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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2016 0203 CCSA REG ITEM 09AITEM 9.A. CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of ~ -?J.,.201v MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL ti'.:~i:~~ AGENDA REPORT t,'VC7Z; ~ TO: FROM: DATE: BY: '12>. Honorable City Council 1 I Ron Coons, Interim Public Works Director U ~ Prepared by: Shaun Kroes, Program Manag~ January 22, 2016 (CC meeting of 02/03/16) SUBJECT: Consider Providing Comments on Possible Unmet Transit Needs to the Ventura County Transportation Commission and Receive Report on Unmet Transit Needs Findings and Goals SUMMARY On April 18, 2002, the City Council directed staff to prepare an annual report on the City's transit performance regarding the findings and goals that the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) adopts each year at the conclusion of the Unmet Transit Needs process. Attachment "A" serves as this year's annual report on the City's performance. The City Council is being asked to review the annual report, provide comments, and direct staff to forward the comments to VCTC prior to 5:00 p.m. on February 19, 2016. BACKGROUND On December 6, 2013, VCTC approved new Unmet Transit Needs definitions and adjusted its public participation input program. This revision was in response to VCTC's Regional Transit Study as well as the impacts of SB 716 and SB 203 (both of which became effective July 1, 2014). The revised definitions and public participation input program are detailed in Attachment "B" of this report. California Public Utilities Code (PUC) 99401.5(c) requires that VCTC hold at least one public hearing pursuant to PUC Section 99238.5 to solicit comments on Unmet Transit Needs that may exist within the jurisdictions and that may be reasonable to meet by establishing or contracting for new public transportation, or specialized transportation, or by expanding existing services. All Unmet Transit Needs that are reasonable to meet must be funded before any allocatio!1 is made from TOA funds to the cities/county for streets and S \Public Works\Everyone\Reports\Staff Reports\201612_February\02-03-2016 (Unmet Transit Needs).doc 1 Honorable City Council February 3, 2016 Page2 roads pursuant to PUC 99401.5(e). Effective July 1, 2014, the remaining cities that this is applicable to are Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark and Santa Paula (all cities with a population under 100,000 and not a member of the Gold Coast Transit District). Although there are now a limited number of cities that are affected by PUC 99401.5(e), VCTC must perform a countywide Unmet Transit Needs process. VCTC may identify an Unmet Transit Need in a service area not affected by PUC 99401.5(e) (such as Gold Coast Transit or the City of Thousand Oaks); however, it has no ability to require that Unmet Transit Need be implemented because the agency is already committing 100% of its TOA funding for existing transit services). DISCUSSION On February 8, 2016, VCTC will hold its annual public hearing on Unmet Transit Needs at Camarillo City Hall. VCTC also scheduled three additional sessions, including one on January 25, 2016 attheCity of Moorpark Community Center, for members of the public to participate in the Unmet Transit Needs process. The public may also fax, email, telephone, or mail comments to VCTC by 5:00 pm, February 19, 2016. The information on how to submit comments is on the attached flyer, Attachment "C". Staff advertised the comment period in the City transit. buses and on the City website. The public was encouraged to submit their comments to VCTC. Additionally, information about the City Council's consideration of Unmet Transit Needs at its February 3, 2016 meeting was also distributed. According to the PUC, VCTC must decide, by adopting a resolution, either that: 1. There are no unmet transit needs; 2. There are no unmet transit needs that are reasonable to meet; or, 3. There are unmet transit needs, including needs that are reasonable to meet. The resolution must include information that provides the basis for VCTC's decision. A number of the public comments received over the years do not fall into the category of Unmet Transit Needs. However, VCTC recognizes that some of them may be attainable with operational changes. VCTC adopts some of these comments as goals. These goals, where applicable, are included in the City's Report of Performance and are differentiated from the Unmet Needs Findings. FISCAL IMPACT None. 2 Honorable City Council February 3, 2016 Page 3 STAFF RECOMMENDATION Provide comments and direct staff to forward them to VCTC, prior to the end of the public comment period. Attachment A -Report of Performance Attachment B -Unmet Needs Definition Attachment C -Unmet Transit Needs Flyer Attachment D -VCTC FY 2015/16 Unmet Transit Needs 3 Report of Performance 2015/16 Unmet Transit Needs Moorpark City Transit Attachment A Attachment "D" identifies all Unmet Transit Needs Findings adopted by VCTC including the Commission's approved goals for FY 2015/16. The findings and goals applicable to Moorpark City Transit and the City's efforts to meet the findings and goals are listed below. Findings adopted by VCTC June 5, 2015. 1. Continue all existing bus services substantially as they exist. • Moorpark City Transit continued its second year of a three-year transit demonstration service, expanding fixed route bus service from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday to 5:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday. Saturday service continued to operate from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. • During the "standard" hours of service (6:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday) FY 2014/15 ridership increased 3.23% to 65,272 (from 63,227 in FY 2013/14). The City's VCTC audited farebox ratio (including Moorpark City Transit, Beach Bus, and Dial-A-Ride services) was calculated at 31.41% for FY 2014/15 (including expanded hours of service). The high farebox ratio is attributed to the City's use of local funds (Traffic Systems Management Fund 2001) for funding of the City's CNG buses and CNG fuel). The City's self-calculated farebox ratio (not including expanded hours) was 17.17% for the City's fixed-route service, which would not meet the target farebox ratio of 20.00% for the year. • For the City's demonstration service, the City provided 5,898 trips in FY 2014/15, averaging 2 passengers per hour, compared to 12 passengers per hour during the standard service hours. FY 2014/15 demonstration ridership increased 17.91% compared to FY 2013/14 ridership of 5,002 trips. The City's self-calculated farebox ratio for the demonstration service was 3.48% in FY 2014/15. The general farebox ratio goal for the second year of a transit demonstration service is 10.00% or more. 2. Continue and improve all public senior and disabled services in all jurisdictions in the County substantially as they exist. • Moorpark City Transit continued its second year of a three-year transit demonstration service, expanding the Senior Dial-A-Ride and ADA Paratransit Intra-City (travel within Moorpark) hours from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday to 5:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday. Weekend service (Saturday and Sunday) also continued service of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Inter-City ADA Paratransit service also continued to S:\Public Works\Everyone\Reports\Staff Reports\2016\2_February\Attachment A -Report of Performance 2016.doc 4 Page 2 include travel to and from Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Oak Park on Saturday and Sunday. Weekday Inter-City service continued to provide service between Moorpark and the Cities of Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Westlake Village, and County Unincorporated area of Oak Park 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. • During FY 2014/15, the Moorpark senior and disabled (ADA) Dial-A-Ride demonstration services provided 387 trips, an increase of 93.50% compared to FY 2013/14. The City's self-calculated farebox ratio for the demonstration service was 13.87%. The minimum farebox ratio for Dial- A-Ride service is 10.00%. • During standard service hours (6:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday) the Dial-A-Ride services provided 5,033 trips. This is a 34.07% increase compared to 3,754 trips in FY 2013/14. The City's self- calculated farebox ratio for the standard service was 14.22%. • Senior and disabled travel on Moorpark City Transit buses increased 21.36% in FY 2014/15 (from 5,954 trips to 7,226 trips) during the standard hours of service. This is approximately 11.07% of all passengers on the buses during standard .hours. During the demonstration service hours, 560 passengers (or 9.49%) were seniors or disabled. 3. Continue the Ventura County interagency bus transfer program. • Moorpark Oity Transit continued to accept VCTC's free transfer bus passes from passengers transferring between VCTC lnterCity (formerly VISTA) and Moorpark City Transit and provided free transfer passes to passengers transferring from Moorpark City Transit to VCTC Intercity. VCTC provides the transfer pass stock to Moorpark City Transit at no cost to the City. 4. Monitor the Saturday and expanded hours of service in Moorpark. • Staff provides VCTC a quarterly report covering ridership and cost information for the demonstration service. 5. Work with all the public transit providers in Ventura County to replace the GoVentura Smartcard. • Staff co.ntinues to work with VCTC to establish a replacement program for the GoVentura Smartcard, which ended June 30, 2015. 5 Page 3 After adopting the recommendations listed on the previous page and on Attachment D and based on the analysis of the written and verbal testimony provided to the Commission, the finding was that there were no Unmet Transit Needs that were reasonable to meet. In addition to the Unmet Transit Needs Findings, VCTC also adopted transit goals. The following is the list of adopted goals that relate to Moorpark's transit programs with explanation of how Moorpark's goals are being pursued. Attachment D provides the full list of goals. 1. Continue to pursue and identify funding to allow local agencies to install more bus benches and shelters, and transit information, where warranted and. feasible. Standards to determine when and where a bus shelter or bus bench is warranted should be adopted and used to implement future placement. • There are eighteen City bus shelters and twelve private bus shelters along the bus routes. There are two more City bus shelters installed at the Metrolink Train Station. There are currently funds available to fund rehabilitation and installation of solar powered lighting at existing bus shelters. 2. Continue to improve schedule coordination and transfer connections between different bus systems where operationally feasible. • VCTC's lnterCity East County connects with Moorpark City Transit at Moorpark College, Princeton Avenue, and the Metrolink Train Station. The City's transit demonstration program implemented August 10, 2013, enables Moorpark City Transit passengers to have access to more VCTC lnterCity service than when the City operated 6:00 am -6:00 pm Monday through Friday. 3. Continue to adjust fixed route transit services, stops and schedules throughout Ventura County as needed and operationally feasible. • The City is beginning to perform a transit evaluation study with the intention of establishing route and time adjustments effective in FY 2016/17. 4. Continue community outreach and marketing efforts to increase awareness of the availability of transit services for the general public, seniors and the disabled, to be coordinated by VCTC. • The City of Moorpark advertises its transit program in the Moorpark City Newsletter and Recreation Guide, which comes out quarterly. For $15' the Summer Youth Bus Pass provides unlimited ridership on Moorpark City Transit between June and the second Friday of September, giving Moorpark youth an opportunity to use the bus system for fun, which may increase their likelihood to continue using Moorpark City Transit throughout the year. 6 Page4 5. Continue operation of NEXTBUS countywide and provide additional NEXTBUS signs at appropriate locations. • The NEXTBUS web pages are promoted on the Moorpark City buses, website, Ride Guide, and bus stops. 6. Ensure that bus stops and bus signage, vehicles, and operations are all in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. • All Moorpark City Transit bus stops have updated route maps and timetables on poles at bus stops to make them readable by a person sitting in a wheelchair. Bus stops are ADA compliant. 7. Encourage cities and transit providers, and not for profits social service agencies to implement elements of the VCTC Countywide Human Services Transportation and Transit Services Coordination Study. • Staff participated in the Coordination Study in 2006 and 2007. Some recommendations, such as core weekday operating hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm are already met by Moorpark City Transit. Other recommendations, such as establishing Sunday services, were implemented in FY 2013/14 under the City's transit demonstration project. The recommendation to change the :definition of-"Senior" to passengers aged 65 or older was implemented by the City in August 2015. 8. Support cost-effective actions to increase bike capacity on the transit system. • Moorpark City Transit buses currently have carrying capacity for two bicycles per bus. At this time, staff is not aware of user demand exceeding this capacity limitation. 9. Encourage transit trips over auto usage during this time of heightened public awareness of the cost of fuel. • This goal was recommended by the Moorpark City Council. Although gas prices are still high, they have fallen since this original goal was established. As detailed earlier, Moorpark City Transit saw an increase in ridership during FY 2014/15 compared to FY 2013/14. 10. Seek financial support from the cities to provide subsidized fares for low income passengers transferring between local transit systems and VISTA. • The Moorpark City Council suggested to VCTC that there should be an agreement between the VCTC lnterCity bus service and transit agencies in Ventura County to provide either free or discounted transfers for low income passengers transferring between transit agencies. On January 17, 2011, a free transfer pilot program between VCTC lnterCity bus services and local transit agencies in Ventura County began. The service enables a VCTC lnterCity passenger to receive one free transfer between two VCTC lnterCity bus routes. The program also enables passengers to receive one free transfer between VCTC Intercity and a local transit agency (such as Moorpark City Transit). The pilot program lasted for nine 7 Page 5 months and was extended by the City Council on October 10, 2011 as a permanent program. 11. VCTC and the ADA providers in the county continue to improve transfers and transfer locations for inter-agency ADA trips (Dial-A-Ride service). • On December 9, 2013, Moorpark City Transit's ADA Inter-City service began providing direct service into and out of Simi Valley for Moorpark ADA card holders. 12. VCTC integrate evening meetings in different parts of the county as part of future Unmet Transit Needs process. • Moorpark continues to host a listening session in the evening during VCTC's Unmet Transit Needs process. This year, the City hosted an event at the Moorpark Community Center on January 25, 2016 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. 8 ATIACHMENTB "UNMET TRANSIT NEED" Public transportation services identified by the public with sufficient broad-based community support that have not been funded or implemented. Unmet transit needs identified in a government-approved plan meet the definition of an unmet transit need. Sufficient broad-based community support means that persons who will likely use the service on a routine basis demonstrate support: at least 15 requests for general public service and 10 requests for disabled service. Includes: • Public transit services not currently provided to reach employment, medical assistance, shop for food or clothing, to obtain social services such as health care, county welfare programs and education programs. Service must be needed by and benefit the general public. • Service expansions including new routes, significant modifications to existing routes, and major increases in service hours and frequency Excludes: • Operational changes such as minor route changes, bus stop changes, or changes in schedule • Requests for extended hour (less than one (1) hour • Service for groups or individuals that is not needed by or will not benefit the general public • Comments about vehicles, facilitjes, driver performance and transit organizational structure • Requests for better coordination • Requests for reduced fares and changes to fare restrictions • Improvements funded or scheduled for implementation in the following year • Future transportation needs · • Duplication or replacement of existing service "REASONABLE TO MEET" Outcome Definitions Measures & Criterias The proposed service will not cause reductions in existing Measures: Vehicle revenue service hours Equity transit services that have an equal or higher priority and revenue service miles. Criteria: Transit vehicle service hours and miles will not be reduced on existing routes to fund the proposed service Criteria: Same as definition that proposed Timing The proposed service is in response to an existing rather service is in response to an existing rather than future transit need than future transit need; based on public input Measure: Vehicle spare ratio: Transit system must be able to maintain FTA's Feasibility The proposed service can be provided with the existing spare ratio requirement of 20% (buses in fleet or under contract to a private provider peak service divided by the total bus fleet cannot fall below 20%). If less than 20%, can additional buses be obtained (purchased or 9 Outcome Definitions Measures & Criterias leased) or can service be provided under -contract to a private provider? Measure & Criteria: Route inspection to Feasibility There are adequate roadways to safely accommodate determine adequacy of infrastructure to transit vehicles accommodate transit vehicles and passengers. Measure: Total estimate annual passenger The proposed service will not unduly affect the operator's fare revenue divided by total annual Cost Effectiveness ability to maintain the required passenger fare ratio for its operating cost (the entire service including system as a whole the proposed service) Criteria: fare revenue/operating cost cannot fall below the operator's required passenger fare ratio. The proposed service will meet the scheduled passenger Cost Effectiveness fare ratio standards described in Attachment A Measures and criteria in Attachment A. Measure: Passengers per hour. Criteria: Projected passengers per hour for the SeTVice Estimated passengers per hour for the proposed service proposed service is not less than 70% of the Effectiveness will not be less than the system-wide average after three system-wide average (without the proposed years. service) at the end of 12 month of service, 85% at the end of 24 months of service, and 100% at the end of 36 months of service. PASSENGER FARE RATIOS It is desirable for all proposed transit services in urban areas to achieve a 20% passenger fare ratio by the end of the third year of operation. A passenger fare ratio of 10% is desired for special services (i.e., elderly and disabled) and rural area services*. More detailed passenger fare ration standards, which will be used to evaluate services as they are proposed and implemented, are described below. Transit service both urban and rural areas, per state law, may obtain an "intermediate" passenger fare ratio. Urban Service Rural Recommended Action Service New Service Performance Criteria: End of Twelve Months Less than 6% Less than 3% Provider may discontinue service 6% or more 3% or more Provider will continue service, with modifications if needed 10 New Service Performance Criteria: End of Twenty-four Months Less than 10% Less than 5% Provider may discontinue service 10% or more 5% or more Provider will continue service, with modifications if needed New Service Performance Criteria: End of Thirty-Six Months** Less than 15% Less than 7% Provider may discontinue service 15% to 19% 7%to9% Provider may consider modifying and continue service 20% or more 10% or more Provider will continue service, with modifications if needed *Per statute the VCTC may establish a lower fare for community transit (dial-a-ride) services. **A review will take place after 30 months to develop a preliminary determination regarding the discontinuation of proposed services 11 What does Ventura County need to keep traffic flowing, people moving, and the economy growing? What do you need to better navigate our region? The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) wants your input on whether the existing transit system is meeting your needs. Come share your thoughts at a Transportation Needs Interactive Forum. From relieving freeway bottlenecks and repairing potholes to expanding transit service and improving bike paths, we want to hear your ideas. Your inpu't will help Ventura County's transportation providers understand where you need to go and how to help get you there. YOUR THOUGHTS VOICE Can't make a session? Contact us: ! 800-438-1112 l!I etalbo@ goventura.org ~ GoVentura.org 1~1 @ Go_ VCTC @Go Ventura • @Go Ventura "OUR LANDS AND WATER Attachment D Also, the VCTC Transit Operators Advisory Committee (TRANSCOM) reviewed the draft report on April 9, 2015. TRANSCOM comments were to accept the staff recommendations, with the recommendation that the comments also note that for many of the comments, there were complements included regarding the various services, however, the finding only reflect the areas of concern and desires for changed or new services. RECOMMENDED FINDINGS: 1. Continue all existing bus services substantially as they exist. 2. Continue and improve all public senior and disabled services in all jurisdictions in the County substantially as they exist. Work to implement the recommendations of the VCTC Countywide Human Services Transportation and Transit Services Coordination Study. 3. Monitor the service demonstrations on the VCTC 126 (expanded hours and extension to Piru), the Gold Coast Transit District Route 22 (Wells Center-Nyeland Acres) to determine if a transit need which is reasonable to meet exists. 4. Continue the Ventura County interagency bus transfer program. 5. Monitor implementation of the Heritage Valley "Valley Express" transit service. 6. Monitor the Saturday and expanded hours of service (including the Metrolink shuttle) in Thousand Oaks, and summertime beach shuttle bus service. 7. Monitor the Saturday and expanded hours of service in Moorpark. 8. Monitor the Sunday and expanded hours of service in Camarillo. 9. Monitor Ojai trolley bus summertime Saturday service to Lake Casitas. 10. Monitor Camarillo CSUCl/Old Town Trolley 11. Work with the all the public transit providers in Ventura County to replace the GoVentura Smartcard. After adopting the recommendations listed above, and based on the analysis of the written and verbal testimony provided to the Commission: 1. Find by VCTC Resolution #2015-12 that there are no Unmet Transit Needs that are reasonable to meet. In addition to the above findings, VCTC will continue efforts to meet the following goals from prior hearings: A. Continue to pursue and identify funding to allow local agencies to install more bus benches and shelters, and transit information signs, where warranted and feasible. Standards to determine when and where a bus shelter or bus bench is warranted should be adopted and used to implement future placement. B. Continue to improve schedule coordination and transfer connections between different bus systems where operationally feasible. C. Continue to adjust fixed route transit services, stops and schedules throughout Ventura County as needed and operationally feasible. D. Continue community outreach and marketing efforts to increase awareness of the availability of transit services for the general public, seniors, and disabled, to be coordinated by VCTC. E. Continue operation of NEXTBUS countywide and provide additional NEXTBUS signs at appropriate locations. F. Continue to ensure that bus stops and bus signage, vehicles, and operations are all in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. G. Continue to assist social service agencies in obtaining grant funding for equipment and rolling stock, utilizing Federal Section 5310 and any other funds available for those purposes. H. Encourage cities, transit providers, and social service agencies to implement elements of the VCTC Countywide Human Services Transportation and Transit Services Coordination Study. 14 I. Continue discussions and possible studies cooperatively with the City of Santa Clarita to determine the potential demand and feasibility for jointly funding transit services connecting Fillmore with Santa Clarita. J. complete a countywide transit study to identify short range and long range transit needs. K. Continue to encourage AMTRAK, LOSSAN, and Caltrans Division of Rail to adjust the schedule times of the Surfliner to better serve commuters traveling between Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. L. Formally comment during the CEQA process regarding the potential difficulties and costs of providing transit services to low income housing and other public facilities with high transit dependent use which are not sited at locations served or easily served by public transit. M. Support cost-effective actions to increase bike capacity on the transit system. N. Encourage transit trips over auto usage during this time of heightened public awareness of the cost of fuel. 0. Seek financial support from the cities/County to provide subsidized fares for low income passengers who are transferring between local transit systems and VISTA. P. Work with LOSSAN, Caltrans, Amtrak, and Metrolink to improve rail safety and maintain or increase speeds on the rail services. Q. Encourage VCTC and the ADA providers in the county continue to improve transfers and transfer locations for inter-agency ADA trips. R Continue to integrate evening meetings in different parts of the county as part of future Unmet Transit Needs process. After adopting the recommendations listed above, and based on the analysis of the written and verbal testimony provided to the Commission: Find by VCTC Resolution #2015-12 that there are no Unmet Transit Needs, including needs that are reasonable to meet. Analysis of Testimony Received: All comments received in the 2015 VCTC Unmet Needs Process were reviewed to determine if they meet the definition of an Unmet Transit Need. Those comments that are determined to be either new services which did not meet the minimum criteria as an Unmet Transit Need, or are operational, are being forwarded to the appropriate transit agency for consideration as part of their future planning and scheduling activities. Following the Commission action, contact will be made to the commenter regarding the recommended action. Those comments which meet the criteria as an Unmet Transit Need will be evaluated against the seven adopted "Reasonable to Meet" criteria. Those projects which meet all the criteria will be recommend as Unmet Transit Needs which are Reasonable to Meet. In the case of the cities of Moorpark, Camarillo, Fillmore, and Santa Paula, if a comment is found to be an Unmet Transit Needs which is Reasonable to Meet, the VCTC will withhold any TOA street and road funds until the agency demonstrates it will meet the transit service need. In all other parts of the County, the finding will be conveyed to the appropriate agency for their consideration. Finally, for those comments which are found to be not reasonable to meet due to one or more of the "Reasonable to Meet" criteria will also be conveyed to the appropriate agency for their consideration. There were no comments received by the VCTC which met the definition of an Unmet Transit Need. A matrix of comments is attached which summarized the comments received, and includes recommendations. The matrix of comments does not include the numerous comments which commended the services and the drivers, but focused on the areas of concern. 15