6.0 I-35W MNPASS USERS SURVEYS

6.1 Purpose and Approach

These surveys will provide information on MnPASS customers using the I-35W HOT lanes and the PDSL. The purpose of the surveys is to obtain information on the prior mode of travel, frequency of use, reasons for use, travel-time savings, and trip-time reliability experienced by using the HOT lanes and the PDSL, and related information. The survey protocol will follow the methodology Mn/DOT has used recently on surveys of I-394 MnPASS users, which includes notifying MnPASS account holders by e-mail and requesting completion of on-line surveys.

Two surveys, conducted at two different time periods, are recommended; one of regular I-35W MnPASS customers and one of customers registering an allowed commercial vehicle (two-axle trucks weighing less than 26,000 pounds). On-line surveys of both groups are recommended in April-May, 2010, after at least six months of operation of the HOT lanes and the PDSL. Conducting a second survey of both groups in April-May, 2011, approximately six months after opening of the HOT lanes and the Crosstown Commons section is also recommended to obtain input from users benefiting from the completed facility.

6.2 Survey Protocol

The surveys are targeted at obtaining information from MnPASS customers using the I-35W HOT lanes and the PDSL. Currently, individuals registering for a MnPASS account are asked to identify what road – I-394 or I-35W – they expect to take most often. Following the protocol used by Mn/DOT on the recent MnPASS customer satisfaction survey, Mn/DOT will e-mail customers checking the I-35W box on their account registration and request their participation in completing the on-line survey. An incentive, such as the $10 in free tolls used on the customer satisfaction survey, may be offered to encourage participation. One survey will be used with regular MnPASS customers and one survey will be used with individuals registering an allowed commercial vehicle.

6.3 Survey Questions

The following questions are recommended for inclusion in the surveys, which will be administered by Mn/DOT. Many of the questions are the same as those asked on the I-394 MnPASS customer satisfaction survey. The final wording, sequencing of questions, and format for the surveys will be determined by Mn/DOT or their consultants.

#	Question
1.	How long have you been a MnPASS customer? _____ Less than 1 month _____ 1 to 3 months _____ 3 to 6 months _____ 6 months to 1 year _____ 1 to 2 years _____ 2 to 3 years _____ Over 3 years
2.	Approximately how many total one-way trips per week do you take on I-35W, including trips taken on the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes? _____ None _____ Less than one trip per week _____ One or two trips per week _____ Three trips per week _____ Four trips per week _____ Five trips per week _____ Six trips per week _____ More than six trips per week
3.	Approximately how many one-way trips per week do you take on just the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes, not the I-35W general purpose freeway lanes? _____ None _____ Less than one trip per week _____ One or two trips per week _____ Three trips per week _____ Four trips per week _____ Five trips per week _____ Six trips per week _____ More than Six trips per week
4.	Do you use the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes primarily for (check all that apply): _____ Work trips _____ School trips _____ Personal business _____ Work appointments _____ Recreational _____ Medical _____ Other (please specify ________________________________________________)
5.	What segments of the I-35W MnPASS lanes do you normally use (check all that apply). _____ Northbound from Highway 13 to Highway 62 _____ Northbound from 42nd Street to downtown Minneapolis _____ Southbound from I-494 to Highway 13
6.	How did you make this trip before you became a MnPASS customer? _____ Drove alone in I-35W general-purpose freeway lanes _____ Drove alone on another freeway or roadway _____ Carpooled in the I-35W HOV lanes _____ Rode the bus on I-35W or other roadway _____ Drove alone in the I-35W HOV lanes _____ Did not make the trip _____ Other (please specify ________________________________________________)
7.	What motivated you to sign up and use the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes? ________________________________________________________________________
8.	Which factors influence your use of the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes (check all that apply): _____ Congestion levels in freeway lanes _____ Important work meetings - cannot afford to be late _____ Family responsibilities (pick-up children at school or daycare, etc.) - cannot afford to be late _____ Personal business meetings - cannot afford to be late _____ Class - cannot afford to be late _____ Other (Please specific________________________________________________)
9.	In your opinion, what are the best things about traveling in the I-35w MnPASS toll lanes (check all that apply)? _____ Less/no traffic _____ Time savings _____ Ability to travel faster _____ Ease and convenience _____ Less stress/relaxing _____ Less wear and tear on my car _____ More safe/safety _____ Unsure
10	About how much time do you think you save per one-way trip during morning rush hour when you travel on the I-35W MnPASS toll lane? _____ Minutes
11.	About how much time do you think you save per one-way trip during the afternoon rush hour when you travel on the I-35W MnPASS toll lane? _____ Minutes
12.	In general, do you think travel on I-35W is: _____ Easier and less congested than one-year ago _____ About the same as one-year ago _____ More congested than one-year ago
13.	How often do you carpool for free on the I-35W MnPASS toll lane? _____ Extremely often _____ Very often _____ Somewhat often _____ Not very often _____ Not at all _____ Unsure/Don't know
14.	If you do carpool, who do you carpool with? _____ Family members _____ Neighbors _____ Co-workers _____ Co-students _____ Others (Please specify _______________________________________________)

Please indicate if you strongly agree, agree, neither agree or disagree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statements.

#	Question
15.	1Using the I-35W MnPASS toll lane gives me value for the money. _____ Strongly Disagree _____ Disagree _____ Neither agree nor disagree _____ Agree _____ Strongly Agree
16.	I always check for the current toll on the MnPASS price signs before I decide to use the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes. _____ Strongly Disagree _____ Disagree _____ Neither agree nor disagree _____ Agree _____ Strongly Agree
17.	I expect the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes to be free-flowing at all times, even if I have to pay higher tolls. _____ Strongly Disagree _____ Disagree _____ Neither agree nor disagree _____ Agree _____ Strongly Agree
18.	Overall, I am satisfied with my experience in using the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes. _____ Strongly Disagree _____ Disagree _____ Neither agree nor disagree _____ Agree _____ Strongly Agree
19.	The I-35W MnPASS toll lanes provide a fast, safe, reliable commute every time. _____ Strongly Disagree _____ Disagree _____ Neither agree nor disagree _____ Agree _____ Strongly Agree
20.	How would you rate the overall safety of the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes? _____ Very safe _____ Safe _____ Somewhat safe _____ Somewhat unsafe _____ Unsafe _____ Very unsafe _____ Extremely unsafe
21.	In your opinion, what has been your greatest concern or complaint about the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes or the service you receive from MnPASS?
22.	What is the zip code that you are leaving from?
23.	What is the zip code that you are traveling to?
24.	Who pays for your MnPASS tolls? _____ I do _____ My employer _____ Another family member _____ Other
25.	Are you: ______ Male ______ Female
26.	Approximately what was your family's total income last year? _____ Less than 10,000 _____ $10,000 to $19,999 _____ $20,000 to $29,999 _____ $30,000 to $39,999 _____ $40,000 to $49,999 _____ $50,000 to $59,999 _____ $60,000 to $69,999 _____ $70,000 to $79,999 _____ $80,000 to $89,999 _____ $90,000 to $99,999 _____ $100,000 or more
27.	What is your age? _____ Under 18 _____ 18-24 _____ 25-34 _____ 35-44 _____ 44-54 _____ 55-64 _____ 65 or over
28.	Which best describes your racial or ethnic background? _____ African American/Black _____American Indian _____ Asian _____ Caucasian/White _____ Hispanic/Latino _____ Other
29.	How many working automobiles do you have available for your use?

The followings question will be modified or added to the surveys of individuals registering an allowed commercial vehicle.

Question

4a.

What is the nature of your use of the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes?

_____ Service delivery or courier service (UPS, etc.)
_____ Construction, plumbing, electrical, etc.
_____ Lawn service/snow removal service
_____ Other (please specify________________________________________________)

4b.

What business benefits do you realize from use of the I-35W MnPASS toll lanes (check all that apply)?

_____ Able to serve more customers
_____ Able to respond faster to customer requests
_____ Able to deliver packages, etc. faster
_____ Other (please specify________________________________________________)

6.4 Analysis Methods

The results from the MnPASS customer surveys will be used in most of the analysis areas. The results will be analyzed by members of the Battelle team in a number of ways. In addition to examining the responses to each question, cross tabulations will be run to explore the interaction of different variables, such as income and frequency of use. Examples of the analyses to be conducted using the survey data are highlighted below.

Prior mode of travel. The survey results will be used to assess the prior mode of travel for I-35W MnPASS customers. This analysis will identify if current MnPASS users changed from carpooling, riding the bus, or driving alone in the general-purpose freeway lanes.
Frequency of use. The survey results will help identify different types of I-35W MnPASS customers, including travelers who use the HOT lanes and PDSL on a regular basis and infrequent users. The size of the various customer categories will be identified. The reported use levels will be compared to the MnPASS toll transaction data to identify similarities and differences. Frequency of use will also be analyzed by trip purpose, zip code zones, segment of the HOT lanes used, gender, and income levels.
Travel-time savings. The travel-time savings reported by MnPASS customer will be examined and compared to the travel-time savings estimated in the traffic and tolling analyses. The reported travel-time savings will also be examined for the different HOT lane sections and the direction of travel.
Perceptions of the I-35W MnPASS HOT lanes. The questions relating to the value of the lanes, checking the toll rate before use, overall satisfaction with the lanes, safety, and other attributes provide insights into the perceptions of I-35W MnPASS users. Responses to these questions will be used in the congestion, tolling, and other analyses.
MnPASS use by income levels, gender, zip code. The responses related to frequency of use, factors influencing use, and benefits of use will be examined by income levels, gender, and zip code zones as part of the equity analysis.

The MnPass surveys will be analyzed by the national evaluation team in much the same fashion as the on-board surveys. That is, descriptive statistics will be created for each relevant survey question with cross-frequency and t-tests being used to compare responses between groups, survey time periods, etc. Therefore, the anticipated precision with these survey results is the same as those for the on-board surveys. As sample size of 400 respondents in each group will enable the identification of a difference in perception (or other percentage response) between groups of at least 10 percent with statistical power of between 80 percent and 90 percent, provided such a difference exists.

6.5 Schedule and Responsibilities

Table 6-1 presents the recommended schedule for conducting the surveys of MnPASS users. The first set of surveys will be conducted in April-May 2010, approximately six months after the HOT lanes from Highway 13 to I-494 and the PDSL become operational. One survey would target I-35W MnPASS customers. A second survey would target I-35W MnPASS customers registering an allowed commercial vehicle. Surveys of both groups would be repeated in April-May 2011, approximately six months after the HOT lanes on the Crosstown Commons section becomes operational. The questions to be included in the second set of surveys will be updated and revised as needed.

Table 6-1. Recommended Schedule for I-35W MnPASS Users Surveys
Surveys	Date
HOT Lane and PDSL Operational	September 2009
I-35W MnPASS Users Survey	April-May 2010
I-35W MnPASS Commercial Vehicle Registration Survey	April-May 2010
HOT Lanes Crosstown Commons Section Operational	October 2010
I-35W MnPASS Users Survey	April-May 2011
I-35W MnPASS Commercial Vehicle Registration Survey	April-May 2011

Mn/DOT will conduct the surveys of I-35W MnPASS customers following the same protocol used on the I-394 MnPASS customer service survey and other surveys. Mn/DOT will finalize the questions to be included, in cooperation with the Battelle team. Mn/DOT will administer the web-based surveys, and will provide incentives as deemed appropriate. Mn/DOT will provide the survey results to the Battelle team electronically. Members of the Battelle team will analyze the results and will incorporate the results into the interim and final reports.

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