SR-1000-001-08
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Council Meeting: August 13, 2002 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Approval of Second Phase of Big Blue Bus Service Improvements
INTRODUCTION
This report requests that the City Council approve the second phase of the Big Blue Bus
FY2002-2004 service improvements identified in the Service Improvement Plan (SIP)
adopted February 12, 2002. If approved, operation on a permanent basis of the new
Line 4 (San Vicente - VA Hospital – Sawtelle), implementation of a new UCLA Shuttle,
modifications to Line 14 (Bundy – Centinela), are all proposed to take effect September
8, 2002.
BACKGROUND
The 2002 Big Blue Bus Service Improvement Plan identifies a multi-year program of
transit operating and capital projects that primarily focus on transit service frequencies
and hours of operations.
The proposed service improvements for fall FY2003 were developed through a public
participation process, which included a series of community meetings conducted in
2001 and 2002. Members of the public provided comments on all aspects of Big Blue
Bus services, including specific plans for the proposed route modifications. More recent
community meetings were held on July 11, and on July 23, 2002 to discuss Lines 14
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and 4, respectively. Notices describing the proposed changes and inviting public
comment appeared in the Los Angeles Times and La Opinion.
DISCUSSION
Service Improvement Proposals
Line 4, San Vicente – VA Hospital – Sawtelle
– This new route was implemented on a
trial basis on June of 2002 by combining two services, the Line 4 Carlyle route and the
VA Hospital shuttle route. This greatly expanded the direct travel opportunities for
riders at the Veterans Administration West Los Angeles campus to Santa Monica and
Westwood Boulevard. Customer response has been overwhelmingly favorable. The
new Line 4 would become a permanent service of the Big Blue Bus system.
UCLA Shuttle
-From FY2001 to FY2002, ridership grew 24 percent among students,
faculty and staff participating in the BruinGO! transit pass program at UCLA. In
anticipation of continued increasing passenger loads to UCLA as a result of the renewal
of the BruinGO! program for the 2002-2003 academic year, a direct shuttle will be
added between Palms and UCLA. The shuttle will operate only during academic
sessions at peak travel periods. The shuttle will require 16 vehicle revenue service
hours on weekdays only. This will relieve severe overcrowding on Line 12 and Line 8.
Line 14, Bundy - Centinela
– In 1997, the route of Line 14 was extended three miles
from Barrington Avenue at Sunset Boulevard to the Getty Center. There are additional
stops along the route extension on Sunset Boulevard at Woodburn Drive and on Church
Street at Sepulveda Boulevard. This extension was made possible by funding from the
J. Paul Getty Trust. The funding was discontinued on June 30, 2002.
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Between March and June 2002, Big Blue Bus staff provided the J. Paul Getty Trust with
six different options for Line 14 service that were intended to lower the cost of the
service. All options were ultimately rejected. Big Blue Bus staff held a community
meeting on July 11, 2002 at the Barrington Recreation Center to receive public input on
possible service options.
Despite the loss of annual funding from the J. Paul Getty Trust, there is still a need to
maintain a connection to the MTA Line 561, which is the only link to the San Fernando
Valley from the Westside. Staff recommends that Line 14 operate as far as the existing
bus stop on Church Lane at Sepulveda Boulevard, one mile short of the Getty Center.
Riders desiring to reach the Getty Center can transfer at this point to the MTA 561
which serves the Getty Center. Furthermore, 33 percent of riders who use the
extension of the route to the Getty are not actually going to the Getty Center. These
passengers go to other destinations near Line 14 bus stops along the route extension or
connect with MTA service to and from the San Fernando Valley.
The use of Church Lane as the new terminal will enable the Big Blue Bus to avoid the
most severe traffic delays on Interstate 405 and Sepulveda Boulevard that have made
the entire Line 14 service unreliable on weekday afternoons. Without this route
modification, it would have been necessary to add 2,050 annual vehicle revenue service
hours to Line 14 to reestablish schedule reliability. By avoiding this expenditure,
requests from Line 14 passengers for an earlier start of weekday service and more
frequent Sunday service can be accommodated. On weekdays, there will be two earlier
trips, and on Sunday, service frequency will be increased from 40-45 minutes to 30
minutes.
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Together, these three service improvement recommendations represent approximately
3,930 annualized service hours, prorated at approximately 3,190 service hours in
FY2002-2003. The modifications will be effected with three additional motor coach
operators approved in the FY02/03 budget.
FINANCIAL/BUDGETARY
FY2002-2003 service improvements are fully funded in the City Budget with transit
subsidy funds. These service improvements will not require the use of general fund.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize permanent operation of Line 4 (San
Vicente – VA Hospital – Sawtelle), implementation of the described UCLA Shuttle and
modification to Line 14 (Bundy – Centinela), effective September 8, 2002.
Prepared by: Stephanie Negriff, Interim Director of Transportation
Joe Stitcher, Manager of Customer Relations
Paul T. Casey, Senior Transit Programs Analyst
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