STAFF REPORT

TO: Transit Select Committee MEETING: March 12, 2020

FROM: Daniel Pearce FILE: 8770 01 KTS General Manager Transportation and Emergency Services

SUBJECT: Service Report

RECOMMENDATION

That the Kingston Transit Service Report be received for information.

SUMMARY

Kingston Transit provides service within the urban area of the City of Kingston, Ontario and the neighboring community of Amherstview. In 2011, Kingston Transit made significant improvements to its conventional system. From 2011 to 2017, transit service was increased from 160,255 annual hours to 238,688 annual hours (48%). Ridership increased by 72% to 6.1 million passenger trips. Ridership grew due to several transit initiatives such as increasing transit service on their core network, managing land uses, particularly parking and pricing, and fare strategies.

Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) Transit currently operates 130,553 annual hours of conventional transit service. In 2014, the RDN Transit Future Plan was endorsed by the Board. Since 2014, RDN Transit has expanded by 16,000 annual hours, an increase of 14%. Ridership has increased from 2.7 million rides in 2013/2014 to 3.3 million rides in 2018/2019, an increase of 22%. The Future Plan established transit ridership and service goals for a period of 25 years. Based on the Plan, RDN Transit would reach 205,000 hours of annual service by 2027 and 400,000 hours of annual service by 2039.

BACKGROUND

Kingston Transit

Kingston Transit is owned and operated by the Corporation of the City of Kingston. The transit system provides local and express service seven days a week to the urban areas of Kingston and the neighbouring community of Amherstview. Kingston operates 8 express routes and 19 community routes. In 2013, Kingston introduced its first express route. In 2015, four additional express routes were introduced. The express routes cover a significant portion of the urban area of Kingston with 15-minute frequency during weekday peak periods. Report to Transit Select Committee - March 12, 2020 Kingston Transit Service Report Page 2

In 2017, Kingston Transit endorsed a five-year service plan. The plan focused on increasing frequency to the express routes, in five phases the plan will add an additional 63,000 service hours and 21 buses.

Ridership in Kingston grew by 72% from 2011 to 2017. Ridership grew due to a number of transit initiatives. These include:

 Increasing transit service on their core network o The system moved away from a ‘pulse’ system where all buses arrive and depart at the same time. While adding service hours, and express routes, the system was changed to the express system operating at 8-15 minutes during weekday peak periods with community routes feeding in to the express routes.  Managing land uses, particularly parking and pricing o In 2013, Kingston implemented a transit parking pricing structure that promoted transit. The changes included new weekly and monthly commuter passes that provide unlimited rides on weekdays, higher discounts in the Employer Pass program based on the number of participating employees.  Fare strategies o The City of Kingston and local school boards worked together to implement a Kingston High School Transit Pass Program. This program was piloted in 2012 with grade 9 students. The program now includes grades 9 to 12. In the 2018/2019 school year, high school students accounted for roughly 425,000 rides. Kingston Transit currently has some additional transit fare programs administered through their Municipal Fee Assistance Program. These include an affordable transit pass which is a monthly pass reduced by 50%. Additionally, Kingston offers a transit employment program. This program provides recently hired Kingston residents (part-time and full-time) with a free two month transit pass.

RDN Transit

RDN Transit operates 53 conventional buses and 4 community buses with 130,553 annual hours of service, over 18 routes service the region.

In 2014, the Board endorsed the RDN Transit Future Plan (Attachment 1). The RDN Transit Future Plan established transit ridership and service goals for a period of 25 years. Since 2014, RDN Transit has expanded by 16,000 annual hours. Based on the Future Plan, RDN Transit’s goal is to reach 205,000 hours of annual service by 2027 and 400,000 hours of annual service by 2039.

Based on the service expansion that have occurred since 2014, transit would need to implement 74,400 annual hours of service by 2027. If this service was distributed equally over the next 7 years that would equate to annual expansions of 10,628 annual hours per year.

A fare study was conducted in 2017, and the Board updated the fare structure to include a day pass and a price reduction for student, senior and adult monthly passes. A Kids Ride Free program was also introduced, which allows a passenger 19 years or older to bring two children Report to Transit Select Committee - March 12, 2020 Kingston Transit Service Report Page 3

14 years or younger on board a bus for free. Additionally, a low income transit programs was initiated in 2018.

For 2020, RDN Transit is conducting a network review, including a fare review and right sizing study. This review will look at RDN Transit current routing, explore express routes and community routes. From this review, a multiyear service year plan will be created with expansion plans and fare strategies/programs.

ALTERNATIVES

1. That the Kingston Transit Service Report be received for information.

2. That alternative direction be provided.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

In Ontario, transit is funded by local, provincial and federal governments. Kingston Transit owns the buses and uses Federal funding to purchase buses, and transit infrastructure. Under their five-year transit plan (2017-2021) their financial plan included an annual municipal contribution from $14.2 million in 2016 to $20.9 million in 2021. The plan includes capital expenditures of $37.5 million and fare strategies. In 2018, Kingston Transit announced federal and provincial funding of $77 million dollars over 10 years for capital projects. The fare strategy includes:

 A general fare increase every three years in January 2017 and in January 2020 to ensure that revenues are keeping pace with inflationary cost increases  Increasing the Affordable Transit monthly pass subsidy from 35% to 50%  Adjusting the age category for children under six to include children 12 and under, for a 3-year trial period so more adults and caregivers can use Kingston Transit without having to pay a fare for children to ride with them  Adjusting the age category for youth, for a 3-year trial period, for the ages of 13 to 24, and  Providing high school students with free transit, for at least the next three years, to continue exposing youth to the benefits of using public transit

In British Columbia, (outside TransLink) transit costs are shared with BC Transit at a rate of 46.69% BC Transit and 53.31% Local Government. BC Transit owns the buses and local governments pay annual lease rate. Local governments can receive federal grant funding however this is traditionally administered through BC Transit and then to local government through an annual operating agreement.

British Columbia offers a BC Bus Pass Program, which is unique to BC. This program offers low income seniors and persons with disabilities a transit pass for $45 per year.

The RDN has two transit financial bylaws. Southern Community Transit Service Area Bylaw No. 1230 (Attachment 2) for District 68 and Northern Community Transit Service Bylaw No. 897 (Attachment 3) for District 69. Report to Transit Select Committee - March 12, 2020 Kingston Transit Service Report Page 4

In the 2020 Financial Plan transit costs per area are shown below:

Area Transit Costs

City of Nanaimo $ 9,166,265

District of Lantzville $ 94,373

City of Parksville $ 506,810

Town of Qualicum Beach $ 342,812 Electoral Area A $ 91, 237

Electoral Area C $ 8,190 Electoral Area E $ 158,171

Electoral Area G $ 138,717 Electoral Area H $ 93,945

STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLICATIONS

Transportation and Transit - Work with BC Transit to expand transit service (e.g. transit hours) to connect important community hubs.

______Daniel Pearce [email protected] February 18, 2020

Reviewed by:  P. Carlyle, Chief Administrative Officer

Attachments 1. RDN Transit Future Plan 2. Southern Community Transit Service Area Bylaw No. 1230 3. Northern Community Transit Service Bylaw No. 897