City of Elk Grove Public Transit Fares
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
AGENDA ITEM NO. 10.6 CITY OF ELK GROVE CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT AGENDA TITLE: Receive an update and provide direction on the transit incentives for the California Department of Correctional Health Care Services MEETING DATE: December 14, 2011 PREPARED BY: Tiffani Fink, Transit System Manager DEPARTMENT HEAD: Richard Shepard, Public Works Director / City Engineer RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff will be presenting the City Council with an overview of the transit incentives being developed for the California Department of Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) move to Elk Grove. Staff requests direction regarding the noticing of Fare Modifications and Service Adjustments to benefit the CCHCS project. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In August 2011, the California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) Department announced that it had chosen the Laguna Springs Corporate Center on Laguna Springs Drive as the future home of its new headquarters. A primary factor in the selection of this site was the City of Elk Grove’s State Office Incentive Program. At its September 14, 2011 meeting, the City Council awarded $3.3 million in incentives under this program to both CCHCS and the property owner. At that time, Council also authorized staff to engage in discussions regarding other potential incentives. One of the incentives discussed was transit enhancements. These include reduced fares and additional transit service for CCHCS Elk Grove City Council December 14, 2011 Page 2 of 3 employees who would now be commuting to Elk Grove through Sacramento. Service Adjustments With the relocation of the CCHCS facility from Downtown Sacramento, many CCHCS employees will now be commuting into Elk Grove. Many of these employees currently utilize Transit services from many of our regional partners to access their current job site. With the move to Elk Grove, employees questioned how they could utilize Transit to access the new location. As part of the package to attract CCHCS to Elk Grove, the implementation of reverse commute routes from Downtown Sacramento to Elk Grove was offered. While the City’s current commute service is constrained by the number of buses available into Sacramento, the reverse commute routes would be able to make use of vehicles currently returning empty and not servicing passengers (deadheading) to Elk Grove. By placing these vehicles into service on several of the return trips to Elk Grove in the morning and again on the drive to Sacramento in the afternoon, the City is able to offer CCHCS employees access to transit service, without adding additional cost to purchase more buses. Staff has worked with the CCHCS to survey employees on their transit use and needs. A copy of the first survey and its responses are included as Attachment 2. From this survey, staff has identified a “need” for 5-6 daily round trips to serve the CCHCS facility. In addition, two shuttle routes are proposed to link the CCHCS facility and the Meadowview Light Rail Station for later evening linkages to Sacramento. Staff is developing a follow-up survey for CCHCS staff to determine their preference for different levels of service (frequency vs. coverage, for example). From this follow-up survey, preliminary routes will be designed for staff to discuss the proposed routes and gather feedback from CCHCS employees. From that feedback, the final routes will be designed. Service is anticipated to begin in April 2012. Fare Incentives To encourage transit usage from Sacramento to Elk Grove, and to benefit the employees of the CCHCS, staff has proposed an $80/month fare for passengers riding the reverse commute service in lieu of the normal commute fare of $100/month. 2 Elk Grove City Council December 14, 2011 Page 3 of 3 Following receipt of direction from City Council, staff will begin the public outreach process for the Fare Adjustment in accordance with Federal Transit Administration requirements. Staff plans to post the proposed Fare Schedule, included as Attachment 1, in all buses beginning January 2, 2012. The item will be scheduled for a public hearing at the second meeting in January and will be brought for consideration of adoption by the Council, to the second meeting in February. If adopted, the fare schedule would become effective in April. In addition to identifying preferred routes and proposing an alternate fare, staff has offered to coordinate bus pass sales with CCHCS through payroll deduction. FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed service adjustments are not included in the Fiscal Year 2011-12 Budget. Subject to direction from the Council, staff will include the item in the mid-year budget, as well as a discussion regarding potential funding sources for the service. Based on the proposed service levels above, the estimated annual cost of the service is $190,000. This cost will be defrayed by additional income received from new fares for the reverse commute. At this time, it is unknown how many new reverse commuter fares will be purchased. Assuming 100 new monthly fares purchased at $80/month, the annual income will be $96,000 leaving a net expense of $94,000. As ridership patterns become more consistent, it is expected that routes can be optimized. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Proposed Fare Schedule with CCHCS adjustments 2. Survey Results 3 ATTACHMENT 1 City of Elk Grove Public Transit Fares e-tran CASH FARE GENERAL PUBLIC $ 2.25 SENIOR/DISABLED/MEDICARE $ 1.10 STUDENT $ 1.10 GENERAL PUBLIC TRANSFER $ 0.50 SENIOR/DISABLED/TRANSFER $ 0.25 DAILY PASS GENERAL PUBLIC $ 6.00 SENIOR/DISABLED/MEDICARE $ 3.00 STUDENT $ 3.00 10-RIDE PASS GENERAL PUBLIC $ 22.50 SENIOR/DISABLED/MEDICARE $ 11.00 STUDENT $ 11.00 UNRESTRICTED MONTHLY PASS GENERAL PUBLIC $ 100.00 SENIOR/DISABLED/MEDICARE $ 50.00 STUDENT $ 50.00 LOCAL/REVERSE COMMUTE MONTHLY PASS GENERAL PUBLIC $ 80.00 SENIOR/DISABLED/MEDICARE $ 40.00 STUDENT $ 40.00 ROUTE DEVIATION REQUEST $ 0.50 e-van CASH FARE LOCAL $ 3.50 REGIONAL $ 7.50 GENERAL PUBLIC $ 7.00 SACRAMENTO AIRPORT $ 11.50 10-RIDE PASS LOCAL $ 35.00 REGIONAL $ 75.00 MONTHLY PASS (all passes capped at 44 trips a month) LOCAL $ 150.00 REGIONAL $ 150.00 4 Revised Bus Survey #1 1. How many days per week do you currently commute from home to work using the following: Response 1 2 3 4 5 Count Walk 8.7% (2) 4.3% (1) 13.0% (3) 8.7% (2) 82.6% (19) 23 bike 20.0% (3) 20.0% (3) 13.3% (2) 13.3% (2) 66.7% (10) 15 Drive 7.8% (24) 7.2% (22) 7.2% (22) 5.9% (18) 82.1% (252) 307 Amtrak 20.7% (6) 17.2% (5) 13.8% (4) 13.8% (4) 62.1% (18) 29 Light Rail 9.8% (8) 14.6% (12) 9.8% (8) 15.9% (13) 73.2% (60) 82 Bus 14.6% (15) 15.5% (16) 14.6% (15) 14.6% (15) 72.8% (75) 103 answered question 463 skipped question 3 2. If you use any Transit services, do you currently ride (check all that apply): Response Response Percent Count Sacramento Regional Transit 57.2% 131 e-tran 12.2% 28 Yolobus 4.4% 10 Amtrak 13.5% 31 Another Transit Provider 24.0% 55 answered question 229 skipped question 237 1 of 82 5 3. If you currently use transit service, where do you currently catch transit? (Please provide location of bus stop, light rail station or train station.) Response Count 226 answered question 226 skipped question 240 4. When the office is relocated to Elk Grove, will you be using transit to get to work? Response Response Percent Count Yes 25.4% 117 No 31.0% 143 Undecided 43.6% 201 answered question 461 skipped question 5 5. If you currently use Amtrak to get to work, what time do you arrive in Sacramento? Response Count 62 answered question 62 skipped question 404 6 2 of 82 6. For those who ride Amtrak: Assuming that it will take additional time to get to Elk Grove, what train would you likely take instead? Response Count 57 answered question 57 skipped question 409 7. For planning purposes, please provide your home ZIP code. Response Count 461 answered question 461 skipped question 5 8. What time do you need to be at work? Response Count 457 answered question 457 skipped question 9 9. What time do you expect to leave in the afternoon? Response Count 457 answered question 457 skipped question 9 3 of 82 7 10. What is the maximum number of transit transfers you would be willing to make each way? Response Response Percent Count 1 76.5% 260 2 21.5% 73 3 2.1% 7 answered question 340 skipped question 126 8 4 of 82 5 of 82 9 Q2. If you use any Transit services, do you currently ride (check all that apply): 1 Placer Commuter Express Nov 30, 2011 2:42 PM 2 Yuba City 99 transit Nov 28, 2011 7:52 AM 3 van pool five days a week. Nov 23, 2011 9:35 AM 4 Yuba/Sutter Regional Transit Nov 17, 2011 4:04 PM 5 RTD San Joaquin Commuter Nov 17, 2011 7:49 AM 6 Roseville Commuter Nov 17, 2011 7:48 AM 7 Yuba Sutter Transit Nov 16, 2011 10:53 AM 8 Placer Commuter Express Bus Nov 16, 2011 9:56 AM 9 ElDorado Transit Nov 16, 2011 9:40 AM 10 RTD Nov 15, 2011 4:02 PM 11 Placer Commuter Express Nov 15, 2011 2:53 PM 12 Light Rail Nov 15, 2011 11:34 AM 13 Natomas Flyer Nov 15, 2011 10:53 AM 14 VPSI vanpool Nov 15, 2011 8:24 AM 15 Natomas Flyer to downtown Nov 15, 2011 8:11 AM 16 CAR POOL TO SACRAMENTO Nov 15, 2011 8:00 AM 17 Carpool Nov 15, 2011 7:26 AM 18 Yuba/Sutter Transit Nov 14, 2011 2:55 PM 19 El Dorado Transit Nov 14, 2011 1:51 PM 20 light rail Nov 14, 2011 1:42 PM 21 Amador Regional Transit Nov 14, 2011 12:33 PM 22 Roseville Transit - Commuter Nov 14, 2011 11:50 AM 23 Lt.Rail Nov 14, 2011 10:59 AM 24 Greyhound Bus Service Nov 14, 2011 10:56 AM 25 Van pool Nov 14, 2011 10:12 AM 26 Solano Express Nov 14, 2011 10:06 AM 27 VPS vanpool Nov 14, 2011 10:05 AM 10 6 of 82 Q2.