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Home My WebLink AboutAGENDA REPORT 2011 0914 CC SPC ITEM 10E ITEM 10.E. :-i,.!001 PARK,cA0i- C14,Council Meetinq !*ao ACTION: MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL,,. da AGENDA REPORT _ _C TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Dave Klotzle, City Engineer/Public Works Director Prepared by: Shaun Kroes, Senior Management Analyst DATE: September 1, 2011 (CC Special Meeting of 09/14/2011) SUBJECT: Consider Amendment No. 1 to an Agreement with the Ventura County Transportation Commission to Provide Free Bus Transfer Service Between Moorpark City Transit and VISTA SUMMARY On January 5, 2011, the City Council authorized the City Manager to sign an agreement with the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) for free bus transfers between Moorpark City Transit and the VISTA inter-city bus transit system in Ventura County. The current agreement expires on October 14, 2011. Staff is requesting that City Council authorize the City Manager to extend the agreement. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Beginning in January 2011, VCTC implemented a nine-month free transfer service between each respective VISTA bus route. Prior to the free transfer service, passengers paid the full fare for each route used. The service enables a VISTA passenger to receive one free transfer between two VISTA bus routes. For example, a passenger traveling on the VISTA East County route can receive a free transfer on the connecting VISTA Highway 101 route as long as the transfer takes place within 90 minutes from the time that the transfer slip (Attachment 1) is provided by the driver. The City of Moorpark agreed to participate in the program with VCTC. Since the Agreement's effective date of January 14, 2011, passengers from Moorpark City Transit have been able to receive a free transfer to the VISTA East County route and passengers from the VISTA East County route receive a free transfer onto Moorpark City Transit. During the first six months of the free transfer program (January S:\Public Works\Everyone\Reports\Staff Reports\2011\September\09-14-11 (VISTA Transfer System-Renewal).doc 114 Honorable City Council September 14, 2011 Page 2 through June 2011) approximately 264 passengers have transferred from Moorpark City Transit to the VISTA East County. Staff at VCTC does not have the ability to determine how many people transferred off of VISTA onto Simi Valley Transit or Thousand Oaks Transit, after originally starting their trip with Moorpark City Transit. During the same time period, approximately 86 passengers have transferred from the VISTA East County to Moorpark City Transit. Staff at VCTC reported that between January and July, there had been 1,418 transfers between the VISTA East County route and VISTA 101 route. This information does not separate out how many of the trips were from VISTA East County to VISTA 101 and from VISTA 101 to VISTA East County. Staff has reviewed Moorpark City Transit general ridership and fare trends in FY 2010/11 since inception of the free transfer program. Ridership increased 17.5% in the second half of FY 2010/11 compared to the first half. It should be noted that ridership increased 10.4% in the second half of FY 2009/10 compared to the first half of FY 2009/10, so the increase in ridership in FY 2010/11 may just be a general trend of ridership rather than a direct connection to the free transfer program. Ridership increased 1.46% in the second half of FY 2010/11 compared to the second half of FY 2009/10. Prior to the free transfer program, transfer statistics were not collected. The average revenue per passenger collected between FY 2009/10 and FY 2010/11 remains the same, at $0.86 per passenger. This suggests that although there is not definitive proof that the free transfer program is increasing ridership on Moorpark City Transit, it doesn't appear to be decreasing the amount of revenue that Moorpark City Transit generates. Staff at VCTC is reporting that the transfer program has been well received by passengers. They are reporting that there has been an increase in transfer use every month as well as an overall increase in ridership for VISTA. Staff at VCTC is reporting that during the period of the transit transfer program VISTA ridership has been steadily increasing. Ridership increased in January 2011 4.8% from January 2010, as well as 3.0% for February, 2.9% for March, 11.8% for April, 12.3% for May, and 21.4% for June. Based upon the response that the VISTA free transfer program has received, staff at VCTC is recommending continuing the program as standard practice. Although Moorpark City Transit does not have as high of an increase in ridership as VISTA does, staff believes that it would be appropriate to continue to participate in the free transfer program. The proposed Amendment (Attachment 2) would extend the current free transfer program between the City and VCTC until either of the agencies wanted to end its participation in the program. Staff at Thousand Oaks Transit and Simi Valley Transit are both reporting their intention to extend the free transfer program. FISCAL IMPACT Based upon current ridership statistics, the free transfer program does not appear to be adversely impacting transit fare revenue collected by Moorpark City Transit. 115 Honorable City Council September 14, 2011 Page 3 STAFF RECOMMENDATION Authorize the City Manager to sign Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement for free bus transfers, subject to final language approval of the City Manager and City Attorney. Attachments: 1. Sample Transfer Sheets 2. Sample Amendment No. 1 116 Terms and Conditions This fare media is to be used by the person to whom it was issued and is valid for transfer to any route of the receiving operator. Transfer must be used on day issued during the 90 minute time span and in only the same direction indicated. Transfers to VISTA'S Coastal Express and Conejo Connection services will require pament of an additional fee of$1.50 or S.75 for seniors/ADA/Medicare cardholders. The reproduction of this transfer or the use of a reproduction is illegal.Anyone reproducing a transfer or using a reproduced transfer shall be subject to criminal prosecution. Terminos y condiciones SPANISH 118 Terms and Conditions This fare media is to be used by the person to whom it was issued and is valid for transfer to any route of the receiving operator. Transfer must be used on day issued during the 90 minute time span and in only the same direction indicated. Transfers to VISTA's Coastal Express and Conejo Connection services will require pament of an additional fee of$1.50 or$.75 for seniors/ADA/Med ica re cardholders. The reproduction of this transfer or the use of a reproduction is illegal.Anyone reproducing a transfer or using a reproduced transfer shall be subject to criminal prosecution. Terminos y condiciones SPANISH 118 Attachment 2 AMENDMENT NO. 1 BUS TRANSFER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MOORPARK AND THE VENTURA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (VCTC) THIS AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT, made and entered into this day of , 2011, by and between the City of Moorpark, a municipal corporation located in the County of Ventura, State of California, hereinafter referred to as "City" and the Ventura County Transportation Commission, a county transportation commission, hereinafter referred to as "VCTC". WITNESSETH Whereas, on January 14, 2011, the City and VCTC entered into an Agreement to implement a demonstration of the utility and feasibility of transfers between the two transit systems for a period of nine months; and Whereas, after a six-month time-point, the success of the Agreement was to be evaluated and consideration was to be given to its continuation; and Whereas, both agencies have now completed their respective evaluations and both agree that continuation of the free transfer program is beneficial; and Whereas, both City and Contractor agree to the adjustments to the Agreement and now wish to document said Amendment by jointly approving this Amendment No. 1 to the January 14, 2011 Agreement by amending the Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, benefits and premises herein stated, the parties hereto agree to amend the aforesaid Agreement as follows: I. PURPOSE Section 1 of the Agreement is hereby amended to continue the free transfer program unless terminated as described in Section 6 of the Agreement. II. TERM Section 2 of the Agreement is hereby amended to extend the Agreement from the date of original expiration, October 14, 2011, until terminated as described in Section 6 of the Agreement. 119 III. Remaininq Provisions All other provisions of the aforesaid Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. CITY OF MOORPARK: VENTURA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION: Steven Kueny Darren Kettle City Manager Executive Director 799 Moorpark Avenue 950 S. County Square Drive Moorpark, CA 93021 Suite #209 Ventura, CA 93003 ATTEST: Maureen Benson Donna Cole City Clerk Clerk of the Board Amendment No. 1—Bus Transfer Agreement Page 2 120