Okaloosa County BOCC — August 16, 2016 — Access EC Rider TDP - August Draft Report — reading text

provided in Appendix B. The second survey was formulated to help prioritize the transit needs. A copy of the survey instrument is also provided in Appendix B. A total of 81 surveys were completed and it was made available online via the following websites and in paper format throughout various public outreach activities during June and July:  Access EC Rider website  WFRPC Facebook page  Okaloosa BCC Facebook page  Destin Facebook page  EC Rider website  Santa Rosa County Twitter and Facebook page. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 69  Section 4 – Public Involvement Summary of Public (Non-Rider) Survey Results In total, 16 questions were used to determine non-riders’ willingness to use public transit and the community’s transit needs, gauge public awareness of transit issues in Okaloosa County, and gather socio‐ demographic information. Participants were allowed to provide additional comments they would like to be considered. The survey was administered in both English and Spanish. Most survey respondents felt that awareness of public transportation services in Okaloosa County was minimal, with 83% believing that there was moderate‐to‐no awareness of public transportation in the community (Figure 4-12). However, when asked what they thought about EC Rider’s transit service, more than half (57%) indicated that it must be provided or might be useful (Figure 4‐13). Figure 4-12: How much awareness is there in the community about transit/public transportation? Do Not Know, High, 5.1% 12.1% Moderate, None at All, 45.5% 37.4% Figure 4-13: What do you think of EC Rider transit service? I am not familiar with it at all, It must be 13.1% provided, 29.3% We do not need it, 14.1% Not sure it is useful, 10.1% It might be It does not matter to useful, 27.3% me, 6.1% ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 70  Section 4 – Public Involvement Most respondents (93%) agreed that congestion was a problem in Okaloosa County (Figure 4-14), and of those who indicated traffic congestion was an issue, more than two-thirds (68%) indicated that transit would relieve or may provide some help in relieving congestion (Figure 4-15). Figure 4-14: Is traffic congestion a problem in Okaloosa County? No, 7.1% Yes, 92.9% Figure 4-15: What role do you see transit playing in alleviating traffic congestion? It may create It will make some additional congestion worse, traffic issues, 5.3% 0.0% It will relieve congestion, 13.7% It will have no effect, 27.4% It may provide some help, 53.7% Although nearly 88% of participants had not used EC Rider’s transit services (Figure 4-16), the majority (70%) believed that there was a need for additional transit service throughout the county (Figure 4-17). Allowing better commuting options/accessibility to employment, providing a more dependable source of transportation, and enhancing tourism and other industries were the top three benefits that participants believed would result from additional transit service in Okaloosa County (Figure 4-18). ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 71  Section 4 – Public Involvement Figure 4-16: Have you used EC Rider transit service? Yes, 12.4% No, 87.6% Figure 4-17: Do you think there is a need for additional transit service in Okaloosa County? No, 30.6% Yes, 69.4% Figure 4-18: What benefits of transit do you believe could occur as a result of additional service? Enhance connectivity Provide a more to military dependable source of establishments, 9.1% transportation for me, 30.3% Enhance tourism and other industries, 19.7% Be better for the environment, 3.0% Allow better commuting options/access to job opportunities, 37.9% ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 72  Section 4 – Public Involvement When asked which services should be added to the transit network, nearly half of respondents chose increased coverage area, most notably citing areas along US 98, Destin, Shalimar, Fort Walton, shopping/tourism areas (Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Island), Eglin Air Force Base, and Hurlburt Field. Another one-third of respondents chose more frequent service, and approximately 15% indicated that express bus service was a priority (Figure 4-19), most notably between Crestview to Destin and along the beaches, the US 98 corridor, Crestview to Fort Walton Beach, and Crestview to Eglin Air Force Base. Figure 4-19: What type of additional transit service you would most like to see? Carpools/vanpools, Other , 1.5% 0.0% More frequent bus service, 32.3% Increased coverage area , 49.2% Express service , 15.4% Later service, 1.5% Survey respondent’s opinions on the reasonable amount for a one-way fare for transit varied. As shown in Figure 4-20, 34% of respondents thought that a one-way fare of $1.01–$1.50 was reasonable, 22% said $0.51–$1.00 was reasonable, and 23% said more than $2.00 was reasonable. Only 5% indicated $0.50 or less was a reasonable one-way fare. Figure 4-20: What do you think is a reasonable one-way fare to pay for transit service? $0.00 to $0.50, More than $2.00, 5.3% 23.4% $0.51 to $1.00, 22.3% $1.51 to $2.00, 14.9% $1.01 to $1.50, 34.0% ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 73  Section 4 – Public Involvement There was weak support for financing transit through local taxes (Figure 4-21). Approximately 37% of respondents believed that the community was not willing to pay for transit services, and only 6% believed the community was willing, with the rest being unsure of the willingness (35%) or believing the community was somewhat willing (22%). This sentiment is closely mirrored by the respondents’ own willingness to fund public transit through local taxes (Figure 4-22), although the answers were slightly more definitive, with 47% of respondents unwilling, 8% willing, and 33% somewhat willing. The remaining 16% were unsure if they were willing to fund public transit through local taxes. Figure 4-21: Do you believe there is a willingness in the community to consider additional local funding for transit? Definitely, 6.1% Do not know, 34.7% Somewhat, 22.4% Not at all, 36.7% Figure 4-22: Are you willing to pay additional local taxes for an expanded transit system? Definitely, 8.2% Do not know, 16.5% Somewhat, 33.0% Not at all, 42.3% Socio-demographic information of participants is shown in Figures 4-23 through 4-26. As shown in Figure 4-23, approximately one-third of respondents lived in the Fort Walton Beach, Santa Rosa Island, and Okaloosa Island areas (ZIP codes 32547 and 32548), and one-third lived in the Niceville, Lake Lorraine, and areas surrounding Eglin Air Force Base and near Hurlburt Field (ZIP codes 32569, 32578, and 32579). Approximately half of survey respondents worked in the Fort Walton