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sr-061212-3d (2)lama 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).