HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2000 0802 CC REG ITEM 10DITEM / 0. 2)%
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City of Moorpark
AGENDA AGENDA REPORT
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: John Brand, Senior Management AnalystQ
DATE: July 19, 2000 (Meeting of August 2, 2000)
SUBJECT: Consider City Fixed Route Bus Service Expansion, Adopt
Farebox Goals for a Three Year Demonstration Period,
Award of Contract to Parking Corporation of America,
and Authorize Procurement of Two New Buses.
SUMMARY
Federal law requires that all transit operators who receive
federal funding to periodically get competitive proposals or bids
for their operations contracts. Staff produced a Request For
Proposals (RFP) for the operation of a fixed route, maintenance
of the fleet consisting of two City -owned buses (one route bus
and one backup), and including the provision of providing an
additional backup bus to provide the service. The RFP asked
respondents to include scenarios for alternative levels of
service including extending weekday hours and running two buses
at once.
After review of the proposals received, staff took several
recommendations to the City Transportation and Streets Committee
(Councilmembers Harper and Rogers). Those recommendations were to
consider extending the daily hours of operation, start two -way
service (a second bus driving a reverse route) to provide half -
hour headways, authorize the award of a contract with the lowest
qualified bidder, PCA the Parking Corporation of America, and to
procure two new buses using a federal grant and Air Quality
funds. If approved, the new service could begin September 5,
2000. The Transportation and Streets Committee met on July 12,
and they concurred with the recommendations in this report.
000261
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
CC Meeting of August 2, 2000
Page 2
BACKGROUND
The City began financing bus service in January, 1989 with TDA
(Transportation Development Act) Article 8c Funds and has
continued that arrangement in subsequent years. Moorpark City
Transit operates a single fixed route. It consists of a one -way
loop of approximately sixteen miles, with thirty -nine stops. The
service is currently operated by contract with Coach USA /Antelope
Valley Bus Company who provides drivers and maintenance services.
The City owns two buses, one which serves as the back -up bus,
that the contractor operates and maintains.
The bus runs Monday through Friday from 7:15 a . m . to 4:45 p . m .
No service is provided on the weekends or on official holidays
observed by the City. The bus makes a loop through the City once
every hour. This is known as a "one -hour headway." The bus
completes eight (8) trips each day of operation. The Moorpark
City bus connects to Amtrak and Metrolink rail services. It also
connects with VISTA -East, the regional express service that links
Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks. VISTA -East connects to
other VISTA routes in Ventura County.
The Request For Proposals documents were sent out to possible
bidders (copy of the RFP was submitted to the Council under
separate cover). The possible bidders were known transit
operators; firms that had requested notification if the City were
to go out to bid for transit services, and firms that had
recently bid on other transit contracts in the area. The RFP was
also advertised in the newspaper of record. The City held a pre -
proposal meeting. Three potential bidders sent representatives to
the meeting and a fourth conveyed some questions by telephone.
All questions were answered in writing and distributed to the
full list of possible bidders.
Bidders were asked to provide detailed information on their
qualifications and ability to perform the work requested. Bidders
were also asked to provide cost proposals for the existing bus
service and three alternative levels of for expanded service.
Proposers were also asked to take their four cost levels existing
service plus three alternatives) and project them out for three
years. The standard term for transit contracts is three years,
with two one -year options at the sole discretion of the City. The
four service levels were:
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City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
CC Meeting of August 2, 2000
Page 3
Existing service: One bus, 9.5 hours /day (equivalent to
8.5 hour trips) .
Alternative 1: More hours - One bus, 11.5 hours /day
Alternative 2: Two -way service - two buses, each bus
9.5 hours /day.
Alternative 3: Alt. 1 + Alt. 2 - Two buses, each bus
11.5 hours /day.
Proposals were reviewed in the following areas:
1) Familiarity with local service areas and transit needs.
2) Experience in providing similar transit services.
3) Demonstrated competence to perform, including the
ability to meet the service schedules and perform
throughout the contract period.
4) Assigned personnel qualifications and availability.
5) Responsiveness to RFP.
6) Evidence of full understanding of the work to be
performed.
7) References.
8) Cost.
DISCUSSION
As stated above, three proposals were received. The Proposers
are: Coach USA, the incumbent firm; R &D Transportation; and PCA-
Parking Corporation of America. An overview of the proposal's
costs is provided in Attachment "A." The following is a summary
of the proposals.
Coach USA / Antelope Valley Bus has operated the bus service since
its inception in 1989. Coach USA is a national transit firm that
acquired Antelope Valley Bus about a year ago. While primarily a
charter service, the firm also operates the VISTA -East commuter
bus, VISTA -101, VISTA- CSUCI, VISTA -126, and the VISTA Commuter
Connection. The VISTA routes are administered by VCTC for the
various participating agencies in Ventura County. The firm has a
maintenance facility on Lambert Street in Oxnard. Travel distance
to Moorpark is about thirty minutes. Amtrak is another customer
of Coach USA. As the long -term operator of the Moorpark City bus,
this firm is most familiar with the system and the community.
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation 000263
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
CC Meeting of August 2, 2000
Page 4
Coach USA has a staff driver that has operated the bus for about
six months and is well known to the riders. The mechanics are
familiar with the fleet of two vehicles that the City owns, in
that they have been maintaining them since they were purchased.
R &D Transportation was founded in 1991 as a local transportation
management firm providing computerized routing and scheduling for
developmentally disabled (ADA) clients. They expanded into
general transportation operations in 1997. R &D provides dial -a-
ride services, flex -route and fixed route transit services,
parking lot shuttle services, Metrolink connection services,
pupil transportation services and charter service. Current
customers include Smart Shuttles in Northridge, Warner Center
CSUN, and local transit systems for Alhambra, Lawndale and
Monrovia. They propose to house the city buses at their existing
facility on Eddy Street in Northridge. Travel time to Moorpark is
estimated to be thirty minutes. The firm has provided its
developmentally disabled transit services in the Ventura County
and is familiar with the region.
PCA- Parking Corporation of America evolved into a transit
operator from its management of airport parking lots. They manage
eleven parking and shuttle operations at nine airports across the
nation. The firm's experiences in parking dates back to the
1960's and began operating transit systems within the past ten
years. Currently they operate the City of Monterey Park's fixed
route bus system, and three fixed route and demand response
shuttles for the Southeast Community Development Corporation,
SCDC, (cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, City of Commerce, Cudahy,
Huntington Park, Maywood, South Gate, Vernon and unincorporated
areas.) They also provide shuttles for major employers such as
Federal Express (Oakland), Chevron (Concord), and CSU Los
Angeles. The firm is based in Commerce, and proposes to
establish a local office to house the vehicles. The vehicles
would be serviced in Moorpark at the industrial Service Center,
619 Fitch Avenue, unit 5. The vehicles may be housed there
temporarily, until a permanent location is found in Moorpark.
PROPOSAL EVALUATION
Each of the firms has the basic qualifications to operate a fixed
route system. The following is a summary of the differences in
the proposals.
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation 000264
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
CC Meeting of August 2, 2000
Page 5
• PCA would base vehicles in Moorpark, while the other firms
proposed to base vehicles about thirty minutes away.
• Coach USA has ten years experience with the Moorpark City
Transit route.
• Coach USA has other transit operations in Moorpark,
Ventura County, and the San Fernando Valley (VISTA.)
• R &D has other transit operations near Moorpark, Ventura
County, and the San Fernando Valley.
• PCA does not have any other transit operations in the
immediate area. Their closest operation is in Alhambra.
• Coach USA has the lowest rate for the existing service.
PCA has the highest.
• R &D has the lowest rate for Alternative 1.
Coach USA has the highest.
• PCA has the lowest rate for Alternative 2.
Coach USA has the highest.
• PCA has the lowest rate for Alternative 3.
Coach USA has the highest.
TRANSIT OPERATIONS
This past year, there has been some preliminary discussion by the
Council regarding the feasibility of expanding and /or enhancing
the City's bus service. The expansion most requested by residents
is to extend the operating hours so that the bus begins early
enough for people to get to work or school, and that the bus
remain in service later in the day. The enhancement most
requested is to decrease the " headways," the time between buses.
To address the need to decrease headways, it is recommended that
the City add a second bus to the route. If the City Council
approves the addition of a second bus, it is envisioned that the
buses would run in opposite directions. The existing route runs
counter clockwise through the City and would be designated route
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation 000265
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
CC Meeting of August 2, 2000
Page 6
"A." The second bus would run clockwise and be designated route
"B." They would generally follow the same route, except where
improvements can be made by making minor changes in the reverse
or "B" route. The two routes, "A" and "B," may meet at the
Community Center, the starting point, or they may be offset
thirty minutes. The run times of the two buses would be
coordinated to maximize the convenience to the public. The start
and stop time for schools, the college, employment centers, and
the transit connections to the VISTA regional bus and Metrolink
have all been collected and entered into a spreadsheet so staff
can optimize the routes.
To address the need for expanded service hours, it is recommended
that the City increase the number of hours the City's bus
operates from the existing 9.5 hours (8.5 actual driving hours)
to 11.5 hours per day. The additionally hours would be added onto
the beginning and end of the day.
State TDA regulations require that transit systems achieve 20% of
their operating expenses from the farebox. That is, the system
needs to generate 20% of its operating cost from the fares paid
by the riders of the system. The remaining 80% is eligible for
TDA funding. This formula is known as the "farebox ratio."
Certain transit expenses, such as capital purchases and planning
activities, are excluded from the farebox ration calculation. New
services, established as a demonstration project to test their
feasibility, can have three years to achieve the farebox ratio.
Staff suggests that the Council approve Alternative 3 as a trial
"demonstration" project. To ensure that the City's bus service
remains cost effective, it is also suggested that the Council
adopt farebox goals for each of the years of the demonstration
period. Ridership does not usually increase in direct proportion
to increased service; it will take time for ridership to grow
enough to offset the increased cost.
The farebox ratio for FY 1999 -2000, at the current level of
service, is projected to be approximately 20 %. Where the current
farebox ratio is 20 %, the recommended first year goal for the
City service is 12 %. The recommended second year goal is 16 %, and
the recommended third year goal is to re- attain the current
farebox ratio of 20 %.
The City received about $800,000 annually in recent years in TDA
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation 000266
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
CC Meeting of August 2, 2000
Page 7
funds. Typically the City has allocated about $90,000 for bus
operations, about $80,000 for other transit activity (VISTA,
Metrolink, paratransit and staff). The remaining, $630,000 is
used for streets and roads.
Increasing the amount expended on bus service will necessitate a
reduction in TDA funding elsewhere. The recommended service level
(alternative 3) would increase the cost of bus service by about
$70,000 per year. The City Council could consider a reduction in
other transit expenses to offset this cost. For example, about
$25,000 could be saved by eliminating the security guard at the
Metrolink station or a lesser amount if hours were simply
reduced. The amount of funding available for streets and roads
will be reduced proportionately to an increase in transit
spending.
BUS PURCHASE
To better accommodate the two -bus system, it is recommended that
the City acquire two new buses, and use the existing buses as
back up vehicles. The city currently owns two buses, a 1998
Bluebird Trans Star and a 1995 GMC Champion.
Staff has confirmed that it is possible to acquire 80% federal
funding for two buses from the Federal Transit Administration.
This is known as FTA §5307 funding. The cities of Moorpark and
Simi Valley are in a FTA urbanized area that is eligible for a
certain allotment of federal transit funds each year. This is the
same source of funding that the City has used for previous bus
purchases. The 20% local match could be met with City Air Quality
funds, City TDA funds, or the General Fund. Staff believes that
using the City's Air Quality funds is the preferred source of the
local matching funds. Both diesel and alternative fuel buses
would be considered during the procurement process. Medium size
buses (18 -25 passengers) may cost as much as $125,000 each. It is
requested that Council authorize staff to seek grant funding to
purchase the buses and to initiate the RFP process.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff and the Transportation and Streets Committee recommend that
the City Council:
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation 0 0 0 0411;': G I
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
CC Meeting of August 2, 2000
Page 8
1) Approve expanding the City's bus service by adding a
second bus for two -way service and increasing the hours
of operation;
2) Adopt the farebox goals for the three -year
demonstration period of the new service as identified
in the Agenda Report;
3) Award a contract to the Parking Corporation of America
for the operation and maintenance of the City fixed
route bus, at the not to exceed amount of $160,885 for
the first year, and as proposed in subsequent years,
and authorize the Mayor to execute the Agreement
subject to language changes by the City Manager and
City Attorney; and
4) Authorize staff to initiate the process to procure two
new buses (diesel or alternative fuel) with a federal
FTA §5307 grant, using City Air Quality funds as the
200 local match.
000268
City Transit Service and RFP Evaluation
Attachment A
Response to Request for Proposals
FIXED ROUTE - BUS
June 2000
First Year Cost
Second Year Cost
Third Year Cost
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Coach USA
87,875
109,250
204,250
253,000
90,488
112,556
209,475
259,613
93,219
115,863
214,938
266,225
Coach USA alt
87,875
109,250
175,750
218,500
90,488
112,556
180,975
225,113
93,219
115,863
186,738
231,725
Proposal
R & D
89,026
100,916
161,124
184,904
90,415
102,542
163,612
187,868
92,079
104,325
166,600
191,093
Transportation
Parking Corp.
96,070
108,306
136,468
160,885
98,873
111,608
140,980
166,463
101,935
115,173
145,873
172,270
of America
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