Transcript Slide 1

Don’t Pave Paradise; Don’t
Put Up a Parking Lot
David Browning
Edward M. DesPlas
Who?
 DCCCD
= Dallas County
Community College District
 DART
= Dallas Area Rapid
Transit
DFW Metropolitan Area
Per the 2010 US Census, Dallas/Ft. Worth
Metro population is 6,371,771; largest metro
area in Texas and the South, 4th Largest in the
US and 10th Largest in all of the Americas.
 Region spans 10,693 square miles.
 Huge highway system to accommodate:
Culture built around cars & trucks.
 Free parking in vast suburban spaces.
 Until 1996, public transportation was buses
only.
 Few people used public transportation.

DART
•Trains & Buses
•Most of Dallas County
•Part of Collin County
•Soon
to hit Rockwall
County
•Partnered with Trinity
Railway Express, connect
Ft. Worth in Tarrant
County
EL CENTRO COLLEGE
El Centro College – flagship of DCCCD,
centrally location in downtown Dallas, south
Dallas and west Dallas
 El Centro student population: 12,000 (credit)
 El Centro has extremely limited parking.
 Served by all bus lines and train lines, nearest
train station is 130 yards from front door.

1997
El Centro enrollment tanked at 3,500
students.
 Enrollment patterns indicated migration
to suburban colleges.
 Reasons:

◦
◦
◦
◦
congested commute to downtown area
high cost of parking
rising cost of gasoline
decline of CBD as vibrant destination
What Behaviors Need to Change?
 Transportation
Choice –
 Get Ye to a Train or Bus
to influence
 Enrollment
Choice
 Get Ye to El Centro College
What Can Cause Behavior Change?
DART-Free
Structure of Program

Eligible students
◦ Credit student enrolled in 6 credit hrs.
◦ CE students in 96 contact hrs.

Statistics since Fall 1997
Number of
Eligible
Students
Cost of Pass Per
Semester
Amount Paid
to DART
188,482
$20 - $25
$4,457,820
Passes
Issued
109,669
Did Behaviors Change?
YES
Initial Report
DART Free Program Survey- Spring 2013
Dart Pass Program Participants
Spring 2013
1. How often do you use your DART-Free pass?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Daily
514
76%
2
Weekly
147
22%
3
Monthly
12
2%
4
Never
3
0%
Total
676
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
4
Mean
1.27
Variance
0.26
Standard Deviation
0.51
Total Responses
676
2. Do your use your DART-Free pass for
transportation other than to El Centro College?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
381
56%
2
No
295
44%
Total
676
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
2
Mean
1.44
Variance
0.25
Standard Deviation
0.50
Total Responses
676
3. Have you ever utilized the DART system
before attending El Centro College?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
466
69%
2
No
211
31%
Total
677
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
2
Mean
1.31
Variance
0.21
Standard Deviation
0.46
Total Responses
677
4. How often did you utilize the DART system
before attending El Centro College?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Daily
169
39%
2
Weekly
109
25%
3
Monthly
150
35%
Total
428
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
3
Mean
1.96
Variance
0.75
Standard Deviation
0.86
Total Responses
428
5. Did the DART-Free program influence your
decision to choose El Centro College as your
college?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
401
64%
2
No
228
36%
Total
629
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
2
Mean
1.36
Variance
0.23
Standard Deviation
0.48
Total Responses
629
6. Has the DART-Free program made it easier
for you to attend classes at El Centro College?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes, Please Explain:
609
98%
2
No, Please Explain:
13
2%
Total
622
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
2
Mean
1.02
Variance
0.02
Standard Deviation
0.14
Total Responses
622
6. Has the DART-Free program made it easier
for you to attend classes at El Centro College?
Yes, Please Explain: 609 Total
No, Please Explain: 13 Total
no high cost parking. no time wasted on commute. I
enjoy seeing the pretty girls before class.
would have still used DART to go to El Centro
dont have to worry about parking
It takes longer than driving.
The reason why is because I have no other way of
transporation to school except the dart bus.
I go to Northlake and stay close to it.
No parking fees and easy way to getting to school
B/c sometimes the bus/train arrives late
I have no car, I have no job. The DART pass really
helps.
I wanted to go to college, but I had no idea el centro
passed out dart passes.
Do not have to pay for parking
i live downtown
The lack of inexpensive parking makes riding the DART
a must.
I like driving my car.
I’m disabled and my dog and I find the rail an easy way
to travel
I still have to drive to the station because I live in
Mesquite.
7. Do you plan to utilize public transportation
after completing your education at El Centro
College?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
536
86%
2
No
89
14%
Total
625
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
2
Mean
1.14
Variance
0.12
Standard Deviation
0.35
Total Responses
625
8. How has the DART-Free program at El Centro
College changed your opinion of public
transportation?
Text Response: 485 Total
I am now a tree-hugging, car-hating, pants-free train passenger
Quite of bit! I thought, as a woman, public transportation was not safe, but I have found out it is quite the
opposite. The Dart system is well organized, and always on time so I am not afraid of being late to class. It also
gives me a peace of mind by not having to drive on weekends. I used to think public transportation was not
clean and safe but I was wrong. I highly recommend it to everybody!
It's makes it easy for me to get to where I need to be. Always on time and stops are every where
It has made me happy that I found a way to save 80/wk. on gas by using it.
Its not as bad as I thought it was going to be
I thought it would be dirty and smelly. I was pleasantly surprised to find it clean and nice. A comfortable ride.
It has familiarized me with the rules and regulations of public transportation.
It is quick, hassle free, on time and it helps minimize pollution.
It hasn't changed my opinion there both reliable but dart for me is easier because the parking is expensive
and I don't have car
Yes. It seems that more people use it on a daily basis and there is plenty of security at West End Station
It is a great alternative to driving a car, which isn't good for the environment, not to mention gas and
maintenance costs. The fact that both the busses and trains are bike friendly make public transportation a more
appealing option.
I LOVE that Dallas has a sophisticated public transportation system, and I'm very appreciative that El Centro
provides passes. I wouldn't be able to afford a pass as a student paying out of pocket.
9. Is the DART-Free program's effect on the
environment an important reason for your
participation?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
430
70%
2
No
181
30%
Total
611
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
2
Mean
1.30
Variance
0.21
Standard Deviation
0.46
Total Responses
611
10. Please share any other comments about the
DART-Free program at El Centro College:
Text Response: 250 Total
Can the trains be another color? Yellow is scary.
Great program. Thanks!
Should be for all community colleges
It's great, easy, and convenient.
It's definetly appreciated! Thank you!
I really like that we get a free pass
I think it's an awesome program
I think it should be offered to all students at El Centro, including the ones taking 1 class.
It rules. i picked el centro for the free dart pass. most of my friends at ecc feel the same. please keep it
I am an Environmental Club participant at El Centro College and my major is Science/ Biology, and this does give
me a helping hand for the clean air that President Obama does push for. Thank you for the survey. / Also I don‘t
think I could make it to school any how with the gas prices and the fare for the Dart transportation. / The Free
program helps so much.
Great idea
Survey of Graduates

Revealed similar results as survey of
current students

Of note are responses that indicate we
were able to influence a lasting change in
transportation choice….
Did you utilize public transportation after
completing your education at El Centro College
or at another DCCCD College?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Yes
63
54%
2
No
54
46%
Total
117
100%
Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
2
Mean
1.46
Variance
0.25
Standard Deviation
0.50
Total Responses
117
Did Enrollments Go Up?
YES
Gas Price Increase Vs. El Centro
Enrollment Growth
Gas Price
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Enrollment Head Count
13000
12000
11000
10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
FA FA FA FA FA FA
Yearly Average from the U.S. Energy
Information Administration
Providing Students with Affordable
Transportation
Monthly Cost of Parking
 Monthly cost of Gasoline
 % of students of FA
 No Gas $ = no attendance

◦ No attendance = attrition

No Parking $ = parking tickets
◦ Unpaid parking tickets = jail time
◦ Jail time = attrition

Affordable Transportation = student success
What about the
“Bottom Line”?
Public Transit Program vs. Parking

Cost Comparisons:
◦ Parking Garage construction Cost $5,000,000
 500 parking spaces (assume space cycles 25 times/week)
◦ Cost for Security and Maintenance $3,750,000
 Total: $8,750,000
 Est. Parkers since 1997: 187,500
 Est. $46.67 per student parker
 Total for DART-Free: $ 4,457,820
 Riders since 1997: 109,669
 $40.65 per student rider
What Else?
Less crime; more study time

Survey of 6 other college within the
DCCCD with parking lots showed, on
average, 60% of campus criminal activity
occurred in their parking lots

Public transportation allows students to
continue group discussions while
commuting
Enhanced applications for grants for economic
development and environmental programs
Silver Rating on AASHE
 Promotes environmental grant
applications
 Interagency collaboration
increases grant proposal scores
 Attracts “green” partners – US
Green Building Council

Lower Carbon Footprint
0.70%
6%
4%
Personal Vehicle
19%
42%
Light Rail
Bus
TRE
Walk
Bike
25%

In 2009 with a full-time student enrollment
of 7,700 ECC reduced it’s CO2e produced
by student commuting by 32.6%
Promoting “Paradise”
DART drive-on to non participating
municipalities: EFC, CVC
 DART bus access at all other colleges
 RLC “Poetry in Motion”
 DART Train Station @ NLC; station artwork
designed by NLC faculty
 DART pass good 24/7, not just school transit
 Student retention – seamless, semester-tosemester

What’s the buzz?
“One key initiative at the College is a program to facilitate
travel to and from the College. With a diverse population of
low-income students and no College provided parking on the
main campus, the College provides each student registered for
at least six credits with a free DART card that enables that
student to use the Dallas area rapid transportation system to
get to/from campus. Students can also use the card to get to
and from work and for personal travel including evenings and
weekends. While the College pays for these cards (at
discounted rates from the city transportation authority), the
benefits to students vastly outweigh the costs, and this
program helps students who might otherwise not be able to
pursue or continue their education to progress to and through
college affordably” Karen Gross is a senior policy advisor at the
U.S. Department of Education
Questions?