Chicago: Connecting Transit to Suburban Employment Centers

Pace Shuttle Bug

Click here for more information

The shuttle bug program provides services in the northeast counties of Illinois. The program is a public private partnership with companies that have job centers in suburban areas. It fills the gap between metro area services and provides a reasonable option for alternative to auto travel.

Metra Commuter Rail

Click here for more information

Operates on Amtrak and freight rail lines and reaches over 60 miles outside Chicago and all routes end in the city center

Things to consider

• Viable routes/connections to other transit services
• Commute type-reverse, suburb to suburb, traditional
• Work schedule

Startup Funding Sources

• Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ)
• EPA
• 80% grant requiring 20% local match
• 2 year term
• Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC)
• Competitive grant program under SAFETEA-LU

Cost Allocation to Employers

• Develop a fair, reasonable cost allocation formula
• Need to know corporate and public agency budget cycles to plan for funding approvals for new start up and/or annual shuttle service

Retention Criteria

• Relevance of route
• Steady growth of ridership
• Funding Assured
• Company renews commitment of financial support
• Performance standards

Service Sustainability

• Service changes
• Route/schedule changes
• Service contractions
• Transit funding crisis
• Closed routes

Marketing

• On site
• Site specific
• Incorporate marketing into office fairs or service days (ie health and benefits fairs in for fall enrollment or earth day in spring
• Introduce bring-a-buddy rider days to introduce potential new riders to transit

Benefits

For riders:

• Free shuttle because employers pay shuttle assessment
• Reduces travel costs

For planning:

• Achieving long range planning goals

Transit agencies:

• Increases ridership
• Not just for commuting to work but for other activities and weekend plans
• Return on investment

Challenges

Employers:

• Economic conditions
• Shuttle ridership varies
• Employers are very cost conscious
• Employers may cut or add jobs depending on the economy

Agencies:

• Network issues
• Constraints in offering earlier morning outbound trains
• Potential duplication/parallel service
• Decentralization of jobs
• Suburban density issues
• Suburban land use issues
• Large setbacks
• Lack or limited pedestrian infrastructure

Source: APA National Conference Session