Monroe County Transit: Existing Conditions Analysis

EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS

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2.1.3 Survey Context The survey was administered to riders on the four fixed-bus routes that connect the Keys to each other and to the mainland via US 1: • Route 301: Dade/ Monroe Express provides service from Florida City to Marathon. Route 302: Card Sound Express serves from Florida City to Ocean Reef Club. • Lower Keys Shuttle (LKS) serves from Marathon, FL to Key West, FL, and the Workforce Express serves from Bahama Village in Key West to Stock Island. WSP administered the survey across approximately twenty trips across the four routes, at times ranging from 7am to 9:00 pm. The team also interviewed the bus operators to gather additional information about the ridership, bus stop locations, and opportunities and challenges for riders and operators. 2.1.4 Summarized Data Most of riders use the bus routes for commuting to or from work, with only a few identifying as visitors or traveling for other purposes. Nearly 75 percent of respondents disclosed that they work either part-time (20 hours/week) or full-time (40 hours/ week). As previously mentioned, 70 percent of participants reported lacking access to a private vehicle, and more than half possessed a valid driver’s license, reinforcing their status as captive riders.

Approximately 56 percent of survey participants walked to the bus stop, while another 10 percent used bikes, either their own or shared through bike-sharing programs. This underscores the need for enhancing pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure connecting bus stops to neighboring areas and destinations to better accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals with disabilities. Nearly 70 percent of participants paid their fares in cash, with 11 percent opting for mobile app payment and 12 percent using a monthly transit pass. Approximately 80 percent of participants own smartphones, indicating a substantial pool of potential users for the mobile application. However, a noteworthy proportion of riders opt not to use it. This decision could be attributed to various factors, such as choosing to pay in cash, being sufficiently familiar with the system to perceive no need for the app, encountering technical challenges, facing limitations in memory storage, or privacy concerns linked to app downloads. Demographically, 35 percent of participants identify as Hispanic/Latino, 31 percent as White and 23 percent as Black/African American. About 24 percent were in the 55-64 age group, followed by 16 percent each in the 18-24 and 25-34 age groups.