Commentary by Mayor John Ditslear
As you may know, the City of Noblesville conducted an anonymous citizen survey in 2010 and 2013, both of which were done by the National Research Center. Since the 2010 citizen survey, the 2013 survey results on transportation show significantly increased interest among Noblesville citizens in using mass transit.
In both surveys we asked custom questions about transit options. Here are the results:
2010 question: If a ground-level, commuter train service were established running from Noblesville south to Greenwood (with multiple station stops in Indianapolis), how often, if at all, would you use this service? (Please choose the single option that best fits your expected use.)
3 or more times a week – 12 percent (19 percent would use a service weekly)
1 or 2 times a week – 7 percent
1 or 2 times a month – 22 percent (22 percent would be monthly users)
1 or 2 times every other month – 23 percent
I would not use a commuter train service – 36 percent (59 percent would never or rarely use such a service)
2013 question: If the following mass transit options were established running from Noblesville south into Indianapolis, how often, if at all, would you use each of the following types of services?
Light Rail – 26 percent weekly; 42 percent monthly and 32 percent would not use the service
Rapid transit bus – 18 percent weekly; 33 percent monthly and 49 percent would not use the service
Observations from 2013:
• Residents report that they prefer light rail to a rapid transit bus service.
• Residents are now much more likely to use mass transit than they were in 2010. In 2010, 59 percent said they wouldn’t use or would rarely use a service. In 2013, that was significantly reduced to 32 percent for light rail and 49 percent for rapid transit bus. In other words, fully two-thirds of our residents now say they would use light rail and approximately half say they would use rapid transit bus.
• Although the question doesn’t compare the two services in 2010, it was understood at that time that the proposal was for light rail. For light rail in 2010, 41 percent said they would use mass transit at least monthly. In 2013, 68 percent responded the same way.
As a reminder, our citizen survey is a collaborative effort between the National Research Center and the International City/County Management Association.
