Campus Circulator
The NDSU Campus Circulator is in its second year serving the campus. It serves the campus to moves students, faculty and staff between the T-lot, the Technology Park, the Wellness Center and the Memorial Union/Library area. We asked the faculty and staff some questions to determine if they are making use of the circulator or if they have suggestions to modify the service to better meet their needs.
With a few modifications, we may entice the faculty and staff to ride the circulator. Sixty-one percent reported familiarity with the campus circulator, but only 8 percent reported using it (Figure 5.9). Faculty and staff certainly may not need to use the circulator as much as students do, however, they may be able to take advantage of it more often. Faculty and staff working in the Technology Park may prefer to jump in their vehicle and go off-campus for lunch yet they could easily take the circulator, which stops near the Memorial Union, for lunch or to attend meetings elsewhere on campus. Several faculty and staff wrote in comments they did not know the schedule of the circulator nor the route. More faculty and staff may begin to ride the circulator with some additional marketing such as flyers introducing the service and making the routes and schedules readily accessible. The route and schedule is on the NDSU Web page. However, a more direct link or banner would draw attention to the service.
Figure 5.9 Faculty and Staff Familiar With or Using the Circulator
Sixteen percent of the respondents indicated they would like the circulator to stop at additional on-campus locations. These locations mentioned include: Alumni Center, Arby's, Architecture Building, NDSU Downtown, Old Main, Skills & Technology Training Center (on 19th Avenue), and parking lots.
Faculty and staff were also asked how long they would be willing to wait for the circulator and 60 percent reported they would wait for seven minutes while 30 percent reported they would wait for up to 10 minutes. The willingness of faculty and staff to wait declines after 10 minutes. However, five percent are willing to wait up to 15 minutes (Figure 5.10). In general, many people can walk to many locations on campus within 10 minutes; therefore, they will not want to wait long for the circulator. It is important to meet the expectations and needs with a short wait time for the next round of the circulator. Last year the circulator route took approximately 10 minutes. However, the route was expanded and the time frame expanded to approximately 15 minutes. This is longer than faculty and staff indicated they are willing to wait for the circulator.
Figure 5.10 Time Faculty and Staff are Willing to Wait for Circulator
Distance Willing to Walk Given Temperature
We asked faculty and staff the distance they are willing to walk in above-freezing temperatures and below-freezing temperatures. The numbers varied sub-stantially. In above-freezing temperatures, 32 percent were willing to walk between 0.25 to 0.50 miles and 36 percent were willing to walk between 0.5 to one mile (Figure 5.11). However, when tempera-tures plummet to below freezing, 59 percent of respondents are willing to walk less than 0.25 miles. Certainly the circulator seems to have more appeal during the winter months when the temperatures can be below freezing for weeks and even months.
Figure 5.11 Distance Willing to Walk Given Temperature
Utilization of MAT
A number of questions were asked to discern how faculty and staff viewed public transportation. We wanted a better understanding of their perceptions of the benefits of public transit and if they had ever ridden public transportation. We asked those who had ridden the MAT system in Fargo-Moorhead about their experiences. We also asked what important characteristics they value about public transportation, what factors may discourage them from riding MAT, and how long they are willing to wait for MAT.
Benefits of Public Transportation
Faculty and staff were asked to identify what they believed were the benefits of public transportation on campus. They believed there were a number of benefits, which are illustrated in (Figure 5.12). The top benefits include: reduced parking demand (77 percent); reduced traffic congestion (75 percent); and environ-mental concerns (46 percent). From their responses, a good transit planning and market-ing campaign would seem to entice them to public transportation and reduce the parking demand.
Figure 5.12 Benefits to Riding Public Transit
Experiences Riding MAT
Twenty-eight percent (90 respondents) of faculty and staff reported using the MAT bus. Those who used the system were asked to explain their experiences using MAT. Of those 28 percent riding, 82 percent said the bus was clean; 78 percent said the bus took them where they wanted to go; and 77 percent said the bus arrived reasonably on time (Figure 5.13).
Figure 5.13 Faculty and Staff Expereinces Riding MAT
We asked the respondents about characteristics they might value as important for riding MAT. We listed eight potential characteristics and asked respondents to identify if they agreed, were neutral, or disagreed if the characteristic was important. The characteristics included: 1) free service; 2) less stress than driving; 3) convenience; 4) comfort; 5) drivers are friendly; 6) reliable/on-time; 7) environmentally friendly; and 8) serves the Fargo-Moorhead area. Figure 5.14 contains the results of the respondents. The characteristic "serves the Fargo-Moorhead area" received the highest number of individuals viewing that as important followed closely by "reliable service," and "friendly drivers."
Figure 5.14 Important Characteristic Values of Public Transportation
Factors that Discourage Use of MAT
Faculty and staff were asked what keeps them from using the MAT bus service. The highest reported reason (87 percent) was their preference to drive, walk or ride their bike. Approximately 52 percent said the bus took too long while 40 percent indicated there was no route where they needed to go. Thirty-three percent reported they believed there was a lack of information (Figure 5.15). These responses further substantiate the importance of mapping where faculty and staff live and offering route recommendations to MAT officials.
Figure 5.15 Factors that Discourage Use of MAT
Respondents were asked how long they would wait for MAT. Ninety-one percent reported 15 minutes while 7 percent reported 30 minutes (Figure 5.16). MAT often has a 30-minute headway serving the NDSU campus. It may be worthwhile to investigate the cost of having a 15-minute headway during the peak morning and afternoon travel hours.
Figure 5.16 Time Willing to Wait for MAT
We asked faculty and staff to identify reasons they would ride MAT in the Fargo-Moorhead area. They were presented potential reasons and they were to reply "yes" or "no" for each possibility. The possibilities included: to go to another campus, to visit family and friends, shopping, to go to and from campus and to get around campus. Nearly 34 percent indicated they would take MAT to get around campus (Figure 5.17). Closely following, 28 percent indicated they would take MAT to get to and from campus. Almost 17 percent indicated they would take MAT to go shopping. Faculty and staff could conveniently ride MAT to go shopping at West Acres using Gold Route 20 during the noon hour or during another break during the day.
Figure 5.17 Reasons to Use MAT
Campus Accommodations for Transit
Transit accommodations can make riding the bus more appealing. We asked the faculty and staff about accommodations including shelters and fees. We first asked respondents if they would like to see more shelters on campus. Fifty-five percent reported they would like more shelters on the NDSU campus. The most frequently suggested locations for the shelters included Memorial Union, Library, Old Main, Bison Sports Arena, Fargodome, and 12th Avenue-Albrecht-Bolley. We also asked if they would like heated shelters on campus and if so, where they should be located. Fifty-seven percent reported they would like heated shelters on campus (Figure 5.18). The top locations suggested for heated shelters included Memorial Union, Old Main, Fargodome, at the current shelters and wherever there is no building/shelter in which to currently wait.
Figure 5.18 Desire for More and Heated Shlters
We asked respondents if they would be willing to ride the MAT bus if administration provided a monthly pass at a reduced rate. More than one-third of respondents reported they would ride MAT at a reduced rate. We further asked if they would ride MAT if administration provided a free monthly pass. Fifty-three percent reported they would ride MAT if provided a free monthly pass. The high percentage of individuals who indicated they would take MAT with a free pass is positive for campus. If more faculty and staff shift their mode choice to public transportation, it will reduce parking demand to help alleviate the overcrowding of the parking lots. Further, it will allow the University to focus more on developing buildings to hold the new programs and serving the education and research needs of the campus.