2023 Origin Destination Survey: Starting August 21!

Look for our friendly survey staff in blue vests and red GCRTA badges!

Beginning August 21 and continuing through the end of the year, dedicated surveyors will conduct the Origin Destination Survey on both Bus and Rail vehicles. By participating in the survey, you will be entered for a chance to win one of five $500 gift cards! Your feedback shapes the future of GCRTA service.          
  
Let's make a difference and improve public transportation together. Your opinion matters!

What is the Origin Destination Survey?

Public transportation is a crucial part of modern living, with millions of people relying on it to get them where they need to go each day. How does Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) ensure systems meet the needs of their riders? One important way is through the Origin Destination Survey, which can give GCRTA valuable insight into how people use public transportation in Cleveland.

This survey asks riders about their starting and ending points, travel times, or whether they use the bus or the train. By participating, you can help to inform future planning, decision-making, communications, and funding related to public transportation. The survey helps to identify patterns in transportation use, including popular routes, peak times, and where and how they use the system.

Taking the survey has a significant impact on the development and enhancement of public transit services. By sharing your travel patterns, you are directly influencing future decisions that will shape the public transportation system in Greater Cleveland. To take the survey, a surveyor will be asking riders to input their answers into a tablet, once the survey is taken, the rider will be entered in a giveaway for a chance to win a gift card.

Why is this survey important?

This survey, which is conducted every 10 years, gives GCRTA insight into how public transportation is being used, and whether it is meeting the needs of the riders who use the system. The survey data can help GCRTA identify gaps in service or routes that need to be expanded.

For example, if the survey shows that many people are traveling to a particular part of the city but there is no direct transit route to that area, GCRTA can use this information to plan a new route that better serves those riders. Additionally, the survey can also identify a consistent volume in ridership on a particular route, which, in turn, can create an increase of buses or trains to that route to accommodate the growing demand.

What programs or improvements in service has GCRTA implemented since the last survey? 

Since the last survey conducted in 2013, GCRTA has undergone major changes to improve its transit system. One of the most notable changes is the introduction of NEXTGEN RTA, a service-wide impact that has increased frequency and connectivity across the system. Additionally, a new trip planner app called Transit with EZfare has been a significant upgrade for customers to plan their journeys and receive real-time information about their trips, and pay for their trips within the app.

Another crucial addition is the MetroHealth Line, which aims to reduce wait times and increase service speed. The MetroHealth Line operates along West 25th Street, serving riders who commute through the area regularly.

GCRTA also received grants to invest in future Red Line trains which will improve connectivity between the Red, Blue, and Green Lines, leading to a better travel experience for all customers.