WORK PROGRAM

Support to the MBTA Better Bus Project

January 17, 2019

Proposed Motion

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) votes to approve this work program.

Project Identification

Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Classification

Not listed in federal fiscal year (FFY) 2019 UPWP

Project Number 14365                                                                    

Client

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

Client Supervisor: Melissa Dullea

Project Supervisors

Principal: Katie Pincus Stetner
Manager: Jonathan Belcher

Funding Source

MBTA Contract

Schedule and Budget

Schedule: Eighteen months from notice to proceed

Budget: $50,000

Schedule and budget details are shown in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.

Relationship to MPO Work

This studyis supported in full with non-MPO funding. Committing MPO staff to this project will not impinge on the quality or timeliness of MPO-funded work.

Background

During the past 20 years, Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) has provided the MBTA Service Planning Department with analytical assistance for interpreting ridership and schedule adherence data. The MBTA requires additional support of this type for the ongoing Better Bus Project.

Objective

To provide analytical assistance to the MBTA, as requested, to identify crowding or schedule adherence problems on bus routes, and to recommend changes in the scheduled frequency and running times to address the identified problems.

Work Description

Task 1  Provide Analytical Support as Requested by MBTA Staff

Upon request, CTPS staff will assist the MBTA in reviewing and updating the data that were automatically collected by the MBTA to identify problems with vehicle loads or schedule adherence on a route-by-route basis. CTPS staff will review existing and proposed schedules to develop plans for appropriate service plan actions. These actions may include assigning additional vehicles to a route, lengthening or reducing segment-level running times, implementing short-turn services, and other modifications. CTPS staff will also provide the MBTA with the projected hours-of-service costs of implementing any recommended corrective actions.

Task 2  Participate in Meetings

CTPS staff will participate in working group meetings and public meetings of the MBTA Better Bus Project and will suggest possible modifications, additions, or reductions to MBTA service based on data collected automatically by the MBTA and feedback received from the public.