Wave 1 On-Board Survey – Completed
- Surveyors approached and tallied approximately 26,000 passengers in the vehicle and passengers area.
- To date we have a total of 5,451 surveys returned, 99 percent of what was estimated based on ridership figures.
- 43% of surveys returned are from vehicle passengers
- 46% are from walk-on passengers
- 11% form passengers in vehicles
- 60% of survey takers represent those traveling during peak travel periods
- Data being analyzed now – summary report of key findings for this first wave will be out on the week of May 19th – presenting to Commission on May 21st and the JTC Ferry Policy Group on May 23rd.
Next Steps
On-Line Survey – End of May:
- 2,300 people (44%) who participated in the on-board survey indicated a willingness to participate in this more lengthy, detailed on-line survey.
- This survey will test operational and pricing strategies provided from WSF.
- There will be a specialized on-line survey for folks in the North Sound that will be tailored to meet their unique needs and travel patterns.
Wave 2 On-Board Survey – Early July:
- This second wave of surveying will be administered on-board the ferries like the firstwave of surveying and will be systemwide.
- It will have questions aimed at getting input from recreational users.
- It will also test pricing strategies and ask follow-up questions based upon what we learn from the Wave 1 survey results.
Survey of the “Non-User” – June:
- Running concurrently to the above survey activities, there will be a small but statistically valid phone survey (up to 1,200 residents) conducted in various ferry served counties, to poll folks as to why they no longer ride ferries or have changed their use of ferries over the years.
- Counties to be included in this small survey: King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Island, San Juan, Skagit, Mason, Jefferson, and Clallam.
Survey of Freight Users – Ongoing:
- A third concurrent effort will be to query freight customers of the ferry system.
- Thus far, getting at the decision makers of freight has been difficult, but we are continuing to work at getting at this group of ferry users – it may end up being that we will do a series of one-on-one interviews with the major freight shippers who use the ferry system.
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