Transit Insights
Building Trust with Your Riders, and Guiding Smarter Transit Decisions
When it comes to transit initiatives, the most important opinions are those of your riders. Their experiences determine how they feel about their local transit agency, how they use their services, and whether they’ll support future initiatives.
As significant as this data is, often agencies are limited to outdated data and insights. This is where the services and expertise of ReconMR can help.
How ReconMR Serves Transit Agencies
ReconMR supports transit agencies from concept to campaign with a variety of market research services including:
Onboard Surveys
Capture real-time rider feedback directly from buses, trains, and transit stations to understand travel patterns, satisfaction, and service needs.
Community Panels
Build ongoing engagement with a diverse group of local residents who provide input on key transit decisions and long-term planning.
Paratransit Surveys
Gather insights from paratransit users to evaluate service quality, accessibility, and opportunities for operational improvement.
Research on Low-Income Fare Programs & Hard-to-Reach Audiences
Evaluate the impact of fare assistance programs and develop strategies to engage underrepresented riders, including low-income, non-English-speaking, and transit-dependent communities.
Public Opinion Polling
Understand how likely voters feel about funding, fairness, and priorities.
Message Testing
Test different ways to talk about the measure—before you go public.
Focus Groups
Explore emotional drivers and objections in-depth with real community voices.
Segmentation & Targeting
Identify and prioritize key rider segments.
Campaign Readiness Insights
Know what messaging, timing, and outreach methods will be most effective.
Sound Transit Case Study
The following detailed project description and excerpts/screenshots from our research with Sound Transit (ST) are based on customer (not employee) research, but they clearly show how we worked in close partnership with ST, over 5 years that included COVID and large-scale system expansion, to deliver the following benefits that CapMetro asked for in this RFP:
- Intense collaboration with a very knowledgeable, hands-on client.
- Interpret results clearly and provide actionable recommendations – over 5 years, each iteration of the PXS went deeper into the specifics of how to improve rider satisfaction.
- Customizing in-platform resources for the needs and easy navigation of managers with different needs and interests.
- Adapting outreach techniques to accommodate the challenges posed by COVID.
- Delivering consistent, reliable, timely results over five years.
- Successful operation of sophisticated web-based platforms (e.g., MyTake) that included member recruitment, research activity implementation and reporting, and refreshing panel membership annually.
- Successfully conducting in-platform ad hoc pulse surveys on a variety of topics and in a variety of methodologies.
- Providing clear reports that include high-level, actionable analysis and expressing findings and recommendations clearly through compelling, user-friendly data visualizations and dashboards.
Deliverables Provided:
We introduced Sound Transit to our dashboarding capabilities, as an alternative to the 100+ page PowerPoint deck they previously received (along with an Excel file with detailed cross-tabulations). This cloud-based, interactive dashboard supplies easy-to-use access to a summary of survey results and data visualization best practices. SMEs can look at the results overall and take a deep dive into their specific areas of interest by filtering the results by service, travel behavior (e.g., frequency of riding, trip purpose), and demographics. This dashboard can be quickly updated (in real-time) as later surveys are completed, reducing costs, and providing a more sustainable (long-term_ process.
The Landing Page:
After five years of the Passenger Experience Survey and 8-10 Sounding Board activities per year, we refreshed our landing page to function as a Table of Contents linking to each year’s reports. Within each year’s results, there are links for each service offered (Express bus, Light Rail, Sounder Commuter Rail) and each Foundational Category (proprietary service metrics developed in collaboration with ComEngage). This allows end-users within Sound Transit, who may have very different roles and concerns, to quickly and easily navigate directly to the specific information they need.
Gaining Community Confidence for Your Transit Ballot Measure
What may seem like an ideal plan, could be hard to interpret by those whose opinion matters most: the public. To put a plan not action, it takes strategic messaging, trust, and a deep understanding of what voters care about and need most. ReconMR helps transit agencies gain community support with research-backed strategies that help develop campaigns designed to educate and encourage voters.
Why Non-Riders Matter: Your Vote Shapes the Future of Transit
Even if you don’t ride public transportation, your voice is essential.
Ballot measures that support transit funding don’t just affect riders—they shape the future of your city, economy, and environment. Whether you drive, bike, or work from home, the outcomes of these measures impact traffic congestion, air quality, job access, and property values in your community.
The Importance of Rider Surveys:
Travel Behaviors are Shifting
Work-from-home, changing commute patterns, and new priorities have altered past data.
Equity, Accessibility, and Compliance
Understanding how different communities experience your service is essential for equity-focused planning and meeting federal requirements.
Ballot Measures and Funding Justification
Obtaining rider feedback helps strengthen your message by showing your initiatives are community focused.
Transit Benefits Everyone
Reduced Traffic: Every bus or train takes dozens of cars off the road
Stronger Local Economy: Transit connects people to jobs, businesses, and services
Cleaner Air: Lower emissions help create healthier communities
Increased Property Values: Homes near transit often appreciate faster
Equity & Access: Supports seniors, students, and essential workers who rely on transit
What You Can Learn from Rider Surveys and Insights for Ballot Measures:
How satisfied riders are with service reliability, cleanliness, and safety
What features (Wi-Fi, real-time info, shelters) riders value most
Why occasional or former riders aren’t riding more
What tradeoffs riders are willing to accept (e.g., frequency vs. coverage)
Where communication gaps exist
What barriers exist for specific populations (ADA, LEP, low-income)
What matters most to voters
How to position the benefits of your proposal
Which concerns to address early—and how
Ready to Talk Transit Insights?
Whether you’re in need of a rider survey or want to update your approach, the team at ReconMR is ready to help. Contact us today to discuss your transit agency’s goals, timeline, and how market research can help you achieve your desired results.
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