Survey of Sponsors of|Group Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plans

U.S. Government Accountability Office

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Introduction

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), as part of its work as an agency of Congress, is conducting a survey of organizations that served as sponsors of group transit asset management (TAM) plans for public transit agencies. You are receiving this survey because the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) identified your organization as having acted as a group TAM plan sponsor.

The purpose of the survey is to gain the perspectives of group TAM plan sponsors on the benefits of the TAM program, the challenges of meeting TAM requirements, and ways to improve the TAM program, if any. The survey will cover, among other things:

• The TAM requirement to inventory assets;
• The TAM requirement to assess the condition of assets;
• FTA’s TAM performance measures; and
• Other TAM plan requirements.


If your organization is a transit agency that also completed a TAM plan specific to your organization, please complete this survey from your perspective as a group TAM plan sponsor. You will likely receive a second survey regarding your experiences with your agency-specific TAM plan.

If you received an extension from FTA regarding the TAM requirements, including a TAM plan extension, and have not completed all of the TAM requirements please answer the questions to the best of your ability.

GAO will take steps to ensure the privacy of your responses. We will not include any information that would allow an individual respondent to be identified. The results of the survey will be reported in aggregate, and we will not release individually identifiable data outside of GAO, unless compelled by a court or requested by the Congress. The results of our evaluation will help inform Congress about issues related to transit asset management. We plan to complete our report in the spring, 2020. At that time, the report will be available on our website at www.gao.gov.

We understand that there are great demands on your time, but your response is very important. We would like to receive your survey responses within two weeks of receipt of this email.

To learn more about completing the survey, printing your responses, and whom to contact if you have questions, _____ for help. Thank you in advance for your assistance in taking part in our survey.

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Asset Management: Inventory

The following capital asset categories are required to be included in the asset inventory according to TAM requirements:

Rolling Stock: All revenue vehicles used in the provision of public transit.

Equipment: All non-revenue service vehicles and equipment with a value greater than $50,000 used in the provision of public transit, except third-party equipment assets.

Facilities: All facilities used in the provision of public transit (excluding bus shelters).

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1. How challenging, if at all, is the process to coordinate the consolidated group plan asset inventory across all participants in the group TAM plan for the following types of assets?

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1a. Challenge to consolidate inventory: rolling stock

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
12.3 38.6 35.1 14.0 0.0 57

1b. Challenge to consolidate inventory: equipment

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
16.3 38.8 28.6 16.3 0.0 49

1c. Challenge to consolidate inventory: facilities

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
14.8 31.5 33.3 20.4 0.0 54

Asset Management: Condition Assessment

The following capital asset categories are required to be included in the condition assessment performed by a transit agency according to TAM requirements:

Rolling Stock: All revenue vehicles with direct capital responsibility used in the provision of public transit.

Equipment: All non-revenue service vehicles and equipment with a value greater than $50,000 with direct capital responsibility used in the provision of public transit, except third-party equipment assets.

Facilities: All facilities used in the provision of public transit with direct capital responsibility (excluding bus shelters).

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2. When defining the data to be used as part of the condition assessments for rolling stock assets for the group TAM plan, how important were the following factors?

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2a. Condition Assessment of Rolling Stock: Default ULB

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
51.8 21.4 16.1 10.7 0.0 56

2b. Condition Assessment of Rolling Stock: Agency ULB

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
59.6 23.4 10.6 6.4 0.0 47

2c. Condition Assessment of Rolling Stock: Operating miles or hours

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
42.3 34.6 13.5 9.6 0.0 52

2d. Condition Assessment of Rolling Stock: History

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
36.5 32.7 21.2 9.6 0.0 52

2e. Condition Assessment of Rolling Stock: Visual Inspection

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
21.2 42.3 19.2 15.4 1.9 52

2f. Condition Assessment of Rolling Stock: Other

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
22.2 11.1 22.2 44.4 0.0 9

If you checked "other factors" (above), please describe these factor(s).

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3. When defining the data to be used as part of the condition assessments for equipment assets for the group TAM plan, how important were the following factors?

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3a. Condition Assessment of Equipment: Default ULB

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
46.8 27.7 14.9 10.6 0.0 47

3b. Condition Assessment of Equipment: Agency ULB

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
47.7 25.0 18.2 6.8 2.3 44

3c. Condition Assessment of Equipment: Operating miles or hours

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
38.1 28.6 14.3 19.0 0.0 42

3d. Condition Assessment of Equipment: History

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
31.8 34.1 18.2 13.6 2.3 44

3e. Condition Assessment of Equipment: Visual Inspection

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
26.7 40.0 15.6 17.8 0.0 45

3f. Condition Assessment of Equipment: Other

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
14.3 14.3 0.0 57.1 14.3 7

If you checked "other factors" (above), please describe these factor(s).

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4. When defining the data to be used as part of the condition assessments for facilities for the group TAM plan, how important were the following factors?

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4a. Condition Assessment of Facilities: TERM Lite

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
64.8 16.7 11.1 3.7 3.7 54

4b. Condition Assessment of Facilities: Age

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
54.7 26.4 13.2 1.9 3.8 53

4c. Condition Assessment of Facilities: History

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
42.3 32.7 13.5 7.7 3.8 52

4d. Condition Assessment of Facilities: Visual inspection

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
46.3 33.3 13.0 3.7 3.7 54

4e. Condition Assessment of Facilities: Other

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Very important
Moderately important Slightly important Not at all important Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
28.6 0.0 0.0 57.1 14.3 7

If you checked "other factors" (above), please describe these factor(s).

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Asset Management: Condition Assessment (cont.)

5. How challenging, if at all, is the process to coordinate the condition assessments across all participants in the group TAM plan for the following types of assets?

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5a. Challenge to coordinate condition assessments: rolling stock

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
23.2 32.1 30.4 14.3 0.0 56

5b. Challenge to coordinate condition assessments: equipment

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
16.7 31.3 39.6 12.5 0.0 48

5c. Challenge to coordinate condition assessments: facilities

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
28.3 28.3 24.5 17.0 1.9 53

6. How clear, if at all, are FTA’s instructions regarding assessing the condition of the following capital assets as part of TAM requirements?

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6a. Clarity of FTA instructions: rolling stock

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Very clear Moderately clear Slightly clear Not at all clear Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
29.3 44.8 19.0 6.9 0.0 58

6b. Clarity of FTA instructions: equipment

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Very clear Moderately clear Slightly clear Not at all clear Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
19.2 40.4 28.8 11.5 0.0 52

6c. Clarity of FTA instructions: facilities

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Very clear Moderately clear Slightly clear Not at all clear Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
32.1 35.7 23.2 7.1 1.8 56

FTA's Performance Measures

7. How useful is FTA performance measure for rolling stock for your agency’s capital planning purposes?

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
12.5 25.0 39.3 23.2 0.0 56

8. How useful is FTA performance measure for non-revenue service vehicles for your agency’s capital planning purposes?

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
8.0 24.0 44.0 22.0 2.0 50

9. How useful is FTA performance measure for facilities for your agency’s capital planning purposes?

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
21.8 32.7 25.5 18.2 1.8 55

Performance Measures: Targeted Goals

10. FTA’s 2018 TAM requirements required group TAM plan sponsors to report established annual targeted goals for performance measures. Thinking about the group TAM plan participants’ capital planning purposes, how useful, if at all, is it to establish performance measure targets for the following types of assets? In addition, how useful, if at all, is it to establish these targets on an annual basis?

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10a. Rolling Stock

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Usefulness of targets: Rolling stock

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Very useful Moderately useful Slightly useful Not at all useful Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
50.0 21.4 17.9 10.7 0.0 56

Usefulness of annual targets: Rolling stock

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Very useful Moderately useful Slightly useful Not at all useful Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
25.5 23.6 30.9 18.2 1.8 55

10b. Equipment

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Usefulness of targets: Equipment

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Very useful Moderately useful Slightly useful Not at all useful Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
31.4 27.5 23.5 15.7 2.0 51

Usefulness of annual targets: Equipment

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Very useful Moderately useful Slightly useful Not at all useful Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
21.3 12.8 36.2 25.5 4.3 47

10c. Facilities

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Usefulness of targets: Facilities

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Very useful Moderately useful Slightly useful Not at all useful Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
29.1 36.4 25.5 7.3 1.8 55

Usefulness of annual targets: Facilities

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Very useful Moderately useful Slightly useful Not at all useful Don't know Number of respondents
% % % % %
18.5 14.8 38.9 24.1 3.7 54

Additional TAM Requirements

The following questions relate to the following TAM plan requirements:

Investment Prioritization: Transit agencies must develop a ranked list of proposed projects and programs ordered by year of planned implementation. The prioritization is locally determined based on policy and need and must adequately consider identified unacceptable safety risks and accessibility requirements. The list should also be fiscally constrained based on estimated funding levels.

Decision Support Tools: Transit agencies should list the analytical processes used to make investment prioritization to estimate capital investment needs over time and to assist in prioritization. Examples may include specialized software such as TERM-Lite, but does not have to be specialized software.

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11. How challenging, if at all, is the process of developing a prioritized list of projects for the group TAM plan?

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
28.1 40.4 22.8 7.0 1.8 57

12. How challenging, if at all, is the process of using decision support tools to interpret and analyze data while working with group TAM plan participants?

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Very challenging
Moderately challenging Slightly challenging Not at all challenging Don't know
Number of respondents
% % % % %
34.5 27.3 21.8 9.1 7.3 55

Steps to Complete TAM Requirements

13. In order to complete TAM requirements, did your organization make any changes to your asset management software capabilities, such as acquiring new software or upgrading existing software?

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
31.6 66.7 1.8 57

14. In order to complete TAM requirements, did your organization hire consultants, contractors or additional workers to complete any of the following tasks?

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14a. Inventory capital assets

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
17.2 82.8 0.0 58

14b. Perform condition assessments

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
27.6 72.4 0.0 58

14c. Develop group TAM Plan

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
38.6 61.4 0.0 57

14d. Develop performance measure targets

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
22.8 75.4 1.8 57

14e. Submit required information to the National Transit Database

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
8.8 91.2 0.0 57

14f. Other tasks (please specify below)

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
9.5 64.3 26.2 42

If you checked "other tasks" (above), please provide a brief description.

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TAM Extension

15. Did your organization request an extension for the group TAM plan?

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Yes No Don't know Number of respondents
% % %
5.2 89.7 5.2 58

15a. Please describe the reason(s) why your organization requested an extension:

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Comments on TAM Requirements

16. Do you have any comments regarding any benefits that your organization or the agencies in the group TAM plan realized, or are likely to realize, as a result of developing or implementing TAM requirements?

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17. Do you have any comments regarding your organization’s experience developing or implementing group TAM plan requirements, or any improvements you would suggest for the program?

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Contact Information

Please provide the following information for the primary person completing this questionnaire in the event we need to contact you to clarify a response:

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Name:

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Agency or Organization:

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Title:

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Email:

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Telephone:

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Yes No Number of respondents
% %
100.0 0.0 58