Bus Rapid Transit BRT $tudy

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Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) tudy

• A partnership between the Capital District
  Transit Authority (CDTA) and the Department of
  Geography and Planning
• Ridership Census Training

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Training Overview

• What is a BRT background Info
• Why the Washington / Western study?
• Student Involvement
• Logistics
• and ign-Up!

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I. What is a BRT? Background Info

• BRT is Rapid Transit Bus-based light rail
• Fast and Frequent
• Integrated with other routes
• Comfortable and convenient
• Goal of Project
• Determine feasibility of a
• BRT in the Washington
• and Western Corridor

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Why are we undertakinga BRT study?

• Driving strong growth in transit ridership,
  declines in auto use, and interest in improving
  transit options
• Changes in society
• Price of oil and gas
• Global warming
• National security
• New attitudes toward urban living
• Changes in economy

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Moving Towards TODs

• Transit-Oriented Development
• Development near transit that takes advantage of
  easy access,
• low cost transportation, sustainability. Can be
• New development clustered near the station or
• Infill development in historic neighborhoods
• Can be used to revitalize and reinvent existing
  development to be more socially, economically and
  environmentally sustainable.
• Brings people and activity together
• in central places to create economic
• and cultural activity and vitality.

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II. Why Washington Western?

• Capital Districts second most heavily traveled
  transit corridor and a logical next step for BRT
• BRT on NY Route 5 has been well received
• Major ridership generators
• Downtown Albany, UAlbany, Crossgates Mall
• Student population
• Saint Rose, several UAlbany campuses, student
  neighborhoods
• Major redevelopment
• Harriman Campus, NanoTech, Patroon Creek

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Project Study Area
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Project Scope

• Review existing plans, projects, and developments
• Ridership census
• Routing alternatives
• Station locations and designs
• Estimate ridership and project cost
• Transit priority measures
• Operations Plan
• Public Outreach
• Phasing and Implementation Plan

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IV. Student Involvement

• The Process An Overview
• Paperwork (4 employment forms)
• Logistics Scheduling
• Materials
• Conducting Counts
• Returning Data Sheets
• Completing time sheets
• (biweekly, due every other Wednesday)

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Logistics Paperwork

• 1. Department Paperwork (Return to Marlenes
  mailbox)
• Student Employee Data Collection form
• 2. Pay-Roll Paperwork (return to PayRoll
  directly, Western Ave.)
• IT-2104 (State tax form)
• W-4 (Federal tax form)
• I-9  Employment Eligibility Verification (bring
  required ID listed on the form)
• All forms are available at http//hr.albany.edu/co
  ntent/forms.asp or in the
• Dept. Of Geography Planning Mail Box Room,
  AS220 (2nd floor Arts Science)
• International Students should call, and make an
  appointment with Payroll, to fill out
• tax forms Contact Kate Thies at 437-3830 or
  kthies_at_uamail.albany.edu 

 
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IV. Process Procedure

• Logistics
• Minimum 4 hours per week, Maximum 20
• Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday are counting days!
• Sunday is a counting day!
• We will not run but trips on Monday, Friday or
  Saturday (for now)
• Note 20 hours/week working limit for State
  employees or students already working on campus.

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Scheduling Weekly Deadline!

• Thursday Night by Close of Business every week!
• Email Hilary Ami your availabilities for the
  coming week
• Available days/dates
• Available time blocks
• Amount of time per week requested to work
• You will here back from us by Saturday.
• Hilary hilarina9_at_yahoo.com / 518-637-6461
• Ami amivaria_at_yahoo.co.in / 703-473-7539

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Scheduling

• This is what you will get in an email!

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Materials Check-List

• Clipboard
• Data sheets
• Name tag / t-shirt
• Letter of Authorization
• Surveys (as instructed)
• Headquarters
• All materials and paperwork will be available
  from 8am 400pm
• Monday Friday in the Department of Planning and
  Geography
• Mail Box Room (AS220), 2nd floor of the Arts
  Science Building.
• Please plan accordingly! Please pick up your
  materials in
• advance for early/late/weekend trips No
  Exceptions!!

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Riding the Bus Conducting counts!

• What you need to do! Fill in
• Your name
• Your student identification (NOT the bus
  drivers)
• Weather conditions (ex. clear snowy rainy icy)
• Message Board Is it working? (date, time, next
  stop)
• Time 1) scheduled 2) actual departure time
• Use tick marks to count the number of passengers
  entering and exiting the bus at each stop
• Dont forget to return your timesheets after
• you complete each trip!! (Mail Box Room)

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Data Sheets The Routes

• Data sheets are color-coded for different trips
  to account for origin/destination differences.
• Bus 9 (A Loop starting ending at Broadway
  Orange)
• Yellow Ontario Route
• Blue Morton Route
• Bus 11 (Start and End locations Vary)
• Salmon SUNY Library to Draper Hall Blue Draper
  Hall to SUNY Library
• White Crossgates to Draper Hall Green Draper
  Hall to Crossgates
• Bus 90
• Green RPI to Crossgates
• Orange Crossgates to RPIData sheets need to
  be returned BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS EVERY THURSDAY

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Now its your turn!

• Group activity!

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Time heets!

• Timesheets will be sent by email
• Completed sheets are due by 4pm every other
  WEDNESDAY
• Due dates will be posted in the Mail Box room
• How do you fill it out?
• 15 minute increments
• Lunch break every 6 hours
• If you want to get paid, you need to
• 1 Email an electronic copy to Hilary/Ami
• 2 Print a hard copy, sign it, and leave it in
  the BRT study box in the Department mail box
  room
• Paychecks can be picked up in the Campus Center
• 10am-12pm on pay days, or from UAB 300 all other
  times

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Important Notes!

• If you have a problem
• Ex. Miss the Bus or take a bus different than
  scheduled
• 1 Write it down on your count sheet
• 2 Email Hilary/Ami about what happened
• ?Include the Date, Time, Bus EVERY TIME!
• Ex. If you took a different bus, which one? Tell
  us!
• If you use the wrong data sheet
• 1 The data is wrong
• ?We cannot accept it, and it is your
  responsibility to re-do the trip without
  compensation!

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In Case of Bad Weather

• Call 442-SNOW and look online!
• If classes are canceled, the bus study is
  canceled!
• Use judgment If we are getting a snowstorm, stay
  home!
• Safety reasons
• Skewed data
• Reschedule!
• Send Hilary/Ami another day which you can do the
  trips originally scheduled!

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Remember! A few final words.

• Weekend Blitz After Feb. break
• Sign up for our kick-off weekend!
• Bus drivers are aware the study is being
  conducted but please do not disturb them (safety
  issue)
• SIGN OUT AT THE END!!
• There is a log book in the Mail Box Room (light
  blue binder)
• Letter of Agreement all students need to sign

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Thank you!!!

• For more information, contact
• Hilary Papineau
• hilarina9_at_yahoo.com / 518-637-6461
• Or
• Ami Varia
• amivaria_at_yahoo.co.in / 703-473-7539
• Or visit us online at
• www.ualbanyplanners.org