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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/18/1998 Study Session 218 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AUGUST 18, 1998 STUDY SESSION • The City Council met in session on this date at 7:30 a.m., in the Second Floor Conference Room, Police Department /Legal Center, Yakima, Washington, Mayor John Puccinelli, presiding. Council Members Clarence Barnett, Lynn Buchanan, John Klingele (present after 7:55 a.m.), Mary Place, and Bernard Sims present on roll call. Council Member Henry Beauchamp absent and excused. City Manager Zais; Assistant City Manager Rice; Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works; Don Toney, Fleet Maintenance Manager; Karen Allen, Customer Relations Coordinator; Paul McMurray, Assistant City Attorney; Marketa George Oliver, Administrative Assistant to the City Manager; and Deputy City Clerk Skovald also present. Study Session on the Transit Task Force Recommendations Mayor Puccinelli called the meeting to order and noted that this study session will be in addition to the public hearing scheduled for September 1, 1998. Mayor Puccinelli then invited comments from staff to be followed by comments from the Task Force. Chris Waarvick, Public Works Director, read the list of eight recommendations from the Transit Task Force and the additional recommendation from staff to set a date of public hearing for September 1, 1998. The first Taskforce Recommendation is to reduce Dial -A -Ride eligible client base to 1% of the total population. Mr. Waarvick reported that the Dial -A -Ride (DAR) eligible client base is being recertified. John Haddix, Senior Project Planner, described the process used to determine eligibility and reported that nearly all non - current users have been eliminated from the system. Karen Allen, Customer Relations Coordinator, provided statistics on the number of active riders, those who are deceased, and those who are inactive. The second Taskforce recommendation is to purchase buses with seating to accommodate 85% of the peak ridership. Mr. Waarvick explained a smaller Blue Bird bus has been included in the draft bids to accommodate this Task Force recommendation. He pointed out that specifications have been included in the information packet for both the Blue Bird bus and a smaller version with wheel chair accommodation. There was discussion about the size of the buses, the material they are made with, the capacity between the Blue Bird bus and the Eldorado National bus, and the availability of each model. Staff will provide additional information showing the weight differences between those two makes of buses. 219 AUGUST 18, 1998 - STUDY SESSION Council Member Sims requested clarification about funding. Mr. Waarvick explained there is capital money available to modify existing.buses to include wheel chair accessibility and to purchase new buses. Discussion then continued about funding new buses. There was a brief discussion about recommendation number seven to eliminate Dial -A -Ride service on Sunday and non - transit service holidays. Mayor $uccinelli asked Pam Scott, CEO of Paratransit, if the DAR system is reduced, would they, as the provider, have to increase their rate. Pam Scott indicated that she did not foresee any significant increase in rate if the DAR program is downsized. Mr. Waarvick reported a contract with Novaeon has been executed to help with client eligibility, indicating'this would be very helpful since ridership is expected to increase in 1999. Karen Allen reported that the contractor would redevelop the City's DAR program starting with the application process. More specific information to determine whether applicants can utilize the fixed route system will be required. She explained that whether they can utilize the fixed route system depends on their degree of mobility and whether transit services can be provided by using a wheelchair lift. Those riders are called conditional riders. She also indicated they are anticipating an increased demand for wheelchair accessible vehicles. By expanding the availability of routes, more accessibility opportunities will be provided to DAR eligible riders. Discussion took place about the third Taskforce recommendation to retrofit non - accessible buses with wheelchair lifts. Mr. Deatley expressed concern about how the existing handicapped equipped route is being utilized. He suggested that this issue be studied further. He also suggested that the use should be determined, whether the equipment is used or not, before all the buses are retrofitted. Mr. Waarvick indicated that those figures are not currently available; however, we will have to develop a plan to not limit DAR service. Paul McMurray, Assistant City Attorney, indicated that the more accessible the transit system is then the better ability to limit the DAR program. From a legal perspective, he supported the idea of retrofitting all the old buses. Ernie Berger said if the decision is to go to smaller buses, all of them would have wheelchair lifts installed at the factory. A decision needs to be made whether to retrofit the buses or just go to smaller buses, not both. There was continued discussion about this issue. There was brief discussion about the fourth and fifth Taskforce recommendations to increase the base fixed -route fare to $1 and Dial - A -Ride fare to $2, and to conduct an analysis of various fare structures for City Council consideration. The increased fares will be considered at the September 1, 1998 Public Hearing. An analysis will be prepared before this recommendation is considered. The sixth Taskforce recommendation to reduce fleet size to meet federal policy was discussed later in the meeting, and the seventh Taskforce recommendation was discussed earlier in the meeting. The eighth 2 220 AUGUST 18, 1998 - STUDY SESSION Taskforce recommendation to accept Access Paratransit's proposal for a one -year demonstration contract to operate Fixed - Routes 3 and 10 needs further evaluation before a decision can be made. City Manager Zais explained that more administrative discussion is needed about contracting out bus routes. The issue needs to be discussed at a later time because there are some collective bargaining implications. The ninth recommendation was made by staff to hold a public hearing on the Taskforce recommendations. September 1, 1998 has been set as the date of public hearing for the City Council to consider these issues. The public hearing is scheduled as the last item on the business meeting agenda and will be continued at 6:00 as an early evening meeting. Bruce Smith, Chair of the Transit Task Force, commended the Transit Division for doing a good job and appreciates the speed of the evaluation of the list. He feels that retrofitting the buses is also a good idea. } howcvcr, he dioagrccd with thc rccommcndation to buy omallcr bunco to accomplish thc 85 perccnt pcak ridcrship Took Forcc atio ?Although the bottom line of their recommendation is to buy smaller buses, Mr. Smith pointed out that it was not the Task Force's recommendation to buy smaller buses. He disagrees with buying smaller buses as the only means to accomplish the 85% of peak ridership Task Force recommendation. The intent of the Task Force's recommendation is that the City evaluate each route, determine what its peak ridership is, and then buy buses to accommodate 85% of the peak ridership for each bus. He then directed attention to the comparison chart in the staff report. The tables illustrate the operating cost service items for the heavy -duty transit buses versus the Cut -A -Way Vans. Mr. Smith feels diesel buses should not be compared to gasoline engine buses because it would create an inaccurate comparison. Don Toney, Fleet Maintenance Manager, pointed out that neither the committee nor staff is recommending gasoline engine buses. He explained that the comparison shows the gasoline and diesel cost differences from the examples they were able to determine. Mr. Smith stated that a direct comparison of operating costs between Eldorado and Blue Bird buses should be done using real operating figures. Mr. Smith then provided copies of December 1997 Transit Performance statistics and elaborated on the cost for fixed route versus DAR services showing it costs more on a fixed route bus system. Council Member Sims asked Mr. Smith to clarify the basis of the calculation for the cost per revenue hour figure. Mr. Smith explained that the cost per revenue hour is based on schedule hours, showing it costs more on a fixed route system. There is more wear and tear on a fixed route system, but that is only a portion of the costs; there are also labor costs on top of that. Mr. Deatley directed attention to the quote for advertising on the buses. The state -of- the -art electronic readerboard cost is $11,000, 1 As amended by the Council on September 1, 1998. 2 As further amended by the Council on September 15, 1998. 3 221 AUGUST 18, 1998 - STUDY SESSION and he feels that is too expensive. Next, Mr. Deatley recommended that the fleet be further reduced by eliminating two more buses - one bus from Fixed Route #3, by contracting this route out as a pilot project. Providing a special focused route instead could eliminate another bus from Fixed Route #10. Mr. Deatley also feels there is no need for the number of spare buses staff has indicated. He suggested . a standby program be developed with the local bus company: He also urged the Council to consider privatizing the Transit system along . with privatizing the mechanical work where the buses are repaired at night and are always available during the day. There was an exchange of ideas about the brake overhaul maintenance schedule, particularly the number of miles before the brakes need to be'overhauled. Council Member Place inquired whether 15- passenger vans would accommodate some of the routes to meet the 85% ridership recommendation. There was discussion about the statistical analysis based on a 25% error rate and supported by the Taskforce and basing the staff recommendation on ridership data instead of actual ridership data. Discussion continued among the members of the City Council, members of the Taskforce, and City staff as to the type of buses to include in the comparison and the accessories included in the price. Don Toney explained it is difficult to find the same type of buses in use in different cities for comparison purposes Walla, and Metro Link were suggested. Mr. Deatley suggested that the Taskforce work with staff to assist with a cost comparison and to develop recommendations. Council Member Sims requested staff to follow -up on the following issues: (1) The number of spare buses in the fleet, whether . replacement buses can be contracted with another jurisdiction, and whether the City's capital funding would be affected. (2) Cost comparison information on operation and maintenance for two or three models of several makes of buses according to passenger capacity. After a brief discussion about the structure for bus fares, Mayor Puccinelli reminded everyone about the public hearing scheduled for September 1, 1998. The meeting adjourned at 8:55 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: AZ 7 ,t/�+ /7 COUNCIL MEMBER DATE /j /1-3' DATE y� COUNCIL MEM ER ATTEST: yy � % CITY CLERK JOHN PUCE NELLI, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Deputy City Clerk Skova.d. An audio and video tape of this meeting is available in the City Clerk's Office 4