1565 Creek Road Operations P.O. Box 190 Telephone (905) 468-4261 Virgil , Facsimile (905) 468-4555 L0S 1T0

Report: OPS-17-014 Committee Date: March 06, 2017

Due in Council: March 20, 2017 Report To: Operations Advisory Committee Subject: Purchase of An Integrated, AODA-Compliant Next Stop Announcement & Smart Card Fare Management System for Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit

1. RECOMMENDATION

It is respectfully recommended

1.1 That Council approve the purchase and installation of TransitFare & Systems integrated, AODA compliant next stop announcement and smart card fare management systems for Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit vehicles including auxiliary point-of-sale terminals at an estimated cost of $44,000.

1.2 That Council authorize the Lord Mayor and Clerk to enter into an agreement with TransitFare & Systems for ongoing live tracking and support of the TFS1200 integrated system, renewable annually and not to exceed $500/month in the first year.

2. PURPOSE / PROPOSAL

The purpose of this report is to seek approval from Council to purchase an integrated, AODA -compliant system for Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit vehicles, comprised of an on-board GPS locator, interior & curbside LED panels, audible annunciator and smart card fare management system. Council's approval is also requested for the purchase for 2 point-of-sale (POS) terminals to provide smart card sale/reload capabilities at Town Hall and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Centre.

3. BACKGROUND

Provisions of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA ) affect almost every aspect of the transit system. Compliance with O.Reg 191/11 Part 4 (Transportation Standards) requires that transit vehicles be equipped by January 1, 2017 with interior , curbside and annunciated "next stop" advisory systems to accommodate hearing and/or vision impaired passengers. Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit

Report : OPS-17-014 Page 1 vehicles are not currently in compliance with this requirement, so procurement of a compliant system was budgeted for 2017.

In addition, the Regional Municipality of Niagara's "Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance Strategy" released in November 2016 identifies the need to optimize inter-municipal travel both within the Region and linking externally with GO Transit. The goal of this initiative is to provide passengers with a simple, unified and consistent system of fares and fare payment throughout their trip. Metrolinx PRESTO or a PRESTO-compliant system from another vendor have been identified as the most desirable payment technologies, since this would permit the Region's payment system to link seamlessly with GO and other GTHA transit systems.

Finally, Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit has been operating on a $3.00 cash-only fare system since its inception in 2012. An growing number of requests to provide monthly rates and discount fares for students and seniors are being received, and satisfying this need is a priority for 2017. Research indicates that a smart card system with on-board point-of-sale capability provides the most cost-effective and flexible means of offering these concession fares, as well as providing advanced analytical and audit capabilities.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit and recently undertook a cooperative initiative to source vendors capable of satisfying the above noted criteria cost-effectively and on a scale appropriate to our small systems.

4. DISCUSSION / ANALYSIS

In the interests of compatibility, the systems used by other Regional transit stakeholders were reviewed . Due to the complexities of integrating GPS tracking, interior/exterior LED boards, annunciator systems and smart card/electronic farebox technologies from different vendors, an all-in-one solution was preferred. Consideration was also given to the three options identified in the Region's "Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance Strategy" report.

GFI Odyssey (St. Catharines), Trapeze (Niagara Falls) and Diamond () are primarily fare systems and do not provide integrated "next stop" solutions. They are also designed for large operators with high passengers volumes and would be cost-prohibitive to implement for a small number of buses (the estimated costs for NOTL Transit range from $70,000 to $110,000 excluding back office software and a compatible "next stop" system).

The Niagara Parks Commission uses an integrated "Intelligent Vehicle Network" system by Clever Devices. The company did not respond to a request for quotation, however extrapolating from a 2012 quote it is estimated that installation on NOTL Transit vehicles would total $39,500 (2012 dollars). This price does not include the necessary "next stop" LED panels and annunciator, or an on-board point of sale (POS) system. The complimentary land-based POS system was quoted at $3,500 per terminal, plus an additional $3,500 for requisite back-office software. This system is also geared to high

Report : OPS-17-014 Page 2 passenger volumes and is too expensive for consideration by NOTL Transit.

PRESTO declined to provide a price for their fare system, stating that they were revamping their delivery model and were gravitating from supplying hardware to establishing software standards for PRESTO-compliant hardware vendors. The Region's report notes "Presto does not participate in competitive procurements which would put them (as government entity) into competition with the private sector." The report further noted that "while the benefit of PRESTO is the ability to integrate with GO Transit and other GTHA systems, the drawback is that they are likely to be the highest cost and the least flexible to support tailored solutions." PRESTO did not provide a delivery date for their new model, but did state that they would be implementing it for their large stakeholders first (TTC, OCTranspo, MiWay etc.), with small properties such as NOTL Transit waiting 2 years or longer after roll-out.

Given the difficulty in sourcing an appropriate and affordable integrated system suitable to our respective needs, Fort Erie Transit enlisted the aid of Wally Beck of the Transit Consulting Network. Mr. Beck recommended "TransitFare & Systems", a Canadian company with a proven integrated system targeted to small and medium sized transit operators.

While TransitFare has 600+ units in-service in Canada and the United States, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie would be their first clients in the Niagara Region. As an introductory group purchase, a favourable quotation was received with the necessary components to fulfil NOTL Transit criteria for a total of $37,955 (excluding tax and installation). It should be noted that since the system will be installed on vehicles owned by our contractor Niagara Patient Transfer (NPT), TransitFare will not be installing the equipment but will provide assistance to NPT to do so. Installation is estimated at an additional $5,000.

It should be noted that PRESTO has not as yet completed their criteria for PRESTO compliance. TransitFare plans to be fully integrated with the Presto system when the time comes, and through a number of relationships with key Presto staff there is an ongoing effort to ensure that compliance is achieved. Vendor experience and the overall compatibility and flexibility of their system likewise ensures integration with whatever inter -agency model the Region eventually chooses.

TransitFare has provided satisfactory references from Chatham-Kent Transit, Bradford-West Gwillimbury Transit and Bracebridge Transit, all of similar size and configuration to NOTL Transit.

5. STRATEGIC PLAN

In addition to satisfying legislated AODA requirements, the purchase of an integrated "next stop/smart card fare" system satisfies Key Community Wide Priority #7: "To confirm our long term commitment to transit and to expand service on a selective cost effective basis".

Report : OPS-17-014 Page 3 Per the 2015 Strategic Plan update, this initiative directly addresses "working towards offering monthly passes, student passes and senior passes ... possibly at a discount" and aids NOTL Transit in "working on transfer agreements with both Regional Transit and WEGO ... (aim for parity with Niagara Falls/St. Catharines transit and connections to Regional Transit)"

6. OPTIONS

6.1 That Council accept the estimated price of $44,000 including taxes and third-party installation for the integrated "next stop/smart card fare system". This recommended option would bring NOTL into compliance with AODA regulations and position us to both provide concession fares requested by the community and negotiate with Regional transit stakeholders for fare parity and seamless inter-municipal trips for our ridership.

6.2 That Council accept the estimated price of $18,000 including taxes and installation for the "next stop" components of the quoted system installed on core transit vehicles only. This option would bring NOTL into compliance with AODA regulations, but would mean losing an advantageous price on the smart card fare management system. To remain a viable partner in Niagara Region's "Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance Strategy" we would be required to buy into a smart card fare management system within the next two years, likely at a much higher price.

6.3 That Council reject both elements of the proposed system. This option is not recommended as it would leave NOTL Transit out of compliance with AODA legislation and out of step with other Niagara Region transit stakeholders.

7. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Through the 2017 Capital Budget process, $15,000 was approved for Project #C01128 - Annunciator Boards , and funding is in place to purchase and install basic "next stop" components on core transit vehicles, with the remainder of the fleet to be completed in 2018.

Since this 2017 project was approved, additional resources became available through the Federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). NOTL Transit has a PTIF application pending which will provide matching (50/50) capital of up to $25,000 for an integrated "next stop/smart fare card" system. Should the full system option be selected at an estimated installed cost of $44,000, the 50/50 funding formula would require a total of $22,000 from the Town, with the additional $7,000 to be funded from the Ontario Disabilities Reserve.

Due to the difficulty in procuring competitive quotes applicable to a transit system of our small size, we are requesting that Council consider Section 14 (Single Source

Report : OPS-17-014 Page 4 Purchase) of By-Law 4701-14 "Policy for the Procurement of Goods and Services", with applicable subsections of 14.2 as follow:

(a) An attempt to acquire the required goods and /or services by a competitive process has been made in good faith , but has failed to identify a willing, capable and compliant supplier; TransitFare was the only supplier willing and able to provide a firm quotation for integrated system components applicable to a small transit system and meeting the Town's criteria.

(b) There is a need for standardization to maintain functionality or existing service capacity; An affordable PRESTO-compliant system is required to maintain NOTL Transit's participation in Regional transit initiatives.

(f) Where a single source method of procurement can be justified to be in the best interest of the Town; Given the difficulty in securing quotations and/or reasonable delivery timelines from the larger providers, sourcing a cost-effective and appropriately scaled system from a nimble, reputable Canadian supplier working progressively towards PRESTO compliance is in the best interest of the Town.

Ongoing operating costs of a "next stop/smart card fare" system include:  Monthly monitoring fees estimated at $450 (subject to a service agreement)  SIM cards and monthly data plan estimated at $250 (paid directly to cell carrier)  Contactless smart card media at $2,750 per 1,500 (orders may be shared with Fort Erie)  Thermal rolls for ticket/transfer printer estimated at $3.00/roll  Future software configuration changes by TransitFare charged by hourly rate or lump sum depending on the scope of the changes. These changes would likely be in undertaken in concert with other Regional transit authorities and group pricing may apply.

8. COMMUNICATIONS

Upon receipt of Council approval and confirmation of PTIF funding, Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit would accept TransitFare's quotation and move forward with ordering the necessary components . Hardware installation and driver training sessions would be scheduled with our transit contractor.

Prior to software configuration a report regarding recommended concession fares will be provided for Council's approval, so that any fare changes may be implemented upon roll-out of the new system. These fares would be advertised to our ridership as part of routinely budgeted seasonal advertising.

TransitFare's system provides GTFS data which will enable easy trip planning for our ridership, through integration with the Regional network and the popular trip planning platforms Google Transit, Metrolinx trip planner and TransitApp. TransitFare also

Report : OPS-17-014 Page 5 provides live Dispatch tracking and Public Maps which will be helpful to both Transit management and our ridership.

9. CONCLUSION

Purchase of the TransitFare system permits Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit to remain compliant with AODA requirements, while providing high -end and flexible transit technology which is highly capable yet simple and cost-effective enough to be appropriate for small transit operators such as NOTL Transit.

The ability for passengers to pay cash fares or purchase/reload contactless smart cards on board the buses and at designated point-of-sale locations permits the Town to offer concession fares and provide an enhanced level of service to our passengers. This system will also ensure that NOTL is positioned to evolve with other Regional transit stakeholders in accordance with the "Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance Strategy", and will be a key component in the provision of integrated travel between Niagara municipalities and beyond. Coupled with rigorous audit and data collection/analysis capabilities, the TransitFare system is an exciting next step in the growth of Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit.

Prepared by,

Marci Weston Engineering Technologist

Reviewed by,

Jeffrey Vyse, C.S.T. Manager of Public Works

Respectfully submitted,

Report : OPS-17-014 Page 6 Sheldon Randall Holly Dowd Director of Operations Chief Administrative Officer

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Report : OPS-17-014 Page 7