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SR 12-18-2018 8B (2) City Council Report City Council Meeting: December 18, 2018 Agenda Item: 8.B 1 of 20 To: Mayor and City Council From: Edward King, Director, Big Blue Bus, Transit Planning & Performance Subject: Proposed March 2019 Big Blue Bus Service Changes Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council approve the proposed Big Blue Bus (BBB) operating plan for new and restructured BBB routes and schedules for March 2019 implementation; and, adopt an adjustment to the Rapid 10 fare. Executive Summary Big Blue Bus has taken a proactive leadership role in paving its new future to be a financially and environmentally sustainable resource for the community. In response to Council direction in February 2018 regarding a vision for the future, BBB has reformulated the way that it provides service, and is recommending several changes to routes and schedules to better match service provision to the needs of today’s public bus consumer. These changes are intended to attract and retain customers, increase passenger revenue, deploy resources where they are most needed, and reduce operating expenses in order to ensure that BBB maintains a sustainable operating budget. The proposed changes recommend removing trips where service is attracting few customers and adding trips to improve service and add customers. The proposed service design features a new focus on higher frequency of trips and less focus on adhering to strict start-up and shut-down times by route type. Each route is customized to offer the most service when the most customers are riding. There is no reduction in service area, and four routes receive minor extensions. One new route is offered on a seasonal pilot basis. Lastly, the premium double fare for Rapid 10 is proposed to be eliminated, aligning the Rapid 10 fare with that of all other routes. All these changes are the product of extensive public outreach and discussion with our customers and other 2 of 20 stakeholders, including BBB staff, especially the motor coach operators who interact daily with our customers. The recommended changes to routes and schedules and projected increase in passenger revenue generated by the changes will ensure that BBB has a balanced FY2019-20 and FY2020-21 operating budget. Background On February 27, 2018, BBB staff presented information in a study session with Council highlighting service delivery strategies and to request that Council provide guidance to staff for framing the future of BBB. The study session was in response to a multi-year loss in BBB ridership and a perception that BBB needed to adapt to the changing transit marketplace. BBB had increased service levels in FY2015-16 by 10.4% in anticipation of increased passenger activity spurred on by the extension of the Expo Line to Santa Monica. The expenditures were offset by anticipated additional revenue generated through a ridership increase, combined with new Measure M local funding. However, this change coincided with a national decline in bus ridership that affected nearly every public transit provider in the nation. According to the Federal Transit Administration, the nation cumulatively suffered a 5% decline in bus ridership between 2016 and 2017. In fiscal year 2016-17, BBB lost 12% of its ridership over the prior year to just over 13 million in FY2016-17 and FY2017-18, with corresponding declines in passenger revenue. Extensive study of the changes in the transit marketplace has revealed a multitude of reasons that transit has lost ridership and fare revenue, which were covered in detail at the February 2018 study session. As transit agencies throughout the nation have faced ridership challenges, it became clear that, without adapting to the marketplace, a rebound in ridership was unlikely. This loss in ridership and revenue combined with increased operating expenses has rendered BBB financially unsustainable without implementation of change. At the February 2018 study session, Council gave staff extensive direction. 3 of 20  The Council directed staff to analyze a variant of the Service Delivery Model 1 presented in the staff report, which proposed taking current resources and reallocating them to create more frequency on the most productive routes.  They asked staff to retain the current BBB workforce, ensuring that all workers are redeployed, and to ensure that workers are consulted along with public stakeholders regarding their opinions and thoughts regarding resource redeployment.  The Council reinforced the importance of BBB focusing on what it does best, including ensuring frequent service on high-traffic corridors, expounding on a transit-first policy, examining infrastructure to look for ways to speed service, improving passenger comfort, and providing a variety of transportation options, including exploring on-demand micro-transportation options if feasible.  They asked that BBB retain the existing BBB service footprint and stressed the importance of BBB maintaining sub-regional service rather than focusing exclusively on a small area.  The Council also directed staff to consider how Transportation Network Company fees might be redirected to augment BBB revenue.  The Council passed a motion to continue to exercise oversight over BBB and reinforced that BBB should explore the potential advantages for forming a sub- regional advisory board to look at mobility issues. As directed by the Council in February 2018, BBB has engaged in a thorough stakeholder engagement process in the months leading up to this service proposal. In alignment with Council direction, the proposed changes recommend removing trips where service is attracting few customers and adding trips where service is attracting many customers. The proposed service design features a new focus on higher frequency of trips and less focus on adhering to strict start-up and shut-down times by route type. Each route is customized to offer the most service when the most customers are riding. There is no reduction in service area, and four routes receive minor extensions. One new route is offered on a seasonal pilot basis. Lastly, supporting a 4 of 20 transit-first approach in a marketplace where customers have an ever-increasing array of mobility options, this proposal recommends that the premium double fare for Rapid 10 be eliminated, aligning the Rapid 10 fare with that of all other routes. Finally, exploration of formation of an advisory board is underway and still progressing, and the integration of BBB services with other mobility initiatives is an ongoing project between BBB, the Mobility Division of PCD, Traffic Engineering, Public Works, our sister municipal jurisdictions, regional agencies, and the private sector. Staff will return to Council in 2019 with further recommendations regarding this Council direction. Summary of Past Council Actions A summary of past Council actions leading up to this proposal is included here. Meeting Date Description April 28, 2015 Big Blue Bus/Expo Service Integration Plan Public Hearing and Adoption of Service Plan June 23, 2015 Adoption of the First Year and Approval of the Second Year of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015-17 Biennial Budget (including the Second Year of the FY 2014-16 Biennial Capital Improvement Program Budget) October 27, 2015 Big Blue Bus Fare Restructure December 6, 2016 Two-Year Pilot Program Offering Reduced-Cost Big Blue Bus Passes for Youth/K-12Students October 10, 2017 Big Blue Bus Fare Restructure February 27, 2018 The Future of Big Blue Bus October 9, 2018 Modifications to Big Blue Bus Service, Design, Performance, and Evaluation Guidelines Making Service Faster, More Frequent, and More Reliable In an effort to meet evolving customer expectations, BBB has implemented policy changes approved by the Council as described in the previous section to increase travel speed, frequency, and reliability while improving the customer experience and overall 5 of 20 system sustainability. The impacts of these actions, and others taken by staff in support of BBB’s mission, are described here.  Fare changes: o Council adopted a proposal on October 27, 2015 for a fare restructure to increase the base cash fare from $1 to $1.25 and adjustments to other fare product pricing designed to encourage less cash boarding. Implementation of these and other fare changes has been successful in reducing cash fares: cash fares have decreased from 53% of all fares paid in FY2015-16 to 37% of all fares paid in Q1 FY2018-19. o On October 27, 2015, Council also directed BBB staff to reduce the price of the 30-Day Youth Pass to $28, work with SAMOHI to develop a program similar to Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Any Line, Any Time Program, and to work with area schools to promote BBB services. The $28 30-Day Youth Pass was successful at incentivizing ridership, with the first six months of FY2016-17 showing a 115% increase from the first six months of the prior fiscal year. o Building on that success, at the December 6, 2016 Council meeting, staff presented a proposal to further reduce the cost of the Youth Pass to $19 per month as a pilot program to continue shifting youth towards the use of public transit. The $19 discounted youth pass – which was extended through June 30, 2019 in the most recent budget cycle - has enjoyed tremendous success with youth riders using the pass taking nearly three times as many trips in FY2017-18 as they did in FY2015-16 before the discounts were implemented. o At the October 10, 2017 Council meeting, staff returned with another proposal to further incentivize non-cash boarding, and more generally, to incentivize ridership, which was approved by the Council, and in November 2017 – staff implemented $1.10 discounted fare on TAP. o The Blue to Business Program, a direct link to the City’s employers that allows their employees to ride BBB with an annual pass at a huge discount, was launched. The program now has 7 major employers from 6 of 20 around the City that include St. John’s UCLA Medical Center, SMMUSD, Downtown Santa Monica Inc., and the City of Santa Monica. o Staff successfully launched a new Dial-a-Ride Service (re-branded MODE) to provide seniors and disabled citizens in Santa Monica the ability to obtain outstanding service. The new program has increased ridership by over 100% and is providing over 4,000 trips monthly to our City’s seniors and disabled population, many of whom live at or below the poverty line.  Actions in support of BBB’s commitment to environmental sustainability: o The City Council adopted a Zero-Emissions policy based upon a staff recommendation and we initiated the program by signing a contract with Gillig for the purchase of our first electric bus that will be delivered in March 2019, and work has started on the purchases of the next 13-15 battery electric buses and related infrastructure for charging units.  Transit First initiatives in coordination with other City departments and other jurisdictions to speed travel time: o In November 2017 staff launched the Lincoln Boulevard bus rapid transit lane used by Route 3 and Rapid 3. o In February 2018, signal prioritization was activated on Pico and Lincoln Boulevards in the City of Los Angeles segments of our service area. o Staff moved some bus stops from before an intersection to after an intersection in order to clear traffic signals before stopping for passengers. o Installed “Right Turn Only – Buses Exempt” at eight City of Santa Monica intersections creating a de facto “queue jump” lane to bypass traffic, resulting in a 5% average reduction in travel time through those intersections. o BBB has been working with LADOT, LA Metro, and the City of Santa Monica to expand the bus rapid transit lane network.  Other actions to improve system safety, reliability, and the overall customer experience: 7 of 20 o In January 2018, BBB was awarded the 2017 APTA Gold Safety Award for outstanding accident prevention and for reducing our preventable accidents and passenger incidents. o In October 2018, 343 BBB motor coach operators (MCOs) and Maintenance Staff were acknowledged for accumulating more than 2101 years of safe driving and 535 years of safe work practices in our shop and facilities. o In Spring 2019, BBB will be installing 200 real time signs at high-volume bus stops with the goal of shortening “perceived” wait times. At the same time, BBB will be installing lighting at 200 bus stops with high nighttime boardings to improve customer perceptions of safety, and to help operators identify riders waiting at bus stops. o BBB upgraded the Token Transit mobile fare payment system, and continues to evaluate enhancements to the product including integration with mobile trip planning app and a “rate my ride” feature. Discussion Recommended Route Changes The recommended route changes, which are described in route-by-route detail in the table below, feature redeployment of 15% of BBB service away from low-productivity areas and times of day towards areas and times of high ridership. The plan features frequency increases during times of heavy ridership on Routes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 14, and 15, and Rapid 12 in alignment with the revised service guidelines adopted on October 9, 2018. The recommended service proposal also proposes cuts in the form of changes to daily start and end times or elimination of weekend service on Routes 1, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 41, 42, 43, and 44, and Rapid 3 and 10 at times when those routes are attracting few passengers. These reductions in service are also in alignment with the revised guidelines, which call for reducing the route frequency to minimum levels or eliminating service when a line has less than 12 passengers per hour. 8 of 20 The proposal does not reduce frequency on any route (except for a restructured Rapid 10) per Council direction to improve frequencies or remove service if unproductive. All cuts in these recommended changes except for Rapid 10 were made by adjusting start and end times of the service day, or by eliminating weekend service. The proposal recommends extensions of Route 18 on Sundays to UCLA, Route 17 on weekends to UCLA, Route 14 to Inglewood to connect to the new Crenshaw Line, and Route 7 to connect to the Purple Line at Wilshire Western Station. It recommends rerouting Route 18 to UCLA’s Gateway Plaza via Gayley Avenue to reduce overcrowding of buses at Hilgard Terminal. Due to the delay of the Crenshaw Line opening, the Route 14 extension is deferred to late FY 2019-20 to coincide with the rail line opening. The proposal includes elimination of weekend service on Rapid 3 and Rapid 7, and the removal of midday weekday service on Rapid 3 to conserve resources, and elimination of weekend service on Routes 5, 15, and 42 due to extremely low ridership There is one completely new service in the proposal which is strongly favored by bus operators, which is a limited pilot for a new Route 45 which would run from July 4, 2019 through Labor Day 2019 and would connect the Downtown Santa Monica Expo Line Station with the entrance of the Santa Monica Pier via Colorado Blvd., and the Third Street Promenade on Santa Monica Blvd. Route 45 will feature a single bus running in a one directional loop between those points. Lastly, BBB staff recommends a reduction of Rapid 10 service, and the re-pricing of the remaining Rapid 10 service to regular fare, eliminating the $2.50 express fare (which only applies to Rapid 10) and all fare products associated with the express fare (i.e. 30- Day Express Pass, Senior/Disabled/ Medicare 30-Day Express Pass, and the $1.25 Express upgrade charge). The elimination of express fares is the only fare adjustment accompanying this set of proposed service changes. Staff considers fare rationalization and a comprehensive 9 of 20 look at fare adjustments to be a critical element of the path to sustainability; however, the mid-July 2018 launch of county wide interagency transfers on TAP has shifted the fare purchasing patterns of riders. As a result, BBB staff is gathering more data and once the impacts of interagency transfers on TAP are better understood, staff will return to Council in spring 2019 with a comprehensive set of recommendations regarding fare changes and fare rationalization. In collating the large volume of community feedback, it was found that there was substantial support both among passengers and MCOs for increasing service where ridership is heavy. There was also support for all proposed route extensions including Route 7 to the Purple Line, Routes 17 and 18 to UCLA on weekends, and Route 14 to Inglewood to connect with the Crenshaw Line. Lastly, there was support for the reroute of Route 18 to use Gayley Ave. in Westwood instead of Westwood Blvd. There were also proposed changes that were unpopular, and which generated negative feedback. Those included areas where trips or service days were being cut, most notably on Rapid 10. Negative feedback was also received regarding the elimination of weekend service on Routes 5, 15, Rapid 3, Rapid 7, 41, and 42. Lastly, there were mixed reactions including some strong negative responses to the implementation of demand-response or micro-transit service to complement where fixed route service was proposed to be eliminated. In consideration of the substantial feedback received during the public engagement process, several changes were made to the draft service proposal prior to its presentation to Council, which are summarized in the table below. Additional context is provided after the table for proposed changes which were met with mixed or negative responses and which were significantly adjusted as a result. Route Service Changes Proposed during Public Outreach Stakeholder Feedback and Responsive Adjustments 1 Main St. & Santa Monica Blvd.  Improve frequency on Saturdays to every 12 minutes from 1pm to 5pm  Positive response  Recommend implementing as presented in public survey except Pico, Lincoln and Santa Monica 10 of 20 Route Service Changes Proposed during Public Outreach Stakeholder Feedback and Responsive Adjustments Blvd corridors will all have 20 min. or better frequency at night 2 Wilshire Blvd. • Improve frequency of weekday UCLA- bound trips to every 15 minutes from 6:30am to 7am • Improve frequency of weekday Santa Monica- and UCLA-bound trips • Positive response • Recommend implementing as presented 3/Rapid 3 Lincoln Blvd.  Shorten routes to Aviation/Century Station when the Crenshaw Metro Rail Line opens; Aviation Station Green Line would no longer be served  Mixed responses  Public feedback that bus connections at Aviation would require adding a rail trip from Route 3  Recommend not shortening routes at this time and waiting until the Crenshaw Line opens to see if ridership at Aviation Station has diminished 3/Rapid 3 Lincoln Blvd.  Eliminate Rapid 3 midday weekday and weekend service and increase frequency on the local Route 3 to offset discontinuation of Rapid 3 midday weekday and all weekend service  Improve weekday Route 3 frequency in both directions to 15 minutes peak, 12 minutes mid-day, and 20 minutes evening  Improve weekend Route 3 frequency to15 minute day and 20-minute evening  Positive response to Route 3 changes / mixed responses to Rapid 3 changes  Recommend implementing as presented in survey 5 Olympic Blvd. & Century City  Due to low customer demand discontinue weekday early-morning and late-night service  Mixed responses.  Public asked that we cut less evening service  Recommend retaining one more trip in each direction including 18:50 eastbound and 18:30 westbound, and proceed with eliminating weekend service 5 Olympic Blvd. & Century City  Discontinue weekend service and introduce new weekend on-demand service.  Mixed responses  Some requests for demand response night service; some vehemently opposed comments, including from BBB employees and environmental advocates  Recommend not implementing demand response service 11 of 20 Route Service Changes Proposed during Public Outreach Stakeholder Feedback and Responsive Adjustments 7/Rapid 7 Pico Blvd. • Extend Route 7 to the Wilshire/ Western Purple Line Station on all days • Increase frequency of local Route 7 on all days • Reduce Rapid 7 weekday service and discontinue weekend service • Proposed changes increase service to the Wilshire/Western Station to every 7 minutes during the day and every 10 minutes at night • Positive response • Solid support for extending Local 7 to Wilshire/Western and increasing Local 7 frequency • Recommend implementing as presented in survey 9 Pacific Palisades • Increase frequency during high demand times • Shorten service day to discontinue service during periods of low customer demand with Pacific Palisades-bound and Santa Monica-bound service ending at 7pm • Mixed responses • Public comments regarding loss of evening service, and pointing out new Palisades Village may spur ridership • Recommend observing impact of Village on ridership and implementing evening cuts if ridership does not increase Rapid 10 Downtown LA Freeway Express • As Rapid 10 has lost nearly 75% of its pre-Expo Line customers, reduce service to only run at high demand times and only in one direction at a time: • Operate three (3) downtown LA-bound morning trips at 6:17am, 6:37am, and 6:57am; and • Three (3) Santa Monica- bound evening trips at 4:55pm, 5:25pm, and 5:55pm • Mixed responses. • Public comment that Rapid 10 should be more like Commuter Express and suggestion that 6 trips total is too few • Recommend 12 trips total on half- hour headway mirroring Commuter Express 14 Bundy Dr. & Centinela Ave. • Extend from Playa Vista to Inglewood via I-405 • Facilitate connection to future Los Angeles Stadium and Entertainment District in Inglewood • Increase weekday frequency to every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes off-peak hours to encourage additional ridership  Positive response  Recommend implementing proposed changes as described in public survey 15 Barrington Ave.  Due to low customer demand discontinue weekday evening service after 6pm  Discontinue weekend service and introduce new weekend on-demand service  Mixed responses  16 public comments that 6pm too early - recommend last trip at 7pm; similar public comments and mixed voting for on-demand pilot as for Route 5 proposal  Recommend elimination of weekend service with no demand response replacement 12 of 20 Route Service Changes Proposed during Public Outreach Stakeholder Feedback and Responsive Adjustments 17 UCLA – VA Medical Center & Palms • Extend weekend service from VA Medical Center • End the route at UCLA while providing additional access to Westwood • Improve weekend frequency to every 30 minutes to provide more frequency and make the service more attractive to Palms residents • Positive response • Recommend implementing as presented in survey 18 UCLA – Abbott Kinney – Marina Del Rey • Change the route in Westwood from Westwood Blvd. to Gayley Ave. • Change terminus to UCLA’s Gateway Plaza • Positive response • Recommend implementing as presented in survey 18 UCLA – Abbott Kinney – Marina Del Rey • Reduce night service in both directions due to low customer demand • Mixed responses. 21 public comments saying that weekday Route 18 shutdown time was too early • Recommend last trip eastbound at 8:05pm instead of 7pm and last trip westbound at 9:15pm instead of 7:30pm 41/42 17th Street Station – SMC – Montana Ave. • Due to low customer demand discontinue weekend service and introduce new weekend on-demand service • Mixed responses. Public comment that SMC Any Line Any Time program would be impacted on the weekend • Recommend eliminating route 42 on weekends and retaining Route 41 only 45 Downtown Santa Monica Service Pilot • New one-season Pilot • Pilot operates 7 days a week from July 1 to Sept. 2, 2019 (Labor Day) • Every 15 minutes between 10am and 8pm • Same fare as for all other fixed route service • Positive response • Recommend implementing as presented in public survey 13 of 20 Route Proposed Fare Change(s) Adjustments Made to Proposal due to Stakeholder Feedback during Survey and Meetings Rapid 10 Downtown LA Freeway Express  Reduce Regular Rapid 10 cash fare from $2.50 to $1.25 and Senior/Disabled/ Medicare (S/D/M) fare from $1 to $0.50  Eliminate Rapid 10 upgrade fee (Regular $1.25 or S/D/M $0.50) when using BBB pre-paid passes  Discontinue Regular and S/D/M 30-Day Express Pass  TAP stored value single fare = $1.10 per Rapid 10 ride  Positive response  Recommend implementing as presented in public survey, and positive response from MCOs. Key Community and Stakeholder Feedback and BBB Responses Routes 5, 15, and 18 Customers told us that our proposed end of service times on Routes 5, 15, and 18 were too early and that we needed to operate slightly later. Customers were aware that buses emptied out in the evenings and were understanding of the reality that service could not run for hours on end empty as it does today, but they asked for some additional service as a compromise. As such, select trips have been added back to extend the service day slightly on weekdays on Routes 5 and 15, and on all days on Route 18. Route 3 and Rapid 3 On Route 3 and Rapid 3, customers were not receptive to the idea of ending service to Aviation Station, citing a disruption in bus connections that would require another trip for passengers transferring between BBB and services that connect at the Station. BBB staff has adjusted the proposal by recommending a delay in the route shortening at Aviation Station to study how much passenger activity declines at the station once the new Crenshaw Line opens, and to make a final decision once ridership patterns are better understood. Rapid 3 and Rapid 7 On Rapid 3 and Rapid 7, weekend service eliminations are simultaneously being coordinated with increases to weekend local Route 3 and Route 7 service to ensure shortened wait times for all customers. These local routes run on the same corridors as 14 of 20 the rapid routes and have similar weekend travel times. Before the Evolution of Blue service changes that were approved in 2015, neither of these corridors had weekend rapid service, and the corridors have not generated enough ridership to warrant their continuation. Weekend Service Adjustments and Demand-Response Pilot The public had mixed reactions to the removal of BBB service on the weekends on Routes 5, 15, 41 and 42, and Rapid 3 and Rapid 7. Aside from the displeasure about loss of service, many had specific concerns about the replacement of fixed route bus service with demand-response service on weekends on Routes 5, 15, 41, and 42. Those concerns included the environmental and traffic implications of shifting people to what might end up being an automobile, concerns for people without smartphones, concerns for those who were unbanked, and concern for those who may not have the language skills or cognitive ability to understand micro-transit. Bus operators also had near universal agreement with those members of the public who rejected the idea of demand-response service replacing fixed route service. Some members of the public and the bus operator group called micro-transit simply “the wrong direction.” For those reasons, the service proposals regarding weekend eliminations were re-examined to look for areas of compromise, and a demand-response service model is not part of the current recommendations for service changes in March 2019. Routes 5 and 15 do not have sufficient passenger loads to consider continuation of the routes on the weekends; ridership is extremely low, fluctuating between 3 and 11 passengers per hour on both routes. There are no route segments or times of day where passenger counts are significantly high enough to warrant retention of the route on weekends. As such, walk distances were measured, and it was verified that no bus stop on these routes would be more than four tenths of a mile away from a bus stop or rail station where fixed route service is available on weekends. Many of the bus stops have service very close to other routes. Since viable options for service were available despite elimination of weekend service and due to the objections to demand-response type of service, staff is retaining the recommendation to eliminate weekend service on 15 of 20 these routes. However, there is no recommendation at this time to pursue replacement of that service with a demand-response pilot project. Routes 41 and 42 had different options than the other routes given, as these routes together comprise a bi-directional loop. By eliminating Route 42 on weekends and retaining only Route 41, the service will have more than 12 passengers per hour, enough to be sustainable. As such, the recommendation to eliminate service on weekends was adjusted to only eliminate Route 42 while retaining Route 41 service. More than one customer made this suggestion during the public outreach process, and this appears to be a workable option. Route 9 The proposal for Route 9 which had included service elimination after 7pm seven days per week received comments from several constituents who cited the new shopping development at Palisades Village as a reason to try to develop stronger night ridership to the Pacific Palisades. BBB has been working with Palisades Village to push transit information to customers and employees. Preliminary ridership figures since the opening of Palisades Village do show small ridership gains. As such, staff is recommending that cuts to Route 9 service in the evening be postponed and that six months of evening ridership data be analyzed to determine if night service can become sustainable by working with Palisades Village. Frequency Improvements During the outreach process, we heard from some customers that their feelings of insecurity at bus stops were heightened at night due to less frequency in the schedule and the increase in the homeless population, many of whom use bus stops at night for shelter. Passengers asked for increased frequency to shorten night wait times. Although staff cannot justify increased frequencies on all routes to shorten wait times at night, some improvements are included in the amended draft plan, including service at least every 20 minutes, on all evenings, until the end of the service on Pico Blvd., Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica Blvd., and Main St. 16 of 20 Rapid 10 Service The Rapid 10 Express from Downtown Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles has lost nearly 75% of its pre-Expo Line ridership and the draft service proposal drastically reduced service to three trips from Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles in the morning, and three trips from Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica at night, and elimination of the express fare, making the remaining service the same fare as the rest of BBB service. Many Rapid 10 customers commented, answered surveys, and attended public meetings. The consensus was that they were aware of the drastic losses in ridership from their riding experience and understood that something had to be done. Some Rapid 10 customers suggested that BBB mirror LADOT Commuter Express in service delivery, offering more service than three trips but not all day service. Staff examined all Commuter Express services and amended the draft service proposal to include six trips from Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles in the morning and six trips returning from Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica in the afternoon. Six trips in each direction gives Rapid 10 users some flexibility in the planning of their day. Rapid 10 Fare Staff recommends elimination of the express fare on Rapid 10 which is used by only a tiny fraction of riders, is not offered on TAP, and in effect, suppresses ridership on Rapid 10 due to competition with free Metro to Metro transfers, which makes using Expo significantly cheaper than Rapid 10 if one needs to transfer. The $1.25 cash fare for Rapid 10 ($1.10 on TAP) will simplify the fare offerings, potentially spur ridership on the remaining Rapid 10 service, and reduce fare confusion. This change was supported by most stakeholders. Stakeholder Communication Process Subsequent to the February 27, 2018 Council meeting and the direction provided by Council, BBB began a process of seeking to better understand how the needs of bus riders had changed, how the transportation marketplace had shifted, and what internal and external stakeholders could teach us about how services needed to change. 17 of 20 BBB began the process with a review of national, state, and local research on bus ridership trends and influences, as well as on how Transit Advisory Groups were formed and tasked. BBB also continued participating in two local research projects, the Regional Ridership Improvement Task Force, and the Next Generation Study being conducted by LA Metro, which were already ongoing. Additionally, BBB reviewed the information gleaned from a Non-Rider Survey conducted in January 2018 by Maroon Society, a local research firm hired by BBB to conduct previous rider surveys. As part of the Non-Rider Survey, intercept interviews and surveys were conducted with 537 people in the BBB service area, some of whom had never ridden BBB, and some who had previously ridden BBB, regarding their opinions about BBB service. As a follow up to those efforts, BBB convened five groups of 12 Motor Coach Operators in a series of internal workshops. These workshops, held in July 2018, focused on how to adjust bus service, and how to interpret the Council direction to redeploy resources. Each group was asked to comment on the broader issues affecting the BBB system, and to look more closely at a specific subset of bus routes, some high performing and some low performing. In July 2018, BBB worked once again with Maroon Society to conduct four focus groups with a total of 28 BBB passengers. The subject of the focus groups were BBB fares, technology/trip planning, public information about transit, customer experience at bus stops and inside buses, experiences with bus operators, and how our customers perceived service needs. Focus group attendees were all recruited on board BBB buses and were frequent riders. One of the four focus group sessions was conducted exclusively in Spanish with an interpreter working in real time to translate for the management team members present. Out of the work conducted through these efforts, a pattern began to emerge of what passengers wanted. Across all research, passengers were asking for fast, frequent, and reliable service. Additionally, customers were concerned about security issues, and feeling both emotionally and physically comfortable when taking transit. Passengers 18 of 20 reported that 30-minute and 60-minute frequencies were no longer viewed as competitive with the other transportation options available, such as TNCs or owning a car. While real-time signage and smartphone apps helped customers know bus arrival times, reliability was still seen as paramount. Perhaps the number one complaint among both non-riders and riders was (and remains) the end-to-end travel time of public transit. Issues surrounding waiting for the bus (frequency and reliability), boarding the bus (fare payment and passenger flow), and riding the bus (traffic congestion, bus priority, bus rapid transit lanes, stop spacing, local versus rapid routes) were cited as needing improvement. For transit to be practical and attractive, passengers routinely reported expectations of bus riding as needing to be nearly as fast as driving. The research conducted informed the development of a draft service adjustment proposal in July 2018, which was presented for consideration during the public engagement process. In early August 2018, BBB staff published proposed changes on its website and posted an online survey soliciting opinions on those proposed changes. The survey was taken by 507 members of the public. A separate survey containing the same proposals was circulated among bus operators and was completed by 123 operators, approximately one third of all BBB operators. Following the survey, three public hearings were held: in West Los Angeles on the evening of September 5, 2018, and daytime and evening meetings at the Main Santa Monica Library on September 12 to solicit additional public comment on the changes. The public hearings had a total attendance of 63 members of the public, received 40 verbal and/or written comment, and 13 comments via Santa Monica Works. BBB staff communicated the details of the three hearings and invitation for public participation as described in the following table. 19 of 20 Media Metric BBB website and detailed webpage 2,124 Unique Page Views (8/19 –10/1 BBB Transit Store ad N/A Bilingual bus ads 200 buses, 54,000 daily riders Bilingual onboard & Transit Store take- one brochure Distributed 6,000 BBB email alerts Sent the 3 emails to over 5.3k subscribers Average open rate was 19% Email alert to key stakeholders 60+ stakeholders Email to Santa Monica City Council & City Manager Paid social media posts on BBB Facebook and Instagram Campaign focused on public meetings generated 5,122 impressions and reached 3,021 with 96 clicks. Campaign focused on survey generated 2,821 impressions and reached 2,052 with 19 clicks. Unpaid social media posts on BBB Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Impressions: 17,117, Likes: 183, Shares/ Retweets: 17, Replies:12, Clicks: 250 Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper ad notices August 22, 2018 and August 25-26, 2018 81,500 impressions per week City of Santa Monica website feature - Unpaid social media posts on City of Santa Monica’s Twitter - Additionally, a presentation on the proposed changes was made to the Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. Board of Directors, and the service plan was shared with Planning and Community Development’s Mobility Division as well as Traffic Engineering. Changes affecting UCLA and SMC were shared with those organizations and feedback was solicited. Impact of Proposed Service Changes to Current Levels of Service The BBB system is currently operating 562,639 annual hours of revenue service and utilizing 195 peak service buses to provide that service. This service proposal reduces that annual total to 533,474 hours of revenue service per year, and 192 peak service buses. Ridership directly impacted by this service is expected to increase by approximately 196,000 riders per year. Staff will return to Council in spring 2019 to review a Fare Rationalization Study to address fare equity, overall system revenue generation, and farebox recovery policy. 20 of 20 Financial Impacts and Budget Actions The reduction in revenue service hours noted above will reduce operating expenses by approximately $3,073,000 per year. The changes are also expected to generate an additional $168,560 in passenger revenue, resulting in a favorable impact on the operating budget of $3,241,560 per year. The reduction in revenue service hours and the increased passenger revenue are expected to close the projected budget gap in FY2019-20 and FY2020-21. Prepared By: Timothy McCormick, Transit Planning and Performance Manager Approved Forwarded to Council Attachments: A. Big Blue Bus/Expo Service Integration Plan Public Hearing and Adoption of Service Plan B. Adoption of the First Year and Approval of the Second Year of the FY2015-17 Biennial Budget C. BBB Fare Restructure D. Two-year Pilot Program Offering Reduced-Cost Big Blue Bus Passes for Youth and Students E. Big Blue Bus Fare Restructure F. The Future of Big Blue Bus G. Modifications to BBB Service, Design, Performance, and Evaluation Guidelines H. Written Comments I. PowerPoint 1 Vernice Hankins From:Council Mailbox Sent:Tuesday, December 18, 2018 2:12 PM To:Gleam Davis; Terry O’Day; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Sue Himmelrich; Greg Morena; Ted Winterer Cc:councilmtgitems Subject:FW: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes. Council‐ Please see the below email regarding the BBB service changes. Thanks, Stephanie From: Ben Verheiden [mailto:biafo43@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 1:43 PM To: Council Mailbox <Council.Mailbox@SMGOV.NET> Subject: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes. My name is Ben Verheiden. I am a student with disabilities, and have been a proud supporter of the Big Blue Bus system since 2010 when I started riding it to community college and back, and have participated in the Expo Integration Study meetings from 2011 to 2015. I am now at Cal State Northridge majoring in urban planning due to riding this system frequently for years. We now have a historic opportunity to reinvent our transportation systems across California thanks to the recent passage of the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) ruling of making future public transit bus orders 100% pure electric by 2029. I applaud that the Big Blue Bus shifted to 100% biomethane from landfills, sewers, and/or water treatment plants to power its natural gas bus fleet in 2015, and now is the time to start investing more in the Big Blue Bus that has provided a valuable service and leadership in public transportation in Los Angeles for 90 years. The last thing needed is to cut service at a time when we have such a rare opportunity to increase ridership with this CARB ruling across the state, and these new electric buses about to come into the fleet are a major opportunity to promote the Big Blue Bus and its environmental advantages over cars. I ask the council and the city of Santa Monica to preserve existing Big Blue Bus service, and start championing it with such a proud legacy. I would not be majoring in Urban Planning at Cal State Northridge if it were not for riding the Big Blue Bus, and I am open to helping the council with improving the system as a first hand rider and urban planner in training. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Ben Verheiden 1 Vernice Hankins From:Council Mailbox Sent:Tuesday, December 18, 2018 5:30 PM To:Gleam Davis; Terry O’Day; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Ted Winterer; Sue Himmelrich; Greg Morena Cc:councilmtgitems Subject:FW: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Council‐ Please see the below email regarding the BBB service changes. Thanks, Stephanie From: Randy Ziglar [mailto:randyziglar@hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 2:24 PM To: Council Mailbox <Council.Mailbox@SMGOV.NET> Subject: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Dear Council, Please consider contributing to the Big Blue Bus system. I use the buses all the time, particularly the Pico number 7 and the Number 10 lines. The #10 bus has been decreased leaving fewer times options to go to and from downtown Los Angeles. I find the #10 bus more relaxing, comfortable, quieter, and less scary than the Expo Line. I usually go from Bundy and Pico after riding the #7 catching the #10 to the Los Angeles Union Station and I return back from the train station using the #10 whenever it is available. When taking the less desirable Expo Line, I need to transfer at the 7th and Figueroa station to get to and from the train station. I miss the weekend #10 service. The Big Blue Bus is a wonderful system and I believe it should always work to provide more service and not look for ways to cut back, particularly when the City is attempting to limit the amount of car use on our gridlocked streets. By the way, the Pico #7 and Super 7 service is as good as it gets. Sincerely, Randy Ziglar 2046 14th St. #11 Santa Monica, Ca 90405 1 Vernice Hankins From:Council Mailbox Sent:Tuesday, December 18, 2018 5:30 PM To:Gleam Davis; Terry O’Day; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Ted Winterer; Sue Himmelrich; Greg Morena Cc:councilmtgitems Subject:FW: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Council‐ Please see the below email regarding the proposed BBB service changes. Thanks, Stephanie From: Sarah Tamor [mailto:sarahtamor@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 2:19 PM To: Council Mailbox <Council.Mailbox@SMGOV.NET> Subject: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Hello, Councilmembers, I'm writing re: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes. I use the Big Blue Bus often, and urge you NOT to cut service. Please, instead, invest in the Big Blue Bus. It's a sustainable transportation option for many. Thank you, Sarah Tamor 2409 Cloverfield Blvd. SM 90405 1 Vernice Hankins From:Council Mailbox Sent:Tuesday, December 18, 2018 2:12 PM To:Gleam Davis; Terry O’Day; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Sue Himmelrich; Greg Morena; Ted Winterer Cc:councilmtgitems Subject:FW: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes. Council‐ Please see the below email regarding the BBB service changes. Thanks, Stephanie From: Ben Verheiden [mailto:biafo43@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 1:43 PM To: Council Mailbox <Council.Mailbox@SMGOV.NET> Subject: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes. My name is Ben Verheiden. I am a student with disabilities, and have been a proud supporter of the Big Blue Bus system since 2010 when I started riding it to community college and back, and have participated in the Expo Integration Study meetings from 2011 to 2015. I am now at Cal State Northridge majoring in urban planning due to riding this system frequently for years. We now have a historic opportunity to reinvent our transportation systems across California thanks to the recent passage of the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) ruling of making future public transit bus orders 100% pure electric by 2029. I applaud that the Big Blue Bus shifted to 100% biomethane from landfills, sewers, and/or water treatment plants to power its natural gas bus fleet in 2015, and now is the time to start investing more in the Big Blue Bus that has provided a valuable service and leadership in public transportation in Los Angeles for 90 years. The last thing needed is to cut service at a time when we have such a rare opportunity to increase ridership with this CARB ruling across the state, and these new electric buses about to come into the fleet are a major opportunity to promote the Big Blue Bus and its environmental advantages over cars. I ask the council and the city of Santa Monica to preserve existing Big Blue Bus service, and start championing it with such a proud legacy. I would not be majoring in Urban Planning at Cal State Northridge if it were not for riding the Big Blue Bus, and I am open to helping the council with improving the system as a first hand rider and urban planner in training. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Ben Verheiden 1 Vernice Hankins From:Council Mailbox Sent:Tuesday, December 18, 2018 5:30 PM To:Gleam Davis; Terry O’Day; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Ted Winterer; Sue Himmelrich; Greg Morena Cc:councilmtgitems Subject:FW: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Council‐ Please see the below email regarding the BBB service changes. Thanks, Stephanie From: Randy Ziglar [mailto:randyziglar@hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 2:24 PM To: Council Mailbox <Council.Mailbox@SMGOV.NET> Subject: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Dear Council, Please consider contributing to the Big Blue Bus system. I use the buses all the time, particularly the Pico number 7 and the Number 10 lines. The #10 bus has been decreased leaving fewer times options to go to and from downtown Los Angeles. I find the #10 bus more relaxing, comfortable, quieter, and less scary than the Expo Line. I usually go from Bundy and Pico after riding the #7 catching the #10 to the Los Angeles Union Station and I return back from the train station using the #10 whenever it is available. When taking the less desirable Expo Line, I need to transfer at the 7th and Figueroa station to get to and from the train station. I miss the weekend #10 service. The Big Blue Bus is a wonderful system and I believe it should always work to provide more service and not look for ways to cut back, particularly when the City is attempting to limit the amount of car use on our gridlocked streets. By the way, the Pico #7 and Super 7 service is as good as it gets. Sincerely, Randy Ziglar 2046 14th St. #11 Santa Monica, Ca 90405 1 Vernice Hankins From:Council Mailbox Sent:Tuesday, December 18, 2018 5:30 PM To:Gleam Davis; Terry O’Day; Councilmember Kevin McKeown; Tony Vazquez; Ted Winterer; Sue Himmelrich; Greg Morena Cc:councilmtgitems Subject:FW: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Council‐ Please see the below email regarding the proposed BBB service changes. Thanks, Stephanie From: Sarah Tamor [mailto:sarahtamor@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 2:19 PM To: Council Mailbox <Council.Mailbox@SMGOV.NET> Subject: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes Hello, Councilmembers, I'm writing re: Agenda Item 8B: Proposed BBB Service Changes. I use the Big Blue Bus often, and urge you NOT to cut service. Please, instead, invest in the Big Blue Bus. It's a sustainable transportation option for many. Thank you, Sarah Tamor 2409 Cloverfield Blvd. SM 90405 Service & Fare Adjustment Proposal December 18, 2018 1. Service changes •Remove service where ridership does not meet performance standards •Increase frequency on high- ridership routes •Extend 4 routes •One new route pilot 2. Rapid 10 fare to mirror local fares Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Big Blue Bus operating plan for new and restructured Big Blue Bus routes and schedules and adopt new Rapid 10 fares. The transit marketplace has changed dramatically in recent years. At a study session in February 2018, the City Council provided guidance on the future of Big Blue Bus. Transit first: emphasize high ridership corridors, explore additional bus priority lanes, etc. Reallocate resources from unproductive service to the most productive routes Consult staff and stakeholders in decision-making process Background BBB Focus in 2018 Service design standards that reallocate service to where customers need it most approved by Council October 2018 and have helped guide proposed service adjustments. Commitment to safety, sustainability, and a better customer experience - •Council adopted zero-emissions policy. First electric bus arriving March 2019. •Procurement process for next 15 battery electric buses and charging infrastructure initiated. •Launched popular MODE service for seniors and disabled persons, doubling program ridership. •Improving safety and the customer experience through installation of 200 new real-time bus arrival signs with solar lighting, and enhancements to mobile ticketing. •Recognized 343 Motor Coach Operators (MCOs) and Maintenance staff who accumulated more than 2,101 years of safe driving and 535 years of safe workplace practices. Public and Staff Engagement Process BBB non-rider survey Jan 2018 Future of BBB Study Session and Council direction Feb 2018 Review of national, state, and local market research Metro Regional Ridership Improvement Task Force & Next Gen Study participation June-July internal meetings with MCOs and supervisors on “Working Together” 5 internal MCO workshops for input on service July 2018 4 customer focus groups on customer needs/experienceJuly 2018 Public input: customers want fast, frequent, reliable service Service change proposal drafted Outreach for comment on proposal -ads, take ones, email alerts Aug 2018 August-September staff meetings and staff survey on collaboration Staff concerns -safety, schedules, routes, and communication New staff task forces built -Safety/Security, Schedules/Routes, Communications Public and staff survey on service and fare proposal Aug 2018 3 public hearings on proposal Sept 2018 Emails to 60+ key stakeholders, social media, SMDP ads, City of SM website Public & staff comment integrated into final proposal for Dec 18, 2018 Council meeting Recommended Service and Fare Adjustments For March 2019 Minor Service Adjustments Route Adjustment Route 1 Main St. & Santa Monica Blvd.Improve frequency Route 2 Wilshire Blvd.Improve frequency Route 3 Lincoln Blvd. Continue service to Green Line Aviation Station Improve weekday mid-day and weekend frequency Rapid 3 Lincoln Blvd.Replace weekday mid-day service with local Route 3 Discontinue weekend service Route 7 Pico Blvd.Improve frequency Rapid 7 Pico Blvd.Discontinue weekend service Route 9 Pacific Palisades Continue evening service and market to Palisades Village Major Service Adjustments Route Adjustment Rapid 10 Downtown LA Express Convert to traditional commuter route with no mid-day service 5 Olympic Blvd./Century City Eliminate weekend service Do not substitute Demand Response service to replace eliminated fixed route service 15 Barrington Ave.Eliminate weekend service Do not substitute Demand Response service 42 Seventeenth St. Station– SMC–Montana Ave. Eliminate weekend service Do not substitute Demand Response service Route 41 will cover loss of weekend service Extensions to Routes 7 and 14 Route 7 Pico Blvd. Extend to Wilshire/ Western Purple Line Station to mirror Rapid 7 Route 14 Bundy Dr. and Centinela Ave. Extend from Playa Vista to Inglewood Extensions to Routes 17 and 18 Route 17 UCLA –VA Medical Center & Palms Extend weekend service from VA facility to UCLA/ Westwood Route 18 UCLA – Abbot Kinney – Marina Del Rey Change terminus to UCLA Gateway Plaza Extend Sunday service from Brentwood to UCLA/ Westwood New Route 45 Pilot One-Season Summer Downtown Santa Monica Pilot •Operates daily •Every 15 min.,10am to 8pm •Same fare as other BBB service Rapid 10 Fare Change Rapid 10 Fare to Mirror Local Fare •Reduce cash fare from $2.50 to $1.25 •Rapid 10 single ride fare using TAP Stored Value = $1.10 •Reduce Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M) cash fare from $1 to $0.50 •Eliminate Rapid 10 upgrade fee when using Big Blue Bus pre-paid passes •Discontinue Regular and S/D/M 30-Day Express passes Public Information Plan to Announce Changes Media Communication Customer Service Staff & Operators •Customer service off-hours phone messages •Operators and Customer Service Assistants (CSAs) trained on changes •CSAs notify customers via phone, Santa Monica Works, and the Transit Store •Onboard outreach programs Print •New bilingual Little Blue Book & System Map •Bilingual take-ones on board and at Transit Store •Bilingual interior overhead ads and interior bus entrance notification •Bilingual bus stop notifications at key locations •Bilingual Transit Store notification ad Onboard •Head sign messages on buses Digital •Service Change website allows customers to preview new maps and schedules •Email notifications to all BBB subscribers and all key BBB stakeholders (i.e. GoSaMo TMO, SMC, UCLA, neighborhood groups, etc.) •Social media posts –paid and unpaid •Partnership with Transit App to display notifications within app •Alerts via NextBus app and third-party app developers such as Google Maps, Moovit, Citymapper, etc. •City’s website, social media channels, email, blog, etc.in coordination with Office of Communications •Display notifications via 200 new real-time signs (pending installation) Public Relations •Press release to local and LA-region media; work with press on service change features Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: •Approve the Big Blue Bus operating plan for new and restructured routes and schedules; and •Adopt new Rapid 10 fare.