CapMetro riders' survey results out

AUSTIN (KXAN) - As Capital Metro this week ushers in a new CEO, Linda Watson , the organization Tuesday released results of a new customer satisfaction survey.

The survey was conducted by Creative Consumer Research earlier this year. The group surveyed in person 1,251 riders of local, express and University of Texas shuttle routes during a 7 1/2-week period from March to May. The three areas were equally represented.

The number one suggestion for improvement noted by consumers is to increase bus service.

Changes are indeed coming for bus and rail riders, with new policies being considered to ban smoking at bus stops for the health of riders and employees.

Beginning Sept. 1, smoking will no longer be allowed at rail station platforms. The boarding areas of transit centers and park-and-rides will become tobacco-free January 1.

CapMetro also announced a promotional campaign to increase ridership on the MetroRail service which will explore a variety of options to attract more riders.

Current riders gave high marks in the survey to drivers and said bus operators are courteous and knowledgeable with friendly demeanors.

More than 60 percent of riders with disabilities said their needs were being met well, according to the survey.

A majority of respondents said they would recommend CapMetro to another person, at 87 percent, and 83 percent said they are satisfied with bus service.

Surveys were conducted in both English and Spanish, said CCR, using laptop computers to record results while riding the bus.

The group was nearly equally split between men and women repondents, with 45 percent females and 55 percent males of the total answering questions. The average age of the riders surveyed was 31.8 years old. Average time lived in the Austin area was 9.6 years.

Seventy-eight percent of the respondents were noted as having "some college or more." The average annual income of all persons surveyed was $30,540.

The group most satisfied with the bus service was the UT bus route group, with 63 percent of the respondents scoring it a 4 on scale of 1 to 5.

However, when compared to a 2008 survey, the 2010 results showed lower ratings, said CCR.