Final Scope

Background

Around sixty US transit agencies have established some form of Customer Experience (CX) programs in recent years to elevate rider voices and customer-centricity. These CX programs are central to agency efforts to provide equitable and dignified services to underserved populations that have limited transportation choices, and to build transit use among choice riders. This is particularly important in the context of post-pandemic ridership declines. 

US transit agencies that have established, or are establishing, CX program include the likes of LA Metro in Southern California and Trinity Metro in Fort Worth, Texas. LA Metro established its CX program in 2020 to “sharpen its focus on customers” (transitcx.org, 2024). LA Metro also hopes to utilize its CX program to create a smooth transit experience as it will receive a lot of attention leading up to, and including, the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. Trinity Metro has Community Outreach and Transit ENVOY teams that provide education, support, and training to assist its customers in navigating the system. Other agencies with significant CX programs include MBTA in Boston, WMATA in Washington DC, MARTA in Atlanta, Translink in Vancouver, Sound Transit in Seattle, the Toronto Transit Commission, which introduced a 5-Year Service and Customer Experience Action Plan in May 2024, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a metropolitan planning organization in Northern California leading a Transit Regional Network Management initiative to identify ways to improve customer experience through a multi-agency network.

Synthesis Objective

Currently there are no industry-wide standards for transit CX programs, so with the rapid growth of CX organizational structures, program objectives, and methods currently vary widely. The synthesis would be useful in documenting the different CX program models of a variety of transit agencies, as well as how these programs are developed and refined.

The objective is to document emerging practices in transit CX programs. In particular, the synthesis would gather the following information to meet this objective:

• Customer Experience program objectives – this would include mission and vision statements for each agency’s program.
• Program Scope – this would document how each agency defines “Customer” and “Experience.” What “customers” does the program address: riders, potential riders, contractors, community members? Does the program address the diverse needs of transit riders such as people with disabilities, older adults, students, the unhoused, the transient population, women, gender-diverse populations, and other underserved/under-represented users? How does the program address language barriers between the agency and the users? Does the program include Employee Experience (EX) initiatives to address obstacles employees face and make it easier for employees to deliver CX improvements to riders? And what “experiences” are covered? Do programs cover all pain points that customers experience, or are they limited to just certain aspects of the customer experience like passenger information or fare payment? Do programs include User Experience (UX) design and testing of smartphone apps, websites, fare collection interfaces, transit vehicle interior designs, stops/station design, and other resources used by customers?
• Organizational structure – where in the organization is each CX program situated, and how does it interrelate with other departments? What responsibilities and authorities do each program have? How do CX programs collaborate or influence other departments? How have transit agencies aligned departments or functions that may traditionally reside in another part of a transit agency into the CX function (e.g., changed reporting lines, moved functions, fostered more collaboration)? 
• Customer Feedback – what methods are used to bring the voice of the customer into agency decision making, to build a holistic understanding of customer wants and needs, and to identify customer pain points? What types of surveys and methodologies do transit agencies use, and do they benchmark their results against other peer agencies or other organizations? Do agencies gather insights from employee or rider focus groups, comments received at community and Board meetings, journey mapping, and complaints/compliments received by customer service agents and via social media? To what degree is analysis of the various customer feedback collection methods unified to provide coherent guidance to guide agency priorities?
• Key Experience Indicators (KEI’s) – this would document CX program KEI’s and how these integrate with agency Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. How are these indicators reviewed and reported to leadership and the public, and what processes are used to translate data into action? Are solutions implemented and supported by leadership?
• Culture – what initiatives are underway to create a customer centric culture, and what are the measures of effectiveness? Do agencies have a “north star” in terms of their CX goals? How do the agency leaders demonstrate their commitment to CX? How do the values of the organization align with the customer experience?
• Institutionalization of Customer Experience – what changes are being made to agency policies, procedures, and practices to create a permanent, sustained focus on improving customer experiences? How is customer experience considered when creating objectives and budgets, setting service and facility standards, or conducting performance appraisals, for example?
• Staffing and resources to deliver the program – the synthesis would collect and analyze organization charts to document how Customer Experience programs are staffed, and information on the cost and return on investments to establish and nurture various types of Customer Experience programs. It will also inventory tools agencies might use to advance CX including, but not limited to, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems, data analysis software, and AI (Artificial Intelligence).
• Tangible improvements to customers – what tangible improvements have transit customers enjoyed as a result of transit agency CX programs? How do CX programs showcase the solutions that have been implemented to improve the customer experience?

The synthesis would utilize:

• A survey of agencies.
• Follow-up interviews with selected agencies (case examples).
• A review of Customer Experience Plans and/or websites of selected agencies (literature review).
• This literature review should also identify leading CX programs outside of the United States and provide ways for readers to obtain more information on them (bibliography, sources cited, etc.). This could include, for example, programs in Canada, the UK, Australia, or other locations where information is available in English language such as the regional transit association, Verkehrsverbund, model that is used throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to coordinate transit provided by multiple operating agencies in regions and metro areas throughout the three countries. Resources located by the panel members regarding this model, are available below:
• Verkehrsverbund: The evolution and spread of fully integrated regional public transport in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland: International Journal of Sustainable Transportation: Vol 13 , No 1 - Get Access (tandfonline.com)
• content (vt.edu)
• How Germany, Austria, and Switzerland metro areas coordinate their transit – Greater Greater Washington (ggwash.org)
• Verkehrsverbund: How Germany Standardizes Transit Customer Experience - Stewart Mader
• VBB.de - Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg | VBB
• Homepage | VRR
• Identification of knowledge gaps, and suggestions for research to address gaps.