Wolfpack Pick Up Semester End Assessment

Semester End Survey for Riders

Wolfpack Pick Up is in a constant state of changing and improving our service. We rely heavily on feedback from our riders and campus partners to guide us in where there is need for improved access, service experience, and other essential areas of our program.

Riders in the fall 2018 semester are invited to fill out our semester end survey by contacting our team at wolfpackpickup@ncsu.edu. The survey requires about 3-5 minutes to complete, and the data will help our team improve for the semesters and years to come.

Methodology and Feedback Applications

This survey aims to collect anonymous information from our fall 2018 riders, a sample size of 117 individuals (a response rate will not be reported until 31 December 2018 at 17hrs EST). Nominal and ordinal data are collected regarding how riders learned about the service, how they rank their overall experience, and an assorted list of ways in which the program can be improved. Surveyors are also permitted a space to share written feedback. With this information, we plan to see where our most pressing issues are and consider creative solutions to address these issues. In the past, our team has collected anecdotal data and taken action to adapt to the needs expressed to us by our riders.

Limitations of the Study

The data collected are limited in nature based on the structure of the survey. Because the survey is anonymous and not limited to one response per individual, there is no conclusive way to ensure data provided are representative of the greater rider population, nor if the responses are statistically significant. As such, these data will be classified as strictly anecdotal and serve as a singular influencing factor for future actions to improve the Wolfpack Pick Up program.

Common Anecdotal Feedback

Ride Availability

There are a number of issues we regularly ask our riders about, or which are expressed on a periodic basis as things we should address. First, ride availability always leaves room for improvement. We currently offer 156 ride slots per day between main campus and Centennial Campus operations. On main campus, we offer 132 ride slots per day, two ride slots every 10 minutes between 7:45 a.m.-6:45 p.m., or 11 operating hours. Main campus experiences reduced operating hours on Friday, where our service stops at 3:45 p.m., translating to 96 ride slots every Friday.

Further nuance exists for ride availability, though, as oftentimes riders need to schedule around class times or other major events, creating periods of heavy traffic, particularly in mid to late morning hours through early afternoon. Increasingly, more riders are scheduling rides between 3-6:45 p.m., as well.

Scheduling

Riders consistently report trouble with scheduling rides, particularly in period of time of initial ridership. While a lack of data exists for the rates of issues with scheduling, anecdotal interactions suggest a lack of familiarity with the scheduling system and website are to blame for the vast majority of claims. Second, new riders are often unaware of policies such as our six-hour lead time requirement for scheduling. Other common difficulties stem from inconsistent schedules for individuals utilizing campus resources which operate on needs-based scheduling rather than strict timely scheduling. For example, if a student consults with Student Health Services, often an appointment can end early or late, causing difficulty in catching a ride with Wolfpack Pick Up, which operates on strict 10-minute time blocks for rides.

Pick-Up and Drop-Off Points

Another common difficulty is pick-up and drop-off points, the specific locations to and from which our service is listed to navigate. The chief issue likely relates to riders’ understanding of the purpose pick-up and drop-off points serve, which is strictly as guidance for calculating ride times and estimating location. Due to a lack of contextual data about the specific concerns about pick-up and drop-off points, no conclusion can be drawn for what issue riders have.

Survey and Data Inquiries

Inquiries about the survey, its data, and the use of the results should be directed to wolfpackpickup@ncsu.edu.