City of Lompoc Transit (City, COLT) Covering the Most Recent Triennial Period, Fiscal Years 2015–2016 Through 2017–2018
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October 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section I ..................................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Overview of the Transit System .......................................................................................... 1 Section II .................................................................................................................7 Operator Compliance Requirements ................................................................................... 7 Section III .............................................................................................................. 14 Prior Triennial Performance Recommendations ................................................................ 14 Section IV .............................................................................................................. 17 TDA Performance Indicators ............................................................................................. 17 Section V ............................................................................................................... 28 Review of Operator Functions .......................................................................................... 28 Operations ............................................................................................................................ 28 Maintenance ......................................................................................................................... 30 Planning ................................................................................................................................ 31 Marketing ............................................................................................................................. 31 General Administration and Management .......................................................................... 32 Section VI .............................................................................................................. 34 Results and Recommendations ......................................................................................... 34 Section I Introduction California’s Transportation Development Act (TDA) requires that a triennial performance audit be conducted of public transit entities that receive TDA revenues. The performance audit serves to ensure accountability in the use of public transportation revenue. The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) engaged Michael Baker International to conduct a performance audit of the City of Lompoc Transit (City, COLT) covering the most recent triennial period, fiscal years 2015–2016 through 2017–2018. The purpose of the performance audit is to evaluate the City’s effectiveness and efficiency in its use of TDA funds to provide public transit in its service area. This evaluation is required as a condition for continued receipt of these funds for public transportation purposes. In addition, the audit evaluates the City’s compliance with the conditions specified in the California Public Utilities Code (PUC). This task involves ascertaining whether the City is meeting the PUC’s reporting requirements. Moreover, the audit includes calculations of transit service performance indicators and a detailed review of the City’s transit administrative functions. From the analysis that has been undertaken, a set of recommendations has been made for the agency which is intended to improve the performance of transit operations. In summary, this TDA audit affords the opportunity for an independent, constructive, and objective evaluation of the organization and its operations that otherwise might not be available. The methodology for the audit included in-person interviews with city transit management and the contract operator, collection and review of agency documents, data analysis, and on-site observations. The Performance Audit Guidebook for Transit Operators and Regional Transportation Planning Entities published by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) was used to guide in the development and conduct of the audit. Overview of the Transit System Background Transit service in Lompoc began in January 1976 as a general public demand-response service. With the increased demand for transit, a four-line, fixed-route service was implemented in July 1999 and the demand-response service focused on serving seniors and the disabled. In 2007, demand- response services were made available to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) certified passengers only. The City of Lompoc Public Works Department provides system administration, planning, and oversight while enlisting the services of a private contractor for bus operations. The current total service area is approximately 40 square miles. Lompoc was incorporated in 1888 and was initially developed from the Lompoc Valley Land Company as a temperance colony. The city is located at the junction of State Routes (SR) 1 and 246, Triennial Performance Audit 1 City of Lompoc Transit which provide access to US Highway 101 and neighboring metropolitan areas. Lompoc is nestled at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara County, 155 miles north of Los Angeles, 55 miles north of Santa Barbara, and 270 miles south of San Francisco. Based on the 2010 US Census, Lompoc’s population was 42,434, which grew 3.2 percent since the 2000 US Census. The senior citizen population, comprising residents aged 65 and over, is 9.95 percent. The 2019 population for Lompoc is estimated to be 43,649 as reported by the California Department of Finance; this estimate has been stagnant since 2014. The city limits cover an 11.60- square-mile area. Early Lompoc was essentially agricultural, but the community’s economic and labor base has grown and diversified. Lompoc is known as “The City of Arts and Flowers” and for its wine industry. The city has also built a tourism industry with domestic and international travelers visiting La Purisima State Historical Park Mission, Surf Beach, flower fields, and downtown murals. Vandenberg Air Force Base located 9 miles to the north also plays an important role in the city's economic engine as the largest employer in the area. System Characteristics Lompoc’s transit system comprises urban and intercity fixed-route as well as ADA service. Intercity services consist of the Wine Country Express and the biweekly Santa Barbara Shuttle. COLT also operates an evening shuttle service from Allan Hancock College, Lompoc Valley Center campus Monday through Thursday where students board the shuttle on campus and receive a ride to their front door. The service is operated under contract to a private transportation operator, with City staff providing administration and transit management, as well as vehicle maintenance. A new transit center opened in April 2018 at the corner of Cypress Ave and I Street in the southern area of the city, serving as COLT’s transfer center where all routes converge. The previous transit center was located at Mission Plaza at the northeast corner of H Street and Central Avenue on the northern side of town. All COLT routes continue to stop at Mission Plaza for transfers. Routes and schedule times were changed from the new transit center location. COLT operates Monday through Friday between the hours of 6:10 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. and Saturday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:15p.m. The system does not operate on Sundays and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. COLT Fixed Route: COLT fixed-route service comprises four routes that operate within the Lompoc city limits as well as Vandenberg Village and Mission Hills, located in the unincorporated northern outskirts of the city. Service frequencies range from 45 to 70 minute intervals. Riders pay a higher fare for service outside of the city limits. A summary of routes, frequencies, and timepoints is presented in Table I-1. Triennial Performance Audit 2 City of Lompoc Transit Table I-1 COLT Fixed-Route Services Route Number Frequency/Operation Key Timepoints 1 Every 45 to 55 minutes ▪ Central/H Street (Monday through Friday from ▪ H Street/Pine Avenue 6:10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. & ▪ I Street/Cypress Avenue Saturday from 9:20 a.m. to ▪ A Street/Cypress Avenue 5:05 p.m.) ▪ Lompoc Valley Medical Center ▪ Wine Ghetto ▪ A Street/College Avenue 2 Every 45 to 55 minutes ▪ Central/H Street (Monday through Friday from ▪ Central Avenue/Walmart 6:10 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. & ▪ Laurel Avenue @ COLT Saturday from 9:20 a.m. to office 5:03 p.m.) ▪ Olive Avenue/V Street ▪ Cypress Avenue/I Street ▪ O Street/College Avenue 3 Every 45 to 55 minutes ▪ Central/H Street (Monday through Friday from ▪ D Street/North Avenue 6:10 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. & ▪ Pine Avenue/H Street Saturday from 9:20 a.m. to ▪ Laurel Avenue @ COLT 5:03 p.m.) office ▪ Pine Avenue/3rd Street 4 Every 45 to 70 minutes ▪ Central/H Street (Monday through Friday from ▪ Allan Hancock College 6:44 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. & ▪ Via Dona/Via Cortez Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to ▪ Burton Mesa/Rucker Road 5:10 p.m.) ▪ Titan/Vanguard ▪ Constellation/Jupiter Source: COLT, November 2018 System Schedule Transfers are free for continuing one-way trips on another bus route, and are valid for up to 30 minutes. Allan Hancock College Night Service: