SR-05-14-13-3CCity Council Meeting: May 14, 2013
Agenda Item: _3:__G:_
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
$1,317,040 for transit services provided during FY 2013 -14.
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 June 12, 2012 Council meeting for the period of July 1, 2012 through
June 30, 2013. Staff recommends renewing the agreement for an additional year
through June 30, 2014 and increasing the fixed annual amount to $1,317,040.
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
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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 June 12, 2012 for FY 2012 -13. Over the last year, the
City and College have engaged in discussion on the importance of program
continuation while realizing that the appropriate level of financial support has not
matched the significant increase in the number of students utilizing the service. In
addition, reliable data has been collected during the last year providing consistent
ridership information for SMC and BBB analysis for the first time since the 2007 Line -by-
Line Analysis was conducted.
Discussion
As of February 2013 fiscal year -to -date SMC boardings are 1.78 million, a 12 percent
increase over FY 2011 -12 boardings for the same period. In recognition of the ridership
increase the College agreed to an eight percent increase in the annual contract amount
for FY 2013/14. The new fixed rate will be maintained for one year.
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To accommodate the strong ridership by SMC community members since 2007, BBB
has made service enhancements including: schedule revisions to Route 7, extension of
Rapid 7 to the Wilshire - Western Metro Rail station, the use of articulated buses on
Rapid 7, and launched Route 11 service connecting SMC to UCLA.
Representatives from BBB and SMC are currently meeting to discuss the
implementation of BBB's new fare collection system and conversion of SMC riders to
Smart Cards by February 2014. The new cards will be purchased directly by SMC, as
they will be used as their student ID and programmed by BBB for the Any Line -Any
Time service. The new technology will help speed boarding time and provide more
accurate information regarding ridership patterns.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The agreement between Big Blue Bus and Santa Monica College for reimbursement for
transit services to be provided in FY 2013 -14 is $1,317,040, representing an increase of
$97,560 over the current year rate. The revenue increase will be included for Council
approval in the FY 2013 -15 proposed budget at account 41642.402000.
Prepared by: Joe Stitcher, Chief Administrative Officer
Approved:
Edward F. King
Director of Transit
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Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference Contract No.
9735 (CCS)