Present: Chairman Hans Walther, Elbert Rackow, Alderperson Marge Molski, Fred Hopfensperger, Joe Kanter

Excused: Richard Fossen, Roger Eck

Also Present: Tom Carroll, Susan Lemke

Index of these Minutes:

1. Approval of minutes from the November 17, 2004 Transportation Commission meeting.
2. Update on UWSP U-Pass semester statistics.
3. Draft proposal for UWSP U-Pass program for 2005-06 academic year.
4. UWSP U-Pass Survey results.
5. Ben Franklin Student busing discussion and possible action on continuation or discontinuation of semester pass offer.
6. Discussion and possible action on continuation or discontinuation of Harmony Village Route.
7. Manager's Report: Update on ridership/revenue software; Development of Stevens Point Transit Informational Brochures; Update on status of new maps
8. Next meeting date.
9. Adjourn.

1. Approval of minutes from the November 17, 2004 Transportation Commission meeting.

Elbert Rackow moved to approve the minutes from the November 17, 2004 Transportation Commission meeting. Fred Hopfensperger seconded the motion.

Ayes All; Nays None; Motion Carried

2. Update on UWSP U-Pass semester statistics.

Manager Lemke presented the Commission with the ridership statistics from the first semester of UWSP's academic year 2004-2005. Stevens Point Transit provided 3,304 university rides from August 30 through September 30, 2004. October university ridership was 4,137 rides, November ridership totaled 4,321 and December ridership was 5,144 rides from December 1st through December 22, 2004. Total ridership for the first semester was 16,906 university rides provided.

Fred Hopfensperger asked if bus capacity is a problem and how the Point Plus evening and Saturday service was doing? Manager Lemke stated that the busses are at standing room only capacity at times; however this is not a problem with a city bus. City busses are equipped to allow seating for 25 passengers and there are no limits on standing passengers as long as they do not pass the line at the front of the bus. She stated that Point Plus evening and weekend service is slow at the present time.

3. Draft proposal for UWSP U-Pass program for 2005-06 academic year.

The draft proposal for the UWSP U-Pass service for academic year 2005-2006 was reviewed by the Commission. The draft proposal has been submitted to the Student Government Association for review. The proposal is 8% higher than last year due to increased insurance and fuel costs, and a possible reduction in state/federal funding was taken into consideration. State and Federal funding levels are never determined prior to negotiation of the agreement therefore Ms. Lemke explained the need to be conservative when developing the proposal. The individual student semester fee based on 8500 UWSP students calculated to be $5.51 per semester per student.

Alderperson Molski moved to accept the draft proposal for the UWSP U-Pass program for academic year 2005-2006. Chairman Walther seconded the motion.

Ayes All; Nays None; Motion Carried

4. UWSP U-Pass Survey results.

A survey was distributed to university bus riders the end of November 2004. The survey questions and results are as follows:

1.) What is your status at UWSP?

15% Freshman
12% Sophomore
26% Junior
26% Senior
21% Super Senior

2.) Where do you live?

15% On Campus
85% Off Campus

3.) How would you rate the U-Pass Bus Service?

1% Poor
14% Adequate
84% Great
1% Did not answer

4.) Would you like to see more service offered than we currently provide?

38% Yes
55% No
7% Did not answer

5.) If yes, what would you like to see added?

Friday and Saturday late night from bars (4)
Routes to coincide better with classes (5)
Campus & Evergreen apts. to the YMCA
1 Bus for eastbound and 1 Bus for westbound
More busses south of campus
Busses at lunch going downtown from the U.C.
Add benches & enclosures at stops
Shopping earlier to and from Evergreen Apts.
To Companies that employee students
Bus Stop Signs
Different parts of campus
Routes going to downtown library
More stops at food places
Saturday routes to campus
More often
Longer hours, 6 a.m. routes (2)
Services going to Plover

6.) Is the 30 minute interval for the campus commute routes adequate?

66% Yes
34% No

7.) If your answer to number 6 is No, do you feel that 15 minute intervals would be sufficient?

95% Yes
5% No

8.) Do you feel the frequency for the Campus Shopping routes are adequate?

78% Yes
3% No
19% Did not know have not used the service

9.) Do the shopping routes take you where you need to go?

73% Yes
1% No
26% Did not answer

10.) The approximate per student cost for the current U-Pass system is $5.00 per student per semester, which is paid from segregated fees. Would you be willing to pay more for additional service?

58% Yes
42% No

11.) If yes, how much more per semester are you willing to pay for additional service?

41% $5.00
41% $10.00
18% $20.00

12.) Do you feel the U-Pass program is adequately promoted on campus?

66% Yes
33% No
1% Did not answer

13.) If no, do you have any suggestions on ways to improve promoting the U-Pass program on campus?

Routes to coincide better with classes (5)
Notify landlords of the service (3)
Bus Stop Signs (6)
More advertising through posters, flyers, etc. (25)
Student Message of the Day (23)
Making students be our representatives
More information at the U.C. (4)
Information in the student handbook
Should be a little bit more SGA movement
Advertise in the Pointer (3)
Announcements over the radio (2)
More frequent pick ups
Send information in the mail
Educate on how to use the system

Following review of the survey results Manager Lemke informed the Commission that many of the suggestions that were made regarding promoting the service have already been implemented or will be implemented in the near future. Additional surveys will be distributed in March. The surveys will be dispersed on campus vs. on the bus to gather information from all students.

5. Ben Franklin Student busing discussion and possible action on continuation or discontinuation of semester pass offer.

Manager Lemke reported that 780 Ben Franklin student rides were provided from September through December 2004. She indicated that she has been contacted by Jim Nicewander the Transportation Director for Stevens Point School District. Mr. Nicewander told her that it has been determined that it is the responsibility of the school district to provide transportation to the students whose transportation was discontinued. Therefore the school district will be re-routing yellow buses to accommodate as many students as possible during the second semester. Mr. Nicewander made a request to have the City Bus continue to provide service as we currently are to provide transportation to students who will not have yellow bus coverage for the second semester. He indicated that the school district would pay for the student semester pass for these students. Our services will no longer be needed in the fall when school begins.

6. Discussion and possible action on continuation or discontinuation of Harmony Village Route.

In February 2004 the Commission made a decision to make a change to the Northpoint/County Market route to include Harmony Village on Wednesday of each week. SPT received numerous requests from Harmony Village to develop a route to provide service to their facility. The re-route was on a trial basis due to concern regarding whether or not people would use the service as well as concern about the re-route on Wednesdays resulting in confusion for other riders.

Manager Lemke presented the ridership statistics for Harmony Village to the Commission. From February 11, 2004 through December 29, 2004 the average daily ridership for Harmony Village was 2.83 pick ups and 2.62 drop offs. Manager Lemke stated that there have been a number of problems associated with the Wednesday route. She stated that because the regular M-Tu-Th-Fr route is revised on Wednesdays to accommodate Harmony Village it creates a great deal of confusion for others who assume the Northpoint/County Market route is the same on Wednesdays. This has resulted in lost rides and unhappy customers.

Mr. Hopfensperger requested that any formal action be delayed until Harmony Village representatives have a chance to speak on the matter. Manager Lemke will place this topic on the next agenda, as well as contact Harmony Village and Alderperson Moore.

7. Manager's Report:

Update on ridership/revenue software

A new statistical software program is being developed for ridership and revenue reporting. Completion of the program is scheduled for February 2005.

Development of Stevens Point Transit Informational Brochures

Informational brochures are being designed and printed for distribution in February. The brochures will include pictures of current riders. Three brochures are being developed, one focusing on the University service, one on the Point Plus Service, and one on the system as a whole. The cost of the brochures is $.06 per copy which includes design, printing and folding.

Update on status of new maps

Revised maps have been printed and are out in circulation at this time. All current route information is up to date. Maps can be picked up at County Market, Copps South, the University Center, the County City Building, the Visitor's Bureau, and the Transit Office or on any City Bus.

8. Next meeting date.

The next Transportation Commission Meeting will be held on March 1, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Center.

9. Adjourn.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m. The meeting minutes reproduced on this website are derived from the computer files used to produce the official minutes for the City of Stevens Point, but are unofficial. The minutes on this web site cannot be certified under s. 889.08, Wis. Stats., and cannot be considered prima facie evidence under s. 889.04, Wis. Stats. Certain tables, maps, and other documents that are a part of the official minutes are not included in the files reproduced on this website. Please consult the printed minutes, available in the City Clerk's Office, for the official text. The decisions made by City of Stevens Point boards, committees, and commissions (other than the Police & Fire Commission) are advisory only and are not binding on the City until affirmed at a meeting of the Common Council. Some of the minutes on this web site might not be approved by the Common Council as of today.

Search this Site

Site Index

2005 Minutes

Home