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Agenda Item # 23

BOARD MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt the Service Management Plan and a resolution formalizing the methods and procedures used to design, develop, evaluate and modify light rail and fixed route bus service, and to outline VTAs overall service management strategy.

BACKGROUND:

VTA has always used service standards, guidelines and policies to plan, evaluate, and modify service.  Recently, the Board of Directors adopted the Ad Hoc Financial Stability Committees recommendation that these guidelines and policies be updated and codified in light of VTAs current financial condition.  The recommendation further suggested that the standards should address target and minimum acceptable measures of route productivity by route and service type to improve system efficiency.

DISCUSSION:

The recommended Service Management Plan (attached) formalizes the methods and procedures used to design, develop, evaluate and modify existing service.  This document serves to outline an overall service management strategy.  It presents service standards and evaluation measures for managing the existing system, changing service, and designing and implementing new service.  As new types of services are added, or as circumstances warrant, this document will be modified to maintain its usefulness as a planning and evaluation tool. 

An effective public transit system provides a variety of quality services that balance efficiency and social equity.  This is a difficult balance to achieve because service quantity, quality, and productivity may put opposing demands on resources. Service policies and design guidelines are tools intended to assist VTA achieve this balance between competing needs and to provide a framework for planning and designing VTA services. 

VTA continually receives requests and suggestions for new and modified service, but funds for transit operations are limited.  These combined factors increase the importance of obtaining the maximum effectiveness of public monies spent for transit.  Continuous monitoring of transit system performance is necessary to ensure that resources are deployed effectively, and riders receive adequate service.

The Service Management Plan is presented as a set of guidelines and tools designed to improve the overall effectiveness of VTAs services. It is intended to establish a consistent framework for implementing new service, and for evaluating, maintaining, and improving existing service.  Many of the planning and design elements considered here complement other VTA planning and design efforts.  The Service Management Plan is presented in four parts:

PART 1 SERVICE AREA/TRANSIT NETWORK
The purpose of this section is to compare VTAs transit system to other transit systems, and describe the design of VTAs transit network.  There are many factors that influence the design of a transit network.  VTAs service area has the following characteristics, which make it challenging to provide highly productive transit service:

• Relatively low density and abundance of free or low cost parking.  Theres not a great deal of high-density residential or commercial development.  Parking is abundant and free at most employment sites, and parking in downtown city centers is usually relatively inexpensive.

• Lacks a strong Central Business District (CBD).  Downtown San Jose is developing, but has not yet attained a high level of employment, commercial or residential density.

• Dispersed travel patterns.  People are traveling from many different origins to many different destinations, as opposed to a few origins to a few destinations.

• High income levels.  Santa Clara County has one of the highest median household income levels in the nation.  Correspondingly, auto availability and ownership levels are very high.   

To address this type of service area with dispersed travel patterns, VTA operates what is known as a modified grid system.  As much as the street network will allow, many of the routes are east/west and north/south oriented, forming a grid pattern.  Riders can usually travel anywhere on the grid by making one transfer.

PART 2 SERVICE DESIGN GUIDELINES
VTA has adopted principles for fixed route service design.  These principles are supported by specific guidelines used for the modification of existing services, and the preliminary evaluation and design of proposed new services.  The concepts expressed here should be viewed as a synthesis of planning, design, and evaluation guidelines, rather than hard and fast rules.  These service design principles are used to:

• Define VTA services in terms of the span of service and frequency of service;

• Establish vehicle loading guidelines;

• Ensure consistency of route structure for existing and new services;

• Ensure the proper placement and spacing for bus stops; and

• Provide objective and consistent criteria for evaluating service and developing service change alternatives.

PART 3 SERVICE EVALUATION POLICY
Service evaluation policies are effective tools for assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of an agencys transit service.  An aggressive service evaluation policy provides an objective set of procedures for evaluating service performance and identifying areas for improvement.  The overall goal of such a policy is to ensure appropriate and efficient mobility returns to the region, and ensure public resources are invested wisely.  Additionally, it allows evaluations and changes to be considered on the basis of operating efficiency and effectiveness.  Specifically, the service evaluation policy is intended to:

• Provide an objective framework for allocating VTAs limited resources;

• Provide service standards and guidelines that can be used to evaluate current services;

• Focus limited resources on those routes and services that achieve the largest mobility impact (i.e., serve the most people);

• Enhance transit service and VTAs farebox recovery ratio; and

• Work towards meeting VTA service performance standards.

PART 4 SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS
In order to meet the needs of its constituency, a public transit agency must solicit input from the communities and public it serves.  VTA provides opportunities for public involvement during all phases of the service change process.  The purpose of this section is to outline service change guidelines which:

• Identify the types of changes that require formal approval and ensure compliance with the Federal Transit Administrations (FTA) requirements for public hearings;

• Describe the process for public and community participation in the process; and

• Provide an expeditious and responsive process at staff level for implementing appropriate changes.

CONTACT BOARD SECRETARY'S OFFICE FOR ATTACHMENT

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