REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY RTPA

Back to 12-11-01 Agenda

SUBJECT MEETING
DATE
ITEM
NUMBER

Consider Transit Productivity Report
12/11/01 6

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Agency accept the transit productivity improvement report.

SUMMARY

In accordance with RTPA Policy No. 6-1 and Transportation Development Act (TDA) Section 99244, RABA has submitted a list of productivity improvements it intends to implement. The list includes improvements for both the demand response system and the fixed route system. It is the intention of the RTPA staff to measure the implementation of RABA's proposed productivity improvements.

DISCUSSION

In accordance with RTPA Policy No. 6-1 and TDA Section 99244, transportation planning agencies shall annually identify, analyze and recommend potential productivity improvements which could lower the operating costs of the transit operator. In accordance with the adopted RTPA policy, RABA has submitted a list of ongoing productivity improvements that have been considered by the RABA Board and that are in the process of being implemented. Productivity improvements include a continuous effort to investigate alternatives for providing demand response service at a lower cost, acquisition of new transit vehicles to reduce costs for maintenance and implementation of the short and long term transit plan. The methodology to measure the effectiveness of the improvements is to compare cost per passenger, passengers per service hour and service hours with prior year's data. The analysis for the prior years shown below shows no significant trends. Of note is a increase in demand response service hours and increase in passengers per service hours for demand response.

Fixed Route

Demand Response

1998/99 1999/00 2000/01(1) 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01(1)

Expenses
$2,003.628
$2,018,339
$2,104,757
$ 836,694
$ 851,026
$ 974,406
Passengers 819,166 844,978 854,115 49,617 50,611 58,216
Cost per Psgr Trip $ 2.45 $ 2.39 $ 2.46 $ 16.86 $ 16.82 $ 16.74
Service Hours 46,385 46,870 46,445 19,750 19,532 21,132
Passengers per Svc Hr 17.66 18.03 18.39 2.51 2.59 2.75
Note: (1) Unaudited Numbers

Source: Redding Area Bus Authority Financial Reports

ALTERNATIVES

The Agency could direct RTPA staff to independently develop productivity improvements for the RABA system. We would not recommend that action because RABA is pro-actively proposing productivity improvements.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

The productivity improvements put forward by RABA were reviewed by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) at their November 27 meeting.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

The member agencies of the RTPA all purchase transportation from RABA to meet their transit obligation. Transit productivity improvements have the potential to make service more cost effective.

Daniel J. Kovacich, Executive Officer

/jmg