ndyGo passenger survey begins September 22nd

Study will collect rider origin, destination information for route planning

The on-board passenger survey being conducted by IndyGo and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) begins tomorrow: September 22. The study includes Fixed Route service as well as IndyGo ICE routes. Data collection will continue through October.

This study will gather information on passenger travel patterns including origin, destination, number of transfers and demographics. This information is being collected to assess current routes, and it will used as the basis for recommendations to short and long-term improvements of Indianapolis public transportation through the Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA), another joint partnership between IndyGo and the MPO. This is a Federally funded transportation-planning project and not a customer satisfaction survey.

A trained two-person team in uniform will board assigned buses and distribute questionnaires to passengers. The surveyors will be available to answer questions from transit users about the survey. Participants will be encouraged to complete the survey during their ride and return it to the research team.

The first 4000 riders to return a completed survey on a Fixed Route will receive a free day pass for regular fixed route service. The first 200 ICE passengers to return a completed questionnaire will receive a free one-way ticket. All respondents who complete the survey will be eligible to win one of five $100 cash prizes.

The Indianapolis MPO's Federal funds related to transit planning are covering 80% of the total project cost. IndyGo is paying the 20% local match, as some of the data will also be used to help IndyGo comply with reporting requirements.

“It’s critical that IndyGo travelers participate in this research by completing the surveys,” said Anna Tyszkiewicz, Principal Planner, MPO. “With a better understanding of how passengers are using the transit system, we will be able to recommend improvements that better meet the needs of residents and visitors throughout this region.”

IndyGo does not expect this voluntary passenger survey to impact the delivery of its services.

To learn more about IndyGo and access trip planning assistance, please visit www.IndyGo.net or call IndyGo Customer Service Center at 635-3344. Visit www.iupui.edu for information on IUPUI and the S-Pass. For more about the benefits of public transportation, visit the American Public Transportation Association website at www.apta.com. Join the Indiana Citizens’ Alliance for Transit: www.indianacat.org to help promote transit options statewide.