CIVITAS TRAINING 7 MAY 2014 FLORENCE, ITALY MOBILITY MANGEMENT EVALUATION: The Long and Short of It Eric N. Schreffler Transport Consultancy ESTC San Diego, CA USA
Feb 25, 2016
CIV ITAS TRAINING7 MAY 2014
FLORENCE, ITALY
MOBILITY MANGEMENT EVALUATION:
The Long and Short of It
Eric N. SchrefflerTransport ConsultancyESTC San Diego, CA USA
OUTLINE
1. My experience
2. Why evaluate? and for whom?
3. Forecasting vs. measurement
4. Principles of good evaluation
5. Overall framework for MM evaluation
6. U.S. examples – California and Washington D.C.
7. Transitioning from short-term to long-term evaluation
8. The politics of MM evaluation
9. Common mistakes
10. Top ten tips for effective evaluation
Quick Bio
MM/TDM evaluation for over 30 years Written/contributed to several seminar guidebooks Involved in several EC-funded projects
MOST – MOST MET MAX – MaxEVA CIVITAS GUARD CIVITAS II –final brochure CIVITAS PLUS training
Currently leading evaluation of TDM component of 6 U.S.
Urban Partnership Agreement projects
Why Evaluate? And for Whom?
Good management practice! Measure progress against objectives
Output or outcome objectives Program or public policy objectives Integral to performance-based planning
Why Evaluate? And for Whom?
Benchmark program against peers Compare cost effectiveness to other solutions
Marginal cost to accommodate a car vs. cost to reduce a car trip
e.g., LA Metro evaluation performance-based planning Satisfy funding entities Satisfy policy or oversight boards
Don’t be afraid of evaluation!!!
Know your evaluation,
Love your evaluation,
One day your evaluation may save your (life) program.
Forecasting vs. Results
Evaluation can be defined as: A priori estimation of expected impacts (forecasting) Ex post measurement of outcomes (results)
Forecasting Predicting what could/should occur Using comparative case studies, models,
sketch planning, SWAG Measurement
Quantifying what has actually occurred Using counts, surveys, etc.
Forecast
Actual
PROST! Principles for Sound Evaluation
Practical
Rigorous
Objective
Standardized
Timely
FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATION
Important to plan for evaluation Have plan to frame approach and tasks Should include:
Purpose and objectives Data collection methods Analysis methods Budget Schedule Reporting
Use conceptual framework - MaxEva
MaxEva Assessment Levels
Assessment of Services Provided
A Project activities and outputsB Awareness of mobility services provided
C Usage of mobility services provided
D Satisfaction with mobility services provided
Assessment of Mobility Options Offered
E Acceptance of mobility option offered
F Take up of mobility option offered
G Satisfaction with the mobility option offered
Overall Effects H Long-term attitudes and behavior
I System impacts
MaxEva – The EPOMM Evaluation Tool – www.epomm.eu/maxeva
European Example – SwedenEmployee Public Transit “Test Rider” Pass Pilot
Assessment of Services Provided
A Outputs: posters, intranet info, meetings, 1,000 employees
B Awareness: 48% of public transit ticket offer (480 emp)
C Usage: 28% participated in meeting, sought info
D Satisfaction: 80% satisfied with info and pilot concept
Assessment of Mobility Options Offered
E Acceptance: 6% signed a contract to participate (54 emp)
F Take up: 85% of these used PT; 5% used before
G Satisfaction: 90% of participants satisfied with PT
Overall Effects
H Long-term: after one year, 40% still using PT
I System impacts: car use 110K km; CO2 20 tons/year
MaxEva – The EPOMM Evaluation Tool – www.epomm.eu/maxeva
TDM and Highway Reconstruction US101 Cuesta Grade CA
Reconstruction mitigation$730,000/year for TDMThree elements:
More commuter express buses Vanpool promotion/subsidies Carpool fuel incentive
Surveyed all participantsRemoved 310 cars dailyCarpool incentive most cost
effective ($3.36/VTR/day)
U.S. Examples
Regional TDM Program Commute ConnectionsWashington D.C.
Triennial evaluation since 1997 Consistent approach (MaxEva) Evaluate total impacts = travel,
emissions, energy (e.g., 118K fewer car trips per day)
Evaluate separate impacts Ridematching Employer outreach Mass marketing Guaranteed ride home Bike to work Carshare Telework Incentives
U.S. Examples
SHORT-TERM TO LONG-TERM
Short-run generally covers one year or year or duration of project funding duration.
Uses before and after data
Long-term can include projecting impacts into future (BCA, lifecycle)
Or can involve time series data for program over years
Key is planning and consistency
The Politics of Evaluation
There may be pressure to:
- subvert findings
- document desired outcomes
- spin the results
RESEARCH
Common Evaluation Mistakes
1. Putting off evaluation
2. Underfunding evaluation
3. Assuming “projected” = “actual” results
4. Incorrectly comparing projected to actual
5. Projecting target group findings to entire population
6. Ignoring causality and externalities
Common Evaluation Mistakes (con’t)
7. Confusing outputs with outcomes
8. Changing methods/assumption mid-evaluation
9. Assuming all mode shift from drive alone
10. Ignoring access mode to new travel options
11. Ignoring non-response in surveys
12. Giving into pressure to change findings
Top Ten Evaluation Tips
1. Get help, at least the first time
2. Plan, plan, plan Plan for evaluation Performance-based plan Stick to the plan
3. Budget for evaluation
Top Ten Evaluation Tips
4. Keep findings simple!
5. Don’t be afraid of what you may find!
6. Be confident! No whining!
Top Ten Evaluation Tips
7. Seek local default factors (e.g. trip length)
8. Use standardized methods/tools/guidance
9. Learn to talk like an engineer
Top Ten Evaluation Tips
10. JUST DO IT!
Key Resources
MaxEva – The EPOMM Evaluation Toolwww.epomm.eu/maxeva
Evaluation Matters: A Practitioners’ Guide to Sound Evaluation for Urban Mobility Measures
www.civitas.eu/content/evaluation-matters
Integrating Demand Management into the Transportation Planning Process: A Desk Reference (Chapter 9)
www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12035/index.htm
Canadian TDM Measurement Toolboxwww.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/programs/tdm-toolbox.pdf
Grazie per la vostra attenzione!
Eric N. Schreffler
Transportation Consultant
ESTC
San Diego, CA, USA