Conclusion

The results indicate the MAT system is providing a good service to bus riders in the city of Fargo. The overall survey answers are favorable. There are definite trends in the people who need bus services to be mobile. The age profile of riders is quite diverse, but a fairly young crowd dominated responses. Again, this is partially due to the large number of potential NDSU college students from Route 13 that may have been included in the survey. Riders indicate they use the bus for a variety of reasons, most commonly for work and shopping. There is also a large portion of riders using bus services for school purposes.

MAT bus services are important to respondents as almost 70 percent do not have access to a vehicle or only have access sometimes. In addition, roughly 75 percent of riders surveyed said they either could not have made the trip without the bus or if they could have, it would not have been easy. That illustrates the need for this service in Fargo.

Riders gave the MAT bus service very favorable ratings. Positive replies dramatically outnumbered negative ones when comparing responses of 'very good' and 'good' to 'poor' and 'very poor,' for quality of service provided by MAT indicating an overall satisfaction with the system. When asked to leave feedback regarding improvements to the MAT system, riders did leave a variety of suggestions. Of the 822 riders who completed surveys, 356 riders left comments regarding possible system-wide improvements while 288 left comments regarding specific-route improvements. Things that appear dominant from these comments are Sunday service, extended hours of service, more or improved bus shelters and more frequent bus stops or more buses. These things do suggest riders want and need this service to be mobile and would like to use it more often for more reasons. The feasibility of making such improvements, of course, depends heavily on economic constraints.

Appendix A. Route-Specific Bus Service Improvement Comments

Location=GTC

• Bus shelter opening faces north at 13th Street and 3rd Ave, Bethany Homes corner =- bad idea during winter weather.
• Change the bus transfer rules.
• Sunday Service
• Sunday service

Location=Route 11

• 1) Shelter for winter winds. 2) Transfers that would be good both ways and longer for shopping convenience. 3) Need to run Sundays and more often.
• 12 - good; 11 - good
• 13B-OK
• Better communication about semi's and trains blocking streets
• Better marked stops.
• Bus to industrial area Sunday service.
• Bus transp on Sunday.
• By my house we ride 14 comes. I wish there was a shelter on Pacific Dr.
• Come every half hour route 12.
• Continue good customer service.
• Go Ho drivers is.....Great
• Hard to see so ask drivers for route.
• Have more transfer stations like at grocery stores and where routes intersect.
• Have the bus come on time.
• I think it's good how it is.
• I think it's very sufficient the way it is.
• I think the service is very good the way it is at the moment.
• It should go to 15th Street, and turn onto Elm St. Instead of 19th Ave.
• It works well the way it is.
• It's better if you can provide bus every 15 minutes.
• It's better to have buses after 6:00 p.m. to the UV when we have classes. It takes long while to come to GTC and go back to UV.
• It's good.
• Keep open GTC later. It's going to be cold waiting outside. I get off work at 7:30 - have to wait outside until 8:15. It's going to be cold. Donna Voracek
• Keep up good work.
• Longer hours (p.m.)
• Longer hours and Sundays.
• Make Route 11 half hour service on Saturday.
• Make a few more shelters. My stop just got a bench but now it's snowing/raining, it's not like anyone can really use it. Other than that, I don't have any other problems.
• More 12 bus routes available later and on Saturdays.
• More area to cover.
• More bus route signs/stops
• More bus routes, live on Main Ave.
• More buses to the ind. park.
• More buses, less waiting time, more 13A bus route after 6:00 p.m.
• More shelters. Be on time; it's normally 5 minutes off, but otherwise, it's good
• NA
• Need bus from University Village to school every 15 min and also at night. Want direct bus from University Village to school all the time.
• Need more buses like on Main Ave. or 1st Ave. S.
• Need to find way around train delay problem. Be quicker w/wheelchairs (one wheelchair and missed transfer).
• Newer buses - seats less comfortable. Rt 11 often late in afternoon.
• No improvement.
• None
• Nothing
• OK
• Open longer than 9:30 p.m. Keep up the good work.
• Rt 11 - I could use more night buses and Saturday buses - Sunday would be nice too.
• Run earlier in the morn especially Sat.
• Run later on weekdays, holidays and Sundays.
• Run on Sundays.
• Run very 30 minutes to VA.
• Set transfers back to 2 hours; emergencies, shopping, etc.
• Shelter on 32nd.
• Some of the Moorhead routes should go later on at night.
• Sometimes late in evening but pretty good.
• They need to run on Sunday.
• We couldn't live here without it.
• Wish I could get a bus closer to ?...? area.

Location=Route 12

• Drivers more gentle with turning, stopping and going. More service times.
• Extend hours into the evening.
• Heated shelters
• Include 2nd St.
• More punctual
• Sunday Service, and run later into the night.

Location=Route 13

• 13B sometimes never shows up, and then I'm late for class. Be on-time with the schedule
• Add Sunday route, and run twice an hour after 6pm.
• Allow transfers to be made at all stops. Better visibility out the bus windows, bus shelter needed at 28th and
• 7th for people who work in the area.
• Be on time all the time.
• Be on-time everyday.
• Better bus shelters, a system that tells you when the bus is coming would help.
• Bus should arrive 5 minutes earlier for NDSU classes so we can catch the later one
• Clean the bus every week, it has a bad smell. The bus usually comes every 30 min. Have it come every 15.
• Closed bus shelters
• Closer to home.
• Expand the schedule to 6:30.
• Friendlier bus drivers.
• GTC should have the same hours as the buses. Shuttle needs to run more than an hour.
• Get a bench or shelter at 28th and 10th. I know a few people who walk a couple blocks to get there, so it would be nice if they had a spot to sit and get out of the weather.
• Go farther north on 10th Street
• Go further into North Fargo
• Go to the airport.
• Have 13B run everyday.
• Have an overnight route.
• Have buses arrive at Student Union 5-10 mins before the hour so we don't have to take the earlier bus and sit longer on campus or we'll be late for class.
• Have more buses so all routes run the same. Have 20 mins or 1/2 hour routes.
• Have the bus stop and rest at NDSU Union instead of NDSU downtown.
• Have the bus wait a couple minutes at the Student Union.
• Increase # of stops circulating this route.
• Increase frequency
• Increase the frequency.
• It would be great if the bus could get to the NDSU union at lease 7 min. before the hour and 1/2 hour because I have to take an earlier bus to get there on time for classes. Maybe go past the Union
• earlier in the route? Reverse route?
• Keep Scott off the bus at 7:15am, Big mouth.
• Let NDSU faculty and staff ride free.
• More benches
• More benches.
• More buses
• More buses should be employeed at different routes.
• More buses.
• More frequency with buses coming.
• More frequent routes, every 15 mins.
• More frequent, 15 min.
• More frequent.
• More routes.
• More routes.
• More seating
• More shelters for winter. Longer and more buses to Wal-Mart area shopping.
• Newer buses.
• Put a shelter on the corner of 10th St. North and 7th Ave.
• Run 1/2 hourly at night.
• Run every 1/2 hour after 6pm.
• Run later on weekends.
• Run longer on Saturday, and have Sunday service.
• Since it goes to University, it should include USDA in it's route.
• Softer chairs
• Sometimes the bus is very early on the 28th Ave. N. route (like by 10 min). We need a shelter at 28th, at least a bench.
• Stop at Hornbacher's North
• Sunday Service
• Sunday service, late NDSU service.
• Tell people or put on the route map that after 6:30, 11 & 13 switch every 1/2 hour. Especially in winter so we don't have to wait in the cold.
• The NDSU Student Union Shelter is very drafty, one side is completely open. Close, to keep heat in.
• Turn 1 hour transfers into 1/2 hour.
• more heated shelters
• run bus on Sundays
• run later

Location=Route 14

• On demand service north of 5th Ave. S. in the area of 21st to 18th streets.
• Bus drivers need more people skills.
• Bus should come out more. 17 should be 1/2 hour.
• Every 1/2 hr on Saturday. Sunday routes.
• Go slower. Bus goes too fast in regular weather. There should be more 1/2 hour routes
• Have Sunday service available.
• Have them run later hours to MSU, Concordia, NDSU. For the safety of riders, all stops should be available so long walks aren't needed.
• I can't think of anything specifically for this route to improve.
• I would like to see more bus shelters on the corners.
• It is excellent now.
• It's fine.
• It's great.
• Moorhead 1 & 2, I was hoping they could stop at requested corners.
• More runs Saturday a.m.
• More shelters
• More shelters.
• More signs, stops.
• Need a shelter on South 10th St.
• No improvements needed.
• None.
• Route 14 needs to be 1/2 hour all the time. Needs to be shortened to run on time, start earlier, run longer.
• Richard is a fantastic driver.
• Route 14 needs to run 1/2 hour at all times. Shorten route to keep on time. More shelters. Start earlier - run longer.
• Same.
• Should have bus could ride in.....no idea.
• Sue takes the bus to work.
• Sunday service. Better and longer night bus service. Start earlier. Less emphasis on college students. Run on time. 1/2 service at all times.
• This route is fine. #14 is easiest to ride.
• This route works well for my needs.
• Try to not be late which that is OK. It is understanding.

Location=Route 15

• 52nd Ave S. University needs more South Service.
• Be more willing to keep freeloaders off bus. they are very dirty and annoying to all
• Better shelters (very drafty on campus-MSUM-and wet).
• Bigger bus, often crowded.
• Buses need to run more often.
• Driver could lower bus so it's easier to get off and step down. Bus drviers can announce certain stops, be more outgoing and friendly.
• Extended hours, weekends, people need to get home from work.
• Get Sunday back on because some of us work on Sundays.
• Go all the way west of Fargo.
• Have a bus every 1/2 hour and service until 12:15am, and Sunday Service.
• Have all day Sunday service.
• Have bus service in the summer in Moorhead.
• Have the bus run on Sundays.
• In order to improve we need more riders.
• Keep same driver.
• Make a Sunday route to go to the mall for the employees who need to go to work.
• Make the fare less.
• More bus services by West Acres more often.
• More buses more often.
• More buses.
• More direct route from 13th Ave. S. to near Industrial Park.
• More frequent buses, like interval of 15 mins.
• More frequent stops.
• More route 15 so a person doesn't have to be an hour early for work.
• More routes (Main Ave.).
• More routes, more frequent buses.
• More seating, maybe more buses that come every 15 mins.
• More shelters.
• More shelters.
• More stop times.
• Need buses on Sunday, and service till midnight.
• Please install heated bus stops.
• Put a bus shelter at Target in Fargo.
• Regularity and consideration.
• Run 1/2 hour service on Saturday night.
• Service on Sundays during winter.
• Sunday Route.
• Sunday Service all day, later buses all week.
• Sunday route.
• Sunday routes please.
• Sunday service.

Location=Route 16

• Allow the buses to run until 1 a.m. on Mon-Sun.
• Ask drivers not to ride on breaks.
• Be more friendly.
• Be more friendly.
• Being on time.
• Bus should come into the VA property to better serve veterans and employees.
• Can't think of anything. Keep up the good service.
• Cut down the wait time to every 30 minutes.
• Driver needs to slow down. On early morning routes he is way early, sometimes by 10 minutes or more.
• Everything's good.
• Go more into WF and Dil.
• Go to Industrial Park. Run 4th St. on Main to 45th.
• Good so far. Don't ride this route often.
• Good.
• Have an earlier route 4:00 a.m.
• I don't know - this is my first time/trip on this route.
• I think more shelters need to be put up. The young and old should not stand in the rain or snow. I'm willing to help in a fundraiser to help. Dave 297-0810
• Improving rates to other areas. Decrease waiting time from 30 min to 15 min.
• Increase the frequency 30 mins each.
• Later night service. Somehow 15 min waits. Excellent drivers on this route.
• Let Mitch the bus driver drive it forever.
• Make more better than ride bike.
• Moorhead run later.
• More Sunday buses.
• More frequent stops at GTC.
• More puppets? (Seriously I have no idea.)
• More seating and more shelters.
• More shelters. Bus comes more often. More routes. More hours a day.
• No changes - Mitch, our bus driver, is wonderful and caring to everyone. He is a great guy for a young bus driver.
• None
• Nothing. The bus driver is very nice. I think he needs a raise.
• OK
• OK
• People work in industrial park in NW Fargo, but limited routes there.
• Poor
• Route 16 needs a larger bus. For all the cutesy over-paid help that make up Fargo Mat, the bus service is poorly and incompletely managed.
• Run every 1/2 hr on Saturdays. Run later for people working evenings, restaurants, etc.
• Run every half hour on Sundays and Saturdays.
• Some later service (some of us work late eves), Sunday!
• Sunday bus service.
• Sunday bus.
• Sunday service
• Sunday service
• Sunday service.
• This route is good. Does not need any changes.
• To always make it on time especially to West Acres on the weekends; and to run every day until at least 12 midnight like the bigger cities.
• To go all night until 12:00 p.m., quality of ride, service. I do enjoy Mike A., Transit Planner. He works really hard.
• Two buses - one inbound, one outbound.
• Wash the bus once a day. This is a must.
• You cannot.
• You need a bus that goes to where people really need to go. I personally don't, but all I ever hear is you need a bus that goes to Fargo Industrial Park and you need a 24 hr bus going there and all around Fargo Moorhead.

Location=Route 17

• 1/2 hour service
• Come more often
• Excellent! Perfect for me as MeritCare employee.
• Heated shelters
• More frequent (1/2 hour instead of hourly)
• Sunday service
• more shelters

Location=Route 18

• Allow transfers to be used on any bus, not just at the terminals because sometimes you have to go out of the way just to transfer.
• Bus shelter on 18th St. S.
• Clean more often.
• Get some new buses.
• Have TV's installed.
• Have a bus that goes down Main Ave., heated shelters.
• Increase frequency to every 15 min.
• Kmart 14/Transfer 25 - nice to have better way to Southpoint area.
• More Saturday times.
• More shelter along routes needed for winter. Need more routes in South Fargo.
• More shelters please.
• Route 14 - Run bus later than 9:45. Often get off work at 9:45 or later. One last bus at 10:45 would be perfect. Sunday rides also be good, but not sure how cost effective
• This route could be modified to cover more of the neighborhood.

Location=Route 19

• A shopping shuttle, Sunday Service, start earlier, run longer.
• Bus should run later.
• Put #25 bus back to leave K-Mart at 7am instead of 7:30, so I can get to work on time
• Run Nights.
• Run at night
• Run later in the evening, and have a Sunday Service.

Location=Route 25

• Add a few more shelters for when it rains or snows.
• Arrival coincides better with other routes for transferring.
• Have route 25 and 14 meet up on a time on Saturday.
• Run every 30 mins.

Location=WF

• Access to more neighborhoods in WF
• Better shelter in front of Lowes
• Extend Hours at night
• Music on the bus.
• Run every half hour.
• Run past 6:15
• Sunday Service until 10pm. Later service during the week.
• Sunday service.
• Take out the bus benches. They are very confusing.