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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2017 0201 CCSA REG ITEM 09B ITEM 9.B. CITY OFMOORPARK,CALIFORNIA City Council Mooting MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL ACTION; AGENDA REPORT I , TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Sean City ,Corri anEngineer/Public Works Director -A' A 9 Prepared by: Shaun Kroes, Program Manage DATE: January 20, 2017 (CC meeting of 02/01/17) 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 13, 2017. 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 allocation is made from TDA funds to the cities/county for streets and 2 Honorable City Council February 1, 2017 Page 2 roads pursuant to PUC 99401.5(e). Effective July 1, 2014, the remaining Ventura County 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 TDA funding for existing transit services). DISCUSSION On February 3, 2017, VCTC will hold its annual public hearing on Unmet Transit Needs at Camarillo City Hall, during its regular Commission meeting. Unlike previous years, VCTC did not hold separate"listening sessions" in January. VCTC had two workshops with social service agencies and transit providers in addition to three transit user forums in August and early September as part of VCTC's update to their Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. During the sessions, participants could provide input about current transit issues faced by seniors, disabled persons, and persons of low income. In February, VCTC staff will hold a workshop to collect guidance and focused feedback from the • Citizen's Transportation Advisory Committee/Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (CTAC/SSTAC). The public may also submit written comments through VCTC's online Unmet Transit Needs survey,through email, telephone, or mail comments to VCTC by February 13, 2017. 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 1, 2017 meeting was 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. Prior to VCTC's FY 2016/17 Transit Needs Assessment,VCTC would include an extensive list of transit goals that were not considered an Unmet Transit Need, based on comments submitted by the public. Goals that were applicable to Moorpark would be included in the City's Report of Performance. The VCTC report for FY 2016/17 no longer included a list of 3 Honorable City Council February 1, 2017 Page 3 goals. Consequently, the City's Report of Performance has been revised to provide a general report of transit services in Moorpark. The report also addresses any Moorpark- specific comment made during VCTC's Unmet Transit Needs process. FISCAL IMPACT None. 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 4 Attachment A Report of Performance 2016/17 Unmet Transit Needs Moorpark City Transit Findings adopted by VCTC May 13, 2016. There are no Unmet Transit Needs that are reasonable to meet, based on the following actions: 1. Continue all existing bus services substantially as they exist. • Moorpark City Transit completed its third 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. Specific to VCTC's FY 16-17 Transit Needs Assessment, transit demonstration services are not considered part of a transit agency's baseline service. As City Council is aware, the City's demonstration service ended August 10, 2016 due to lack of ridership. In FY 2015/16, the transit demonstration service provided 4,749 trips, a decrease of 19.48% compared to 5,898 trips provided in FY 2014/15. • During the "standard",hours of service (6:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday. through Friday) FY 2015/16 ridership decreased 5.41% to 61,742 (from 65,272 in FY 2014/15). The City's VCTC audited farebox ratio (including Moorpark City Transit, Beach Bus, and Dial-A-Ride services) was calculated at 20.91% for FY 2015/16. The City's self-calculated farebox ratio (not including expanded hours) was 14.58% for the City's fixed-route service, which would not meet the target farebox ratio of 20.00% for the year. 2. Continue and improve public transit in the region. Update and work to implement the recommendations of the VCTC Countywide Human Services Transportation and Transit Services Coordination Study. • This finding is primarily applicable to VCTC itself; however, the City did implement Inter-city Senior Dial-A-Ride services beginning August 1, 2015, as a member agency of the East County Transit Alliance (consisting of the Cities of Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, and the County of Ventura). Seniors age 65 and older can travel to Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Oak Park, Westlake Village, and surrounding county unincorporated areas for $5.00 per trip, Monday through Friday, 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Approximately 257 Moorpark seniors used the service in FY 2015/16. S:\Public Works\Everyone\Reports\Staff Reports\2017\02_February\Attachment A-Report of Performance 2017.doc 5 Page 2 • During FY 2015/16, the Moorpark senior and disabled (ADA) Dial-A-Ride demonstration services provided 265 trips, a decrease of 31.52% compared to FY 2014/15. • During standard service hours (6:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday) the Dial-A-Ride services (both Intra and Inter-city services) provided 5,115 trips. This is an increase of 1.63% compared to 5,033 trips in FY 2014/15. It is interesting to note that Intra-city services decreased 13.14%, which may be attributable to the City implementing free bus service for seniors and the disabled effective August 1, 2015. • Senior and disabled travel on Moorpark City Transit buses increased 26.45% in FY 2015/16 (from 7,226 trips to 9,137 trips) during the standard hours of service. This is approximately 14.80% of all passengers on the buses during standard hours. During the demonstration service hours, 583 passengers (or 12.28%) were seniors or disabled (of all passengers during demonstration service hours). 3. Continue to monitor the new and demonstration services throughout the County to determine if an unmet transit need which is reasonable to meet exists. • The FY 16/17 Transit Needs Assessment approved by VCTC recognized that Moorpark's demonstration service had an exceptionally low farebox ratio of 4.03% in FY 2014/15 and that it may not be cost effective for the City to continue the transit demonstration service. The farebox ratio for the FY 2015/16 transit demonstration service was 4.11%. Due to the low farebox ratio, the City ended service effective August 10, 2016. During the Unmet Transit Needs process, there were comments specific to transit service in Moorpark. Those comments are provided below, with a brief response. In some instances, the response is directly from VCTC. Comment Response Requested service from Moorpark to VCTC Response: Granada Hills Currently service exists between Moorpark and Granada Hills by way of transferring at Chatsworth station to the LA Metro bus service area. Regarding direct bus service, at this time due to operational constraints on bus fleet size, spare ratio, and operational cost effectiveness it would not be feasible to expand VCTC Intercity service to Granada Hills, therefore this service request is not reasonable to meet. 6 Page 3 Comment Response Requested morning and midday service VCTC has a proposed transit from Moorpark to Ventura for county demonstration service (the "East-West meetings, jury duty, etc. Connector") that will provide direct service between Simi Valley/Moorpark and the County Government Center. VCTC has currently ordered two over-the-road motor coaches for the service. Service is expected to begin in FY 2017/18. The service is a 3-year transit demonstration service, funded by Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant, with local match to be provided through VCTC (either State Transit Assistance or "Cap and Trade" funds). Request for service between Fillmore and While not an Unmet Need, VCTC is Moorpark investigating a potential transit demonstration service. Moorpark staffs response to VCTC has been that while we support the transit service, we would not agree to provide funding for the service. 7 ATTACHMENT B "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, facilities, 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 8 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 Service 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 9 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%to 9% 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 10 - ,\. PTJBLIC • Y• RTHOUGH ,- iii '�• , •.a► Y . i _ r . . ' 311 MU Section 99401.5 of the Transportation Development . , �I l'�� ,r ' California Public Utilities Act of 1971 (as amended). — ,4-1 q , ,, Code requires that at least one public hearing be Such a determination must h , held each year to receive be made before the Ventura „ Ill testimony on whether there County Transportation are areas in Ventura County Commission (VCTC) can with unmet transit needs allocate Transportation which can be reasonably met Development Act monies through any of the following: in Fiscal Year 2017/2018 for expansion of existing purposes other than transit. YOUR OPINIONS This determination will be ct, i p transportation systems, establishing • new systems, made followinga review of .NAPP:111711:11A111 or contracting for service local and regional plans and , �' •� i i4 from common carriers and the testimony received at the v, 73 others, as provided by the public hearing. N LOCATION AND TIME ik \ ir.0 di 41r irk Feb. 3, 2017 9:00 AM CAN'T MAKE THE HEARING? Camarillo City Hall, Council Chambers 601 Carmen Dr., Camarillo You can submit written comments through our online Unmet Bus Service: VCTC Intercity Transit (Route 101), Transit Needs survey: surveymonkey.com/r/Z6TFWTT Camarillo Area Transit (call 805-988-4228 for Dial-A-Ride service) Or send written comments directly to: Ellen Talbo Ventura County Transportation Commission D 950 County Square Drive, Ste. 207, Ventura, CA 93003 v Vs7ttara Countetalbo@goventura.org or at 800-438-1112 0 .i k4„, v"r i ! Transportatton Written public comments will be collected until cp C, omn7ission February 13, 2017. 0 '-,. J! . 1 1 L , AliDIENCIA POF3LICA , , ' o SOBRE LAS NECESIDADES INSATISFECHAS , TUS PENSAMIENTOS DE TRANSPORTE PUBLICO fii � ' i ti; _ Via;,, La Seccion 99401.5 del Codigo Desarrollo de Transporte de 1971 ..w, . I 41 0i 1de Servicios Publicos de (como fue enmendado). ��o. s iirz 1 l \ ll ill II lif4 � California re mere que se Ileve a m-, � I l i rr il , i. �! q Dicha determination debe s, cabo por lo menos una audiencia f publics cada ano para recibir hacerse antes de Com Ston de Transporte lad I """ testimonio para determinar si p to e Condado Ventura (VCTC por ( u_----7-:-............,..,........a.,. hay areas en el Condado Ventura '''°�. _ con necesidades insatisfechas sus siglas en ingles) pueda de transporte publico que asignar fondos del Decreto del "I µ , razona e se puedan esarrollo de Transporte en satisfacer a traves e's de cualquiera el Ano Fiscal 2017/2018 para 1 y 'r�� „ , .,. .�, i, ;`1, __ 'ter L" F'' r de lo si uiente: ampliacion propositos ajenos al transporte ''` z . ^ 4fA de los sistemas de transporte publico. Esta determination se , ti"��, „, ',,;;',,,,.1,,,'-',V,, ��P ;�� Ii°' ` '' 4, ,A "s-" ., +Th existentes, establecimiento de Ilevara a cabo despues de una ( t'n yy ' ' `' '"I' ' ' '' *tipPN% t � 'ti p P I �, I�' �� A lij .'i! VV' ' ilq YI w1 ,,� r.,, , nuevos sistemas, o contratacion revision de los planes locales , . ,� ck , , �� I ,� I r f 4 de servicios de empresas de y regionales, y despues de que rv� 3,t�r,'1 +r ;w 1 i ili i '- ' �� i;# �i� ", , w ”` ii transporte y otros, conforme a se reciba el testimonio en la pr's; .,,'� f, , e, , ',Jr', '' ',M ►f1: _.,, II 1Lc:- -.,„� , + 14 { ''',1 lo dispuesto por el Decreto del audiencia publica. � 'S_ ,';:,44,;'” 51w ��'� . ' l I 4 ' ,w'� 1111 I. .AT. IIMM �NNh .. sA �, i4. LUGAR Y HORARIO US OPINI , ONE �`' - �, ; 1 11 Febrero 3, 2017 9:00AM .44 '? r FP Camarillo City Hall (Edificio Municipal de Camarillo) i.NO PUEDE ASISTIR A LA AUDIENCIA? 601 Carmen Dr., Camarillo Usted puede enviar sus comentarios por escrito a traves de Servicio de Autobus: VCTC Intercity Transit (Ruta 101), nuestra encuesta de Necesidades de Transporte Insatisfechas Camarillo Area Transit (Llame al 805-988-4228 para el en linea: www.surveymonkey.com/r/6JDJBVS servicio de Dial-A-Ride) O envie sus comentarios por escrito directamente a: Ellen Talbo Ventura County Transportation Commission I1 Ventura Count'1 950 County Square Drive, Ste. 207, Ventura, CA 93003 VCTC - Transportationi':! etalbo@goventura.org 6 al 800-438-1112 Commission] Los comentarios por escrito del publico seran recolectados i. hasta el 13 de febrero de 2017.