Eighty-three percent of Metra customers are satisfied with Metra overall and nearly 90 percent of customers are likely to recommend Metra to others, according to the results of the 2016 customer satisfaction survey. The overall satisfaction score is eight percentage points better than the last survey in 2014, and Metra also showed improvement in most every other measure included in the survey.
“We have been working as hard as we can to provide safe, reliable and comfortable service and we are extremely gratified that those efforts are reflected in an increase in customer satisfaction,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “Since the last survey in 2014, Metra has added passenger amenities such as the Ventra App, an upgraded website, more outlets on trains, charging stations at stations and installation of Wi-Fi on 62 railcars, and has been on a 27-month streak of meeting or exceeding its on-time performance goal. Customers have clearly taken notice.”
For instance, 95 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the ease of ticket purchase, an increase of 25 percentage points from 2014. That jump is likely attributable to the introduction in late 2015 of the Ventra App and mobile ticketing, which has become hugely popular with Metra customers. Today a third of all Metra tickets are sold via the Ventra App.
The results reflect the opinions of 9,711 customers who answered questions in the online survey last fall. The survey effort was sponsored by the RTA, which oversaw the interaction with the contractor and aided in the development of the surveys’ design, administration and coordination with Metra, CTA and Pace.
Survey respondents said they were satisfied with;
- How safely the train is operated (96 percent)
- Personal safety onboard the train (96 percent)
- Personal safety at stations (94 percent)
- The knowledge of Metra employees onboard trains (92 percent)
- The knowledge of Metra employees at stations (89 percent)
- The availability of schedule/route information (89 percent)
- The courtesy of onboard personnel (88 percent)
- The courtesy of station personnel (86 percent).
- Cleanliness of stations (86 percent)
- Cleanliness of boarding station (85 percent)
- Clarity of station signage (84 percent),
- Cleanliness onboard trains (79 percent)
- The total travel time of their trip (78 percent)
- Availability of information at metrarail.com (78 percent)
- The number of scheduled trains in rush hour (76 percent)
- Getting to their destination on time (75 percent)
- Onboard announcement of stations while riding (72 percent).
- The value of service for fare paid (71 percent).
Of the top six service attributes that determine overall satisfaction, Metra is meeting respondents’ expectations in total travel time, onboard personnel courtesy and safe train operation but has more work to do on getting to destination on time, notification of service changes and availability of transit in the region, according to the survey.
Click here to see the whole survey, including results for the CTA and Pace.