A TRANSIT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR STATE EMPLOYEES

The research presented in this report evaluates a transit assistance program undertaken with congestion and land use issues as a foundation. More specifically, the program sought to relieve pressure on over-crowded parking lots without building additional parking spaces. The objectives of the research were much broader than the determination of how well the subsidy program met the legislative objective of reducing parking demand. The emphasis was to provide transit management and planners with information about the characteristics which impact the travel decisions of these groups. The transit subsidy program was initiated in the State of Iowa. Employees throughout the state were provided an opportunity to purchase monthly passes on the local transit system at a 50 percent subsidy level during the first year and at a 25 percent subsidy level during a second year. This research evaluates the transportation, socioeconomic, and attitudinal characteristics of the participants and nonparticipants in the program. The effectiveness of the program in changing travel habits and the cost of the program are assessed. The most significant and consistent variable for discriminating between users and non-users was the attitudinal factor. Travel cost, the policy variable addressed by the subsidy, was not a dominant variable in any of the models. Discriminant analysis probability models were able to correctly classify approximately 80 percent of the employees. Transferability of the models between cities was checked by classifying employees in the cities other than the one in which the model was calibrated. Employee classifications were most comparable with models based on the attitudinal components. Approximately 45 percent of the users were auto drivers before the program. The savings from the potential reductions in parking demand could exceed the cost of the program. However, the demand is not uniformly reduced throughout the year. Recommendations are made to offer alternative pass or ticket forms in order to attract more employees to the program. (UMTA)

• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Engineering Experiment Station
  Ames, IA  United States  50011

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Kannel, E J
  • Polito, S J
  • Yun-Hao Woo, R
• Publication Date: 1980-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 118 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Discriminant analysis; Government employees; Incentives; Public transit; Ridership; Socioeconomic factors; State government; Subsidies; Travel budgets; Travel costs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Socioeconomic data
• Old TRIS Terms: Discriminate analysis
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00325352
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-IA-11-0003-80-1Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: IA-11-0003
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 15 1981 12:00AM