Final Bus Network Plan and January 2022 Service Changes

Approval of Final Bus Network Plan and January 2022 Service Changes

Committee-of-the-Whole August 24, 2021

Rob Smith, Interim VP Service Planning

1 Today’s Consideration

• Approval of a resolution: 1. Adopting the Final Bus Network Plan; 2. Authorizing the President & Chief Executive Officer or her designee to implement the proposed service modifications on January 24, 2022, as shown in Exhibit 1 to the Resolution; and 3. Approving the Title VI assessment of the proposed service modifications, included as Exhibit 2 to the Resolution

2 Background

• Board Resolution 200125, adopted November 10, 2020, has been our guide for this process:

“…that the President/Executive Director or his designee is authorized to develop a draft final bus network based upon the hybrid network concept with a ridership-coverage ratio between 75%-25% and 70%-30% and determined to maximize the most efficient approach, and based upon the FY 2020 Budget for service level resources.”

• Development of the Final Bus Network Plan and associated January 2022 service change proposals build upon this resolution

3 Public Comments Overview

63 comments submitted • 16 comment cards Numerous stakeholder 15 community meetings • 39 emailed comments • 4 comments dictated over the meetings phone

2 Facebook Live events with about 300 2,468 responses to participants for each, public survey on plus many more online www.dartzoom.org afterwards

4 Key Issues from Public Comments

• Detailed discussion in GoLink coverage and Attachment 1 of Agenda Report access issues • Upcoming slides will highlight some of the key changes that we have included in response to input we received, organized Fixed-route coverage geographically concerns • Input included comments from DART Board members, riders, members of the public, and Express bus DART Cities concerns

5 Southwest Quadrant West Dallas, Oak Cliff, Cockrell Hill, Glenn Heights

Joppa

Inland Port GoLink now serves entire Inland Port zone

6 Southwest Quadrant West Dallas, Oak Cliff, Cockrell Hill, Glenn Heights

Joppa

EAST OAK CLIFF • Additional route coverage, frequency adjustments

Inland Port GoLink now serves entire Inland Port zone

7 Southeast Quadrant South Dallas, East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, SE Garland

8 Southeast Quadrant South Dallas, East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, SE Garland

PLEASANT GROVE • Additional route coverage

9 Northeast Quadrant Plano, Richardson, NE Dallas, Rowlett, Garland, University Park, Highland Park

10 Northeast Quadrant Plano, Richardson, NE Dallas, Rowlett, Garland,PLANO University Park, Highland Park • GoLink zone-to- zone pilot

FRANKFORD CORRIDOR • Crosstown route added • Other route modifications

RICHARDSON • Belt Line route plus GoLink changes

11 Northwest Quadrant Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Addison, Irving, NW Dallas

12 FRANKFORD CORRIDOR • Crosstown route added • Other route Northwest modifications

Quadrant FARMERS BRANCH Carrollton, Farmers • Additional Branch, Addison, Irving, GoLink coverage NW Dallas

SW IRVING • Bear Creek GoLink coverage

13 Focus on Frequency, 7-Day Service

Red Purple WEEKDAY Blue Light Blue Pale Blue 30 30 4am or 5am-6am 30 40 40 15 15 6am-9am (AM peak) 15 30 30 15 20 9am-3pm (midday) 30 40 60 15 15 3pm-6pm (PM peak) 15 30 30 15 20 6pm-10pm 30 40 60 30 30 10pm-Midnight or 1am 30 60 60 Red Purple WEEKEND Blue Light Blue Pale Blue 30 30 4am or 5am-10am 30 60 60 15 20 10am-7pm 30 40 60 30 30 7pm-Midnight or 1am 30 60 60 4am-1am 5am-Midnight Final schedules may vary slightly LRT included in Purple group

14 Plano Zone-to-Zone Pilot GoLink Expansion New Far N Plano • 13 new zones (30 Legacy Expanded total) Existing N Central Plano • 132 to 233 square Expanded East Plano S Central Plano miles N Carrrollton New • 13 operate New New Saturday East Telecom • 6 operate W Carrollton Keller Springs New Existing New Central Richardson Saturday + Sunday New • Inland Port hours Farmers Branch expanded Cypress Waters Expanded Rowlett New No Changes • Pilot zone-to-zone Preston N Dallas service in 3 Plano Hollow Expanded zones NW Dallas New Lake Highlands New Expanded Central Irving SE Garland NO CHANGES: NEW: New Park Cities Expanded Expanded W Carrollton S Central Plano E Irving Lakewood Glenn Heights E Plano New Existing Kleberg E Telecom S Irving Central Rowlett Expanded W Dallas Lakewood Richardson New S Dallas Pilot Legacy Keller Springs Existing S Dallas Pilot N Carrollton Cypress Waters EXPANDED: Central Irving Far N Plano E Irving Mountain Creek Rylie N Central Plano W Dallas New Expanded Kleberg Farmers Branch Mountain Creek Existing S Irving Preston Hollow Inland Port NW Dallas Rylie Inland Port (Dallas Part) SE Garland PILOT: Expanded Park Cities Plano Zone-to- N Dallas Zone Pilot Lake Highlands

Glenn Heights Existing

15 Details in the Agenda Report

Information on individual routes can be found in the Agenda Report

This includes a table that lists all of the current bus routes and GoLink zones and how they translate under the January 2022 final proposal

Individual maps are included for each new bus route and GoLink zone

16 Impact on Access

One of the key measures of the performance of the new network: the increase in jobs accessible by transit within 60 minutes travel time

Access improves for every socioeconomic and demographic group

Final recommendations resulted in improvements from the Draft Final Bus Network Plan – public feedback made the Plan better

Improvements happen in most of the DART Service Area

17 Job Access Improvements Compared to Current Network

Additional Jobs Reachable in 60 Minutes for the Average Resident Draft Final Bus Final Bus Demographic Group Network Plan Network Plan All residents +28% +34% Non-white residents +30% +35% Black residents +28% +34% White residents +26% +32% Asian-American residents * +45% Hispanic residents +29% +33% Lower income residents +27% +32% (earning < 150% of the fed. poverty level) Medium- and higher-income residents +29% +34% (earning > 150% of the fed. poverty level) Higher-income residents +11% +13% (earning > 200% of the fed. poverty level) Residents over the age of 65 +29% +36% * Not reported separately in Draft Final Bus Network Plan report 18 Job Access Improvements Geographic Distribution

19 Impact on Coverage

• With the latest changes:

99.8% of pre-pandemic 98.2% of pre-pandemic 74% of residents would boardings would be boardings would be live within ½-mile of within ½-mile of within ¼-mile of transit service, versus locations on the new locations on the new 68% now network network

35% of low-income 25% of residents would residents would live live within ½-mile of within ½-mile of frequent transit service frequent transit service

20 Title VI Implications

• The Diversity Department conducted a review of the Title VI service equity assessment to determine compliance with FTA Title VI requirements to evaluate the impacts of proposed service changes on minority and low-income populations • There are no disparate impacts to Title VI protected groups regarding the implementation of the proposed service change • There are no disproportionate burdens borne by Title VI protected groups regarding the implementation of the proposed service change

21 Title VI Implications

• For the metrics used in the Title VI assessment – access to jobs and access to transit – there were net positive impacts observed for all groups, and especially for Title VI protected groups • Conclusion: minority and low-income residents of the DART Service area will not bear any disparate impact or disproportionate burden resulting from the proposed service change • All details on the Title VI assessment are included as Exhibit 2 of the Agenda Report

22 Upcoming Activities • Approval of the changes starts the next steps in the process, Hiring including a series of key activities Training • We will continue to offer regular briefings and action items in upcoming Board Preparation of signage and meetings as we move through customer-facing materials these steps Development of a Plan for future bus service improvements

Much more

23 Recommendation