METROPOLITAN EVANSVILLE TRANSIT SYSTEM Part I: Comprehensive Operations Analysis Overview

July 9th, 2015 Public Information Meeting

AGENDA

• 5:30 – 5:40 Open House

• 5:40 – 6:30 Presentation – Comprehensive Operations Analysis - Report Overview

• 6:30 – 7:20 Alternative Service Plans - Feedback

• 7:20 – 7:30 Final Steps and Closing

COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONS ANALYSIS (COA)

• COA - standard business practice recommended every 5 to 7 years

• Last COA for METS - 1999

• Year-long review of METS Service and Operations commissioned by the Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization (EMPO)

• Routes, schedules, operating practices, and state of system’s physical assets

• Evaluate versus peer systems

SIGNIFICANT ADDED SERVICE NEEDS

• Add Sunday service (7 routes)

• More frequent weekday service (5 routes)

• Added weekday and Sat. evening service (4 routes)

• New crosstown service (5 routes)

• New express routes (2 routes)

• Route consolidations (2 pairs of routes)

• Route realignments (7 routes)

• Improvements in all METS Transfer Centers

CHALLENGES TO GET THERE

• Age of fixed route fleet

• Long-term funding projections

• Need for policy of small, regular fare increases

• Costs of Mobility service are far higher than peers

• Some improvements require more than five-year service plan horizon

• Changes will impact some existing riders

FLEET – FIXED ROUTE

Key Findings

• Fixed route bus fleet is NOT in “state of good repair”

• Age is major hindrance to expanding service

Recommendation

• Accelerate bus purchases • 3 vehicles/year starting in 2016

• 4 vehicles/year in 2019 & 2020

FACILITIES – BUS GARAGE AND MAINTENANCE AREA

Key Findings

• Better interior lighting

• Repainting

• Wi-Fi for current diagnostic equipment

• Limited indoor storage

Recommendation

• Fund in future capital programs

TECHNOLOGY

Key Findings

• Recent fixed-route technology purchases • Computer-aided dispatch and automatic vehicle location system

• Interior “Next Stop” voice and visual annunciator system

• “Next Bus” information systems for smart phones and computers

• Implementation will overextend current staff

• Longer-term initiatives • Automatic passenger counters

• Fare collection upgrades

TECHNOLOGY

Recommendations

• Defer further technology investments • “State of Good Repair” pressing priority

• Staff support needed to implement is not in place

• Fare collection technology likely to change significantly in near future

SERVICE STANDARDS

Key Findings

• METS does not use formal service standards

Recommendation

• Implement formal Service Standards

PUBLIC INPUT – SURVEY AND WEBSITE

Major Points of Interest

• Sunday service

• More frequent service

• Longer hours of service

• Bus stop and transfer terminal improvements (including signage)

• Geographic areas lacking service

• Rider safety

• Bus and equipment condition

MORE FREQUENT WEEKDAY SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

MORE FREQUENT WEEKDAY SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

• Most routes shown improve weekday service from 30 to 20 minutes

• #7 – First Avenue WD service from 60 to 30 minutes

• Likely to attract additional choice riders

• Increased annual ridership – 150,000 riders

• Increased annual fare revenue - $65,000

• Increased annual operating cost - $614,000

SUNDAY SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

SUNDAY SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

• Operate from 7 am to 7 pm on Sundays and holidays

• Increased annual ridership – 54,000 riders

• Increased annual fare revenue - $25,000

• Increased annual operating cost - $235,000

WEEKDAY AND SATURDAY EVENING SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

WEEKDAY AND SATURDAY EVENING SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

• Operate until about 11:15 pm leaving downtown

• Replace #18 – Stringtown/First Ave. route

• Increased annual ridership – 73,000 riders

• Increased annual fare revenue - $24,000

• Increased annual operating cost - $270,000

NEW CROSSTOWN SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

NEW CROSSTOWN SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

• Replace one-way “loops” with two-way service • #6 – Walnut, #10 – Lynch

• New Green River and Weinbach/Oak Hill routes

• Attracts choice riders • Increased annual ridership

– 161,000 riders • Increased annual fare

revenue - $70,000 • Increased annual operating

cost - $427,000

ROUTE CONSOLIDATION CONSIDERATIONS

ROUTE CONSOLIDATION CONSIDERATIONS

ROUTE CONSOLIDATION CONSIDERATIONS

• Remove route segments that serve very few riders

• Decreased annual ridership – 15,000 riders

• Decreased annual fare revenue - $8,000

• Savings in annual operating cost - $314,000

ROUTE REALIGNMENT CONSIDERATIONS

ROUTE REALIGNMENT CONSIDERATIONS

• 7 routes realigned to rationalize service patterns

• Confusing pattern of different inbound and outbound routings

• Eliminate designation of “A” and “B” trips

• Increased annual ridership – 17,800 riders

• Increased added fare revenue - $7,500

• No significant change in operating cost

WEEKDAY EXPRESS SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

WEEKDAY EXPRESS SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

WEEKDAY EXPRESS SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS

• 2 new express services proposed • Downtown to Warrick County (peak

only) • Downtown to USI (AM through PM

Peak)

• Increased annual ridership – 61,200 riders

• Increased added fare revenue - $91,800

• Increased annual operating cost - $293,300

FINANCIAL/FUNDING PROJECTIONS

Observations

• MPO area of interest as funding agency

• Current trends in funding and costs unsustainable

• METS Mobility costs far more than Indiana peers

• METS fares have not changed since 1999

• Recommend fare policy changes • Small, periodic fare increases

• Transfer charge

FINANCIAL/FUNDING PROJECTIONS

Observations

• Fare policy changes on Mobility can bring major cost savings

• Bringing fixed route fleet to state of good repair can provide major maintenance cost reductions

• Recommend expanding local funding through Public Transportation Corporation

TRANSFER CENTERS

Key Findings

• Centers are in appropriate geographic locations (Downtown, Eastland Mall, West Side Schnucks, North Park, ITT-Newburgh, and Lawndale)

• Upgrades and enhancements recommended at all locations

DOWNTOWN TRANSFER CENTER

Recommendations

• New lighting

• Public information facilities

• Raise center platform

• Estimated cost: $73,000

EASTLAND MALL TRANSFER CENTER

Recommendations

• New transfer center on south curb of Vogel Road west of Green River Road

• Estimated cost: $89,000

WEST SIDE SCHNUCKS TRANSFER CENTER

Recommendations

• New transfer center on west curb of Rosenberger Avenue

• Estimated cost: $32,000

NORTH PARK TRANSFER CENTER

Recommendations

• New transfer center on south curb of Mill Road east of First Avenue

• Estimated cost: $30,000

ITT-NEWBURGH CAMPUS TRANSFER CENTER

Recommendations

• Provide passenger shelter, lighting and information kiosk at existing transfer location with Warrick County service (WATS)

• Estimated cost: $25,000

LAWNDALE PARK AND RIDE/TRANSFER CENTER

Recommendations

• Construct park and ride lot to serve a proposed express service from the ITT-Newburgh Campus transfer center

• Implement in later years of five-year service plans once fleet age issues are addressed

• Estimated cost: $1,408,000

METS MOBILITY

• METS Mobility costs much higher than peer systems in Indiana

• 2013 INDOT data • METS Mobility at 30% of total operating costs

• Peer average of 13% of operating costs

METS MOBILITY

Recommendations

• Offer free fixed-route service to ADA-eligible Mobility riders • Mobility service remains available

• Offer free fixed-route service to Mobility convenience fare riders • Mobility service no longer offered

• Consider contracting Mobility service • METS responsible for service quality and delivery

STAFFING AND ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT

Recommendations

• Multiple recommendations for existing staff

• Add two professional staff

• New Service Planning/Scheduling/Marketing Mgr. • Transit route planning, schedules, public involvement, and marketing

• Service Support Manager • Training, extra board, absenteeism, schedule and HR support

• Operate as Public Transportation Corporation

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?

METROPOLITAN EVANSVILLE TRANSIT SYSTEM Part II: Service Plan Discussion

SERVICE PLAN ALTERNATIVES

• Plan 1 – Emphasizes service intensity • Existing, well-patronized bus corridors

• Plan 2 – More emphasis on expanding service • Moderate increase in existing corridors

• New crosstown services

• New express routes

• Plan 3 – Reflects lower fleet purchases

ALTERNATIVE 1

• Improved frequencies Routes 1 – Washington, 2 – Riverside, 7 – First Ave., 8 – Lincoln, and 9- Covert between 2016 and 2019

• Provide Sunday service Routes 1 – Washington, 2 – Riverside, 5 – Mary/Tekoppel, 6 – Walnut, 7 – First Ave., 9 – Covert and 14 – Shoppers Shuttle in 2016

• Consolidate Routes 5 – Mary/Tekoppel and 12 – Howell and Routes 14 – Shoppers Shuttle and 15 – East Connection in 2016

ALTERNATIVE 1

• Realign Routes 2 – Riverside, 3 – Fulton, 4 – Stringtown, 5 – Mary/Tekoppel, 8 – Lincoln, 13 – Downtown Trolley; 18 – Stringtown/First Ave., 23 – US Highway 41 N Connection in 2016

• Add evening service Routes 4 – Stringtown, 6 – Walnut, 7 – First Ave., and 10 – Lynch in 2017

• Implement USI – Downtown Express in 2020

ALTERNATIVE 2

• Sunday service Routes 1 – Washington, 2 – Riverside, 5 – Mary/Tekoppel, 6 – Walnut, 7 – First Ave., 9 – Covert and 14 – Shoppers Shuttle in 2016

• New northeast side crosstown services, replacing existing one-way loops; affects Routes 6 – Walnut, 10 – Lynch and 11 – Morgan (new) in 2016

• Consolidate Routes 5 – Mary/Tekoppel and 12 – Howell and Routes 14 – Shoppers Shuttle and 15 – East Connection in 2016

ALTERNATIVE 2

• Realign Routes 2 – Riverside, 3 – Fulton, 4 – Stringtown, 5 – Mary/Tekoppel, 8 – Lincoln, 13 – Downtown Trolley; 18 – Stringtown/First Ave., 23 – US Highway 41 N Connection in 2016

• Implement USI – Downtown Express in 2016

• Add evening service on Routes 4 – Stringtown, 6 – Walnut, 7 – First Ave., and 10 – Lynch in 2017

ALTERNATIVE 2

• Add new Green River Road Crosstown in 2017

• Add Warrick/Lawndale/Downtown Express in 2019

• Add new Oak Hill/Weinbach Crosstown in 2020

ALTERNATIVE 3

• Assumes only two new fixed route buses per year • Recommendations are 3 – 4 per year through 2020

• No service requiring more peak period buses

• Sunday service on Routes 1 – Washington, 2 – Riverside, 5 – Mary/Tekoppel, 6 – Walnut, 7 – First Ave., 9 – Covert and 14 – Shoppers Shuttle in 2016

ALTERNATIVE 3

• Consolidate Routes 5 – Mary/Tekoppel and 12 – Howell and Routes 14 – Shoppers Shuttle and 15 – East Connection in 2016

• Realign Routes 2 – Riverside, 3 – Fulton, 4 – Stringtown, 5 – Mary/Tekoppel, 8 – Lincoln, 13 – Downtown Trolley; 18 – Stringtown/First Ave., 23 – US Highway 41 N Connection in 2016

• Add evening service on Routes 4 – Stringtown, 6 – Walnut, 7 – First Ave., and 10 – Lynch in 2018

ALTERNATIVES COMPARISON

NEXT STEPS

• Submit comments via project website (www.metstransitstudy.info) or using comment form

• Comments accepted through July 17 • Submit written comments to:

David Goffinet Lochmueller Group, Inc.

6200 Vogel Road Evansville, IN 47715

dgoffinet@Lochgroup.com • Late July – finalize single five-year service plan after

consideration of all comments and input

TRAVELING CITY HALL

When: July 29 from 5:30 to 6:30

Where: METS Offices

601 John Street

What: Mayor Discussion on Final Report

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?