If a Hope College student calls asking you to take a survey, MAX transit hopes you’ll take the call.
Beginning May 13, Hope College students will begin calling non-transit users in the lakeshore community to conduct a survey for the Macatawa Area Express Transportation Authority. Residents of the cities of Holland and Zeeland, and the townships of Holland, Zeeland, Park and portions of Port Sheldon and West Olive will be included in the study.
The 14-question survey asks residents why they don’t use the transit system’s services and what improvements would make MAX a more viable and attractive transportation option for them. The Frost Center hopes to complete a minimum of 800 surveys for data that is statistically 95 percent accurate. Results and findings from the survey will be presented to the MAX Authority Board at its June 23 meeting.
MAX contracted with the Frost Center for Social Science Research at Hope College to conduct the study.
The community wide non-user survey is conducted every few years by MAX to gauge resident’s perceptions about public transit, and whether they are willing to pay more for transit system improvements that meet their needs.
The previous community survey, conducted in 2010, revealed that six percent of respondents reported they used the MAX, which is double the typical use rate for transit communities of MAX’s size. This year’s responses and findings will be compared with those from the 2010 survey to identify any changes in perceptions, needs or trends.
