Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: > From: "City of Tallahassee" <City_of_Tallahassee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: January 9, 2013, 3:20:14 PM EST > To: <austin.evans60@xxxxxxxxx> > Subject: City of Tallahassee News Release - StarMetro Wins National > Transportation Planning Award > > > City of Tallahassee News Release > Communications / City Hall / Tallahassee FL 32301 / 850.891.8533 > > StarMetro Wins National Transportation Planning Award > > Decentralized Route System Recognized for Excellence > > Today, the American Planning Association (APA) announced StarMetro as the > recipient of the 2013 National Planning Excellence Award for Transportation > Planning. StarMetro was chosen to receive this prestigious award for the > successful launch of its decentralized route system in July 2011. > > 'StarMetro's decentralization can be held up as a standard for public > participation and cooperation,' said Ann C. Bagley, chair of the APA Awards > jury. > > 'When you change the way people move around a community, there are bound to > be bumps in the road,' said Mayor John Marks. 'Understanding the challenges > and with customers in mind, StarMetro coordinated an extensive public > participation campaign as part of the decentralization plan that will > continue to benefit the community for years to come.' > The Transportation Planning award recognizes efforts to increase > transportation choices for all populations, while reducing dependence on > private automobiles, helping ease congestion and reducing climate change > impacts. > > The newly, decentralized route system has successfully achieved the goals set > forth by the City Commission, including: > > Reducing transfers at the downtown terminal by 30 percent; > Decreasing total transfers system-wide by 14 percent; > Decreasing the number of routes that share at least one mile of service from > 21 to 6; > Increasing bus frequency from an average of 51 minutes to 34 minutes; > Installing more than 50 bus shelters and benches; and > Increasing ridership by 2.5 percent from July 2011 to June 2012 when compared > to the average ridership of the three prior years under the old, > hub-and-spoke system. > 'As a long-time bus rider, the change in my experience has been dramatic. I > now enjoy far greater flexibility in reaching destinations all over town, > more directly and more quickly,' said Thomas L. Clark, StarMetro customer. > 'Because of these changes, I now use the bus to go more places.' > > The National Planning Excellence Award for Transportation Planning will be > presented to StarMetro at a special awards luncheon held during APA's > National Planning Conference in Chicago on Tuesday, April 16. In addition, > StarMetro will be featured in Planning magazine, APA's flagship publication. > > To view all of the National Planning Excellence and Achievement Award > recipients, visit the APA awards webpage. The American Planning Association's > national awards program, which bestows the profession's highest honor, is a > proud tradition established more than 50 years ago to recognize outstanding > community plans, planning programs and initiatives, public education efforts > and individuals for their leadership on planning issues. > > For more information about StarMetro services, please call StarMetro's main > office at 891-5200 or visit Talgov.com/starmetro. Other ways to view > information include liking StarMetro's official Facebook page at > Facebook.com/starmetrotransit or following the organization on Twitter at > Twitter.com/ridestarmetro. > > Contact: Brian Waterman, StarMetro Planning Manager, 891-5564; or Heather > Teter, Communications, 891-5206 > >