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Thousands of people ride Durham Area Transit Authority every day. DATA provides a vital link to employment, medical, education and social activity. You can play an important role in helping to shape Durham’s growing transit system. For the upcoming budget year, input is sought to improve existing services given an unchanged level of financial resources. Planning staff are seeking feedback to determine citizens’ priorities and ideas for improvement. The sessions will offer the opportunity for open and frank discussions about transportation issues that are important to you and your community.
Phase I: COMPLETED– Community Engagement to collect information from the Durham public about preferences for transit service. We collected surveys, met with major employers, and City Departments to discuss how transit can be improved in the community. The information that was collected will inform the next phases of the process in Designing Better Bus Service in Durham.
If you have questions about Designing Better Bus Service in Durham please leave your comments at the online form or call 485-PLAN(7526).
For information on Designing Better Bus Service, jump to:
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What is Designing Better Bus Service - Background Information
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Who Will Approve Our Recommendations - The Decision-Making Process
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Where Can I Find Out More About the Recommendations - Public Workshops
- Who is involved - The Sounding Boards
The City of Durham and Triangle Transit are conducting a comprehensive analysis of the DATA bus service to look at ways to improve the service. This effort is called Designing Better Bus Service in Durham. The City of Durham has selected a consultant, Parsons Brinkerhoff, to provide technical assistance to Triangle Transit. In June 2012, Triangle Transit will be providing recommendations for service improvements to the City of Durham in a Final Draft Plan. Any recommended service changes will need to be done given existing financial resources, although the recommendation will include scenarios in which expanded resources become available.
Community outreach for Designing Better Bus Service began in March 2011 to collect information from the Durham public about citizens’ priorities for transit service and ideas for improvement. Triangle Transit staff met with stakeholders and members of the community at neighborhood meetings. Input from current DATA passengers was collected with an on-board survey as well. Feedback from the public will continue to be sought throughout the Designing Better Bus Service project with public workshops at critical stages in the process.
Who Will Approve Our Recommendations - The Decision-Making Process
Durham City Council will make the final decision on whether to adopt the Final Draft Plan. Triangle Transit will present recommendations for service improvements in the Final Draft Plan to the Durham City Manager who will bring the plan to the Council for consideration. The City Council will receive comments from the public at a Public Hearing on the Draft Plan in March 2012. On April 16 – May 4, 2012 we will enter into Phase 4 of Public Workshops. The Final Draft Plan for DATA bus services will be presented to City Council in June 2012 for a final decision and vote.
– Present Final Draft Plan and collect feedback
More information on the locations for the public workshops will be provided closer to the dates of those meetings.
Where Can I Find Out More About the Recommendations - Public Workshops
Public comments on each phase of the plan development will be received by Triangle Transit, the City of Durham, and the consultant. Your comments will shape the development of the recommendations for service improvements to the DATA bus system.
There will be four (4) phases of public workshops during which time members of the public are invited to review the materials and provide comments. At each stage in the process, Triangle Transit needs your feedback to make sure that the diverse needs of the Durham community are considered.
Nov 14 - Dec 9, 2011 Phase 1 of Public Workshops complete – Staff presented existing conditions of the DATA bus service and the DRAFT goals and objectives for the DATA bus system. The public was encouraged to provide suggestions for improving DATA bus services. Here is a summary of the public outreach effort:
- 6 public meetings at Durham Station, NCCU, Duke Hospital, Blue Coffee Café, Fullsteam Brewery, Durham Center for Senior Life on November 15thand 16th.
- 11 staff visits to high activity bus stops to give out informational handout and collect comment cards
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217 public comments received (9 online)
News release | Information displays presented at November events | Informational handout
Jan 10, 2012 – Feb 3, 2012 Change is Coming! Staff will present initial recommendations and receive public comments. Get in on the conversation at the public workshops in January.
The public workshops will allow the public to learn more about initial draft recommendations to improve DATA’s existing services given an unchanged level of financial resources. The public will be able to talk with staff, review materials and provide comments. DATA, management partner Triangle Transit and the City of Durham want the feedback to ensure that the diverse needs of the community are considered in evaluating current and future service.
- Full list of Public Workshops during January: click here
- Initial recommendations to improve DATA’s existing services:
System Map – Draft Recommendations
We Need to hear from you!
Who is involved? The DBBS Sounding Board
The Designing Better Bus Service - Sounding Board is a partner in the development of the recommendations for service improvements that will be included in the Final Draft Plan. The Sounding Board will meet regularly as the plan is being developed and will provide valuable feedback to Triangle Transit and the consultant. At the end of the Designing Better Bus Service process, the Sounding Board will develop a report in response to the Final Draft Plan. This report will be included along with the Final Draft Plan in the packet that is submitted to City Council for consideration.
The Sounding Board consists of 26 members that represent the diverse needs of the Durham community. The members were selected out of the applications received. The Sounding Board will meet 8 times between October 2011 and June 2012 as the plan is being developed. All Sounding Board meetings are open to the public and are located in downtown Durham. During the first 5 minutes of each meeting, comments from the public will be heard by the Sounding Board.
1. October 18, 2011
2. November 29, 2011
- Materials: Technical Memorandum with Route Profiles -Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8 .
3. January 10, 2012 Initial recommendations to improve DATA's existing services
System Map – Draft Recommendations
4. January 31, 2012
5. February 28, 2012
6. March 27, 2012
7. April 10, 2012
8. April 24, 2012
DATA is managed for the City of Durham by Triangle Transit and aims to provide Durham with effective transit service – service that builds public support and increases awareness of how public transportation contributes to the quality of life.
DATA offers comfortable and safe mobility and accessibility to universities, hospitals, schools, businesses, and shopping centers through transit services that contribute to congestion relief, cleaner air, and economic development.
