CITY OF VANCOUVER

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

 

Date:

March 23, 2004

 

Author:

Don Klimchuk

 

Phone No.:

873-7345

 

RTS No.:

04089

 

CC File No.:

5551

 

Meeting Date:

April 6, 2004

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

2003 Transit Ridership Data

INFORMATION

The General Manager of Engineering Services submits this report for INFORMATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

In May 1997, Council adopted the City of Vancouver Transportation Plan, including the mode split targets which emphasize the need for increased provision and use of transit.

In June 1999, Council approved recommendations to improve transportation system monitoring, including requesting that the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (TransLink) improve regional data collection.

In July 2002, Council approved the Downtown Vancouver Transportation Plan, which emphasizes a balanced transportation system that includes enhanced public transit.

SUMMARY

Accommodating growth in transportation demand through increased public transit use is a key strategy in both Vancouver and regional transportation plans. Two recent reports, one from TransLink and the other from the University of British Columbia Trek Program, indicate significant increases in transit ridership both regionally and locally.

TransLink's report notes that total transit ridership increased almost 12% between 2002 and 2003. This represents the strongest growth in transit ridership in the region since the Expo SkyTrain line opened in 1986. A number of initiatives contributed to this increase, including the opening of the Millennium SkyTrain line, bus service improvements, introduction of U-Pass Programs, increased sale of monthly transit passes and recovery from the impacts of the 2001 transit strike. Related data from TransLink also shows that although Vancouver represents only about 27% of the region's population, it continues to account for over 50% of the region's transit ridership.

The UBC Trek Program report highlights the significant contribution that the UBC U-Pass had towards increasing regional transit ridership. This program was introduced in Fall 2003. Compared to 2002 levels, U-Pass generated a transit ridership increase to and from UBC of almost 16,000 trips per day (53% increase). Much of the increase in transit ridership was a result of a reduction in car-pooling. Progress was shown with reducing single-occupant vehicle (SOV) use generated by the campus. Compared to 1997 levels, SOV use decreased 2.2% - although this reduction is small, it is a significant trend given that the daytime population at UBC grew 20% during this period. UBC also reported a 7% decrease in daily traffic volumes on the arterials leading to the campus.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to provide an information update on transit ridership trends (including the impact of U-pass implementation), based on data that was collected by TransLink and the University of British Columbia in 2003.

BACKGROUND

Providing for growth in transportation demand through increased public transit use is a key strategy in both Vancouver and regional transportation plans. TransLink (the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority) as part of its mandate for delivering transit services to the region, regularly monitors and reports on estimated transit ridership. On a monthly basis, the number of system users is estimated from fare box revenues. This ridership information is broken down by main transit modes: bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express. After the end of each year, the monthly data is totalled and annual ridership is reported.

These annual reports provide important indicators on how the City and region are progressing towards meeting their transportation objectives. Although trip diary surveys carried out by the region provide more detailed data on transit trips and other mode shares, these surveys are carried out on a 5-year cycle (with the most recent being in 1999). Annual transit ridership estimates are therefore important for tracking transit trends between years in which trip diary surveys are carried out.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) also collects transit and other mode share data on an annual basis. Monitoring is carried out through the UBC TREK Program Centre, to track progress towards their commitment to reduce UBC single occupancy vehicle trips by improving transportation choices. Vancouver's Transportation Plan (1997) recognized that
next to downtown, UBC is the City's largest generator of trips. The Plan sets transit and other 2021 mode share targets for the both the City as a whole, and important sub-areas such as UBC.

One of the main strategies for helping to reach UBC's transportation objectives has been to develop a universal discounted transit pass for students (U-Pass), in partnership with TransLink. A U-Pass program for UBC was implemented by TransLink, UBC, and the Alma Mater Society (student governing body) in September 2003, and included increasing transit service on routes serving the university. The U-Pass is mandatory for all AMS students and provides unlimited student access to TransLink bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus services during the school year. U-Pass holders are also eligible for discounted West Coast Express fares. Current U-Passes will expire at the end of April 2004. The 2004/2005 school year U-Passes will come into effect in mid-August 2004. UBC has begun discussions with TransLink on the possibility of implementing a summer U-Pass in 2005.

DISCUSSION

The reports from TransLink and the UBC Trek Program that are summarized below, provide updates on local and regional transit ridership trends. Besides indicating progress towards transportation planning objectives, the reports also provide important context for the upcoming Vancouver Transit Area Plan.

1) TRANSLINK 2003 TRANSIT RIDERSHIP REPORT (February 2004)

TransLink's 2003 Transit Ridership report was made to the GVTA Board of Directors at their February 25th, 2004 meeting. The full report (4 pages) can be viewed on-line at http://www.translink.bc.ca/Boards_and_Committees/. Some of the key changes from 2002 to 2003, on a region-wide basis are:

Total Transit - up 11.7%

The total transit ridership increase in 2003 was the strongest growth in the region since the Expo SkyTrain line opened in 1986. TransLink attributes this to a number of factors including:

Bus - up 11.2%

SkyTrain - up 15.1%

SeaBus - down 1.5%

West Coast Express - no change

2) ADDITIONAL BUS RIDERSHIP DATA - VANCOUVER

In addition to the regional data in TransLink's Board report, staff obtained extra bus and SkyTrain data from TransLink that is more specific to Vancouver.

Vancouver Bus - Up over 9%; over half of system ridership is Vancouver based

With the methodology used for bus ridership data collection, it is not possible to precisely separate only the ridership for routes in Vancouver. However, a reasonable estimate of bus ridership trends in Vancouver can be obtained by reviewing data for the Oakridge Transit Centre, which serves most Vancouver routes. This data is shown in Table 1. below.

Table 1. Oakridge Transit Centre Bus Ridership

2002

2003

2003

02-03

 

 

% of Regional

Increase

46,426,000

50,611,000

52%

9%

Although the Oakridge Transit Centre data includes most Vancouver routes, two of the busiest routes in the city (and region), the #98 and #99 B-Lines, are not included since they run from transit centres in other municipalities. Accordingly, Vancouver's total transit ridership is somewhat higher than indicated by just the Oakridge Transit Centre data. Although it is not possible to separate the Vancouver B-line data from other transit centres, TransLink has collected data on average Vancouver B-Line boardings on weekdays, which is shown in Table 2. below. Total Boardings cover all passenger boardings along the entire length of the B-Line service (i.e. from Commercial Drive to UBC on the #99).

Table 2. Vancouver B-Line Total Boardings on a Weekday

 

2002

2003

02-03

 

 

 

Increase

#98 B-Line (Granville)

18,000

20,000

11%

#99 B-Line (Broadway)

25,000

34,000

36%

Total

43,000

54,000

26%

As noted previously, the large increase in the #99-B-Line boardings can be attributed mostly to the introduction of the UBC U-Pass.

Vancouver SkyTrain - Up 13.9%

A further breakdown of the regional SkyTrain data for Vancouver station ridership is shown in Table 3. below. The overall increase in SkyTrain ridership in Vancouver of about 14% is similar to the SkyTrain growth in the region as a whole. The 27% drop in ridership at the Broadway Station can be attributed to some ridership being transferred to the Commercial Station with the opening of the Millennium Line. Similar to bus ridership, Vancouver users account for over 50% of the ridership on SkyTrain.

Table 3. Vancouver SkyTrain Ridership (Revenue Passengers)

STATION

2002

2003

CHANGE

 

    

 

Expo Line

    

 

WATERFRONT

693,751

696,055

0.3%

BURRARD

2,464,645

2,764,273

12.2%

GRANVILLE

2,604,694

2,754,064

5.7%

STADIUM

1,723,138

1,853,318

7.6%

MAIN STREET

1,340,744

1,450,688

8.2%

BROADWAY

1,835,286

1,333,577

-27.3%

NANAIMO

825,150

886,349

7.4%

29TH AVENUE

707,001

755,947

6.9%

JOYCE

1,467,495

1,553,912

5.9%

Sub-total

13,661,903

14,048,182

2.8%

 

    

 

Millennium Line

    

 

RUPERT

90,256

319,205

N/A*

RENFREW

95,091

334,123

N/A*

COMMERCIAL

389,160

1,520,434

N/A*

Sub-total

574,507

2,173,761

 

 

    

 

Vancouver Total

14,236,409

16,221,944

13.9%

Vancouver % of Region

51.7%

52.1%

 

 

    

 

Region Total

29,448,779

33,897,781

15.1%

* Annual comparison not applicable since Millennium Line did not open until Fall 2002

3) UBC TREK TRANSPORTATION STATUS REPORT (March 2004)

The UBC Trek Program Centre released their Transportation Status Report (Fall 1997 to Fall 2003) in March 2004. The full 62 page report can be viewed on-line at
http://www.trek.ubc.ca/research/pdf/Fall%202003%20Transportation%20Status%20Report.pdf.
A summary of travel patterns in Fall 1997, Fall 2002 (before U-pass) and Fall 2003 (after U-Pass) is shown in Table S.1 below:
Table S.1 - 1997, 2002 and 2003 Daily Trips To/From UBC

Among the highlights of the changes from 1997 to 2003 are:

Transit - up 139%

Since 1997, the number of daily transit trips to and from UBC has more than doubled. This large growth is attributed to the introduction of U-Pass and other transit service improvements. U-Pass had by far the greatest impact, generating a ridership increase of 15,700 daily trips from 2002 to 2003. This represents an increase of 53% in one year, or about 60% of the total increase between 1997 and 2003.

Table S.1 also shows that in 2003, 39% of daily trips to and from UBC are by transit. The Vancouver Transportation Plan calls for the UBC sub-area to have a target transit mode share of 33% in 2021. The Transportation Plan's target is not directly comparable to the UBC transit share data for the following reasons:

Both these factors will decrease the UBC transit mode share slightly. However, taking these adjustments into account, it is likely that the Transportation Plan mode target for UBC transit has been met or slightly exceeded. The need to update Transportation Plan targets for UBC will be reviewed further, when staff report back on the Transportation Plan mode targets later this year.

Changes in transit ridership by route are shown in Figure 5.5. below. Ridership on the #99-B Line grew the most from 2002 to 2003 (135% increase). Routes 41 and 43 along 41st Avenue also experienced high growth (78% increase), as did Route 44 connecting to downtown (104% increase) and Route 480 connecting to Richmond (90% increase).

Figure 5.5 - Fall 2002 vs. Fall 2003 Ridership to/from UBC by Route

Car-Pooling - down 40%

As shown in Figure 5.3, a substantial portion of the increase in transit trips was at the expense of car-pooling and van-pooling. Focus group sessions conducted at UBC revealed that many students, faculty and staff considered transit as a more attractive mode, especially as the frequency of transit services and route options has improved.

Figure 5.3 - Sources of New Transit Ridership Since 1997


Single-Occupant Vehicle Use - down 2.2%

Although the absolute decrease (2.2%) in the number of single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) was slight, it represents a significant reduction, taking into consideration that overall trips generated by UBC increased 11%. Since 1997, the daytime population at UBC has grown 20%. Accordingly, on a per person basis, the reduction in SOVs is 18.5%. The UBC report notes that SOV reduction, combined with the reduction in car-pooling, has resulted in daily traffic volumes to and from UBC being down about 7%.

CONCLUSION

Recent transit ridership data from both TransLink and UBC show significant progress being made in reaching City and regional transportation plan objectives to increase transit ridership. Regionally, transit ridership increased significantly, with growth of 11.7% from 2002 to 2003. One of the most dramatic increases was in bus ridership to and from the University of British Columbia. With the introduction of the UBC U-Pass in Fall 2003, transit ridership increased by 53% or 15,700 daily trips compared to Fall 2002. Also significant is that although Vancouver represents only about 27% of the region's population, it continues to account for over 50% of the region's transit ridership. Information contained in the two reports, as well as the additional Vancouver data provided by TransLink, provides important background information for developing Vancouver's Transit Area Plan.

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© 2002 City of Vancouver