An Overview of Local Transit Services Vol 4 Issue 21 09/17/2012

       In August 2011 LANta changed the way bus routes were identified from a lettering system to a three-digit numbering system. This change, while initially confusing to some, was intended to make the system more user friendly. By designating the routes with three digit numbers, LANta was able to create route categories that provide the rider with an indication of the level of service provided by that route. 

Below is a description of the route categories: 

       100’s routes (i.e, 101,102, etc.) – These routes are the system’s “trunk” routes, the backbone of the system. They offer the highest level of service along corridors with the highest demand for public transportation in the Lehigh Valley. They will also act as the priority routes for future service enhancements as resources become available. The 100’s routes provide service Monday through Saturday throughout the day and into the evening hours, as well as during the day on Sunday. 

       200’s routes – (i.e. 209, 210, etc.) These routes serve urban corridors where there is less demand for public transportation than the trunk corroders. The 200’s routes provide service 13-hours a day, Monday through Saturday. 

       300’s routes – (i.e. 321, 322, 323) This series of routes provide service along more suburban corridors in the region where there is demand for public transportation, but the demand is limited. Service is provided Monday through Friday during day hours only. 

       400’s routes – (i.e. 410, 420, etc.) These routes operate during the school year only and provide added capacity to the LANtaBus system to meet the demand from Allentown School District students. 

       500’s routes – (501) These are the LANtaFlex routes. LANtaFlex is a flexible, reservation-based feeder service designed for more suburban areas. LANtaFlex was started as a pilot program in August 2011 in the Macungie-Alburtis area and has been successful to date.

       600’s routes - (i.e. 601, 602, etc.) – These are circulator and cross-town routes designed to address specific markets. Some of the specialty routes are the Route 602 - Whirlybird, which serves the shopping centers along MacArthur Road in Whitehall and the 601 - Bethlehem Loop which connects downtown Bethlehem with South Bethlehem destinations like ArtsQuest, NCC – Southside and the Sands Casino.

Voter ID

As most people know by now, in order to vote in Pennsylvania on November 6th, voters are going to have to produce photo ID.  While this is being challenged in court, it is best to assume that the rule will be in effect and prepare accordingly.

LANta provides direct bus service to three of the four PennDOT photo ID sites in the Lehigh Valley:

  Easton Driver License Center

  25th Street Shopping Center

      2473 Nazareth Road
      Easton, PA 18045

      Routes 106 or 216

  Lehigh Valley Driver Center

  1710 Hoover Avenue 

  Allentown, PA 18109

This center is not directly served; the nearest stop is by the Target on the other side of Airport Road

Of course, LANtaVAN service is provided directly to ALL PennDOT photo ID locations.

Proof of birth, residency and a social security number is required by PennDOT in order to obtain an ID.  Click here for the PennDOT application that details the information that is necessary and the forms of proof of birth, residency and other materials that one must bring to the center.

If all information is in order, a photo ID can be obtained on the spot in one visit.  And best of all it is free, valid for 10 years and can be used for many other things besides voting. 

Every citizen has a right, and some say a duty, to vote.  Don't miss your chance to have a voice in this Fall's very important election.

Ticket and Pass Price Changes: 10-01-2012

Effective October 1, 2012, LANTA will be increasing several ticket and pass prices as shown in the table below.  The Authority reviewed this proposal at its Annual Public Hearing earlier this year and noted that this was a continuation of an effort and policy adopted by the Board several years ago, to bring average fare revenue up while minimizing per trip cost increased to passengers.

Note: this is a date change from the earlier announcement:  10/01/2012

NOTE: Cash fares and the day pass are staying the same.  AND, fares for LANtaVAN, door to door services are NOT changing.

Cash Fare	$2.00	$2.00
Student Fare	$1.00	$1.00
One Day Pass	$4.00	$4.00
10 Ride Ticket	$15.00	$16.00
31 Day Pass	$55.00	$60.00
Annual Pass	$605.00	$660.00

LANTA works hard to keep operating costs down so fare increases can be as low and as infrequent as possible.  Ticket and pass discounts over the years, because the Authority tended to raise fares moderately and built up a very 'deep discount' for tickets and passes.  Over time, ticket and pass discounts grew to be in excess of 60%.  That is much higher than industry standards and certainly is not matched by any of LANTA's peers.  Most transit agencies offer a modest discount on tickets and passes which are generally viewed as ways to make transit more convenient, not less expensive.

These heavy discounts led to the average fare per passenger collected to be extraordinarily low in comparison to other transit agencies.  And, while LANTA doesn't seek parity with other agencies, these are a reference and, with revenue from fares being such a significant matter in these austere times, the Authority simply could not responsibly continue to afford these discounts.

So, for the past several years, cash fare increases have been minimal while increases to ticket and pass prices, while still moderate, have been implemented annually to enhance revenue coming from passengers.

This year, cash fares and the very popular day pass are not being increased while the 10-ride, 31 day pass and the annual pass are being raised.

Public transit remains the best bargain in terms of commuting and traveling about the Lehigh Valley.  Compared to driving, well, there is no comparison.  Simply use this cost comparison calculator to measure your savings using the bus when compared to driving.

Progress: The "new" Shop comes down!

The "new shop," an addition to the LANta garage and maintenance facility that was added in 1953 to accommodate the repair of buses, is being demolished to make way for a truly new structure.

The purpose of the new shop is to replace the current maintenance shop at the Allentown location (1060 Lehigh St, Allentown, PA)  with a modern, state-of-the-art bus maintenance facility that is large enough to meet current needs and will allow for  expansion. The total project budget is $13 million. LANTA was granted $10,400,000 through the Federal Transportation Administration's Bus and Bus Facilities program State of Good Repair initiative to support this project. The remaining funding will come from the State (PennDOT) and LANTA local sources.

Project Goals

•    Provide an upgraded, centralized maintenance support facility.  An upgraded facility will improve the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of the maintenance staff; reduce vehicle maintenance turnaround time and increase storage space. Further, the modern, state- of-the-art bus maintenance facility will be large enough to support new bus types such as hybrid electric (LANTA's fleet currently includes 5 and that portion of the fleet is expected to grow) and articulated buses.

•    Increase vehicle maintenance, service and storage capacity to meet future
demand and long-term needs. LANTA plans to expand operations to meet demand for public transit in the Lehigh Valley.  Ridership on LANTA has increased 73% since 1997.  The current facilities do not allow for the maintenance, storage or service capacity for extra vehicles. The existing fleet of 83 buses will increase to more than 100 buses in the next 6 to 12 years.

Additional Project Benefits

Given the $13 million construction budget, it is anticipated that over 140 jobs will be created in the City of Allentown during the construction phase according to the Federal Council of Economic Advisor's formula. The project itself will be designed utilizing LEED design principles that will affect not only the facility plan but also its construction and operation. The new garage will provide for energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption, allowing LANTA to incorporate more sustainable practices into its maintenance function and to continue to be a "good neighbor" in the urban neighborhood in which the Allentown garage is located.  

Construction Schedule:   Final Design: December, 2011;   Bids let: January/February, 2012;   Construction Start: May, 2012;   Occupancy: June, 2013.

LANTA Background

The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) is the public transportation provider for Lehigh and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania. This region, also known as the Lehigh Valley, has a population of 821,623, making it one of the top 65 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. LANTA's service area includes the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. LANTA operates a fleet of 83 transit buses with trips provided between the hours of 4:45 AM and midnight, Monday through Saturday and 9:00 AM and 7:30 PM on Sunday. Approximately 65 buses are housed, maintained and operated out of LANTA's Allentown operating facility. The remaining 18 buses are housed, serviced and operated out of a separate facility in Easton. Heavy maintenance work for LANTA's entire 83 bus fleet is performed at the Allentown facility.

MAP-21 Passed to Fund Transportation

Since the Eisenhower Administration established transportation in the 1950’s as a major federal funding element of the national budget, ‘surface transportation legislation’ has been produced by Congress roughly around every 6 years to further the build out the national highway system and, as local needs expanded to include public transportation, freight, rail and alternative transportation, has been expanded to include these intermodal objectives.

Below is a brief overview of transportation legislation since 1986 which shows an evolution from what was essentially a ‘highway’ funding program, to one that focuses on mobility and sustainability.

1987 - STURAA - Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 - also called the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1987. It nominally gave power to apportion money to the Secretary of Transportation. Most noticeably it allowed states to raise the speed limit to 65 miles per hour on rural Interstate highways.  It was a ‘highway’ transportation legislation and public transit remained a separate element both in terms of funding and in the planning process.  Highways were highways and transit was transit and the two were not intertwined.

In 1991 - ISTEA - the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 was enacted.  Called 'ice tea' as in, "this is ice tea not champagne," this was a genuine change in direction for funding, planning and attitude.  It was an attempt to 'level the playing field' and bring an ‘intermodal’ approach to what had traditionally been a ‘highway’ program or law.  The law also moved a considerable amount of decision-making to localities by empowering Metropolitan Planning Organizations to undertake prioritization of transportation projects through a prescribed planning process.  Why, it was asked, should the federal government be deciding what projects localities should design and build?

1998 - TEA-21 - the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.  The transportation equity act refined the intermodal thrust of ISTEA by putting the power firmly back in the planning process.  It requires that seven planning factors be included in regional transportation plans.  These must:

      1.    Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan planning area;, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity and efficiency

      2.    Increase the safety and security for the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users

      3.    Increase the accessibility and mobility options available to people and for freight

      4.    Protect and enhance the environment promote energy conservation and improve the quality of life,

      5.    Enhance the integration of connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight,

      6.    Promote efficient system management and operation,

      7.    Emphasize the efficient preservation of existing transportation system.

2005 - SAFTI-LU - the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users - designed "to protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns."  This law further merged the modes to meet the needs for mobility rather than just build highways.  It's purpose was to maintain the highway and bridge system but for new demand, alternatives analysis were required.

2012 – MAP-21 – Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century – provides two years of funding stability instead of the usual 6.  It consolidates some of the programs from SAFTI-LU and attempts to streamline the process for projects while maintaining a strong local decision-making element, planning steps to insure coordination of modes and some initiatives to improve mobility and system performance.

In addition to these transportation laws, other federal and state legislation has an impact on how communities invest in projects.  Environmental concerns have been a significant force in shaping how highways and roads are built and indeed, whether they are built at all.  A heavy set of requirements must be followed now to prove that transportation dollars spent will not adversely affect the environment.  Many projects become so difficult to build that they simply are abandoned.  

And the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 put civil rights measures in place that require transportation dollars to be spent so that access is provided to all citizens regardless of their physical or cognitive limitations.  This has had its most direct impact on public transit as fleet vehicles had to made ‘fully accessible’ and, for those who could not board buses due to their impairments, alternative door-to-door service had to be created.  Locally both LANtaBus and LANtaVan are fully accessible to people with disabilities.

Also in the mix was a concept called 'environmental justice' which was a fancy way of saying the federal dollars had to be spent in such a way as to not negatively impact any protected minority both in terms of hiring and project investments.

The funding of transportation has moved from an ‘assist’ from the federal government, to a funding system that directly influences what is built or bought.  The transportation systems we see today in the US are a direct result of these funding initiatives.  Many 'hoops' or bureaucratic requirements have been set forth to direct localities on what transportation services and projects to select and invest in.

40th Anniversary Poster

Click here to see an excellent rendering of the 40th Anniversary Poster LANta Commissioned earlier this year by local artist, Paula Yoo, to commemorate the Authority's 40 years of continuous service to the Lehigh Valley Community.  The poster depicts a number of milestones and major accomplishments that the Authority achieved along this four decade route.

The poster was unveiled at the 40th Annual Board of Directors Meeting held at the America on Wheels Museum, Tuesday, July 9th at noon.  Even in these austere times, the Authority has developed a logo and several other elements to mark the anniversary.

As noted at the Board meeting, "Here's to the start of the next 40 years!"

A Successful Launch for LANtaFlex service

One major service change implemented as part of the August 29, 2011 service restructure was the introduction of the first LANtaFlex service.  The Route 501 – Macungie/Alburtis Flex which serves the Lower Macungie, Macungie and Alburtis areas. LANtaFlex is a reservation based flexible service which is open to the general public. LANtaFlex service operates within a geographically defined zone. Riders can travel between any two points within that zone and if they are traveling to or from outside of the zone, they can transfer to/from a LANtaBus service at one of the transit hubs within the zone.

The Macungie/Alburtis Flex service was introduced in the area after the fixed route bus service serving these communities was eliminated due to poor performance. LANta felt that the Flex service model may be more effective at serving this area due to its more sparsely developed suburban nature. The implementation of the Flex zone made service available over an expanded area and also extended service over 12 hours each weekday as opposed to peak period only service provided under the previous service model.

LANtaVan vehicles are used for this service.

RIDERSHIP GROWTH

Ridership on the Macungie/Alburtis Flex has grown steadily since initial implementation. Ridership grew from 318 riders in September 2011 to 380 in May 2012 with a peak of 558 in February.

Average daily trips have grown from 13 in September 2011 to 19 in May 2012 with a peak of 27 in February. The former fixed route services in the area carried an average of 19 daily passenger trips. The average daily total on the Flex service initially fell below this number for the first few months of service but returned to the pre-implementation average by December 2011 and has consistently reached or surpassed that level since.

To maximize the economies of the new Flex model, the LANtaFlex service has been completely integrated into the LANtaVan system in terms of administration and operations. LANtaVan is the region’s coordinated human service transportation network. LANta’s human service transportation contractor, Easton Coach Company, registers users, takes reservation calls, and schedules and operates the service.  While LANtaFlex is not the first service of its kind in the country, it is one of the first to be completely integrated into a coordinated human service transportation system.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

The service model and integration into the LANtaVan system has allowed for significant savings over the previous fixed route bus model.  In terms of financial performance, the net cost of the Flex model was $9,800 less than what net costs would have been under the fixed route bus model while still expanding service availability in geographical coverage and hours of service.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

LANta’s administrative offices have only received three calls from members of the public with issues regarding the Flex service since the implementation.  All three issues were addressed by Easton Coach.  Also, LANta reached out to the Human Resources Department at Allen Organ in Macungie, a frequent destination for Flex riders, and asked if they could solicit feedback regarding the service from their employees who use it.  They reported that their employees have had no issues with the service and have been very satisfied with the quality and convenience.

FUTURE PLANS

The Macungie/Alburtis LANtaFlex was implemented as a pilot project to determine if this service could be integrated into the LANtaVan system, and it is considered a success. Accordingly, LANta will continue to investigate opportunities to introduce Flex service to other areas of the Valley.