Peterborough Transit Study
Consultation has concluded,
The City of Peterborough is resuming the Transit Study following a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public engagement has been an integral part of the study to date. Each phase the project will continue to include an opportunity to inform, collaborate with, and involve the community and transit stakeholders.
The Transit Study has three interconnected components that will shape our community’s transit service now and in the future:
- The Transit Route Review will redesign the route network in the near term to improve connectivity and service and lay a foundation that supports future growth and service enhancements; and
- The Long-Term Transit Growth strategy will set the vision for the future of Peterborough Transit and identify the resources to achieve it; and
- The Downtown Transit Hub plan will identify options to improve or relocate the existing transit terminal.
The Study Background Tab below provides a description of each of the Transit Study Projects.
How can you participate?
Starting February 12, 2021, the next phase of the Transit Route Review consultation will provide several ways for you to participate. Please check back here for your options to connect and engage:
- Online interactive map of the route network options
- An online Survey (paper copies will be available at the Downtown Bus Terminal located at 190 Simcoe St.)
- Frequently Asked Questions (new questions and answers will be added throughout the consultation process)
- Two Virtual Town Hall presentations
- Thursday, February 18, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Information on how to join the Town Hall presentation
- Wednesday, February 24, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - Information on how to join the Town Hall presentation
- A dedicated Transit Study phone line to answer your questions at 705-933-4756
Online interactive map
View the online interactive map showing the three route network options by clicking on the image below or through the documents library on the right side of the screen.
Each route network option includes regular and community bus routes and late night and express services. To learn more about each route network, you can attend one of our Transit Town Hall presentations with the dates and information in the key dates section on the right side of your screen, call our dedicated Transit Study phone line at 705-933-4756 or email us at transitstudy@peterborough.ca.
Once you are ready, tell us how you travel using our interactive route network maps.
How does the interactive map work?
There is one map that allows you to select Route Option 1, 2 or 3 to view in detail. On each map, you can place pins and comments. For each pin you place on the map, you can include a brief comment if you want to provide some detail.
- Place a green pin on the map to show where you travel from
- Place a red pin on the map to show the places you travel to most often
- Place a yellow pin on the map to show the places you travel to less often
Consultation has concluded,
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Transit Town Hall presentation
Share Transit Town Hall presentation on Facebook Share Transit Town Hall presentation on Twitter Share Transit Town Hall presentation on Linkedin Email Transit Town Hall presentation linkWelcome to the second Peterborough Transit Study Public Information Presentation
- A review of near-term transit network alternatives
- A look at long-term transit investment scenarios
- How you can get involved
Transit Study Elements
- A Transit Route Review to determine how transit routes might be changed to improve transit service in the near term and establish a foundation for future growth
- A Long-Term Transit Growth Strategy to set the vision for public transit in the city
- A Downtown Transit Hub Plan to improve or relocate the downtown transit terminal
- A Review of the Accessible Transit Service to develop options to meets community mobility needs
Transit Route Review Update
- Summarize what the study team heard from you
- Review the critical success factors for the development of a new transit route network
- Present three alternative designs for a new route network
- Review different ways of allocating transit investment throughout the day, and in parts of the city that are difficult to serve with conventional transit
Key themes from the first round of consultation
- Reducing travel time (more direct routes) is a main priority for most respondents, followed by improving equity and accessibility
- Having to transfer downtown is inconvenient for many riders
- The low frequency of service on most routes is an unattractive feature of the network
- Suburban neighbourhoods are less easily accessible using transit than the downtown, Trent, and Fleming
Factors Influencing Transit Service Success
- Balance service coverage and quality
- Provide faster and more direct trips to key locations from across the City
- Provide convenient transfers
- Minimize duplication, maximize efficiency and improve on time service performance
- Expand and introduce service to new neighbourhoods and developing areas
- Reduce routes through the congested Downtown Terminal
Where People are Travelling
Major trip generators and high-ridership corridors
Where People are Travelling
Travel Flows from 2018 Survey (2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.)
- Downtown is an important destination, but is not the only focus of travel
- Trent University and Fleming College generate a substantial number of trips
- Elsewhere, travel demand is generally evenly distributed by location and direction
Transit Route Review Network Alternatives
Three transit network alternatives are being considered. Each network illustrates different planning principles. The recommended network will reflect the results of the consultation and evaluation process.
Grid
Create more direct routes along high-demand corridors to key destinations connected by on-street transfers, fewer routes downtown.
Option 1 - Grid
- Creates direct routes to key destinations and new neighbourhoods using main corridors designed to reduce travel time and service duplication
- May require some customers to travel further to a stop.
- Creates hubs at the downtown terminal, Trent and Fleming.
- Creates more direct connections to Trent and Fleming from other areas in the city.
- Reduces routes operating through the Downtown Terminal resulting in faster trips for some customers.
- Introduces new transfers for some riders.
- Increases community bus service to provide localized travel options to key destinations.
Radial
Maintain focus on downtown terminal and create more direct routes to high demand destinations connected by timed transfers at the terminal.
Option 2 - Radial
- Adjusts former (2019) radial network, making some routes more direct and removing some routes from the downtown terminal
- Creates more direct connections to Trent and Fleming from other areas in the city.
- Maintains the downtown terminal as the primary operations hub, resulting in indirect trips for some customers.
- Maintains timed transfers by operating most routes through the downtown terminal.
- Some challenges in serving new neighbourhoods.
Multi hub
Create more direct routes through the city serving high demand corridors and destinations, with local feeder routes connecting at local hubs.
Option 3 – Multi Hub
- Creates transfer hubs at the Downtown Terminal, Trent, Fleming and Willowcreek Plaza.
- Creates routes that serve key destinations and new neighbourhoods .
- Reduces routes operating through the downtown terminal.
- Local routes may result in shorter travel distance to bus stops for some customers but may require two transfers and potentially increased travel times.
- Increases community (feeder) bus service to provide localized travel options
Alternative Service Options
It is also important to consider the best way to allocate resources to serve:
- new neighbourhoods;
- areas with lower demand; and
- in areas where there are road network constraints.
Regular bus service in these areas may not be justified based on demand but providing alternative service can help to promote transportation equity and access to critical services.
Some alternative service options include:
- expanding Community Bus routes
- providing new TransCab locations
- introducing new on-demand services
New On-Demand Services
On-demand (or demand-response) transit is a public transportation service that responds directly to customer trip requests, rather than having vehicles follow a fixed route.
New technologies have improved the efficiency and effectiveness of on-demand transit, and it is now being used by some cities to replace regular, fixed-route services in some circumstances.
On-demand transit has the potential to provide improved service:
- during the late evening when demand is lower;
- to areas that regular buses cannot serve;
- to areas that have low demand;
If successful, on-demand service could free up resources to meet service needs during peak demand times.
An On-Demand Transit Review is in progress.
Long Term Vision for Transit
In 2012, the City’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan developed a long-term vision for public transit in Peterborough. The City is now in the early stages of updating this transportation plan, and will build off the updated long-term vision developed in this study to inform its recommendations.
One of the most important policy objectives developed in the 2012 plan was to increase the proportion of trips made by transit, also known as the transit mode share. This is a critical element of the long-term vision because it helps determine the requirements for new investments and policies to increase transit use.
Share of Daily Trips by Travel Mode (2018)
- As of 2018, transit represented a 7% share of all trips.
- Students make up the largest percentage of transit riders. Transit mode share among students is approximately 30%, but just over 3% of the general population.
- Transit mode share is relatively stable throughout the day.
Long Term Vision for Transit
Increasing transit mode share requires travellers to change their travel behaviour to make more of their trips using public transportation. The most effective way of doing this is by providing more transit service, as measured in the number of hours that buses are in service on an annual basis.
However, providing more transit service requires more transit investment, as shown in the table below. These three scenarios illustrate different target mode shares and the investment required to achieve them.
The target mode share helps determine the resources needed to increase the number of trips made by transit.
Next Steps
Route Review: Recommendations to Council Spring 2021
- Review feedback
- Select and refine a recommended network
- Develop a service implementation plan for the recommended network
- Develop a financial plan
Long Term Growth Strategy: recommendations to Council Summer 2021
- Develop recommended mode share / ridership targets
- Develop longer term service strategy and costs to achieve ridership targets
Accessible Services Review: relaunch fall 2021
- Review feedback
- Analyze and evaluate alternatives for service delivery
- Develop recommendations to meet community mobility needs
How You Can Get Involved
The Transit Route Review consultation provides several ways for you to engage and participate:
Go online to review route network maps and complete the Route Review Survey The Survey is open from February 12 to February 26 online at connectptbo.ca/transit. Paper copies of maps and surveys are also available at the Downtown Bus Terminal (190 Simcoe St.)
Review the Public Consultation Presentation online at connectptbo.ca/transit.
Submit your questions at connectptbo.ca/transit. New questions and answers will be added throughout the consultation process under Q&A.
Email the Study Team at transitstudy@peterborough.ca.
Get general information about the Transit Study under Frequently Asked Questions online at connectptbo.ca/transit.
Attend one of two Virtual Town Halls on Thursday, February 18 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. or Wednesday, February 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Contact our Dedicated Transit Study Phone Line at (705) 933-4756 to ask a question. A customer service representative is available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Trends and peer review
Share Trends and peer review on Facebook Share Trends and peer review on Twitter Share Trends and peer review on Linkedin Email Trends and peer review linkPeterborough has gone through significant changes in the past decade, which will inform the route review.
From 2007 to 2017:
- Population increased by 4%
- Transit ridership increased by 43%
- Transit service (measured by revenue vehicle hours) increased by 24%
- Post secondary enrollment increased by 69%
Peterborough currently provides more service and has higher ridership per resident than the peer average.
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Long-term growth strategy
Share Long-term growth strategy on Facebook Share Long-term growth strategy on Twitter Share Long-term growth strategy on Linkedin Email Long-term growth strategy linkThe Peterborough 2012 Comprehensive Transportation Plan identified a vision and long term goals for the city’s transportation system. One major goal for the transit system was to increase the share of trips being made by transit from 4.3% to 6% by 2031.
The Comprehensive Transportation Plan identified a vision for transit in Peterborough provide "an efficient, reliable, convenient and affordable form of mobility throughout the city for all users that offers an attractive alternative to the automobile."
The long-term transit growth strategy will identify key actions that the City can take to achieve its goals for transit. It will include:
- Long-term route network recommendations
- Investment requirements
- A recommended phasing plan
To identify the capital investments and operating improvements needed, the long-term transit growth strategy will test a variety of route network scenarios to identify the best options for meeting the City’s long term transit goals.
Peterborough Transit
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