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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - No. 2005-188RESOLUTION NO. 2005-188 A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL APPROVING TRANSIT SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS AND REDUCTIONS NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Lodi City Council hereby approves Transit Service Enhancements and Reductions, as shown on Exhibit A attached hereto. Dated: September 7, 2005 I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2005-188 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held September 7, 2005, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Hansen, Hitchcock, Johnson, Mounce, and Mayor Beckman NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None SUSAN J. BLACKSTON City Clerk 2005-188 I_EXHiBIT Af Recommended Reduction #1 Fixed Route: Evening Service Hours on Grapeline Proposal: Eliminate Grapeline's last run beginning at 7:00 p.rn. and ending at 7:39 p.m. Reasoning: Ridership drops off significantly after 5 p.m. on all routes and in particular on the last run of the day. The new weekday schedule for Grapeline would offer service Monday through Friday, from 6:15 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. Staff is recommending implementing the service reduction effective Monday, October 31', to coincide with the time change, and utilizing the reduction year round. During winter months, ridership declines in the evening due largely to the inclement weather and the fact that it gets dark much earlier. This change would reduce unproductive service time and allow for more efficient use of service, such as the Holiday Light Tours. The reduction would also allow the equipment maintenance shop an extra hour each night to service the buses. .Additionally, it is anticipated service could be provided on occasions when running the original schedule is warranted (i.e., Grape Festival, Parade of Lights, etc.). In the hours where only Dial -A -Ride operates, we propose the following fare changes: 1. Lowering the General Public Fare to $3.00 2. Allowing passengers who purchase a monthly pass to travel at the Senior/Disabled rate ($1,50 per ride) during these hours (including usage of the 10 -ride discount ticket $12.00 or $1.20 per ride) This reduction would affect an average of 20 passengers per day/5,200 passengers per year (total of all five Fixed Routes), Total Reduction and Potential Cost Savings: Anticipated reduction in service hours is approximately 975 hours annually. Anticipated cost savings (based on fully allocated rate minus depreciation) is $48,750. Recommended Reduction #2 Fixed Route: Weekend Service Hours on Grapeline Proposal: Eliminate the last three runs on Saturday and the last run on Sunday. This would make the 2:30 pm. MD the final run, with service on Fixed Route ending at 3:09 p.m. both days. Reasoning: Weekend ridership is substantially lower than weekdays on all routes. This proposal would cut back service by 2 hours and 10 minutes on Saturdays and 45 minutes on Sundays. In the hours where only Dial -A -Ride operates, we propose the following fare changes: 1. Loweiing the General Public Fare to $3.00 2. Allowing passengers who purchase a monthly pass to travel at the Senior/Disabled rate ($1.50 per ride) during these hours (including usage of the 10 -ride discount ticket $12.00 or $1.20 per ride) Staff is recommending implem ell ting the service reduction effective the week of October 31st (reduction would first apply on November 5th and 6th) to coincide with Proposed Reduction #1. This change would reduce unproductive service time. Staff recommends implementing this service reduction on a year-round basis. Additionally, it is anticipated service could be provided on occasions when running the original schedule is warranted (i.e., Grape Festival, Zin Fest, etc.). This reduction would affect an average of 45 passengers per weekend/2,340 passengers per year (total of all five Fixed Routes). Total Reduction and Potential Cost Savings; Anticipated reduction in service hours is approximately 780 hours annually. Anticipated cost savings (based on fully allocated rate minus depreciation) is $39,000. Recommended Reduction #3 Fixed Route: Combine Route .1 and Route 5 into one Route A on Weekends Proposal: Combine Route 1 and Route 5 into Route A on Saturdays and Sundays to capture transfers between the two lines and to reduce the number of fixed routes operating due to the limited number of weekend riders on the two routes. In addition, the remaining routes will be renamed to alphabetical routes on the weekend so that Route 2 would become 13, Route 3 would become C, and Route 4 would become D. Reasoning: Route 1 and Route 5 operate with significantly reduced ridership on the weekends. By combining the two routes into one larger route, the City will realize a reduction in operating costs by eliminating one bus on the road. In addition, this change will enable riders using the Route 5 (primarily on the Eastside) to access the Target and Wal-Mart Shopping Centers and Lodi Lake without needing to transfer. This route will run in one direction and can run within the existing time limits to allow transfers to the other routes, Staff is recommending implementing the service reduction effective the week of October 31st (reduction would first apply on November 5th and 6th) to coincide with Proposed Reductions #1 and 1f2. This change would reduce unproductive service time. Staff recommends implementing this service reduction on a year-round basis. Additionally, it is anticipated service could be provided on occasions when running the original schedule is warranted (i.e., Grape Festival, Zin Fest, etc.). Ridership on this route averages 110 passengers per weekend/5,800 passengers per year. The proposed change is not anticipated to see a significant ridership drop due to the limited number of deleted stops and the ability for passengers to now travel across town without needing to transfer. Total Reduction and Potential Cost Savings; Anticipated reduction in service hours is approximately 923 hours annually. Anticipated cost savings (based on fully allocated rate minus depreciation) is $44,250. ROUTE 1 & 5 COMBINATION PROPOSAL TURN SHEET Will follow route 1 outbound to Walmart/Safeway, then head east on Kettleman & finish inbound on route 5, omitting the industrial area. From Depot: Straight out Oak R -Church L-Tumer L -Lower Sacramento L-Kettlernan R -Cherokee R -Almond R -Stockton R-Kettleman (doubles past Subway, but going the other direction would Require adding new stops across the street -this way uses current stops. Also, if it went the other direction, it's difficult to turn left on Cherokee From Almond) L -Cherokee L -Pioneer L -Calaveras R-Lockeford L -Stockton R -Pine L -Sacramento Would continue in a one -direction circle. We would need MON-FRI ONLY stickers on the stops across the street. Missed stops Route 1: all inbound stops Route 5: all outbound stops + industrial area including Columbia, Casa de Lodi (most use Dial -a -Ride), 3 stops on Cluff, Shady Acres mobile home park Added stops: All Route 2 stops on Kettleman (inbound) It would be able to follow the same time pulse as the other routes. These are the stops that match with the times already on the schedule. Lodi Station 7:45 Church/ Olive 7:47 Turner/ Ham 7:50 Woodlake Plaza 7:52 Raleys 7:55 Hollywood 8:00 Kettleman/ Crescent 8:05 Kettlemant Calaveras/ Stockton/ Central* I Pioneer Locust 8:09 1 8:11 8:14 *2rict time it passes this stop Lodi Station 8:19 tiff.dwg, 07/21/2005 4:05:14 PM, iaguayo Recommended Reduction #4 Fixed Route and Dial -A -Ride: Holiday Reductions Proposal: Offer reduced Dial -A -Ride service only on Easter and shortened Fixed Route and Dial -A -Ride service on specific other dates due to lowered ridership demand, Reasoning: On the evening before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day and Easter Sunday, service is extremely slow. On Thanksgiving Eve, the service drops off after work, and staff would propose to end all service at 7 p.m. On Christmas Eve service is slow all day, and staff proposes to stop Fixed Route service at 12:09 p.m. and Dial -A -Ride at 2 p.m. Easter Sunday does not see much Fixed Route service, and staff is proposing to offer only Dial -A -Ride service with reduced hours from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. This should serve to meet the needs of those passengers who desire to visit family, attend church, or finish any last-minute holiday grocery or retail shopping. Additionally, this reduction will allow the drivers the opportunity to spend this holiday and pre -holiday time with their families. Total Reduction and Potential Cost Savings: Anticipated reduction in service hours is approximately 100 hours annually. Anticipated cost savings (based on fully allocated rate minus depreciation) is $5,000. Proposa Reduction #1 Reduction #2 Reduction #3 Reduction #4 Reduction #i and #2 Reduction #1 and #3 Reduction 41 and #4 Reduction #2 and #3 Reduction #2 and iM Reduction #3 and 4,1 Reduction #1, 42 and #3 Reduction #1, #2 and #4 Reduction 41, 43 and 44 Reduction #2, 43 and #4 Reduction #1, #2, #3 and #4 Potential Number of Number of Service Hours Passengers Reduced Affected per Year 5,200 975 hours 2,340 780 hours 5,800 923 hours 100 100 hours 7,540 1,755 hours 11,000 5,300 8,140 2,440 5,900 13,340 7,640 11,100 6,240 13,340 1,898 hours 1,075 hours 1,547 hours 880 hours 1,023 hours 2,522 hours 1,855 hours 1,998 hours 1,647 hours 2,622 hours Potential Cost Savings $48,750 839,000 844,250 $ 5,000 $87,750 893,000 853,750 $77,350 844,000 $49,250 $126,100 $92,750 $98,000 $82,350 $131,100 Recommended Enhancement #1 Fixed Route: Holiday Light Tours Proposal: Re -institute the Holiday Light Tours for the two weeks before Christmas, including the weekend before (no weekend service was provided previously). Reasoning: This service was very successful last year with demand on many nights exceeding capacity. 521 passengers utilized this service over 6 nights last year; however, passengers were turned away due to limited vehicles. With the proposed reductions in evening fixed route service, all five fixed route vehicles and the trolley would potentially be available for service, lt is proposed that this year the fee be increased to $2.00 per person or $8.00 for a family/group of 5. Advance tickets will be made available beginning after Thanksgiving on a first-come, first -serve basis, and, in addition, walk-ons will be permitted as space allows. This will allow for the service to accommodate as many passengers as possible, and for staff to accurately plan for the service. The proposed starting time is 7:15 p.m. to allow the fixed route drivers to have a break between regular service and the Holiday Light Tours. Staff is also planning to add to the tours by encouraging residents to notify the transit system if they decorate their house. Tours will be taken by the decorated houses and/or business, and a contest will be held to determine the best decorated house/business in Lodi with a prize will be awarded to that house/business. Staff is working with the Lodi News Sentinel to inquire about placing the winner in the Christmas Light Decoration edition. In addition, passengers may drop their ticket into a box on the bus to be entered into a drawing. One passenger will win a prize. It is anticipated the light tours will become an annual tradition in Lodi. Total Reduction and Potential Cost Savings: By operating full vehicles at $2.00 per person, we should be able to cover our cost completely and hopefully incur additional income. In addition, this helps with meeting our passengers per hour goal. The Holiday Light Tours would add about 100 hours of service. Recommended Enhancement #2 Fixed Route: Winery .Route Proposal: Study the addition of a Weekend Fixed Route G with service to the local wineries in the greater Lodi area. This service could operate with 2 vehicles on 60 -minute headways and initially would operate two (2) weekends a month. Staff will formulate a more specific plan for future Council approval. Reasoning: In the past couple of years, the Transit division has received increasing requests to provide service for tour groups and individuals looking to go the wineries without having to utilize a personal car. In addition, tour groups are being encouraged to utilize the train to reach Lodi and ibis offers them a way to gel around Lodi and out to the wineries. Staff is working with the Lodi/Woodbridge Winegrape Commission to determine which wineries are interested in participating. Once a list of wineries is obtained, two routes will be developed which will service those wineries in the most efficient route to meet the time constraint. Staff is hoping to get this service going for two trial weekends to coincide with the Winter Wine Wander in December. Staff will be working with the Commission and the Wine and Visitors Center to advertise the event and coordinate its schedule. Total Reduction and Potential Cost Savings: Staff anticipates this service will require 528 hours of service per year. The cost of operation will be deterrnined once the full system is developed. Staff will work with the local wineries to encourage sponsorship of the routes as well. Recommended Enhancement #3 Authorize the City Manager to Approve Promotional Events and Fares Proposal: That the City Council authorize the City Manager to approve promotional events to encourage ridership of the City's transit system. Promotional events could include (but not be limited to): Try Transit Week, Rider Appreciation Day, Annual Transit Open House, as well as incentives to encourage Fixed Route ridership (free passes, time periods with discounted rates, etc). Reasoning: As part of the outreach efforts for Transit systems to entice first-time passengers and encourage existing Dial -A -Ride passengers to switch to the Fixed Route, promotional campaigns and giveaways have proven effective in attracting potential riders on other systems. An example promotion would be offering a pass for a free month to Dial -A -Ride passengers willing to ride the Fixed Route instead. Staff intends to return to Council for any promotion which, on an annuahzed basis, would exceed the City Manager's expense authority. Total Reduction and Potential Cost Savings: if successful, these promotions could increase the passenger Farebox Recovery Ratio and any shift to Fixed Route from Dial -A -Ride will help reduce the cost of providing service.