April 29, 2020 Initiated By: Megan O’Callaghan, Deputy City Manager Jennifer M
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Office of the City Manager 5555 Perimeter Drive • Dublin, OH 43017 Phone: 614-410-4400 • Fax: 614-410-4490 Memo To: Public Services Committee of Dublin City Council From: Dana L. McDaniel, City Manager Date: April 29, 2020 Initiated By: Megan O’Callaghan, Deputy City Manager Jennifer M. Rauch, AICP, Planning Director Devayani Puranik, Senior Planner J.M. Rayburn, Planner I Re: Mobility Study Phase 3 Overview and Phase 4 Next Steps Summary This memo summarizes the Mobility Study background, Mobility Study Phase 3 implementation of micro-transit (Dublin Senior/Disabled Shuttle and Workforce Shuttle pilot programs), shared micro-mobility (bike share) and next steps for Mobility Study Phase 4. Mobility Study Phase 1 and 2 Background The Dublin Mobility Study is the City’s strategic plan for innovative transportation network improvements to support the community’s evolving mobility needs. Phase 1 of the study was launched following a vision-setting workshop in 2017 that defined a shared transportation vision to guide policy, design, and implementation strategies for multimodal improvements throughout Dublin. The key objectives of Phase 1 are outlined below: 1. Support economic development 2. Promote equitable access to mobility 3. Expand multimodal options 4. Improve public health 5. Preserve our environs by focusing future growth Phase 2 of the Mobility Study, completed in 2018, focused on priority setting and action plan development, in alignment with City Council’s “Connected Community” theme. Five (5) strategic mobility priority areas were developed in response to the objectives outlined above: 1. Shuttles & Circulators (Micro-transit) 2. Bike Share (Shared Micro-mobility) 3. Wayfinding program for shared-use paths 4. Concepts for Mobility Hubs 5. Complete & Smart Streets Mobility Study Phase 3 Implementation strategies for mobility priority areas identified in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Mobility Study were the focus of Phase 3, which began in September 2018 and continued through early 2020. Memo – Mobility Study Phase 3 Overview and Phase 4 Next Steps April 29, 2020 Page 2 of 12 Phase 3 of the Mobility Study began with the release of an RFP for the provision of services for a senior/disabled circulator and workforce shuttle micro-transit pilot programs. Columbus-based SHARE was selected as the service provider for the senior/disabled circulator and workforce shuttle pilot programs following the RFP review process. The pilot programs operated through January 2020 and provided a combined 7,081 fare-free rides and 2,489 vehicle trips. More than 5,400 rides were provided to seniors and disabled residents, enabling car-free access to local commercial, recreational, educational, and entertainment destinations. Another 1,681 rides provided valuable connections for commuters accessing local jobs and employers like AC Marriott, Friendship Village, and Stanley Steamer. Mobility initiatives serve to elevate the quality of life for residents and Dublin’s businesses/workforce. 1. Micro-transit - Senior/Disabled Shuttle In 2019, the goal of the Senior/Disabled Circulator pilot program was to provide transportation to Dublin destinations for the purpose of improving the quality of life for Dublin senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. In addition to this core goal, the pilot’s objectives included developing a ridership database, identifying preferred destinations, soliciting financial support from outside sources, and establishing hourly operations and a per rider costs. The service was designed to meet the needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities, including residents choosing to age in place, who increasingly need mobility options for non- medical trips. Local provider SHARE was selected to operate the pilot, which officially launched in January 2019. The service was offered, fare-free, to all Dublin residents, age 55+, though trips were initially required to begin or end at one of Dublin’s senior assisted living communities, including: Avondale Senior Village Dublin Retirement Village (DRV) DRV-Assisted Living The Convalarium Friendship Village of Dublin Sunrise of Dublin Village at Heatherstone The Grand of Dublin SHARE initially operated the circulator as a series of three fixed-route loops, from January to March 2019, with pre-set timetables and target frequencies of 10 to 20 minutes. Service was limited to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 AM to 2 PM. Performance between routes varied widely, with Route 3 carrying more than 80% of the ridership through March. In response to these patterns, the City and SHARE pursued adjustments to achieve greater cost efficiency. From March to September 2019, SHARE operated the pilot using a combination of fixed-route and scheduled, dynamically operated services. During this period, service was still divided into three routes (Routes 1, 2, and 3), with Routes 1 and 2 operating as fixed-route services and Route 3 operating with flexible routing based on riders’ requested origins and destinations. Route 1 switched from fixed-route to scheduled, dynamically operated service in Memo – Mobility Study Phase 3 Overview and Phase 4 Next Steps April 29, 2020 Page 3 of 12 May 2019. Due to its relative success with flexible operations, SHARE adopted an entirely scheduled, dynamically operated service model starting in October 2019. At this point, the word ‘circulator’ was dropped from the name of the service and ‘shuttle’ was added in its place. SHARE’s Senior/Disabled service ridership steadily increased from the pilot’s launch in January 2019 through January 2020, from 30 rides per month to more than 675 rides per month, respectively. The service’s productivity, expressed as the operating cost-per-ride, has improved steadily as a result, from around $293 per ride at the start of the pilot to about $25 per ride by January 2020. As a comparison, COTA’s Mainstream on Demand for ADA-qualified riders operating cost is $26.50 per ride. January 2020 was the highest ridership month for the Dublin Senior/Disabled Shuttle with 679 rides provides and Walmart, Dublin Plaza Kroger and Park to Shop Asian Marketplace as top three destinations. Dublin Senior/Disabled Shuttle: Monthly Ridership and Cost-per-Ride 800 $350 $293 700 637 679 608 622 $300 600 $250 476 466 468 500 444 385 $200 400 318 $150 300 $87 Cost per Ride 197 $100 200 Total Total Passenger Rides $47 $44 $37 $36 $28 $30 $27 $27 $28 100 70 $25 $25 $50 30 0 $0 Jul Jun Oct Apr Sep Feb Dec Aug Nov Mar May Total Senior Ridership Cost per Ride Jan-19 Jan-20 Memo – Mobility Study Phase 3 Overview and Phase 4 Next Steps April 29, 2020 Page 4 of 12 2. Micro-transit - Workforce Shuttle Dublin’s Workforce Shuttle is a micro-transit service designed to improve the ability of Dublin’s workforce to reach places of employment in a simple, convenient, and cost-effective manner, supporting the City’s overall economic development strategy of attracting and retaining jobs for the 21st Century workforce. The pilot service provides first/last-mile connections for workforce commuters between five fixed-route COTA lines (1, 21, 33, 73, and 74) and major employers. A secondary focus for the pilot was to better connect Dublin workers with convenience goods and services, as well as other businesses, during the workday, lowering one of the barriers to non- drive-alone commuting. As with the Senior/Disabled Shuttle, learning the operating cost-per- rider during the pilot period was a primary objective, so as to develop a cost structure to present to existing and potential financial partners and employers at the end of the pilot. Memo – Mobility Study Phase 3 Overview and Phase 4 Next Steps April 29, 2020 Page 5 of 12 Dublin Workforce Shuttle: Monthly Ridership and Cost-per-Ride During the pilot period, the Workforce Shuttle provided 1,681 rides, offering valuable connections for commuters accessing local jobs and employers like AC Marriott, Friendship Village, and Stanley Steemer. Dublin’s Workforce Shuttle ridership steadily increased from the pilot’s launch in March 2019 through July 2019, from 7 rides per month to 241 rides per month, respectively. The service’s productivity, expressed as the operating cost-per-ride, has been volatile with changes in ridership but has stabilized at $46 per ride. COTA Plus, a micro-transit service operated by COTA in Grove City, provides point-to-point shared rides on-demand, rather than through dynamic scheduling. As a comparison, the productivity of COTA Plus, expressed as the operating cost-per-hour, is $35 per hour. Transfers to/from COTA fixed-route service are free, but a $3 fare applies if riders use COTA Plus for direct service without a fixed-route connection. Memo – Mobility Study Phase 3 Overview and Phase 4 Next Steps April 29, 2020 Page 6 of 12 The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on micro-transit services. Ridership dropped sharply in March following Ohio Governor Michael DeWine’s Stay At Home order. The workforce shuttle sustained regular operations and continues to provide critical mobility connections for a group of essential workers. During this time, staff discontinued regular service of the Senior/Disabled Shuttle and worked with SHARE to pivot resources in response to the need of the community. In an effort to mitigate community transmission of COVID-19 to Dublin’s most vulnerable populations, a new delivery service operated by SHARE was deployed. Staff coordinated with SHARE and community partners to establish a delivery schedule to transport food and essential goods to residents at Avondale Senior Village, Stoneridge Court, Daniel Wright Elementary, and Abbey Church Village. These deliveries are implemented at no cost to the resident or community partner. 3. Shared Micro-mobility – CoGo and TRIP (formerly ROAM) Bike Shares Feedback from the mobility public workshop in 2017 indicated that bike share was the most requested improvement to mobility in Dublin.