Assignment 2:1 – Research Proposal for a Formal Report

To: Dr. Erika Paterson, Instructor ENGL 301 Technical Writing UBC
From: Jordan Zhao, Student ENGL 301 Technical Writing UBC
Date: October 14, 2021
Subject: Proposal for Improving Ridership Efficiency on the Bus Route 49 to UBC, as part of TransLink Metro Vancouver

Introduction

The Metro Vancouver Transportation Authority, TransLink, has been providing its services for many years through operations which include the subsidiary Coast Mountain Bus Company. For many years and years to come, the company has provided a valuable service to students as a direct route to the University of British Columbia and many other institutions. However, there have been reports of increased wait times and boarding complications attributed to the major bus route 49 to UBC. With the uncertainty of the current COVID-19 complications, inefficiency in the ridership quality will be expected to continue indefinitely.

In the case that customers end up missing their bus, the number of riders waiting to board a bus gradually builds up. These factors contribute to the continuous cycle of the inefficiency seen in ridership quality and resultingly leads to alternative sources of transportation. TransLink is the main provider for transportation to students over the lower mainland of Vancouver, they oversee all operations and could improve efficiency on bus route 49 by acting on recommendations.

Statement of Problem

Currently, passengers are precautious with the current COVID-19 situation at hand which leaves riders hesitant in moving toward the back of the bus or standing close to other riders. This leads the drivers to mistakenly believe that the bus is at full capacity which leads to waiting customers getting passed at bus stops. The following buses need to constantly try to pick up passengers as a result and at times does end up filling the bus. However, this continues to leave passengers further down the route waiting for an indefinite period of time. This is a concern as many of the riders include students that rely on this bus route. They end up falling behind on their schedule and leads to negative remarks on the outlook of the company. Furthermore, these individuals may try to account for the time delays by having to depart earlier in preparation for these delays and evidently waste even more time than necessary.

Proposed Solution

One possible solution to the inefficiency seen in bus route 49 is to switch the current boarding system to match another bus route that expects greater ridership numbers as part of their route. There are two major bus routes, R4 and 99, that revolve around a heavy volume of passengers. These routes reduce wait times via a boarding system that utilizes all doors of a bus. Sharing this implementation with bus route 49 could lead to a more efficient ridership quality.

Scope

To assess the possibility of improving ridership efficiency as part of bus route 49 to UBC, I plan to pursue research in the following areas of inquiry:

1. When are the hours of operations with the greatest influx of ridership seen on this route?
2. Would optimization of boarding access on bus route 49 be enough to service passengers with greater efficiency?
3. What are the costs of implementing changes to the current bus route system?
4. What other bus routes share a similar problem as the bus route 49, and what may be their solutions to increasing efficiency?
5. What is the current boarding protocol for a driver of any bus route, and how do the current COVID-19 restrictions change this protocol?
6. What is the average travel time on this route to UBC, and how much time could be saved for the passengers of this bus route?
7. What are some other notable potential solutions to reducing travel times to UBC?

Methods

My primary method of data collection will include a consultation with a current employee of bus route 49. I will also aim to survey passengers of the route and understand the complications they may have with this route. I intend to discuss these concerns reported by riders and portray areas of improvement to the TransLink Board of Directors, Senior Executive Team. Furthermore, I will also inspect ride quality and observe travel time at various peak hours of operation to take the varying conditions into consideration.

My Qualifications

I have been a fellow passenger of the bus route 49 for over 5 years and am aware of the many issues at hand. I am familiar with the route as a current student attending UBC which also gives me firsthand exposure to the entire bus route.

Conclusion

Ridership quality and efficiency are of great concern, especially among students who cannot afford to accept the consequences of arriving late to exams. By conducting comprehensive research in the areas of inquiry, I aim to determine if the ridership efficiency on bus route 49 can be improved to benefit the passengers. With the approval of this project, I hope to begin a thorough review and investigate potential recommendations.