This Market Analysis of Need and Proposed Transit Options Memorandum, undertaken by the Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG), is the second part of the agency’s broader effort to undertake a Transit Analysis Study (“the Study”). The Study will offer recommendations to improve transit service in the region to better meet the needs of residents, workers, and visitors.

This Memorandum identifies:

• Transportation providers as well as the routes and services they operate;
• Ridership trends;
• Operational deficiencies;
• Existing operational funding sources; and
• Recommendations to improve transit service that will accommodate a growing older adult population and workforce travel demands in the region.

The long-term goal of the Study is to inform and support NHCOG in the development of a coordinated and centralized transportation network. This Memorandum summarizes a market analysis of the communities in the NHCOG service area, focusing on older adults, people with disabilities, and people living below the poverty level. The resulting trends in regional demographics are compared to travel patterns, the locations of major activity centers, and existing transportation services to identify gaps and applicable service options. Further, the Memorandum includes a performance analysis for the two main providers in the region, Northwest Connecticut Transit District (NWCTD) and CTtransit. The Memorandum culminates in a menu of transit options for consideration by regional stakeholders.