sr-061212-8bCity City Council Report
Santa Moniea°
City Council Meeting: June 12, 2012
Agenda Item: 8 °�
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Edward F. King, Director of Transit Services
Subject: Big Blue Bus August 2012 Service Changes
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council approve service changes for Route 2 (Wilshire
Boulevard) and Rapid 10 (Freeway Express) that would save approximately $275,000
annually. Service changes would begin on August 26, 2012.
Executive Summary
Staff evaluated all fixed route service for productivity and efficiency in order to close a
projected $5 million structural deficit in FY 2012 -13. Two service segments have been
identified for elimination due to low ridership and the availability of alternate transit
services within the same area. The first segment staff recommends truncating is Route
2 service south of 4t" Street at Pico Blvd. (service north of Pico would not be impacted).
Staff also recommends eliminating six Rapid 10 trips that operate between Main St. at
Marine St. and 2 "d Street at Colorado Ave. These two. changes would save
approximately $275,000 annually.
Background
In March and April of 2010 staff conducted 14 community meetings to present a
summary of the Big Blue Bus' triennial system -wide analysis and subsequent service
change proposals for the next three years. One of these changes was to eliminate
Route 2 service south of Pico Boulevard. However, based on community input, staff
amended the proposal to operate Route 2 as far as Main St. at Hill St. in a one -way
direction. At the May 10 2011 City Council meeting a public hearing was held, during
which Council approved the proposal and directed staff to continue monitoring
productivity of the service after the change and report back at a later date.
1
Discussion
BBB is facing a $5 million structural deficit.for FY 2012 -13. Due to the reductions in
state and local funding, other local transit agencies have reduced revenue service hours
between four and nine percent, while BBB has not reduced service.
BIG BLUE BUS
OPERATING REVENUE VS OPERATING EXPENDITURES FY 02-
15
--*—Operating Revenues Operating Expenditures
$80
- --
$70
o $60
e
$50
$40
$30 - -r
FY01 -02 FY02 -03 FY03 -04 FY04 -05 FYOS -06 FY06 -07 FY07 -08 FYOS -09 FY09 -30 FY10 -11 FY11 -12
Cost saving measures already taken include $22,997 (March 25 through May 19) with
the elimination of five as- needed staff positions along with a decrease of $400,000 in
the FY 2012 -13 operating program for labor overtime, consulting and
promotional /advertising services. Additionally, Downtown Ride service is being
discontinued as of June 17, 2012, as presented to Council in a BBB Service Change
Information Item May 2 2012, and supplemental tripper service on some BBB routes
has been reduced, resulting in a $275,000 annual savings.
2
Since August 28, 2011, Route 2 productivity south of Pico has declined to an average of
17 Passengers per Revenue Service Hour (PRSH) or three passengers per bus. On
Line 2 as a whole, the PRSH is 32. Big Blue Bus' year -to -date system -wide
passenger /PRSH rate is 39. The resulting subsidy paid by the Big Blue Bus for trips
south of Pico is $4.25 per trip — one of the highest in BBB's transit system (the subsidy
per trip system -wide is $1.98).
The operating cost for the segment of Route 2 south of Pico is $191,000 annually.
There is redundant service provided by Route 1 and Route 8 in this area as well as Dial -
a -Ride and complimentary ADA paratransit service provided by Access Services for
qualified individuals.
Route
Subsidies
3
Another proposal generated from the triennial analysis was the transition of Route 10 to
a 'Rapid" service and the cancellation of six trips that operate between Main St. at
Marine St. and 2nd St. at Colorado Ave. The PRSH for this segment is 18, also very
low, with buses carrying an average of three passengers per trip. By comparison the
PRSH on Line 10 as a whole is 23. Additionally, the Rapid 10 trips along Main St. are
duplicated by Route 1 service, so passengers can ride that service instead and make a
convenient, timed transfer in downtown Santa Monica to Rapid 10.
System -wide, BBB service needs to be more productive as measured by the number of
passengers per revenue hour and mile and more efficient as measured by farebox
recovery ratio and subsidy per trip. The alternative to continuing to operate unproductive
and underperforming service would be to significantly raise fares between 50 and 75
percent for all BBB service.
Public Outreach
While the service changes recommended for Route 2 and Rapid 10 services do not
require a public hearing as they involve less than 25 percent of each route and
ridership, BBB staff held community meetings at the Ocean Park Library on May 2 and
3, 2012 in the neighborhoods that would be most impacted south of Pico Blvd. The
comments from attendees both evenings focused on Route 2 with no public comment
about the proposed Route 10 changes.
A total of 22 people attended both meetings. The majority of attendees were 4th Street
corridor residents. Many were seniors concerned with losing their closest and most
convenient transit option. Those interested in maintaining the service requested that at
least every other bus continue to Main and Hill St. Staff analyzed this request and
determined that there was no way to do so and still save or reallocate an entire bus and
driver to a route with greater ridership demand. Therefore, no cost savings would be
realized by decreasing service to these segments.
0
The other attendees resided on a variety of streets in the neighborhood (4`" St., Hill St.,
31d St., Copeland St., etc.) and were supportive of staff's recommendation to discontinue
the route due to low ridership, cost of the operation and bus congestion on Hill St. at
Main and on Ocean Park Blvd. at Main St.
Staff stressed the need for addressing BBB's structural deficit and focused on the
alternate transit options in the area, including the Route 1 on Main St., Route 8 on
Ocean Park Blvd., Dial -a -Ride service for seniors and people with disabilities and the
countywide ADA complimentary paratransit service provided for qualified individuals by
Access Services. Information was handed out to assist participants with these
alternatives and staff committed to providing additional educational sessions for
individuals or groups to address needs after the June 12 City Council meeting.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
Reducing service on the Routes 2 and 10 as proposed will result in a savings of
$275,000 for Fiscal Year 2012 -13. BBB will continue to bring forward recommendations
to improve and /or discontinue unproductive service in an effort to reduce expenditures
and close the structural deficit.
Prepared by: Edward F. King, Director of Transit Services
Approved:
+ £d
Edward F. King
Director of Transit Services
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
3 �x
Downtown. Ride:
Ending Service 6/17
M
Cost Savi ngs lyr.
$21 Ov 000
Rapid 10: Cancel 6 trips
(b /w Venice & 2nd /Colorado)
Route 2: Truncate route
between Pico & Hill St.
$84,000
$191,000
Item 8 -13: Service
4, f Changes August 2012
Wig
blue
bus
-Route Backwound
End at Civic Center
(redundant w /Route 1)
Ado ted compromise:
Continue to Hill St.;
report on ridership
Item 8 -13: Service
fi
Changes August 2012
Moll! rlo-21, �..
it
blue
bus
Approve changes for
('`starting August 26, 2012)
Route 1, 8 & Dial -a -Ride Services
,/- Saves 1 bus /full -time operator
Helps kf,,:;!e p fares low for everyone
Item 8 -B: Service
Changes August 2012
Less than $1.00
$1.00 - $2.00
- $2.00 - $3.50
$3.50 - $5.00
More than $5.00
0
Ig
blue
bus
South of Pico Costs
e
g r S Operating < " $ 91,600/yr.
-\.� Per Trip Subsidy: South of Pico- $4.2 5
(north of Pico: $2.75)
(system -wide: $1.98)
Item 8 -13: Service
Changes August 2012
In
Avg. ridership:
01 South of Pico:
9 South of Pico:
w - Me_- M-0- WINg m
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riders/bus 17 riders/$ hour
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Efficiencies to Date = $423,000 saved
Legislative recovery of federal funds
ryo Service Changes/ Reductions
Item 8 -B: Service
Changes August 2012
blog
blue
bus
53% drop = State Transit Assistance
SAFETEA -LU Reauthorization = TBD
Local Tax Funding = Up /Down
FY 12 -13 = Projected $5 million deficit
Item 8 -13: Service
� Changes August 2012
Wig
blue
bus
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