HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 08/20/2024 - Memorandum from Troy Moreno and Jason Doescher re: Transfort Finalized Changes – August 2024Transfort / Dial-A-Ride
6570 Portner Road
Fort Collins, CO 80525
PO Box 580, Fort Collins, CO 80522
JDoescher@fcgov.com
CC: Kaley Zeisel, Director – Transfort; 1
Drew Brooks, Deputy Director – Planning, Development & Transportation
MEMORANDUM
Date: August 9, 2024
To: Councilmembers
Through: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, Service Area Director – Planning, Development & Transportation
From: Troy Moreno, Interim Senior Transit Manager – Transfort
Jason Doescher, Service Planner – Transfort
Subject: Transfort Finalized Changes – August 2024
BOTTOM LINE
The purpose of this memorandum is to inform Council that Transfort has finalized the previously
proposed service changes for 2024 and they will take effect on August 12, 2024.
BACKGROUND
To provide a cohesive experience through the scholastic year for both Poudre School District
(PSD) and Colorado State University (CSU) students, Transfort has historically performed large
service changes annually in August, with adjustments in January if needed. Opportunities for
route improvements are identified through feedback from passengers, partner organizations,
and stakeholders, as well as internal performance analysis. Proposed changes are vetted for
viability and a proposal is put out to the public for feedback before being implemented
operationally.
Finalized Service Changes / Enhancements
Service changes will be effective on August 12, 2024, and a full list of changes is available on
our website, www.ridetransfort.com. A summary of key changes Transfort has identified can be
found below:
• Route 5 will end the southbound trips at McClelland and Swallow, providing a layover at
Swallow Station and more reliable connections with Route 6 and MAX.
Docusign Envelope ID: D962ADE5-B46C-49DA-9244-665C589EBEEB
CC: Kaley Zeisel, Director – Transfort; 2
Drew Brooks, Deputy Director – Planning, Development & Transportation
• Routes 5, 14, and 18 will add an additional hour of evening service, now ending during
the 8 p.m. hour.
• Routes 8, 14, 18, and 81 will have minor timetable adjustments to enhance on-time
performance.
• Routes 14 and 18 will depart from DTC on the hour.
• Route 18 will have new routing when leaving DTC to avoid using College Ave. The bus
stop at College and Laporte (stop #157), with historically low ridership, will be removed.
• HORN service is resuming to full service with 10-minute frequency when CSU is in
session.
PSD’s changes to bell times for the 2024-25 academic year will result in improvements to
school start times and Transfort bus connections for Blevins, Lesher, Lincoln, Fossil Ridge, and
Ridgeview schools.
Today, Transfort operates 73% of what was considered full service in 2019. Thanks to ongoing
efforts to alleviate major challenges such as bus operator shortages that make service returns
possible, Transfort operations will be prioritizing the resumption of 10-minute frequencies on
HORN and MAX from their current 20-minute frequencies. The HORN service will resume on
August 12th, while Transfort anticipates the MAX service to be available later in the Fall. As we
get closer to determining the start date, additional communication will occur about realizing this
goal. After reinstating these frequencies, Transfort will be operating at about 87% of full service.
Finally, Transfort is in the process of launching an Optimization study to help determine the best
plan for future service with our current resources.
Public Engagement
A public meeting was held on June 27, 2024. An online questionnaire was made available which
received 32 respondents. Information to attend the public meeting was extended to a large
variety of boards and commissions plus other stakeholders including the Senior Advisory Board,
Transportation Board, Poudre School District, Dial-a-Ride, and others. Feedback was largely
positive in the public meeting and in the survey. The questionnaire responses indicate 3.3% of
respondents expect to ride less, and 96.6% will ride the same or more. 89.6% of respondents
Docusign Envelope ID: D962ADE5-B46C-49DA-9244-665C589EBEEB
CC: Kaley Zeisel, Director – Transfort; 3
Drew Brooks, Deputy Director – Planning, Development & Transportation
are neutral, satisfied or very satisfied with the proposed changes. 84% of respondents indicate
they were neutral or happy with the quality and amount of information provided about the
proposed changes. Valuable feedback was obtained that will help shape future service change
proposals.
Advertising Efforts Around the Public Meeting
• Digital Rider Alert – Email or SMS text sent to over 6,000 users
• Posting English/Spanish alert posters on all Transfort buses and Transit Centers
• Posting English/Spanish flyers at key social service agencies and public facilities, to
include locations identified in our Title VI plan as being frequented by persons with
limited English proficiency.
• Transfort Website
• Press Release
• Legal Notice in the Coloradoan
• Social Media Postings
• Emails to board and commission members
Areas of Feedback and Input
• Public Meeting
• Transfort Customer Service phone and email
• General Comment Forms
• Online Questionnaire
• Other Stakeholder Meetings
NEXT STEPS
The service changes outlined above take effect on August 12, 2024. Transfort continuously
gathers feedback year-round and will continue to assess performance through data analysis to
potentially make adjustments in January 2025. Additional communication will occur as Transfort
progresses with the optimization study and as increases in staffing levels allow for further
service to resume.
Docusign Envelope ID: D962ADE5-B46C-49DA-9244-665C589EBEEB