SOLTRANS BOARD MEETING SUPPLEMENTAL REPORTS / HANDOUTS January 16, 2014 MEETING HANDOUTS Agenda Item 9 Approve SolTrans Curtola Park and Ride Hub Project Documents and Related Actions PowerPoint Presentation Agenda Item 10 Authorize Public Outreach on Proposed Schedule Changes to Routes 1 and 3 PowerPoint Presentation Agenda Item 11 Approve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Certified and Personal Care Attendant Reduced Fare Program on Local Fixed Route System PowerPoint Presentation Agenda Item 12 Staff Briefings: System Performance Update PowerPoint Presentation 01-15-14 News Article: SolTrans Board to Decide on Parking Fees for Curtola Park and Ride Lot; issued by Vallejo Times Herald 12-23-13 News Article: SolTrans Board to Tackle Next Steps in Park and Ride Plan; issued by Vallejo Times Herald 12-23-13 News Article: Survey Curtola Park and Ride Users Would Pay for Security; issued by Vallejo Times Herald
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APPROVE SOLTRANS CURTOLA PARK AND RIDE HUB PROJECT DOCUMENTS AND RELATED ACTIONS Presented to: The Solano County Transit Board of Directors on January 16, 2014 By: Jim McElroy SolTrans Project Manager
PROJECT STATUS December 2013 - Provided update on design phase December 2013 Received comments from Board Currently Active Completing Draft Bid Documents Currently Active Construction Manager Procurement February 2014 Board action to bid construction
RECOMMENDATION 1: ACCEPT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE REPORT Relevant Implication: Annual anticipated operating costs: $437,000
RECOMMENDATION 2: ACCEPT PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN Relevant Implication: Charge for parking to offset annual operating costs Final rate structure to be determined
RECOMMENDATION 3: PARKING FEE MANAGEMENT AND REVENUE COLLECTION TECHNOLOGY Relevant Implication: Maximize payment options for users
RECOMMENDATION 4: DEVELOP PARKING OPERATIONS POLICY Relevant Implication: Timely policy development and implementation.
RECOMMENDATION: 1. Approve the Operations and Maintenance Costs and Considerations Report as presented, which will establish the target for annual revenue for purposes of establishing parking fees and the fee structure. 2. Approve the Parking Management Plan with the intent to charge for parking and to provide a combination of reserved parking spaces and non-reserved spaces as identified as Option 3 in said Parking Management Plan. 3. Direct Staff to include the best parking fee management and revenue collection technology in the project specifications to maximize payment options for users. 4. Direct Staff to develop a Parking Operations Policy, which will include parking rates for general use and reserved spaces, for Board consideration to be developed on a timeline consistent with the completion of the Project.
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OVERVIEW OF ROUTES 1 & 3 Frequencies and alignments for both routes will remain the same. 1
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ADA Paratransit Certified and Personal Care Attendant Reduced Fare Pilot on Local Fixed Route Presented to: The Solano County Transit Board of Directors on January 16, 2014 By: Elizabeth Romero, Program Analyst II 1
Industry Interest in ADA Certified and PCA Low Fare Programs on Fixed Route Increasing demand for ADA paratransit service as population ages in place SolTrans statistics on ADA Paratransit Demand indicate: 6% increase in ADA Certified Eligible Clients between FY13 and FY14 (from about 1100 to 1164 ADA Certified Clients) 4.4% average monthly ridership growth over FY14
Types of Low Fare Programs for Fixed Route Mode shift impact Low Free Fare for PCAs Programs e.g. Fairfield and Suisun Transit, Vacaville City Coach Very Low Fare Programs for ADA Certified Clients and PCAs e.g. Orange County Transportation Authority, Reno Regional Transportation Commission High Free Fare Programs for ADA Certified Clients and PCAs e.g. LA ACCESS in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Mateo County Transit District in the San Francisco Bay Area
COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR LOW FARE PROGRAMS Cost Potential revenue loss from existing and new PCAs and ADA Certified Passengers on Fixed Route Other impacts to fixed route (such as on-time performance) Benefit Manage paratransit demand Maximize mobility options for persons with disabilities Cost-effective for client and Agency Increase fixed route productivity 4
PROPOSED $0.25 FIXED ROUTE FARE PILOT Three-Year Pilot Program Profile Middle ground approach of 3 most common fare types of industry low fare programs Only applies to Local Fixed Route cash fares Net Benefit analysis scenarios: significant net benefit of $33,000 ~net zero impact negligible net cost of an estimated $8,000 Implementation Cost None; implemented and tracked through ADA Paratransit ID and farebox Local Fixed Route Cash Fare Existing Proposed ADA Certified Clients $0.85 $0.25 Personal Care Attendants $0.85 $0.25
RECOMMENDATION Authorize the Executive Director to amend the fare policy to charge ADA Paratransit Certified Clients and Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) a $0.25 per ride cash fare on the SolTrans local fixed-route system under a 3-year pilot program from the date of implementation. Direct the Executive Director to provide annual reports to the Board from the date of implementation, with a recommendation to suspend, adjust or continue the pilot program, given the intent to maximize mobility options for paratransit certified clients while minimizing operating costs to SolTrans. 6
THANK YOU Elizabeth Romero Program Analyst II (707) 648-4264 elizabeth@soltransride.com 311 Sacramento Street, Vallejo, CA 94590 7
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SYSTEM PERFORMANCE REPORT Presented to: The Solano County Transit Board of Directors on January 16, 2013 By: David Berman 1
Farebox Recovery Ratio 50% 40% 40.7% 40.0% 39.0% 40.4% 39.9% 39.6% 30% 20% 10% 0% Jul-13 Aug-13 Sep-13 Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 2
Farebox Recovery Comparison* 50% 40% 39.6% 30% 20% 25.4% 23.1% 15.2% 15.3% 15.1% 18.0% 19.0% 15.8% 14.4% 20.1% 24.4% 10% 0% *Figures from other operators from MTC s June 2013 Statistical Summary of Bay Area Operators 3
98,528 118,769 112,593 103,427 107,045 111,042 108,145 113,422 118,019 104,542 103,653 136,727 122,067 120,788 119,010 114,420 112,931 132,441 140,000 Total Monthly Fixed-Route Ridership FY 13-14 120,000 100,000 FY 12-13 MONTHLY AVERAGE (112,861) 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Ridership (Current YTD): 715,561 FY 13 YTD: 669,803 4
51,294 51,717 47,735 63,752 53,682 55,912 55,141 56,037 61,087 66,816 54,085 53,938 66,393 66,717 61,905 60,665 76,312 66,314 58,641 54,720 52,705 54,270 52,540 56,579 51,763 51,919 57,662 70,773 56,297 58,486 55,148 52,515 52,266 59,297 140,000 120,000 Monthly Ridership by Service Type Local Regional FY 13-14 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Ridership (Current YTD): 715,561 FY 13 YTD: 669,803 5
FY 12-13 to FY 13-14 Ridership Comparison Month Local Regional Overall Dec 2012 53,682 52,705 106,387 Dec 2013 60,665 52,266 112,931 % Diff. + 13.0% - 0.8% + 6.2% 6
Fixed-Route Ridership (December 2013) 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 Local Limited Service Regional 35,609 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 11,836 12,666 9,206 6,424 6,528 5,453 5,607 6,091 5,825 4,007 1,667 738 530 270 464 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 15 17 76 78 80 80S 85 200 Total Ridership: 112,922 7
Ridership by Fare Types (December 2013) Local Regional 2% Adult Cash 4% 5% 19% 23% Senior/Disabled Cash Youth Cash Free 41% Monthly Pass 14% 8% Day Pass 10-Ride Pass 35% 5% 31-Day Pass One-Ride Pass 25% 4% 2% Other Operator 2% 9% 2% 8
9 2,458 2,728 2,235 2,506 2,150 2,282 2,302 2,017 2,405 2,411 2,364 1,870 2,020 2,209 1,916 2,520 2,258 1,990 844 1,137 1,011 1,252 1,188 1,218 1,333 1,147 1,214 1,299 1,326 1,234 1,024 1,216 1,144 872 643 493 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 GP Dial-a-Ride Paratransit Monthly Demand Response Ridership
Regional Local Fixed- Route Performance Metrics and Standards Metric Standard Actuals Passengers per Rev. Mile 1.0 1.45 Passengers per Rev. Hour 12 17.8 Cost per Rev. Hour $103.00 $99.24 Cost per Rev. Mile $8.00 $8.09 Cost per Passenger Trip $8.00 $5.56 Farebox Recovery Ratio 20% 40.4% Metric Standard Actuals Passengers per Rev. Mile 1.0 0.6 Passengers per Rev. Hour 25 16.7 Cost per Rev. Hour $115.00 $111.16 Cost per Rev. Mile $5.00 $4.24 Cost per Passenger Trip $7.00 $6.65 Farebox Recovery Ratio 50% 38.9% 10
Thank you! 11
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http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_24915058/board-decide-parking-fees-curtola-park-amp-ride?iadid=search-www.timesheraldonline.com-w Board to decide on parking fees for Curtola Park & Ride lot Times-Herald staff report/ Vallejo Times Herald Posted: TimesHeraldOnline.com To keep the Curtola Park & Ride expansion project moving forward on schedule, a key board will be asked Thursday to make several decisions, including whether to charge motorists to park there. The SolTrans board of directors meets at 4 p.m. at Benicia City Hall, 250 East L St., to consider these and other issues. Plans for the busy parking lot include reconfiguration to accommodate 100 more parking spaces, a new transit area for buses, plus office space, bathroom, new signs and other features. The parking lot, at Curtola Parkway and Lemon Street in South Vallejo, serves as a bus stop and casual commuter car pick-up point, SolTrans board members will be asked to approve a consultant report anticipating annual costs of the revamped parking lot to be $437,000 per year, an amount which will cover security and maintenance. The board also will consider directing staff to charge for parking to offset those costs with exact rates to be determined later. Direction will also be sought on whether the lot should have a combination of reserved and non-reserved spaces and what kind of parking fee collection method should be used. Some options include revenue collection devices that allow motorists to park and pay "on the go" using computers and phones, and options to allow them to pay at mechanisms throughout the lot. Page 1 of 1 Jan 15, 2014 11:18:04AM MST
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_24755645/soltrans-board-tackle-next-steps-park-amp-ride?iadid=search-www.timesheraldonline.com-ww Soltrans board to tackle next steps in Park & Ride plan Times-Herald staff report/ Vallejo Times Herald Posted: TimesHeraldOnline.com The SolTrans board will take the next step today in the plans to expand the Curtola Park & Ride lot, a long-time goal both the city and the bus agency have tackled. The parking lot has outgrown its capacity so much that commuters line the neighboring streets. One proposal, which has not yet been firmed up, calls for charging motorists to park in the lot after improvements have been made. Current plans call for adding 100 more parking spaces, plus other amenities including a canopy, concession area and offices. The SolTrans board meets 4 p.m. today at Vallejo City Hall, 500 Santa Clara St. for an update on the project and to provide feedback on an operations and management study, and parking management plan. "This will introduce them to the cost -- what it will take and that there are going to be costs associated with operations and maintenance," said former SolTrans executive director Jim McElroy who now serves as a consultant on the project. Specifically, board members will be asked to look at the costs of maintaining the parking facility, an estimated $400,000 a year, McElroy said. Final board approval on possible fees for parking, and payment options may be considered in March, he said. Page 1 of 1 Dec 23, 2013 09:15:53AM MST
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_24771890/survey-curtola-park-amp-ride-users-would-pay?iadid=search-www.timesheraldonline.com-www Survey: Curtola Park & Ride users would pay for security By Sarah Rohrs/ Times-Herald staff writer Vallejo Times Herald Posted: TimesHeraldOnline.com Security and safety are top concerns of motorists who use the Curtola Park & Ride, not to mention finding a place to park after the lot fills up early in the morning, according to a transit agency's survey. SolTrans initiated the rider survey to determine key concerns, and gauge support among users to pay for parking. Those parking fees may be adopted as part of a larger effort to overhaul the busy parking area and SolTrans bus stop. Officials say money is needed to cover added expenses, including security patrols. SolTrans board members Thursday discussed the fees but did not consider approval, something they may be asked to do next month, officials said. In the event of a parking fee at Curtola, board members encouraged a good public outreach campaign, plus strong enforcement in the neighborhood to keep vehicles off surrounding streets. A consultant report indicated that parking enforcement in the surrounding area is virtually non-existent. Only two residents had residential permits, while commuters line the streets, giving residents nowhere to park on the streets near their homes, the report said. Board member Jim Spering, a Solano County supervisor, said the upcoming improvements will be good and the lot will be desirable for people to catch a bus or use carpooling options. However, Spering and other board members expressed concerns about how motorists would learn about the draft new parking fees, and how enforcement would be conducted in the surrounding neighborhood. "It's important that people see the value," Spering said, should the fees be implemented. Not instituting a "grace period" for parking would be the best way to go, said board member Osby Davis, Vallejo's mayor. He said it would be better to start immediately charging for parking rather than use a phased-in approach. No exact charge has been identified, though a $3 daily pass was outlined in the staff report, along with a $40 monthly permit. "There are a number of moving pieces which will ultimately determine how much to charge," said former SolTrans director Jim McElroy who is leading the parking lot expansion project. "There will very likely be some fee associated with the parking lot and what the fee will be and how it will be parceled out still needs to be determined," McElroy said. McElroy added the facility's parking lot surface, landscaping and other features need an upgrade. Plans include adding 100 parking spaces, creating a new transit center to accommodate six buses at a time, new areas for casual carpool activity, and a designated area for dropping people off, also called a Page 1 of 2 Dec 23, 2013 09:20:32AM MST
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_24771890/survey-curtola-park-amp-ride-users-would-pay?iadid=search-www.timesheraldonline.com-www "Kiss and Ride" spot. The new project would also include an office area, small retail office, bathroom, new signage, lights, bicycle storage facilities, passenger shelter and paid parking infrastructure. Regular maintenance would involve cleaning, sweeping, painting and on-going repairs and replacement. While paying for parking was unpopular among survey respondents, some 66 percent said they would be willing to pay something, particularly if it improved security and safety. Survey respondents favored onsite security patrols, though security cameras, sheltered waiting areas and new lights were also supported. Many respondents mentioned their cars being broken into on numerous occasions, and one woman said her windows had been smashed so many times she left the doors unlocked to avoid paying for window repairs should robbers hit again, according to the report. The survey also looked at how the popular parking lot is used. About half those surveyed catch a bus from the lot, while 39 percent use it for casual carpooling, and 7 percent for more formal carpooling. Among bus riders, 94 percent catch the Route 80 SolTrans bus to the El Cerrito del Norte BART station. SolTrans board members are expected to get more refined information at their January meeting and may be asked to make some decisions then, McElroy said. Contact staff writer Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6832. Follow her on Twitter @SarahVTH. Page 2 of 2 Dec 23, 2013 09:20:32AM MST