Chapter 6 Peer Analysis and Overall Findings

INTRODUCTION

A general review of performance of peers to can be helpful in determining if PCT falls within the “norms” of transit systems. For this analysis, peers were chosen which similarly provide regional transit and/or commuter or long-distance routes. The peers include:

 B-Line in Butte County, which operates local fixed routes in Chico as well as regional routes.

, which has both local fixed routes, DAR and commuter services, and operates within the foothills and into the Sacramento region.

 San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA), which has a combination of regional routes and local fixed routes, plus a county-wide Dial-a-Ride.

 SolTrans (Solano County Transit), which operates local routes and school-based routes (similar to the Lincoln Circulator) in Vallejo and Benecia, with regional services to Walnut Creek and Fairfield.

 Tulare County Area Transit (TCaT) in Tulare County, which offers regional intercommunity fixed routes throughout the county.

Data for this analysis came from three sources. Placer County Transit data was derived from the analyses provided in earlier tables. B-Line, SLORTA, SolTrans and TCaT data were derived from the State Controller’s Office annual reports (2016). Data for El Dorado Transit was obtained from operations reports available online. The data for this analysis is presented in Table 32. Note that the Placer County Transit data includes the regional fixed routes, DAR, and PCE services, but excludes the vanpool program.

Populations Served

Placer County Transit serves a population estimated to be 353,847. This is just over the peer average population. Both SolTrans and TCaT serve greater populations, although in addition to TCaT, Visalia Transit serves the City of Visalia, and the data for this transit service is not included. El Dorado Transit is estimated to serve just 181,000.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 95 Table 32: Placer County Transit Peer Analysis Excludes Vanpool Services

Placer San Luis Obispo Solano Tulare County Butte Regional Regional Transit County County Area Transit Transit, Butte El Dorado Authority Transit Transit Peer 2 3 2 2 2 (PCT) 1 County (B-Line) Transit (SLORTA) (SolTrans) (TCaT) Average

Population Served 353,847 226,800 181,000 279,100 413,000 460,400 312,060 Annual Ridership Fixed Route 262,452 1,081,887 278,842 810,218 1,516,834 338,426 805,241 DAR 27,146 169,260 56,571 55,682 29,110 10,311 64,187 Total 289,598 1,251,147 335,413 865,900 1,545,944 348,737 869,428 Annual Service Vehicle-Hours 50,962 118,078 52,414 72,578 111,709 38,157 78,587 Vehicle-Miles 903,321 1,389,541 1,133,180 1,569,887 2,068,631 1,039,336 1,440,115 Operating Cost $5,663,157 $9,589,432 $6,011,568 $8,551,799 $12,404,881 $2,914,358 $7,894,408

Revenues FR Fares $551,551 $1,348,931 -- $1,289,871 $3,549,198 $381,727 $1,642,432 Special Services Fares $19,877 $358,513 -- $132,697 $138,667 -- $209,959 Total Fare Revenue $571,427 $1,707,444 $1,552,453 $1,422,568 $3,687,865 $381,727 $1,750,411 Total Revenue $7,755,313 $9,579,895 $6,284,269 $8,617,490 $12,404,881 $3,401,430 $8,057,593

Systemwide Performance Passengers per Hour 5.7 10.6 6.4 11.9 13.8 9.1 10.4 Passengers per Mile 0.3 0.9 0.3 0.6 0.7 0.3 0.6 Passengers per Capita 0.8 5.5 1.9 3.1 3.7 0.8 3.0 Cost per Veh Hour $111.13 $81.21 $114.69 $117.83 $111.05 $76.38 $100.23 Cost per Passenger-Trip $19.56 $7.66 $17.92 $9.88 $8.02 $8.36 $10.37 Farebox Recovery Ratio 10.1% 17.8% 25.8% 16.6% 29.7% 13.1% 20.6%

Note 1: PCT data is from FY 2016-17. Does not include vanpools, but does include PCE. Note 2: Data from State Controllers Office (SCO) 2016 report, w hich combines all fixed route modes (local, commuter, regional) versus all demand response modes. This presentation is for general comparison purposes. Note 3: El Dorado Transit data w as obtained from operations reports available at http://eldoradotransit.com/w p- content/uploads/2017/10/AdminOpsRptFY2016_17.pdf

Ridership

Fixed Route and special transportation (generally Dial-a-Ride) ridership ranges from 335,413 on El Dorado Transit to 360,275 on PCT, to a high of 1,545,944 on SolTrans. PCT provides the lower range of rides among the peers, but on par with El Dorado Transit and TCaT.

Revenue Hours and Miles

The vehicle revenue hours and miles indicate the level of service which is being provided. The hours range from a low of 38,157 on TCaT, to 50,962 on PCT, to over 100,000 on both SolTrans and B-Line. PCT operates the lowest number of vehicle miles among the peers, and SolTrans operates significantly more than the peer average.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 96

Operating Cost

As shown in Table 32, the operating cost among peers ranges from a low of $2.9 million (TCaT) to $5.7 million (PCT) to $12.4 million (SolTrans), with a peer average of $7.8 million.

Fares

The base fixed route fare and the base regional or commuter fares are shown in Table 32. These base fares are used for general comparison, but numerous types of daily, monthly or multi-use passes are available which are typically used by many of the passengers. PCT has the lowest (local) base fare at $1.25, while the peer average is $1.70. PCT has a higher than average commuter/regional fare starting at $4.25 (the peer average is $3.81).

Revenues

TCaT receives the lowest amount of fare revenues ($381,727), followed by PCT ($571,427), while SolTrans receives the highest amount of fare revenue ($3.6 million). In terms of total revenues, however, PCT is near the average of $8.0 million, receiving $7.7 million in 2016-17.

PEER PERFORMANCE

The data in Table 32 also includes a number of system wide performance measures as discussed below.

Passengers per Hour

The system wide average passengers carried per hour of service is shown in Table 32 and Figure 39. As indicated, PCT is below the peer average of 10.4, with 7.1 passengers carried per hour of service. SolTrans, at the other end of the spectrum, carries 13.8 passengers per hour, reflecting the high percentage of commuter ridership on the system.

Passengers per Capita

The passengers carried per capita (population served) is depicted in Figure 40. The more rural systems, including PCT and TCaT, carry lower levels per capita (1.0 and 0.8 respectively), while more urban systems including SLORTA and SolTrans provide much higher ridership per capita (3.1 and 3.7). The B-Line is an anomaly, carrying 5.5 passenger trips per capita, which may be a result of both Chico State student ridership as well as the relatively high proportion of low income population.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 97 Figure 39: Peer Performance - Passenger Trips per Hour 16.0

13.8 14.0

11.9 12.0

10.6 10.4 Hour - 10.0 9.1

8.0

7.1 Trips perVehicle Trips - 6.4

6.0 Passenger

4.0

2.0

- PCT B-Line El Dorado SLORTA SolTrans TCaT Peer Average Transit

Figure 40: Peer Performance - Passenger Trips per Capita 6.0 5.5

5.0

4.0 3.7

3.1 3.0 3.0

2.0 1.9 AnnualBoardingsperCapita Transit

1.0 1.0 0.8

0.0 PCT B-Line El Dorado SLORTA SolTrans TCaT Peer Average Transit

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 98 Cost per Vehicle Hour

The operating cost per vehicle hour is depicted in Table 32 and Figure 41. As shown, four of the systems, including PCT, are above the average of $100.23 (ranging from $111.05 to $117.83) while B-Line and Tulare County Transit bring the average lower with their costs of $81.21 and $76.38, respectively. If the PCE figures are excluded from the costs and vehicle-operating quantities (in addition to the vanpool figures), PCT’s cost per vehicle-hour is $102.93 – very similar to the peer average.

Figure 41: Peer Performance - Cost per Vehicle Hour $140.00

$117.83 $120.00 $114.69 $111.13 $111.05

$100.23

$100.00

Hour - $81.21 $80.00 $76.38

$60.00

Cost per Revenue Vehicle Revenue per Cost $40.00

$20.00

$0.00 PCT B-Line El Dorado SLORTA SolTrans TCaT Peer Average Transit

Cost per Passenger Trip

Table 32 and Figure 42 show the cost per passenger trip. PCT is highest at $19.56, followed by El Dorado Transit ($17.92). B-Line has the lowest cost per passenger trip at $7.66. Excluding the PCE figures, the PCT regional routes and DAR service has an average cost per passenger-trip of $16.82.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 99 Figure 42: Peer Performance - Cost per Passenger Trip $25.00

$20.00 $19.56

$17.92

Trip -

$15.00

$10.37 $9.88 $10.00 $8.36

$7.66 $8.02 Operating Cost per Passenger per Cost Operating

$5.00

$0.00 PCT B-Line El Dorado SLORTA SolTrans TCaT Peer Average Transit

Farebox Return Ratio

The farebox return ratio is measured by dividing the fare revenue by the operating cost. This indicates the percentage of the operating cost which is covered by fares, and mandated minimums are required under TDA law. As shown in Table 32 and Figure 43, the average farebox return ratio for the peer systems is 20.6 percent, with SolTrans reporting the highest farebox recovery at 29.7 percent, and PCT showing the lowest at 10.1 percent.

SACRAMENTO COMMUTER PEER COMPARISON

In addition to the PCE service, several transit operators in the greater Sacramento region provide commuter public transit services into downtown Sacramento: Yuba-Sutter Transit from Marysville/Yuba City, El Dorado Transit from Placerville, from the City of Roseville and from Woodland and Davis. While each system has its differences, the fact that all serve the same employment market makes this a useful peer comparison. Table 33 compares these services to PCT’s commuter routes.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 100 Figure 43: Peer Performance - Farebox Return Ratio 35%

29.7% 30%

25.8% 25%

20.6% 20% 17.8% 16.6%

15% 13.1%

10.1%

10% Ratio of Passenger Revenues to Operating Cost Operating to Revenues Passenger of Ratio

5%

0% PCT B-Line El Dorado SLORTA SolTrans TCaT Peer Average Transit

Table 33 : Placer County Transit Commuter Route Peer Analysis

Annual Data Performance Measure Vehicle Vehicle Operating Pax per Operating Cost Ridership Hours Miles Cost Hour Pax per Mile per Hour

PCT Commuter 70,677 3,163 101,279 $650,342 22.3 0.70 $205.64

Roseville Transit 137,102 6,327 242,187 $837,296 21.7 0.57 $132.34

El Dorado Transit 139,792 9,057 281,027 $1,411,252 15.4 0.50 $155.82

Yuba Sutter Transit 118,307 11,630 418,000 $855,307 10.2 0.28 $73.54

YoloBus Route 45 58,204 2,565 65,323 NA 22.7 0.89 NA

Peer Average 113,351 7,395 251,634 $1,034,618 17.5 0.56 $120.57

PCT % of Peer Average 128% 125% 171% 4th Highest 4th Highest PCT Ranking Highest of 4 of 5 of 5

Source: FY 2016-17 data for all but YoloBus, which is FY 2014-15

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 101 The peer average ridership for the Sacramento Commuter Services is 113,351, greater than PCT’s ridership of 70,677. Annual vehicle hours operated range from 2,565 on Yolobus Route 45 to 11,630 on Yuba Sutter Transit. PCT is roughly half the peer average of 7,395 in terms of vehicle hours. Yuba-Sutter Transit also travels the greatest number of vehicle miles (418,000), much more than the peer average of 251,643. Yolobus Route 45 only travels 65,323 annual vehicle miles. A review of the resulting performance measures indicates the following:

 Roseville Transit, PCT and Yolobus Route 45 all carry over 20 passenger-trips per vehicle hour. At 22.3, PCT is 28 percent above the peer average of 17.5. Yuba Sutter Transit has the lowest productivity, at 10.2 trips per hour. The fact that the PCT service is close to the highest productivity is notable, given the relatively long running times to Colfax.

 PCT’s passenger-trips per mile performance (at 0.70) is above the peer average of 0.56 trips per mile. The PCT figure is exceeded only by the YoloBus Route 45 figure of 0.89.

Yuba-Sutter Transit’s Commuter Routes (not including mid-day service to Sacramento) are clearly the most cost effective, with an operating cost per vehicle-hour of $73.54. PCT’s cost per hour ($205.64) is significantly above the peer average of $120.57. Many factors may contribute to this, including that half of the hours for each commuter route is deadhead travel (and therefore not included in the revenue hour calculation), split shifts and that the high proportion of deadhead travel require multiple driver checks. Additionally, in FY 2016-17 there were particularly high maintenance costs and difficulties with the contractor requiring additional administrative oversight. Also, PCT cost figures include allocated county staff time spent managing the commuter service contract; whereas, that level of detail was not available for the other transit operators.

OVERALL FINDINGS

The following findings can be made from the existing services review of PCT:

 Much of Placer County is suburbanized and does not have significant high density development. This makes public transit attractive less attractive and convenient. Combined with growth in auto ownership and relatively low gas prices, public transit ridership has decreased significantly over the past eight years.

 PCT routes where ridership has seen the smallest decline and overall best performance relative to the others are the commuter routes. As Sacramento is a large centralized employment center (with major employers that subsidize transit passes), the commuter routes are convenient to passengers.

 PCT’s fixed route base fare is below the peer average and DAR fares are lower than El Dorado Transit.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 102  On a per route basis, the Granite Bay DAR has very low productivity (0.3 trips per hour) and a high operating cost per trip of $254.53. This service primarily serves disabled residents in a community is which not significantly transit dependent. The Alta/Colfax route and Taylor Road Shuttle are also on the low end of the performance spectrum; however these services provide important connections to community centers for rural Placer County residents.

 Despite a high operating cost per hour in comparison to peer services, PCE is very productive (22.3 trips per hour) and has a high farebox ratio of 42.2 percent.

 Systemwide PCT’s operating cost per hour (excluding the PCE service) is not significantly above the peer average; however productivity is below the peer average.

 The on-board surveys indicated that more frequent service is one of the top desired improvements.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 103 This page left intentionally blank.

PCT Short Range Transit Plan LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. Placer County Transportation Planning Agency Page 104