Take the online rider survey between now and March 29
by Thea Marie Rood
Do you love the public transportation in your neighborhood? Are you taking public transit during COVID-19? When will you be ready to ride transit again?
No matter what your opinion—or your current ridership—Sacramento Regional Transit District wants to hear from you.
As promised last fall, SacRT is conducting a new rider survey, available online, to find out community and rider readiness to return to transit. The data collected will help update SacRT’s Short Range Transit Plan. Survey participants also have a chance to win a gift card, SacRT swag or a monthly transit pass.
This survey comes as a followup to its September 2020 report, which tracked people’s needs during COVID. Interesting—and not altogether surprising—results included ridership changes, with only 11% of respondents taking public transportation five days a week, compared to 31% before COVID.
A big part of that of course had to do with changed work lives, with 52% of those surveyed saying they telecommuted either full- or part-time, and 17% were furloughed or unemployed.
But other data helped SacRT play a vital role in the Sacramento region during the pandemic, operating at approximately 100% pre-COVID service levels since the end of August 2020. It has continued to get people to essential jobs, medical facilities and grocery stores. A main focus has been to reduce transportation barriers and ensure equitable transit for disadvantaged and underserved communities. This achievement was recognized by the community and riders, who provided SacRT with an overall Customer Satisfaction rating of 4.15 on a scale of 1 to 5.
Now, with vaccinations ramping up (and please note you can ride for free to get your shot), many people will be returning to on-site school or work later this spring or summer. Many more will be able to return to hobbies, favorite restaurants, entertainment venues and gatherings with friends.
In anticipation of this new normal, SacRT is already planning on expanding three SmaRT Ride service zones in April and is monitoring school district plans for in-person learning to resume bus service for students.
But to help with planning, SacRT wants to know: How will you use public transportation post-COVID? And how can it make commuting and riding more convenient for you and your family?
To take the survey in English or Spanish, go to sacrt.com/survey between now and March 29.
