MARKET RESEARCH: DETERMINING WHO WILL RIDE THE BUS TOMORROW

The primary purpose of this paper will be to demonstrate how the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) has used market research in the past to determine who will ride our transit system in the future. The research we conduct is centered on the concept that future riders are not only those new to the system, but also include existing customers who continue to ride. Therefore, the goal is to determine how to gain new riders without alienating our existing customer base. I will provide details on CATS' three-part approach to this goal: 1) Surveying existing customers and non-riders, 2) Focusing questions on perceptions, image, overall satisfaction with the system, and the importance of customer service aspects vs. our performance on those aspects, 3) Using the perceptions, image and satisfaction answers as the umbrella and the comparison of importance and performance on customer service aspects as specifics from which to make recommendations. This process allows CATS to obtain relevant information and to establish focus points and next steps. This paper will explain how important the entire market research process, from question development to how to interpret the results, is to being able to establish focus points and next steps. It will detail how we have used market research survey results in the past to assure that we are providing quality service to current customers and to uncover market segments to target in the future. This paper will show that focusing on both groups has allowed us to gain ridership, enhance and expand our service.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/1931594120
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Full conference proceedings available on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Bumgarner, S
• Conference:
  • Bus and Paratransit & Bus Rapid Transit Conference
  • Location: Denver, Colorado
  • Date: 2004-5-2 to 2004-5-6
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices;
• Pagination: 17p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus transit; Bus transportation; Customer service; Development; Information systems; Market development; Public transit; Quality control; Quality of service; Research; Ridership
• Geographic Terms: Charlotte (North Carolina)
• Subject Areas: Motor Carriers; Public Transportation; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00980159
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594120
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 14 2004 12:00AM