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The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is the third largest transportation agency in the nation. It serves as transportation planner and coordinator, designer, builder and operator for one of the country’s largest, most populous counties. More than 9.6 million people – nearly one-third of California’s residents – live, work, and play within its 1,433-square-mile service area.
Besides operating over 1,900 coaches in the Metro Bus fleet, Metro also designed, built and now operates almost 60 miles of Metro Rail service. The Metro Rail system currently consists of 50 stations and several more are in the planning and/or design stage.
In addition to operating its own services Metro funds 16 municipal bus operators and funds a wide array of transportation projects including bikeways and pedestrian facilities, local road and highway improvements, goods movement, and the popular Freeway Service Patrol and Call Boxes.
Metro employs more than 8,000 people in a broad range of technical specialties and services ranging from Metro Bus and Metro Rail operators and mechanics to construction engineers and safety inspectors, from transportation planning professionals to customer information agents.
Projects:
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Catalina Island User Study
AMPG conducted a two-part study and position advocacy campaign in an effort to assist Metro in presenting a strong case to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as to why it should approve the inclusion of ferry miles on a local carrier subsidized by Metro in Metro’s National Transit Database (NTD) report. Phase one of the study, AMPG conducted a month long survey of passengers riding the ferryboat between Catalina island and two mainland harbors. In the second phase of the study, AMPG conducted research on the operations, use and activities of the six other agencies allowed to report ferry miles in their NTD reports. The information from both phases was used to prepare and present a final report and presentation to the FTA on MTA’s case for inclusion.
View Clients with Projects in Analysis & Reporting, Market Research, Intercept & On-Board Surveys, Transportation
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Employee Survey
Under subcontract to the Evaluation and Training Institute, we analyzed data collected from a comprehensive survey of all 9,000 employees at the MTA (including both represented and non-represented employees). The purpose of the survey was to develop baseline measures regarding employees’ perceptions of the MTA as an organization. The results of the survey were used by managers to develop goals and objectives for their departments. The results were intended to be used along with the results of several other survey efforts, to create an overall “customer satisfaction index.”
View Clients with Projects in Analysis & Reporting, Employee Surveys, Workforce Development
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Evaluation of Metro Rail Blue Line Grade Crossing Safety Program
AMPG developed and implemented an evaluation plan for six demonstration programs designed to increase the safety of Metro Rail Blue Line grade crossings. We conducted follow-up studies in 1995 and 2000 to determine the effectiveness of the safety program that was finally adopted. The demonstration safety programs included the following: Traffic enforcement by Sheriff's deputies at grade crossings; Four quadrant crossing gates at one grade crossing; Pedestrian gates at two grade crossings; Train operator actuated wayside horns at two grade crossings; Illuminated "Train Coming" and "No Left Turn" signs; Photo enforcement equipment at several locations; and, “Second Train Coming” signs.
View Clients with Projects in Analysis & Reporting, Focus Groups, Market Research, Customer Surveys, Transportation
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Harbor Transitway Focus Groups
AMPG staff conducted four focus groups to evaluate how riders and non-riders perceived changes to bus service on and around the Harbor Transitway, which the MTA board had identified as an under-performing transit investment. The objective of the focus groups was to gauge community reaction to service improvements on the Harbor Transitway, and explore the feasibility of a qualitative research approach designed to bridge the research gap between large quantitative customer satisfaction surveys and comments made at public hearings in response to proposed service changes.
View Clients with Projects in Focus Group Facilities, Focus Groups, Market Research, Customer Surveys, Transportation
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Line 128, 218 and 130 Harbor Transit way Division Multi-Line Passenger Survey
AMPG conducted a four-day passenger intercept survey on three of MTA’s Harbor Transit way service lines. AMPG revised and translated a previously used intercept survey instrument and included questions regarding origin and destination, trip purpose and fare payment methods. In addition to the intercept surveys, AMPG conducted passenger counts and schedule timing verifications on both regular and tripper runs of each line. MTA used the finalized data set to report on line usage, on-time performance and fare media payment methods.
View Clients with Projects in Customer Surveys, Intercept & On-Board Surveys, Origin & Destination Studies, Transportation
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Line 22 On-Board Passenger Intercept Survey
Under the first contract issued under the MTA Research Services Bench, we conducted a three-day passenger intercept survey to identify passenger volume, boardings and alightings, and rider demographics for bus Line 22. AMPG surveyed every bus trip for one weekday and one weekend, collecting over 400 passenger surveys. Project responsibilities included: survey revision and formatting, survey translation, sampling plan design and scheduling, surveyor training, data collection, and data cleaning.
View Clients with Projects in Customer Surveys, Intercept & On-Board Surveys, Origin & Destination Studies, Transportation
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Performance Audit
As prime contractor managing a team of subcontractors, we conducted MTA’s 1995 Transportation Development Act Performance Audit. The audit examined the MTA’s performance over the years 1991 - 92, 1992 - 93, and 1993 - 94, a period which included the merger of the former Southern California Rapid Transit District and the former Los Angeles County Transportation Commission into the MTA. The audit reviewed the MTA’s functional structure, transit operations, and compliance with the applicable statutes of the California Public Utilities Code and the California Code of Regulations. Recommendations for enhancing the operating efficiency, statutory compliance and overall effectiveness of the agency were provided.
View Clients with Projects in Analysis & Reporting, Management, Employee Surveys, Transportation, Workforce Development
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Personnel Study
AMPG conducted a job classification study for approximately 2,000 non-represented employees of the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and the Southern California Rapid Transit District, being merged into the newly formed MTA. The objectives of the study were to: develop comprehensive and consistent job documentation; develop and implement an objective job measurement mechanism to reflect internal relationships and the values of the new agency; determine appropriate pay policies and appropriate market positions; integrate internal equity with external market competitiveness; and develop general plan administration and communication guidelines. We were responsible for analyzing employee surveys, conducting 500 individual and group interviews, and preparing job specifications for approximately 100 positions. We also conducted a survey of 20 to 25 agencies in the market, to determine market equity and competitiveness.
In addition, we assisted Mercer in the development of a performance-based compensation system for MTA. An additional series of focus groups and employee surveys were conducted to develop a system that would provide equitable guidelines to administer salaries and reward employees based on their performance.
View Clients with Projects in Analysis & Reporting, Focus Groups, Management, Employee Surveys, Workforce Development
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Public Opinion Study
AMPG conducted a General Public Survey designed to measure the public’s awareness of and satisfaction with the full range of services and programs operated and supported by the MTA. We conducted 2,400 telephone interviews with residents of six MTA sub-regions of Los Angeles County, Telephone surveys were conducted in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Korean. The final report outlined MTA constituents’ awareness of, familiarity with and usage of public transportation, highway assistance and informational services provided by MTA, as well as the travel patterns and public transportation habits of respondents.
View Clients with Projects in Analysis & Reporting, Market Research, Customer Surveys, Telephone Surveys, Transportation
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Semi-Annual Customer Satisfaction Tracking Survey
Under the fourth contract awarded under the MTA Research Services Bench, AMPG conducted a two-phase passenger satisfaction survey. The survey was designed to gauge rail and bus riders’ attitude toward rail and bus services, customer service and assistance use, customer perceptions of the cleanliness and safety on-board and around bus stop/platform areas as well as customers’ perceptions of MTA’s line operators. The two, month long data collection phases (January 2004 and July 2004) were used to survey over 121 MTA operated bus lines, approximately 10 contractor service lines and all for trail lines. AMPG was responsible for the development, reproduction and distribution of the survey instrument along with the cleaning, scanning and preparation of the final data set. For the first phase of data collection, AMPG reported a 58% response rate and a 54% completion rate.
View Clients with Projects in Market Research, Customer Surveys, Intercept & On-Board Surveys, Transportation
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Triennial Performance Audit
Our firm conducted the Triennial Performance Audit for the audit period July 1, 1991 through June 30, 1994. The audit was conducted in compliance with California Senate Bill 759 that added Section 99246 to the Transportation Development Act (TDA) as included in the Public Utilities Code. We conducted surveys, interviews, and a document review. The objective of the audit was to comply with legislation mandating the audit, evaluate, and make recommendations to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and economy of the MTA.
View Clients with Projects in Analysis & Reporting, Management, Employee Surveys, Workforce Development
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