ILLINOIS TRANSIT RIDERS BELIEVE ST. CLAIR COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT ON TRACK TO IMPROVE SECURITY

Recent rider survey data is demonstrating the St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) in partnership with Metro is on track with security measures on transit.  The SCCTD is shifting its focus in 2019 to the rider experience.  The District launched a new Ambassador program in January focused on enhancing service and growing ridership through improved customer service, education, and promotion of SCCTD services. In addition, the District is engaging the riding public through regular customer surveys.  The most recent survey, which was personally delivered to riders by the Ambassadors, highlighted areas of improvement and areas where the District could ‘do better’.

“All of these efforts are a part of SCCTD’s commitment to improving the transit rider experience through meaningful engagement and delivery of the services our riders want,” said St. Clair County Transit District Board member Herb Simmons.  “Acting on feedback directly from our riding public through these surveys allows us to better serve the community in a more timely and efficient manner than ever before and ‘do better’ as one of our riders stated.”

SCCTD Ambassadors have generated more than 880 completed surveys, almost a 50 percent return rate within one month, with the majority of respondents (75 percent) riding transit four plus days a week.  Survey respondents tout the benefits of less stress and cost savings as reasons they ride transit while the biggest hurdle for many are concerns over safety (38 percent of respondents).  Yet, 3 out of 4 respondents believe SCCTD/Metro Transit are on track to improving overall security.

“These surveys are providing us with a great tool to quickly assess what riders’ perceptions are, what we are doing right and areas we can do better with regards to security,” said St. Clair County Sheriff Rick Watson. “It is reassuring to know Illinois riders believe we are on the right track with regards to security especially in light of the new Bi-State CEO’s commitment to security, however, we definitely know we have more work to do.”

The St. Clair County Transit District is also working on enhancing bus stops with community partners, programming at stations like “Wake Up to a Sweeter Commute,” and recently underwrote three new transit patrol vehicles for the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department.