HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2e: Short Range Transit Plan: 2011-2015DATE:
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BACKGROUND
October 19, 2010
STAFF REPORT
Development Services Department
Mayor and City Council
Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager /Development Services Director - 5 4 '
Philip A. Wray, Deputy Director of Development Services /City Engineer %w
By: Linda Hui, Transportation Services Manager
2011 — 2015 SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
The FY2011- FY2015 Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) identifies the City of Arcadia's
transit goals and objectives for the next five (5) year period. The SRTP is submitted
annually to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA),
Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA), and is required in order to maintain eligibility status for federal,
state and local transit grants.
Staff recommends the Council adopt the FY2011- FY2015 Short Range Transit Plan.
The City of Arcadia receives a combination of local, state and federal funds to operate
its demand response transit program. In order to comply with funding regulations, the
City submits annual financial and operating reports to the FTA, the State Controllers
Office, and LACMTA, and participates in annual audits conducted by each funding
agency.
The LACMTA, the state - designated planning authority for Los Angeles County,
coordinates the SRTP process for the local municipalities and recommends transit
projects to SCAG that will ultimately serve as a catalyst for implementing future
transportation improvements in Los Angeles County. The LACMTA evaluates transit
projects that will improve the region's mobility efforts and programs funds received from
the federal, state and local sources. The SRTP serves as the foundation for the
regional 25 -year Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
All municipalities that receive federal and local funds must prepare and submit a Short
Range Transit Plan (SRTP) outlining their goals and objectives for a projected five (5)
Staff Report
October 19, 2010
Page 2
year period to SCAG. Under federal law, SCAG must prepare a Regional
Transportation Plan that demonstrates how the Southern California region as a whole
will comply with federal mandates to meet area transportation needs in order to
continue receiving federal funds.
DISCUSSION
The City of Arcadia continues to provide Arcadia Transit service to the general public
traveling within the City boundary. Ridership has been increasing by an average of
seven percent (7 %) since FY -2007. City staff continues to recommend service
enhancements as need arises. As the prospect of the Gold Line through the City
becomes a reality, the SRTP calls for an analysis of implementing possible fixed route
service to the Arcadia Transit system.
In the next fiscal year, 10 vehicles of the Arcadia Transit fleet will be up for a
replacement. Staff will analyze the feasibility of converting the fleet to alternative fuel
powered vehicles.
Staff will continue to review performance measures to ensure that the contract service
provider, Southland Transit Inc., is capable of meeting the service demands from the
public.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The 2011 -2015 Short Range Transit Plan is not a project under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), per Section 15061 (6)(3) of the CEQA guidelines.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Arcadia — Arcadia Transit receives a combination of federal, state and local
funds to operate the Dial -A -Ride service and purchase capital equipment. Funding
sources include Transportation Development Act — Article 4, State Transit Assistance,
Proposition A and Proposition C funds. The City will continue to provide transit service
within the city limits, and implement new programs, based on the availability of funds.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council adopt the FY2011- FY2015 Short Range Transit
Plan.
Approved:
P 4-""ti - ,. -J
Donald Penman, City Manager
Attachment: Arcadia Transit's 2011 -2015 Short Range Transit Plan
2011 -2015
S H O R T R A N G E T R A N S I T P L A N
AID
CITY OF ARCADIA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Subiect Page
Background. 1
Goals and Objectives ..... 1
Overview of Existing Conditions... 2
Service Description /Service Area Map
Fleet Inventory and Vehicle Maintenance
Privatization
Coordination Activities 5
Public Participation 5
Public Comment and Fare Service Charges. 6
Ride Share Organization.. 6
Evaluation of Service and Improvements .6
Performance Measures .7
ProgramUpdate ............................. ............................... 7
Operating Plan
Capital Project Justification
Handicapped Accessibility
Arcadia Transit Operational and Capital Plans ............ 8
Appendix
Current Fare Structure: FY 2011
Fleet Inventory
Historical & Projected Characteristics
Historical & Projected Financial Status — Capital
Historical & Projected Financial Status — Operating
TPM/TDA Report Form — FY2009 Audited
TPM/TDA Report Form — FY2010 Estimated
TPM/TDA Report Form — FY2011 Planned
Performance Audit Follow -up of Recommendation — FY 07 -09
Capital Project Summary and TIP Sheet
Atca i i t'ati
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
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Table L -4 (A)
Table L -4 (B)
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Table L -5 (B)
Table L -5 (C)
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BACKGROUND
CITY OF ARCADIA
Arcadia Transit
SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN
2011 - 2015
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
The City of Arcadia is located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains
approximately 18 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The City covers
approximately 11 square miles and has approximately 54,000 residents. It is a heavily
residential community that hosts a variety of commercial enterprises including the Santa
Anita Racetrack, the Los Angeles County Arboretum, Methodist Hospital, the Westfield
Santa Anita Mall, and multiple commercial corridors.
The Arcadia Transit dial -a -ride system began its operations on April 21, 1975, at the
direction of the Arcadia City Council. The intent was to create a demand - response
transit system that would provide the amount and type of public transportation needed
by individuals traveling within the incorporated city limits. The system was designed to
provide transportation services for seniors, disabled persons, and the general public
whose individual transportation needs were not met by the existing fixed route services
provided by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA or
Metro), formerly the Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD). Currently, the
Arcadia Transit continues to provide general public demand - response transit service
within the City limits with a transit fleet of 18 paratransit vehicles.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Since inception, the mission of Arcadia Transit has been providing quality transit service
to as many passengers as efficiently possible. The primary goals of the program are to
provide a transportation system that:
1. Provides a convenient, comfortable, and realistic alternative to the
automobile;
2. Is accessible to everyone in the City and provides for the special needs of the
transit dependent (i.e., seniors, disabled persons, youths, economically
disadvantaged persons, and other non - drivers);
Arcac ±i,: f r are i
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Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
3. Reduces vehicle miles, mobile source emissions and improves mobility
within the City which leads to the conservation of energy, improved air quality,
and reduced traffic and parking problems within the City;
4. Is supportive of, and consistent with, the comprehensive land use goals and
policies of the City's General Plan; the Metro's Long Range Transportation
Plan; and the Southern California Association of Government's (SCAG)
Regional Transportation Plan;
5. Is consistent with regional, state, and federal transportation goals and
policies;
6. Encourages local public participation in the transportation planning process
including senior and disabled participation;
7. Is capable of managed growth and effective and efficient operations;
8. Utilizes private sector services to the largest extent possible;
9. Is well maintained and safe; and
10. Has cost and funding sources that can be closely monitored and evaluated to
ensure proper and effective expenditures.
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CONDITION
Service Description
Arcadia Transit provides demand - response, shared -ride service to any individual within
the legal geographical boundaries of the City of Arcadia. (See Map)
There is no age or other type of passenger - related restrictions that determine eligible
riders. However, an adult or older sibling must accompany passengers under the age
of five (5). The service has the following general features:
1. Hours of service: 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays; 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
weekends. Service is not available on the following holidays: New Year's
Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Day.
2. Response time: Average 60 minutes. Average curb -to -curb vehicle
traveling time is approximately 23 minutes. Average trip length is
approximately 3.1 miles.
3. Service area: Approximately eleven square miles.
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Arcadia 1 it h t
Arcadia Transit Service Area Map
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011 - 2015
City of Arcadia City Boundary
ORANGE GROVE AVE
FOOTHILL BLVD
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Fleet Inventory and Vehicle Maintenance
The City's spare ratio is one to eight vehicles or 12.5 %.
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Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
4. Fare structure: $1.00 full fare and $0.25 for seniors, disabled, or anyone
showing a valid DMV ID or placard, Medicare card, or doctor's note
describing their disability. Seniors and people with disabilities are eligible
for a $5.00 monthly reduced fare pass.
5. Type of service offered: Curb -to -curb, on- demand service and
subscription /pre -book are available. No fixed route services are offered at
this time.
6. Operations: The City of Arcadia administers Arcadia Transit. Activities
relating to bus operations and maintenance such as system dispatching,
vehicle operations, vehicle maintenance, personnel administration, driver
training and data collection are conducted by Southland Transit Inc., a
private entity, located at 3650 Rockwell, El Monte, California.
Neighboring paratransit services operating in the northern San Gabriel Valley include
Monrovia Transit, Pasadena Dial -a -Ride, Duarte Transit, Sierra Madre Dial -a -Ride and
Temple City Dial -a -Ride. These services regularly bring riders to the Arcadia City limits
to be transported by Arcadia Transit. Metro and Foothill Transit operate fixed route
service on major arterials within the City. The City assists Metro and Foothill Transit
with their public information efforts and provides for distribution of information materials
at public facilities throughout the City.
The present relationship between Arcadia Transit and the two fixed route operators is a
complimentary one. Metro and Foothill Transit's systems are primarily oriented toward
long haul or inter -city transportation needs while Arcadia Transit service connects any
two points within the City.
In fiscal year 2009, the City purchased eight (8) new buses to replace the 2000 model
year vehicles. The new vehicles were delivered in late FY 2009 and put in revenue
service in FY 2010. The current operating fleet of Arcadia Transit consists of 18
passenger paratransit vehicles. The vehicle inventory includes six (6) 2004 twelve -
passenger vans, four (4) 2004 twenty- passenger vans, and eight (8) 2009 eighteen -
passenger vans.
All vehicles are owned by the City of Arcadia and are maintained by the City's
contractor, Southland Transit Inc. Currently, the City monitors all vehicle breakdowns
and repair forms prepared by Southland Transit Inc. In addition, the City's Agreement
and Scope of Work with the contract operator sets forth standards for vehicle
maintenance.
Privatization
The City contracts out the operations and maintenance services to a private entity. One
hundred percent (100 %) of the operating budget and over seventy -five percent (75 %) of
the total budget of Arcadia Transit go to a private sector provider /contractor under
contract with the City. In addition, the City consistently uses the private sector to
provide all capital projects.
COORDINATION ACTIVITES
The City also provides a vital service for those using Arcadia Transit to transfer to or
from other public transit systems. Rider surveys showed that Arcadia Transit
passengers transfer to or from Monrovia Transit, Pasadena Dial -A -Ride (DAR), Temple
City DAR, Sierra Madre DAR, Los Angeles County Access Services, Foothill Transit
and Metro services.
Arcadia Transit is a member of Metro's Bus Operator's Subcommittee. The City
participates in monthly planning meetings that include municipal transit operators that
provide service throughout Los Angeles County. At the monthly meetings, BOS
members discuss and share lessons learned and industry best practices.
The City routinely utilizes a "piggyback" procurement for bus purchases. This allows the
City to purchase buses through other larger transit agencies' competitively bid
contracts, which minimizes duplication of procurement efforts and maximizes cost
effectiveness through economies of scale.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Arcadia; i r ;init
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
The City of Arcadia will continue to participate in public meetings regarding the Arcadia
Transit Dial -A -Ride program and proposed extension of the Gold Line light rail system.
The Transportation Services Manager will continue to meet with the Arcadia Senior
Citizens' Commission to solicit and receive comments and suggestions from the
designated Commissioners to aide in service improvement to the community. The
senior population constitutes approximately 40% of the system's patronage. In addition,
the Transportation Services Manager will investigate issues regarding system
operations related to service levels, fares and vehicle maintenance, and will formulate
mitigation measures to correct deficiencies and improve service.
All general public meetings will be noticed and posted in accordance with the City of
Arcadia's procedures for public meetings /hearings. Meetings will be properly posted in
Arcadia Transit vehicles, the Arcadia Community Center, Arcadia Library, Arcadia City
Hall, and in the local newspapers in accordance with City procedures for public
hearings.
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All public meetings are held in ADA accessible facilities that comply with the
accessibility requirements set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The City will conduct annual surveys of the residents and the riding public regarding
perceived transit operations aboard Arcadia Transit. The residential survey will be
conducted randomly and will ask questions regarding the understanding and knowledge
of the general public of the Arcadia system. The ridership survey will ask specific
questions to current riders regarding the quality of services and possible improvements.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON FARE SERVICE CHANGES
Arcadia Transit has not had any changes in its fare structure or service since FY2005-
2006 when the general - public monthly pass as well as the morning student service was
eliminated. Arcadia Transit does not anticipate fare increases in the next few years.
However, if the need arises, any fare or service change will be noticed in accordance
with City ordinances, and public meetings will be scheduled to allow for public to
comment.
RIDE SHARE ORGANIZATION
The City and its contractor cooperate with Southern California Rideshare and Metro's
telephone information services by providing updated service information, coordinated
marketing programs and coordinated planning including dispatcher response to ride
sharing inquiries. The City maintains open communication with its surrounding cities
regarding the potential for coordinated services.
EVALUATION OF SERVICE AND IMPROVEMENTS
The City continually evaluates the system through the utilization of performance
indicators that are collected by the system operator on a monthly basis. Paratransit
services are reviewed by hour of day to help analyze system demands and to identify
inefficient dispatching practices. Arcadia Transit peak hours range from 7:00 a.m. to
9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. when seniors, students and shoppers utilize the
system for essential transportation needs. According to the City's service contract, the
contractor is to provide vehicle hours of service in response to system demands, thus
there are not guaranteed vehicle hour requirements. However, the operator is available
to dispatch vehicles on an as needed basis to meet system demand and is allowed to
remove vehicles when demand is at a low point but without a reduction to current
service levels.
System efficiency and dispatch monitoring is achieved through utilization of data which
details passengers per hour, passengers per mile, response time and review of
passenger complaints.
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
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PERFORMANCE MEASURES
PROGRAM UPDATE
Operating
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
Arcadia Transit's performance measures include passengers per vehicle hour and miles
per passenger trip, subsidy per passenger, cost per passenger, cost per mile, percent
no Toads, no -shows and total vehicle hour costs. All performance measures are
developed in a monthly report generated on the contract operator's computer system.
In addition to the performance measures, the City maintains accurate records related to
daily vehicle hours, vehicle mileage, orders received, no- loads, full fare passengers,
senior and disabled passengers, fare revenue, maintenance costs and total gallons of
gasoline consumed. All material is available on a daily basis and reports are generated
with the City's and the contract operator's computers. Decisions related to system
efficiency, service provisions, and system analyses are based upon the data that is
collected as detailed above. In addition, the City frequently receives feedback from
system users in an attempt to identify system problems, shortcomings or positive points.
Other issues are discovered through surveys and public meetings.
Arcadia Transit unlinked passenger ridership has increased by nine percent (9 %) since
FY 2008. Senior and student populations continue to predominately utilize the service
to access civic (library, community center, medical offices, post office) and commercial
(super markets, shopping center, restaurants) centers in the city.
The transit operating contract expired on June 30, 2009. Following an open bid
Request for Proposal (RFP) process which complied with all federal and local
requirements, a five (5) year operating contract was awarded to Southland Transit Inc.
The new contract will expire June 30, 2014. Since Southland Transit Inc. is an
incumbent contractor, the transition was a non -issue and the service was not
interrupted.
In order to sustain an equal level of service, the City has capped the number of annual
service hours at 30,000. The actual revenue hours of the past three years indicates that
the service hours were within the cap and that the system operator is able to dispatch
vehicles in an efficient manner that coincides with system demands.
Capital
In FY 2008 -09, the City procured a bus purchase piggybacking the contract between
San Mateo County Transit District (SamTran) and Creative Bus Sales, and obtained
eight (8) new buses to replace the 2000 model vehicles that have exceeded the service
miles and years.
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Americans with Disabilities Act
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 317 (C) of the
Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 and the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990, Arcadia Transit has an approved Handicapped Accessibility Program. The
Program details the City's effort to maintain its current "fully accessible" status.
All Arcadia Transit revenue vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lift and straps.
Arcadia Transit provides a TDD number for people with hearing or speech disabilities.
ADA requirements are included as part of bus operator training program.
ARCADIA TRANSIT OPERATIONAL AND CAPITAL PLANS
In FY2011- FY2015, the City, in conjunction with its transit operations contractor
Southland Transit Inc., will continue the development of planning strategies through
annual SRTP updates. The purpose of these planning strategies is to provide a short-
term future direction in the areas of operations, finance, capital procurement,
development/ implementation of new policies and procedures and the
development/implementation of system goals and objectives. These efforts will provide
a significant level of input into the future development of Short Range Transit Plans.
Specifically, the planning efforts will incorporate the following:
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
• Gold Line multi -modal transit station
• New /Expanded Services (shuttle service to civic centers, Gold Line
connector)
• Limited "modified" fixed - routes to address peak hour demand
• Future capital procurements (vehicles) including alternative fuel vehicles
• Operational goals and objectives (customer service quality, farebox recovery
ratios)
• Revenue Forecasting (farebox, local funds and formula allocated programs)
• Fare Policies (Regional EZ Pass)
• Sale of Passes and tokens (evaluate monthly Arcadia Transit Passes)
• New policies and procedures (No Shows and service outside the City limits)
• Transit system marketing (Bilingual brochures, quarterly newsletters, website)
• Joint Partnerships with local agencies (Sierra Madre DAR, Monrovia DAR)
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APPENDIX
Available Upon Request
Short Range Transit Plan 1 2011- 2015
Tables