Fall River Bus Service Evaluation – Final Report

The Fall River Bus Service Evaluation is a comprehensive operational analysis (COA) of the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA)’s Fall River bus network. SRTA operates eleven routes that originate from downtown Fall River, MA, and this study is the first time since 2014 that SRTA is completing a comprehensive evaluation of the entire Fall River network. The purpose of this study is to make recommendations to match SRTA’s Fall River fixed-route service with the changing demand for transit, by adjusting routes and schedules to better meet the needs of bus riders.

Study Components

• Chapter 2: Market Analysis – An analysis of transit markets defined according to population, employment, and socioeconomic characteristics as well as activity centers and commute patterns.
• Chapter 3: Route Analysis – Evaluation of existing transit services, service performance, and network ridership trends.
• Chapter 4: Proposed Alignment Changes – Based on the market and route analyses and public engagement results, a proposed network of alignment changes to make routes more direct and easier to use.
• Chapter 5: Service Scenarios – Two scenarios for frequency and span of service levels for the proposed network under reduced funding constraints, as well as additional service improvements that would be needed to fully meet transit demand in Fall River.
• Chapter 6: Public Engagement – Two rounds of public engagement conducted during the project timeline, the first to understand how riders are currently using SRTA’s bus service and what changes they would like to see, and the second to collect feedback regarding proposed route and schedule changes.