Related Links

Agenda Item # 6

BOARD MEMORANDUM

Background:

VTA prepares its capital and operating budgets every two years.   Fiscal Resources staff are currently preparing to distribute proposed capital and operating budgets for Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009 to the Board’s standing committees, the Board’s advisory committees, and to the public. 

This memorandum provides information to the CTA about the Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009 Accessible Services/Paratransit Budget in advance.   This advance presentation of the Accessible Services/Paratransit Proposed Budget is intended to provide committee members with the opportunity to ask questions and prepare for the formal budget presentation that will be given the CTA by Fiscal Resources staff at the committee’s May 2007 meeting.   Fiscal Resources is changing the format of the paratransit budget document to match what is reported in the National Transit Database (NTD). 

Discussion:

The Accessible Services/Paratransit Proposed Budget for FY 08 and 09 provides funding and staff resources to support the provision of Americans with Disabilities Act fixed route and paratransit programs.   Staff resources consist of the following positions:

1. Accessible Services Program Manager

2. Management Analyst

3. Accessible Service Representative (2)

4. Extra Help (Travel Training – proposed in FY08/09)

The following summarizes the programs and services that are either ongoing or proposed in the recommended FY 08/09 budget.

Accessible Services is responsible for monitoring implementation of the mandatory bus mobility device securement policy that became effective on January 1, 2007.   The policy itself was the result of effort beginning in 2004 involving several VTA departments, CTA recommendations, and public comment.   At the recommendation of the CTA, a Bus Mobility Device Securement Task Force was established to guide the development and implementation of the policy.  The Task Force continues to monitor the implementation of the policy, and is supported by Accessible Services staff. 

As part of the policy implementation process, customers were invited to have tethers placed on their mobility devices.   The optional tether placements simplify the securement process when riding VTA buses.   During individual tethering appointments, Accessible Services staff surveyed customers to get feedback regarding their experiences boarding and riding VTA buses in their mobility devices.  Staff reviewed the information from the survey to determine where there may be barriers limiting access to transportation.  Accessible Services staff then partnered with Service and Operations staff to investigate specific barriers.  These barriers are now either being addressed by VTA or referred to respective local jurisdictions for possible resolution.  

Through additional information obtained directly from the CTA, bus Operators and customers, Accessible Services staff addresses issues that are encountered by seniors and customers with disabilities when using fixed route and paratransit services.   Accessible Service staff regularly monitors VTA’s Customers Are Resources for Excellence (CARE) database to ensure that comments from seniors and customers with disabilities are addressed and resolved.

Accessible Services oversees the daily operation of the Regional Transit Connection (RTC) Discount Card Program for VTA.   The RTC program provides seniors and persons with qualifying disabilities with identification cards to obtain discounted transit fares throughout the San Francisco Bay Region.   VTA customers with RTC cards may purchase monthly stickers to place on the cards.  These stickers allow the customer to ride VTA bus and light rail without needing to pay a fare.  Accessible Services staff makes presentations to promote the program, educate customer groups, and processes the identification card applications received at Senior Centers and at VTA’s River Oaks and Downtown San Jose Customer Service centers.

VTA has proposed $31.7 million for paratransit transportation provision during FY 08 and $33.3 million for partansit transportation provision during FY 09. 

Beginning January 1, 2007, VTA and Outreach began to reduce paratransit costs by implementing several new cost-saving strategies including:

1. Purchase of a fleet of new vehicles that includes eco-friendly Toyota Prius sedans. 

2. Entering into a fuel purchasing agreement with Santa Clara County.    Under this agreement, fuel purchases are now exempt from the federal excise tax.

3. Entering into an agreement with the County to perform maintenance on paratransit vehicles.

4. Relocation of the vendor’s operating yard to two VTA owned facilities.   This strategy provides savings because the vendor no longer is required to pay to lease office space

Implementation of these cost saving measures allows paratransit service to remain affordable to our customers without compromising the quality of service during the FY 08 and FY 09 budget period.   Additional funding is proposed for the broker’s administrative and eligibility duties as shown in the budget summary tables below.

By working cooperatively with community partner agencies, the CTA, and individual customers, Accessible Services will address the service and accessibility needs and requirement of customers using both fixed route and Paratransit Services within the guidelines of the ADA.   This will further the achievement of VTA’s vision to: “provide a transportation system that allows anyone to go anywhere in the region easily and efficiently.”

Accessible Services recognizes that our Senior and Disabled Communities have many needs.   As a public transportation agency, VTA is not able to address or fulfill all requests for services or assistance.   However, by actively engaging seniors and persons with disabilities, VTA can expand the effectiveness of our services by supporting independent travel options. 

In the Fiscal Year 2008/2009 budget, Accessible Services proposes to work in consultation with community agencies and the CTA to establish the following travel option support programs:

1. Bus Buddies

2. Travel Training

3. Personal Trip Planning Instruction

4. A Mobility Information Resource Center

5. A Fixed-Route Barrier Assessment Team

The attached table presents the recommended Accessible Services and Paratransit Services proposed budget for Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Fiscal Years 2008 & 2009 Proposed Biennial Budget

Accessible Services Department

Expenses: 

Labor: 435,460 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 444,270 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Safety Supplies: 7,000 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 7,000 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Professional Services: 90,000 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 60,000 for Fiscal Year 2009.

External Printing: 2,000 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 2,000 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Employee Expense: 350 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 350 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Local Workshop & Conference: 3,500 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 3,500 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Books & Subscriptions: 350 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 350 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Postage: 1,200 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 1,200 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Reimburseable Program: 550,000 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 550,000 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Contributions to Other Agencies: 140,000 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 140,000 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Total Expenses: 1,229,860 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 1,208,670 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Revenues:    

Fare Revenue: Not Applicable for Fiscal Year 2008 and Not Applicable for Fiscal Year 2009.

Total Revenue: Not Applicable for Fiscal Year 2008 and Not Applicable for Fiscal Year 2009.

Net Expenses: 1,229,860 for Fiscal Year 2008 and 1,208,670 for Fiscal Year 2009.

Paratransit Services

For Fiscal Year 2008: Labor 279,000 for Vehicle Operations expenses, 2,400,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 2,679,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Other Materials & Supplies 177,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 177,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Professional Services 383,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 383,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Utilities 74,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 74,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Insurance (Casuality & Liability) 280,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 280,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Purchased Transportation 20,770,000 for Vehicle Operations expenses, 3,100,000 for Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 1,550,000 for Non-Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 5,580,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 31,000,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Miscellaneous Expenses 126,300 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 126,300 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Total Expenses: 21,049,000 for Vehicle Operations expenses, 3,100,000 for Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 1,550,000 for Non-Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 9,020,300 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 34,719,300 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2008: Revenues:

For Fiscal Year 2008: Fare Revenue 3,000,000

For Fiscal Year 2008: Total Revenue: 3,000,000

For Fiscal Year 2008: Net Expenses 31,719,300

For Fiscal Year 2009: Labor 290,100 for Vehicle Operations expenses, 2,507,100 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 2,797,200 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Other Materials & Supplies 185,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 185,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Professional Services 400,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 400,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Utilities 78,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 78,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Insurance (Casuality & Liability) 293,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 293,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Purchased Transportation 21,708,000 for Vehicle Operations expenses, 3,240,000 for Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 1,620,000 for Non-Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 5,832,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 32,400,000 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Miscellaneous Expenses 132,900 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 132,900 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Total Expenses: 21,998,100 for Vehicle Operations expenses, 3,240,000 for Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 1,620,000 for Non-Vehicle Maintenance expenses, 9,428,000 for General Adminstration expenses, summing to 36,286,100 for Total Modal Expenses.

For Fiscal Year 2009: Revenues:

For Fiscal Year 2009: Fare Revenue 3,000,000

For Fiscal Year 2009: Total Revenue: 3,000,000

For Fiscal Year 2009: Net Expenses 33,286,100

Click here to return to the Board Agenda Index