Report Summarizing the Findings of the East Texas Regional Transit Transfer Study

Report Summarizing the Findings of the East Texas Regional Transit Transfer Study Performed for East Texas Regional Transportation Coordination Planning Steering Committee Performed in cooperation with the East Texas Council of Governments Texas Department of Transportation Tyler District Originally Prepared July 2008 Published March 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors of this report from Texas Transportation Institute would like to thank the East Texas Council of Governments and the Texas Department of Transportation, Tyler District for the opportunity to contribute to this project. Thanks are also extended to the representatives of the Steering Committee who participated regularly in the meetings and contributed significantly to the discussions: Griff Hubbard, Amtrak (Chairperson) Robert Peters (Vice Chairperson) Jean Birmingham David Cleveland, East Texas Council of Governments Davis Dickson, City of Tyler Terry Frick, TxDOT Tyler District Angel Hendricks Mary Hendricks Barbara Holly, City Tyler MPO Elton McCune, Cherokee County MR Association, Inc. Roxanne McKinley, East Texas Council of Governments Jamal Moharer, NDMJ, Ltd., Tyler Karen Owen, City of Longview MPO Matt Penney, Longview Transit James Pike, Department State Health Services, Rusk County Gary Rushing, Tyler Transit Dale Spitz, TxDOT Tyler District Helen Thornton, ETCIL DISCLAIMER The authors of this report from Texas Transportation Institute are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the information presented herein. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction................................................................................................................................... 1 Vision for Regional Coordination................................................................................................... 2 Purpose of the Transfer Study......................................................................................................... 2 Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Existing Conditions....................................................................................................................... 3 Population Demographics............................................................................................................... 4 Transit Need Index.......................................................................................................................... 6 Transit Attractors .......................................................................................................................... 11 Summary of Findings.................................................................................................................... 11 Institutional Overview................................................................................................................ 13 Public Transit Providers................................................................................................................ 13 Intercity Bus and Rail ................................................................................................................... 14 Private Sector Providers................................................................................................................ 15 Peer Review .................................................................................................................................. 16 Funding for Public Transportation........................................................................................... 19 Federal Funding Resources........................................................................................................... 19 Useful Federal Funding Tools ...................................................................................................... 30 State Funding Resources............................................................................................................... 33 Local Funding Resources.............................................................................................................. 36 Private Sector in Public Transportation................................................................................... 41 Federal Statutory Protections for Private Enterprise .................................................................... 41 Planning Program Oversight......................................................................................................... 43 Opportunities for Private Sector Participation in Federal Programs ............................................ 44 Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................... 47 Concept for Transfer Points and Regional Transit Services .................................................. 49 Regional Public Transportation Network ..................................................................................... 50 Coordination with Client and Private Transportation Providers................................................... 54 Identifying the Location of Transfer Points.................................................................................. 55 Identifying Capital Needs ............................................................................................................. 59 Projections for Service Levels and Costs.................................................................................. 63 Methodology for Estimating Funding, Service and Capital Requirements for ETCOG .............. 63 Funding, Service and Capital Requirements for Longview and Tyler ......................................... 68 Results for ETCOG....................................................................................................................... 69 Regional Governance Models....................................................................................................... 71 Summary and Recommendations for Implementation ........................................................... 73 Adopt a Regional Strategy............................................................................................................ 73 Pursue Opportunities to Improve Efficiency ................................................................................ 73 Increase Operating Revenues........................................................................................................ 73 Investigate Other Sources of Funding........................................................................................... 74 Aggressively Pursue Capital Funding........................................................................................... 74 Legislative Initiatives.................................................................................................................... 74 v APPENDICES Appendix 1 Population Projections Appendix 2 Transit Attractors Appendix 3 Provider Inventory Appendix 4 Possible Locations for Transfer Points Appendix 5 Methodology for Estimating Funding, Service and Capital Requirements for Longview Transit and Tyler Transit Appendix 6 ETCOG Funding Scenario, Service Distribution, and Fleet Plan Appendix 7 Longview Transit Funding Scenario and Fleet Plan Appendix 8 Tyler Transit Funding Scenario and Fleet Plan vi LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Counties and Cities in the East Texas Region................................................................. 3 Figure 2. Urban and Rural Areas in East Texas.............................................................................. 4 Figure 3. Transit Need Index for Rural East Texas ........................................................................ 8 Figure 4. Transit Need Index for Tyler Urbanized Area. ............................................................... 9 Figure 5. Transit Need Index for Longview Urbanized Area....................................................... 10 Figure 6. Tyler and Longview Fixed Routes ................................................................................ 13 Figure 7. Intercity Bus and Rail Facilities. ................................................................................... 14 Figure 8. Private Sector Transit Providers.................................................................................... 15 Figure 9. Texas Funding Formula for Public Transportation ....................................................... 34 Figure 10. Local Community Access Within Communities......................................................... 50 Figure 11. Conceptual Transfer Points Between Cities................................................................ 51 Figure 12. Conceptual Local Trips to Transfer Points.................................................................. 52 Figure 13. Conceptual Connections Between Cities..................................................................... 53 Figure 14. Conceptual Connections with Existing Bus and Rail Lines........................................ 54 Figure 15. ETCOG Passenger Trips Between and Within Cities ................................................. 56 Figure 16. Projected East Texas Rural Transit Annual Revenue Miles ....................................... 69 Figure 17. Projected East Texas Rural Transit Federal/State Funds and Total Cost.................... 70 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Population Growth by County .........................................................................................

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