Salem Shuttle Studies - Feasibility Study - August 2018
SHUTTLE BUS FEASIBIL ITY STUDY
AND A QUALITATIVE EV A L UATION
OF CUR RENT TRANSIT SERVICES
Salem, Massachusetts
TransAction Associates
5 Wheeling Ave
Woburn, MA 01801
August 2018
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ i
1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
Project History/Background .................................................................................................... 1
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 3
2.0 Study Process/Methodology ........................................................................................... 5
3.0 Existing Transit/ferry/bicycle Services ............................................................................. 6
Council on Aging (COA) Vans ................................................................................................... 6
Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Commuter Rail ............................................... 7
MBTA Bus Services .................................................................................................................. 7
The RIDE................................................................................................................................. 11
Taxi and Rideshare Services .................................................................................................. 12
Salem State Shuttle ............................................................................................................... 12
North Shore Medical Center Shuttle ..................................................................................... 13
Logan Airport transit ............................................................................................................. 13
Seasonal/Temporary Transit Services ................................................................................... 14
Bike Share Programs .............................................................................................................. 15
4.0 Public Involvement/Community Input .......................................................................... 16
Public Meetings ..................................................................................................................... 16
City of Salem Transportation Survey ..................................................................................... 21
5.0 City of Salem Transit Needs .......................................................................................... 28
Gaps in Service Areas ............................................................................................................ 28
Gaps in Populations Served ................................................................................................... 28
Gaps in Schedules/Dependability .......................................................................................... 29
Road and Sidewalk Conditions/Parking Availability .............................................................. 29
6.0 Other Transit Services (Best Practices) .......................................................................... 30
Big Blue Bus ........................................................................................................................... 30
CrossTown Connect Transportation Management Association............................................ 30
The Bedford DASH ................................................................................................................. 33
Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA) .......................................................................... 33
Best Practices......................................................................................................................... 34
7.0 Alternatives .................................................................................................................. 35
Improvements to Existing Services ....................................................................................... 35
Shuttle Services ..................................................................................................................... 37
Partnerships ........................................................................................................................... 45
Summary ................................................................................................................................ 45
8.0 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 1
Haunted Happenings Shuttle Service ...................................................................................... 2
Salem Trolley ........................................................................................................................... 2
Improve Existing MBTA Bus Stops ........................................................................................... 2
Transportation Coordinator .................................................................................................... 3
Marketing and Outreach ......................................................................................................... 3
Rebranding .............................................................................................................................. 4
Infrastructure........................................................................................................................... 5
9.0 Implementation ............................................................................................................. 6
Partnerships ............................................................................................................................. 6
Funding Sources ...................................................................................................................... 6
Next Steps .............................................................................................................................. 10
Appendices
Meeting Notes
Transportation Survey
Transportation Survey Results
Alternative Cost Estimates (conceptual level)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Salem is an AARP-recognized, age-friendly community with a focus on providing
services that make it an exceptional place to live, work and play. With a 20 -member stakeholder
representative group, seven staff and its consultant TransAction Associates, the city conducted a
shuttle bus feasibility study and an evaluation of its existing transit services. The goal was to
determine if a new shuttle system is operationally and fiscally practical, and to determine if
existing transit services can be improved and, if so, how.
To understand the transit needs in Salem, the study began with an inventory of available services,
public meetings and a city-wide transportation survey.
Through this process the following items were identified as priorities:
Connectivity between neighborhoods.
Dependable and frequent connections to major shopping and medical centers.
Expansion of the existing Council on Aging shuttle service to accommodate
social/recreational trips (existing service is currently limited to trips related to shopping and
medical services).
Evening and weekend shuttle services.
Improvement to the reliability of existing six MBTA bus routes that travel through the City of
Salem (the MBTA indicates approximately one out of every three buses generally arrives six
minutes before or after its scheduled time).
Improved sidewalk and roadway surfaces for better accessibility.
Successful transit services in Massachusetts, as well as one national model in California, were
contacted and evaluated to identify strategies for scheduling, routing, partnering, branding and
funding. From this effort, several “best practices” were identified such as:
Cost-sharing models between the public and private sectors can be successful.
Shuttle bus schedules and routes should be flexible to respond to seasonal demands and
special events.
Branding is important for increased awareness and marketing.
Demand-response routes provided by adjacent cities’ and town’s Councils on Aging vans can
be dispatched from a common dispatch center. This allows more time for riders to speak with
a live person, potentially increased ridership, and an improved ability to fill in gaps left by last
minute cancellations, improving the efficiency of current Council on Aging services.
When starting a new shuttle service, consider starting with a demand-response route. Collect
data on ridership and use that data to establish fixed -route service that meets actual needs.
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Combining the transit needs with best practices, along with additional input of stakeholders and
city planning staff, the following nine alternatives for improving transit services in Salem were
developed:
Two alternatives for refining existing services.
Five alternatives for new services, including intra-city circular loops and a demand-response
shuttle service.
Two alternatives for forming partnerships.
The study recommended that intra-city circular loops or a demand-response service be
implemented and that the city request a meeting with the MBTA to try to negotiate improved
services. However, any of the nine alternatives, or combinations of alternatives could be
implemented.
The conceptual routes depicted within the report were developed based on community input in
consultation with the City of Salem’s Council on Aging. It is expected that they will be modified
either before launching based on future community input or based on real-world experience
once fully launched. The study presented conceptual level costs to implement both the fixed -
loop and demand-response routes. Costs for the city to directly provide the services, as well as
to contract-out the service to a vendor, were estimated.
The report concludes with a list of possible funding sources and recommendations for next steps.
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
The City of Salem, Massachusetts is a historic coastal city of eight square miles located in Essex
County on the North Shore. Founded in 1629, Salem has an estimated 43,000 residents and is
home to a unique blend of historic landmarks, tourist attractions, museums, and employment
centers, as well as Salem State University and the North Shore Medical Center, the North Shore’s
largest healthcare provider. Salem takes great pride in being a place that offers opportunities to
live, work, and play. It also has an objective to provide excellent transit services.
Salem has a number of transportation services including an MBTA Commuter Rail Station, MBTA
bus services, ferry boat services, and local options such as the Council on Aging (COA) vans and
the Salem Trolley. However, these various options do not meet all of the needs of the community
and are not connected in a coordinated way, rather each one serves a particular niche . For
example, the COA provides a limited van service for trips to grocery stores and to health
providers. The vans cannot be used for any other purposes such as social or recreational trips.
The Salem Trolley provides service around the downtown area, but it is seasonal and residents
can only ride if it is not full with paying customers. Lastly, it is challenging for transit riders,
especially seniors, to depend on any public services for intra-city travel due to long waits between
trips and bus stops without shelters, which do not meet current standards for accessibility.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Salem’s population has been in a growth phase and this
trend appears to be continuing--in particular among older adults. Currently, approximately one
in five Salem residents (8,000) is over the age of 60. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council
(MAPC) projects that this will grow to one in four (12,000) by 2030. A quarter of the households
in Salem are home to one or more children. These populations, among others, have been
identified as having an interest in transit services currently not offered within the city. Gaps in
transit services can potentially be closed by implementing new shuttle service and/or modifying
existing transit services within the city.
The goal of this report is to identify whether a shuttle system is operationally and fiscally
practical, and to determine if existing transit services can be improved and if so, how.
PROJECT HISTORY/BACK GROUND
In 2016, Salem was added to the AARP national network of Age Friendly communities. Salem
became the first city on the North Shore to join the network and only the third in the
Commonwealth. Being in the network prompted the city to develop Salem for All Ages: An age-
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friendly action plan. The action plan focuses on establishing a vision for each of what the AARP
and the World Health Organization (WHO) call the “eight domains” of an age-friendly community,
one of which is transportation. A transportation goal identified in the action plan is to commission
a feasibility study of a shuttle in the city.
Recognizing the importance of transportation, the city commenced the Imagine Salem Visioning
Project, an in-depth visioning process with a focused dialogue around transportation, housing,
and employment, with themes of equity and inclusiveness woven throughout .
The Imagine Salem Progress Report recommends that the city’s transportation system should
allow travelers to string together different mode choices where appropriate. The report
specifically notes that “it is unreasonable to expect all transportation modes to work for all trips
and creating independent systems for all transportation modes would be redundant in many
places.”
With limited access roads into and out of the city, vehicular congestion was cited as a major
concern among residents throughout a number of recent studies and in the Imagine Salem
Progress Report. The report also notes that Salem, located just 26 miles north of Boston, is by no
means a bedroom community. Approximately 17,000 commuters leave Salem each day, and
roughly the same number arrive to work in the city. In terms of commuting choice, of the
approximately 22,000 working residents of Salem, 67 percent drive alone to their jobs each day,
which has a significant impact on local roadways.
The Point neighborhood is the densest area of the city with some block groups populated by 95
people per acre. Other neighborhoods identified as being relatively dense in the Imagine Salem
Progress Report (data from the American Community Survey, 2010 -2014 five-year estimates)
include the downtown area, McIntire District, Gallows Hill, Salem Common, and Derby Street.
Parts of Bridge Street Neck, North Salem, and South Salem were also identified as being relatively
dense.
The report also notes that it is important to look at the daytime population, which includes job
centers. The most densely populated areas with regard to job centers include the area around
North Shore Medical Center and Salem State University.
The more than one million tourists that visit Salem throughout the year pose specific challenges
around transportation. As home to Haunted Happenings, a month-long Halloween celebration,
the city hosts more than 250,000 visitors in October alone. As a coastal community, roadways
can also be congested with visitors to the city’s many summer attractions as well as throughout
the year.
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Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll wrote in the opening of the Salem for All Ages report that “Great cities
do not happen by accident. They take careful planning, public input, and meaningful action.” In
keeping with that statement, this report identifies ways to improve transportation options in
Salem as part of the effort to make it a place where people want to live, work and play for many
years to come.
Thus, this transit study stems from the goals of the Salem for All Ages Action Plan and
recommendations developed through the Imagine Salem Visioning Project. The study is funded
through a Tufts Health Plan Foundation Grant awarded to the Friends of the Salem COA in the
summer of 2017. The grant reflects the Tufts Health Plan Foundation’s commitment to building
healthier communities by promoting collaboration and improving systems and best practices.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following people and groups generously gave their time and represented the city’s
stakeholders in conducting this study:
Lou Arak, Footprint Powerplant
John Daley, North Shore Medical Center
Beth Debski, AICP, Salem Partnership
Russell Findley, Mass in Motion
Tara Gallagher, Salem State University
Erick Hahn, Shetland Park
Jim Kearney, Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Council
Andrea Leary, North Shore Transportation Management Association
Debra Lobsitz, Commission on Disability
Mickey Northcutt, North Shore Community Development Corporation
Eric Papetti, Traffic and Parking Commission
Frank Ryan, Friends of the Salem Council on Aging
Kristin Shaver, Salem Public Schools Transportation Services
Scott G. Silverstein, Footprint Property
Andrew K. Smith, MBTA
Jill Thompson, Salem Chamber of Commerce
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Craig Tuminaro, Peabody Essex Museum
Alice Williams, Salem Council on Aging
Patricia Zaido, Age Friendly Task Force
The City of Salem
A special thank you is extended to Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and City of Salem staff including:
Amanda Chiancola, AICP, Department of Planning and Community Development Staff Planner
Tom Daniel, AICP, Department of Planning and Community Development Director
Nick Downing, Acting Traffic and Parking Department Director
Teresa Arnold, Council on Aging Director
Fred Norton, Council on Aging Transportation Director
Dominick Pangallo, Chief Administrative Aid/Age Friendly Task Force
Matt Smith, former Traffic and Parking Department Director
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2.0 STUDY PROCESS/METHOD OLOGY
To determine the feasibility of a shuttle service
within the city and to assess the efficiency of
existing transit services, extensive background
research was conducted and input from the
public was solicited. From this information,
alternatives for shuttle routes/services and ways
to enhance the existing transit services were
developed and analyzed.
The project began with a comprehensive public
involvement process including several public
meetings and a city-wide transportation survey. A detailed inventory of available transportation
resources in the city was created, including transit options, as well as options to connect to
destinations outside of Salem. Based on information received from the public, the survey and the
inventory of existing transportation resources, gaps in existing services were identified.
Other communities’ shuttle systems were then reviewed in order to identify best practices for
operating an intra-city shuttle service. In addition, phone and email interviews were conducted
with several transportation providers.
Alternatives for improving existing services, as
well as developing new shuttle services, were
reviewed and analyzed using the information
gathered from the outreach meetings, the survey,
the inventory and evaluation of existing transit
services, and research conducted on existing
successful shuttle systems and transportation
management associations.
The report was reviewed in draft form by the
stakeholder group participants who offered
feedback and suggestions. It concludes with recommendations to further develop several of the
alternatives and provides suggestions for implementation, funding sources and next steps.
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3.0 EXISTING TRANSIT/FERRY/BICYCL E SERVICES
The City of Salem provides some options for residents who do not wish to travel by car. Existing
services are available for certain trips within the city and some service is provided to/from
destinations outside the city, mostly to/from Boston. Most of the current services target specific
users such as the Salem seniors, Salem State University students and Salem tourists. Local
services include a van service provided by the COA, the Salem Trolley, rideshare services, special
event shuttle services, MBTA buses, bicycle share programs and a seasonal harbor ferry. More
regional services include the MBTA (commuter rail system, bus system and RIDE), a ferry service
between Boston and Salem, and Logan Express (to/from Boston’s Logan Airport).
C OUNCIL ON AGING (COA ) VANS
The COA vans are available to Salem residents aged 60 or older, or those with a qualified
disability. The service offers rides by appointment for medical trips (in and out of the city) and
shopping/errands within the city. No fares are required, but donations of $1.00 per trip for trips
within the city, $2.00 for trips to destinations outside of the city and $5.00 for certain special
events are requested. The COA operates three 8-seat vehicles and two 12-seat vehicles. Although
the COA vans are a good example of a successful service, the service is only available to a certain
segment of the population and does not operate on a fixed route. In 2017, the program provided
approximately 17,000 rides or 1,400 rides a month. The most requested destinations were the
Senior Center, medical facilities and retail centers. The COA vans are paid for with a combination
funding sources including the city’s municipal budget, the state budget (formula), and state
grants.
The Council on Aging recently ran an evening and weekend pilot program. The vans operated
three nights a week (Tuesday and Wednesday until 6:00 p.m., and Thursday until 7:00 p.m.) and
on weekends. Just under 2,000 rides were taken as part of the pilot between September 2017
and June 2018. Service was only available to destinations in Salem and could not be used for
medical trips. The data collected indicates that people primarily used these hours of service for
social/employments trips to go to places such as the grocery store, shopping, and to restaurants.
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MASSACHUSETTS BAY TR ANSIT AUTHORITY (MBT A) COMMUTER RAIL
Salem Depot, the MBTA Commuter Rail Station, is located in downtown Salem and is on the
Newburyport/Rockport line. The station is within walking distance (half-mile or ten minutes) of
the downtown historic core and some neighboring areas. There is frequent weekday service
between Salem Depot and North Station that provides good access to Boston. Weekend service
is somewhat more limited but still available throughout the day. Salem Depot is fully accessible
and has a parking garage with 700 spaces. In 2016 the MBTA reported there were an average of
2,389 inbound boardings per day. The cost for a one-way trip is $7.50 and a monthly pass is
available for $244.25. The Commuter Rail schedule is as follows:
Monday to Friday: Inbound: 4:55 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., Outbound: 6:26 a.m. to 1:22 a.m.
Saturday: Inbound: 7:00 a.m. to 11:11 p.m., Outbound: 12:42 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Sunday: Inbound: 7:00 a.m. to 11:11 p.m., Outbound: 8:30 a.m. to 12:42 a.m.
MBTA BUS SERVICE S
The table and figures that follow summarize the four bus routes operated by the MBTA in the
City of Salem. Although six bus routes are identified on the MBTA website as traveling through
Salem, two bus routes follow the same routes within the city, differing only south of Lynn and
two other bus routes also follow similar routes within the city, differing only south of Revere. All
of the routes stop at Salem Depot, serve many of the city’s arterials roadways, and all travel over
municipal boundaries either north to Beverly or Danvers, or south to Lynn, Revere and Boston .
The cost to ride the MBTA Route #451 and #455 bus is $1.70 to $2.00, depending on the payment
method or is included with an $84.50 Monthly Link Pass. The cost to ride the MBTA Route
#450/450W and Route #459 is either $4.00 or $5.00 depending on the payment method and is
$128 for an Inner Express Bus Pass. Public input indicates that many people are unsure of the bus
schedules and have reported issues such as unreliability and inconsistency. A review of the
schedules published by the MBTA, confirms that they are confusing and difficult to understand.
A brief summary of the six routes is provided below. Ridership and reliability data are summarized
in a table that follows the summaries.
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BUS ROUTE #450/#456
Salem Depot to Boston/Revere (#450)
and Lynn Central Square (#456)
SERVICE:
Washington Street (Downtown area,
Riley Plaza), Essex Street (McIntire
Historic District, Salem Public Library),
Highland Avenue (Salem Hospital,
Market Basket, Salem High School,
Walmart). Although these routes
provide the same local service, #450
terminates at Wonderland Station in
Revere or at Haymarket in Boston and
#456 terminates in Central Square in
Lynn.
WEEKDAY SCHEDULE :
All day except from approximately 1:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Headways are generally 30 to 40
minutes southbound and vary from 25 to 70 minutes northbound during day time and early
evening hours. After 9:00 p.m., headways average one hour southbound and 20 minutes
northbound.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE:
From approximately 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Headways are generally 70 minutes in both
directions.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE:
From approximately 8:15 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Headways are 60 minutes.
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BUS ROUTE #451
Salem Depot to Beverly
SERVICE :
Bridge Street, Hawthorne Blvd (Tourist sites,
Waterfront Garage), Derby Street, Washington
Street (Court House, Riley Plaza) and Beverly
Hospital.
WEEKDAY SCHEDULE:
From approximately 6:00/6:50 a.m. to 7:10 p.m.
Headways are generally 60 minutes. However,
there are significant gaps in service. Northbound to
Beverly, there is no bus service between 8:20 a.m.
and 2:30 p.m. Returning to Salem from Beverly,
there is no bus service between 9:32 a.m. and 3:52 p.m. There is no weekday evening service or
weekend service.
BUS ROUTE #455/#459
Salem Depot to Revere (#455) and Boston (#459)
SERVICE:
Bridge Street, North Street, Washington Street (Riley
Plaza, Court House), Derby Street (tourist area),
Congress Street (Palmer Park and Palmer Cove),
Lafayette Street (Salem State University), Loring
Avenue and Vinnin Square.
Although these routes provide the same local
service, #455 terminates at Wonderland Station in
Revere and #459 terminates in Boston, with stops at
Logan Airport, Seaport District and Downtown
Crossing.
WEEKDAY SCHEDULE :
All day except from approximately 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Headways for local service range from
20 to 40 minutes during the day and over an hour after 7:00 p.m.
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SATURDAY SCHEDULE :
#455 runs on Saturdays from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Headways are generally 30
to 35 minutes.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE :
#455 runs on Sundays from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Headways are 60 minutes.
BUS ROUTE #465
Salem Depot to Danvers
SERVICE:
Washington Street (Court House, Riley Plaza),
Essex Street (McIntire Historic District, Salem
Public Library), Boston Street. This bus also
provides a connection to the Northshore Mall in
Danvers.
WEEKDAY SCHEDULE :
From approximately 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Headways are generally 60 minutes.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE :
From approximately 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Headways are generally every two hours.
RIDERSHIP & RELIABILITY
Reliability and average daily ridership data for the six MBTA bus routes providing service in Salem
is summarized in the table below. A comparison of ridership data from 2012 indicates that
ridership is lower on all routes with the exception of the Route #455 bus weekday service. The
reliability ratings for these buses, each of which have headways exceeding 15 minutes, is the
percentage of buses that arrive within six minutes of its scheduled time. As shown, bus route
#455 is the most highly utilized with generally almost 1,300 riders per weekday inbound and
under 1,000 outbound with similar ridership on Saturday in each travel direction. Unfortunately,
#455 also has a 59 percent reliability rating. With the exception of bus #456, all the bus routes
have a reliability rating of 62 percent or less. This means that at least one out of every three buses
arrive more than six minutes before or after its scheduled time.
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2017 Ridership2
Bus
Route
End Points Reliability1
Weekdays Saturdays Sundays
Inbound Outbound Inbound Outbound Inbound Outbound
#450 Salem Depot (N),
Boston (S) 56% 696 784 506 363 388 464
#451 Beverly (N), Salem
Depot (S) 60% 52 81
#455 Salem Depot (N),
Revere (S) 59% 1298 975 1246 1009 821 590
#456 Salem Depot (N),
Lynn (S) 79% 101 148
#459 Salem Depot (N),
Boston (S) 40% 489 418
#465 Danvers (N), Salem
Depot (S) 62% 156 147 95 72
1Source: MBTA Dashboard Website (last 30 days)
2Ridership provided by the MBTA based on 2017 Composite Day data
THE RIDE
The RIDE is the MBTA’s door-to-door, shared-ride paratransit service. The RIDE is operated by
the MBTA in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The RIDE can assist with
public transportation for individuals who have a disability that prevents them from using the
MBTA bus, subway, or trolley all or some of the time. In Salem, the RIDE is operated by Greater
Lynn Senior Services. The one-way fare for local trips is $3.15.
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The MBTA is also running an on-demand paratransit pilot with Uber and Lyft, where RIDE
customers can book subsidized rides instantly from their smartphones. Each month RIDE
customers get a limited number of subsidized rides, depending on their eligibility. Riders pay the
first $2.00 of the trip, and anything over a $42.00 fare. Rides can be requested in the Uber and
Lyft apps, and Lyft offers a call-in feature as well for those who prefer not to use the app.
TAXI AND RIDESHARE SERVICES
Salem is fortunate to have a number of taxi companies (Witch City Taxi, Salem Taxi and Americab
Taxi), as well as good access to transportation sharing services like Lyft and Uber. Although these
services can be expensive for regular trips such as for commuting, and for those with a fixed
income, they do provide good access around the area for specific trips. Typical trips within Salem
could cost between $6 and $20 depending in the distance and time of day. In 2017, the
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities reported that 296,482 trips were provided by
rideshare companies with an origin in the City of Salem.
In addition to the taxi companies and services such as Lyft and Uber, Salem has several locations
where Zipcars are available. Zipcar is a carsharing service that offers access to rental vehicles by
the day or by the hour to its members. For an annual membership fee and a nominal cost to rent
the car, participants can have access to a vehicle without owning one.
SALEM STATE SHUTTLE
Salem State University (SSU) provides two shuttle services to its community and guests. These
include two fixed-routes operated by a private carrier (the Viking Campus Shuttle and the Viking
Salem Depot Shuttle), and a student operated demand-response shuttle.
The fixed-route shuttles are operated using coach buses and only on weekdays. The Viking
Campus Shuttle operates from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The Salem Depot Service provides a
connection to the Salem Commuter Rail Station from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m.
to 6:00 p.m. None of these routes operates in the evening or on weekends. All vehicles are
accessible. A 2015 report prepared by the SSU Geography Department on the Viking Shuttle
indicated that the shuttles suffer from some service related issues and are “too often neither
timely nor efficient.” This may explain why anecdotal information suggests that the service in
general is underutilized.
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The student-run shuttle provides service to on-campus locations, as well as several off-campus
locations such as Vinnin Square, Market Basket and downtown Salem. This service is offered on
Mondays from 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., other weekdays from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and on
weekends from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. It currently operates primarily as an on-demand service,
but going forward will be moving more toward a fixed route. SSU indicates that reliability has
been an issue for this service due to difficulty with retaining student drivers. The University owns
the 4 vans uses to operate this service, they are between 5 and 12 years old and only one of the
four vehicles is accessible with a wheelchair lift.
City of Salem residents are not permitted to use this service unless they are affiliated with the
University.
Salem State students get a discounted membership to Zipcar and also have the requirement to
be 21 to rent waived through the University’s affiliation with the program. Students need only
be 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license to participate. This provides access to a vehicle
to students on-demand.
SSU has indicated a strong desire to collaborate with the City, in particular in the future when
they may be looking to close their South Campus location which would present more
opportunities to restructure the existing service. More data on usage of the existing services may
help to make decisions about the best ways to collaborate with any programs that the City offers.
NORTH SHORE M EDICAL CENTER SHUTTLE
The North Shore Medical Center operates a shuttle service for its employees who are required
to park off-site on weekdays. Two 12-seat buses are used for this service and operate from 5:00
a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. These buses are not accessible.
LOGAN AIRPORT TRANSI T
For Salem residents traveling to the airport, Massport operates the Logan Express bus offering
service between Peabody and Logan Airport. The bus leaves every hour from 3:15 a.m.to 10:15
p.m. Return trips leave Logan every hour from 4.15 a.m.to 1:15 a.m. One-way fare is $12.00 and
daily parking is $7.00.
KT’s Transportation and the North Shore Shuttle (operated by BeDriven) also provide scheduled
door-to-door transportation to Logan Airport. Rides on the services can be scheduled as private
or shared.
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As of April 2018, the MBTA extended its Silver Line bus to travel from Bellingham Square in
Chelsea to Logan Airport. Salem residents can get to Bellingham Square from the Chelsea stop
on the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport line.
SEASONAL/TEMPORARY TRANSIT SERVICES
SALEM FERRY
As a coastal community, Salem has the unique ability to use water transportation options . A ferry
service is operated by Boston Harbor Cruises, providing a connection between Long Warf in
Boston to the Salem Ferry Center located at 10 Blaney Street in north Salem. Service is available
between May and October. The regular round-trip cost for one adult is $45.00, for Salem
residents it is $19.00, and for commuters (7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. departures only) the cost is
$16.00.
SALEM HARBOR SHUTTLE/TAXI
The Salem Harbor shuttle/taxi service operates from June to Labor Day and services f our stops
located along a loop. Stops are available upon request and include Blaney Street, Congress Street,
Winter Street and Salem Willows. The fare is $7.00 for adults.
SALEM TROLLEY
The Salem Trolley is a privately-owned seasonal service operating from June 1st to September
30th and is geared toward giving tourists a one-hour narrated tour of the city. Although it costs
$18 for tourists, the trolley is free to residents. This free service is made possible due to funds
paid to the trolley company by the city. The trolley runs seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. The route includes much of downtown Salem and Salem Willows.
Trolley tickets can be purchased online, or at several museums and businesses throughout the
city. A challenge for residents is that free tickets can only be purchased at the Salem Trolley office,
which is not convenient for everyone. Moreover, priority is given to paying passengers.
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HAUNTED HAPPENINGS SHUTTLE SERVICE
In 2017 Salem launched an extremely successful seasonal pilot program on weekends in October
called the Haunted Happenings Shuttle. The service used school buses to connect three off-site
parking locations (Salem High School, Salem State University O’Keefe Center and Salem Hospital)
to the downtown area, which is the primary destination for many of these seasonal trips. This
program was able to reduce traffic congestion by keeping cars out of the downtown area. The
service carried a total of 9,416 passenger trips and was offered at no cost.
BIKE SHARE PROGRAMS
Salem is home to several Zagster Bike Share stations located
strategically throughout the city. This has been an increasingly
popular program with ridership expanding every month since it
started in May of 2017. In May 2018, 696 rides were taken,
bringing the total rides since the program’s inauguration to
3,758. Zagster has seen a 562 percent increase in monthly rides
since it began, due to the fact that the program has expanded
from three hubs and 18 bicycles to ten hubs and 50 bicycles.
The city also added the option for riders to start or end their
trip at any of the city’s public bicycle racks. The annual cost for
Zagster Membership is $25.00 and trips are billed at $3.00 an
hour after the first two hours.
Zagster stations are located throughout the city, including:
Salem State University South and Central Campuses
The Point Neighborhood
Derby Square
Salem Ferry Terminal
Hawthorne Hotel
Federal St. Downtown
MBTA Commuter Rail Station, Lower Level
North Salem at the corner of Orne St. And North St.
Salem Willows
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4.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT /COMMUNITY INPUT
To fully understand the needs of the community and stakeholders, a comprehensive public
involvement process was developed. The goal of this process was to work closely with the
community, particularly older adults and others who are traditionally under-represented in the
planning processes. A working group of stakeholder representatives was assembled to help guide
the study and ensure that the needs of the stakeholders were understood. After the stakeholder
group was formed, it was agreed that two additional public outreach meetings were to be held
and a city-wide transportation survey conducted. This section summarizes information collected
at these meetings and through the survey.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
The public meetings were run by representatives from both the City of Salem and TransAction
Associates. At each meeting, a brief introduction to the topics to be covered was presented and
then attendees were asked to provide comments on questions related to transportation services
in the city. Meeting notes are provided in the Appendix and summarized below.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 - STAKEHOLDER MEETING
At this meeting, the framework of the study was developed by the stakeholders identified in the
acknowledgement section of this report. Approximately 22 attendees met on September 20,
2017 at the City Hall Annex. A brief presentation by city staff and TransAction Associates was
given to introduce the project, and then the attendees were separated into three break-out
groups and asked to discuss several questions related to the study. The discussions were
facilitated by senior TransAction Associates staff. Key questions and responses are summarized
below.
What are the biggest challenges around transportation in Salem?
Seniors have no access to local transit for social trips
Seniors can only bring two bags on the COA van for a shopping trip
Senior population is rising due to good health
Seasonal tourism during summer and in October
Future Power Plant Redevelopment in North Salem
17
Where are there significant gaps in existing service?
Lack of an east/west connection
Lack of service between Salem State University/Jefferson Avenue and downtown
Lack of service to Salem Willows and North Salem
Lack of service to Market Basket, Walmart and other shopping centers
Employee services
What information should be collected as part of the study?
Information on car share services located in the city such as Zipcar, Uber and Lyft
Information from the Waze application
- Gaps in MBTA bus services
- How Council on Aging vans are used
- Accessibility of the city’s taxi services
- Availability of school buses for other than student use and bus accessibility
- Bicycle accommodations in the city, both existing and future
- After school and evening transportation needs of Salem High School students
- Salem State University shuttle service routes and gaps in service
- Locations of existing public parking areas
What needs to be considered in operating a shuttle service in Salem?
Who are the users and where do they live
How will accessibility be handled
Where would passengers park
Existing traffic flows through the city
How will shuttles interconnect with other transportation services
How will the shuttle service be marketed
Should the buses have bicycle racks
Will shuttle routes and schedules be different season to season
Financial planning (initial and operational costs, fares and possible funding sources)
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FEBRUARY 12, 2018 – PUBLIC MEETING
In order to gain insight from the public-at-large, the City of Salem with TransAction Associates
hosted a public meeting at the City Hall Annex. Approximately 37 residents attended and several
meeting attendees followed up with emails to city staff. Similar to the meeting held with the
stakeholder representatives, the meeting included brief presentations and break-out sessions
where participants were able to give their specific feedback on major challenges around
transportation. The key questions and responses discussed in the groups are summarized below.
What are the biggest challenges around transportation in Salem?
Increased traffic and insufficient parking during the summer and in October
Conditions of sidewalks and roads
Seasonal fluctuations in city’s population
Poor accessibility of existing services
Where are there significant gaps in existing transit service?
MBTA bus schedules are not convenient and some are underutilized (in particular bus
route #459)
MBTA buses primarily provide service in and out of the city and do not service intra-
city connections
MBTA bus frequency/reliability/efficiency are not good
Access to, and the ability to use, transit/bus tracker applications
Lack of coordination/connections between services
Lack of bus shelters
Lack of service between North Salem and downtown
Lack of connection between the Commuter Rail Station and Salem Hospital
Lack of weeknight and weekend service
Lack of service to Logan Airport
What information should be collected as part of the study?
Data on other shuttle services such as those provided in Framingham/Metrowest and
Lexington (Lexpress)
Utilization of Salem State University shuttle bus service (often they appear empty)
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Potential for expanding the existing trolley service
Feasibility of using the existing COA vans for residents other than seniors
What needs to be considered in operating a shuttle service in Salem?
Accessibility/wheelchairs
Child safety/strollers
Snow management at shuttle bus stops
Daily service, including weekends
Special events
Service to students to/from home and school
Affordability
Connection to existing summer trolley service
User-friendly system information via transit apps and shuttle tracking
Funding
Volunteer services
Where would you like to go if a shuttle service was provided?
Transportation hubs
North Shore Medical Center and other medical facilities
Highland Avenue shopping areas and the North Shore Mall
Council on Aging
Endicott College/ Salem State University
Shop and Shop in Peabody
Parks and beaches
Downtown (City Hall/Library)
The Point neighborhood
Special events
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FEBRUARY 14, 2018 – MEETING WITH COUNCIL ON AGING (COA)
City of Salem staff attended a COA Valentine’s Day party and met with more than 45 Salem
seniors to fully understand the needs and concerns of the aging population of the city. Although
this meeting was combined with a Valentine’s Day party and was a less formal meeting than the
first two, useful information was obtained from the seniors. A summary of the key questions
posed at the meeting and responses is provided below.
What are the biggest challenges around transportation in Salem?
Lack of parking and traffic
Poor roadway and sidewalk conditions
Lack of evening transit options
Cost of taxi services
How did you get to the party/meeting today?
Most seniors reported they drove to the party. These seniors suggested they would
not be interested in a shuttle service.
Others reported using the COA van or were transported by a caregiver. As expected,
these seniors were more interested in a shuttle service.
How do you typically get around Salem and what is your experience with this option? What could
be improved?
Seniors indicate that they currently use the COA van, the MBTA’s RIDE, or walk. These
seniors seemed more open to a shuttle service and indicated they would use the
shuttle for evening commuting and social events.
Seniors seemed generally happy with the existing COA van and its management, but
would like to see more service in neighborhoods and downtown, as well as trips to
the mall.
Some mentioned that the COA van service has too many rules.
Many seniors commented on the great number of pot holes on roadways, which COA
vans do not handle well.
Most seniors had not heard of Lyft or Uber.
Drivers mentioned that pavement markings are difficult to see at night.
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If a shuttle service were available within the city, or to destinations outside of Salem, where are
some of the locations you would like to go?
Downtown (particularly for free events)
Salem Willows
Shopping areas, including grocery stores and banks
Lahey Clinic
Recreational evening events, including movie theaters
JULY 19, 2018 – STAKEHOLDER GROUP MEETING
City of Salem Staff, TransAction Associates and 14 members of the stakeholder group met at the
City Hall Annex to review a draft of this report. The report was emailed to all members of the
stakeholder group prior to the meeting for their review. At the meeting a brief presentation
including highlights from the report was given by TransAction Associates. Following the
presentation, the group shared comments and feedback. Complete notes from the meeting are
included in the appendix.
CITY OF SALEM TRANSPORTAT ION SURVEY
In order to better understand some of the larger
transportation issues in Salem, TransAction Associates and
the City of Salem launched a survey. An online version of the
survey was posted on the city’s website and emailed to
stakeholder representatives to share with their
employees/residents/members.
Additionally, paper copies of the survey and collection boxes
were placed at the Council on Aging, the Library, City Hall and the public meeting room at City
Hall Annex. In total, 593 responses were received, of which 34 were provided by students.
Approximately 66 percent of responses were from residents who work either full -time or part-
time, 25 percent were from retirees and 9 percent were from residents who are not working. A
copy of the survey is included in the Appendix.
The survey included a number of open-ended questions, which resulted in excellent qualitative
data. Quantitative questions were related to mode choice, neighborhood s, transportation
22
challenges, and access to a vehicle. Approximately 78 percent of respondents reported that they
have access to a private vehicle, 13 percent stated they did not have access, and 9 percent
reported that they occasionally have access. Based on this data, it is noted that a significant
portion of the data collected is not representative of the transit-dependent populations in Salem.
However, with good public transit and a well-designed shuttle service, residents who have access
to a vehicle may in the future choose not to drive. Thus, the information collected from the
respondents who currently have access to a vehicle is very relevant to this study. A few select
survey questions are repeated below with the question’s responses summarized in either tables
or charts.
How do you travel?
Residents were asked how they typically get to where they need to go. Since many people,
especially those who live close to a downtown area or transit hub , use more than one travel
mode, the question allowed multiple answers. Not surprisingly, as most of the population who
responded to the survey had either full or partial access to a vehicle, when asked how they
typically get where they need to go, 80 percent indicated that they typically use their personal
car. However, 60 percent reported walking to their destination, 40 percent used the commuter
rail and 20 percent used on demand services such as Lyft, Uber, and taxis.
To better understand the behaviors of potentially transit-dependent population, the travel
modes of respondents without a car were examined in more detail in the table below. Both
walking and on demand services are more popular than existing public transit with this
population.
Commute Mode Split for Respondents Without Access to a Vehicle
Mode Responses
Walk 9%
Commuter Rail 6%
MBTA Bus 6%
Taxi 5%
Uber/Lyft 4%
The RIDE* 2%
COA Van 2%
*MBTA’s paratransit service
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Where do you live?
The survey included a question on where the respondent lives to better define where there is a
need for expanded MBTA services and what the service area should be for future shuttle buses.
The data from this question is summarized in the chart below and shows that the greatest
number of respondents live in South Salem and along Derby Street.
*Responses included Vinnin Square, Salem State University, Lafayette Street, and other towns
such as Beverly and Newbury.
What are your challenges around transportation?
The chart below summarizes the major challenges around existing transportation in the City of
Salem. The two major challenges were related to frequency of service and that services did not
serve desired destinations.
15%
12%11%10%9%9%7%7%6%
3%3%2%2%2%2%
What neighborhood do you live in?
42%
36%
30%
23%
22%
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%
Service frequency Is not sufficent/convenient
Services don't go where I want to go
Services don't operate when I want or need to travel
Cost of service
I don't know about most transportation services
What are your biggest challenges around transportation?
24
To establish if the challenges are different for residents who do not have a vehicle or for retired
residents, two additional charts were created. In the first, data collected only from respondents
without a vehicle was summarized. As expected, the results were similar to the population as a
whole with frequency and a lack of service area cited as the most common challenges. As seen
in the chart for retired residents, frequency is still the most common challenge, but a lack of
information is the second most common challenge.
Reviewing only data from respondents who use the MBTA bus service, the following was
determined:
33 percent reported service frequency is not sufficient or convenient.
25 percent reported services don't operate when I want or need to travel.
36 percent reported that the service does not go where I want to go.
56%
46%
43%
38%
18%
16%
15%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%
Service frequency Is not sufficent/convenient
Services don't go where I want to go
Cost of service
Services don't operate when I want or need to travel
No service near my home
Service is not easy to get to
I don't know about most transportation services
What are your biggest challenges around transportation (without
access to a car)?
33%
29%
25%
20%
16%
16%
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%
Service frequency Is not sufficent/convenient
I don't know about most transportation services
Services don’t go where I want to go
Services don't operate when I want or need to travel
Cost of service
No service near my home
What are your biggest challenges around transportation (retired)?
25
Of the 279 respondents who said that they had access to a personal vehicle, 28 percent said that
service frequency is not sufficient or convenient. More than 30 percent of respondents with
access to a car did not know about most of the available services near th em.
Where do you travel to and for what purpose?
In addition to examining the modes residents use, the survey collected data on where residents
are traveling. Respondents were asked to select where they go and for what purpose (work, food
shopping/retail/errands, dining/night life, recreational/social, education and medical). The data,
summarized in the table on the next page, shows the most popular destinations are downtown
Salem, Highland Avenue and the Liberty Tree and Northshore Malls. The most popular trip
purposes were related to recreation/social and retail shopping. There was also an “other” option,
to which the top responses were: Boston (77) for work, school, and medical appointments;
Danvers (29) for medical appointments, food shopping, and retail shopping; and Beverly (25) for
recreation and personal errands.
To understand the travel habits of the city’s students, data obtained from the 34 student
respondents was analyzed. Similar to all responses, the most popular destination for students
was downtown Salem, while the most popular trip purposes were related to
recreation/socializing and retail shopping.
What should the feasibility study include?
To ensure that this study was responsive to city residents, the survey included a question on what
issues should be addressed in this study. This was an open-ended question where the respondent
typed in their comments. The most common response was about the frequency/schedule of a
possible shuttle service. Other leading concerns were regarding the cost to operate or ride the
shuttle and accessibility.
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Trip End by Geographic Area – All Responses
Trip Destination Work Food
Shopping Retail Errands Dining/
Nightlife
Recreation/
Social
School/
Education Medical Total
Bridge Street 22 25 22 53 54 54 14 5 249
Castle Hill/Jefferson 18 19 12 39 22 25 12 9 156
Derby Street 30 63 86 91 213 174 2 7 666
Downtown Salem 93 166 301 356 399 342 26 24 1,707
Gallows Hill 10 4 4 10 6 17 3 10 64
Highland Avenue 39 287 178 152 29 31 15 189 920
McIntire Historic 22 5 7 68 11 101 6 2 222
North Salem 24 19 14 32 21 53 7 7 177
The Point 18 16 15 22 44 45 16 6 182
Salem Common 18 17 22 23 58 267 4 0 409
Salem Willows 10 15 10 13 81 320 1 2 452
Downtown Peabody 24 48 30 58 65 44 5 16 290
Downtown Beverly 26 59 108 100 205 134 4 41 677
Vinnin Square 18 240 218 159 97 48 2 37 819
Northshore Mall/
Rte.114 18 130 330 120 115 80 3 60 856
Liberty Tree Mall 25 150 330 118 96 93 1 47 860
Marblehead 27 35 72 45 132 149 7 28 495
Total 442 1,298 1,759 1,459 1,648 1,977 1,288 490 9,201
Where are some destinations you would like a potential shuttle to serve?
In order to get a better picture of where a possible shuttle should go, the survey included a
question regarding desirable locations within, or outside of, the city. Approximately 18 percent
of respondents indicated they would like service to be provided to the commuter rail station and
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to Salem Willows. Downtown Salem and Vinnin Square were requested by slightly less than 10
percent of respondents.
Why do you use, or not use, existing transit services?
The final questions in the survey were about why respondents chose to use, or not use,
transportation services other than a personal car. For those who use alternative transportation,
the biggest motivating factor was the limited availability of parking in the downtown area. Other
motivating factors were cost and traffic. Those that do not use other forms of transportation
besides their own car mostly pointed to convenience as their biggest motivating factor.
8%
9%
13%
14%
14%
18%
18%
0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%
Vinnin Square
Downtown Salem
Highland Ave
Beverly
Northshore + Liberty Tree Malls
Salem Willows
Commuter Rail Station
What areas would you like public transit to service?
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5.0 CITY OF SALEM T RANSIT N EEDS
From information collected through public input and an inventory of the existing services
provided in the city, gaps in existing service areas, populations served, and schedules were clearly
identified. A more dependable transit service was also identified as a need in the city.
GAPS IN SERVICE AREA S
In the responses to the question, “what are your biggest challenges around transportation”, over
a third of survey respondents suggested that the existing services do not go where they want to
go. This was a frequent complaint heard at the three public meetings. A key issue identified
through the process was the lack of connections between major city neighborhoods.
While the survey conducted as part of this study generally focused on travel within the city,
comments provided in the open-ended response questions to the survey indicated a number of
locations outside of the city that residents would like access. These included locations in Danvers,
Peabody, Beverly, Lynn and Swampscott. The MBTA systems in Salem provide access to all of
these communities. However, the buses generally travel along major arterials and are not easily
available to neighborhoods and large residential populations.
GAPS IN POPULATIONS SERVE D
The inventory of existing transit services strongly suggests that transit service for seniors is
limited. COA vans are available by appointment, but provide service to a limited area and most
importantly do not accommodate trips for recreational/social purposes. For the health of seniors,
it is well documented that social interaction is key for providing a good quality of life. The success
of the COA’s evening/weekend pilot indicates that there is a need for better access to more
services that allow seniors to engage in social activities.
Although service to seniors is limited, they do receive curb-to-curb service and SSU students
almost receive door-to-door service with the three shuttle programs available to them. However,
for the remaining population transit is less easily accessible. The COA vans are for the sole use of
seniors and disabled residents, the RIDE is for disabled persons and the SSU shuttles are restricted
to the SSU students, staff and visitors. The Salem trolley, Haunted Happenings Shuttle, and the
Salem Harbor ferry/taxi are generally utilized by tourists and are not available all year.
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GAPS IN SCHEDULES /DEPENDABILITY
Based on input received at the February 14th meeting at the COA, the lack of evening service and
the lack of transit options for social/recreational trips were identified as significant gaps in public
transit. SSU students also indicated that the limited evening service is a problem. Although there
is a demand-response service offered in the evening, students would need to know ahead of time
when they would need transportation , a somewhat unrealistic goal for most students attending
social events. Further, the student-run shuttles are in the process of moving toward a more fixed-
route service which will limit access to evening service to specific destinations. Throughout the
various stakeholder meetings, concerns about the lack of an evening service were expressed.
Although there are several MBTA bus routes within the city, seniors report difficulty in
understanding the bus system/operations. They also suggest that bus services are not frequent
enough and are not dependable. For a senior to feel comfortable using a public transit system,
dependability is extremely important.
One of the major issues raised by survey respondents is the reliability and frequency of the MBTA
bus routes. Five of the six bus lines that serve Salem had less than a 65 percent reliability score
from the MBTA dashboard for May 2018. Bus routes 451, 456, and 459 do not operate on nights
or weekends, and 465 does not run on nights or Sundays.
Survey responses and feedback from outreach indicate that lack of accessibility and reliability are
the main reasons people choose not to ride the MBTA buses in Salem. Comments from the survey
include: “I have to walk a mile to get to the nearest bus stop or rail. Very hard in the Winter!”
and “MBTA buses are rarely on time and if very late, will skip runs.”
ROAD AND SIDEWALK C ONDITIONS /PARKING AVAILABILIT Y
Another concern raised in both stakeholder meetings and on the survey is the condition of the
roads and sidewalks in Salem. The combination of narrow road ways, and damaged or tough to
navigate sidewalks, make it difficult to walk or bike. This impacts older citizens in particular.
One survey respondent said “My husband and I have disabilities and our neighborhood needs
more sidewalks more crossing lights. It's hilly and unsafe.” Although much of this is due to the
age of Salem, some investment in bike and sidewalk infrastructure will likely lead to more
residents choosing to leave their cars at home.
Seventy-three survey respondents said that the reason they chose NOT to drive their cars (when
possible) is due to lack of parking.
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6.0 OTHER TRANSIT SERVIC ES (BEST PR ACTICES)
To begin to address the gaps in existing services identified in the previous section, several
transportation programs were selected to be studied for the purposes of determining best
practices for providing and operating transit services. A summary of each service is provided
below. This section concludes with specific best practices from each service.
BIG BLUE BUS
Located in Los Angeles County, California, the Big Blue Bus (BBB)
is an example of an extremely successful, large scale, transit
system. The BBB model was suggested by several of the
members of the stakeholders working group for inclusion in this
study due to its success and popularity. Governed by Santa
Monica’s City Council, the BBB’s service area spans more than
51 square miles of greater Los Angeles and provides over 16.5
million rides for customers each year.
The BBB is able to get most of its funding through state grants. The rest of its funding comes from
Los Angeles County sales tax and fare revenues. Despite it being a major service provider, similar
to Boston’s MBTA, the BBB is able to keep its fares relatively low at $1.25 per ride. The BBB offers
discounted rates to seniors and persons with disabilities , as well as a supplemental on-demand
service.
One of their more innovative programs is the Blue to Business program. The program offers
discounted fares to employees of certain businesses that contribute to the cost of operating the
service. They offer the discounted rates for high school and college students as we ll.
BBB also brands itself very well with the service’s name and graphics easily recognizable.
CROSSTOWN CONNECT TR ANSPORTATION MANAGEM ENT ASSOCIATION
CrossTown Connect is a unique model of a Transportation Management Association (TMA)
developed to manage and combine transit services offered in adjacent communities. Started as
a partnership between participating communities (Acton, Boxborough, Littleton and Maynard),
the group had a vision of an integrated local transportation system of shared resources. Rather
than providing individual transportation services for specific groups (seniors, commuters, etc.),
CrossTown Connect pooled their available resources to address the needs of area passengers .
The organization took a patchwork collection of overlapping services and created a coordinated
transportation system, which resulted in a more efficient use of all of the existing systems. In
31
addition, the data collected as part of the process enabled the group to advocate for new services
in the region. Today several transit services are managed through the TMA. These include both
demand-response shuttles routes and fixed-route shuttle routes.
DEMAND-RESPONSE SHUTTLE ROUTES
DIAL -A -RIDE #1 AND #2
Acton’s Dial-A-Rides are demand-response services where riders can call to book a trip within the
designated service area. Reservations are made for demand-response trips and are open to all
people and all ages. This includes providing rides to children over the age of 12 with a
parent/guardian’s permission. The service area has expanded from its initial 3.5-mile radius to
include all of the CrossTown Connect TMA’s partner area communities. In addition, while the
Dial-A-Ride shuttles primarily serve those who live in Acton, they are open to riders in the
participating communities when space is available and the trip request fits into the route for the
day. By collecting data and studying the trips booked for this service over a two-year period,
Acton was able to assess popular stops and times, and from this data developed a new fixed-
route service called the Cross-Acton Transit (CAT). The CAT is described below under Fixed-Route
Shuttle Routes. There is a fare of $1.00 for the Dial-A-Ride services, which are collected by the
driver.
ROAD RUNNER (ACTON)
This is a demand-response service primarily used for medical appointments and seniors or
people with disabilities, but open to all if space is available. It is operated through a partnership
with the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA). Priority remains for medical trips and essential
services, but by allowing people of all ages and accommodating trips other than medical ones,
the utilization of the shuttles is high and people of all ages are connected, rather than separated.
The fare is $1.00 for a one-way trip.
OTHER COUNCIL ON AGING SHU TTLE SERVICES
Unlike Acton’s Dial-A-Ride service, COA shuttle services in Maynard, Boxborough and Littleton
are limited to seniors for medical and shopping trips. The TMA provides dispatch services for all
participating towns’ COA shuttles. Since moving to the central dispatch model, ridership has
increased on all COA services. This is because the additional hours of live dispatch enable riders
to speak to a live person to book trips. All-day dispatching also allows for cancellations to be back
filled with passengers who were not initially accommodated.
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FIXED-ROUTE SHUTTLE ROUTES
CROSS -ACTON TRANSIT (ACTON )
The Cross-Acton Transit (CAT) is a fixed-route service covering
a loop through major residential locations and popular
destinations in the Town of Acton. The fare is $1.00 and is
collected by the driver. The route is popular in Acton and
provides approximately 262 weekday trips.
RAIL SHUTTLE/NORTH ACTON COMMUTER (ACTON ONLY)
This service connects satellite parking areas to the MBTA Commuter Rail Station in South Acton
and has recently been extended to service neighborhoods in North Acton. The Rail Shuttle,
initially funded with a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Grant, connected satellite parking to the
South Acton MBTA Commuter Rail Station to provide additional parking for commuter rail
passengers.
MAYNARD COMMUTER SHU TTLE (MAYNARD/ACTON)
Funded in part by the Town of Maynard , and in part by a Community Transit Grant, this service
uses the COA van before and after hours to connect a satellite parking area and some
neighborhoods to the South Acton Commuter Rail station.
LITTLETON COMMUTER S HUTTLE (LITTLETON/WE STFORD)
Funded in part by the Towns of Littleton and Westford, and in part by a Community Transit Grant,
this service is operated under contract by the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority and
serves the Littleton Commuter Rail Station, as well as businesses in Littleton and Westford. The
goal is for businesses to contribute as well
OPERATIONS/DISPATCH
The CrossTown Connect TMA has developed a new model for a centralized dispatch operation
for the demand-response routes it services. Prior to the start of the TMA, each community’s COA
vans were limited to two-to-four hours of service because of limited dispatching. By banding
together as a TMA and sharing the cost, the TMA is able to offer full-time dispatching. This is
similar to some of the new Regional Emergency Dispatch Call Centers that have been established
to save resources in the same fashion. The dispatch call center also began using a new dispatch
software (Easy Rides) to book trips and develop schedules. This has enabled more efficient
scheduling. Drivers receive their daily schedules via tablet, which allows for flexibility in making
changes and adjustments during the day. It also automatically counts passengers as data on
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delivered trips is uploaded from the tablet into the system, saving time and providing better data
for analysis.
CrossTown Connect has seen a great of deal success and has won several awards recognizing
them for their innovative approach to transportation.
BUDGET/FUNDING
The total CrossTown Connect TMA budget is approximately $300,000/year for staffing and the
dispatch call center. Part of the CrossTown Connect budget is funded through grants, particularly
through the Community Transit Grant program and through partnership with local regional
transit agencies. Each service is also funded by an allocation from the community in the annual
budget. Business partners pay membership fees as well to support the work of the organization.
Each individual community maintains their own budget for their COA vans and any other local
shuttle services. Acton’s budget for transit services is approximately $500,000 annually.
THE BEDFORD DASH
The Town of Bedford looked at the model created in Acton and used it to start their own demand-
response service. The DASH is a Dial-A-Ride service open to all Bedford residents and dispatched
out of the same dispatch call center that operates the CrossTown Connect’s TMA services. This
allowed the service to get started with minimal costs and takes advantage of the same dispatch
software that is used so successfully by CrossTown Connect. Initially conceived as a two-year
pilot, the goal was to let residents make requests to travel within a designated service area and
look for the establishment of patterns. After two years of operation the project will look to see if
it is possible to establish fixed-route services based on the data collected about popular
destinations and travel times. The program operates with a budget of approximately $100,000
and is funded from a town allocation and a Community Transit Grant.
CAPE ANN TRANSPORTATION A UTHORITY (CATA)
CATA is one of fifteen regional transit authorities in Massachusetts and is funded with state and
federal dollars, as well as from contributions from participating communities. It services the
communities of Gloucester, Rockport, Beverly, Ipswich and Essex, and provides year-round fixed-
route, ADA, and senior Dial-A-Ride transit services in the Cape Ann region. CATA is also the broker
for Department of Developmental Services/MassHealth Transportation in the Cape Ann/Nor th
Shore area. CATA provides service for trips to Beverly and the malls on Saturday at a rate of $5
roundtrip.
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BEST PRACTICES
BIG BLUE BUS - COST SHARING
A cost-sharing model between the public and private sector s could be implemented in Salem,
particularly with the large employers in the city, such as the North Shore Medical Center and
Salem Five.
BLUE BUS - SCHEDULE FLEXIBILITY/SEASONALITY
Seasonality has a large impact on the Big Blue Bus because Santa Monica, much like Salem, is a
popular destination in the summer. This is dealt with by making seasonal changes to the schedule
and adding trips where necessary based on ridership patterns, which could be a consideration in
Salem. The City of Santa Monica also has special events throughout the summer such as their
concert series on Thursday nights. The Big Blue Bus adds trips to accommodate these events.
Salem should take this model into consideration for its October events.
BLUE BUS - BRANDING
Simple colors and a catchy name help with awareness and marketing.
CROSSTOWN CONNECT - COA VAN SHARING
Allowing people of all ages to use COA vans is an initiative that Salem should model.
CROSSTOWN CONNECT - OPERATIONS/DISPATCH
The concept of expanding dispatch in order to allow more time for riders to speak with a live
person, in combination with new technology, resulted in increased ridership. It also provided the
ability to fill in gaps left by last-minute cancellations during the day, which could help to improve
the efficiency of current COA services.
CROSSTOWN CONNECT TMA & BEDFORD DASH – DEMAND RESPONSE ROUTE TO FIXED-ROUTE
Using data obtained from running a demand-response route, including the most popular service
times, origins and destinations helped to establish fixed-route services.
CATA – WEEKEND SERVICE
The weekend trip program offered by CATA is a model that Salem should consider due to the
high demand for out of town trips to Beverly, as well as to the Northshore and Liberty Tree Malls
(currently not provided by the MBTA).
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7.0 ALTERNATIVES
The Imagine Salem Progress Report identified a guiding principle around transportation. Included
in that guiding principle is the idea that:
“Salem believes in an accessible local and regional transportation system that provides
alternative modes of transportation and choices. Salem aims to have a true multi-modal system
that encourages active and sustainable transportation choices for everyday trips and empowers
all travelers to safely use the streets.”
It is clear based on both the survey results and information gathered in the public meetings that
there is interest in additional transportation services within the City of Salem. There are many
potential services that the city could look to offer based on the feedback collected. This section
presents a total of nine alternatives for improving transit in Salem. These include two alternatives
(1 - 2) for improving existing services; five alternatives (3 - 7) for new services including intra-city
circular loops, a demand-response shuttle service and an out-of-town transit service; and two
alternatives (8 - 9) for joining another regional transit authority or forming a City of Salem/NSMC
partnership.
Conceptual level cost estimates are presented as appropriate for each alternative. They were
developed based on TransAction Associates’ experience with operating both fixed-route and
demand-response shuttle routes. Cost estimates for services provided by the City of Salem should
be confirmed by the city.
IMPROVEMENTS TO EXIS TING SERVICES
ALTERNATIVE 1 - PROVIDE MORE DEPENDABLE MBTA BUS SERVICE
The MBTA offers limited service within Salem primarily traveling north to south along the city’s
two major corridors (Route 107 and Loring Avenue/Lafayette Avenue). Data from the survey and
information provided through the stakeholder group meetings indicate that some of the biggest
challenges related to the MBTA bus services are the infrequency of service and poor reliability.
The MBTA data on reliability confirms information collected as part of this study. With the
inventory and feedback from this study, the city could meet with the MBTA to advocate for
improvements to the services that would be beneficial to residents.
Primarily the city could advocate for improvements to reliability as a start and then for increased
frequency of service. However, given the MBTA’s current fiscal constraints, it seems unlikely that
any new services would be added.
36
Making existing schedules easier to read, promoting MBTA bus tracking apps through the COA
and improved amenities at the stops, including bus shelters, may facilitate the use of the MBTA
bus service in Salem.
ALTERNATIVE 2 – MAKE COA VANS AVAILABLE TO GENERAL POPULATION
In many communities the COA van is an underutilized resource. This comes from a long history
of creating service “silos” around transportation that lead to defining individual services as being
for one particular group. For example, school buses are for children and COA services are for
seniors. As presented above in the chapter on Other Transit Services (Best Practices), t he Town
of Bedford is currently operating a successful service called the DASH that transports seniors,
commuters, students and others all on the same Dial-A-Ride service. This is based on a model
created in Acton. The goal of these programs was to break down barriers and put a wide variety
of passengers on transportation services within the community to improve their efficiency and
increase ridership. The result has been the successful implementation of a program t hat
integrates different groups of riders onto the same service.
The Salem Council on Aging could undertake a process of reviewing their services to see how they
might adopt some of these concepts. In addition to potentially opening up COA van services to
students, commuters, and others as space is available, the city might consider other uses for its
existing vans during off hours. For example, the Town of Maynard is currently using one of their
COA vans in the morning between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., and in the evening between 6:00 p.m.
and 8:00 p.m. as a commuter service. The van travels through neighborhoods and a satellite
parking lot and drops passengers off at the South Acton Commuter Rail Station before beginning
its typical COA trips. Salem could look to operate one of the COA vans on each of the loops
described below between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. stopping only at
the high- density residential locations and the Salem Depot Commuter Rail Station. During this
two-hour period, each bus may be able to make two trips.
One challenge that can be posed by expanding COA van services as described below is that many
communities, including Salem, employ only part-time drivers who have limited availability to
drive. The city could explore hiring full-time professional drivers who can take on longer routes
and improve service offerings and reliability. While this can increase costs in the short-term, it
has the long-term benefit of improving service. As described above, driver pay rates for full-time
drivers are in the $20/hour range and as full-time drivers they would receive benefits. Depending
on benefits and experience levels, driver salaries could be in the range of $40,000 - $55,000
annually.
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SHUTTLE SERVICES
Alternatives for local shuttle routes were developed based on information obtained from the
public meetings, previous studies, the city-wide survey and suggestions from the Council on
Aging. Participants at the three public meetings were very engaged in the process and had a high
level of understanding of transportation issues as they related to Salem. For these reasons, only
a limited number of shuttle alternatives were analyzed as part of this process. The alternatives
identified through this process included the shuttle routes previously identified by a number of
stakeholders who shared feedback including Fred Norton of the Council on Aging (COA), as well
as the potential for expanded service offerings through the COA.
In terms of continuing to build a base for a solid system that can be expanded, local shuttle loops
that would better connect neighborhoods throughout the city to key destinations is a logical
alternative. Working closely with the Council on Aging Transportation Director and many others,
two fixed-route loops were identified based on a knowledge of the city and of popular origins
and destinations of the city’s senior population. These routes were reviewed and modified
slightly in response to the data collected as part of this study. It should be understood that these
routes may continue to be adjusted and modified, based either on comments received on this
study or based on real-life experience, if and when, one of the shuttle alternatives is
implemented.
ALTERNATIVE 3 - PROVIDE A NORTHERLY FIX-ROUTE LOOP
Two versions of the northerly loop were developed: one has the bus turning left from Derby
Street onto Fort Avenue and the other has the bus turning right from Derby Street onto Fort
Avenue and continuing to Salem Willows. Details of both versions of the northerly routes are
illustrated in a figure and in a table that follow. The bus stops listed in the table correspond with
the stops shown on the figure. Because the new Salem Community Life Center is anticipated to
be completed and occupied in the fall of 2018, prior to implementation of the recommendations
in this report, the northerly route provides a stop at the new center at 401 Bridge Street and does
not include a stop at the existing COA facility. This loop provides a number of connection points
to existing MBTA bus routes and would serve the MBTA Commuter Rail Station.
ALTERNATIVE 4 - PROVIDE A SOUTHERLY FIX-ROUTE LOOP
Details of the southerly route are illustrated in a figure and in a table that follow. The bus stops
listed in the table correspond with the stops shown on the figure. This loop is designed to service
many of the destination points identified through the public input process.
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39
Northerly Fixed-Route Loop
Stops Destinations Served
1 Riley Plaza Riley Plaza West Lot Parking
Riley Plaza East Lot Parking
Downtown Area
2 Derby Street and Congress Street South Harbor Garage Parking
Waterfront Area
House of Seven Gables
Derby Street Neighborhood
289 Derby Street Park
3 Ferry Stop Harbor Shuttle/Taxi and Salem Ferry
4 Salem Willows (this is stop may or may
not be included)
Winter Park
Salem Willows
Winter Park
5 Derby Street and Fort Avenue Irzyk Park
6 Fort Avenue and Lee Fort Terrace Salem Housing Authority
7 Webb Street and Fort Avenue Salem Common
8 Bridge Street and Pierce Avenue Collins Cove Park
Bridge Street Neck
9 Salem MBTA Station MBTA Parking
Bell at Salem Station
10 Furlong Park North River
11 Lee Street and Orne Street Neighborhoods
12 Orne Street and North Street Neighborhoods
13 Mack Park Mark Park
14 Grove Street and Boston Street Gallows Hill
Library
McIntire District
15 Salem Council on Aging COA
1 Riley Plaza
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Southerly Fixed-Route Loop
Stops Destinations Served
1 Riley Plaza (Margin Street in front of Post
Office)
Riley Plaza West Lot Parking
Riley Plaza East Lot Parking
Downtown Area
2 Jackson Street and Jefferson Avenue Boys and Girls Club
Collins Middle School
3 North Shore Medical Center Medical services
Salem High School
4 Market Basket/Target Hawthorn Commons
Pequot Highlands
5 North Shore Physicians Group Medical services
6 Walmart Walmart
7 Loring Towers Residential
8 Vinnin Square Shopping
9 Greenhouse School Greenhouse School
Rainbow Terrace
10 Salem State University Forest River Park
Salem State University
Saltonstall School
Palmer Cove Park
11 The Point Salem Theater Company
Palmer Park
1 Riley Plaza
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ALTERNATIVE 5 – PROVIDE NORTHERLY AND SOUTHERLY FIXED-ROUTE LOOPS
If the city is able to fund both the northerly and
southerly fixed-route loops, this alternative would
provide excellent coverage of the city and could easily
be coordinated at Riley Plaza. This location has the
potential to be a good multimodal hub for the city as
it is located in the vicinity of several parking lots and is
near a Zagster Bicycle Station.
Both routes would be timed so that connections
between the two can easily be made at Riley Plaza. A
bus shelter or waiting area near this established hub
would make it more usable in inclement weather.
DETAILS FOR ALTERNATIVES 3, 4 AND 5
EQUIPMENT
A 25-passenger shuttle is recommended for both routes as many of the roads in Salem are
narrow. This smaller size bus would be easier to navigate than a larger bus. All shuttles would
need to be fully accessible and provide wheelchair lifts. Shuttles should be equipped with a GPS
tracking application so riders can see when the shuttle will arrive and where they are on the route
in order to plan their trips. WiFi should also be provided on all shuttles for the convenience of
passengers.
SCHEDULE /HEADWAYS
There are many possible schedule variations that can be considered. Often for community-based
services the schedule and headways are determined by the budget allocated to the project ,
which of course determines the number of shuttles/drivers assigned to the project. If the city is
committed to piloting one or both of these routes, then a schedule can be launched for the pilot
and adjusted and expanded upon over time. All schedules should assume a one-hour break for
the driver, as well as some opportunities for the driver to stop in between loops. Service could
operate partially as a “flag down” system as it passes by or through many neighborhoods. The
shuttle would have some designated stops to allow for route timing, but it would be able to be
flagged down to pull over for pick-ups and drop-offs at any safe spot.
Riley Plaza
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Below are some possible scenarios for consideration:
If the route will serve commuters, begin at 7:00 a.m. and end at 6:00 p.m.
If the route will not service commuters, begin at either 8:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m., and end at
either 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.
Provide 10 hours of service with approximately one hour for a driver break.
With one vehicle per loop, headways would be approximately one hour, except if Salem
Willows is added as a stop on the northerly loop. This stop could easily increase the headway
to 1.5 hours.
With two vehicles per loop, headways could be reduced to every 30 minutes. The second bus
could run for a shorter time, say nine hours (during peak periods) with eight hours of peak
period service and a one-hour driver break.
With two vehicles assigned to the northerly loop, one vehicle would begin at Riley Plaza and
the second would begin at the midway point at the MBTA Station. With service to Salem
Willows headways would increase to approximately 45 minutes.
With two vehicles assigned to the southerly loop, one vehicle would begin at Riley Plaza and
the second would begin at the mid-day point at Vinnin Square.
With two vehicles assigned to the southerly loop, one vehicle would circulate clockwise and
the second vehicle would circulate counter-clockwise. In this scenario a passenger starting
at Riley Plaza, traveling south along Highland Avenue, say to Salem Hospital, could return to
Riley Plaza traveling north along Highland Avenue avoiding circulating in the bus along the
entire loop.
Alternatively, the second bus on each loop could start from Riley Plaza 30 minutes after the
first bus.
FARES
Fares should be kept low so cost is not a barrier. The CrossTown Connect services charge $1.00
per trip with multi-ride ticket discounts offered. The Bedford DASH charges $2.00 per trip in-town
with a $20 multi-ride ticket offering $25 worth of rides. Fares for the Salem shuttles should be
similar.
The MBTA’s farebox recovery ratio (the amount of money collected in fares vs the cost of the
service) is 40 percent, which is roughly the national average for a large fixed-route transit system.
A smaller system, like the one being considered here, might expect to yield 20 percent farebox
recovery in a best-case scenario.
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OPERATION S/COSTS
Given that this is a pilot, the city will need the flexibility to make program adjustments to the size
and number of vehicles. Thus, the city should consider a vendor to provide this service initially.
The vendor should be able to provide a range of vehicle sizes to give the city the ability to adjust
as needed. Both the city and vendor would need to comply with all licensing, Department of
Public Utilities and Federal Transit Administration rules, including drug and alcohol testing for
drivers and federally mandated limitations on driving hours. In addition, both entities would need
to ensure that a plan was in place for a back-up vehicle and driver.
The estimated costs for both a contracted-out service and city-operated service are detailed
below.
Vendor Operated:
A 25-passenger ADA compliant bus operating for ten hours a day on a 10-mile loop, Monday
through Friday for 254 days/year, would likely cost in the range of $67.00/hour or $170,000
per vehicle per year.
Overtime rates would likely apply to weekend service so the rate would be closer to
$76.00/hour. Saturday and Sunday service at these rates are calculated at an additional
$76,000/year.
In terms of potential fare collection, if it is assumed buses are 20 percent occupied (45
trips/day) and fares are set at $1.00 per trip, annual fare collection could range between
$12,000 (without weekend service) to $17,000 (with weekend service). This may be lower to
start as the service is getting established.
City Operated:
If the city decided to purchase their own fleet, the cost would be approximately $92,000 for each
25-passenger ADA compliant vehicle. As a municipality Salem may be able to get better pricing
on a vehicle. Annual operating costs per bus are estimated at $87,000 including the driver’s
salary, bus maintenance and insurance, fuel costs and GPS/Wi-Fi.
ALTERNATIVE 6 - OUT-OF-TOWN SHUTTLE SERVICES
The survey indicates an interest in a number of out-of-town routes. Chief among these was
service to the Northshore and Liberty Tree Malls, the Market Basket in Danvers (closer to large
Salem populations than the Salem Market Basket store for certain areas), and to medical services
in Lynn and Beverly.
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If the in-town loops are implemented, it may be possible to schedule trips to specific out of town
locations on certain days. For example, if two vehicles were on the northerly loop, on Mondays
one of the vehicles could have a route variation that goes to Market Basket in Danvers and on
other days to the Northshore Mall. This would help to assess demand to determine the potential
for ridership on these routes.
Assuming this service is offered with either Alternative 3, 4 or 5, the additional operating costs
would be negligible.
ALTERNATIVE 7 - DEMAND-RESPONSE SHUTTLE SERVICE
This option would have the city add another service, open to all residents, similar to the Council
on Aging service where a resident would call dispatch to reserve a ride on a van service. A service
area would be established that should include the entire city and some select out-of-town
locations such as the Liberty Tree Mall and medical facilities in neighboring communities. The
service should be fairly limited to start, so trips out of town are infrequent because they would
effectively take the bus out of service for long periods.
Through a demand-response service, enough data on usage could be compiled within a few years
to develop optimal fixed routes as was the case with the Cross-Acton Transit service, which was
developed based on the Dial-A-Ride routes. However, demand-response services generally have
a higher per-passenger cost and carry fewer passengers on each trip than fixed route s. Vendor
costs are provided below along with comments on costs should the city decide to operate the
service.
Vendor Operated:
A contracted service for a 14-passenger accessible vehicle should be expected to cost in the
range of $50/hour. Assuming 8 hours/day of service on weekdays, annual costs would be
approximately $102,000.
The cost for a vendor to provide a dispatch service is estimated at $22,000 per year assuming
only weekday service is provided.
City Operated:
The on-demand service could be operated with one of the existing COA vans when they are
not in service. The COA van would just need to account for the driver costs (based on current
rates, unless new drivers are added as part of the recommendations for expanding the COA),
vehicle wear and tear, and fuel, and so should be much lower.
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It seems unlikely that there would be capacity within Salem’s COA to handle the additional
dispatching so costs associated with administrative hours need to be considered. Depending
on available resources, this could entail the COA hiring an additional part-time staff person
at 20 hours a week to manage the service.
The ability of the city COA’s existing dispatch software may need to be assessed to determine
if it could handle to the additional demand associated with the expanded service.
PARTNERSHIPS
ALTERNATIVE 8 – JOIN THE CAPE ANN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (CATA)
It is unlikely that Salem would be able to join CATA in an effort to get local services from them
using the MBTA Assessment (estimated at $944,714 for FY 19) as the city currently receives fixed-
route bus service from the MBTA, which precludes the city from joining the CATA (m.g.l. Chapter
161b, section 3).
However, the weekend trips program offered by CATA is a model that Salem should consider due
to the high demand for out of town trips to Beverly, as well as to the Northshore and Liberty Tree
Malls (currently not provided by the MBTA).
ALTERNATIVE 9 – PARTNER WITH THE NORTH SHORE MEDICAL CENTER
The North Shore Medical Center runs two 12-seat shuttle buses between their off-site employee
parking areas and the North Shore Medical Center. As these buses are not utilized on weekends,
the city could explore opportunities to utilize/share the North Shore Medical Center
vans/shuttles for weekend service. However, as described previously, these buses are not
handicap accessible.
SUMMARY
A summary of the benefits and costs associated with the nine alternatives presented above is
provided in the table on the next page. Details for estimated income from fares, initial costs and
operating costs are provided in the Appendix. It is noted that all estimates assume one bus
operating per route.
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Alternative Analysis Summary
Benefits Potential Income (Fares) Estimated Costs if Vendor Operated Estimated Costs is City Operated
Alternatives
Connect
Neighbor-
hoods
Improve
Existing Bus
Services
Provide
Night Time
Service
Provide
Out of
Town
Service Weekdays Weekends Initial Cost
Annual Cost
for
Weekday
Service
Annual
Cost for
Weekend
Service Initial Cost
Annual Cost
for
Weekday
Service
Annual Cost
for
Weekend
Service
1 Improve MBTA Bus Service (Dependability and
Frequency) ✔ ✔ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
2 Make Available COA Vans to General Population ✔ ✔ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
3 Provide a Northerly Fix-Route Loop ✔ $12,000 $5,000 $0 $170,000 $76,000 $92,000 $87,000 $50,000
4 Provide a Southerly Fix-Route Loop ✔ $12,000 $5,000 $0 $169,000 $76,000 $92,000 $87,000 $50,000
5 Provide Northerly and Southerly Fixed-Route Loops ✔ $24,000 $10,000 $0 $338,000 $152,000 $184,000 $174,000 $100,000
6 Establish an Out-of-Town Shuttle Service ✔
No additional cost if
Alt. 4, 5 or 6 are implemented
No additional cost if
Alt. 4, 5 or 6 are implemented
7 Establish a Demand-Response Shuttle Service ✔ ✔ ✔ $2,100 N/A $0 $124,000 N/A $0 TBD N/A
8 Join the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA) ✔ TBD N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
9 Partner with the North Shore Medical Center ✔ N/A N/A N/A $0 TBD $0
Notes:
TBD = To Be Determined with input from the city
N/A = Not Applicable
8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations for improved transit services have been made through careful consideration
of the transportation system in Salem now and in the future. Rather than just looking to
recommend improvements to existing services and the development of new services to identify
unmet needs that could lead to an uncoordinated system, the city should look to define an
approach to transportation that meets its identified goals and results in a network of services.
The research conducted as part of this project clearly indicates that a new shuttle service, which
includes either the northerly loop, southerly loop, or ideally both loops would serve many of the
unmet needs identified during this process. Although the costliest of all the alternatives listed in
Section 7.0, Alternative 5 – Provide Northerly and Southerly Fixed-Route Loops addresses the
most important gap in service, connecting neighborhoods within the city including all of the
densely populated neighborhoods listed in the Imagine Salem Progress Report (the Point
Neighborhood, McIntire District, Gallows Hill, Salem Common, and Derby Street, Bridge Street
Neck, North Salem and South Salem) and provides connections from these neighborhoods to
major shopping areas and medical facilities located within the city.
The recommended fixed-route options are proposed for a 10-hour period and do not completely
respond to the gap in evening services. Once a pilot for the shuttle loop routes has been
established, service could be expanded to include more nighttime hours to address this need. It
should be noted that during the July 19, 2018 stakeholder meeting convened to review a draft of
this report, concerns were raised about the length of the loops and the time it would take to
complete them, in particular during October when there is additional congestion on local roads.
As mentioned earlier in the report, these routes were developed to service the areas most
commonly identified through this process as requesting service. They can, and should, be
reviewed more closely and determinations can be made about route modifications.
While there is data from the survey and input from meeting attendees that the two fixed -route
services described above are desirable and would be used, the city could take a different
approach by implementing Alternative 6 – Demand-Response Shuttle Service. Modeled after
the Acton Dial-A-Ride services and the Bedford DASH demand-response service, the advantage
to this alternative is that data on usage could be compiled within a few years to develop optimal
fixed-routes. Additionally, a demand-response system would be able to service some
destinations outside of the city. However, demand-response services generally have a higher per-
passenger cost and carry fewer passengers on each trip than fixed routes. In light of concerns
raised at the July 19th stakeholder meeting about the length of the fixed route loops, it might be
preferable for the city to operate an on-demand service for one or two years in order to develop
the most effective and efficient fixed routes.
Although none of these recommendations specifically addresses the need for out-of-town
transit, the MBTA, Uber and Lyft currently provide these out-of-town services. It is also
recommended that the city work with the MBTA to improve its existing services as described in
Alternative 1 - Improve MBTA Bus Service (Dependability and Frequency). The existing
reliability statistics indicates that service the MBTA provides to the city of Salem, for an annual
payment of more than $900,000, is substandard. With bus frequencies ranging from 30 minutes
to two hours, reliability needs to be excellent for the service to viable to residents. Bus tracking
software should be marketed to MBTA users within the city.
Through this process several other recommendations for improving transit services in the city
were developed. These are presented below.
HAUNTED HAPPENINGS S HUTTLE SERVICE
This was a very successful and effective pilot program offered on weekends in October 2017. Cars
were parked in off-site lots keeping traffic out of the major downtown area roadways. The service
was offered for free and provided approximately 9,000 passenger-trips. It is recommended that
this shuttle be continued on a permanent basis, fares of $1,00 be charged and that the money
be used to support the shuttle. The city should expand this service for other special events that
draw large crowds to Salem.
SALEM TROLLEY
The Salem Trolley could be a viable circulator service through the downtown area, however, it is
not convenient for residents to use. In addition to the fact that the service is seasonal, the two
concerns raised were that tickets need to be picked up at the Trolley Depot, which is inconvenient
for most people and that preferential service is given to paying customers so residents may be
bumped off of the service if seats are not available. Salem Trolley could be approached to
determine if it would be possible to offer residents annual passes.
IMPROVE EXISTING MBT A BUS STOPS
Many of the city’s MBTA bus stops are in poor condition. It recommended that the each of the
stops be evaluated for ADA accessibility. Depending on the jurisdiction of the bus stop, work with
either MassDOT or City of Salem to fund the design and construction of ADA -compliant stops.
Also, installing bus shelters at the more popular bus stops should be considered to encourage
use in inclement weather. A sponsorship program for local businesses could be explored to fund
the shelters.
TRANSPORTATION COORD INATOR
One common factor noted in the successful services in the Other Transit Services (Best Practices)
section, and in a number of other community-based services that were reviewed (Burlington B-
line, Lexpress), is that each of the communities has identified staff who are responsible for the
oversight of their transportation program. This may seem self-evident but the majority of
communities do not have staff dedicated to the oversight of transportation services and
initiatives.
Acton identified its Health Director as the person in town responsible for oversight of all
transportation services. This enabled the Town to begin to connect its existing services into a
comprehensive system. It also allowed the Town to develop new services in a coordinated
manner based on the data it collected and analyzed from all of its services. Similarly, Bedford has
placed oversight of the DASH with the Healthy Bedford Program . Similar concepts could be very
successful in Salem where there are a number of uncoordinated existing services such as the
Salem State Shuttle and Trolley Service. As the city looks to fill gaps in service, it should undertake
an effort to move forward in a controlled and coordinated way with a point person in the city
who can be identified as the Transportation Coordinator. This could be a paid role or could be
incorporated into an existing staff role.
In addition, because there are many possible variations to the identified routes in this report, if
a point person were designated as the Transportation Coordinator they could continue to collect
ongoing feedback on unmet needs. They could also continue to review and analyze data as it is
collected on new and existing services, which would help to create a long-term picture of travel
and behavior patterns around transportation in the city. This valuable information could then be
used to continue to grow and refine the services offered. Over a three-year period, this process
has proven very successful in Acton as services have been added and refined based on a process
of ongoing data collection. For transportation services to be successful in the long-term,
experience points to the idea that they should be iterative and continually reviewed and refined
so that they can grow and change as the city does.
MARKETING AND OUTREA CH
One factor for success identified in the initial stakeholder meeting, as well as on the survey, was
the dissemination of information. Just under 25 percent (132) of the survey respondents
indicated that they didn’t know about many of the transportation services available to them.
Better marketing of the existing services in Salem could have a positive effect on ridership on
many of the existing services. Suggestions for disseminating information to residents about what
is available to them and how to use it include the following:
National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP). RTAP has developed a
comprehensive Marketing Toolkit called “How-To Guide for Marketing Public Transportation”
and is applicable beyond just rural areas. The toolkit suggests that a rule of thumb is that an
organization should devote 1 percent of its budget to marketing. That means that a program
with a $250,000 budget should devote $2,500 to marketing.
On-Line Resources. An on-line resource could be developed with a comprehensive overview
of available transportation options. The existing www.salem.org site primarily includes
information for visitors. This site could be enhanced to provide more detailed information for
residents and others. Increased social media presence around transportation options for
residents and visitors could potentially raise awareness of services.
Information Videos. Short videos that can be posted to the website and/or a YouTube
channel that would provide information on how to access the available services and would
provide visuals for those that respond to information provided in this format. Videos could
be offered in multiple languages. Instructional videos for using existing Uber and Lyft service
could also be posted on the COA website.
City Transportation Guide. A city transportation guide could be developed, which includes
all the services listed on the website listed above, could be printed in small quantities so that
it can be updated. This could be a valuable resource to those that are less familiar with how
to use technology to get information. It can also be translated into several language for
greater accessibility to all residents.
REBRANDING
In looking at the CrossTown Connect TMA model as a Best Practice, the TMA gr oup took a
disparate set of transportation services and slowly rebranded them as a network. The Council on
Aging Van, the Road Runner Service, the Dial-A-Ride Service and the Rail Shuttle were all started
as independent services operated by different entities. Over time they have all been branded to
retain their identity, but to also link them to a network. They are now identified by their name
and the addition of the words “A Service of CrossTown Connect.” This included a logo with a
visual image to create a brand identity for the network. This simple technique was a way to bring
them together under one umbrella.
The Big Blue Bus is also a good example of a service that has very successfully branded itself
through a strong color and catchy name.
Salem is in a similar position as it has a number of services that each have their own identity
(Council on Aging Vans, Trolley, Salem State Shuttles). If residents began to see this as an
interconnected network through a marketing effort, the services wou ld become more
comprehensible and the system would be able to grow and develop as a unit.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The survey of residents revealed that many had concerns regarding the condition of roads and
sidewalks. This was mentioned as an impediment to walking as a means of getting around. The
city is currently undergoing a number of roadway construction projects to address this concern .
This is a long-term project that will not be able to be resolved immediately.
If a fixed-route shuttle service were to be established, the city would need to locate bus stops,
either on-street or within parking lots, adjacent to an area sufficient to operate the shuttle bus
wheelchair lift. Additionally, providing signs at all bus stops is not only helpful to passengers and
drivers, it is a good marketing strategy. Signs should be installed once the route is finalized.
9.0 IMPLEMENTATION
A program for implementing the key recommendations of this study follows and is organized
around forming partnerships, funding and next steps.
PARTNERSHIPS
OTHER COMMUNITIES
The CrossTown Connect model may be an example that the city looks to follow in partnering with
other nearby communities to offer joint shuttle services in the future. This would expand service
both in origin and destination options and frequency of service.
OTHER SHUTTLE PROVIDERS
Presented as an alternative in Chapter 7, the city could contact private organizations that
currently operate a shuttle service, including the North Shore Medical Center and Salem State
University.
FUNDING SOURCES
To keep fares as low as possible, several different state and federal programs are identified that
could be possible sources of funding for a shuttle service in Salem.
COMMUNITY TRANSIT GRANT
The Salem Council on Aging has taken advantage of the Community Transit Grant Mobility
Assistance Program Option in order to purchase capital equipment (vehicles) for providing
transportation. In addition, there is funding as part of this program for operational costs of
services that have a focus on expanding transportation options for seniors and individuals with
disabilities. Both Acton and Bedford have taken advantage of this funding to help support the
operation of their services. The Community Transit Grant is an annual competitive program
administered by MassDOT to distribute Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 funds and
State Mobility Assistance Program funds. The grant program provides funding to assist with
mobility management activities, the purchase of capital equipment, and operational costs to
meet the mobility needs of seniors (sixty-five years and over) and individuals with disabilities of
any age. The amount varies depending on the project . Applications can be submitted online
through MassDOT.
METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is responsible for conducting the
federally required metropolitan transportation planning process (often called the 3C –
continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive – process) for the Boston metropolitan area. The
MPO uses this process to develop a vision for the region and then decides how to allocate federal
and state transportation funds to programs and projects such as roadway, transit, bicycle, and
pedestrian improvements that support that vision. Funding sources that come from the MPO
include the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. The purpose
of the program is to provide a flexible funding source to state and local governments for
transportation projects and programs to help meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act. Funds
may be used for a transportation project or program that is likely to contribute to the attainment
or maintenance of a national ambient air quality standard, with a high level of effectiveness in
reducing air pollution, and that is included in the metropolitan planning organization’s (MPO’s)
current transportation plan.
The State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) “is a five-year investment program that
prioritizes federal funds for improvements to our roadways, bridges, transit systems, and bicycle
and pedestrian facilities throughout the Commonwealth.” The most recent version identifies
$800,000 in Fiscal Year 2020 and in Fiscal Year 2021 through the CMAQ program for a Community
Transportation Program. There may be an opportunity for the city to apply for funds that could
be used for a shuttle program as the description of the workplan f or the program states:
“Provides funding to launch locally developed transit or shuttle services that support first -
mile/last-mile connections to existing transit services and other destinations by purchasing
shuttle buses and/or funding operating costs.” No details are yet available on the application
process of timeline.
NORTH SHORE TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (NSTMA)
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council received $125,300 from an Efficiency and
Regionalization grant to fund a shuttle to conne ct the Beverly Depot commuter rail station to
suburban work and residential locations. Working with the NSTMA, and in partnership with other
groups, the city could apply for a similar grant to fund a new regional shuttle system.
COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT FUND
The Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund requires transportation network
services like Uber or Lyft to report the number of rides from the previous year that originated in
each city or town and pay a per-ride assessment, half of which ($0.10 per ride) is paid to cities
and towns to be used for transportation-related costs. In 2017, 296,482 rides originating in Salem
were provided by these services. Therefore, the city could expect to receive $29,648 from the
fund. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council has available on its website guidance on how to
access and use these funds (https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/tnc-dpu-funds/). Note that
any community that receives these funds must complete and submit a spending report on how
the funding was used, or will be used, by December 31, 2018.
MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS
Community Foundations are nonprofit, tax-exempt, publicly-supported grantmaking
organizations. These foundations are public charities since they develop broad support from
many unrelated donors with a wide range of charitable interests in a specific community. A
community foundation has an independent board that is broadly representative of the public
interest and it maintains a diverse grant program that is not limited in scope. One possible
community foundation is the Essex County Community Foundation. ECCF was founded in 1999
to achieve two goals in the philanthropic/nonprofit sector of Essex County: to educate nonpro fit
leaders in sound business practice, and to connect those leaders with local funding to support
their work. ECCF awards over $4 million grants each year to support the programs and operations
of nonprofit organizations in Essex County and beyond . Although the ECCF has not specifically
issued grants for transit in the past, they have worked with organizations that focus on improving
quality of life for elderly and disabled people.
ADVERTISING
Another possible source of funding for a shuttle service is advertising. Advertising on the outside
of the bus, on the bus website or on printed schedules could be sold to local businesses. Ads
could be posted inside the bus as well, at a lower cost. These ads/sponsorships could offset the
costs of the shuttle and provide both locals and tourists with information about some of Salem’s
businesses.
REALLOCATION OF MBTA ASSESSMENT
The MBTA assessment for Salem is estimated at $944,714 for this Fiscal Year (2019). Joining a
regional transit authority is a way that communities have been able to obtain a reallocation of
these funds. However, as Salem receives fixed route bus service from the MBTA, the city is
currently prohibited from joining a regional transit authority such as CATA (m.g.l. Chapter 161b,
section 3). However, Salem could potentially undertake a campaign to change the existing
legislation (m.g.l. Chapter 161b).
PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICT
The Municipal Modernization Act (2016) allows Massachusetts cities and towns to create specific
areas where parking revenues can be reinvested for the purpose of transportation-related
improvements including the operation of transit services. The City of Salem could establish a
parking benefit district in one or more areas of the city through the local legislative process. Once
established, the funds raised from the parking meters in the Parking Benefit District could be
used for, among other things, the funding transportation improvements within the community.
The Parking Benefit District would be overseen by a body that is designated by the city.
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT (TDM) REQUIREMENTS
In July 2015 the Metropolitan Area Planning Council authored a study entitled “Transportation
Demand Management Case Studies and Regulations.” Summarized below are recommendations
from the report that are applicable to the city’s current desire to seek funds to help support
community-based transportation programs including a shuttle. It’s important to note that if the
city is considering requiring employer participation in a shuttle program through a mitigation
effort, it should be certain that the service being established will serve that facility.
Require Transportation Demand Management plans from new developments either through:
- Adopting a by-law that includes language with very specific triggers for
requirements and which also ensures that there is a clear transfer of responsibility
in the event of a change in ownership or tenant turnover (e.g., incorporate in deed,
link to an occupancy permit).
- A Condition of Approval for individual projects.
Require new developments to meet standards based on documented transportation impacts
or the total cost of the development project.
Develop a strong ongoing review process is in place to ensure TDM compliance and
effectiveness.
Develop clear and succinct language that includes very specific requirements and include
precise language to ensure that there is a clear transfer of responsibility in the event of a
change in ownership or tenant turnover (e.g., incorporate in deed, link to an occupancy
permit).
Ensure that building and occupancy permits are only issued after a TDM plan has been
approved by the city.
Establish policies for non-compliance. For example, a municipality can hold off on issuing new
permits (e.g., occupancy permit) or put a lien on property in the amount owed by the
developer.
Require membership in the North Shore Transportation Management Association (TMA). The
TMA serves the Salem area and can be a partner to the city in developing and evaluating
transportation programs. Requiring TMA membership of new development is an effective
way to support the TMA so that it can assist the city.
Fund a transportation coordinator position to ensure commitments to TDM measures are
implemented. This could be a stand-alone position or folded into a current employee’s job
duty if possible.
Examples of successful mitigation/monitoring programs include:
The City of Cambridge Parking and Transportation Demand Management (PTDM) Ordinance.
This ordinance requires non-residential private developments to submit an annual plan and
commit to a mode share goal (i.e., reducing the number of cars that come into a workplace).
The PTDM plan often includes elements such or contributing to existing shuttle programs or
even funding new shuttle programs. Comprehensive PTDM monitoring reports are required
annually.
Special permit requirements with one-time transportation mitigation payments are favored
by a number of communities to fund transportation initiatives.
The Lexington Hartwell Avenue Transit Management Overlay District includes required
mitigation fees.
The Kendall Square Transit Enhancement Program (KSTEP) is a mechanism and governance
structure for funding public transit in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge, MA. A funding
formula was developed to determine the amount a development will contribute to support
public transit improvements in the Kendall Square area. In the case of the KSTEP the funding
is to be used in the Mixed-Use District (the “MXD District”) of Kendall Square. The formula
used to determine the contribution is as follows: Daily Transit Trips generated by the project
x 0.5 x timeframe (weekdays per 15 years) x Fare Recovery Gap per Trip = KSTEP Project
Contribution.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was entered into by the Cambridge
Redevelopment Authority (CRA), City of Cambridge, the Massachusetts Department of
Transportation (MassDOT), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and
Boston Properties (BP)-the designated redeveloper of the MXD District. The MOU will be in
place for 15 years and outlines the funding formula and how the funds are to be used. A
working group, including parties to the MOU, will establish funding priorities and allocations
for consideration by the CRA and the City Manager.
NEXT STEPS
This report makes a number of recommendations for the city to review. To move forward, the
city should consider establishing a Transportation Task Force or a Transportation Advisory
Committee to identify the city’s top priorities around transportation to determine which
recommendations set forth in this report should be implemented and in what order. The group
may also want to develop its own set of recommendations from the alternatives presented
herein. Included in the group should be many of t he same individuals and organizations who
participated in the stakeholder meeting as they represent the key constituencies of the city.
In addition, the city should identify a staff person who can take on the role of Transportation
Coordinator as noted in this report. That will ensure that development of new transportation
programs and services proceeds is a logical process that takes into account both short- and long-
term goals around transportation. It will also enable Salem to develop a strategy and build
support for a strong transportation network.
Some of the items to be considered going forward:
Groups targeted to be served by new transportation service (will help to determine the hours
when service is most needed):
- Commuters
- Seniors
- Students
- Individuals with disabilities
Types of trips (helps to determine trip length and how many trips would be able to be made)
- Daily needs trips such as medical appointments, shopping, etc.
- Social/recreational trips
- In-town vs. out-of town trips
- Evening service
Funding sources available (may help to decide start date and what level of service can be
offered):
- Grants
- City budget
- TDM by-laws/permit requirements from new development
- Parking Benefit District