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HomeMy Public PortalAbout04 April 8, 1985 Citizens Advisory040233 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AGENDA CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Monday, April 8, 1985, 1:30 P.M. Riverside City Hall 5th Floor Conference Room 3900 Main Street, Riverside 92501 1. Call to Order. 2. Approval of Minutes. 3. FY 1986-1990 Riverside County Short Range Transit Plan. 4. Other Business. 5. Adjournment. It is important that comments on the service levels proposed by the transit operators be received at this meeting. The final plans are scheduled to be submitted on May 1st, reviewed by the Committee on May 6th and adopted by the Commission on May 16th. If you are unable to attend the meeting, we request that you provide staff with comments by telephone prior to the meeting. 1 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Minutes of Meeting No. 2-85 March 11, 1985 1. Call to Order. The meeting of the Citizens Advisory Committee was called to order by Chairman Richard Jandt on Monday, March 11, 1985 at 1:34 p.m., at the Riverside City Hall, 5th Floor Conference R000m, 3900 Main Street, Riverside 92522. Members present: Terry Alien Harry Brinton Jordis Cameron Richard Jandt Herb Krauch Joanne Moore Rena Parker Bertram Vinson Laurence M. Weinberg Others present: Susan Cornelison, RCTC Chairman 2. Approval of Minutes. M/S/C (WEINBERG/VINSON) to approve the minutes of the Citizens Advisory Committee meeting on February 11, 1985 as submitted. 3. Quarterly Transit Operations Report. Paul Blackwelder, Assistant Director, stated that total ridership continued to increase in the second quarter of FY 1985. RTA's ridership increased by 35,000 and SunLine's ridership by 36,000. The total operating cost has increased by 8% over last year. Most of the increase of the operating cost were for the SunLine Transit Agency expansion of service on Line 19 and the Desert Hot Springs tel-a-ride and preparing for the Sun Special operation. .The reported subsidies for the remaining operators were at or below last year. None of the operators are having difficulty meeting the minimum required fare revenue ratios. In response to Rena Parker's question as to why the graph for the Corona dial -a -ride ridership has been basically the same for the past two quarters, Paul Blackwelder said that the fluctuation is within 1,000 passenger or 10% for the two quarters. The service is no longer attacting new riders. Herb Krauch asked if the highest gain in ridership occurred in Beaumont. Paul Blackwelder replied that percentage -wise that is true. The highest gain in ridership took place after the expansion of the Beaumont service to include Highland Springs and the Cherry Valley areas. 4. Productivity Committee Recommendations. Paul Blackwelder informed the Committee that each year, the Commis- sion is required by law to identify potential productivity improve- ments to lower the operating costs and improve efficiency of tran- sit operators in the County. Two committees were appointed by the Commission to develop recommendations for the services operated by the Riverside Transit Agency and the SunLine Transit Agency. The Committees were comprised of managers, employee organization repre- sentatives and users of the system. The Western County Area Com- mittee developed five recommendations for the Commission to forward to RTA as follows: 1) To review services operated on holidays to identify low ridership runs or days and eliminate non-productive services; 2) That printed route and schedule information be availa- ble in Spanish; 3) To improve information availability by placing system and route maps in all shelters and in transit tube displays at major transfer points. Place system maps inside buses. Replace bus stop signs with new signs showing the bus route(s) serving the stop. After these actions are taken, the availability of indivi- dual route schedules on buses should be limited to the route being served; 4) That consideration be given to implementing a transfer charge to increase fare revenue and to reduce the need for a general fare increase in the future; and, 5) That a summer service to Lake Perris using one bus operating between Moreno Valley, Lake Perris and Perris be implemented and that the schedule be coordi- nated to allow for transfers from Line 16 (Riverside -Moreno Valley) and Line 18 (Moreno Valley local service). The Desert Area Commit- tee identified only two improvements in the marketing program for the SunLine Transit Agency. Paul Blackwelder requested Committee support of Recommendations 1 through 4. Recommendation No. 5, service to Lake Perris, should be considered by RTA when they implement Moreno Valley to Perris service as a second stage expansion of the fixed route service in the Moreno Valley area. Included in the agenda packet is a listing of efforts made by RTA and SunLine to improve productivity for FY 1984-85. Laurence Weinberg asked what the base fare for RTA is and *Paul Blackwelder responded that RTA's base fare is 55 cents. Joanne Moore asked what the cost is to install a bus shelter. Paul Blackwelder responded that he does not have the figure availa- ble. He noted that 25 bus shelters funded by an IIMTA grant were ordered by RTA and sites were approved by the City of Riverside. The shelter should be installed by the end of April. 2 Rena Parker suggested that Recommendation No. 3, instead of re- placing bus stop signs with new signs, RTA should simply add the information to the current bus stop signs. She does not see any reason for taking out signs that are already in place. It was agreed that Recommendation No. 3, 3rd sentence, the word "replace" be changed to "supplement". M/S/C (WEINBERG/VINSON) to support the Western County Area Productivity Committee Recommendations 1-4 for the Riverside Transit Agency as amended. 5. Transit Funding - State and Federal Proposals. Paul Blackwelder noted that the Administration has proposed a reduction in transit funding by eliminating all federal operating subsidies, by reducing capital assistance, and by increasing the local match requirement. In Riverside County under the federal proposal, $1.7 million in operating subsidies for transit systems would be lost. There would be a reduction in funds for capital assistance but the amount is unknown at present. He noted that Federal capital funds for the RTA Administration Facility and Sun - Line Maintenance Facility have already been secured. At the State level, SB 290 introduced by Senator John Foran, would increase the Transportation Planning and Development (TP&D) Account from $110 million to $250 million per year. However, the proposed legisla- tion would change the allocation formula for the State Transit Assistance Funds to regions and counties. SB 290 would only allo- cate 33% by population and 67% by relative fare revenue and local support. Currently, 70% is allocated by population and 30% based on relative fare revenue and local funds generated for transit. The proposed formula would benefit Los Angeles County slightly and the Bay area would be the clear winner. The Commission and the Riverside Transit Agency have supported SB 290 but opposed the change in the formula for allocating funds to regions and counties. Laurence Weinberg commented that he has a negative feeling about increasing the gas tax as the wrong people have to pay the bill. Many of the people who work in the desert area come from great distances such as Banning, Beaumont, etc., and can't afford to pay higher prices for gasoline. He said that the proposed legislation will raise the gas tax 50%. Herb Krauch added that a number of people on the west end of the County drive to Orange County to their jobs which is about 80 miles a day. Susan Cornelison stated that the reason that the Commission sup- ported SB 290 is that funds are needed for street and road mainte- nance. When you consider how many miles of streets and roads that the entities in Riverside County have to maintain and how little funding is available, this is where the greatest need for addi- tional funding is right now. The people who use the streets and roads are the ones who are going to be paying for maintaining them through the gas tax. She said that the Commission hates to see an 3 increase in gas tax but it is necessary. The Commission opposed the change in the STA formula which would have residents of Riverside County pay their fair share of taxes and get relatively little back because it would go to subsidize transit in the Bay area. It has been estimated that in order to adequately take care of street and road needs in Riverside County, a 15 cents gas tax increase is needed. Since this large a gas tax increase is not now possible, the Commission wants to make sure that the funds that are available come back to this County so that we are able to take care of our roadways. Laurence Weinberg said that he recognizes the great need for the funds and the unfair allocation of transit funds. He reiterate his concern that there are substantial number of people as employees who are affected by lengthy trips, who would be impacted. There has to be a fair approach to the source of funding. He feels that this bill as it stands now is an undesirable bill. Chairman Jandt noted that other funds are generated from motorists through license fees, registrations, sales tax on cars and automo- tive parts, etc. Laurence Weinberg asked if the Commission specifically addressed the question of the added gas tax and if there is any point of the Committee taking any action on the legislation in view of the fact that the Commission has already taken action. Susan Cornelison said that the Commission is concerned about what people have to pay to operate a vehicle. Since the Commission's approval of SB 290 was in concept, the Committee could still have input in the Commission action. She informed the Committee that at the Commission's February meeting, action was taken to empower her and Barry Beck to advocate on behalf of the Commission during the ensuing weeks. Susan Cornelison told the Committee that the 5 cents gas tax that went into effect two years ago was a federal gas tax. The State receives only 85% of the federal gas tax collected in the State for allocation to regions and counties. In response to Bertram Vinson's question if the State takes into consideration the passenger miles in the County when allocating gas tax funds, Chairman Jandt said that they do not. M/S/C (WEINBERG/KRAUCH): 1) To approve the concept of increased availability of funds for County transportation purposes. 2) To consider that SB 290 as it is presently drafted pre- sents an unfair aspect insofar as the source of funds is concerned. 3) That SB 290 as it is presently drafted presents an unfair concept as to the allocation of transit funds. 4 6. SunLine Transit Agency Tel A Ride Contracting Feasibility. Paul Blackwelder said that the SunLine Transit Agency has requested and received proposals from private contractors for its dial -a -ride services. The proposals were requested to determine whether or not the high subsidy services could be operated at a lower cost by private contractors. The staff report includes the cost, annual riders, average daily riders and subsidy per passenger for the dial -a -ride services last year. Unfortunately, the proposals re- ceived from the contractors are higher than SunLine's cost for operating the services. A meeting was held this morning. The Committee recommended that SunLine continue to operate the Desert Hot Springs service. A proposal is expected from the Foundation of the Retarded of the Desert to operate the intervalley handi- capped service at a lower cost. The City of Palm Desert is going to attempt to get a contact with a local area taxicab to provide service in that area. Regarding the Palm Springs elderly and handicapped service, SunLine will meet with the Palm Springs seniors center to see if they could provide the service at a lower cost. Chairman Jandt recalled an effort being made in the Coachella Valley area to coordinate all the volunteer transportation services and asked what is the outcome of that effort. Laurence Weinberg said that the effort is continuing and that SunLine has hired Steve Birbeck (formerly City Manager of Rancho Mirage) to work on the study. He will contact appropriate agencies and design a program to come up with answers to the problems they're faced with. Three steps of developing the program are as follows: 1) Seek contracts with independent contractors for the purpose of implementing dial -a -ride services; 2) A variation of Step 1 which would involve the various agencies in contracting; 3) Overall development of the program to take care of the elderly and handicapped under SunLine which might include fixed route services as well as demand response services. He will keep the Committee apprised on this matter. 7. Transportation Issues. Copies of a listing of transportation issues raised and prioritized by the Committee at a previous meeting were distributed. Paul Blackwelder requested Committee members to review the list and point out items that they wish to be included at the next meeting. Terry Allen requested a report on the problems on Highway 79 (Lambs Canyon). Rena Parker suggested that perhaps should provide information re- garding how the other county transportation commissions' citizens committees are being used within the next couple of months. 5 Chairman Jandt suggested that staff include copies of minutes of other citizens committees in the report. Terry Allen noted various transportation problems in Hemet such as: the need to expand current transit services, lack of availability of schedules or information on current transit services, problems with pickup time on the dial -a -ride service, etc. The Hemet problem should be added to the list of issues. Herb Krauch said in addition to Terry Allen's comments, he sub- mitted a proposal for a bus service between Banning, Beaumont and Hemet and that it should be added to the list. Paul Blackwelder explained that Mr. Krauch's request is one of the reasons why an unmet transit needs hearing was scheduled in Banning to gather input from the community. Bertram Vinson asked what the problems are on Highway 111 and Chairman Jandt responded that the highway is extremely heavily travelled and that there is a problem with the movement of traffic and accidents resulting from the congestion problem. Laurence Weinberg stated that a subcommittee of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments Transportation Committee is making a complete and in -dept report on Highway 111. The report is expected to be submitted at the next meeting. Bertram Vinson stated that there is a safety problem experienced by residents of Country Village. When they are dropped off on the east side of Country Village Road by RTA, it is very dangerous crossing the street. He wants this problem corrected. This was one of the main reasons that he joined the Committee. At this time, Chairman Jandt informed the Committee that Rand Martin resigned from the Committee. Rand will be relocating to Sacramento for a new job. He asked that if Committee members know of someone interested in serving as a member reqpresenting the handicapped to let Commission staff know. 8. Adjournment. There being no further discussion, Chairman Jandt adjourned the meeting at 3:09 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Monday, April 8, 1985 at 1:30 p.m. nk ctfully submitted, ackwelder Assistant Director 6 ITEM NO. 3 RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TO: Citizens Advisory Committee FROM: Paul Blackwelder, Assistant Director SUBJECT: FY 1986-1990 Riverside County Short Range Transit Plan The Commission is scheduled to approve the FY 1986-1990 Short Range Transit Plan for Riverside County at its meeting on May 16, 1985. Committee members should provide comments on the levels of service proposed by the operators at this meeting. Committee comments can then be provided to the operators to be addressed as the final plans are prepared for submittal on May 1st. No major service level changes were proposed by any of the transit operators. The proposed changes are minor and are designed to meet localized needs and improve existing services. The proposed service levels for each operator are outlined below. Staff comments regarding testimony received at the unmet transit needs public hearings and other service level questions are also provided. The Beaumont dial -a -ride, the Riverside Special Services Program, the Lake Elsinore Transit System, and the Palo Verde Valley Transit Agency proposed no service changes and will continue at the existing service level for the five-year period. No testimony was received at the public hearings that indicated a need to change those services. Staff concurs with the level of services proposed. CITY QF. CORONA The City of Corona proposes a continuation of the dial -a -ride service for the plan period. The Commission received one request for fixed - route service in Corona. The Corona dial -a -ride has a low level of ridership relative to its population. Staff recommends that a study to see if fixed -route service in the Norco -Corona area would improve ridership and productivity should be undertaken in the next fiscal year. CITY QE BANNING The City of Banning proposed improving its fixed -route system from a single loop route to a two route service. The two route service would provide more direct routing and additional serivce to the area south of I-10. This serivce was included in previous plans and would start in July. The new buses required to implement the service were received last month. Testimony at the public hearings showed a need for dial -a - ride service in Banning for persons unable to use the fixed -route service. The City of Banning is interested in providing limited Bial- a -ride service in such a way that it will not compete with the fixed - route service. Meetings are scheduled to see if arrangements can be made to provide limited service in conjunction with the Nutrition Program for seniors. Commission staff concurs with this approach. 1 Agenda Item 3 April 8, 1985 RIVERSIDE TRANSIT AGENCY The Riverside Transit Agency proposes the following service changes in the plan: EY 1986 o Extension of the Norco dial -a -ride service to provide a connection to Route 15 (Tyler Mall -Downtown) in the Arlington area of Riverside. o Addition of one bus to operate on Route 1 (Magnolia Avenue) on Sunday. The additional bus will eliminate the overcrowded condi- tions and will provide a one -hour frequency rather than one -hour and fifteen minute service frequency. o Reroute Line 27E (Hemet -Perris -Riverside) to travel through Moreno Valley on runs to Downtown Riverside. This would provide four round trips/day between Moreno Valley and Perris. E 1987 o Add a second fixed route to serve the Moreno Valley area. o Implement Sunday service on Route 15 (Tyler Mall -Downtown via Arlington Avenue) . o Implement Saturday service on Route 29 (Rubidoux-Downtown Riverside). o Extend service hours on Route 21 (Country Village -Tyler Mall). This line currently operates from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday thru Saturday. EX 1988 o Implement Sunday service on Route 27E (Hemet -Perris -Riverside). Commission staff recommends that the Perris to Moreno Valley service be provided by a second route that also provides intra-city service in Moreno Valley. Rerouting Line 27E (Hemet -Perris -Riverside) would eli- minate the express nature of the route. The plan proposes a second route for Moreno Valley in FY 1987. If the demand for service betwen Perris and Moreno Valley is adequate to justify service in FY 1986, the second route should be moved ahead one year in the plan. A more local line would also allow RTA to expriment with limited service to Lake Perris from Perris and Moreno Valley. The RTA plan acknowledges an expressed need for service from the Banning/Beaumont area to Hemet and for fixed -route service in Norco. The Pass area to Hemet service need was identified by Mr. Herb Krauch, a member of the Committee, and at the public hearing in Banning. RTA staff will survey Pass area residents and representatives of the hospital and business community in Hemet to try to estimate the demand 2 for this service. The survey will be completed by June. If the survey indicates demand justifies the service, it would start in late FY 1986 or early FY 1987. A need for fixed -route service in Norco was identi- fied at the public hearing in Riverside. Staff recommends that a Norco -Corona area study should be undertaken next fiscal year to see if fixed -route service would improve ridership and productivity. Three additional services were requested at the hearings and by written/telephone comments. One person requested service from Canyon Lake to Riverside. One person requested service from Norco to Chaffey College in Alta Loma. Staff does not feel there would be enough demand from the affluent community of Canyon Lane (pop. 2039) to justify service to Riverside. There is no existing service that could be modified to provide service to the Canyon Lake area. Staff also feels there would not be adequate demand to implement a Norco to Chaffey College route. Dial -a -ride service was requested to be reinstated by handicapped individuals in Moreno Valley. The dial -a -ride service was discontinued and replaced by fixed -route service in January. The fixed -route service is already carrying 50% more riders than the Bial- a -ride. The need for dial -a -ride for the handicapped is very limited and would not justify a fully dedicated vehicle. Combined elderly and handicapped ridership on the dial -a -ride averaged only 15 trips/day. Meditrans provides service for the elderly and handicapped two days a week in the Moreno Valley. The Office on Aging will be providing the Moreno Valley Senior Nutrition Program with a van later this year. Additional service for the handicapped may be provided by using this van. The Office on Aging is very interested in developing a program which expands the use of the vehicles assigned to the Seniors Nutrition sites throughout the County. SUNLINE TRANSIT AGENCY The SunLine Transit Agency proposed the continuation of all existing services and the following changes. EX 1986 o Adding an early run on Line 19 (Palm Springs -Coachella) to arrive in Palm Springs before 8 a.m. o Schedule adjustments for the limited services to North Palm Springs, Western Village Mobile Estates, and Mt. View Seniors Complex implemented in July, 1984. The proposed schedule adjust- ments resulted from meetings with area residents conducted by SunLine in March. EX ,987 o Increasing the frequency of Line 20 (Palm Springs -Coachella) ser- vice from 60 minutes to 30 minutes on weekdays. o Discontinuing the Palm Springs Sun Special service when Line 20 frequency is improved. 3 The SunLine Transit Agency is also considering two service expansions which are not programmed in the plan. The first is to start the 30 - minute weekday service frequency on Line 19 (Desert Hot Springs - Coachella) in September rather than December. This year, 30 -minute service will be operated on weekdays from December until May. The second is expanding the Line 4 (La Quinta-Palm Desert) service to include Saturday service. This route presently operates Monday thru Friday. The decision to program these improvements in FY 1986 or FY 1987 will be made before the SunLine budget is adopted in May or June. Service for elderly members of the Torres -Martinez Indian Reservation, south of Coachella, to the Senior Nutrition Program in Coachella was requested at the Indio public hearing. The Nutrition Program in Coachella has a van provided by the Office on Aging to deliver meals and transport the elderly to the Nutrition Program site. It appears this need can be met by the Nutrition Program van. A meeting is scheduled later this week with the program staff to determine what level of service can be provided. A need for dial -a -ride service for the elderly and handicapped in Cathedral City was identified at the public bearing in Palm Springs. The approach to meeting this need under consideration by SunLine is to combine the services for the elderly and handicapped in Palm Springs provided by the SunLine tel-a-ride service and the Palm Springs Senior Center and to expand the service area to include Cathedral City. The Palm Springs Senior Center representatives have expressed a desire to be the operator/of these services under contract to Sunline. Meetings between the Senior Center and SunLine representatives have been sche- duled and a decision will be made before the SunLine budget is adopted in June. PB:nk 4