AirSage Analysis Study

CAT Board Meeting

April 25, 2017
 Presentation Agenda

Project Status
O/D Study Results
Next Steps
Questions

CAT Board // April 25,

2
2017
 Project Status

Activities Update
Completed system performance analysis.
Completed AirSage data analysis.
Combined all analysis results to form
recommendations.
Coordinated with CAT staff to refine
recommendations.
Identified cost savings associated with
service modifications.

CAT Board // April 25,

3
2017
 General Findings

Are we serving areas where we need to be?

Yes and No

Are we missing service in areas where potential

opportunities exist?
Yes

Downtown, Midtown Hospitals, and Oglethorpe Mall area

are critical destinations for local travel.
Shopping, employment, and residential surrounding the
Oglethorpe Mall area generates significant trip activity.
Much travel occurs within the region and
jobs/shopping/services located on the outer perimeter of
the service area
Travel patterns are primarily North and South oriented
inside the urban core.

11 Meeting Name // Date

 Recommendation Goals

Optimize system performance

Limit service redundancy and/or
inefficiencies.
Minimize impacts to existing riders.
Identify opportunities for new
service
Improved frequency
General
Improve services giving priority to local
residents travel needs.
14 Meeting Name // Date
 Operational Cost

Routes with Average Operational Cost per Passenger by Route

highest average $40

operational cost Average Operational Cost per Passenger $35

per passenger: $30

$25

20 Skidaway Island $20

/ Coffee Bluff $15

100x - Airport
$10
Express
$5
11 Candler
$0

Established Tier I
Route
Recommendations:

Improve system Tier I

efficiency
Modify
underperforming
service
Tier 1
20 Skidaway Island/Coffee Bluff
100X Airport Express
11 Candler
 Route 20
Recommendations
Recommendations:
Discontinue Route 20

Further analyze rideshare pilot program

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Route 20 has the highest average
operational cost per passenger.

Low ridership is associated with reduced

transit propensity and limited travel
demand among Coffee Bluff, Skidaway
Island, Isle of Hope, and Montgomery
Crossroad.

Key destinations, such as Oglethorpe

Mall and Walmart, are currently served
by other routes.

A transportation network company pilot

program could cover areas with lost
service, including The Village Shopping
Center at the Landings and Coffee Bluff.

Recommendation Results:
Service Hours Reduction: 145 / avg.
weekday
 Route 100x
Recommendations
Recommendations:
Discontinue Route 100x

Modify Route 3 to offer service to Airport

and Airway Avenues, and add a stop
closer to Gulf Stream.

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Route 100x has the second highest
average operational cost per passenger.

Trips originating at the Airport or

destined for the Airport are distributed
geographically and do not have
sufficient density within the downtown
area to sustain adequate ridership.

Key destinations, such as the Airport,

hotels, and downtown, should still be
served by fixed route transit to
accommodate local trips, representing
of AirSage activity.

Recommendation Results:
Service Hours Reduction: 258 / avg.
weekday
 Route 11
Recommendations
Recommendations:

Discontinue Route 11

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Route 11 has the third highest average
operational cost per passenger.

Low ridership is associated with reduced

transit propensity in the southeastern
portion of the route and lack of desired
O/D correlation.

Key destinations, such as the Candler

Hospital and downtown will still be
served by other routes.
Service Route Alternatives:

Abercorn St : Route 14
Recommendation Results: Candler Hospital: Route 27

Service Hours Reduction: 143 / avg. Portions of Skidaway Rd, Derenne Ave, La
Roche Ave, and Nottingham Dr/Beaumont Dr:
weekday Route 31

Passenger Impacts: <0.5% of system Near Eisenhower Dr at Skidaway Rd: Route 4

ridership impacted (approximately)

Tier 2
Route 12: Henry
Route 10: East Savannah
Route 14: Abercorn
Route 31: Skidaway / Sandfly
 Route 12 Recommendations
Recommendations:
Discontinue route segment serving Island
Towne Center and Thunderbolt.
Reroute to serve Savannah State University
via Skidaway Road and LaRoche Avenue.
Reduce cycle time from 120 minutes to 90
minutes.
Remove one bus from service, reducing peak
vehicles from four to three while maintaining
30 minute headways.
A second bus could be removed if route timing
moves to 45 minute headways. However this
deviates from system schedule model and
could confuse passengers.

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Route 12 service to Island Towne Center
results in redundancy with route 10.
The corridor used by Route 12 to serve Towne
Center navigates along a largely uninhabitable
corridor with low propensity and low density.
Recommendation Results:
Service Hours Increase: TBD / avg. weekday
Frequency Impacts: Maintain 30 minute
headways
 Route 10 Recommendations
Recommendations:
Reroute to serve schools at Island Towne
Center, previously served by Route 12.
Cut underperforming loop at Wilmington
Island, if needed, to relax the schedule
accommodating service to schools.
Maintain 60 minute headways and 2 buses

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Route 12 service to Island Towne Center is
recommended to be cut due to redundancy
with Route 10.
The schools at Island Towne Center should
continue to be served by rerouting Route
10.
Modifications to Route 10 do not result in
cost savings or increased cost for the
system, and are recommended as a
complement to Route 12 recommendations.

Recommendation Results:
Service Hours Reduction: Neutral
Frequency Impacts: Maintain 60 minute
headways
 Route 14 Recommendations
Recommendations:
Enhance frequency between Oglethorpe Mall and
Downtown Transfer Center.
Phase I
Split Route 14 at Oglethorpe Mall
Utilize 4 peak buses on North leg of route to improve
frequency to downtown.
Maintain service on South leg of route using remaining 2
vehicles.
Phase II
Add frequency on North leg of Abercorn using new
electric buses.

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Significant demand between downtown and
Oglethorpe Mall area, which is the primary
opportunity for trips coming from West side of town
to get to the desired mall area zone most
quickly/directly.
Only approx. 20% of transit trips originating at the
Downtown Station continue beyond the Oglethorpe
Mall.
Roughly 60% of trips originating south of
Oglethorpe Mall continue into the downtown area.
Recommendation Results:
Service Hours Increase: Maintain current service
hours using existing buses.
Frequency Impacts: Extended 15 minute headways
on North alignment
 Route 31 Recommendations
Recommendations:

Streamline service to improve on-time

performance issues.

Discontinue underperforming route

segments at Sallie Mood and
Montgomery Crossroad.

Maintain current headways and

schedule.

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Route 31 has consistent on-time
performance issues.

Streamlining service to major

destinations will help to improve on-
time performance.

Limited ridership exists on Sallie Mood

and Montgomery Crossroad. Primary
destination of Goodwill is within
walking distance to service on
Eisenhower Dr. and is a low speed
corridor with walkable shoulders.

Recommendation Results:
Service Hours Increase: 0 / avg.
Tier 3
Route 3b: Augusta Avenue / Garden City / Hudson Hill
Route 29: West Gwinnett / Cloverdale
Route 3: West Chatham (Benton Blvd. Loop)
New Service: Southside Circulator
New Service: West Chatham Circulator
 Route 3B / 29 Recommendatio
Recommendations:

Further analyze the feasibility of

combining routes 3b and 29 while
streamlining routing to
discontinue underperforming
loops.

Discontinue one service vehicle

while maintaining frequency and
coverage.

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Stop level ridership data is not
currently available for this route.

Strong travel desire lines indicate

that trips are seeking a common
destination.

Trips should route through the

transfer center on the inbound
and outbound segments of the
combined service.

Recommendation Results:
Further study ridership patterns to
 New: West Chatham Circulator
Recommendations:
Consider the elimination of Benton Blvd.
Loop from Route 3, to be incorporated
with West Chatham service, if feasible.

Further evaluate a West Chatham area

circulator within the existing service area.

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Removal of Benton Blvd. would streamline
Route 3 service providing more direct Transit
service to the downtown area for transfer Propensity
opportunities.

AirSage trip data demonstrates that a

significant number of trips beginning in
the West Chatham area do not desire
direct access to Downtown.

Low transit propensity and suburban

development patterns must be considered
during future analysis.

Low frequency service extensions from

existing routes will not match the trip
behaviors of the West Chatham area
market.
 New: Southside Circulator
Recommendations:
Further analyze the feasibility and Non Visitor Home Based Other
need for a Southside Circulator.
Destinations and Desire Lines
Enhance south end of decoupled
route 14 to improve frequency and
direct service between shopping,
housing, and employment in the
Southside district.

Analyze the interaction with Route 31

between Oglethorpe Mall and
Montgomery Crossroad Walmart.
Consider using a circulator to
enhance or replace segments of
strained routes in the area.

Route Analysis Synopsis:

Routes 14 and 6 work together to
provide service options between
Oglethorpe Mall and Savannah Mall.
Wait times can be as short as 3
minutes on outbound and 7 minutes
on inbound.

Service between Oglethorpe Mall and

Montgomery Crossroad Walmart is
sporadic, with maximum wait times of
40 minutes to and 60 minutes from
 Summary

Route modifications recommended total

approximately 770 Average Weekday Hours of
Reduction.
Route Change Savings
20 MONTGOMERY/COFFEE Tier 1 - Discontinue Route Route
100X AIRPORT EXPRESS Tier 1 - Discontinue Route Route
11 CANDLER Tier 1 - Discontinue Route Route
Tier 3 - Future
29 WEST GWINNETT
consideration
6 CROSSTOWN No change
Tier 3 - Future
3B AUGUSTA AVE - HUDSON
consideration
4 BARNARD No change
12 HENRY Tier 2 1 bus
Tier 3 - Future
3 WEST CHATHAM
consideration
Complements
10 EAST SAVANNAH
Tier 2 Modifications
17 SILK HOPE No change
28 WATERS No change
27 WATERS No change
31 SKIDAWAY/SANDFLY Cut segment Improves Performance
25 WEST LAKE APARTMENTS No change
14 ABERCORN LOCAL Split Improves Frequency

CAT Board // April 25,

34
2017
 Next Steps

Incorporate CAT Board feedback into

recommendations
Submit final report May/June 2017

CAT Board // April 25,

35
2017
 Questions?

CAT Board // April 25,

36
2017