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TO .JBC. SG :tplf-trans\admln\councll\wpfileslslpupsr
Council Meeting' April 27, 1999
Santa MOnica, California
TO. Mayor and City Council
FROM' City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Approve the Big Blue Bus ServIce Improvement Plan
Update
Introduction
This report requests that the City Council adopt the BIg Blue Bus Service Improvement
Plan (SIP) Update, whIch Identifies proposed transit operating and capital Improvements
over the next four-year penod, Including proposed Improvements for the TIDE Shuttle
The SIP Update reflects the results of the recently conducted technical assessment of
transit services and a three month community outreach process conducted from
November 1998 to February 1999.
Back~round
The service Improvement planning process for the BIg Blue Bus began In 1996 With a
senes of community meetings designed to sohclt public input on ways to improve servIce
Since the adoption of the 1997 Service Improvement Plan, staff has annually Implemented
service modifications to Improve on-time performance and enhance transit route
frequencies, particularly at night and on weekends
As a result of thiS process. servIce levels have Improved on eleven of the Big Blue Bus'
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thIrteen hnes Overall, pubhc response to these Improvements has been very favorable
Since the service Improvement program began, ridership has grown by approximately
15% This trend is expected to continue In FY 1999 - 2000
DISCUSSion
A Service Improvement Plan reView, resultmg In this update, was conducted to evaluate
Improvements Implemented over the past two years, and determine whether or not
adjustments to future year recommendations were warranted based on existing conditions
The basIs for the technical evaluation of these Improvements was the hne-by-hne analysIs
conducted In FY 1998 The line-by-Iine consisted of a comprehensive ridership count, an
assessment of overall system performance, and an on-board survey of nder's opinions
The study concluded that, despite significant service Increases, Big Blue Bus service
prodUCtIVity remains very hIgh, compared to Industry standards. Rider satisfactIon also
remains consistently high at 97 7%. Service enhancements produced reductions in
passenger overcrowding, despite continued growth on the system's most productive lines
Although additional frequency Improvements are not recommended at thiS time, the need
to mOnitor these lines for placement of additional service, as warranted by demand, was
suggested.
I n November 1998, the Big Blue Bus conducted a senes of seven public meetings to obtam
feedback from riders and reSidents about current and proposed services In addition, staff
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attended two neighborhood-sponsored meetings In Venice to listen to resident's concerns
about transit service Concurrent With this process, staff met With representatives of the
Main Street merchants to address Issues related to the TIDE Shuttle service The package
of Improvements for FY 1999 - 2000 through FY 2002 - 2003 contained In the SIP Update
IS based on both technical evaluation and community input
Fixed Route Service Plan
The Service Improvement Plan Update IS consistent with the 1997 SIP In many respects
Significant service enhancements Originally recommended In FY 1999 and FY 2000 have
been deferred by one year In an effort to COInCide With dnver hlnng and training schedules,
as well as the acquIsItion of capital resources.
Minor service adjustments were Implemented In February 1999
Line 1, Santa Monica Blvd. - Schedule enhancements reqUiring the use of one
additional bus were implemented to Improve weekday on-time performance
Line 2, Wilshire Blvd.Nenice - A route re-allgnment occurred between Lincoln
Blvd at Superba and Venice Blvd at Walgrove to eliminate two-way bus travel on
Superba, Penmar and VictOria Avenues In Venice. In addition, weekend service
between Vemce Circle and Venice at Walgrove was modified to operate at 30
mInute frequencies Instead of the current 20 minute frequencies Sunday service
from Venice Circle north to UCLA, has Increased from 20 minute to 15 minute
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frequencies
Line 5, Century CityN.A. - Sunday service frequencies Improved from 40 minutes
to 30 minutes.
Line 10, Downtown Los Angeles Express - One additional triP was added to
evening service In each direction of travel
These modest service Improvements were not significant enough, In terms of service
levels, to reqUire a public hearing. A community meeting conducted on February 6,1999
presented these improvements to the public for review and dISCUSSion.
The Service Improvement Plan Update contains the follOWing recommendations for
FY 1999 - 2000 through FY 2002 - 2003-
In FY 1999 - 2000, re-ahgnment of service operated In the Olympic Blvd, COrridor IS
planned In order to proVide more direct service between downtown Santa MOnica and
Century City ThiS Improvement reqUires the restructunng of Line 5 - Century CltyN A
and Line 9 - OlympiC Blvd.lPaclfic Palisades In addition, weekend service IS planned to
operate on OlympiC Blvd at 3D-minute service frequencies
Additional FY 1999 - 2000 Improvements Include Increased service intervals on line 10,
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Freeway Express, from hourly to every 30 minutes on weekdays dUring midday, and on
Saturdays In addition, new Sunday service IS planned to operate at 30 minute
frequencies.
FY 2000 - 2001, 26-passenger buses will be deployed In fixed route service as part of the
BIg Blue Bus community transit system In additIon, an extension of Line 14 -
Bundy/Centlnela Ave to Fox Hills MaillS planned
In FY 2001 - 2002 and FY 2002 - 2003, Line 11 - 14th/20th Street Crosstown IS planned
for reconflguratlon to operate in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction Weekend
service IS also planned to operate at 30-mlnute service Intervals In each year of the Plan,
additional hours of service are programmed as a contingency for unantlclpated ridership
growth.
The Impact of Implemented service Improvements and the appropriateness of the next
proposed changes Will be evaluated annually CounCil Will receive those updates prior to
conSideration of annual service Improvement proposals.
TIDE Shuttle Service
A route re-ahgnment for the TIDE Shuttle IS planned on a trial baSIS, to determine the
feaSibility of operating two-way service on Main Street. In addition, Saturday and Sunday
service Will begin at 9 30 a m Instead of noon The tnal servIce IS planned to begm In May
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1999 and continue through Labor Day weekend Expanding the hours of service for the
tnal penod Will cost approximately $4,700. The cost to advertise and promote the service
change Will be approximately $6,000 and Will be funded out of the current year budget If
the summer service IS successful, the two-way route Will become permanent
Capital Program
Service levels projected In the ServIce Improvement Plan Update do not require additional
fleet expansion beyond that onginally programmed The 1997 SIP projected the need for
32 additional vehicles, including ten small buses. These expansIon vehIcles have been
programmed In prevIous years. Replacement buses are reflected In the Plan for vehicles
expected to exceed their useful life within the planning penod. Bike racks for the entire
fleet, Includmg expansion vehicles have been added to the capital program In FY 2000
The SIP Update also shows additional funding for the development of the downtown transit
mall
Financial AnalysIs
A four-year financial forecast IS contained In the Service Improvement Plan It shows that
the Plan can be Implemented WIth the MUnicipal Bus Lines' formula share oftranslt subSidy
funds allocated on an annual basIs by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authonty (MTA)
Although projected transit subSidies are suffiCient to fund proposed service level Increases,
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the MTA requires that transit operators maintain a local revenue contnbutlon of 38%
generated from farebox revenues and other local sources Based on service plan
estimates, It IS anticipated that the required farebox recovery ratio and the existing fare will
be maintained through FY 1999 - 2000 Staff will evaluate options to maIntain the
appropnate farebox recovery ratio This effort will Include a commumty outreach program
The City Council will be presented with the results of the analysIs and appropriate
recommendations
In the Interim, Transportation Department staff WIll continue to monitor the financial
Impacts of both operating and capital programs through development of a ten year
financial plan, the incorporatIon of Service Improvement Plan elements Into the Big Blue
Bus annual Short Range TranSIt Plan and In future City budgets
Recommendation
City staff recommends that the City CounCil approve the Big Blue Bus Service
Improvement Plan Update
Prepared by.
John B Catoe, Jr., Director of Transportation
Stephanie Negnff, Manager of TranSit Development
Joseph W Stitcher. Semor TranSit Programs Analyst
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