TAMRMS#: B06
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Additional Dial-A-Bus
Notice given by: Councillor Joly
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BUDGET POSTPONED MOTION:
recommendation
That $67,400 for Public Works & Transit Additional Dial-A-Bus be funded through taxes.
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POSTPONED MOTION ADMINISTRATIVE BACKGROUNDER:
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Administration’s Understanding of Intent Motion:
“As referenced in the 2020 Operating Business Case “Additional Dial-a-Bus Deployment Weekday Evenings and Weekends”, this motion proposes to add one more bus to evening and weekend Dial-a-Bus to facilitate service to key outlying areas of St. Albert such as the growing commercial and high-density residential areas north of Villeneuve Road and the higher density developments at Nevada Place. At present, Dial-a-Bus operators are facing significant challenges to their ability to complete assigned circuits within the prescribed 50-minute window. These challenges are the result of increased travel distances and times and will only be magnified when travel times are extended to operate into and out of the new Campbell Road Transit Facility. Current deployment is 3 buses, scaled down to 2 at the very late period.”
This Business case represents a continuation of this same OBC submitted in previous budget cycles as a proactive planning move to maintain current service levels as prescribed in Council Policy C-TS-01 Transit Services, and to position Transit to maintain this service when Campbell Facility opens. As we draw near the actual opening date of the Facility, the additional deployment becomes more imperative. Without this addition, Dial-a-Bus will not be in a position to maintain coverage to all local areas of St. Albert in evening and weekend periods.
Operational or Organizational Impacts if Motion is Approved:
The additional Dial-a-Bus would require an increase to budgeted operational hours but does not represent a need to augment current organizational resources or fleet size. The service addition can be accommodated within the present organizational structure.
The additional Dial-a-bus would be introduced in September of 2020 to coincide with the opening of the Campbell Road Transit Facility (to be renamed).
Financial Implications of Motions:
It is estimated that the cost impact to introduce an additional Dial-a-Bus to the existing deployment will account for an $82,000 increase in operating budget in the first year and will be offset by approximately $14,600 in fare revenue for a total of $67,400. Future years ongoing annual cost starting in 2021 could be up to $202,000 however other service models and technologies are being investigated (see below for more details).
In 2020, the additional deployment would begin in September to coincide with the opening of the new Transit Facility.
It should be noted at this point that Transit will be exploring opportunities to augment or even replace the current Dial-a-Bus structure with new technologies and services known as “On-Demand” transit. This is the use of computer-assisted or smart-phone enabled hailing technology to request rides that Dial-a-Bus once provided. Partnerships with private operators can potentially provide a much higher level of personal service, using more but smaller vehicles, and at a reduced overall cost. Such technology is relatively new to the transit industry and the potential to provide a vastly higher level of service during lower demand periods at a reduced cost is being explored by numerous agencies nation-wide, and particularly within the region. StAT continue to monitor this technology as it gains more exposure and will closely follow the progress of our regional partners as they engage the new service. StAT Administration does, however, recommend that any introduction of this new service be delayed until the public has had an opportunity to adjust to monumental changes coming in 2020 - a new real-time data service (Smart Bus), the Smart Fare payment system, and the routing changes associated with the opening of Campbell Road Transit Facility.
Stakeholder Consultations:
This initiative will not require stakeholder consultation as its intent is to make the DAB service easier to use and more effective. Access to Dial-a-Bus has been an on-going issue with riders as demonstrated by the Customer Satisfaction Survey of 2018 and on-going concerns registered through customer service.
Communication to the public will be a component of a broader information campaign educating the public on the routes operating into and out of Campbell Transit Facility.
Background:
Issue - With growth in the Ville Giroux, Erin Ridge North, particularly with commercial and higher density residential, transit drivers are facing significant difficulties in performing all of their drop-offs and local pick-ups in the 50-minute timeframe allotted for return to Village Transit Station. The remaining ten minutes of each hour are dedicated to taking phone call bookings from new customers. Drivers are finding it increasingly difficult to make it back to VTS within 60 minutes, let alone to take additional calls for 10 minutes.
This challenge will be compounded with the opening of the Campbell Road Transit facility which will add a minimum of ten minutes travel time to each hourly cycle and will certainly not be achievable in a 50-minute timeframe.
Customer feedback has identified a problem of access to the driver. Oftentimes, passengers cannot get through to the driver because the he/she has not yet returned to VTS or the phone is busy. Adding another driver spreads incoming calls out and provides greater access to the service.
Opportunities - The additional bus will allow StAT to convert Route A14 to a fully fixed route and schedule from the current hybrid role of combined fixed and Dial-a-Bus. The A14 is our busiest local route and is the main “spine” route that operates between Village Transit Station and Costco. Important destinations served include City Hall, St. Albert’s Downtown, St. Albert Centre, Sturgeon Hospital, Walmart and Costco. It is also the principle route serving higher density housing in Erin Ridge North, Citadel, and the future Grandin high-density developments. The remaining buses will continue to serve Dial-a-Bus roles throughout the remainder of St. Albert.
Risks - Not expanding Dial-a-Bus effectively places a cap on the number of passengers that can be accommodated, or the areas that can be reached within the 50-minute window, and significantly impacts local individuals who rely on transit for access to employment or education opportunities. Further to this, post-secondary institutions are making greater use of evening classes and these students, who are contributing to the U-Pass program, are finding local service unable to accommodate their needs.
Report Date: November 21, 2019
Author(s): Anthony Lake
Committee/Department: Public Works & Transit
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble