SR-6-M (26)
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council Meeting: March 23, 1993
Mr:!"t, ... "" ~.-.>. "I;
Santa Monica, califot~llk ~.j !JJ:
TO:
Mayor and city Council
FROM:
city Staff
SUBJECT: Authorize the City Manager to File a Short Range
Transit Plan and Applications for Funds
Introduction
This report requests that the City council authorize the City
Manager to file a Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) to permit the
Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines to remain eligible for federal
and state transit funds. In addition, this report requests that
the City Council authorize the City Manager to file applications
for funds based on the SRTP.
Background
In accordance with the requirements of the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(MTA),
the
Southern
California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the Federal
Transit Administration (FTA), every three years the city must
file a Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) in order to remain
eligible for federal and state funding assistance.
The SRTP
examines existing services, serves as justification for future
proj ects and presents a four-year financial plan for the Santa
Monica Municipal Bus Lines.
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While the primary purpose of the SRTP is to provide budget
information and justification to the MTA for its use in making
funding allocations for FY 1993-94, the plan does provide
projections for the four-year period FY 1994-1997, based on the
information currently available.
In addition to annual operating and financial documentation, this
year's SRTP contains a summary of a line-by-line patronage
analysis conducted in FY 1991-92 by ATE Management and Service
Company. Information from this study has been used to analyze
system performance and passenger opinions of the service
provided. It should be noted that 98% of the survey respondents
found Santa Monica's Big Blue Buses to be adequate or better,
with 84% of those rating the service as "goodll or livery good."
Federal regulations also require that the Municipal Bus Lines
study existing transit service to determine if it might better be
supplied by the private sector. This analysis, which must be
conducted triennially, is included in the SRTP document. Based
on an eight-factor analysis, including the Bus Lines' competitive
operating costs and its positive public support, it was
determined that no current opportunities exist for turning
service over to private bus operators.
Financial Analysis
The Municipal Bus Lines' financial plan utilizes funding
projections based on its share of MTA's projected county-wide
formula allocation of transit funds for fiscal years 1993-94
through 1996-97. For FY 1993-94, the formula allocation funds to
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be used by the Transportation Department for operations are
projected at $10.3 million.
In addition, local operating
revenues (fares, charter, advertising,
interest, lease and
Proposition A Local Return revenues) are estimated at $8.1
million.
Projected capital expenditures in the amount of $5.1
million are fully funded from subsidy sources.
Financial projections for FY 1993-94 will serve as the basis for
preparation of the Transportation Department budget, which will
be considered by the city council during the city budget process.
Fiscal years beyond 1993-94 will be addressed again next year in
an update to the SRTP and in future city budgets.
Recommendation
city staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Authorize the City Manager to file the Short Range Transit
Plan for FY 1994-1997 with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority and the Southern California Association
of Governments.
2) Authorize the City Manager to file applications for transit
subsidy funds made available by the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Prepared by: J. F. Hutchison, Director of Transportation
S. Griffin, Senior Administrative Analyst
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