What did the public say?

I was just reading the TTA homepage about the proposed changes to the 311 route. PLEASE DO NOT DROP THE EPA STOPS ON THIS ROUTE!!! I totally disagree with the statement from the website that " riders to EPA/NIEHS seem to come from RTP in the morning, not Apex".

I think if you would actually take a survey of the ridership over
the next week or so you would realize that the justification for
dropping this stop is completely wrong!

I repeat, PLEASE DO NOT DROP THE EPA STOP!!!!! -G.M.

I ride the 6:30 Apex to EPA (to RTP) 311, which usually has about 8-10
riders, most of which are EPA/NIEHS. I can see getting rid of the
EPA/NIEHS stops for the other 311 times, but the one I ride is as full as
any TTA bus I've seen. It is unlikely I would continue riding the TTA
if the proposed change happens. -M.M.

TTA Responds: Within 36 hours of the announcement of this proposal, TTA staff were inundated with dozens of calls and emails from EPA employees telling us what a particularly bad idea this proposal was. 

In response to the large outpouring of comment, TTA staff rode the 311 over 2 days and managed to survey nearly 50% of all riders on the route.  TTA staff found that the ridership from Apex to EPA and NIEHS in the morning has grown significantly since our previous data was collected, and eliminating these stops would have inconvenienced many loyal customers. 

Many EPA/NIEHS riders made it clear that the service is extremely valuable to them and that they did not want the service to become one where they needed to call to schedule a pickup.  However, TTA is still mindful of the frustration riders to RTP feel when a 311 bus with no EPA/NIEHS passengers passes through both locations in the morning anyway.  This frustration is magnified when connections are missed. 

Therefore, the EPA and NIEHS stops will become "By Request" in the morning only, from Apex to RTP only.  At all other times, both northbound and southbound, the 311 will continue to run as it does today. 

When EPA and NIEHS riders board in Apex, they should simply say "I'm going to EPA/NIEHS" and the driver will include that portion of the route.  TTA will instruct drivers to check with the passengers via the onboard microphone if there is any question as to whether or not EPA/NIEHS should be served on a particular run. 

If there are no passengers onboard for EPA/NIEHS, the bus will proceed directly to the RTP Bus Center via NC 55, TW Alexander Drive, and NC 54.  See the approved operating plan below.  Questions?  Please email serviceplanning@ridetta.org