Montebello Bus Lines’ Dial-a-Taxi Program Review
City of Montebello, CA (2008)

The City of Montebello,  population 65,000 persons, utilized AMMA Transit Planning to assess its new taxi service, not yet a year-old at the time. This was in response both to concerns raised by the public and to a contract clause with the taxi provider requiring an early review of this new program. 

Outreach efforts included several consumer focus groups, a telephone survey of a sample of 500 registrants and a registrant mail-back survey that achieved a 42% return rate. AMMA Transit Planning undertook  analysis of a full week’s taxi trip vouchers, 848 trips, to document trip request times, trip distances and limited passenger wait time information. Performed an analysis on the implications for both city and taxi operator of a proposed service area expansion. The analysis resulted in recommending fare policy and procedural changes to address findings of the analyses and public outreach efforts. AMMA Transit Planning was a subcontractor to Dan Boyle and Associates on this engagement.

                                 
                      Montebello Dial-a-Ride Survey    

                            



Community-Based Transit Services Assessment
Claremont and Pomona Valley Transportation Authority, California (2005)

This study concerned perceptions of duplicative and overlapping public transportation services in a transit-rich area of Los Angeles County.  Dedicated taxi services, as well as traditional paratransit services provide general public dial-a-ride to local residents.  Also of interest was an examination of service quality, identifying and meeting unmet needs, and designing future public transit services within funding levels available to this small community of just under 40,000 persons.

The operational review of services included analysis of local Foothill Transit fixed-route operation and its interaction with Pomona Valley Transportation Authority's (PVTA) mix of services which included Claremont Dial-a-Ride, including its group trips program, and Get-About Services. Study elements included a demographics analysis, an on-board survey, a review of performance indicators by service and compared with peer cities in Los Angeles County, and a funding analysis. The contractor’s actual performance and operating procedures were assessed in relation to contract performance requirements, identifying areas for attention and commendation.

Key findings included the fact that the program was not duplicating other local public transit but providing a variety of services that met different trip needs with its three demand-responsive programs. Service availability and service levels were quite high, potentially difficult to achieve in small transit programs. Specific unmet trip needs were identified, as well as areas of difficulty for consumers in the service delivery structure of Claremont Dial-a-Ride.

Recommendations were structured around five Claremont Transit Service Goals developed through the study process. These provided a framework for six areas of improvement or enhancement, the costs and requirements of these, basic design and the recommended direction and timeframe.   Subsequent to this study, the City proceeded with implementing the Village shuttle recommendation in the form of the Claremont Trolley.

AMMA Transit Planning conducted this study with assistance from Transportation Planning and Policy.