Agenda Item # 8
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Date: |
October 12, 2006 |
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Committee Meeting Date: |
November 8, 2006 |
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Board Meeting Date: |
November 2, 2006 |
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ACTION
X
DISCUSSION
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| INFO
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BOARD MEMORANDUM
| TO: |
Committee for Transit Accessibility |
| | Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |
| | Board of Directors |
| | | | THROUGH: | Michael T. Burns |
| | General Manager |
| | | | FROM: | Donald A. Smith, Jr. |
| | Chief Operating Officer |
| | |
| SUBJECT: |
RIDE Task Force Final Report |
Recommendation:
Receive the Ridership Initiative to Develop Energy-efficiency (RIDE) Task Force’s Final Report and recommend the Board direct staff to continue to review and consider the report’s recommendations as it develops and implements fare, service, marketing, promotional, and community outreach proposals and plans.
Background:
The RIDE Task Force was initiated in June 2005 by a coalition of labor, environmental and community-based groups that were concerned about the decline in ridership on VTA bus and light rail transit services. The coalition urged the creation of a broad-based Task Force with the mission of exploring new, innovative, and cost-efficient methods of increasing ridership.
At its September 2005 meeting, the VTA Board of Directors authorized the formation of the RIDE Task Force, as proposed by the coalition, and appointed Board Members Nora Campos and Jamie Matthews to serve as co-chairs. The Board also appointed the Chairpersons of the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), Committee for Transit Accessibility (CTA) and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) to the Task Force.
The Board also requested that the Task Force’s recommendations be compatible with Board-adopted policies, including Valley Transportation Plan (VTP) 2030, the work of the Ad Hoc Financial Stability Committee, and the Fare Policy that includes a goal of 20-25% farebox recovery.
Discussion:
The RIDE Task Force met nine times between October 2005 and August 2006. Meetings generally consisted of presentations by staff, and questions, feedback and discussion by Task Force members and members of the public. In December, the meeting was devoted to a facilitated brainstorming session to capture ideas for improving ridership, which was later expanded as additional ideas were proposed.
The Task Force’s accomplishments are described in the Final Report and briefly summarized here:
1. Supported implementation of an 8-Hour Light Rail Excursion Fare pilot program.
2. Encouraged VTA to secure a regional grant to subsidize transit fares for low-income persons.
3. Supported implementation of the Simple and Free promotion providing free off-peak service to seniors and disabled persons from January through March 2006.
4. Supported implementation of the Summer Blast Pass offering a 3-month discounted pass to youth.
Better Information for Riders
1. Supported implementation of a leisure travel marketing campaign, inviting residents to “Meet the Riders.”
2. Identified VTA website improvements to make it easier and quicker to find and use transit information.
3. Identified the need for a better trip planning tool, and encouraged staff to continue discussions with Google regarding the use of its Transit Trip Planner for VTA.
4. Expressed a strong interest in real-time passenger information and provided input on VTA’s real-time passenger information project.
Better Access to the System
1. Encouraged VTA to continue to invest in improvements to bus stop accessibility and bicycle access to transit services.
2. Encouraged VTA to continue to work with cities and the County to ensure that land use proposals are designed to consider and incorporate transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access.
1. Encouraged VTA to complete its Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) and implement efficient and cost-effective means of improving and expanding transit services.
2. Provided input on minor service improvements implemented July 2006 using resources reallocated from underutilized transit services to areas in need of service improvements.
The RIDE Task Force Final Report includes a number of recommendations, which are repeated here:
The RIDE Task Force recommends that VTA continue to review and consider the ridership ideas put forward by the Task Force as VTA develops and implements transit service improvements and marketing, promotion, and community outreach plans. As programs are developed, staff should identify costs, benefits, and specific measurable goals to be achieved so that the success of the program can be determined.
In addition, the Task Force would like to highlight the following recommendations for consideration:
Fare Affordability and Convenience
As part of the fare review process conducted during the preparation of VTA’s FY08 and FY09 budget:
1. Consider reducing fares paid by those least able to afford them: low-income, youth, seniors, and disabled persons.
2. Consider reducing the cost of a Day Pass (currently priced a 3 times a single ride), to make it more affordable for people who need to transfer.
3. Consider expanding the ECO pass program to community colleges and additional businesses and residential organizations.
4. Consider extending the ECO pass program to additional regional transit services, such as the Monterey/San Jose Express Service (Monterey-Salinas Transit’s Line 55).
5. Consider making the discounted Summer Blast Pass a permanent program offered each summer to youth.
6. Consider making the Light Rail Excursion Pass a permanent element of the fare structure.
Better Information for Riders
In addition to completing implementation of VTA’s improved website, real-time passenger information project, and the Google transit trip planner to provide better and more timely information for riders, the RIDE Task Force recommends:
1. Marketing and promotional activities aimed at the transit dependent, youth (to instill a transit culture early), and at making transit socially desirable, “the right thing to do.”
2. Taking better advantage of times and locations when traffic congestion occurs or parking is limited to promote transit as an alternative.
3. Reviewing print and electronic materials to include information to facilitate transit use, including connections between bus and light rail lines and with connecting regional transit services.
4. Collaborating with others (e.g., hotels, events, visitor and convention bureaus, chambers) to promote transit to their customers.
Better Access to System
To provide better access to the transit system, the RIDE Task Force recommends that VTA:
1. Increase the funding made available to improve safe and accessible paths of travel for seniors and disabled people at bus stops, transit centers, and light rail platforms.
2. Consider increasing the number of bus stop benches and shelters at higher-use bus stops and transit centers.
3. Continue to work with cities to determine the need for curb cuts, sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian traffic signals to facilitate safe and accessible paths of travel to bus stops, transit centers, light rail stations, and light rail platforms.
4. Develop a program to increase the number of bike racks located at high volume bus stops, transit centers and light rail stations.
Service Improvements
In addition to completing the Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) and implementing market-based service improvements as resources become available, the RIDE Task Force recommends that VTA:
1. Explore additional opportunities to implement “rapid” bus service, similar to the Rapid 522 service, which has increased ridership in the El Camino Real corridor by over 15%.
2. Work with Valley Medical Center and other hospitals throughout the County to address a need for late-night transportation for their patients, when transit service is not available.
5. Work with connecting transit services to coordinate schedules and connections, and fare structures.
Finally, the RIDE Task Force proposes that staff provide the Board of Directors with annual updates on the status of efforts to improve ridership including a comparison of goals and results.
Alternatives:
Fiscal Impact:
The fiscal impact of implementing proposed RIDE Task Force recommendations would need to be identified and budgeted when plans and programs are developed and approved.
RIDE Task Force Final Report
The Ridership Initiative to Develop Energy-Efficiency August 2006
Acknowledgments
VTA wishes to thank the many people who contributed to the efforts of the RIDE Task Force.
Terry Applegate, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center
Erika Araiza, ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now)
Roger Baird, Interested Citizen
Theresa Bernardo De La Vega, Filipino American Chamber of Commerce
Stephen Blaylock, VTA Citizens Advisory Committee
Eugene Bradley, Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority Riders Union
Bob Brownstein, Working Partnerships USA
Russell Brunson, North Valley Workforce Board (NOVA)
Nora Campos, Task Force Co-Chairperson, VTA Board of Directors
Mike Curran, North Valley Workforce Board (NOVA)
Roz Dean, Interested Citizen
Jim Doyle, Interested Citizen
Steve Glickman, VTA Policy Advisory Committee
Jerry Grace, Interested Citizen
Poncho Guevara, Sacred Heart Community Service
Douglas Hailey, Californians for Justice
Irene Hsu, Working Partnerships USA
David Julian, VTA Committee for Transit Accessibility
Michael S. Kincaid, Bay Rail Alliance
Alette Lundberg, County of Santa Clara Social Services
Yoriko Kishimoto, VTA Policy Advisory Committee
Christopher Lepe, Transportation & Land Use Coalition
Mike Lipman, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Jamie Matthews, Task Force Co-Chairperson, VTA Board of Directors
Patrick Moore, Sierra Club
Aaron Morrow, VTA Committee for Transit Accessibility
Jim Murphy, Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System
Margaret Okuzumi, Interested Citizen
Kim Petersen, San Jose Evergreen Community College District
Ben Rodriguez, Foothill De Anza Community College District
Walter Schinke, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center
William Schwarz, Outreach
Leslie Smith, NOVA
Jim Stallman, VTA Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Bruce Stevens, VTA Fare Inspector
Laura Stuchinsky, Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Reginald Swilley, Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
Joel Wyrick, Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
China Ziegenbein, San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau
Eyedin Zonobi, SJSU Transportation Solutions
VTA Staff
Bernice Alaniz, Marketing and Public Affairs
David Lopez, Market Development
Doug Beley, Technology
Francisco Salvador, Technology
William Capps, Service & Operations Planning
David Sausjord, Revenue Services
Kevin Connolly, Transportation Planning
Donald A. Smith, Jr., Operations Admin.
Nancy Coss-Fitzwater, Operations Admin.
Debora Tidwell, Operations Administration
Suzanne Gifford, General Counsel
Matthew Tucker, Operations Administration
Ali Hudda, Fiscal Resources
James Unites, Operations Planning
Samuel Lau, Bus & Rail Operations
Lisa Vickery, Operations Administration
Maria Marinos and Staff, Office of the Board Secretary
Table of Contents for Print Version of Report
Introduction 1
Background 2
Vision and Goals 3
Meetings 3
Ridership History 3
Task Force Accomplishments 5
Next Steps 8
Appendix 1 – Board memorandum authorizing formation of the Task Force 11
Appendix 2 – Task Force Membership Roster 17
Appendix 3 – RIDE Task Force Meeting Agendas and Minutes 19
October 19, 2005 Agenda 19
October 19, 2005 Minutes 20
November 2, 2005 Agenda 25
November 2, 2005 Minutes 26
December 14, 2005 Agenda 33
December 14, 2005 Minutes 34
January 18, 2006 Agenda 45
January 18, 2006 Minutes 46
February 22, 2006 Notice of Cancellation 55
March 22, 2006 Agenda 57
March 22, 2006 Minutes 58
April 26, 2006 Agenda 71
April 26, 2006 Minutes 72
May 24, 2006 Agenda 83
May 24, 2006 Minutes 84
June 28, 2006 Agenda 93
June 28, 2006 Minutes 94
August 23, 2006 Agenda 103
August 23, 2006 Minutes 104
Appendix 4 – Categorized List of Ridership Ideas 113
RIDE Task Force Final Report
The Ridership Initiative to Develop Energy-Efficiency
Introduction
The Ridership Initiative to Develop Energy-efficiency (RIDE) Task Force believes that increases in VTA’s transit ridership can be achieved through integrated program innovations that include fare affordability and convenience, better information for riders, better access to the system, and service improvements.
These kinds of innovations can be combined into strategies that seek to improve ridership for specific constituencies. For example, if VTA’s Board of Directors decided to emphasize increased youth ridership, it could consider the following recommended strategies:
ˇ Reduce fares paid by youth
ˇ Expand the ECO pass program to community colleges
ˇ Make the Summer Youth Blast Pass a permanent program offered each summer
ˇ Target youth in marketing and promotional activities
ˇ Increase the number of bike racks located at high volume bus stops, transit centers and light rail stations
ˇ Work with San Jose State University to better define and serve the transit needs of its students
Similarly, the recommendations included in this report could be organized to promote ridership increases among other important constituencies.
Background
The RIDE Task Force was initiated in June 2005 by a coalition of labor, environmental, and community-based groups that were concerned about the decline in ridership on VTA bus and light rail transit services.
The coalition, comprising Working Partnerships USA; ATU Local 265; Greenbelt Alliance; Transportation and Land Use Coalition; Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition; Silicon Valley Independent Living Center; San Jose ACORN; Californians for Justice San Jose; The Interfaith Council on Race, Religion, Economic & Social Justice; and Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN), presented a letter to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors at its meeting on June 2, 2005 urging the creation of a task force comprising community, business, and labor advocates with the mission of exploring new, innovative, and cost-efficient methods of increasing ridership.
A subgroup of this coalition met with VTA staff and developed a more comprehensive proposal for the RIDE Task Force for the VTA Board’s consideration. The proposal, dated August 2005, included a vision statement, goals, membership, and strategies to be considered.
At its meeting on September 1, 2005, the VTA Board of Directors authorized the formation of the RIDE Task Force, as proposed, and appointed two Board Members, Nora Campos and Jamie Matthews, to serve as co-chairs of the Task Force. The Board also appointed the Chairpersons of the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), Committee for Transit Accessibility (CTA), and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) to the Task Force.
The Board requested that the Task Force’s recommendations be compatible with Board-adopted policies, including Valley Transportation Plan (VTP) 2030, the work of the Ad Hoc Financial Stability Committee, and the Board-adopted Fare Policy that includes a goal of 20-25% farebox recovery ratio.
Appendix 1 is the Board memorandum authorizing the formation of the RIDE Task Force and includes the coalition’s proposal and initial letter to the Board.
Following the Board’s authorization to form the RIDE Task Force, Co-chairs Campos and Matthews sent letters to community, business, and labor leaders inviting a representative of their organizations to serve on the RIDE Task Force. A roster of the organizations and individuals that chose to serve on the Task Force is included as Appendix 2.
Vision and Goals
The vision of the RIDE Task Force is to create an open process that produces workable, reasonable, and cost-effective strategies that increase VTA ridership for both the near and long term.
The goals of the RIDE Task Force are:
1. To increase energy efficiency and independence
2. To improve public support for our public transportation system
3. To demonstrate strategies that improve ridership and thereby increase the farebox recovery ratio
4. To support a stronger economy through reduced congestion and increased mobility
5. To explore policy decisions that increase the use and viability of public transit, including land use policies
6. To enhance ridership on behalf of as many constituencies as possible, including the transit-dependent, students, workers, elderly, low-income, people with disabilities, and others
Meetings
The RIDE Task Force met nine times between October 2005 and August 2006 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the San Jose City Hall:
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
The agendas and minutes for these public meetings are included as Appendix 3. No meetings were held in February or July 2006.
Ridership History
At the end of VTA’s Fiscal Year 2005 (June 30, 2005), system ridership on VTA (bus and light rail) was down 28% compared to Fiscal Year 2001, the peak year for VTA ridership. This decline in system ridership is largely attributable to the significant decline (and slow recovery) in the local economy – specifically, the loss of more than 200,000 jobs in Santa Clara County – and was further impacted by service reductions and fare increases approved by the Board of Directors to achieve financial stability.
By the end of Fiscal Year 2006 (June 30, 2006), system ridership began to stabilize. June 2006 monthly system ridership was 16.8% higher than June 2005. Weekday ridership in June was the highest since 2002.
The increases in ridership that occurred during Fiscal Year 2006 can be attributed to several factors, including:
ˇ A slow and steady increase in the local economy
ˇ A new light rail operating plan that increased service and reduced wait time on the main trunk line
ˇ The introduction of new transit services
Rapid Line 522 serving the El Camino Real corridor (July 2005)
Vasona Light Rail Extension serving Campbell (October 2005)
Community Bus pilot program in Los Gatos (July 2005)
ˇ Marketing programs
Discounted Summer Youth Blast Pass promotions (Summer 2005 and 2006)
“Simple and Free” promotion providing off-peak free service to senior and disabled riders (January-March 2006)
“Meet the Riders” leisure trip promotion (April-Summer 2006)
Targeted promotions for Rapid 522 and the Vasona Light Rail Extension
Events
San Jose Grand Prix (July 2005)
“Spare the Air” free-fare days (three in June 2006)
San Jose Sharks games, 4th of July fireworks, other events throughout the County
ˇ Rising gasoline prices
The following chart shows annual VTA ridership from Fiscal Year 2000 through Fiscal Year 2006:
VTA Ridership
VTA ridership for Fiscal Year 2000 was 54.9 Million.
VTA ridership for Fiscal Year 2001 was 56.5 Million.
VTA ridership for Fiscal Year 2002 was 52.7 Million.
VTA ridership for Fiscal Year 2003 was 45.2 Million.
VTA ridership for Fiscal Year 2004 was 38.4 Million.
VTA ridership for Fiscal Year 2005 was 37.1 Million.
VTA ridership for Fiscal Year 2006 was 39.2 Million.
The following chart shows monthly system ridership for Fiscal Year 2006:
VTA Ridership
VTA ridership for July 2005 was 3,165,816.
VTA ridership for August 2005 was 3,240,401.
VTA ridership for September 2005 was 3,381,412.
VTA ridership for October 2005 was 3,392,727.
VTA ridership for November 2005 was 3,263,445.
VTA ridership for December 2005 was 2,992,749.
VTA ridership for January 2006 was 3,079,730.
VTA ridership for February 2006 was 3,059,251.
VTA ridership for March 2006 was 3,402,711.
VTA ridership for April 2006 was 3,131,735.
VTA ridership for May 2006 was 3,594,207.
VTA ridership for June 2006 was 3,513,667.
Task Force Accomplishments
The RIDE Task Force developed a comprehensive list of 150 ideas for increasing ridership on VTA bus and light rail services. The list resulted from a facilitated brainstorming session conducted at the December Task Force meeting, in addition to ideas that were documented based on discussions at Task Force meetings and through the Task Force’s email box, RIDE@vta.org. Staff organized the ideas into four broad categories:
Fare Affordability and Convenience
Better Information for Riders
Better Access to System
Service Improvements
The categorized list of ridership ideas is included as Appendix 4.
Following is a summary of the RIDE Task Force’s accomplishments in each of these categories.
Fare Affordability and Convenience
VTA developed and implemented an eight-hour Light Rail Excursion Fare to address affordability and convenience for light rail customers. This new fare option, implemented June 1st as a pilot program, is priced at twice the one-way fare ($3.50 for adults, $3.00 for youth, $1.50 for senior/disabled persons) and allows customers to ride the light rail system for eight hours from the time of purchase. It is less costly than a day pass, and eliminates the need for customers to purchase two one-way fares, which can be particularly difficult and time-consuming following major events when the rail station platforms are crowded and access to the Ticket Vending Machines is limited. This pilot program is in place for major summer events in Downtown San Jose, including the 4th of July activities, the San Jose Grand Prix, and the Jazz Festival. At the end of the pilot program period (June 1 – December 31, 2006) the Light Rail Excursion Fare will be evaluated for possible continuation.
Working with a coalition of non-profit organizations, VTA secured a regional Lifeline Transportation Program grant to provide Subsidized Transit Fares for qualifying low-income persons. The grant provides $1,000,000 over three years to purchase monthly transit passes for low-income persons. The non-profit organizations will identify persons to receive the transit passes, and will distribute them as part of their case management activities. More than 5,000 monthly transit passes will be provided to low-income Santa Clara County residents during each of the three years the grant covers. The program is planned to be implemented in the Fall of 2006.
VTA also implemented two marketing programs specifically aimed at promoting ridership by offering reduced or free fares for targeted groups: The “Simple and Free” promotion and the Summer Blast Pass.
The Simple and Free promotion, offered between January 1 and March 31, 2006, included pre-promotion system orientations, presentations, and personal trip planning; and provided senior and disabled customers with free transit service during off-peak hours and on weekends for the three-month promotional period.
The Summer Blast Pass was a discounted three-month pass available to youth (5-17) for unlimited transit travel during June, July, and August. Priced at $75 (a 50% savings), the Summer Blast Pass was designed to encourage youth to use transit to access popular entertainment destinations and includes a variety of added-value, free offers and discounts at popular restaurants, theaters, malls, and entertainment venues.
Better Information for Riders
A Leisure Travel Marketing Campaign, starting in April and extending through the summer, utilized cable television, radio, print, the VTA website, and transit advertisements to deliver the following messages to prospective new riders:
ˇ VTA is easy and convenient to use
ˇ VTA is a great choice to get to special events and entertainment destinations
By inviting residents to “Meet the Riders” and win prizes as they ride VTA to all their favorite places, VTA promoted the use of the website and Customer Service phone number as easy and convenient methods to obtain information about routes and services.
VTA is working on Website Improvements to make it easier and quicker for riders to find and use transit information. Instead of requiring a prospective rider to know which transit route or routes are needed to get to a particular destination, a redesigned website will allow a prospective rider to get transit information by clicking on maps to indicate where the trip begins and where it ends. VTA will conduct online surveys and convene focus groups of transit users, people who have no familiarity with transit, and disabled persons to explore options and needs before improvements to the website are finalized.
Google’s Transit Trip Planner is an appealing opportunity to improve communications for transit users. This trip planner, currently in beta-test for Portland, Oregon’s transit system, allows a user to enter an origin and destination and retrieve information on how to get there using transit (including where to walk to board the bus or train and how long it will take), how much it will cost, and the comparative time and cost of driving the same trip. VTA contacted Google to express our interest in this service and provided them with VTA’s routes and schedules in an electronic format they can use.
Providing Real-Time Passenger Information was frequently mentioned by members of the RIDE Task Force as a way to eliminate much of the uncertainty associated with using transit, and thereby increase ridership. VTA has an approved capital project to provide VTA riders with real-time transit information (predicted arrival times) at major bus stops, transit centers, and light rail stations. The project will also provide real-time transit information on VTA’s website and on personal wireless devices such as PDAs and cell phones. VTA is now defining the system requirements and beginning system design, with project completion estimated in late 2008.
Better Access to the System
Each year, VTA earmarks funds to improve Bus Stop Accessibility. Using a prioritized list of bus stops needing improvements, staff designs and constructs improvements consisting of sidewalk widening, pedestrian and wheelchair ramps, and passenger waiting pads. Since 1992, VTA has completed improvements at more than 450 bus stops to improve rider amenities at bus stops, such as bus stop benches and bus stop shelters with posted route and schedule frequency information.
Bicycle access to transit is provided via the bicycle racks on all buses and light rail vehicles and via bicycle lockers located at some transit centers, light rail stations, and commuter rail stations. All VTA buses have front racks that hold two bicycles, and each light rail car has interior racks that hold four bicycles. VTA is researching technology that would allow bicycle lockers to be used by multiple people during a day through the use of smart cards.
VTA also works with cities and the County to ensure that land use proposals are designed to consider and incorporate transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access. In addition to reviewing development proposals and environmental documents and providing specific recommendations for improvement in these areas, VTA prepared and distributed a well-received Community Design and Transportation Manual documenting best practices for integrating transportation needs and land uses. VTA’s Pedestrian Technical Guidelines and Bicycle Technical Guidelines also help jurisdictions incorporate pedestrian and bicyclist needs in their planning processes.
Service Improvements
VTA has begun a Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) to determine the most efficient and cost-effective approach to improving and expanding VTA’s transit services. Some of the potential areas of service improvements include providing more frequent service, expanding hours of service, increasing geographic service coverage, and improving commute and regional services.
The COA involves extensive research and analysis that will enable VTA to redesign transit services to better meet the needs of existing and prospective riders, resulting in increased transit use.
In July 2006 VTA implemented some minor Service Improvements, made possible by applying the service evaluation policy to reallocate resources from underutilized transit services to areas in need of service improvements. Service improvements included increasing the frequency of late night service on the Mountain View to Winchester light rail line to improve service to the HP Pavilion, downtown San Jose theaters, and other events; increasing the midday frequency of service on bus Line 81 to facilitate transfers and better serve the new Kaiser Hospital; adding another evening trip on bus Line 60 to accommodate passenger demand; and extending bus Line 25 in the evenings during the week in response to passengers’ requests.
Next Steps
The RIDE Task Force recommends that VTA continue to review and consider the ridership ideas put forward by the Task Force as it develops and implements transit service improvements and marketing, promotion, and community outreach plans. As programs are developed, staff should identify costs, benefits, and specific measurable goals to be achieved to determine whether the program is successful or not.
The Task Force would like to highlight the following recommendations for consideration:
Fare Affordability and Convenience
As part of the fare review process conducted during the preparation of VTA’s FY08 and FY09 budget:
ˇ Consider reducing fares paid by those least able to afford them: low-income, youth, seniors, and disabled persons.
ˇ Consider reducing the cost of a day pass (currently priced at 3 times a single ride), to make it more affordable for people who need to transfer.
ˇ Consider expanding the ECO pass program to community colleges and additional businesses and residential organizations.
ˇ Consider extending the ECO pass program to additional regional transit services, such as the Monterey/San Jose Express Service (Monterey-Salinas Transit’s Line 55).
ˇ Consider making the discounted Summer Blast Pass a permanent program offered each summer to youth.
ˇ Consider making the Light Rail Excursion Pass a permanent element of the fare structure.
Better Information for Riders
In addition to completing implementation of VTA’s improved website, real-time passenger information project, and the Google transit trip planner to provide better and more timely information for riders, the RIDE Task Force recommends:
ˇ Marketing and promotional activities aimed at the transit dependent, youth (to instill a transit culture early), and at making transit socially desirable – “the right thing to do.”
ˇ Taking better advantage of times and locations when traffic congestion occurs or parking is limited to promote transit as an alternative.
ˇ Reviewing print and electronic materials to include information to facilitate transit use, including connections between bus and light rail lines and with connecting regional transit services.
ˇ Collaborating with others (e.g., hotels, events, visitor and convention bureaus, chambers) to promote transit to their customers.
Better Access to System
To provide better access to the transit system, the RIDE Task Force recommends that VTA:
ˇ Increase the funding made available to improve safe and accessible paths of travel for seniors and disabled people at bus stops, transit centers, and light rail platforms.
ˇ Consider increasing the number of bus stop benches and shelters at higher-use bus stops and transit centers.
ˇ Continue to work with cities to determine the need for curb cuts, sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian traffic signals to facilitate safe and accessible paths of travel to bus stops, transit centers, light rail stations, and light rail platforms.
ˇ Develop a program to increase the number of bike racks located at high-volume bus stops, transit centers, and light rail stations.
Service Improvements
In addition to completing the Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) and implementing market-based service improvements as resources become available, the RIDE Task Force recommends that VTA:
ˇ Explore additional opportunities to implement “rapid” bus service, similar to the Rapid 522 service, which has increased ridership in the El Camino Real corridor by over 15%.
ˇ Work with Valley Medical Center and other hospitals throughout the County to address a need for late-night transportation for their patients, when transit service is not available.
ˇ Work with San Jose State University staff to better define and justify the transit needs of its students, including providing direct bus service from Northeast San Jose to Downtown San Jose, and providing a non-stop bus from the Fremont BART station to Downtown San Jose.
ˇ Continue to reallocate resources from low-productivity transit services to improve transit services that are likely to attract greater ridership.
ˇ Work with connecting transit services to coordinate schedules, connections, and fare structures.
Finally, the RIDE Task Force proposes that staff provide the Board of Directors with annual updates on the status of efforts to improve ridership, including a comparison of goals and results.
Appendix 4:
RIDE Task ForceCategorized List of Ridership IdeasFare Affordability and Convenience
1 Address affordability of transit
2 Offer a deeper discount for low-income, seniors and disabled individuals
3 Conduct price-sensitivity analysis and create a pilot program to determine the effect on ridership of fares at various price points
4 Expand the pass options; e.g., offer to sell a weekly pass on the bus; consider offering an evening pass
5 Allow installment payment for passes
6 Promote use of passes as a way to increase convenience for riders and income stream for the agency
7 Expand token system to include disabled/senior fares
8 Make transit more attractive to youth
9 Partner with schools to encourage youth to take transit
10 Allow installment payment for passes
11 Make the VTA Rapid Service free to reduce boarding times
12 Improve pricing strategies such as parking cash outs, etc.
13 Create a dual fare media process with Caltrain so that passengers can purchase tickets for both systems at one time (either at VTA or Caltrain, rather than needing to purchase a ticket at each). This would encourage people to view the systems as well integrated and reduce the number of times that people need to use a point-of-purchase.
Better Information for Riders
14 Promote transit among youth
15 Start early to instill a “culture change” toward transit use
16 Offer more evening service to meet needs of youth
17 More service for middle school and high school students.
18 Utilize a collaborative approach to develop a community-based social marketing strategy that promotes transit as the “right thing to do”
19 Promote casual carpooling through use of technology (see MTC Model)
20 Promote transit in congested areas
21 Partner with businesses to offer parking cash outs and other incentives, especially in downtown
22 Work with businesses to advertise and promote transit options, including through hotels, chambers of commerce and visitors’ bureau
23 Promote use of transit when/where parking is limited
24 Partner with downtown businesses, hotels, conferences, and the Convention Bureau to promote service/transit options
25 Market transit to holiday and seasonal shoppers
26 Advertise senior/disabled promotion and educational workshops using all media outlets and more community stakeholder groups.
27 Extend Residential ECO Pass to paratransit users
28 Clearly mark Outreach pick-up and drop-off points
29 Put Welcome Aboard stickers at vehicle entries
30 Help colleges institute ECOpass using campus parking revenues
31 Help all member agencies (incl. VTA) institute parking cashout coupled with ECOpass
32 Kids ride free with paying adult every weekend
33 Involve the VTA CAC in service/patronage building efforts
34 Get SJ downtown hotels to push taking token or three day passes for guests
35 Add LRT Station signs to freeways and at GAC
36 Change VTA name to José and build a marketing campaign to build favor and pride in service
37 Work up a bus bridge agreement with Caltrain
38 Improve communications to patrons on how to combine 22 with 522 to get closer to destination and make use of 522
39 Participate in meetings on land use development proposals and advocate for what is needed to support transit usage (for example Mayfield Mall)
40 Partner with shopping centers to provide special transit fares, subsidized by merchants
41 Show connecting services on timeguide maps
42 Focus on the transit dependent
43 Partner with businesses creatively, such as by using a café as a bus shelter in bad weather and have guaranteed connection because the operator would stop and wait for folks in the café to board. Café would get extra business.
44 Market the fact that using a car costs more than $.40 per mile, probably closer to $.80 per mile and compare this to transit. Make the hidden costs of personal car usage more visible.
45 Look at a round-trip fare
46 Look at the transfer policy
47 Look at financing monthly passes through employers (hard for some to come up with money for monthly pass)
48 Look at changing the fare structure so that persons least motivated to use transit (choice riders) pay the highest fares.
49 Look at fare multiples; pricing philosophy should be examined; look at greater discounts for passes
50 Look at the benefits of a consistent, predictable revenue stream; how could we convert all riders to monthly pass users?
51 Look at ways to keep existing riders longer
52 Change public attitudes toward transit; reposition transit so "it's the right thing to do," similar to recycling
53 Encourage transit use through leadership
54 Provide Eco Pass at community colleges
55 Coordinate service with connecting transit agencies; show connecting services/routes on public timetables
56 Look at discounted programs for low-income persons (Tucson and SamTrans programs) for implementation @ VTA
57 Look at ways to provide more/better transit service for seniors
58 If we could determine commute patterns, perhaps VTA could develop brochures, that are very simple and easy to read and understand, that show how to get from Point A to Point B and back. Not fine-print schedules, just earliest, latest and headway.
59 Work with the HR departments of large employers and large shopping complexes to attract employees as new commuters, and perhaps create shuttle joint ventures.
60 More promotion of business park shuttles to Caltrain/other transit
61 Ensure Measure A plan is visionary but cost-effective and serves areas with on transit or HOV usage by 2030
62 Use Starbucks network and HOV network to promote casual carpools, HOV buses (HOVs provide the fastest travel times in rush hours)
63 Partner with the rider's union on projects - see them as helpful.
64 Provide online transit updates
65 Bus schedules
66 Construction schedules
67 Model on www.bart.gov
68 Model on www.vtaridersunion.org
69 Offer a transit trip planner, with cost comparison of driving
70 Provide ADA-accessible software/websites
71 Promote use of GPS system for real-time transit info
72 Promote transit user groups
73 Add next bus telemetry
74 Institute Trip Assist and license it to other transit properties (+$)
75 Enable peer-to-peer communications for Operators (bus, LRT, CT?)
76 Activate Translink with full suite of subsidies to users
77 Provide bus users with real-time information on when the next bus is coming; look at using wi-fi
78 Market transit service thru community cable channels
79 Intelligent transit services: Apply technology using GPS/internet/wireless to deliver real-time data to make transit accessible and convenient
80 Add a hotline that provides service disruption information. Callers could be prompted for the bus number and approximate stop and in turn would get an up-to-date estimate of when the next bus will be there.
81 Fix phone automated transit schedule info software to provide times (along the route) after the last bus leaves (before it has completed its run) so that persons out along the route can know that it is still coming rather than being told that "there is no service" when in fact the bus may have just started its run.
82 Fix LRT on-board info marques to show date/time
83 Use a strobe light to notify bus operators to wait for passengers(for example see BART). At County Connection, operators knew that if the light was on they should wait 3 minutes to allow passengers to transfer.
Better Access to System
84 Create more safe and accessible transit stops (e.g., along Homestead, Kaiser Buildings, Cupertino and Santa Clara)
85 Provide accessible/readable maps and information (especially around special events)
86 Post transit schedules at all stops
87 Re-evaluate policy that removed some crosswalks; this has negatively impacted access to stations
88 Install more bike racks especially at transit nodes and LRT stations
89 Improve access at bus stops and LRT stations with curb cuts and sidewalk improvements
90 Put comfortable cushioned seats into vehicles
91 Co-fund and promote walkable neighborhoods, downtowns, and around hubs through the Community Design Transportation program. Develop a Pedestrian Master Plan. This is a huge accessibility issue since transit will always depend on walking.
Service Improvements
92 Design transit route service to meet everyday needs
93 Get public input
94 Tailor service to key constituents, such as those going to hospitals
95 Work with businesses to improve service, especially to malls
96 Improve ride experience
97 Provide more info and signage, such as route-specific maps
98 Enhance predictability of arrival times
99 Partner with cafés and other business to offer transit hub shelters
100 Improve driver conduct
101 Improve ticket vending machines on light rail train stations
102 Allow patrons to utilize debit cards
103 Ensure that the machines make change
104 Improve coordination with other transit service providers; e.g., schedules and ticket purchase
105 Provide more on-schedule bus service
106 Reduce fare evasion
107 Install signage to inform passengers of fines
108 Increase fare inspectors
109 Shift money to service (rather than other projects)
110 Provide more light rail service (frequency and miles) and add service to entire (both bus and rail) system
111 Examine services and coordinate transit schedules to hospitals and clinics. Include 24 hour bus line
112 Improve service for the largest number of people; be cost-effective
113 Restore service levels to 1991 and grow with population
114 Demand departure “scheduling” for Caltrain pickups (after train riders board bus, then depart. Do not leave before train patrons board)
115 Increase service along expressways
116 Restore the #301
117 Speed up light rail
118 Build a transit node at Lark and 17 (or Hamilton LRT) for access to HWY 17 Express
Service Improvements (cont.)
119 Provide 25 minute trip time between LRT and BART
120 Provide HWY 280 service to S.F. Millbrae BART
121 Reroute bus times to shorten trip times
122 Lift the ban on no new service
123 Coordinate LRT Mt. View service to reduce wait times of Caltrain passengers
124 Provide northside access to Sunnyvale Caltrain and eastside access to S.C. (access from the eastside of the Santa Clara Caltrain station)
125 Support Caltrain and Caltrain shuttles to service the areas along that line and incorporate this into VTA ridership numbers.
126 Promote "hubs" and try to move to a network architecture rather than a linear model.
127 Develop a casual carpooling program and count carpooling numbers as VTA ridership.
128 Install change machines and restrooms at transit hubs
129 Replace HOV lanes with BRT lanes then add free shuttles from major freeway stops to the major bus hubs.
130 Synchronize Caltrain and buses so that the last bus in the morning waits for the passengers from the last train before leaving the station.
131 Fast Track Metro East
132 Restore 10 minute headways on LRT including Vasona Line
133 Provide transfer node for HWY 17 Bus at St. Lucy Station (Winchester) and later move it to Vasona Station when the Winchester Line is extended
134 Establish enforcement of public hygiene statutes and then run VTA as a free public service. The taxpayers already provide enough tax revenue from the 1976 Transit Tax to operate the whole system at Y2k levels and have $10-15M left over which can be used to provide the additional security which a free boarding operation would require.
135 Provide more service to major hospitals (i.e., Valley Med), particularly late at night
136 Provide direct bus service from Northeast San Jose to Downtown San Jose
137 Provide a non-stop bus from the Fremont BART station to Downtown San Jose, using commuter/suburban buses
Other
138 Restore driver salaries that were cut (to improve driver morale)
139 Fix outages with on-board radio time and abide by it for time points
140 Use transit operating tax revenue for operating transit not other things like high priced consultants and BART project development
141 Fully fund Caltrain and treat it like the countywide trunk that it is
142 Add cup holders for driver’s use
143 Get MUNI to institute #114 (above) at 4th and King
144 Tell San Jose to not award Environmental Awards to businesses that don’t have ECOpass (like they have in the past)
145 Convene a grand jury to investigate use of transit operating tax revenue
146 Don’t strand patrons when vehicles break down
147 Fix the noisy air handling on the new busses (˝ speed setting)
148 Get Orion 3-door full-length low floor CNG busses with 7 bike capacity
149 Find out if it is true that more money is spent on fare collection than is collected in fares.
150 Distribute day pass tokens to VTA committee members and stop subsidizing auto use.
| Prepared by: | Nancy Coss-Fitzwater |
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