SR-100-000-06 (3)
BBB:SN:RM:DF:f\trans\admin\council\SCRTTC
Council Meeting: January 13, 2004 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Membership Agreement with the Southern California Regional Transit
Training Consortium
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to
negotiate and execute a membership agreement with the Southern California
Regional Transit Training Consortium (SCRTTC).
BACKGROUND
Over the past year, transit operators in Southern California have worked to
establish a consortium of operators and educational institutions to develop industry-
driven, competency-based transit curricula that meet present and future training
needs of public transit systems. Over 20 agencies in five counties (Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego) are working to establish the
consortium. The consortium’s first priority will be bus and facility maintenance
training.
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DISCUSSION
Currently, there are no standardized procedures for transit maintenance in the
United States. Each operator develops its own system for training its mechanics.
When new technologies are introduced to a transit agency, the manufacturers
usually provide training, but there is no consistency among transit agencies.
Consistency in training will reduce the cost of developing and using curricula and
will make available to all participants the best training methods so that fleets and
facilities are kept at optimum performance.
The intent of the consortium is to become a model for regional interagency
coordination of resources among transit agencies, original equipment
manufacturers, educational institutions, training centers, and related non-profit
organizations, with a goal of eventually becoming a national model that can be
replicated in other regions and in other industries.
Membership in the consortium will enable the Big Blue Bus to participate in the
development of more efficient regional transit maintenance training, coordinate
training materials and programs, share information and resources within the
Southern California area for the purpose of improving existing transit maintenance
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practices and to keep pace with technological changes taking place in the industry.
This consortium will bring together local transit operators and local educational
institutions, such as community colleges, so that college-level professional
educators are developing the training programs. The consortium will address the
best way to utilize training resources and expertise to reduce the cost of ongoing
training and new programs.
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total one-time cost of the SCRTTC membership to the City of Santa Monica is
$6,000. The funds are available in Account 41640.544340.180W.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate
and execute a membership agreement with the Southern California Regional
Transit Training Consortium for a membership fee amount not to exceed $6,000.
Prepared by: Stephanie Negriff, Director of Transit Services
Ralph Merced, Transit Maintenance Manager
David Feinberg, Acting Deputy Director of Transit Services
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