FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2006

Contact: Joe Meinert, Director
Department of Planning and Economic Development
301-809-3047

City Consultant Surveys Bowie Residents About Transit Service
June 7, 2006

Starting the week of June 19, 2006 ETC Institute, a consultant working for the City, will begin conducting telephone surveys of 300 randomly selected Bowie households, in an effort to learn more about residents' attitudes toward public transit. ETC Institute is a 45-person market research firm based in Kansas that specializes in the collection of data related to transportation planning, community planning, air quality, public safety and parks and recreation. ETC, which serves as a subcontractor to the City's principal transit consultant, TranSystems Corporation, has designed and administered hundreds of statistically valid surveys across the nation. Residents are asked to cooperate and respond to the telephone survey, which is expected to take less than 10 minutes to complete. (When the calls are placed, residents with Caller ID will see "ETC Institute" with a 913 area code displayed.) The City appreciates your assistance with this very important survey.

TranSystems Corporation is under contract with the City to provide a Transit System Enhancement Study that will document existing needs and project future demand for public transit in Bowie. The Study will also examine existing transit services and routes serving the City and will make recommendations for enhancement of current services. The results of the telephone survey should be available by the end of the summer, and a presentation of the Study's Final Report to City Council will occur in September. This work is intended to help the City Council make future decisions and recommendations regarding improvement of transit service in Bowie.

If you would like to learn more about this effort or wish to provide comments regarding public transportation issues in the City of Bowie, please contact Mr. Joseph Meinert, Director of Planning and Economic Development, at 301-809-3047.