Abstract:The State of California through the Mass Transit Division of Caltrans provides financial support for bus service which supplements the AMTRAK train service in California, especially in the Central Valley. This is referred to as AMTRAK bus connector service and is contractually provided by West Tours of Sacramento. During the month of February 1989 a wider one hundred and two (102) inch bus went into service between Chico and Stockton. Later it was extended on the north to Redding. The major objective of this on-board survey was to evaluate the passenger attitudes toward the wider vehicles. In May 1990 the on-board survey was conducted in which ninty-nine (99) passengers were interviewed, twenty-two (22) riding a standard ninty-six (96) inch bus while the rest of the sample came from a wider vehicle. The study's major findings and conclusions included the several following points: a statistically significant number of passengers did observe differences with the wider buses, the responses of the passenger did not vary significantly by either age or sex and low frequency riders are more likely to detect differences. Also, the most noted differences or features included leg room, cleanliness, large windows, seat comfort and seat width (aisle width ranked only fourteenth). Finally, while the passengers did notice differences between the two types of vehicles many desirable features could be made available on standard ninty-six (96) inch buses.

Note:Prepared for Department of Transportation, State of California; Agreement No: 64K173.