TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Salvador Llamas, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: 2026 Customer Satisfaction Survey
BRIEFING ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving a report of findings from AC Transit’s 2026 customer satisfaction survey.
Staff Contact:
Claudia Burgos, Executive Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Strong Public and Policymaker Support
Initiative - Service Quality
Customer satisfaction is an important measure of rider experience and provides valuable insight into how riders perceive AC Transit services. Survey results help identify strengths, opportunities for improvement, and priorities that matter most to riders. Customer satisfaction directly aligns with the District Priority: Rider Experience and Customer Satisfaction.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no immediate budgetary impact associated with this briefing item.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
In Spring 2026, AC Transit conducted a Customer Satisfaction Survey to assess rider satisfaction with District services and identify opportunities to improve the rider experience. The survey was conducted by ETC Institute using an onboard and bus stop intercept methodology. Surveys were available in multiple languages and administered between April 14 - May 2, 2026. A total of 3,761 completed surveys were collected, resulting in a 74% response rate and 94% completion rate. The survey results are statistically representative of AC Transit riders, with demographic characteristics that closely align with the 2025 Rider Profile Survey. The survey had an overall margin of error of ±1.6% at the 95% confidence level.
The 2026 survey included 15 core satisfaction questions and evaluated overall customer satisfaction, rider loyalty, satisfaction with 15 service attributes, and the relative importance riders place on those attributes. Compared to the 2023 survey, the 2026 survey used a streamlined questionnaire and in-person intercept methodology to improve response quality and better represent AC Transit’s rider population. The survey collected more than three times as many completed responses as the 2023 survey.
Survey findings were analyzed using an Importance-Satisfaction Analysis, which combines the importance riders place on specific service attributes with current satisfaction levels to identify priority opportunities for improving the overall rider experience.
Because the 2026 survey used a different methodology than the 2023 Customer Satisfaction Survey, direct comparisons are not recommended. The 2026 survey establishes a new baseline for measuring customer satisfaction. Results from the 2023 survey are provided for context only, and future surveys will enable more meaningful year-over-year comparisons as the District continues to monitor rider perceptions.
KEY FINDINGS
Key findings include:
• Overall rider satisfaction with AC Transit was 75%, exceeding the national benchmark by 24 percentage points.
• AC Transit achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 25, exceeding the national benchmark by 41 points. NPS measures rider loyalty and willingness to recommend AC Transit.
• The Importance-Satisfaction Analysis identified the following service attributes with the greatest potential to improve overall rider satisfaction:
o On-time bus arrivals
o Frequency of buses
o Personal safety onboard buses
ETC Institute's national transit benchmark is based on customer satisfaction surveys from more than 80 transit systems nationwide.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
There are no advantages or disadvantages to receiving this briefing.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
There are no alternatives.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
SR 24-135 Customer Satisfaction Survey.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2026 Customer Satisfaction Survey Presentation
2. 2026 Customer Satisfaction Report of Findings
Prepared by:
Michelle Schurig, Market Research Project Manager II
Approved/Reviewed by:
Nichele Laynes, Director of Marketing, Communications & Customer Service
Steven Jones, Director of Legislative Affairs and Community Relations
Claudia Burgos, Executive Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience
Chris Andrichak, Chief Financial Officer
Aimee L. Steele, General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer
Paul Kincaid, Assistant General Manager/Chief Executive Officer