1. C I T Y O F N E W T O N P L A N N I N G D E P A R T M E N T
S A F E R O U T E S T O S C H O O L
S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
Newton Student
Transportation Survey
2. Survey Background
Purpose of Survey
To determine how and why children get to and from school
How it was administered
Survey Monkey link sent via PTO newsletters and Principal emails
Response rate
High response rate, averaging just over 30% of families responded
While range of elementary school responses were 7% - 50% ,12 of the
15 elementary exceeding 20%
Middle school and high school responses were clustered near the
25% average response rate for secondary schools
Mostly positive follow up emails sent by many
respondents
2
4. Completed Surveys
Elementary
1394
Middle School
773
High School
913
School
completed
Surveys
% of
families
Mason-Rice 164 50%
Cabot 179 46%
Zervas 104 43%
Pierce 85 35%
Bowen 132 35%
Countryside 115 33%
Lincoln Eliot 89 32%
Underwood 80 32%
Burr 97 27%
Average 92.9 30.6%
Horace Mann 95 29%
Franklin 78 26%
Angier 77 24%
Williams 45 18%
Ward 31 16%
Memorial
Spaulding 23 7%
Total 1,394 31%
School
completed
surveys
% of
families
Bigelow 104 23%
Brown 284 45%
Day 252 31%
Oak Hill 133 24%
Total 773 32%
School
completed
surveys
% of
families
Newton North 472 28%
Newton South 441 29%
Total 913 29%
4
5. Comments on Survey Data
Underrepresented populations
Schools
MBTA riders
High school drivers
High school bicycle riders
Winter effect
Responses likely slightly over weighted to driving due to timing of
survey doesn’t include fair weather walkers/bikers
Distance to school data
Obtained outside of survey process
Limits ability to mine data using Survey Monkey tools
Captures a great deal of additional comments
Highlight specific problems
These deserve further review
5
7. Estimating Daily Trips
GIS data used to determine walking distance for each
family from home to school based on main
intersections given
Developed transportation mode profile for distance
segments based on average survey responses from
families that live within that distance segment
Estimated number of trips by mode by applying
mode profile to the estimated # of families within
that distance segment
7
8. How do students get to and from school?
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
EstimatedDailyTrips
All Students *
To School
From School
* Excludes Memorial Spaulding due to low response rate and out-of-district students
8
9. How do students get to and from school?
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
EstimatedDailyTrips
Elementary Students*
To School
From School
The family vehicle is the primary way students get to and from school.
Average distance walked: 0.49 miles
Average distance biked: 0.66 miles
* Excludes Memorial Spaulding due to low response rate and out-of-district students
9
45% of elementary parents
responding drive every day
35% of elementary parents
responding walk every day
10. What did we hear about why choices are made?
Elementary
• Why we walk?
• We want to walk not drive – 566 families
• We have no choice – 89 families
• Parents leave for work before school starts
• No driver available or no car available to drive
• Why we drive?
• 427 families responded snowy, icy sidewalks is the #1 reason
they drive, another 270 listed it as key reason
• 300+ responded they are on their way to/from somewhere
• 250 responded unsafe crossings as #1 reason they drive
10
11. How do students get to and from school?
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
EstimatedDailyTrips
Middle School Students
To School
From School
Average distance of car trip: 1.23 miles
35% of car trips under 1 mile
Average distance walked: 0.83 miles
Average distance biked:
1.0 mile
Nearly 50% of children driven in the morning walk or take the bus after school.
11
12. How do students get to and from school?
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
EstimatedDailyTrips
High School Students
To School
From School
Trips by vehicle is again the primary way students get to and from school.
Average distance of car trip: 1.62 miles
18% of car trips under 1 mile
Average distance
walked: 0.94 miles
Average distance
biked: 1.49 miles
12
13. What did we hear about why choices are made?
Middle School & High School
Responses were similar at both levels
• Why we don’t drive?
• Primary reason is kids like to walk
• Inconvenient to drive
• Live very close
• Bus is very convenient
• 10% of students walk, bike or take the bus as parents leave for work
before kids leave for school
• 20%+ must walk, bike or take the bus home because of parents’ work
schedule
• Why we drive?
• 24% families stated that snowy, icy sidewalks is the #1 reason they drive
their kids TO school
• 23% of families think the walk takes too long
13
14. Transportation modes by distance – to school
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
< 1/4 mile 1/4 to 1/2
mile
1/2 - 1 mile > 1 mile
DailyTripstoSchool
Distance from home to school
Elementary Students
Car Pool
Family
vehicle
Riding the
bus
Biking/
Scootering
Walking
14
15. Transportation modes by distance – from school
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
< 1/4 mile 1/4 to 1/2
mile
1/2 - 1 mile > 1 mile
DailyTripsfromSchool
Distance from to school to home
Elementary Students
Car Pool
Family
vehicle
Riding the
bus
Biking/
Scootering
Walking
15
16. Transportation modes by distance – to school
-
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
< 1/4
mile
1/4 to
1/2 mile
1/2 - 1
mile
1 -1 1/2
miles
1 1/2 - 2
miles
> 2
miles
Dailytripstoschool
Distance from home to school
Middle School Students
Car Pool
Family
vehicle
MBTA
School Bus
Biking/
Scootering
Walking
16
17. Transportation modes by distance – from school
-
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
< 1/4
mile
1/4 to
1/2 mile
1/2 - 1
mile
1 -1 1/2
miles
1 1/2 - 2
miles
> 2
miles
Dailytripstoschool
Distance from to school to home
Middle School Students
Car Pool
Family
vehicle
MBTA
School Bus
Biking/
Scootering
Walking
Nearly 50% of children driven in the morning walk or take the bus after school.
17
18. Transportation modes by distance – to school
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
< 1/4
mile
1/4 to
1/2 mile
1/2 - 1
mile
1 -1 1/2
miles
1 1/2 - 2
miles
> 2
miles
Dailytripsfromschool
Distance from home to school
High School Students Car Pool
Drives with
other student
Drives
themselves
Family vehicle
MBTA
School Bus
Biking/
Scootering
Walking
18
19. Transportation modes by distance – from school
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
< 1/4
mile
1/4 to
1/2 mile
1/2 - 1
mile
1 -1 1/2
miles
1 1/2 - 2
miles
> 2
miles
Dailytripsfromschool
Distance from school to home
High School Students Car Pool
Drives with
other student
Drives
themselves
Family vehicle
MBTA
School Bus
Biking/
Scootering
Walking
19
20. Impacts of current school transportation model
Increased stress on crowded streets and neighborhoods
Decreased air quality
Negative environmental impact
Missed opportunity for active transportation
Exercise
Social time
Improved feeling of
well being
Time to think
Better prepared to
learn
Sense of
accomplishment
Independence
20
21. Assessing sentiment for walkable schools
Parents were asked to rate their feelings on the
following statements:
I want to live in a community where most kids walk or bike to
school 67% AGREE
I think the City should quickly address structural issues
(crosswalks, lights, crossing guards) to make it safer for
children to walk to school 84% AGREE
I think the city should enforce the sidewalk snow removal
ordinance 84% AGREE
I want the School Committee to make walking to school a
priority in establishing school districts 58% AGREE
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22. What is the mode shift opportunity?
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
< 1/4 mile 1/4 to 1/2
mile
1/2 - 1 mile > 1 mile
TotalDailyTrips
Distance from home to school
Elementary Students
Car Pool
Family
vehicle
Riding the
bus
Biking/Scoo
tering
Walking
22
23. Mode shift opportunity at the elementary schools
Make walking and biking for students living within ½ mile of
school the primary mode of transportation
increase from 55% to 70% 820 less daily car trips
Increase biking for students living between ½ mile and 1 mile
and some increase in walking
increase from 30% to 43% 525 less daily car trips
Increase bus ridership for students who qualify
Increase from 40% to 50% 140 less daily car trips
Encourage carpooling and driving part way for those that do
drive
Increase carpools to 10% 360 less daily car trips
Encourage 20% of car trips drive part way 200 less daily car
trips
23
24. What is the mode shift opportunity?
-
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
< 1/4
mile
1/4 to
1/2 mile
1/2 - 1
mile
1 -1 1/2
miles
1 1/2 - 2
miles
> 2
miles
TotalDailyTrips
Distance from home to school
Middle School Students
Car Pool
Family
vehicle
MBTA
School Bus
Biking/Sco
otering
Walking
24
25. Mode shift opportunity at the middle schools
Make walking and biking for students living within 1 mile of
school the primary mode of transportation
increase from 55% to 70% 200 less daily car trips
Increase biking for students living less than 2 miles from
school
increase from 2% to 8% 130 less daily car trips
Increase bus ridership for students who qualify
Increase from 67% to 72% 120 less daily car trips
Encourage carpooling and driving part way for those that do
drive
Increase carpools to 6% 120 less daily car trips
Encourage 20% of car trips drive part way 115 less daily car
trips
25
26. What is the mode shift opportunity?
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
< 1/4
mile
1/4 to
1/2
mile
1/2 - 1
mile
1 -1 1/2
miles
1 1/2 - 2
miles
> 2
miles
TotalDailyTrips
Distance from home to school
High School Students Car Pool
Drives with
other student
Drives
themselves
Family vehicle
MBTA
School Bus
Biking/Scoote
ring
Walking
26
27. Mode shift opportunity at the high schools
Make walking and biking for students living within 1 mile of
school the primary mode of transportation
increase from 54% to 78% 360 less daily car trips
Increase biking for students living less than 2 miles from
school
increase from 3% to 12% 300 less daily car trips
Increase bus ridership for students who qualify
Increase from 39% to 44% 200 less daily car trips
Encourage carpooling and driving part-way for those that do
drive
Increase carpools to 7% 230 less daily car trips
Encourage 20% of car trips drive part way 150 less daily car
trips
27
29. Mode shift goals by school
School goals
Walking Biking School Bus Vehicle
Elementary
Schools
35 families at
each school
15 families 5 families 10 families to
carpool, 20
families to
drive part way
Middle
Schools
25 families 30 families 15 families 15 families to
carpool, 20
families to
drive part way
High Schools 75 families 100 families 50 families 25 families to
carpool, 65
families to
drive part way
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30. Estimated Annual Reduction in car trips
Almost 2,000 less car trips per day
Estimated 3,700+ miles per day
180 school days
670,000 miles per year
Achieving this type of mode shift will require
motivation for change and the removal of barriers to
walking, biking & the bus
30
31. Are parents encouraged to walk & bike?
% that feel their child’s school encourages or strongly
encourages walking and biking to school
64% Elementary school
15% Middle School
10% High School
Elementary schools with highest results
Burr, Peirce, Angier, Mason-Rice at 80%
31
32. What did we hear about conditions along routes
to school from families that walk/bike/bus?
Top 5 issues from elementary families whose
children walk least some of the time
59% observe unsafe driver behavior
40% have issues with broken or cracked sidewalks
40% observe cars that fail to yield to crossing pedestrians
27% have missing sidewalk sections along the route
25% have faded crosswalks
Issues for middle school and high school families are
similar
72% of middle school parents observe unsafe driver behavior
Ranking for other issues is very similar
32
33. Impact of weather on walking and biking
Elementary
25% of the regular walkers will still walk in the rain, snow or
very cold temperatures
Cold temperatures have the biggest impact driving 55% of
regular walkers to likely be driven
Middle School+ High School
Only 15% of the regular walkers will still walk in the rain, snow
or very cold temperatures
Again cold temperatures have the biggest impact causing over
60% of regular walkers to likely be driven; snow is a close
second at 58% likely to be driven
33
34. What did we hear specifically about snow?
Elementary
89% indicated uncleared sidewalks are an issue
50% of parents responded that uncleared sidewalks along the
route cause them to drive to school
Another 39% noted that uncleared sidewalks were an issue but still
preferred to walk to school
70% of walking families had issues with snow piles on corners
and crosswalks
Middle School & High School
Similiar
34
35. Bus Ridership
Elementary School
1394 respondents
240 eligible, 125 yes take the bus, 115 do not take the bus
283 do not know if student is eligible
Middle School
398 eligible, 342 yes take the bus, 57 do not take the bus
83 do not know if student is eligible
High School
406 eligible, 273 yes take the bus, 133 do not take the bus
108 do not know if student is eligible
35
36. Why elementary school students don’t take bus
Before-
school or
after school
activities,
34%
Bus fee too
high, 34%
Do not want
children on the
bus, 31%
Concerns about
the safety of
walk to bus
stop, 13%
Bus ride is too
long, 13%
Bus stop is
too far, 11%
Bus comes too
early, 8%
36
37. Why middle school students don’t take bus
Bus fee too
high, 41%
Bus comes too
early, 30%
Do not want
children on the
bus, 27%
Bus ride is too
long, 25%
Bus stop is
too far, 20%
Before-school
or after school
activities, 11%
Concerns about
the safety of
walk to bus
stop, 11%
37
38. Why high school students don’t take the bus
My children do not
want to be on the
bus, 40%
Before-school or
after school
activities, 33%
Bus fee too high,
32%
Bus comes too
early, 28%
Bus ride is too
long, 18%
Bus stop
is too far,
17%
Student parking
fee more
reasonable than
bus fee, 13%
Do not want children
on the bus, 6%
Bus leaves school
too late, 6% Concerns about the
safety of walk to bus
stop, 2%
%
38
39. Evaluation of MBTA usage
Repeat estimated daily ridership numbers
Middle School
94 have access to MBTA route
513 no access
168 do not know
52 bus (Parker/Centre St.) is 83% of ridership
59 bus (Walnut St.) is 15%
High School
161 have access to MBTA route
557 no access
133 do not know
59 bus (Walnut St.) is 60%
52 bus (Parker/Centre St.) is 30% of ridership
Green line is 13%
Look at key issues faced and any praise
39
40. Summary
High vehicle usage has impact on everyone
Quality of life
Environmental
Cost to city of additional vehicle traffic?
Significant opportunity for mode shift
Next steps?
Encouragement and information on benefits of more walking
and biking
Infrastructure improvements and better snow clearing
necessary to help aid mode shift
Review of bus policies and schedule
Engage key stakeholders in adopting mode shift goals
40
