to continue to make the numbers work without a funding source for both parking and ORCA. We hired a consultant to conduct a parking study for us as a requirement of a new building we have permitted, and they issued the recommendation that charging for parking was the best solution to maintain accessibility of our campus. Furthermore, we determined that 75% of our emissions are commute related, and we want to reduce this by 10% over the next 5 years as part of our campus Climate Action Plan.

CYWB: Parking is often a contentious topic—how did you win the support of the campus community in this process?

Deric: The student government came out in support of it after a long review and deliberation—we have a very active student body and strong leaders on campus. The toughest sell was some of the employee union groups—they’ve long considered free parking to be one of their benefits. The whole bargaining process took a good 6 months. But in the end, the students were able to make the case to the Board of Trustees that we would never have a different future if we didn’t make this change now. It was approved in June of this year, and we began implementation this fall. The rates aren’t prohibitively high—$65 a quarter for students, less if you drive less, and just $15 a quarter for faculty and staff.

CYWB: If you could explain why institutions should charge for parking to the unconverted in just a few sentences, what would you say?

Deric: People need to understand that parking is not a free resource, and at Bellevue College, we’ve decided that we’d rather put our resources towards the students. Parking costs about $500 annually per stall, so it’s really a trade off when you think of it like that. As an institution, we want to become mode neutral and not subsidize one commute method over another. We want to always give people the element of real choice.

CYWB: Transportation and land use is often thought of something separate from sustainability efforts—often organizations that have recycling and energy saving programs don’t even mention transportation. Why the disconnect?

Deric: There’s always the fear factor of engaging around commute issues—it’s a very personal thing to people, with often intangible manifestations. It also takes work to organize non-drive-alone commutes, which is why before we enacted the paid parking scheme, we set up 5 informational booths around campus with representatives from King County Metro and the City of Bellevue and other students to help people plan their new commutes. That way it became more tangible, and manageable. Interventions like (PARK)ing day can help to make physical effects of parking more visible, as well. That’s something we might try on campus.

CYWB: Do you have any thoughts or tips for other institutions (schools, hospitals, etc) who might want to shift to paid parking?

Deric: Do the analysis to find out the true cost of parking on your institution and explore whether subsidies for parking are more than your subsidies for other modes and consider if that is fair.  In times of tight budgets consider your priorities.  Once you’ve done that analysis bring the findings to your employees and clients.

CYWB: How will you be able to tell if the new paid parking program has been a success?

Deric: We’re planning to do parking counts and a transportation survey but we haven’t decided whether it’ll be the spring or fall. Sales of parking passes and ORCA cards are going briskly, as expected—we’ve actually sold out of the cheaper ORCA pass—and we will continue to help with individualized commute planning through our SHIFT partnership and RideshareOnline. The parking program is a biennium, so we’ll re-evaluate it in 2013.

CYWB: What’s up with biking on the Bellevue College campus? You’d think it would be the perfect demographic for it.

Deric: Anecdotally, I’ve seen more bikes this fall than ever before. We’re installing covered bike parking, and our gym is free to use for showering purposes. We’re in the process of setting up a maintenance facility, and working with the Bicycle Alliance of Washington to organize safety and maintenance classes that will train our faculty and staff so that they can offer classes on campus themselves.

In the longer term, I want to work to make biking “cooler” on campus. That could look something like organizing something to coincide with the Tour de Fat (beer tour) or a “pimp yo bike” ride, or bike swap similar to the annual one in Seattle.

CYWB: What are some other forthcoming projects at Bellevue College that you’re excited about?

Deric: We’re starting a carshare service with WeCar, a service of Enterprise sometime this fall, which will help those traveling the 5 miles between our two campuses, as well as to our newest location in Issaquah in the future. We’re also researching the idea of installing trip planning electronic kiosks similar to the ones in South Lake Union.

CYWB: What does Bellevue College 10 years from now look like to you?

Deric: A campus that uses of land, energy and material resources only to the extent necessary to advance College goals.  A campus that’s easy to access to bicycle, transit, and personal vehicles.  More space for learning and campus life due to a drop in demand for parking.

“I feel like this is our golden spike moment,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Today, we’re bringing together the Eastside with new, reliable transit service. With RapidRide B, you’ll spend less time waiting and more time moving. It’s a leap forward in meeting the goal of increased efficiency for our entire transit system.”

RapidRide B officially begins October 1, and will speedily shuttle passengers between the Redmond and Bellevue Transit Centers, operating about 20% faster than the current service along the corridor with more frequent headways. As King County Council member Kathy Lambert explained “With the RapidRide B, you can throw out those annoying schedules—you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that your bus will always be coming in 10-15 minutes.” The RapidRide B coaches feature 3 entrances for speedier boarding, low floors, on-board wifi, and have the distinctly 21^st century ability to interact with the traffic signals, meaning prolonged green lights to keep the bus moving. Additionally, 19 RapidRide stations have been installed throughout the corridor, all of which feature real time arrival information, ORCA card readers, benches, and a lighted signal that passengers can activate to let bus drivers know they’re waiting.

RapidRide B service is funded primarily through revenue from Transit Now, a 1/10th cent sales tax increase approved by King County voters in 2006 for improvements to bus service. Additional funding for RapidRide B came through a partnership between King County Metro and the Federal Transit Administration’s Small Starts program, which provides money to transit agencies throughout the country specifically for bus rapid transit initiatives. Any corridor with more than 3,000 riders automatically qualifies for the funding. Executive Constantine highlighted the importance of partnerships in the creation of RapidRide B, and Councilmember Jane Hague seconded: “The fact that we were able to deliver on this during a recession means that we are doing things right in King County, and providing intelligent transportation solutions that connect our region,” she said.

The launch of the RapidRide B Line coincides with a major east side transportation system restructuring, designed to improve the efficiency of the entire network. 12 underperforming routes were deleted as part of the changes, but many new routes have been added. Public officials praised both the changes and new service at today’s event, zeroing in on the importance of transit to accommodate the exponential population and job growth predicted for the Eastside. Bellevue Mayor Don Davidson stressed that  “the B line will support future job growth in our eastside urban centers, and will also connect with future East Link light rail stations.”  Congressman Dave Reichert explained that “not only will this new service benefit commuters, it will also benefit businesses by freeing up space on the roadway for them to move goods and services.”And with tolling scheduled to begin soon on the 520 bridge, Councilmember Lambert predicted that “the B line will become an invaluable service to commuters. As an east sider, you’ll have the choice of spending over $5300 a year commuting by car to Seattle, or just $1300 on a transit pass. Think of what you could do with all that extra money!”

Lambert also shared her experience of riding the B Line with the crowd, illustrating that riding the bus isn’t just about efficiency or fancy technology. “We really enjoyed our trip this morning, and were reminded of what a gift it is to be able to take [time] out of your day to relax with neighbors, check email, and avoid the stress of sitting in traffic. It’s a great way to feel a part of a community.” And as King County Metro employee Malva Slachowitz pointed out, “the bus even looks like it’s smiling!”

The B line will official start carrying passengers this Saturday at 6am, and rides will be free all weekend. King County Metro is engaging in a full scale marketing blitz to promote the service, and will have street team volunteers handing out information at the Bellevue Transit Center from 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Thursday-Tuesday.  Maps, schedules and information about all route changes are available at metro.kingcounty.gov/up/scvchange.html

A tweeter extraordinaire, he’s amassed quite a following in the virtual transportation community. We chatted with him briefly about particulars of life as a bus driver, bicycling in Bellevue (yes, it does happen!) and his views on the future of transportation in our region.

CYWB: Your background is in software testing—how did you come to be a Metro bus driver?

VeloBusDriver: I worked for Microsoft for roughly 12 years. As the company grew I became interested in a different direction. I grew up riding the bus and have many fond memories of riding the #4 trolley on Queen Anne with my grandmother. I continued to ride the bus when it was relatively convenient and during my last year at Microsoft I often wondered what it would be like to drive a bus. During one of my commutes I ran across a driver I knew from church who told me all about the wonderful world of bus driving. It took a while before I actually decided to apply, but that’s when the idea took root.

CYWB: What’s your favorite route to drive and why?

VeloBusDriver: I really don’t have a favorite route. Really, it’s more of a favorite type of route. While I currently can be found driving Sound Transit’s 550, I’m equally comfortable driving the 73 in the U District, and soon the RapidRide B Line. I enjoy routes that are busy, well utilized, with a diverse mix of passengers.

What role do you see smart phones and technology playing in encouraging more people to live car-free/light?

VeloBusDriver: First off, there is the ability to get real time bus arrival information using One Bus Away, Metro’s bus “Tracker”, or Bing’s iPhone app. Knowing how long you have to wait for the next bus goes a long way to make the wait more comfortable. Once you’re on the bus, a smartphone is great for reading the news, Tweeting, or listening to music (with headphones, of course).

CYWB: Bellevue is getting excited about the RapidRide B Line, which will begin service from Bellevue to Redmond in October. We’ve heard some rumors that you’ll be driving. Can you confirm, and tell us what’s cool about Rapid Ride B?

RapidRide B Line has many Bus Rapid Transit features that will increase the speed and reliability of the old 253 bus line. RapidRide B coaches have 3 doors. When you couple that with the ability for passengers to pay off the bus using their ORCA card at the busier stations, you can see that loading the bus will go much faster once people get used to the system. Simply tap your card while you’re waiting for the bus and get on at any door. Another speed enhancing feature for folks utilizing mobility aids is the passive restraint system that allows the individual to simply park their mobility aid and set the brake—the driver no longer needs to secure them into position. (For those who are uncomfortable with the new system, RR B coaches still have a standard forward-facing restraint system like existing buses.) RapidRide coaches also have the ability to interface with the city’s traffic control system to keep green lights green just a little longer and turn red lights green just a little faster. Given the number of traffic lights along the RapidRide route you can quickly see how this will speed the buses along.

CYWB: You’re also a professed cyclist—aside from painting a bunch of bike lanes, what do you think could be done to encourage more bicycling in Bellevue?

VeloBusDriver: Personally, I’d like to see more city employees out on bikes where it makes sense. Given the maneuverability and cost effectiveness of bicycles, they make a lot of sense in denser areas like downtown. I’ve seen Bellevue bicycle police but they are hard to find. Though Bellevue appears to contract out parking enforcement, there is no reason that function couldn’t be done by bicycle. Reading water meters seems like a natural task for a bike for certain parts of the city. I’m not suggesting the city switch over completely to bikes but looking for ways to integrate these inexpensive and useful tools into the city’s operations would go a long way to showing others that you can get around by bike. It could also save the city money!

CYWB: What else are you looking forward to in the realm of regional transportation plans?

VeloBusDriver: While the car will be with us for a very long time, I’d like to see more of a focus on moving people, not simply vehicles. The key is to give people many options to get from point A to point B. Today, for much of our region, the only comfortable choice is to use a car. Sadly, that “choice” leaves us stuck in traffic.

CYWB: From a driver’s perspective, if you could tell the public one thing about how to make the ride go more smoothly, what would you say to them?

VeloBusDriver: Have your fare ready when it’s time to pay. The best way to do this is to use an ORCA card ePurse or monthly pass. ORCA cards can be loaded with cash, credit cards, or debit cards and also offer a 2 hour transfer for use on other public transportation systems/modes. Given the larger number of people on the buses these days, every little bit of time savings adds up. But more broadly speaking, I just wish folks would slow down a bit in life and be willing to try the bus for at least a trip or two per week. Everybody is in such a rush that they always answer “the bus takes longer” as to why they don’t take public transportation. Many of us who ride the bus would answer, “So what? At least I can read, nap, smash birds into blocks, etc… You can’t/shouldn’t do that when driving.” Frankly, I don’t really enjoy driving and do everything I can to avoid it. Yes, I know that is ironic—that’s kind of the point!

In honor of the “back to school” time of year, we chatted briefly with Carla about the delights and challenges of living car free with kids. Take a peek at our conversation with the Bus Chick herself below. Then feel free to add your own ideas and thoughts on how to work public transportation into your own family in the comments section.

CYWB: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us, Carla! It would be fantastic if you could begin by giving us a brief overview of the landscape of your car free life.

Carla: Because my family does not own a car, transportation considerations were one of our key selection criteria when choosing our home. To me, the location of our home mattered more than the house itself. Even a few blocks can make a huge difference when you spend a lot of time walking.

My husband and I both bus to work (he works in Redmond and I work downtown), and our kids’ daycare is within walking distance. So, one of us can drop them off and catch the bus from there.

CYWB: A lot of people think about going car free or light and say, “that’s great, but it couldn’t possibly be me.” In surveys we’ve conducted, parents often indicate that they need to be able to pick their kids up from school, run errands after work, etc.  I wondered if you could speak to whether going car free could actually be anyone.

Carla: By the time we had kids, we had fortunately already set up our life in such a way that would enable us to continue to be car free. If you’ve already got a home and a job and your life set up a certain way, making the shift can be more challenging.

It’s doesn’t have to be all or nothing, though. The key is thinking about your life differently, and identifying opportunities to make the choice to not drive. Take going to the grocery store for example.  People always think it takes longer to walk, yet if I were to get my kids in the car, drive the 7 blocks to the grocery store, look for parking, get out of the car, unstrap them, and get across the parking lot to the store, the time savings are negated. We tend to accept the daily hassles of driving as given parts of life, when there are lots of other options.

The huge thing for parents is getting kids to and from school—a large percentage of traffic during rush hour is caused by parents taking their kids to school, and many people think they are doing their kids a favor by driving them to school.  But in fact the most dangerous place for a kid to be is in a car, and traffic created by parents driving their kids to school also creates  danger for the children who do walk. The key is re-imagining how your kids get to school, and separating your commutes from theirs. If your kids walk, bike or take the bus to school, that frees up your options for how to get yourself to work.  If you have questions about commuting with children, I would check out the organization Safe Routes to School and  Anne Lutz Fernandez’s book, Carjacked. Both have good, reassuring information for parents who are considering this.

When you’re accustomed to driving, any other choice seems like a lot of hassle –on the surface, getting in the car seems the easiest. When trying a new commute, there is considerable work on the front end, and the challenge is getting people over the initial hump. Challenge yourself to try something for a week—or even once—with the understanding that it’s only a test. If you don’t like it, you can stop.

CYWB: Something you’ve written extensively about is how your kid’s lives have been improved by their experience being on public transportation. Can you talk a bit more about this?

Carla: One huge positive is that my kids are going to be great walkers! Exercise is always going to be an integral part of their life, because they’ve grown up with it as something that’s completely normal.

Their experience is such that getting around doesn’t mean being strapped in a box. The going somewhere for my kids is the adventure, being on the bus, waiting for the bus, walking around in our neighborhood. We’re partners in crime, and everything is an adventure for us. And the majority of the time, young children LOVE buses.

CYWB: Do you have a “survival kit” that you bring on the bus?

Carla: Good question! Not exactly, though there are things I always have with me. I don’t bring toys on the bus, because they take up a lot of room in my bag, and I don’t find that they provide much distraction for an antsy child. We live very close to the library, so I always keep compact, age appropriate books in my bag.  I also have bubbles for bus stops, and nonperishable snacks: raisins or crackers. I am intrigued, however, by the idea of having a special (compact) toy box that only comes out on the bus!

CYWB: Not to put you on the spot, but is there anything that King County Metro could do to improve the public transportation experience for parents?

Carla: Taking a stroller on the bus is terrible. The current policy is that you need to fold the stroller down before you get on the bus, which is extremely time-consuming, cumbersome, and inconvenient. There are some good reasons why this policy exists, but it’s not communicated well or enforced consistently. Low-floor buses help with accessibility for all riders, including parents with children. Link Light rail is easy because you can roll your stroller onto the trains, but there are still some issues. Parents: I recommend using an infant carrier instead of a stroller, but if you are going to bring one, make sure it’s a lightweight umbrella model.

CYWB: For some people, money talks, and according to AAA, you can save up to $9000 annually by not having a car. Have you ever been able to do something awesome with the money you’ve saved?

Carla: My husband has never had a car, so he’s been able to put away quite a lot over the years.  Our kids’ college funds are basically already taken care of, and we can go on adventures when we want. But besides savings, another way to think it is that when you’re a car owner, a lot of your time working is spent towards paying for it.  If you’re not doing that, perhaps you’d be able to work less and have more time with kids. Or, you could choose to retire early so you have more time with your family that way.

CYWB: Some parents express the concern that if they don’t drive to work and an emergency happens, they won’t be able to easily get to home or school. Has that ever factored in to your considerations?

Carla: I think that’s crucial. When I started out riding the bus to work, even before I had kids, I would worry, how would I be able to suddenly leave work if I had to? What would I do if I needed to go home? Now my husband’s employer offers the Guaranteed Ride Home service as part of the ORCA Passport program, and it provides tremendous peace of mind. But even if that service isn’t offered at your workplace, you can always give yourself permission to spend $100 a year on taxis. That’s a small amount compared to the cost of driving every day.

CYWB: Do you find that having a car forces you to become hyper-local? Do you think you miss out on experiences because of that?

Carla: People feel like having a car provides them with unlimited options. It’s true that cars are useful for certain purposes, but not for every trip, every time—certainly not for the majority of trips that Americans use cars for, which are two miles or less. What I’ve found is that there’s so much in my neighborhood!  We go to the library twice a week, and we have three community centers, the lake, and amazing parks all within walking distance. My husband and I also take the bus to go to night events all over town, and we take a Zipcar when we need to go somewhere far.  I love being part of my community, knowing my neighbors, and feeling connected. I think this really gives your kids a sense of place. I mean, why do you live in a neighborhood? What does a neighborhood mean to you if you are always in a car going somewhere else? We just moved onto our street, and we’ve already met most of our neighbors because we’re always out walking. Our lives are not limited, but absolutely enriched.

The survey was taken by 394 individuals, 61% of whom were commuters to downtown Bellevue, 37% of whom were downtown residents that commute to other locations, and 2% of whom who both lived and worked in downtown. The survey went out in postcard form to all residents of downtown Bellevue, was posted in commercial buildings and was live on the Choose Your Way Bellevue website May 1 through June 14, 2011.

The majority of survey respondents commuted to work by driving alone (44.8%). In explaining their top reasons for doing so, respondents listed that were no reasonable transit options, they require the use of a car for errands before and after work, and because it saves time.  37% of this population reported that increased bus service would motivate them to ditch their vehicles, though in an illuminating statistic, 22.7% of drivers indicated that nothing would encourage them to change their habits.

Riding the bus was the second most cited commute method, comprising 21% of the mode-share, followed by carpool at 10.4%. The top reason for using both these modes was cost savings. Respondents also cited stress reduction, time savings, convenience and an employer subsidy for doing so. 5.5% of respondents walked to work, and 2% of respondents reported cycling to work.

When respondents were asked about general motivators contributing to their choice of commute mode, the top three reasons were convenience, cost savings and time savings. The top impacts to commute mode choice were transit service levels, traffic levels, and gas prices.

Respondents were also asked the minimum monthly financial incentive that would encourage them to try a non drive-alone mode. The majority of people indicated that $50 would help them make a change, though $100 was the second most oft-cited amount.

These results are quite illuminating as Choose Your Way Bellevue moves forward in branding, messaging and programming efforts directed towards downtown residents and employees. It is clear that we are working with a primarily drive-alone population, and there are some major obstacles to overcome to change these habits.

Considering that neither Sound Transit or King County Metro are in a financial position to expand service in the near future, we will not be able to use that as a motivating factor to encourage non-drive alone habits. Furthermore, there is a segment of the population who claims they would never change their method, which is understandable given that the ample amount of free parking in Bellevue keeps the actual costs to drivers down.

But perhaps we could do a better job at quantifying the cost savings, stress reduction and health benefits of participating in alternate commute modes. Driving eats up a large portion of American’s annual budget, and is the second highest cost behind housing,  but because driving has become so normalized in our culture, these costs remain invisible to many people. Whether it’s getting people excited about what they could do with the money saved by not driving, or demonstrating how often during peak travel times, driving isn’t actually faster (which my anecdotal evidence on I-90 overwhelmingly supports), there must be a way to show it visually, either through infographics or videos.

Additionally, walkers and cyclists overwhelmingly report being happier and healthier commuters, so we ought to encourage them to be more vocal (though not evangelical!) about their commute stories. Cycling burns an average of 300 calories per hour, and walking burns 136. Compare that to the 80 or so you burn while sedentary (car commuting) and active transportation starts to look like a winning option, eliminating the need for extra time at the gym and requiring no monetary contribution beyond start up costs.

But the reality is that most people live far enough away from their jobs that walking or cycling is not a viable option—only 6% of workers in Downtown Bellevue report actually living downtown, and the average commute distance is 14 miles. There’s always the possibility of combining active transportation with public transportation, and 7% of our respondents indicated being multi-modal commuters. But commuters tend to dread transfers, which add stress and uncertainty what can often be a lengthy commute.

Stay tuned—our next post will be about programs around the country that are encouraging people to live closer to where they work, which will help to alleviate some of the necessary driving wrought by extended distances between home and work.

In the study (conducted in late 2010), 18 participants from San Francisco and Boston were asked to relinquish their cars for one week, the vast majority of whom had ranked cars as their most necessary form of transportation. During the week they used public transit, walked, biked, or shared rides, and completed surveys about their attitudes and experiences before, during and after the experience. A detail worth including—3 in 4 participants owned smartphones.

After the car-free week, four fifths of the participants indicated that car ownership was not essential to their daily lives, and over half felt more connected to their community, as well as more aware about what was going on around them. Mark V, from San Francisco, wrote “during my car-free week, I realized that if you live in a city and drive back and forth from work every day, you are missing out on the richness of your community.”

Thankfully there are already a great number of mobile applications designed to make car-free (or car-light!) life a bit easier. Let’s do a brief survey of the extant market for transportation-related apps.

At the head of the pack you have Zipcar, with a free iPhone app that lets you find a car, reserve a car, and even unlock your car. Zipcar is definitely leading the way in the app design and usability department, all while lessening the need for car ownership.

But what if you just need a one-way ride and are feeling flexible? The go520 iPhone application (with a Windows Phone 7 app coming soon) lets you find a ride in real-time by locating drivers headed in your same direction, assigning you a pin number for safety purposes, and has a feature that enables automatic cost-sharing of the ride.

Maybe you’re a tried and true transit rider. Stuck on the side of the road and wondering where your bus is? One Bus Away has apps for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 7, and features real-time arrival information for a number of local transit agencies. You’ll get arrival info for every bus stop, and easy access to information across a variety of platforms.

Or maybe you’re a cyclist? Ride The City is a global mobile application that lets users map a bike route in 26 major cities (Disclaimer: Seattle is one of them, Bellevue is not, unfortunately). Even better than the Google map bike route application, it will help you find the safest, fastest and most convenient route (and a way around those pesky hills).

Decided to take public transportation to work, but an emergency means you have to leave unexpectedly? Taxi Magic will get you there. Book from your mobile phone or the web and track the arrival of your taxi, charge the ride to your credit card, or expense the trip with an e-receipt.

Moving and want to take walkability into account? WalkScore helps you determine the “walk score” of any location and even comes with a map of nearby amenities within walking directions, as well as reviews and ratings.

So where is the technology lacking? One participant in the Latitude study indicated they’d like to see an application that “allows you to compare options for getting to different places, and maybe adds information like carbon emissions, calories burned and so on, for each option.”  Another suggestion was for a “somewhat experimental” application that would reward small sustainable choices like riding a bike with points, which could then be exchanged in the real world. There are also much more innovative ideas on ways to package data from transportation agencies to offer a side-by-side comparison of travel options.

One of the most essential takeaways from the study is that when it comes to your transportation choices, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  As one participant pointed out, “you can plan a few days a week to go car free, and you get the benefits like time to exercise and read while reducing your environmental impact.”  In short, mobile apps make it easy and even fun to be “good,” and help to create the feeling of transportation independence and choice among users. Choices which of course can still include a car; you’ll just have a lot more information when it comes time to weigh your options.

Be sure to download a copy of Choose Your Way Bellevue’s Mobile App Brochure, which outlines the features and pricing of the various apps discussed above (and more!) for all types of transportation in the Bellevue-area. Copies are also available at the Commuter Connection Store (Bellevue Transit Center, 10850 NE 6th Street, Downtown Bellevue). >> Download

Photo by TransportationCamp on Flickr

We at Choose Your Way Bellevue are geeked (literally) to report back from Transportation Camp, which took place in San Francisco this past weekend. A great mix of entrepreneurs, transit nerds, policy makers, activists, and students assembled under a disco ball to tackle the question: How can we use data to improve our cities and transportation systems?

Sponsored by Open Plans and the Rockefeller Foundation, Transportation Camp is a relatively new concept referred to as an “unconference”(also popular in the tech world because they reflect the culture of the industry) with a hands-on, flexible, a little casual but very hard working and fun to the extreme approach. Instead of a set schedule and droning speakers, every attendee at Transportation Camp had the opportunity to suggest or lead a breakout session, panel discussion or Q&A, and was encouraged to be as creative as possible.  Topics up for discussion ran the gamut of “sexy transit,” “building apps for livable streets,” and “the perils of privatization,” which resulted in delightful and sometimes unexpected conversations. Questions like, what makes a liveable street? Can mobile applications be built that facilitate street life? What are the best practices being deployed by transportation demand management groups across the globe? and How can social media be leveraged to generate more on the ground involvement? were asked.

The majority of the sessions were geared towards addressing the current reality: with accelerating technology and recent census figures pouring in, many municipal governments have unprecedented access to data sets and are trying to figure out what to do with them.  Attendees had the goal of brainstorming how to package this information in a way that is transparent, accountable, and efficient.

While attendees may not have arrived at any answers, there were definitely some concrete conclusions. Consensus abounded that information should be and wants to be made public, and that in order to facilitate and maintain democracy, it should be shared in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Attendees also agreed that nonprofit groups are essential at bridging the divide between public and private entities, and are well positioned to introduce new technologies to a diverse range of constituencies. Everyone acknowledged that web developers are notorious for existing in silos, and deemed it integral that they be encouraged, maybe even incentivized, to talk with citizens about how to build apps that would actually be useful and valuable to them. Groups like Code For America, which collaborates with selected cities throughout the United States to transform data into something which encourages citizen participation and civic building, were featured. 

What are your reactions? Could access to data really improve the transportation system? Are there mobile applications that would make you more likely to use transit? Would knowing the transportation habits of your co-workers make you want to change your behavior? Do you think real-time ridesharing could work in our region? What about connecting your transit pass to a carsharing service? The possibilities are as endless as a data set:  Share your thoughts below!

“The city could see an additional 1 to 3 inches citywide and 2 to 4 inches in the South Bellevue hills prior to Wednesday’s evening commute, with snow and freezing temperatures continuing Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The extended forecast indicates that snow should taper off Thursday afternoon, with clearing and cold temperatures into Friday.”

Seattle’s SDOT crews are also preparing for the worse. According to a City of Seattle news release:

“As of 4 a.m., ten snow plows will hit the streets in the north sector of Seattle and eight plows will move into action in the south sector. Starting at 9 a.m., SDOT will go into a full 24-hour response plan to keep roads open, buses moving and critical emergency services accessible.”

So what is a commuter to do when everyone seems to be awaiting a snowmageddon? Use your best judgment. Whether you have a cross-lake commute, are heading south or north, it’s best to get home safely while the roads are still clear. The conditions are expected to worsen into the evening, so the earlier you leave the better. If your employer allows you to work from home for the last few hours of your day, take advantage of this benefit. And don’t forget to check Metro’s Alerts Center to see if your bus is on emergency snow routing before you leave.

Be safe and good luck out there!

Currently drive alone? Pledge to try a new way of getting to work and take these steps:

1) Fill out and turn in the Way to Work Bellevue sign up form.

2) Look for your sign up confirmation email containing a promotion code. 

3) Register on RideshareOnline.com.

4) Join the Way to Work Bellevue network. Search “Way to Work” under “Profile > My Networks” on RideshareOnline.com. Enter promotion code to join.

5) Begin logging your non-drive-alone commute trips on RideshareOnline.com’s trip calendar.

Just for pledging to try a new commute and registering on RideshareOnline.com, you will automatically receive a $10 gift card! Log 25 days or more of round trip non-drive-along commutes and you will automatically receive a $25 gift card! Monthly drawings for $50 gifts will also be made in February, March and April for those who continue to log their trips at least 3x per week. 

Already ride the bus, carpool, vanpool, bike or walk to work? Pledge to continue commuting the way you do:

1) Fill out and turn in the Way to Work Bellevue sign up form.

2) Look for your sign up confirmation email containing a promotion code. 

3) Register on RideshareOnline.com.

4) Join the Way to Work Bellevue Commute Pros network! Search “Way to Work” under “Profile > My Networks” on RideshareOnline.com. Enter promotion code.

5) Begin logging your non-drive-alone commute trips on RideshareOnline.com’s trip calendar.

Just for pledging to stick to your non-drive-alone commute and registering on RideshareOnline.com, you will automatically receive a $10 gift card! Monthly drawings for $50 gifts will also be made in February, March and April for those who log their trips at least 3x per week!

So what are you waiting for - sign up for Way to Work Bellevue today!

Name:
Brad Shinn

Employer:
CH2MHILL

Commute Mode:
Bike + ferry + bus 

Distance One-Way:
11 miles on bike, about 30 miles total 

What does your bicycle commute entail?
I start out biking on Vashon Highway to the Fauntleroy or Downtown Ferry. Once I’m off the ferry, I bike to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel and take the Sound Transit route 550 bus to the South Bellevue Park & Ride and finish off the last mile to the office on my bike. I bike five days a week unless I’m travelling. In the summer I usually add another leg—either Bellevue to Seattle or Seattle to Fauntleroy Ferry. 

How long have you been commuting by bicycle?
I started the day after Memorial Day weekend, three years ago. 

What do you like best about your biking commute?
There is so much I like about it—the time for reflection, the exercise, the feeling that I am minimizing my impact, the reliability. It also a good conversation starter, “you bike from where?” 

What motivates you to continue commuting by bicycle instead of taking another mode?
Believe it or not I started because I was tired of the unreliability of driving and inflexibility of taking the bus. My commute takes no more time than it did when I drove—except now I can control it. 

If you could improve one thing about the biking experience in Downtown Bellevue, what would it be?
I would say for the region, not just Bellevue, separate bike lines and more of them in congested downtown areas. 

What advice would you give to someone considering commuting by bicycle?
Get a good solid bike, spend the extra money on solid components so your bike is tough and reliable. Buy quality clothing that allow you to ride in any kind of weather—if you don’t you’ll find a million excuses not to ride on a rainy day.

Here are the highlights you should know about:

• 25¢ increase in adult fares (Fares for passes and ticketbooks will also increase)
• 25¢ increase in Access fares (Monthly passes will also increase to $45)
• Monthly/Annual Reduced Fare Pass will officially be replaced with PugetPass
• Weekend Day Pass and Sunday/Holiday Family Fare eliminated
• Youth fares and will remain unchanged
• Cash fares will remain at 75¢ for seniors and those who qualify for reduced fare (Monthly passes will be going up);
• Metro-only annual and monthly reduced fare passes will no longer be sold in 2011 (Existing passes will continue to be valid until they expire)

To find out more about how to purchase an ORCA card, visit orcacard.com, or call 1 (888) 988-6722.

For more information about upcoming the Metro fare adjustments, visit metro.kingcounty.gov.

Catch a ride: There are over 20 Metro and Sound Transit bus routes coming into the Bellevue Transit Center daily.  Try parking your car at one of the nearby park-and-ride lots such as the South Bellevue, Eastgate, or South Kirkland Park and Ride and take a bus the rest of the way.  Visit tripplanner.kingcounty.gov for trip planning assistance.

Go with a friend: If you have two or more people in your car be sure to utilize the direct access ramp at NE 6th Street off of I-405, as well as the HOV lanes on I-405, I-90 and parts of SR-520.

Avoid popular roads: Driving to the Bellevue Collection?  Save time by skipping the NE 8th Street exit off of I-405 and try the NE 4th Street exit instead.  Or try NE 2nd and NE 10th to avoid backups.

Park “right” at the Bravern: If the Bravern is your destination, be aware that you can only make right turns into the parking garage entrances on 110th Avenue NE (valet only), NE 8th Street or 112th Avenue NE.  If you are traveling west on NE 8th Street, you can legally make a u-turn at the 110th Avenue NE intersection.  Coming from 4th Street, take a right onto NE 10th Street to make a right turn into the garage. 

Park near the park: Free on-street parking is available for up to 2 hours on Main Street in Old Bellevue.  You’ll be just steps from your favorite shops.

Be safe: With even more people out and about, please use caution when making turns and avoid pedestrians.

For information on holiday events in Downtown Bellevue, visit magicseason.com.

The Bellevue Transit Center is now equipped with its very own ORCA Ticket Vending Machine. Get a new ORCA card, check your balance, or reload your e-purse or monthly bus pass, all right at the transit center. The machine accepts cash and credit card. Try it out today!

Not nearby the transit center? Stop by these downtown Bellevue retail locations to reload your card:

Downtown Bellevue Safeway
at 300 Bellevue Way NE
Hours: 5:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.

Downtown Bellevue QFC
at 10116 NE 8th Street
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Service Center

Note: Most forms of payment accepted at retail outlets. Your pass or e-purse will be processed and available for immediate use. Retail outlets can only load value to current ORCA cards and do not issue new cards.

This would mean Sound Transit trips within a county would be $2.50 for an adult fare and $3.50 if traveling to another county.  Because there would be no zone change over Lake Washington, Seattle to Eastside trips would be in one zone and thus remain $2.50.   Youth, senior and disabled fares would also change under the proposal. 

Current fares are heavily subsidized by government sales taxes and federal grants.  Fares cover approximately 20 percent of express bus operating costs and the increase will add $400,000 per month to Sound Transit’s budget. King County Metro increased fares by 25 cents per trip the past two years to offset decreased sales tax revenue. 

Sound Transit will have a public hearing on the increase in April. Readers: Do you support Sound Transit raising it’s fares to be able to continue to provide the same levels of transit service? Share your comments below.

-Michael

Is my ORCA information secure?
No personal information (name, birth date, credit card number, etc.) is stored directly on the ORCA cards.  There is no way for someone who steals or finds your ORCA card to obtain this information.  Any personal information is stored in a secure, confidential database that is separate from data about the card’s use.  This information is only linked in the case of a customer service inquiry, such as a lost/stolen card or refund request, or to load value onto a registered ORCA card.

Can my employer see where I am going if I get an ORCA card from them?
As you have read in the newspaper, your employer does have access to reports that show trip data for the ORCA cards associated with their business account.  However, this report only shows summary level transaction data (trip date, transit agency, route and time of transaction) and is not associated with any personal information (name, birth date, etc.) or even an ORCA card serial number.  An employer can request to receive the card serial number for a particular trip if they suspect misuse. This request must be done in writing and include a valid reason for the request.  If the request is granted then the employer will be given the serial number of the ORCA card.  It is up to each employer to determine if they are going to link ORCA card serial numbers with the name of the person using that card. 

Why does the ORCA card collect trip information?
The ORCA program collects data that is necessary for calculating the correct fare and distributing that fare revenue accurately between the 7 participating agencies.  They also use aggregate data from revenue collection and distribution to track regional travel patterns to assist with future transit service design.  Individual card data is uses by the ORCA agencies only to assist with customer service inquiries, such as loss/theft or refund requests.

Is there anything I can do if I don’t want any personal data collected by ORCA?
You have a number of options for maintaining anonymity when using the ORCA system.

- Talk to your employer:  If you receive an ORCA card from your employer, you can contact them directly about your concerns.  Employers set their own policies about ORCA card privacy and the information they can access.

- Use a personal card:  Your employer has no access to any data collected on an ORCA card you obtain personally.

- Use an unregistered personal card: Every ORCA card user has the option to not register their card and this allows a customer to use the card anonymously.  The drawback to having an unregistered card is that there is no way to transfer your funds to a new card if yours is lost or stolen.

- Pay cash: You can continue to use cash for all transit rides on all seven transit agencies.  However, interagency transfers are no longer accepted unless a customer is using an ORCA card.

Still have questions?  Post a comment and TransManage staff will be happy to help!

-Caryn

1. Online: Visit OrcaCard.com and create a new My Orca Account by clicking through the “Need a Card” and “Order New Card” links. Once your complete your My Orca Account profile, you will have the choice to either load a monthly bus pass product onto your card (essentially the new Puget Pass), or load cash into your “E-purse” which will be deducted from just like a debit card when you ride the bus. Both options require online payment with a valid Visa or Mastercard. Once you have completed the online process your ORCA card will show up in your mailbox shortly and ready to use!

*Note: Online option is for Adult ORCA cards only. Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must be purchased in person at an ORCA Customer service office (see “In Person Option A” below).

2. By Mail: Download the ORCA Card Order/Add Value Form, fill out the required sections, and mail your completed application to: ORCA Regional Mail Center, 201 S Jackson Street, MS TR-0108, Seattle, WA 98104-3856. Load a monthly pass product or cash into your “E-purse” by sending a check, credit card # or money order with your application. You may also load your ORCA card online or by phone a once you receive your card.

*Note: By Mail option is for Adult and Youth (ages 6 to 18) ORCA cards only. Senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must be purchased in person at an ORCA Customer service office (see “In Person” options below).

3. By Phone: Call the ORCA customer service hotline at 1-888-988-6722 or TTY Relay: 711/1-888-889-6368. Payment for loading a monthly pass or cash into your “E-purse” requires a valid Visa or Mastercard.

*Note: Phone option is for Adult ORCA cards only. Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must be purchased in person at an ORCA Customer service office (see “In Person Option A” below).

4. In Person:

Option A - ORCA Customer Service Office. Click on the link to view offices by agency and location. Adult, youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA card applications are accepted. Most forms of payment are also accepted.

Option B - Participating Retail Outlet. Click on the link to view retail outlets and locations. Pick up a new ORCA card (Adult fare customers only) and load a monthly bus pass or cash to your “E-purse” (all customers).

Option C – Stop by either of these downtown Bellevue locations Monday through Friday, while supplies last: Commuter Connection store, in the Rider Services Building at the Bellevue Transit Center, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. TransManage office. 500 108th Ave. NE, Suite 210, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

*Note: Only Adult fare customers can receive a new blank ORCA card at a participating retail outlet, the Commuter Connection store or the TransManage office. Customers eligible for reduced fare (Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards must first obtain a reduced fare ORCA card at an ORCA Customer Service Office (see Option A) prior to adding value.

5. Ticket Vending Machine: Located on the mezzanine level of all Sound Transit Link light rail and Sounder commuter rail stations. Click on this link to view the full list of self-serve ticket vending machine locations. A machine is expected to be installed at the Bellevue Transit Center in spring 2010. TVM purchases require cash or valid Visa or MasterCard.

*Note: Only Adult fare customers may receive new ORCA card at a Ticket Vending Machine. Customers eligible for reduced fare (Youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Regional Reduced Fare Permit ORCA cards) must first obtain a reduced fare ORCA card at an ORCA Customer Service Office before  adding value at a TVM location.

And please be aware that through January 31 the standard ORCA card is available at no charge, however beginning February 1, 2010 a $5 card fee will be charged. Current youth (ages 6 to 18), senior (ages 65+) and disabled Reduced Regional Fare Permit holders may exchange their valid RRFP card at a ORCA Customer Service Office (see locations above) any time for a new ORCA RRFP card at no charge. A new RRFP ORCA card costs $3.

Happy travels!

-Jordan