[NAME OF DOCUMENT] | VOLUME [Client Name] TRANSIT RESTRUCTURING PLAN Existing Conditions DRAFT March 2015 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. | i Transit Restructuring Plan | Existing Conditions Report | DRAFT MnDOT Table of Contents Page 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................1-1 Background ............................................................................................................................................. 1-1 Planning Process and Project goals .................................................................................................... 1-1 Recent Planning Studies ........................................................................................................................ 1-2 2 Study Area Profile ............................................................................................................2-1 Demographic Overview ....................................................................................................................... 2-1 Population Growth and Density .......................................................................................................... 2-3 Demographic Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 2-5 Major Destinations ............................................................................................................................... 2-13 3 Existing Transit Services ..................................................................................................3-1 Service Characteristics and Delivery ................................................................................................. 3-1 Management and Administration ....................................................................................................... 3-9 Capital Resources ................................................................................................................................ 3-15 Service Assessment .............................................................................................................................. 3-18 Operating and Financial Assessment ............................................................................................... 3-26 4 Stakeholder Input .............................................................................................................4-1 Methodology .......................................................................................................................................... 4-1 Perceptions of Existing Services .......................................................................................................... 4-3 Challenges and Opportunities ............................................................................................................ 4-5 Perspectives on Future Collaboration or Consolidation ................................................................. 4-9 5 Conclusions and Next Steps ............................................................................................5-1 Existing Services ..................................................................................................................................... 5-1 Unmet Needs .......................................................................................................................................... 5-2 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................................... 5-2 Appendix Appendix A: Stakeholder Interview Notes Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | i Transit Restructuring Plan | Existing Conditions Report | DRAFT MnDOT Table of Figures Page Figure 1-1 MnDOT Performance Measures ......................................................................................... 1-7 Figure 2-1 Demographic Summary ....................................................................................................... 2-2 Figure 2-2 Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet County Population Trends ...................................... 2-3 Figure 2-3 Population Density ................................................................................................................ 2-4 Figure 2-4 Density of Residents with Disabilities ................................................................................ 2-7 Figure 2-5 Density of Youth Population ................................................................................................ 2-8 Figure 2-6 Senior Population Density ................................................................................................... 2-9 Figure 2-7 Density of Zero-Vehicle Households ................................................................................ 2-10 Figure 2-8 Density of Very Low Income Households ........................................................................ 2-11 Figure 2-9 Limited English Proficiency Populations .......................................................................... 2-12 Figure 2-10 Transit Services and Major Destinations in Study Area .............................................. 2-14 Figure 3-1 Service Characteristics Summary ....................................................................................... 3-2 Figure 3-2 VINE People to Jobs Routes ................................................................................................ 3-8 Figure 3-3 Organizational Structure ................................................................................................... 3-10 Figure 3-4 VINE Organizational Chart .............................................................................................. 3-11 Figure 3-5 Full-Time Employee Equivalents (FTE) ............................................................................. 3-12 Figure 3-6 Driver Wage Summary ..................................................................................................... 3-13 Figure 3-7 Vehicle Fleets ....................................................................................................................... 3-16 Figure 3-8 10-Year Capital Plan for Le Sueur Transit and Saint Peter Transit ......................... 3-17 Figure 3-9 Le Sueur Transit Rider Demographics ............................................................................. 3-18 Figure 3-10 Saint Peter Transit Rider Demographics......................................................................... 3-18 Figure 3-11 VINE Rider Demographics ................................................................................................. 3-19 Figure 3-12 Le Sueur Transit and Saint Peter Transit One-way Passenger Trips, January 26- 31, 2015 .............................................................................................................................. 3-19 Figure 3-13 VINE Transit One-way Passenger Trips Provided January 25-31, 2015 ............... 3-20 Figure 3-14 Most Frequent Origins and Destinations, VINE Transit Trips January 25-31, 2015...................................................................................................................................... 3-20 Figure 3-15 Volunteer Driver Program Details ................................................................................... 3-24 Figure 3-16 Private and Non-Profit Transportation Providers in Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Nicollet County .................................................................................................................... 3-25 Figure 3-17 Le Sueur Transit Operating and Financial Statistics, 2011-2014 ............................ 3-27 Figure 3-18 Saint Peter Transit Operating and Financial Statistics, 2011-2014 ........................ 3-29 Figure 3-19 VINE Operating and Financial Statistics, 2011-2014 ................................................ 3-31 Figure 3-20 MnDOT Performance Measures: Standards and Guidance ..................................... 3-34 Figure 3-21 Performance Measures, 2011-2014 .............................................................................. 3-34 Figure 3-22 Le Sueur Transit Funding, 2011-2014 ............................................................................ 3-36 Figure 3-23 Saint Peter Transit Funding, 2011-2014 ....................................................................... 3-37 Figure 3-24 VINE Transit Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Funding, 2011-2014 ...... 3-39 Figure 3-25 VINE Transit New Freedom Funding, 2011-2014 ....................................................... 3-39 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | ii Transit Restructuring Plan | Existing Conditions Report | DRAFT MnDOT 1 INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND As described in MnDOT’s Guidance for Coordination, Cooperation and Consolidation: Collaborative Strategies for Redesigning Transit Systems, organizations throughout Minnesota clearly recognize the benefits of inter-governmental collaboration in order to address challenges such as constrained funding, statewide economic changes, and increasing populations in need of services. In particular, MnDOT’s Office of Transit has provided active support and useful tools for local transit providers to encourage and enable them to work together to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their services. Often the aim of coordination or consolidation is increased efficiency and a lower cost per