Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020

Board Members Present (2) Staff Present Commissioner Pat Kemp Danielle Arthur Commissioner Mariella Smith Lorena Hardwick Lena Petit

Others Present Libertad Acosta- Anderson, FDOT/Sun Rail Beth Alden, Hillsborough MPO Stephen Benson, City of Tampa Amanda Brown, Commissioner Smith’s Aide Mark Calvert, Evolve Michael Carman, CFRC/ Sun Rail Jessica Dean, Jacobs Engineering Ming Gao, FDOT District 7 Sandra Gutierrez, CFRC/ Sun Rail Jessy Jimenez, Jacobs Engineering Caitlin Johnston, Tampa Bay Times Laura Lawson, Commissioner Kemp’s Aide Sarah McKinley, Hillsborough MPO Tamika Monterville, LYNX Cheryl Wilkening, Hillsborough MPO

BOARDING AT SUN RAIL SAND LAKE STATION HART staff arrived at the Sand Lake station at 9:00 a.m.

The participants were offered an option to board the Sun Rail at 9:13 a.m. at the Sand Lake Road Station located at 8030 S. Orange Ave., Pine Castle, FL 32809.

ARRIVAL AT LYNX ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE Participants present arrived at the LYNX Administrative Office located at 455 North Garland Avenue Orlando, FL 32801 at 9:32 a.m.

Mark Calvert, Chief Executive Officer at Evolve, greeted the group at the LYNX station. He mentioned that the Sun Rail service has a 97.1% On-Time Performance (OTP).

PRESENTATION BY LYNX AND SUNRAIL STAFF DOT District 5 staff, LYNX and Sun Rail staff presented on the following topics: Funding strategies, Investment, Cost per mile, Revenue, Development of Stations, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Fare system composition/zones, and LYNX interaction/connection with Sun Rail. A full copy of the presentation is available upon request from the Board Administrator at [email protected].

Libertad Acosta-Anderson, FDOT/Sun Rail gave the following facts about the Sun Rail service:  Each train has three levels with electrical outlets and free Wi-Fi.  There are no restrooms at the stations because there are restrooms on every train.  The seats on the first level fold up to make room for bikes.  No pets are allowed on the trains unless they are crated. Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020

 Each station brings massive Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and she spoke about the TOD that arose from the Tupperware factory.

Director Pat Kemp, Director Mariella Smith, Amanda Brown, and Laura Lawson arrived at 9:54 a.m.

Tamika Monterville, LYNX, welcomed the participants and introduced the presentation team. She remarked that transit is about connections that change people’s lives. Ms. Monterville gave a safety briefing, in which Danielle Arthur was given CPR/First Aid responsibility and Director Kemp was given the responsibility of calling 911 in the case of an emergency.

Mr. Calvert presented an overview of the Sun Rail service that included the project history, investment, funding, station development, TOD, first/last mile connectivity, lessons learned, and the importance of Sun Rail. A full copy of the presentation is available upon request from the Board Administrator at [email protected].

Ms. Alden inquired if the capital cost of $615 million included both funding grant agreements.

Mr. Calvert answered affirmatively and stated that it is the total for phase one and two.

Director Kemp commented that the local match came without a sale tax referendum and asked if a State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) loan was employed for some of the local funding.

Sandra Gutierrez, Deputy Program Manager for Sun Rail, confirmed that some of the local entities did use SIB loans to come up with their share of the local match.

Ms. Alden inquired about the breakdown of the local match.

Ms. Gutierrez stated that the local match was divided between the four affected counties and one city and the percentage was based on the track miles in the jurisdiction.

Mr. Calvert stated that University of Central Florida, who has been an excellent partner, is currently compiling reports on how the introduction of the commuter rail affects property taxes. He stated that the report can be forward to HART once it is received.

Michael Carman, Director of Operations for Sun Rail, explained the breakdown of the cost and what services or products are needed for the operations and maintenance for the system. He stated that the new statewide requirement for all railroad crossings is to have dynamic envelope or a paint striping at the crossing to give drivers, pedestrians, bicyclist, etc. a visual of how far to stay back.

Ms. Alden asked what positive train control (PTC) was and if there was an operating cost associated with the capital.

Mr. Carman described PTC as a safety overlay that will stop the train in certain situations and it costs about $6 million a year to operate for Sun Rail.

Director Kemp shared that based on her research, the dynamic envelope procedures averages about $1 million a mile. Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020

Mr. Carman stated that the cost is probably a little higher, but it is a federal mandate. He explained that this system will communicate between the dispatch and the train engineer to prevent on time stopping and unsafe situations.

Stephen Benson, City of Tampa Transportation Division, referred to the FY19/20 Operating Budget Update and asked what services fall into which category.

Mr. Carman gave a detailed description of the handout.

Director Kemp inquired how the trains are purchased from a French-Canadian company when there are mandated by the Buy America Act (BAA).

Mr. Carman commented that there are two cars in production now from the original contract in Plattsburgh, NY. He explained that the cars are being built in the United States by an American company. Mr. Carman did note restrictions on some vendors with the BAA.

Ms. Gutierrez noted that the BAA requirement is not 100% for rolling stock, but the percentage that was agreed upon at the initiation of the project which was 60%. She added that the standard percentage has increased to 70%.

Mr. Calvert stressed the importance of an aggressive safety plan because the dynamic envelope will not do it all.

Ming Gao, FDOT District 7, stated that the dynamic envelopes are expected to begin construction in July in his District.

Caitlin Johnston, Tampa Bay Times, noted that the timing of the dynamic envelope implementation and local partners taking over the service are about the same. She inquired where the $80 million for the implementation is expected to come from.

Mr. Carman responded that the state is expected to cover the costs, while the local partners will take over the operations and maintenance costs.

Director Kemp asked for clarification that the stations within the city do not have free parking.

Mr. Calvert answered affirmatively.

Mr. Benson inquired if there is any parking available at all at the four destination stations that do not currently offer free parking.

Mr. Calvert stated that there is free parking for four hours at the Winter Park station, but otherwise there is no parking because there is no space. He commented that the stations with no parking are very close to destinations and gave the example of the Advent Health station where the train is deboarded 60 feet from the front door.

Director Kemp commented that she has ridden the whole track before and the four stations in the middle are only about a mile apart through the city and then the stations are more spaced out.

Director Smith inquired who funds the Limo service. Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020

Ms. Monterville explained that it is funded by the City of Orlando who is in partnership with the Redevelopment Authority and the Downtown Development Board. She continued that while the City pays for the operation, the service is largely funded through grants. Ms. Monterville noted that the Limo service is free and expands nine miles of fixed guideway.

Director Smith asked how much advertising revenue is generated.

Mr. Calvert stated that advertising revenue right now is about $150,000 a year excluding the train wraps.

Director Smith inquired how much revenue is expected from the train wraps.

Mr. Calvert responded that the expected revenue is about $60,000 per wrap.

Ms. Brown inquired how many studies or alternative analyses have been done about this system.

Ms. Gutierrez responded that there were about six or seven studies for alternatives services underway before the concentration was placed on only the Sun Rail.

Director Kemp asked for more information on the TOD along the line.

Mr. Calvert described the TOD opportunities that spurred with introduction of the service, including 29 completed projects valued at $991 million and the 12 projects valued at $774 million that are currently under construction.

Director Kemp inquired if there was a tax increment financing (TIF) around any of the stations to pay for the contributions to the stations.

Ms. Gutierrez stated that she does not have the answer because the local municipalities were the ones responsible for the land use and TOD planning. She noted that a lot of the municipalities hired independent consultants to assist in promoting TOD and developing a TOD overlay system.

Mr. Ming spoke about the TOD and increasing property tax income and inquired if there was any formal agreement or arrangements that the increased value is reinjected back into the Sun Rail service.

Ms. Gutierrez stated that there is nothing formalized.

Director Kemp noted that the service is a commuter rail only operating Monday through Friday; however, research indicates that weekend service could be just as profitable or more. She asked for comments on weekend service.

Mr. Calvert responded that weekend service is only ran for big events that are within walking distance from the stations. He explained that a late-night service pilot was done and the ridership did not measure up.

Director Kemp inquired about an earlier comment that the tracks being leased back to CSX for freight service at night which generates revenue. Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020

Mr. Carman explained that there is a dedicated freight window at night from midnight to 5:00 a.m. He added that weekend service would require many more engineers that the operating vendor does not have. Mr. Carman noted that the weekends are also used for vehicle maintenance.

Ms. Brown asked about future plans, specifically about adding more trains and working on the local partners taking over the service. She stated her assumption that the system is essentially built out and will be reviewed for expanding ridership and hours of service.

Ms. Gutierrez stated that the agreement for a system is based on 61-miles; while the current system only runs on 49 miles. She explained that there is a 12-mile piece that goes east to Deland, Florida, and it is being discussed with the partners right now. Ms. Gutierrez mentioned that Volusia County, who would benefit from the extension, does not think it is the right time to commit dollars to the system. She commented that everyone is working on the transition, and interjecting a project at this point would not be recommended.

Mr. Benson referred to the $32 per passenger cost and asked if it seemed high compared to industry standards and asked if the team is actively looking for way to reduce that cost. He further asked how much room is available with the current system to get the cost lower through efficiency or other changes such as ridership.

Mr. Carman commented that the line cannot get more efficient than it currently is and the only way to bring the cost down would be through increased ridership.

Director Kemp asked Ms. Alden to address the rail service proposed in Tampa from University of South Florida (USF) to South Tampa as it is a much shorter track that has high projected ridership.

Ms. Alden explained that the track would serve a central market in the middle of Tampa that already has high bus ridership.

Director Kemp stated that the projections of rail in Hillsborough County are about 12,000 trips a day.

Ms. Alden commented that the ridership projections are largely dependent on the frequency of service, but should be 6,000 - 12,000 trips a day.

Director Kemp spoke about how economical the rail service could be in Hillsborough County.

Mr. Calvert noted that the opportunity to increase ridership has shrunk and there is standing room only at some points throughout the day that affects user experience. He added that the only real opportunities that exist to increase ridership is during the midday and nonpeak hours.

Ms. Johnston asked how staff plans to grow ridership on a commuter rail during nonpeak hours.

Mr. Calvert commented that taking a train ride can be a very romantic and exciting experience; therefore, staff has partnered with the municipalities and local senor centers to promote daytime activities and activities at different stops. He added that ridership during spring break and summer is always much higher as people are exploring things to do with their kids. Mr. Calvert stated that Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020 staff partners with entertainment destinations such as the museum, Central Florida Zoo and zip lining parks to promote their destination and their service to and from the locations.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson stated that entertainment is only one way to boost midday ridership, the other is errands such as healthcare and grocery shopping. She explained that there are two main hospitals along the line and it is highly encouraged for patrons to take the train to the hospital for appointments as opposed to their vehicle. Ms. Acosta-Anderson commented that partnering with the senior centers means teaching the residents other ways to get around in the community than what they are used to.

Mr. Calvert mentioned that seniors ride at a 50% discounted rate and children under six ride free. He noted that there is a great sales team that has performed a wedding on the Sun Rail line. Mr. Calvert spoke about all the work with the autistic programs noting such programs as an honorary conductor program. He stressed that community partners are what help make systems like this a success.

Ms. Johnston referred to the midday solutions noting that most are based on seniors and children that are discounted or free groups of ridership. She inquired how the cost per passenger could be lowered when the ridership number rises without substantial revenue.

Mr. Calvert stated that the train is running whether there is someone on it or not, so a discounted rate of revenue is better than no revenue. He added that there is an average of about 1000 people moving to the area every week, so there is tremendous outreach with the area realtors who use the service as a selling point.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson stressed that this is the service industry and it is not intended to create profits. She continued that this is a service that utilized but citizens with lower or fixed incomes that rely on this service to live their life. Ms. Acosta-Anderson explained that the cost per passenger is used as a comparative tool when validating rail service against creating and maintaining a roadway. She mentioned that another advantage of the rail service is that it eliminates congestion on the roadway as most people do not carpool but prefer to take their own car.

Ms. Gutierrez spoke about the quality of life aspect noting that there are people that sit on Interstate 4 for hours. She added that people who have changed their commute to the rail service describe the difference as night and day.

Mr. Calvert mentioned that the marketing staff has done rider stories detailing everyday patrons and their journeys on the rail system and how their lives have been impacted from the service. He gave the example of the boy who has to go to Orlando Health for medical treatments and instead of viewing it as a chore, he sees it as an adventure because he gets to ride the train. Mr. Calvert stressed that building ridership takes time and it is important to have patience. He added that if the service is reliable, clean and the community believes in it, it will be successful.

Ms. Alden referred to the earlier statement about champions for the system and asked for more information on how they got involved and contributed to the success of the system.

Ms. Gutierrez noted that Mr. Tom Rorke, Chief Financial Officer at Tupperware, became one of the biggest champions and actually donated the property to allow for the station to be built. She Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020 explained that he did not understand the vision or the benefits at first and it took several meetings but he quickly came onboard and became a huge stakeholder.

Director Kemp asked if the company is headquartered in the building at the stop.

Ms. Gutierrez answered affirmatively.

Ms. Alden asked for confirmation that the stakeholder was acquired through the station planning process and not before that.

Ms. Gutierrez responded that that is correct.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson highly suggested working with employers to have them encourage usage of the service instead of using parking garages and lots. She added that some companies even include transit passes as part of their benefits package.

Mr. Calvert explained that the most effective argument is the comparison of the cost of a parking garage versus the cost of transit tickets.

Mr. Ming inquired if there has been a demand to increase the frequency of the service

Mr. Carman stated that increased frequency is a daily request along with the request for more trains and weekend service.

Ms. Monterville presented an overview of LYNX service including organization goals, funding, different services, ridership demographic, frequency of service, and the coordination with Sun Rail. A full copy of the presentation is available upon request from the Board Administrator at [email protected].

Director Kemp inquired if the on-demand service is in the downtown portion of the service area.

Ms. Monterville stated that it is mostly in the suburban portions of service areas and it acts as a first/last mile option.

Ms. Alden inquired how many vanpools are operating.

Ms. Monterville stated that she is unaware of the exact number but they are largely utilized by major employers such as the Lake County Correctional Facility and the Space Coast.

Mr. Calvert stated that it takes about a week to bring the rail service back up to operating standards and explained some of the safety precautions that have to be taken to ensure full operation.

Ms. Brown asked how long it take to shut down the service in anticipation of a natural disaster.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson explained that the service was shut down in pieces and that CSX had to be considered along the way because they lose money when they can not run freight. She further noted that part of the coordination was considering the conditions the workers were in to shut down the system and remove signage and safety arms. Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020

Mr. Carman mentioned that the coordination should be worked out in pre-meetings and practice sessions. He described the coordination as how many days it takes to complete certain tasks, when the electrical system should be shut down, etc. Mr. Carman noted that CSX stated that they wanted to run freight until the last moment possible which meant that safety provisions to ensure their passage had to be saved until the last moment. He stated that it mostly depends on the weather service, but a decision does have to be made at some point.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson noted the reliance on the transit agency since they provide the first mile, last mile and explained the importance of that service when the rail service shuts down.

Ms. Monterville stated that the transit agency ceases operations when sustained winds reach 35 miles per hour. She stressed the importance of working with the local municipalities and communicating when service will end and the plan for the transit workforce.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson noted that FDOT is funding the feeder buses from the rail system for seven years through a service development grant; but that will be an added cost to the transit agency when that grant ends.

Director Kemp noted that FDOT is funding the feeder buses and asked how much that expense is each year.

Mr. Ming stated that he believes that the cost is about $2 million.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson referred to the earlier question of how many vanpools are utilized and stated that there are currently 144 links used through the vanpool process. She spoke about the benefit of vanpools from the stations.

Mr. Calvert mentioned that there is designated parking at some of the stations for vanpools.

Ms. Monterville encouraged reaching out to Central Ohio Transit Authority because they have a free service in the downtown area that was achieved through partnerships with the downtown employers. She stressed the importance of partnerships with local private companies and the education process that is required.

Ms. Alden asked staff to describe the organizational relationship between LYNX and the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority. She specifically asked if the coordination is done through an interlocal agreement between the two Boards.

Ms. Monterville stated that most partnerships are solidified through interlocal agreements. She did note that the Commuter Rail Commission has almost the same Board members as the LYNX Board coincidentally at the moment. Ms. Monterville gave an overview of the governing boards and stated that the government structure should be taken into account when planning new services.

Ms. Acosta-Anderson noted that trains typically denote reliability, but when there is an accident, it is often catastrophic and can take several hours to reinstate service. She continued that the partnership with the transit agency will come in handy by providing bus bridges in those critical times. Hillsborough Transit Authority Trip to Sun Rail and Presentation March 5, 2020

Ms. Monterville added that there is a regional working group that meets regularly to discuss such situations and more to ensure a smooth partnership throughout all kinds of situations.

Ms. Johnston asked how the past six years of ridership has affected LYNX service.

Ms. Monterville responded that the ridership from Sun Rail has increased the number of routes, such as the feeder bus routes, which has increased ridership that is steadily growing.

Mr. Ming inquired about the percentage of Sun Rail patrons that utilize the feeder bus routes.

Ms. Monterville stated that she does not have the exact number, but the proof that the feeder buses are utilized by Sun Rail patrons in evident by the decrease in cars at the stations. She explained that previously, there were a lot of single occupancy cars driving the station to use the rail service, but now they are using transit as their connection to the service.

Ms. Johnston asked which station has the highest ridership.

Ms. Monterville stated that the Sanford station has the highest ridership.

DEPARTURE FROM LYNX ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE Participants left the facility at 12:00pm to board the 12:18pm Sun Rail train.

ADJOURNMENT The trip adjourned at 12:33 p.m.

ATTEST

Commissioner Lesley “Les” Miller, Chairperson HART Board of Directors

Councilman Gil Schisler, Secretary HART Board of Directors

David L. Smith, Esquire HART Board General Counsel