Sarasota County Area Transit
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Sarasota County Area Transit 03("/*;"5*0/"- &7"-6"5*0/ +VMZ 3URGXFHGIRU 6DUDVRWD%RDUGRI&RXQW\&RPPLVVLRQHUV 3URGXFHGE\ -RQDWKDQ%3DXO$,&3 ,QWHULP7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ3ODQQLQJ0DQDJHU 6DUDVRWD&RXQW\3XEOLF:RUNV'HSDUWPHQW ! AL <:;> EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose and intent of this project is to perform an organizational evaluation of Sarasota County Area Transit to provide a baseline from which to evaluate proposals to provide efficient and effective transit service. The organizational evaluation was conducted following the Independent Cost Estimate (ICE) process established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Over the past several years there have been numerous discussions regarding increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of Sarasota County Area Transit. Ideas considered range from merging Sarasota County Area Transit with Manatee County Area Transit to privatizing all or portions of transit operations. Benefits of merging services could include reducing duplicative functions and gaining economics of scale in negotiations and the purchase of capital and goods. Federal, State and Local governments across the US have looked at the potential to privatize portions of the transit services that they provided to members of the public and the business community. Opportunities also exist to improve the efficiency of existing transit service. In order to effectively evaluate the cost and benefits of any proposal to provide transit service, it is important to have a firm understanding of the current transit service being provided and how the provision of that service compares with peer transit agencies. This report can serve as a baseline to develop ICE compliant scopes to solicit proposals to privatize transit or to develop a Comprehensive Operations Analysis scope of service to determine efficiencies currently provided by Sarasota County Area Transit. The report starts with a review of the mission, vision, vales, history and legislative basis of Sarasota County Area Transit. The relevant Comprehensive Plan policies related to the provision of transit service is also included in the report. An organizational overview is part of the report that focuses on the services provided, staffing, revenues, expenses and existing capital. An overview of existing transit service was also conducted that looked at route performance, transit frequency, cost of service and revenue generated. An evaluation of 11 peer group transit agencies, four of which are currently privatized, is included in the report. There are currently several fixed-routes that perform efficiently and effectively. At the same time there are several routes that could be re-evaluated to determine if improvements could be made to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The peer group comparative analysis demonstrates that the fixed-route transit service operates in a manner similar to its peers. The comparative analysis also indicates that paratransit service operates below its peers and that opportunities to reduce cost and improve services should be further evaluated. This report, consistent with all ICE requirements, provides the baseline information necessary for the Board of County Commissioners to evaluate proposals for the future provision of transit service. ,"(' -&* +(#-,+")-"('H $ +(.'H ",,"('( I ","('( I %.,(I ",-(+2J ",%-"/,",K +,(-(.'-2(&)+!',"/%' K + '"3-"('%/+/"0FI )"-%FL (.-,GE ++(.)(&)+",(' GJ ('%.,"('HN %+ -&* "1(.-"+,!")5 (.+,5'+(1(/+2 GF .'241)+,,(.-"+,!")5 (.+,5'+(1(/+2 GI "1(.-!+-+",-",>"1(.-,?GI "1(.-!+-+",-",>.'241)+,,(.-,? GJ %F=+/"+--",-", GK %G=+/"(',.&)-"(' GM %H=+/"(',.&)-"('>$'? 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"&%29 (+'' ,,("-,5 '8-(.'+-$-!B+,(-9'-+%+%2' '"))'+',)(+--"('",/'- +',)(+--"(', -.28B!",(.&'-'%23-!',(-!-+',)(+--"('",/'- )().%-"('0"-!"'(-!(.'-",'+(&&',)"")%',(+-!(, "'"/".%,0!(,',(.%'(-(&&(-2+ .%+).%"-+',"- ,+/",8 -",-!+,)(',""%"-2(-!-(+(&&'(&&.'"-2 +',)(+--"('((+"'-(+>?-()+(/"+',)(+--"('",/'- >? ,+/",5('.-''.%+/"0,(-!5"%"--"'-+(.'-2((+"'-"('5' ('.-(+&-"' ,8 '"-"%%25-!+(&&'-"('0,&-(," '- '"(++"',!")'-+5 '85,-!8' .%2F5GEEE5+,(-(.'-2& -!)+(/"+(++,(-(.'-28 J LEGISLATIVE BASIS In 1974, the Board of County Commissioners explored alternatives to the funding and operation of a regional transit services and created the Sarasota County Transportation Authority under Sarasota County Ordinance 74-36. Despite the creation of the separate authority, transit service has continued to be provided and funded by the Board of County Commissioners. Operationally, SCAT is an operating department of Sarasota County Government. Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) transit planning is established consistent by local, State and federal requirements and is guided by a Transit Development Plan, as required by all Florida transit agencies receiving State block grant funds. The Transit Development Plan (TDP) is a 10-year transit capital and operating plan that is updated by Sarasota County annually with major updates every 5-years. The TDP makes specific recommendations as to how the SCAT bus system can respond to the public transit needs of Sarasota County. The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 mandated both the purchase of accessible transit buses and the provision of complementary paratransit services providing equal access to public transportation services for passengers within a ¾ mile service area along the fixed route. The ADA requires SCAT to submit a plan for complementary paratransit services. SCAT incorporates the required plan for complementary paratransit services in the Sarasota County Transportation Disadvantaged Services Plan (TDSP) required for agencies receiving State Transportation Disadvantaged funds and updated annually with major updates every 3-years. A primary goal of the current TDSP is to provide a level of fixed route service to allow accommodating eligible paratransit riders. The cost of that complementary paratransit service is significantly greater