REGIONAL COORDINATION COUNCIL AGENDA Tuesday, December 18, :00 a.m. VRT Board Room NE 2 nd Street - Meridian, Idaho

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1 Table of Contents Agenda 2 Minutes of 11/5/18 Joint Meeting with Executive Board and RAC Minutes of 11/5/18 Joint Meeting with Executive Board and RAC 5 RAC Membership Matrix RAC Membership Matrix 9 RAC 2019 Meeting Calendar RAC 2019 Meeting Calendar 10 Policy Activities - Information Item - ACHD ADA Transition Plan Memo - ACHD ADA Transition Plan 11 Policy Activities - Information Item - Response on Facilities, Main Street Station Memo, response on facilities MSS 12 RAC Issue Item Form 13 Policy Activities - Information Item - ACCESS Scheduling Policy Memo - ACCESS Scheduling Policy 14 INFORMATION ITEM - Fare Simplification and Restructure Project MEMO - Fare Simplification and Restructure Project 16 Fare Findings 19 Service/Program Activities - Workshop Bus Stops Accessibility, Prioritization and Review RAC Bus Stop Charter 30 Department/Staff Reports Report - Executive Director 32 Report - Finance and Administration 34 Report - Developement 36 Report - Operations 40 Report - Community Relations 42 Report - BikeShare 43 1

2 REGIONAL COORDINATION COUNCIL AGENDA Tuesday, December 18, :00 a.m. VRT Board Room NE 2 nd Street - Meridian, Idaho Vision Statement: We envision an accessible regional transportation system that is built upon meaningful stakeholder input and feedback. Mission Statement: The Regional Advisory Council s mission is to use a customer-centered approach to ensure that VRT s policies, services, and outreach meet the mobility needs of the community. I. CALLING OF THE ROLL Welcome and Customer/Constituent Experiences Member and Committee Reports and Updates Reports/Liaisons with Other Groups The website for the ACHD ADA Advisory Committee is: II. AGENDA ADDITIONS/CHANGES III. CONSENT AGENDA Items on the Consent Agenda are Action Items and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a member requests the item be removed from the Consent Agenda and placed under Action Items. A. Minutes of 11/5/18 Joint Meeting with Executive Board and Regional Advisory Council Ө Pages 5-8 IV. PUBLIC COMMENT (Comments will be limited to no more than three (3) minutes.) V. ACTION ITEM RAC Membership Matrix Ө Page 9 Kelli Badesheim The members will update the RAC Membership Matrix with specific interests represented, as requested by the Executive Board at the November 5, 2018 Joint Meeting. VI. ACTION ITEM RAC 2019 Meeting Calendar Ө Page 10 Kelli Badesheim Members will review, for approval, the 2019 RAC calendar and discuss possibly having one meeting a year in Canyon County and one in downtown Boise to provide further opportunity for public input. 700 NE 2nd Street, Suite 100 Meridian, ID p: f:

3 VII. POLICY ACTIVITIES A. INFORMATION ITEM - ACHD ADA Transition Plan Ө Page 11 Jake Hassard ACHD plans to update its ADA transition plan. VRT would like the RAC to comment on this process and be aware of the plan. B. INFORMATION ITEM - Response on Facilities, Main Street Station Ө Page Jake Hassard Jake Hassard will provide a summary of Braille items planned for Main Street Station. C. INFORMATION ITEM - ACCESS Scheduling Policy Ө Page Billy Wingfield Staff will review and educate RAC members on regulations guiding the authority in the provision of ADA complimentary paratransit services. A handout will be distributed at the meeting. D. INFORMATION ITEM - Fare Simplification and Restructure Project Ө Pages Rhonda Jalbert Staff will review the Fare Simplification and Restructure Project and inform the Regional Advisory Committee of the upcoming activities. VIII. OUTREACH ACTVITIES A. INFORMATION ITEM - Fall Open Houses Mark Carnopis Mark Carnopis will provide an update on the RAC Fall Open Houses held December 11-12, IX. SERVICE/PROGRAM ACTIVITIES A. WORKSHOP BUS Stops Accessibility, Prioritization and Review Ө Page The RAC members will participate in a workshop to define the desirable bus stop system performance and accountability measures based on the attached revised charter. Kelli Badesheim X. DEPARTMENT/STAFF REPORTS A. Department/Staff Reports Ө Pages VRT Staff Department/Staff Reports from the 12/03/2018 Executive Board Meeting are included for information. XI. ADJOURNMENT Ө = Attachment Agenda order is subject to change. 3

4 NEXT REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING: Tuesday, January 15, :00 a.m. VRT Board Room 700 NE 2 nd Street Meridian, Idaho For questions or comments regarding this agenda, please contact Kelli Badesheim At or kbadesheim@valleyregionaltransit.org Arrangements for auxiliary aids and services necessary for effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities or language assistance requests need to be made as soon as possible, but no later than three working days before the scheduled meeting. Please contact Mark Carnopis, Community Relations Manager at if an auxiliary aid is needed. 4

5 ITEM III-A JOINT MEETING MINUTES Executive Board Meeting and Regional Advisory Council Monday, November 5, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. VRT Board Room 700 NE 2 nd Street Meridian, Idaho MEMBERS ATTENDING MEMBERS ABSENT OTHERS PRESENT Dave Bieter, Boise (phone) Garret Nancolas, Caldwell Kelli Badesheim, VRT Luke Cavener, Meridian Linda Ihli, VRT Elaine Clegg, Boise Mark Carnopis, VRT Corey Cook, Boise State University Rhonda Jalbert, VRT (phone) Tom Dale, Canyon County Billy Wingfield, VRT Jim Hansen, ACHD Stephen Hunt, VRT Debbie Kling, City of Nampa Jacob Hassard, VRT David Lincoln, ACCHD Brian Parker, VRT Darin Taylor, Middleton Kelly Jakovac, VRT Jim Tibbs, Ada County Rocky Perkins, ATU 398 RAC MEMBERS ATTENDING RAC MEMBERS ABSENT Ken Pidjeon, Citizen Susan Bradley Kelly Berg Liisa Itkonen, COMPASS Lisa Brady Randy Johnson David Corcoran, ACHD Annette Harper Terri Lindenberg Nancy Lohr, First Transit/VR-Caldwell Jason Madsen Courtney Rosenkoetter Gregg Eisenberg, First Transit-VR Boise Jeremy Maxand Salome Mwangi Eric Selekof Tina Wilson At 11:10 a.m. VRT Chair Jim Hansen called the VRT Executive Board meeting to order with a quorum present in person and by phone. Regional Advisory Council (RAC) Chair Jeremy Maxand called the RAC meeting to order with a quorum present. AGENDA ADDITIONS/CHANGES - none PUBLIC COMMENTS Ken Pidjeon, Boise citizen, commented on ITEM X-B-4-Performance Measures and made the following suggestions: add revenue to the matrix; break out Fixed Route into Boise City, Nampa-Caldwell, and Intercounty ridership revenue; adopt ¼ mile on side of roadway as standard; and make the document more consistent with numeric charts. CONSENT AGENDA EXECUTIVE BOARD Luke Cavener moved to approve the Executive Board Consent Agenda. The motion was approved by the Executive Board members. The Executive Board Consent Agenda consisted of the following items: Approve Minutes of 09/17/18 Executive Board Special Meeting Approve Minutes of 09/24/18 Executive Board Meeting Approve Regional Advisory Council Application for Salome Mwangi 700 NE 2nd Street, Suite 100 Meridian, ID p: f:

6 ITEM III-A CONSENT AGENDA REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Lisa Brady moved to approve the Regional Advisory Council Consent Agenda - Minutes of 10/16/18 RAC Meeting; seconded by Annette Harper. The motion was approved unanimously by the Regional Advisory Council members. FINANCE COMMITTEE - INFORMATION Local Allocation Project Stephen Hunt reviewed the methodology and time line for the Local Allocation Project. A workshop on the Local Allocation Project will be held at the December 3, 2018 Executive Board meeting where further discussion will take place. ACTION ITEMS EXECUTIVE BOARD Executive Board/VRT Board Meeting Schedule for 2019 and Proposed Schedule for 2020 Kelli Badesheim reviewed the Executive Board/VRT Board Meeting Schedule for 2019 and Proposed Schedule for 2020 noting the 2019 schedule showed a VRT Board of Directors meeting in August rather than July to provide more time for staff to prepare the budget documents and not run up against the Independence Day holiday. Elaine Clegg moved to approve the Executive Board/VRT Board Meeting Schedule for 2019 and Proposed Schedule for 2020 as presented; seconded by David Lincoln. The motion was approved unanimously. RAC Membership Matrix The membership makeup of the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) was reviewed. Chair Hansen asked the RAC members to introduce themselves noting the various qualifications, experience, and expertise they bring to the Regional Advisory Council. Following discussion, Darin Taylor moved to approve the RAC membership matrix with the addition of specific interests represented and to be represented on the Council outlined on the matrix itself; seconded by Tom Dale. Following discussion, the motion was approved unanimously. JOINT ACTION RAC FY2019 Work Plan The RAC FY2019 Work Plan was reviewed and discussed with the three main projects to be worked on during FY2019 to include: ACCESS Scheduling Policy Fare Simplification and Pass Programs Bus Stops Accessibility, Prioritization, and Review 6

7 ITEM III-A Debbie Kling moved to approve the plan as recommended; seconded by Darin Taylor. The motion was approved unanimously by the Executive Board & RAC members. PROCUREMENTS ACTION EXECUTIVE BOARD Harvest Transit Vehicle Billy Wingfield requested the Executive Board members approve Resolution VEB to procure a nine (9) passenger, accessible transit van. Luke Cavener moved to approve Resolution VEB to procure a nine (9) passenger, accessible transit van; seconded by Tom Dale. The motion was approved unanimously. Happy Day Transit Center Upgrades Jake Hassard presented a request to procure professional design services for several projects at the Happy Day Transit Center upgrades - Resolution VEB Following discussion, Tom Dale moved to adopt Resolution VEB to procure professional design services for Happy Day Transit Center upgrades; seconded by Luke Cavener. The motion was approved unanimously. JOINT INFORMATION ITEMS FY2018 VRT Public Comment Report Mark Carnopis presented the FY2018 VRT Public Comment Report and noted that trends will be added to the report as well as compliments and suggestions. The report will be posted on the VRT website. ValleyConnect 2.0 Service Change Update - Implementation Schedule Stephen Hunt explained VRT is updating the service change schedule to better align with local jurisdiction budget development. Staff will identify FY2019 service change objectives during the first quarter of FY2019 and begin the public process to address the projected shortfall on Highway 44 services. Service Area Update Stephen Hunt described the purpose of service areas in the ValleyConnect 2.0 implementation which is to guide incremental steps driven by local priorities and coordinate activities with local jurisdictions. 7

8 ITEM III-A State Street Corridor Project Update Kelli Badesheim reported the State Street Corridor Executive Team is working to outline the scope of work for coordination of work on State Street. Elaine Clegg suggested providing a more in depth update on State Street to the Regional Advisory Council members at the next RAC meeting with Elaine Clegg and/or Jim Hansen attending the meeting to provide a broad understanding of the challenges and get support from various groups to help make those changes happen. Performance Measures - Quarterly Report & Annual Report Brian Parker reviewed the updated quarterly performance report which included dashboard and metrics. Brian noted the 4 th quarter will be included in the annual report which will be available in January. Staff will break out the types of fixed route. Best practices/national standard goals will be included in the annual report. Custom reports will be created to send out to City Councils. Transit Asset Management Plan Rhonda Jalbert noted the VRT Board had approved the TAM Policy in September so staff is now working on TAM Plan. Rhonda asked the members to read page 71 in packet regarding prioritizing investments to understand how dollars are being prioritized. Procurement Calendar The most current Procurement Calendar was included for information. Department/Staff Reports The most current Department/Staff Reports were included in the packet for information. EXECUTIVE SESSION - none ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Executive Board and Regional Advisory Council Joint Meeting, the meeting was declared adjourned at 1:08 p.m. by the VRT Chair and RAC Chair. NEXT MEETINGS: VRT EXECUTIVE BOARD REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL: Monday, December 3, 2018 Tuesday, December 18, :00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. VRT Board Room VRT Board Room 700 NE 2 nd Street 700 NE 2 nd Street Meridian, Idaho Meridian, Idaho 8

9 Regional Advisory Council Members ITEM V Member Phone Lives in/work Associations/Interests Area Jeremy Maxand, Chair jmaxand@hotmail.com Boise/Boise Associations/Interests: Chair of the City of Boise ADA Parking Committee, Member of the City of Boise Open Space and Clean Water Advisory Council, Adjunct Faculty at Boise State University, Board President of the Idaho Access Project; interests include neighborhood livability, public transportation, and disability rights. Eric Selekof, Vice Chair selekofe@slhs.org Boise/Ada and Canyon County Kelly Berg kelly.berg@phd3.idaho.gov Meridian/Canyon County Susan Bradley craftisue@hotmail.com Boise/State of Idaho Lisa Brady Lisa.Brady@ymcatvidaho.org x291 Boise/Ada and Canyon Counties Annette Harper aharper@achdidaho.org Nampa/Boise Terri Lindenberg terri@treasurevalleytransit.com Nampa/Canyon County Jason Madson jmadsen@icbvi.idaho.gov ???/Boise Salome Mwangi smwangi@idahorefugees.org Boise/Boise Courtney Courtney@rosenkoetter.com Boise/Boise Rosenkoetter Tina Wilson tina@westernallianceed.org Star/Rural Canyon County Open Position Healthcare systems, wellness programs, employer transportation programs. Other not-for-profit work: Epilepsy Foundation of Idaho, Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance (TVCA) 9

10 ITEM VI Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 Orientation Meeting for FY2019 at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. FY2019 Calendar Regional Advisory Council VRT Administrative Offices - Board Room 700 NE 2 nd Street - Meridian, Idaho 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 Joint Meeting with Executive Board at 11:00 a.m. Tues., March 19, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, May at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. NO MEETING JULY NO MEETING AUGUST Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 Orientation Meeting for FY2020 at 9:00 a.m. 10

11 ITEM VII A TOPIC: ACHD ADA Transition Plan DATE: December 9, 2018 Summary: Valley Regional Transit works closely with ACHD to coordinate road construction projects that will aid and improve the transit network where possible. Staff often has no other possible improvement options as far as bus stop improvements go, due to budget restraints. As such, the improvements that ACHD completes are very important to the transit network and should be leveraged to be the best improvement possible. ACHD is currently going through a process to update its ADA transition plan. This plan postulates the steps taken, and planned to be taken by ACHD, to make more of its right of way space ADA compliant. This is an opportunity for the public and for agencies to make comments about non-compliant right-of-way space, including bus stops and pedestrian space. ACHD currently allows Valley Regional Transit the right to place transit structures and amenities in the public right of way to aid the operation of a transit network. Staff often has to pay, plan and design concrete improvements to make bus stops ADA compliant prior to placing transit amenities. Every dollar spent on concrete in the right of way, is a dollar that cannot go towards shelters, benches or other amenities. Staff is going to have ACHD come to the next board meeting and present on the transition plan. RAC members are recommended to attend this meeting to see the presentation. This is an opportunity for the RAC to review the transition plan and provide comments. Staff will be creating a comment letter to be submitted to ACHD from the board, as well. Staff Recommendation/Request: This is an information item. Staff is presenting this information to the RAC for their benefit and for their involvement. Staff recommends that the RAC use this opportunity to study the plan and comment as there may not be another chance to provide comments on transit improvements on a large scale. For detailed information contact: Jacob Hassard, Regional Project Manager, jhassard@valleyregionaltransit.org,

12 ITEM VII B TOPIC: Response on Facilities Main Street Station DATE: December 9, 2018 Summary: A recent RAC facilities item submittal was presented on Main Street Station braille signage. The facility was evaluated and costs were prepared to add more signage and braille mapping. An outside consultant provided an overview of local and national codes relating to the facility, as well as ideas, costs and suggestions for additional signage. Costs were prepared and submitted to the development and executive director. After reviewing the costs, it was decided that some of the smaller recommendations could be implemented in the first half of The mapping and some of the other more elaborate signage would have to be provided later on, as funding becomes available. The simple minimal signage includes notations around the customer service window, elevator and restrooms. It is hoped that at least one map can be provided in 2019 or early None of the existing signage is out of compliance or negligent and none of the new signage is specifically required. Code requirements for braille are not very specific and do not have a large amount of guidance. As such, these additional signage efforts are being undertaken to provide additional benefit and will help our riders. Most architects and engineers provide the minimal amount of braille when building a new building, as was provided for Main Street Station. Staff Recommendation/Request: This item is an information item. The purpose is to provide information to the RAC about the upcoming comment response items being completed. For more detailed information contact: Jacob Hassard, Regional Project Manager, jhassard@valleyregionaltransit.org, NE 2nd Street, Suite 100 Meridian, ID p: f:

13 ITEM VII B Regional Advisory Council Issue Identification and Tracking Form Geographic area affected: Ada and Canyon County Describe the issue and observations? Various noted issues regarding more descriptive and helpful Braille and limited visibility signage inside of Main Street Station. Is this issue related to ADA or Title VI? The RAC feels that this is an ADA issue. What customer/stakeholder groups are affected? Persons with mobility and visibility challenges What individuals/organizations need to be involved? Staff, the ICBVI, the RAC subcommittee on infrastructure, the ACHD ADA Advisory Committee What populations, groups, or organizations should we seek input from? See previous Is this a short-, medium-, or long-term issue? Medium What does success on this issue look like? Success is a cost effective solution to address limited visibility signage issues and mapping concerns in the facility. What RAC subcommittee will follow this work? Infrastructure For Office Use Priority High/Medium/Low Department Assigned Development Staff Assigned JMH Date Assigned 09/19/18 Scope of Activities Timeline estimated at 6 months for consultation, bidding, budgeting, and implementation. Findings Next Steps Budget or Fiscal Implications (year) Legal Review Date Completed & Final Outcome Training (if necessary) 13

14 ITEM VII C TOPIC: ADA Paratransit Service Standards DATE: November 15, 2018 Summary: The Triennial Review is one of the Federal Transit Administrations (FTA) management tools for examining grantee performance and adherence to current FTA requirements and policies. Mandated by Congress in 1982, the Triennial Review occurs once every three years. It examines how recipients of Urbanized Area Formula Program funds meet statutory and administrative requirements. Valley Regional Transit completed its triennial review in December of Through the review process, the FTA examiners were identified several deficiencies related to ACCESS or Demand Response services. The findings documented in the triennial review process warranted corrective action to bring the service into regulatory compliance. The purpose of this memo is to outline the corrective action plan VRT operations staff will deploy to remedy any documented deficiencies. The intended outcome is to establish a safe, reliable and efficient ACCESS service delivery model that adheres to all regulatory requirements and is reflective of industry best practices. Objectives 1. Outline corrective action VRT must implement to achieve Federal compliance 2. Update the ADA Paratransit Service Standards and Performance metrics Policy to reflect corrective actions taken. 3. Request board approval for recommended policy updates Deliverables 1. Identify staffing resources, internal departments and external partners impacted 2. Review the FTA triennial review findings, recommendations and deadlines with the team identified in step #1 3. Update key document with recommended corrective action steps: a. Brochure updates: clearly describe and depict the processes used to coordinate access services b. Policy update: Service standard and performance update c. Emergency contact list update d. Update Weapons Policy specific to ACCESS services 4. Review corrective action w/ Regional Advisory Council 5. Board approval 6. Implementation and GO LIVE 7. Monitor and control 700 NE 2nd Street, Suite 100 Meridian, ID p: f:

15 ITEM VII C Staff Recommendation/Request: Information item: No Action will be required of the RAC committee. Implication (Policy and/or Financial): The ACCESS Performance Standards Policy updates will align service delivery with recommended industry best practices and meet FTA requirements. Highlights: Feb 2019 Outreach to impacted Partners Action item Regional Advisory Committee Ada Para Transit Service Standards acceptance March 2019 Information item Executive Board outreach information April 2019 Action item VRT Board of Directors Approve ADA Para Transit Service Standards More Information: Billy Wingfield, Operations Director, , bwingfield@valleyregionaltransit.org 15

16 ITEM VII D TOPIC: Fare Simplification and Pass Programs DATE: November 15, 2018 Summary: VRT and public transportation partners worked on a fare analysis, regional fare policy and fare tariff sheet in FY16. A Regional Fare Policy was approved on January 4, 2016 and the Fare Tariff for VRT was approved on 7/10/2017. VRT is again revisiting the recommendations from the consultant and has received concurrence from our transportation vendor, First Transit, on the consultant s findings. Valley Regional Transit still has a very low farebox recovery ratio and limited opportunities to purchase valid fare media. The tailored employer pass program limits VRT s capacity to expand these revenue opportunities and an ineffectual regional fare policy that ensures, over time, fares change appropriately. This project will review existing fare structure, identify opportunities for simplification and automation of data, suggest ways to minimize the negative impacts of fare increases on the most vulnerable populations, evaluate the revenue impacts of fare increases and suggest fare rates for each fare-type, such that, the resulting average fare is roughly equal to the cost of providing the capacity used. Objectives Deliverables Simplify fare structure Maximize the benefits of current fareboxes and data flows Provide a foundation for expanded fare contracts with employers and residential centers Minimize barriers to accessing valid transit fare media Increase fare revenue Minimize impacts on low-income and other vulnerable populations Tie fare revenues to operating costs Better inform VRT Board Members about the economics of fare policy Fare simplification, consolidation, enhanced capabilities and structure o A complete report supported by an analysis of unused or underutilized fare types. The report will need to go through the Advisory Committee for endorsement and review o New fare sets o Installation, testing and training of new desktop equipment 700 NE 2nd Street, Suite 100 Meridian, ID p: f:

17 ITEM VII D o Documentation, testing, and training of the new standard operating processes for transferring data Fare Analysis and Recommendation o Report on fare structure, products, and price based upon demographic analysis and Title VI requirements, followed by recommendations for a new fare structure o A new fare tariff sheet, with proposed changes, to be submit to the board for approval Implementation of New Fare Structure o Implementation plan with roles, responsibilities, milestones and deliverables o Marketing campaign deliverables. o Updated fare tariff sheet o Set fare recovery ratios Customer and Operator Enhancements o Report on the functionality and synchronization of GFI and Route match system o Report with the pros and cons, dependencies, risks, and outline of next steps of accepting credit / debit card payments on board transit vehicles Staff Recommendation/Request: Information item: Staff will present the status of the project and a project schedule for fare simplification and pass programs implementation. Implication (Policy and/or Financial): The policy and strategies for fare simplification and pass programs will be used to inform the annual public transportation budgets. Highlights: December 2018 Information item Executive Board Charter: scope, objectives, deliverables and schedule - complete Information item Regional Advisory Committee Charter: scope, objectives, deliverables and schedule January 2019 Action item VRT Board of Directors fare tariff sheet update mobile ticketing Action item VRT Board of Directors public hearing dates 17

18 ITEM VII D Information item Regional Advisory Committee findings and recommendations February 2019 Action item Executive Board mobile ticketing RFP Information item Executive Board fare types, pricing, reduced fares, service utilization and costs, and smart cards Information item Executive Board fare tariff update Information item Regional Advisory Committee outreach information March 2019 Information item Executive Board outreach information Action item Executive Board fare tariff update Action item Executive Board fare types April 2019 Action item VRT Board of Directors updated fare tariff sheet More Information: Rhonda Jalbert, Development Director, , rjalbert@valleyregionaltransit.org 18

19 ITEM VII D Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment Fall

20 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D Table of Contents Background 1 Recommendation #1 Fare Types Offered 2 Recommendation #2 - Pricing 5 Recommendation #3 Reduced Fares 7 Recommendation #4 Service Utilization and Costs 8 Recommendation #5 Smart Cards

21 Background Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D First Transit has been tasked with reviewing Valley Regional Transit fares in order to provide recommendations aimed at simplifying the fare structure and increasing farebox revenue. Our review follows the 2016 Regional Fare Analysis completed by Four Nines Technologies. According to VRT staff: Valley Regional Transit currently has a very low farebox recovery ratio, limited opportunities to purchase valid fare media, tailored employer pass programs that limit VRT s capacity to expand those revenue opportunities and no policy to ensure that, over time, fares change appropriately. This project will review existing fare structure, identify opportunities for simplification and automation of data, suggest ways to minimize the negative impacts of fare increases on the most vulnerable populations, evaluate the revenue impacts of fare increases and suggest fare rates for each fare type such that the resulting average fare is roughly equal to the cost of providing the capacity used. The assessment includes recommended fare changes along with the data analysis created to inform the recommendation. 1 21

22 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D Recommendation #1 Fare Types Offered It is recommended that VRT eliminates the 3-month, 6-month and 12-month passes. These passes are seldom used and eliminating the unused passes will streamline the fare structure. VRT offers significantly more pass options than peer transit systems. VRT has only one peer offering, a 3-month pass, and the majority do not offer a 12-month pass. Peer City Fare Offerings City 7 Day Pass 31 Day Pass 3 month pass 6 month pass 12 month pass Transfers VRT No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Des Moines IA Yes Yes No No No No Eugene OR No Yes Yes No No No Madison WI No Yes No No No No Reno NV Yes Yes No No No No Salem OR Yes Yes No No Yes No Spokane WA Yes Yes No No No No Tucson AZ No Yes No No Yes No While offering fare types with validity for varying time periods and at different price points allows the agency to target customer segments, many of the options aren t being used. The following tables show fare types used in Ada and Canyon Counties during FY The 3-month, 6- month and 12-month passes account for just 5.4% of ridership in both counties. Canyon County Ada County Fare Product FY17/18 % of Total Fare Product FY17/18 % of Total 1 Ride 42, % 1 Ride 219, % Day Pass Local 31, % Day Pass Local 377, % Day Pass Universal 5, % Day Pass Universal 1, % 31-Day Pass Local 9, % 31-Day Pass Local 217, % 31-Day Pass Universal 13, % 31-Day Pass Universal 3, % 3-Month Local % 3-Month Local 43, % 3-Month Universal 5, % 3-Month Universal % 6-Month Local 0 0.0% 6-Month Local 3, % 6-Month Universal 0 0.0% 6-Month Universal 0 0.0% Annual Local % Annual Local 10, % Annual Universal 1, % Annual Universal 4, % Ridership Program* 38, % Ridership Program* 273, % 147,560 1,154,

23 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D FY17/18 Ada County System Fares by Type for FY 17/18: Divisions 21 Received/Sold Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total BSU Faculty & Staff Key ,537 Boise City Key 2 1,960 1,459 1,531 1,877 1,648 1,788 1, ,426 1,344 1,821 1,499 18,875 VRT Employee Key ,155 Free Child Key 4 1, ,107 1,071 1,165 1,241 1,220 1,262 1,021 12,372 Short Fare Key ,919 BSU Student Key 6 10,283 9,092 6,335 8,897 8,650 8,211 8,533 2,603 4,762 4,210 6,868 7,561 86,005 Boise School District Key 7 9,374 7,876 7,120 8,049 9,193 8,277 9,800 7, ,114 9,144 80,145 St. Luke Employee Key , ,525 St. Alph. Employee Key ,980 Wheelchair (excluded from total) Key A ,075 Bicycle (excluded from total) Key B 4,805 3,917 3,271 3,845 3,891 4,359 4,877 6,485 5,144 4,996 6,378 5,389 57,357 Issue Change Card Key C ,895 Free/Other Key D 5, , , ,754 All Day Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total All Day Local Sold TTP All Day Local Sold TTP All Day Local Sold TTP 19 3,887 3,615 3,677 4,135 3,583 4,213 3, ,130 3,856 4,254 3,573 42,887 All Day Local Rec'd TTP 1 10,554 9,947 10,019 11,066 9,663 10,505 9, ,793 10,348 10,884 9, ,035 All Day Universal Sold TTP All Day Universal Rec'd TTP All Day Local Reduced Sold TTP All Day Local Reduced Sold TTP 20 7,376 6,882 7,218 7,476 6,606 6,796 6, ,877 7,231 7,843 6,447 78,386 All Day Local Reduced Rec'd TTP 3 13,070 12,169 12,325 13,296 11,869 12,633 13, ,864 13,736 14,402 11, ,057 All Day Universal Reduced Rec'd TTP Day Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 31 Day Local Rec'd TTP 31 9,063 8,116 7,473 8,300 7,900 8,950 7, ,978 6,706 7,615 6,304 84, Day Universal Rec'd TTP , Day Local Reduced Rec'd TTP 33 11,304 10,524 10,272 11,333 11,336 12,057 10, ,312 12,388 12,782 10, , Day Universal Reduced Rec'd TTP ,165 3 Month Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 3 Month Local Rec'd TTP 12 2,300 1,794 1,338 1,589 1,285 1,942 2, ,809 2,816 3,238 2,450 22,696 3 Month Universal Rec'd TTP Month Local Reduced Rec'd TTP 26 1,342 1,067 1,170 1,405 1,474 1,506 1, ,089 2,094 2,020 1,291 16,962 3 Month Universal Reduced Rec'd TTP Month Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 6 Month Local Rec'd TTP ,946 6 Month Universal Rec'd TTP Annual Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total Annual Local Rec'd TTP ,108 1, ,047 1,061 1, ,142 Annual Universal Rec'd TTP ,533 Cash Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total $1.00 Cash Fare TTP 14 6,785 6,681 6,425 7,065 6,657 7,918 7, ,669 6,713 7,735 6,319 77,492 $1.00 Cash Fare TTP Cash Fare TTP 15 2,409 2,072 2,026 2,366 2,133 2,116 1, ,304 1,969 2,242 2,055 23, Cash Fare TTP Employer Passes Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 3 Month Local Rec'd TTP ,968 3 Month Universal Rec'd TTP Day Local Rec'd TTP , Day Universal Rec'd TTP Misc. (programmed in GFI) Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total * C CWI Student TTP 17 5,342 4,433 3,774 4,083 4,464 4,536 4,692 1,753 4,379 4,683 5,128 4,655 51,922 * D CWI Fac/Staff TTP BSU Student ESL TTP * 7 U of I Faculty TTP Summer Youth Program TTP *9 Idaho Power TTP ,934 * A ADA City TTP ,782 Emp/Spec TTP ,083 Stored Value: $12.00 TTP , , ,143 Stored Value: $24.00 TTP 42 2,185 2,338 2,172 2,776 2,498 2,762 2, ,604 2,470 2,686 2,316 27,523 Test Card TTP , , ,770 *6 Read TTP *B BSD Fac/Staff TTP ,028 Bill Override TTP *8 University of Idaho Student TTP ,162 Change Card Received TTP ,080 1, , ,763 23

24 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D FY17/18 Canyon County System Fares by Type for FY 17/18: Divisions 24 & 31 Received/Sold Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total BSU Faculty & Staff Key ,726 $1.00 Bill Override Key VRT Employee Key $5.00 Bill Override Key Short Fare Key BSU Student Key 6 1,791 1, ,261 1,218 1,193 1, ,390 13,010 Boise School District Key St. Luke Employee Key ,257 St. Alph. Employee Key ,147 Wheelchair (excluded from total) Key A Bicycle (excluded from total) Key B ,513 Issue Change Card Key C Free/Other Key D 2,653 1,196 1,290 1,532 1,410 1,516 1,428 11,423 1,666 1,472 1, ,788 All Day Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total All Day Local Sold TTP All Day Local Sold TTP All Day Local Sold TTP All Day Universal Sold TTP ,867 All Day Local Rec'd TTP ,065 1,006 9,093 All Day Universal Rec'd TTP All Day Local Reduced Sold TTP All Day Local Reduced Sold TTP All Day Local Reduced Sold TTP ,355 All Day Local Reduced Sold TTP ,651 All Day Local Reduced Rec'd TTP 3 1,315 1, ,036 1,014 1,069 1, ,128 1,259 1,180 1,021 12,186 All Day Universal Reduced Rec'd TTP Day Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 31 Day Local Rec'd TTP , Day Universal Rec'd TTP , Day Local Reduced Rec'd TTP , Day Universal Reduced Rec'd TTP ,874 3 Month Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 3 Month Local Rec'd TTP Month Universal Rec'd TTP ,571 3 Month Local Reduced Rec'd TTP Month Universal Reduced Rec'd TTP Month Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 6 Month Local Rec'd TTP Month Universal Rec'd TTP Annual Pass Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total Annual Local Rec'd TTP Annual Universal Rec'd TTP ,923 Cash Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total $1.00 Cash Fare TTP ,658 $1.00 Cash Fare TTP 16 1, , , Cash Fare TTP Cash Fare TTP ,847 Employer Passes Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total 3 Month Local Rec'd TTP Month Universal Rec'd TTP , Day Local Rec'd TTP Day Universal Rec'd TTP ,618 Misc. (programmed in GFI) Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Total * C CWI Student TTP 17 1,540 1, , ,459 * D CWI Fac/Staff TTP BSU Student ESL TTP * 7 U of I Faculty TTP Summer Youth Program TTP *9 Idaho Power TTP ,487 * A ADA City TTP ,722 Emp/Spec TTP * B BSD Fac/Staff: Not enabled TTP * 8 U of I Student TTP Change Card Received TTP Stored Value Card: $12.00 TTP Stored Value Card: $24.00 TTP ,640 Test Card TTP ,847

25 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D Recommendation #2 Pricing It is recommended that VRT increase fares to better align with peers and improve farebox recovery and increase the average fare. Consider raising the base fare to $1.25, reduced fare to $.60, day pass to $2.50, and 31-day pass to $45. Reduced fares should be as close to half the recommended fares as is practical. VRT s fares are significantly lower than their peers. The peer average base fare is $1.84, compared to VRT s $1.00. Additionally, VRT s average fare collected is $.20 (34%) less than the peer average. Peer City Fare Comparison City 2016 NTD Local Fare % Full Fare Reduced Fare Day Pass ADA Paratransit Average Fair VRT 7.7% $1.00 $0.50 $2.00 $ Des Moines IA 25.0% $1.75 $0.75 $4.00 $ Eugene OR 14.7% $1.75 $0.85 $3.50 $ Madison WI 23.4% $2.00 $1.00 $5.00 $ Reno NV 22.5% $2.00 $1.00 $3.00 $ Salem OR 8.3% $1.60 $0.80 $3.25 $ Spokane WA 14.6% $2.00 $1.00 $4.00 $ Tucson AZ 7.6% $1.75 $0.75 $4.00 $ The Four Nines Technologies Regional Fare Analysis offers the following recommendation as it relates to pricing: Recommendation: As VRT rationalizes and streamlines the fare products that are offered, consideration should also be given to increasing the base fare (i.e. the Local 1 Ride fare). Since the base fare also determines the price of other fare products (through pass multiples and discount rates), consideration should be given to adjusting pass pricing multiples to reflect pass usage rates, and ridership and fare revenue objectives. Applying a fare elasticity of -0.33, and assuming no shifts between fare products, increasing the Adult Local 1 Ride fare from $1.00 to $1.25, and the Adult Local Day Passes from $2.00 to $2.50, and holding all other pass prices and Student/Senior/ Disabled/Medicare fares constant, would result in a 7% reduction in Adult Local 1-Ride and Day Pass ridership, but a 16% increase in revenue generated by Adult Local 1-Ride and Day Pass ridership. Overall, this fare change would result in a 1.5% reduction in 5 25

26 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D total VRT fixed-line ridership. Since it is not known how many Adult Local Day Passes are sold, the impact on overall VRT fixed-line fare revenue cannot be determined. Increasing the base fare would also enable VRT to increase its ACCESS fares. ADA regulations set the maximum fare that transit agencies may charge on ADA complementary paratransit services at twice the cash fare for a comparable bus trip. 6 26

27 Recommendation #3 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D Reduced Fares Due to high utilization rates of reduced fare media and below-average farebox recovery, it is recommended that VRT undertake a comprehensive approach to enforcing the validity of reduced fares. Students, seniors, disabled and Medicare card holders should be required to apply for a VRT issued reduced fare photo identification. The ID should be required for purchasing and using reduced fare media or paying for a cash fare. IDs should also be provided to paratransit customers. Low-cost ID machines should be placed at the transit centers in Ada and Canyon Counties. The Four Nines Technologies analysis states the following: The FTA requires transit agencies to offer half fares during off-peak periods to seniors and persons with disabilities. The FTA also allows agencies to require passengers to show proof of eligibility when they pay their fare, in order to pay the half fare. Eligible forms of identification include a driver s license, Medicare card, special identification card, and ADA eligibility card. Agencies may also require passengers to obtain a special identification card as the sole basis for paying the half fare, as long as obtaining the special identification card is relatively easy. For example, although not prohibited, requiring individuals to travel to a single office, which may be inconveniently located, is not consistent with the intent of this requirement. Additionally, VRT should consider eliminating non-profit fare discounts. While partnerships are important, VRT s ability to fund services should not be secondary to the budgets of local nonprofits. Finally, eliminating stored value cards, which provide a 20% discount, would aid in the simplification of the fare structure and eliminate yet another fare discount. 7 27

28 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D Recommendation #4 Service Utilization and Costs It is recommended that VRT review routes and identify each as a coverage route or productivity route simply to provide a clear understanding of how the design of service impacts farebox revenue. Influences on farebox revenue and recovery are numerous and complex. An important factor to be considered is the design of the bus network. The table below shows the relative productivity of the VRT bus network compared to peers. VRT service productivity is well below the peer group and a factor may be the design of the bus network. If services are more focused on providing coverage rather than optimizing ridership, farebox revenue will not be optimized. Peer City Productivity Comparison City Average Trips/Hour VRT 14 Des Moines IA 21 Eugene OR 32 Madison WI 33 Reno NV 30 Salem OR 19 Spokane WA 26 Tucson AZ

29 Valley Regional Transit Fare Assessment ITEM VII D Recommendation #5 Smart Cards It is recommended that VRT engage the current smart card provider to determine the costs of more broad use of the technology. According to the Four Nines Technologies analysis: Fareboxes on VRT s fixed-line buses accept smart cards, but at this time, VRT has limited the use of smart cards to the One-Year Pass and VRT s Employer Program (ValleyRide Premium Pass). In part, this is because VRT has been concerned about incurring the costs of widespread use of smart card media. VRT also does not have the ability to reload smart cards. VRT only has one smart card/magnetic stripe card encoder at its VRT Meridian office. Smart cards are encoded to expire one year from the start date of the pass. Card management is handled by staff, and there is no portal for riders to manage their cards and load products. Transit agencies that have implemented fare collection equipment that accepts payment using smart cards have generally made extensive efforts to leverage the investment in that equipment by encouraging the use of smart cards, often by limiting certain fare products to smart cards (e.g., monthly passes, transfers) or by providing incentives (e.g., fare discounts for riders who use stored value instead of paying with cash). Most transit agencies with smart card fare systems charge $2 to $5 per card to cover their costs and to encourage riders to retain and reload the cards. In many cases, agencies have made efforts to distribute smart cards broadly and at no charge in advance of rolling out new fare collection systems, and charging for cards only after rollout. Some agencies charge for the card, but provide up to 100% of the price as a credit on the smart card. Other agencies charge only for replacement cards. In addition, some agencies have shifted day passes from paper to limited use smart cards and have increased the price of the day pass (e.g., by $0.25) to cover the media cost. 9 29

30 Regional Advisory Council Charter ITEM IX A Issue Summary Bus Stops Accessibility, Prioritization, and Review Areas, Policy Services/Programs, Outreach Valley Regional Transit maintains an inventory of bus stops, including location and amenities. This list needs to be reviewed to ensure an accurate and current list bus stop status for ADA compliance, as well as a process for prioritizing stop upgrades. This information will empower nonprofits and neighborhood groups to fully understand where ADA upgrades are necessary and the amount of funding to complete each upgrade. Nonprofits and neighborhood groups can work together to identify funding sources (such as Neighborhood Investment Program) in order to pay for facility upgrades. In addition, VRT installs new bus stops on occasion. The role of the RAC should be to help prioritize upgrades and provide input on plans for new bus stops, including location and facility design. Objectives Educate RAC members on ADA compliant bus stop design requirements, the processes for establishing bus stops by VRT, and how VRT maintains the bus stop inventory. Update the bus stop inventory, including ADA compliance status. Develop a matrix for prioritizing bus stop ADA upgrades, including incorporating additional planning documents, such as the ACHD ADA Transition Plan. Develop a prioritized list of bus stops requiring ADA upgrades. Identify possible funding sources based on bus stop locations (i.e. city, county, etc.) Identify possible nonprofit and neighborhood partners to assist in securing funding. Identify methods for communicating to customers the ADA compliance standards for all bus stops. Institutionalize the RAC s role in reviewing new bus stop proposals and upgrades. Activities 1. Conduct a performance accountability workshop to define and measure success December Review the VRT Bus Stop Location and Transit Amenities Development Guidelines (Approved 7/10/2016) January Review the ACHD ADA Transition Plan (comments due February 8, 2019) January RAC workshop on bus stop inventory, VRT Bus Stop Ranking and Rating Criteria Process (10/10/2016), and existing conditions February Review Bus Stop Service Areas March Review bus stop inventory, which includes ADA accessibility and other amenities March through April RAC Workshop on one-off bus stop designs and review process May Complete prioritized list of bus stops for improvements June Develop list of nonprofits and potential funding partners July through August P age 10/26/2018

31 Regional Advisory Council Charter ITEM IX A 10. Final draft bus stop design review process October 2019 Impact/Dependencies VRT is working on an initiative engaging neighborhoods on transit facilities and needs P age 10/26/2018

32 ITEM X A TOPIC: Executive Director Report DATE: November 20, 2018 Highlights: FY2019 Organizational Transition It seems that Valley Regional Transit goes through a major staffing shift about every three years. The changes we are experiencing this coming calendar year are a bit more significant than in years past. Many of you are aware that Linda Ihli is retiring after almost 15 years with VRT as my Executive Assistant. December 3rd will be her last Executive Board meeting. Our Accounting Manager, Linda Roberts is retiring in December after being with VRT for almost 13 years. In addition, Jim McMahon, VRT s Finance Director, left effective November 15 to take another position. We have been working to fill these critical positions and shore-up any gaps to ensure as seamless a transition as possible. I m going to miss both the Linda s very much. They have worked tirelessly since announcing their retirements to set up their successors for success. I am reviewing the Finance Director job description and will be making some adjustments to the functions based on the needs that were identified in the financial analysis. I will be posting that position over the next week. State Street Corridor Coordination The Executive Group meeting was held on October 29. The outcome of that meeting was to have the Technical Group focus over the next several weeks on drafting a scope, timeline, and budget to present to the Executive Group with the purpose of addressing the most critical concerns shared with the Policy Group in September. Those critical concerns include the issues of the viability of HOV lanes and the question of bus pull-outs in the urban segments of the system. We will also be drafting charters for the groups to help guide their processes and activities. Community Engagement I m continuing my work with community leaders in Ada and Canyon counties to engage leaders on strategies to fund and achieve the vision of ValleyConnect 2.0. We are breaking into small workgroups on stakeholder engagement and legislative activities. Those meetings are scheduled for next week. The larger group will be meeting in early December. Regional Coordination Council We completed the charters for the RAC on their highest priority work. I am going to be working with the members this next month to fill out the membership matrix and better show the various interests the members are representing throughout the region. We will also begin recruiting another Canyon County representative to fill the empty position. 700 NE 2nd Street, Suite 100 Meridian, ID p: f:

33 ITEM X A Mobility Management Program Supports Our new Mobility Navigator began this week. Obed Saenz was promoted to this position from Customer Service. Obed will be taking on revising our pass programs and establishing better processes and procedures for working with employers, human service agencies and neighborhoods on pass programs with the goal of getting more passes into customers hands and achieving better ridership on our services. We are continuing to work on our process to bring advertising in-house. There will be some additional changes to our staffing of that function. The project manager of that work is currently developing a business plan that will be a guide for implementing the program going forward. More information: Kelli Badesheim, Executive Director, , kbadesheim@valleyregionaltransit.org 33

34 ITEM X A TOPIC: Finance and Administration Activity Report DATE: November 13, 2018 Summary This memo provides an update on the accomplishments of the Finance and Administration Department. VRT Strategic Plan Goal 1 Demonstrate responsible stewardship of public resources. Highlights: Budget/Finance VRT Finance staff closed FY2018 and is compiling financial information for submission to the Authority s independent auditors for the annual audit. Finance Staff is working on coordinating the Social Security 218 Referendum process for the Authority including correspondence with the Board, current and past employees. Finance and Development Staff are working on documenting procedures in the Finance and Organizational Capacity Workgroup. This working group reviews policy, procedures, and emerging financial and organizational capacity issues for the organization. Procurement The Procurement Calendar that documents procurements through FY2019 has been updated. VRT Finance, Operations and Development staff are currently working on finalizing and issuing the following procurements for FY2019 QR-1: o Bus Bench - Revenue Generating Advertising o Mobile Ticketing o Boise Green Bike Support Vehicle o Automatic Passenger Counters o Audit Services Grant Management Sub-Recipient agreement has been prepared and executed for Treasure Valley Transit for FY19-20 funding. Staff has finalized the ACHD agreement, and it is currently pending execution. FTA s grant application (TrAMS) has opened back up. Staff will start inputting FY19 grant applications and remaining FY18 grants once project balancing has been completed, all projects have been identified and funding amount levels determined. The following FY2018 Grants listed below have not been awarded as of the date of this memorandum. VRT is waiting for CWI and City of Nampa final subrecipient agreements to be signed. Grant applications have been input for these projects and are presently pending FTA grant review, approval, and executed agreements. HVAC/AboveBeyond/ACHD Vans FY18 grant application is pending input. 700 N. East 2nd Street, Suite 100 Meridian, ID p: f:

35 ITEM X A TrAMS is now open. Applications will be input. For More Information: Contact Kelli Badesheim, Executive Director, (208) , or e- mail kbadesheim@valleyregionaltransit.org 35