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Home My WebLink About2000-041 A&A Motorcoach Contract Extension (Fixed Route #3) ORDINANCE NO. 2000- 41 AN ORDINANCE amending the 2000 budget for the City of Yakima; and making an appropriation of $36,000 within the 462 — Transit Operating Fund for expenditure during 2000 to extend the Fixed Route #3 contract to December 31, 2000. WHEREAS, the amount of $36,000 must be appropriated within the 462 — Transit Operating Fund for expenditure during 2000 to extend the Fixed Route #3 contract to December 31, 2000, and WHEREAS, at the time of the adoption of the 2000 budget it could not reasonably have been foreseen that the appropriation provided for by this ordinance would be required; and the City Council finds that an emergency exists of the type contemplated by RCW 35.33.091 and that it is in the best interests of the City to make the appropriation herein provided, now, therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF YAKIMA: Section 1. The amount of $36,000 is hereby appropriated from the Unappropriated Fund Balance in the 462 — Transit Operating Fund to account number 462-4- 462 - 512 -T645- 547.60- 410 as a 2000 appropriation. Section 2. This ordinance is one making an appropriation and shall take effect innmediately upon its passage, approval and publication as provided by law and by the City Charter. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, signed and approved this 19 day of September, 2000. 277 A.RY PLACE, MAYOR ATTEST: ) L yvi L CITY CLERK First Reading: 9 - - 2000 Publication Date: 9 Effective Date: 9 - 2000 cje 08/31/00 BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 1 .3 For Meeting Of— ITEM TITLE: A. A Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an Extension to an Existing Agreement with A & A Motor Coach to Operate Fixed -Route #3 Through December 31, 2000 B. An Ordinance amending the 2000 Budget in the Transit Operating Fund for the Fixed Route #3 contract extension. SUBMITTED BY: Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works John A. Haddix, Acting Transit Manager Cindy Epperson, Accounting Manager CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE: John A. Haddix/575 -6005 SUMMARY EXPLANATION: The Staff recommends to the full City Council that the existing service contract with A & A Motorcoach be extended to the end of the year (through December 31, 2000). The contract extension requires an appropriation of $36,000 to the Transit Operating Fund. Mr. Ammerman of A & A Motorcoach was contacted by telephone and is receptive to our proposal. The Council Transit Committee agreed to this contract extension at their August 29, 2000 meeting. The uncertain future of Yakima Transit's due to Initiative 745 makes any discussion over whether or not the City should maintain a single bus route private or public served by a small or large bus somewhat meaningless. There will be ample time to decide the fate of Fixed -Route #3 after the November election. (Continued) Resolution: X Ordinance: X Other (Specify): Contract Modification: X Mail to: A & A Motorcoach PO 9364 Yakima, WA 98909 -0364 Phone: 575 -3676 Funding Source: Transit Operating Fund APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: C City Manager er g STAFF RECOMMENDATION: A: Adopt Resolution B: • Read Ordinance by title only at the September 5, 2000 meeting. Pass Ordinance after second reading at the September 19, 2000 meeting. COUNCIL TRANSIT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: Council approval for an extension with A & A Motorcoach to provide Fixed -Route #3 until December 31, 2000. COUNCIL ACTION: A. Resolution adopted. RESOLUTION NO. R- 2000 -114 B. First reading of ordinance; second reading scheduled for 9 -19 -2000 Background Last August the Council approved an agreement to provide Fixed -Route #3 service with A & A Motorcoach. The agreement stipulated that it was to be a one -year demonstration project. The Contractor began providing bus service on October 4, 1999. The existing contract is set to expire at Midnight, September. 30, 2000. Further, upon the completion of a one -year demonstration project, the Council was to decide whether or not to continue or end the contracted service. The Council is to make its determination by evaluating at least three criteria: the cost, the service, and public acceptance. Although Staff is recommending a three -month contract extension, a preliminary staff overview of the past year using the three criteria prescribed is provided to the Council at this time for informational purposes. In regard to the cost of service, A & A Motorcoach is charging for 12 3/4 hours of daily work, five days a week. There is no Saturday service provided. The hourly rate charged for service is $44.50. This equals a daily charge of $567.37 and a weekly charge of $2,836.87. The weekly charge multiplied by 52 weeks equals an annual sum of $147,517.50. This annual sum is slightly higher than the lump -sum bid amount of $141,731.20. In fairness to A & A Motorcoach, the written lump -sum bid was based on estimated hours of service and not actual hours of service. The Contract allows for adjustment once hours are actually determined. Accordingly, Staff is not holding A & A Motorcoach to their original annual lump -sum bid. In regard to service, observations are that while the provision of service by the private operator is generally good, there are certain areas that need more attention. Initially, the private sector bus drivers seem to lack training on how a public transit system works (i.e., the importance of maintaining scheduled time points, transfers, customer service information, providing information to transit dispatch on difficulties when encountered in the field, etc.). The private sector drivers eventually do pick up on the process but only after having many conversations with City bus operators. It appears the Contractor is relying heavily on his drivers to learn the transit system while on the job (OJT). This has led to some difficulties at times in providing quality service to our customers. In regard to public acceptance of Route #3, the evidence provided by the comments received and the ridership numbers collected reflect that the contracted small bus service has not been without concerns and complaints from the riding public. In the beginning, there were complaints about the small size of the bus and about people being left at the curb because the small bus was overcrowded during certain times of the day. In an attempt to solve the problem of leaving people at the curb, Staff asked A & A Motorcoach to provide a cost estimate of providing additional service on an "as needed" basis. Admittedly, it is difficult at best to predict when such needs for additional service might arise. Never the less, A & A Motorcoach responded to our request for additional service by a November FAX. A & A Motorcoach said that they could not provide "overload" service on extremely short notice. They said that if they could be given a 2 -hour advance notice they could schedule a large bus. (Continued) 2 Their fee for this "additional" service would be $150 per hour. A & A Motorcoach suggested that since Yakima Transit normally has a driver standing by that Yakima Transit's response time in such cases would be much faster than theirs. Since the overload problem has never been fully addressed, the customers riding Route #3 have found their own solutions to the capacity challenge. Their solutions appear to be that they have either 1) stopped taking a bus altogether or 2) moved over to other bus routes that they are more comfortable with. As an example, Route #4 which has a large bus assigned to it runs opposite of Route #3 and many riders have chosen to cross the street and take Route #4. Also, because Route #7 has a large bus assigned to it and it covers approximately the same area of the City as Routes #3 and #4, riders are taking Route #7 instead of Route #3. Our collected ridership figures for the above mentioned routes seem to bear this out (see attached ridership data). The data and observations seem to confirm many previous studies showing that people are extremely flexible when it comes to making transportation choices. They will apply their preference to ride or not to ride and/or adapt their travel plans according to the quality and level of service provided. Last, as a condition of the contract A & A Motorcoach is required to meet certain obligations (see attached May 19, 2000 Memo). The Contractor has been cooperative in furnishing all the information when requested. Route #3 statistics are reported daily and the bus vault box is removed on a schedule as though the City was still operating the route. 3