Campus Accommodations for Transit
Transit accommodations can make riding the bus more appealing. We asked faculty and staff three questions including their desire for more and heated shelters, if they would ride a campus circulator with 15 minute intervals, and their willingness to ride MAT buses at a reduced rate or for free.
Fifty-two percent of respondents indicated they would like to see more bus shelters on campus, and 46 percent specified they would like the shelters to be heated (Figure 18).
Figure 18. Desire for More and Heated Shelters at MSUM (n=115)
Next, faculty and staff were asked if they would use a campus circulator to get around the MSUM campus. Thirty-two percent of respondents specified they would use a campus circulator and 68 percent said they would not use the circulator (Figure 19).
Figure 19. Willingness to Use Circulator (n=115)
Finally, faculty and staff were asked their willingness to ride a MAT bus at a reduced rate or for free (Figure 20). Thirty-six percent of respondents indicated they would ride a MAT bus if a reduced price monthly pass was offered, and 50 percent specified they would ride the MAT if it were free.
Figure 20. Willingness to Ride MAT for a Reduced Rate or Free (n=115)
The study found that MSUM faculty and staff are very reliant upon their personal automobiles. However, many do appear open to public transportation. There also appears to be a need for better marketing of bus schedules and services provided to MSUM faculty and staff as greater than 60 percent of survey respondents were unfamiliar with MAT services. Convenience and ease of use are aspects of MAT service that must also be addressed to increase the utilization of public transportation on the MSUM campus and throughout the entire Fargo-Moorhead area.