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Pleasant Street Shuttle Survey Results
Pleasant Street Shuttle Survey Results
Survey Dates: August 13, 2018 – September 28, 2018
Download the Full report as a PDF
The Town of Watertown
and Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA)
conducted a survey to evaluate interest in new transportation services. In particular, the possibility of offering shuttle service along the Pleasant Street Corridor to connect to transit.
There were a total of 383 survey respondents, of which more than half (212), indicated an interest in a shuttle service for the Pleasant Street Corridor. Respondents who said they would use the shuttle reported that they would use is at least 3-5 times per week and would be willing to pay at least $1 per ride and be on it for a maximum of 15-30 minutes. The top three most popular locations for the shuttle service to connect were the Red Line to Harvard, Watertown Yard Bus Terminal and Watertown Square Bus.
The Town of Watertown and the WTMA are continuing to look for potential partners who would like to participate in a Pleasant Street shuttle and share in the cost. Details of the project are being discussed, interested participants should contact Sophia Galimore at 781-404-5008, director@watertowntma.org.
Employees and tenants of participating locations in the Pleasant Street corridor received a link to a survey that took 5-10 minutes to complete. The thoughts and opinions shared will be used to help determine what services should be offered and are summarized in this report.
Conclusions
- There is high interest in a shuttle service for the Pleasant Street Corridor.
- Retirees are interested in a shuttle.
- Red Line to Harvard, Watertown Yard Bus Terminal and Watertown Square Bus were the top 3 transit stations for the shuttle service to connect to.
- Respondents are willing to pay at least $1 per trip.
- Respondents are willing to ride the shuttle between 15 – 30 minutes maximum.
- Respondents who said they would use the shuttle reported that they would use it at least 3-5 times per week.
- The data shows that a peak period (7:00 AM – 8:30 AM) and (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM) service is the most desirable based on work hours.
- Majority of respondents own 1 or more vehicles per household.
Survey Results Overview
Note: Numbers of respondents indicated below are the numbers for each specific question.
- Total Survey Responses = 383
- The majority of respondents (252) were Watertown residents.
- Most work a Monday to Friday schedule.
- Almost all respondents (348) have 1 or more cars in their household, 169 of those have 2 or more cars.
- The majority of respondents (213) reported working full time (41 or more hours a week), and another 111 work 31 or more hours per week.
- Most respondents (213) leave for work sometime between 7:00 and 8:30 AM and the majority leave for home between 5:00 and 7:00 (208). These correspond to the most likely times for a commuter shuttle service.
- 238 respondents reported that they did not work from home and 238 did not work from another location, these responses indicate this group is part of the target market for a shuttle service.
- 245 respondents reported that they currently drive alone to work and only 65 take public transportation as their primary commute mode.
- More than half of the respondents (212) indicated that they would be interested in using a shuttle bus service if one were available.
- The top three spots that respondents indicated interest in were:
- Red Line – Harvard (165)
- Watertown Yard Bus Terminal (143)
- Watertown Square Bus (130)
- Respondents who said they would use the shuttle reported that they would use it frequently with 3-5 times per week (106) being the most popular answer.
- Almost 75% of respondents (229) indicated that they live within walking distance of a transit stop.
- When asked about what they would expect from a shuttle service, respondents were looking for:
- 15-30 minutes maximum time (159)
- $1 cost per trip (176)
- Many respondents (176) indicated that if a shuttle service was provided, it would influence them to stay at their current job or residential location longer than they planned.
- Respondents top answers for what their biggest concerns about their commute were:
- Congestion on streets and highways (193)
- The frustration of commuting (179)
- Overall travel time (168)
- The main reasons why people choose to drive to work were:
- Driving takes less time than other options (147)
- Transit takes longer than driving (141)
- A transit stop is too far from my final destination (108)
- A transit stop is too far from my home (98)
It's officially winter! Are you ready for the snow and ice? Is your car ready? Join Luis Mejia, Fleet Mechanic at TransAction Associates & Corporate Shuttles, as he shares some winter car maintenance and safety tips.
World Car-Free Day 2023 was a huge success! Organized in a variety of ways around the globe, every event shared the unifying goal of reducing the number of cars on the road. The Watertown TMA participated in MassCommute 's 2023 Car-Free Day, the Commonwealth’s Coalition of 15 TMAs to promote and celebrate Car-Free Day in Massachusetts. Commuters who participated helped to make a positive impact on the environment and contributed to a greener Bay State!
The WatConnector launched on September 7, 2021, with hourly service between Watertown Mews on Pleasant Street and Harvard Square. Starting February 13, 2023, the WatConnector will go electric and will run every half hour. Thanks to a grant from MassDOT, along with other public and private funds, two new electric shuttle buses were purchased and will replace the existing gas shuttles.
This past November, Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) commuters were challenged to express their gratitude for the commutes that bring them safely to-and-from the workplace.
Also known as the WATConnector, passengers along Pleasant Street can now get to and from Watertown Square as well as Harvard Square during the AM and PM commutes. The WATConnector Pleasant Street shuttle services are available to participating corporate and residential partners and the public.
As a green commuter, you’ve done your part to help the environment. You found a carpool partner, coordinated schedules, made the trip in together. But what if you arrive at work and find that all of the good parking spots are taken? Many organizations have good intentions when they designate special preferred carpool parking spots in a prime location near an entrance. One carpool space reduces the need for at least one other parking spot. Promoting carpooling is a great way to reduce your parking demand and encourage commuters to share the ride. However, without the proper enforcement and program management in place, the positive impact of the preferential parking incentive can lose its effectiveness. That’s where having a partner like the Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) to manage the program can help.
Everyone knows biking is good for you and good for the planet. Incorporating biking to work and during the workday has its advantages on the business side of things too. Studies have repeatedly shown people who bike are healthier (and therefore take fewer sick days), arrive to work less stressed, and are more productive. Need even more reasons? Below are just a few more of the benefits of biking for your commute: Avoids unhealthy traffic congestion Helps to improve air quality Saves on gas Avoids parking costs Increases your physical activity Reduces your stress Be a member of the bike commuting community Feel the thrill you get from bike riding
The Watertown Connector transports passengers to and from Harvard Square during the AM and PM commutes. There are two services available to participating corporate and residential partners (listed below).
The MBTA Forging-Ahead service cuts were approved by the MBTA's Fiscal Management and Control Board (FMCB) on December 14, 2020. These reductions are being made based on an overall 80% drop in ridership due to the pandemic. Although these cuts are not as severe as originally proposed by the MBTA in early November, they are significant and will impact the Watertown commuter community. According to the MBTA, by focusing on the reductions to service frequency, this allows for better preparation to increase service when ridership returns, after the widespread vaccine distribution.
Walking is something most of us do every day, it is our default transportation mode. By incorporating more regular walking habits into our routines, it can lead to some incredible physical and mental benefits. You're More Creative & Productive "A study done at Stanford showed that walking made participants more creative than their sedentary counterparts. They found that creative output increased 60 percent when a person was walking." source: Medium It's Healthier Than Running According to research reported in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology , "Calorie for calorie, walking also had a stronger impact on heart disease risk factors. The risk of first-time high blood pressure was reduced by 4.2% by running and 7.2% by walking." source: The Guardian Make Your Walk Fun! Plan multiple walks throughout your day. Take a break from the work day and go for a quick 10-minute walk Walk to an errand Create a destination Set out to just enjoy the beauty of nature