sr-061212-3dlama City of City Council Report
Santa Monied
City Council Meeting: June 12, 2012
Agenda Item: 3 D
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Edward F. King, Director of Transit Services
Subject: Big Blue Bus Unlimited Ride Transit Program with Santa Monica College
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute an agreement to renew the "Any Line, Any Time" unlimited ride transit program
between the Big Blue Bus and Santa Monica College (SMC) in the amount of
$1,219,480 for transit services provided during FY 2012 -13.
Executive Summary
Big Blue Bus (BBB) has had annual agreements with SMC to provide unlimited access
to BBB transit services for all student, staff, and faculty members who choose to
participate in the "Any Line, Any Time" program. Under this agreement, BBB charges
SMC a fixed annual amount for all passengers with a valid, activated SMC identification
card bearing a current semester sticker. The SMC Partnership was most recently
renewed at the August 23 2011 Council meeting for the period of July 1, 2011 through
June 30, 2012. Staff recommends renewing the agreement for an additional year
through June 30, 2013 and maintaining the fixed annual amount of $1,219,480.
Background
In 2007, Santa Monica College was the primary trip generator in Santa Monica,
however, most of the 34,300 students and 1,700 staff commuted by automobile.
Insufficient parking capacity at the campus led to the need for perimeter parking at the
City's beach lots and was a significant community safety and traffic concern. As a result,
SMC and the City asked for Big Blue Bus' help developing a comprehensive
transportation solution. A one -year demonstration project with SMC was initiated in
February 2007 when SMC agreed to reimburse BBB for trips taken by students, faculty
u
and staff presenting their school identification card on the Crosstown Ride and a new
service known as the Line 6 SMC Commuter operating from the Palms /Mar Vista area
to SMC. In August 2008 a third route was added; the Sunset Ride which connects the
Bundy and Main campuses.
Council authorized the implementation of the "Any Line, Any Time" program with SMC
with the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2008 -10 Short Range Transit Plan adopted on
March 25, 2008. The Big Blue Bus implemented the unlimited ride transit program with
SMC in the fall of 2008. A fixed annual amount for the Any Line, Any Time program was
established in 2008 by multiplying two factors. The first factor was an average rate per
boarding of $0.625, which was based on the estimate that half of all SMC riders would
be eligible for the under 21 years of age youth fare of $0.50, and that the other half
would fall into the regular fare category of $0.75 per boarding. The second factor was
the 1,951,168 passengers counted by surveyors boarding and alighting at bus stops
adjacent to SMC in the spring 2007 Line -by -Line Analysis before the program went into
effect. These two factors total an annual fare amount of $1,219,480. The agreement
was most recently renewed on August 23, 2011 for FY 2011 -12.
Discussion
Current fiscal year -to -date SMC boardings are 2.16 million, an 8% increase over
FY 2010 -11 boardings. To accommodate the increase in ridership by SMC community
members since 2007, BBB has made service enhancements including: schedule
revisions to Route 7 and use of articulated buses along a longer Rapid 7 route, launch
of a Route 11 service connecting SMC to UCLA, and more trips on Routes 6 and the
Sunset Ride, which provide connections between neighborhoods where students reside
and multiple SMC campuses and facilities.
Staff from BBB and SMC met in early May 2012 to review program successes and
develop strategies for continuing the program. It was agreed that the current fixed rate
could be maintained for one more year. Both parties also agreed that additional time to
4
determine future financial obligations would be helpful in meeting the joint goal of
establishing a multi -year transit agreement and to effectively market improvements like
new farebox technology to the SMC community.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The agreement between Big Blue Bus and Santa Monica College for reimbursement for
transit services to be provided in FY 2012 -13 is $1,219,480. Upon receipt of this
revenue, funds will be included at account 41642.402000.
Prepared by: Linda Gamberg, Community Relations Officer
Edward F. King
Director of Transit
t
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference Contract No.
9592 (CCS).