The City of Asheville is ready to conduct a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) with recommendations for improved efficiency and effectiveness on its fixed-route service of the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) System that will ultimately provide a path to align resources and service demands. Comprehensive Operational Analyses (COA) typically have a five to ten-year horizon for recommended projects. This will be the first COA analysis the City conducts. The City’s most recent study was the Transit Master Plan (TMP) in 2018. The purpose of this Comprehensive Operational Analysis project is to answer difficult questions about how transit service is produced and consumed in the City of Asheville service area, such as determining if service is being provided in the appropriate areas with adequate frequency at the appropriate times of day. The COA will study the impacts of roadway, land use, and demographic changes occurring in Asheville over the next 10 years that will affect public transit service and make recommendations for improvement in service in the near term, short range, and long range. An evaluation of System operations, equipment, and facility requirements that is cost-neutral, short-range (1-5 years) and long-range (6-10 years) will be completed. The core of the COA is an innovative short-range plan that will recommend mode and program changes designed to improve service efficiency, apply resources where they are most needed, and modernize the transit system based on current and projected conditions within the service area. The COA should also provide short- and long-range direction in terms of service expansion, equipment requirements, and future facility needs. The COA shall consider a spectrum of service modifications based on data analysis, public input, and other modifications identified in the COA development process to enhance service quality and reliability, increase the ridership base, and complement the service area's smart growth goals. Evaluation to also include: ● Alternate Service Delivery methods such as Microtransit and/or On-Demand Service while identifying areas in Asheville where the service would be feasible ● Environmental Responsibility by evaluating and recommending appropriate vehicle sizes and types and if there are low-emission or zero-emission options that can operate on the recommended routes and match the current and projected ridership levels while minimizing environmental impact ● Financial Sustainability by evaluating the current and projected financial needs, explore funding options, and assess the potential for cost efficiencies and service enhancements
