HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/30/2004 - REVIEW OF THE TRANSFORT/DIAL-A-RIDE TRANSIT SYSTEM DATE: November 30, 2004 STUDY SESSION ITEM
STAFF: Ron Phillips/Tom Frazier FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Review of the Transfort/Dial-A-Ride Transit System.
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
This past summer, City Council requested a review of the Transfort/Dial-A-Ride operations.
Are there operational procedures or issues on which Council needs further information?
BACKGROUND
Transfort has been operating since 1974. The system started out with 3 small buses primarily serving
the area between downtown and Colorado State University (CSU). The transit services, since that
time, have been particularly effective in addressing the needs of the University students, youth,
elderly, and the transit dependent. The fixed route transit system operates 19 buses daily on 16
routes. There is one route that operates in the evening that serves primarily CSU students. The
projected ridership for 2004 is 1,413,830 which is a drop of 6% from the previous year.
Dial-A-Ride has been operating since 1996. Prior to the implementation of Dial-A-Ride the City
contracted with Care-A-Van for the elderly/disabled services. The City provides service to
individuals with disabilities and seniors that are 60 or older, which exceeds the requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The paratransit service operates approximately 15 vehicles daily and provides night service. Dial-A-
Ride contracts with Shamrock Taxi to provide service to some of the passengers who do not use a
wheelchair. The projected ridership for 2004 is 81,234, which is an increase of over 10%.
In 2002 the target for Transfort service was changed from"transit dependent" to the "choice rider"
(daily commuter). Unfortunately, the necessary route improvements that were implemented were
too minor to attract the"choice rider"and the transit dependent continues to be the main users of the
transit system. Ridership has fallen since 2001.
The City has strong partnerships with Colorado State University,Larimer County, and Loveland to
provide transit services. Transfort service to the University is significant, with 50% of Transfort's
service going to the University. Dial-A-Ride provides service to the LaPorte and Wellington areas
through an agreement with Larimer County. Additionally,Larimer County,Loveland and the City
share the planning and financial responsibilities of the FoxTrot route. In 2005, Loveland and the
City are examining the potential of Transfort/Dial-A-Ride managing the City of Loveland Transit
System (COLT).
November 30, 2004 Page 2
The major issue facing the City for transit service is how to finance all the community requests:
Harmony Road; Larimer County Corrections facility; Associated Students of Colorado State
University(ASCSU);Timberline;southwest neighborhoods;regional service;and increased Dial-A-
Ride needs.
Transfort/Dial-A-Ride has plans in place to deal with these requests,but the plans are unfunded. The
10 year Strategic Operating Plan deals with doubling the existing transit service in the core areas of
our community. The Mason Transportation Corridor is a key component of this Plan. The 25 year
Transit Plan which is part of the City's Structure Plan deals with intensive service throughout Fort
Collins including regional service.
In 2005 major work plan components include: negotiating the COLT contract; negotiating a new
service agreement with ASCSU,acquiring additional federal funds,constructing the Transit Center
at CSU, and managing the service demands for Dial-A-Ride.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Transfort and Dial-A-Ride Ridership by Year Graphs
B. Transfort/Dial-A-Ride Update
Transfort Ridership by Year
• F2,000,000000 - ---
1,000,000 - -- - - ---- -
500,000 - -
0
1996 1997 .. 1998 . 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004'
—4~Ridership 1,231,653 1,297.759 1 1.348.541 1 1,431,780 1,545,674 1,816,328 1,471,911 1,504,683 1,413,839
Dial-A-Ride Ridership by Year
F80,000
000 ___� __..___.. ®_______
__
-
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004-
--�Dial-A-Ride 68,210 61,414 68,898 66,129 73,853 74,864 76,835 73,678 81,234
'2004 ridership is a projection
•
COPYTRANSFORT/DIAIA-RIDE UPDATE
Alternative Fuels
Due to limited production and few certified conversions, our fleet is slowly phasing out
propane vehicles. Bio-diesel is a cleaner fuel than regular diesel; however it is cost
prohibitive because it costs $0.20-$0.30 more per gallon. Compressed Natural Gas
(CNG)is a good clean-burning fuel with fairly stable prices. CNG has been identified as
a pathway to hydrogen.
We currently have 3 mini-buses operating on CNG. A gasoline equivalent gallon of
CNG in May 04 was approximately $0.94 compared to $1.28 for unleaded(our cost). A
fast-fuel CNG station will soon be under construction at Transfort. This station is mainly
funded by state and federal grants. Transfort plans to purchase some full-size CNG-
powered buses for our next purchase.
As part of the compressed natural gas station at Transfort, we will purchase the
electrolyzer for producing hydrogen, a hydrogen cascade to allow fueling with pure
hydrogen and the dispenser. The equipment will give us the capability to produce and
dispense high pressure hydrogen gas. This gas, which is called Hythane7m is 15%
hydrogen/ 85% CNG and can be used to operate factory-installed CNG engines. In
addition, we will have the ability to dispense pure hydrogen, when those vehicles become
available. The pure hydrogen fueling capability gives us a better chance of attracting
• demonstration projects with fuel cell vehicles and sets the stage for the City acquiring a
hydrogen hybrid or other transitional vehicle.
Harmony Road Transit Service
The Transfort/Dial-A-Ride staff has been working with businesses in the Harmony
Corridor to determine their interest in supporting transit. The businesses have indicated a
strong interest in having transit service, but they cannot commit to funding the total cost.
City staff has proposed to the businesses that there is a potential to secure a three-year
federal grant to fund 80% of the transit service expense, but the businesses would need to
provide the 20%local match, which is approximately $75,000. Staff is currently working
with businesses to determine if the $75,000 can be generated. Additionally, staff is
preparing to submit a federal grant request in August pending the identification of
businesses willing to support the local match.
Associated Students of Colorado State University
History of recent agreements with ASCSU:
isFY03-
The City proposed that the day base fee of$9.44 per student be increased to $12.60
with the night service fee of$2.75 remaining the same.
• ASCSU deferred the requested fee increase until June 2003 and the fee remained at
$12.19 per student/per semester.
FY04 -
• Transfort staff met with the ASCSU President and numerous CSU staff members.
Transfort provide a slide presentation seeking a three-year agreement with a 3% CPI
increase for each year; FY04, FY05 and FY06.
• ASCSU responded that a"significant increase seems unwarranted". For the next
contract year, ASCSU was only prepared to renew using the last fiscal year daytime
as a flat fee base with possible reduction in night service.
• The City accepted the flat base and possible night service reductions. The City
expressed a desire for a 1-year agreement and the desire to discuss service options.
Transfort staff indicated that we wished to negotiate service levels and appropriate
fees.
FY05—
• ASCSU proposed to renew on the same terms and conditions.
• The City proposed a 2-year agreement with annual Denver/Boulder CPI increases.
• ASCSU proposed a one-year agreement at the same flat fee and the City accepted.
FY06—
Transfort staff met with the newly-elected ASCSU president and vice-president.
Negotiations for the next agreement begin on October 04, 2004. The City will seek a
multi-year agreement with annual Denver/Boulder CPI increases.
The difficulty in negotiating with CSU is the current economic climate. With the
significant drop in state financial support for the university all fee increases have been
targeted at academic programs. Additionally, as Transfort's largest customer, it is a
problem reducing service to CSU because the transit campus service has the greatest
impacts on reducing VMT and improving air quality.
Shuttle services to Huehes Stadium for CSU Football eames
Transfort will provide bus shuttle services from two locations in the City of Fort Collins
to Hughes Stadium for the six CSU home football games. Buses will provide 20-30
minute service from downtown Fort Collins and from a south Fort Collins location(yet to
be determined).
CSU will secure a dedicated bus lane and will coordinate with City of Fort Collins Police
Services and Colorado State University Police Department to ensure that the bus lane is
available. CSU will market this service and Transfort will design routes and operate the
service, providing the vehicles and the drivers.
Service will be open to the general public and passengers will not be charged a fare.
Approximate hours of service on night game days are from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. CSU
Athletic Department will pay for this service which is projected to cost approximately
$11, 220 per season.
Contract with MPO for Rural Transportation Service
Transfort/Dial-A-Ride provides transportation to Larimer County residents who reside
within a limited service area outside of the City's service area. The MPO pays
Transfort/Dial-A-Ride $27.75 per one-way trip.
The service is demand response for general public, elderly and disabled. Service is
available Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Fares and suggested
donations for passenger age sixty and above are $2.50 per trip.
Loveland
The City is involved in negotiations with the City of Loveland to operate the City of
Loveland Transit (COLT) system. These negotiations started from a request by the
Loveland City Manager asking for Transfort Dial-A-Ride's cost estimate to operate
COLT. The City's initial cost estimate was competitive with Loveland's estimate so the
City Manager's agreed to pursue a more detailed negotiation.
There are several significant benefits to the Cities of Fort Collins and Loveland, including
the following:
• Opportunity to develop a regional transit concept,
• City of Fort Collins will be able to assist the City of Loveland to correct several
• deficiencies in Transit service administration,
• Ability to maximize federal transit grants,
Opportunity to increase transit service along the US 287 corridor,
• Strong potential to increase federal funding for Fort Collins,
• Improved maintenance for COLT vehicles, and there are
• No identified negative impacts on Transfort/Dial-A-Ride operation.
If negotiations are successful, this service is planned to begin in January 2005.
Transit Center at Colorado State University
The City is working with Colorado State University(CSU)to complete the final phase of
this project—indoor transit center final design and construction.
The project is the construction/remodel of 19,970 sq. ft. facility which will be integrated
with the Lory Student Center. The facility is project to cost $6.7M and it is funded by
federal dollars with local match provided by CSU(local match is generated by the value
of the CSU land).
The schedule is to complete final design by November 2004, start construction June 2005
and open the building August 2006.
The City and CSU currently have an IGA which has directed the development of the
Transit Center at CSU. The IGA will need modification to deal with the transit center
operation. The City staff direction is to have CSU manage the transit center under mutual
direction of the City and CSU. CSU would assume O&M financial responsibility.
Contracted DAR Service through Shamrock Taxi
The City contracted with Shamrock Taxi to provide door-to-door specialized
transportation services to ambulatory passengers who are elderly (aged 60 and over) and
disabled citizens. Service is limited to certified eligible Dial-A-Ride passengers who
reside outside of the 3/a mile boundary around the Transfort bus routes. The City pays
Shamrock$15/trip. In the event that Dial-A-Ride cannot accommodate all requests
within our regular% mile service area, Shamrock will also provide those trips at $12/trip.
Dial-A-Ride is the point of contact for trip reservation. On a daily basis, Dial-A-Ride
provides Shamrock with the passenger trip requests including the scheduled pick-up
times. Shamrock creates manifests and provides the requested trips.
Shamrock is doing an excellent job and customer feedback is positive. The new contract
service, although originally projected to begin in January 2004, began March 2004. The
target is for Shamrock to provide 50-60 rides per weekday with a projected cost savings
of$50,000 in 2004.
Building on Basics 2005
The Preliminary Projects for Community Input has two transit projects listed for
consideration: Replacement Buses Transit Fleet and New Vehicles for Transit Fleet.
These two projects represent a portion of the Transfort/Dial-A-Ride 10-Year Strategic
Operating Plan adopted by Council in 2002. The Strategic Plan has four scenarios with
Scenario 1 having been implemented in 2003 and a portion of Scenario 2 being proposed
for the Building on Basics 2005 capital program. The details of the two projects are:
• Reolacement Buses—twenty-six vehicles(26)would be replaced: 14 mini-buses,
8 full size coaches, and 4 service vehicles. Transfort/Dial-A-Ride has over 50
vehicles in the fleet with the replacement time frame ranging from 7 years to 12
years. The entire transit bus/service vehicle fleet is scheduled for replacement
over the next 8-10 years. This proposed replacement project is projected to totally
cost$4,613,000 with proposed federal fund support of$3,690,000.
• New Vehicles—ten vehicles(10)would be purchased to provide additional transit
service, including increased frequency on Route 1, FoxTrot service would
continue to the Downtown Transit Center and new routes would be added to the
Prospect/Timberline area and the east Harmony Road corridor. Additionally,
Dial-A-Ride service would be increased to improve coverage in the
Prospect/Timberline area, Harmony Road corridor, and south Fort Collins. This
would be the only planned service expansion for the next 8 years. The projected
capital cost is $3,091,000 (proposed federal funds of$2,473,000)and the
projected operations/maintenance cost of$2,468,000 (proposed federal funds of
$1,234,000).
