Short-Range Transit Plan Western Contra Costa Transit Authority 2016-2026 2 Table of Contents
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Short-Range Transit Plan Western Contra Costa Transit Authority 2016-2026 2 Table of Contents About WCCTA 4 Finance 72 Organizational Chart 5 Current Revenues and Expenses 76 Vehicle Replacement Plan 79 Capital Improvement Plan 79 Area Demographics 12 Budget Projections 83 Jobs 12 Poverty 13 Racial Self-Identification 14 Operation Plans and Goals 84 Limited-English Speaking Populations 15 Short-Term 84 Mid-Term 87 Regional Commute Patterns 16 Long-Term 87 Financially Unrestrained Vision Demand Generators and for the Future 88 Future Development 22 Appendix A: Connection Maps 92 Service Description 30 Appendix B: Excerpt of 2014 Express Routes 37 Onboard Survey 98 Regional and Transbay 40 Local Routes 40 Fares 52 Dial-a-Ride 54 Bus Maintenance Program 56 Customer Service 58 Performance Measurement 60 Current Measures 60 Potential Measures 68 3 About WCCTA This chapter presents background information on Committee is convened when necessary to respond the history and organizational structure of Western to proposed or pending state and federal legislation Contra Costa County Transit Authority, and describes that may affect the Authority and to formulate the transit service, service area, and any planning or recommendations for the full Board’s consideration. development changes that may impact the provision The ad hoc Marketing Committee provides input on of transit both within the service area and outside the Authority’s public and media relations. of it. The information in this chapter will provide a context for identifying current and future transit needs The organizational charts for the Authority, including of service area residents, and for evaluating how administration and operations, are presented in figures well WCCTA’s services are positioned to meet those 1-1 and 1-2. needs. This will provide a basis for understanding the recommendations contained in the Operations Plan. Administration/Service Planning and Operations Organizational Structure WCCTA’s planning, scheduling, budgeting, marketing, procurement, community outreach and compliance Western Contra Costa Transit Authority (WCCTA) activities are handled by its administration division, was established in August 1977 as a Joint Exercise of which is headed by the General Manager. Powers Agreement between Contra Costa County and the cities of Hercules and Pinole. The Authority was Operations, including dispatch and road supervision, created with the purpose of owning, operating and are handled by a private contractor (currently administrating a public transportation system serving MV Transportation) and supervised by WCCTA’s the area between the Richmond/El Sobrante border to General Manager, who oversees overall contractor the west and the Carquinez Bridge to the east. performance. The contractor is also responsible for maintaining the Authority’s fleet, facility and WCCTA is governed by a seven-member board of communications systems, and for collecting and directors and is supported by professional staff. The reporting operating data. WCCTA is currently in two cities of Pinole and Hercules are each represented contract with MV Transportation, the latest contract on the Board by two members. The unincorporated was initiated in July 2013 for a four year period with communities of Crockett and Rodeo each have one three one year options. The Authority directly employs representative while Montalvin Manor, Tara Hills and a Maintenance Director to oversee the maintenance of Bayview have one joint representative. These three its vehicle fleet and facility. former positions are appointed by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. WCCTA’s History of Contracting Within the Board, there is one standing committee Since WCCTA’s founding in 1978, the Authority has and two ad hoc working groups. The Finance and contracted with private firms for all labor Administrative Committee (F&A) oversees major and supervision required to operate the WCCTA issues involving contracts, operational changes, capital fixed-route and dial-a-ride systems. In February 2013, acquisitions and other topics related to the staffing WCCTA solicited bids for a new contract for the and operation of the Authority. The ad hoc Legislative operation of its transit services. After assessing the 4 Figure 1-1: WCCTA Administration Organizational Chart WCCTA Board of Directors General Manager Assistant General Manager/DBE Liaison Officer Transit Planner/ Analyst Manager of Marketing Maintenance IT Manager and Administrative Director Services Receptionist/ Accounting Clerk Administrative Analyst Human Resource Analyst/Compliance Specialist proposals, the WCCTA Board of Directors awarded single rate for Dial-A-Ride (DAR), local fixed route the contract to MV Transportation Services for the and express services, which allows for maximum period of July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2017. The flexibility in terms of driver assignments and for contract includes three additional one year options a reduction of the high DAR driver turnover rates which the Board may choose to exercise to extend observed in other systems. the agreement. The contract with MV includes a 5 Figure 1-2: WCCTA Operations Organizational Chart WCCTA General Manager MV Transportation COO MV Transportation General Manager Dispatch Manager Dispatchers Operations Drivers Manager Road Supervisors Safety and Training Manager Behind-the-Wheel Maintenance Trainer Manager Lead Mechanic Mechanic A, Mechanic ADA Coordinator B, Mechanic C Service Worker Clerk Money Counter 6 WCCTA provides the contractor with all necessary route service was expanded to offer better coverage vehicles and facilities to operate fixed route and DAR throughout the service area, general public access to service, but retains responsibility for service planning, the Dial-a-Ride system has been restricted. WCCTA scheduling, marketing, and administrative activities. is currently one of the few transit operators in the Bay The contractor maintains the Authority’s vehicles and Area that provides public Dial-A-Ride (DAR) services major capital assets, directly employing bus drivers, to all area residents over the age of 65, regardless of mechanics, dispatchers, trainers, and supervisory their status under the Americans with Disabilities Act personnel. (ADA). WCCTA also operates a seamless network of local and regional express fixed route services, Background which provides excellent coverage to established neighborhoods and commercial areas throughout the Since its inception, the Authority has experienced service area and to major transit hubs in the region. dramatic changes in the provision of its services. At the beginning of its operations, the Board Fixed-route service was re-introduced in July of Directors contracted with a private company to 1987. Because this change was coordinated with provide service on three fixed routes. After that other transit agencies serving the area, the fixed contract was terminated in September 1979, the Board route system provided enhanced connections to concluded that local needs would be better addressed BART Express buses and AC Transit buses serving with a demand-responsive system. WCCTA started regional destinations. The new fixed route system its Dial-A-Ride (DAR) service that year, which was had an immediate positive impact on the Authority’s designed to serve a broad range of local transportation productivity and overall system performance. The needs. DAR attracted a larger share of commute, system showed steady and continued growth, more shopping, and social trips than the previous fixed- than tripling its annual ridership in the first decade route service. The percentage of school trips made up of fixed route operations. In FY 98/99, WCCTA approximately 50% of the total boardings. While the took over operation of express bus services formerly new service focused on local transportation needs, operated by BART, which had the immediate effect it also offered connections to the regional BART of pushing WestCAT’s annual ridership to more than Express and AC Transit bus lines for transportation 1,200,000 passengers in the first year following this to destinations outside of the WCCTA service change. boundaries. A contractor employed directly by BART, using the Although the DAR service adapted well to the marketing name of BART Express, formerly changing population and commercial development operated express service to BART from the WCCTA patterns, it had increasing difficulty keeping pace with service area. In July 1998, WCCTA assumed operation demand as the population grew. After conducting a of this service and has continually restructured service feasibility study for converting to fixed route service, to enhance performance. The express J (JL/JR), JX, the Board took formal action to implement fixed and JPX routes have taken over this role. route service throughout the southern portion of the WCCTA service area. The demand-responsive service Performance has been variable over the last 15 years, was retained to serve seniors and disabled passengers with ridership levels changing in response to trends in in areas north of Highway 4 and for the general public the Bay Area economy. In the first recession, WCCTA in these areas without convenient access to public was able to keep service cuts to a minimum. Ridership transportation, although as WCCTA’s local fixed levels dropped slightly with the slowing economy 7 during this period, but rebounded in subsequent virtually unchanged since WCCTA was created in years, reaching a peak in FY 06-07. The more