HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-04-01 - AGENDA REPORTS - SC TRANSIT BUS SERVICE (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Smyth and Councilmembers
FROM: George A. Caravalho, City Mang*er
DATE: April 1, 1997
SUBJECT: SANTA CLARrFA TRANSIT COMMUTER EXPRESS BUS SERVICE
BACKGROUND
In response to City Council requests, Mr. Terri Van Der Aa, President and Chief Executive Officer
of our transit service contractor, ATC/Vancom, Inc. will be at this Study Session, Mr. Van Der Aa
will identify actions the company is taking and going to take to restore service and equipment to
Santa Clarita standards.
On August 5, 1996 ATCNANCOM assumed the contract to operate Santa Clarita Transit local
fixed route bus service, commuter express bus service to Los Angeles and dial -a -ride service from
ATE/Ryder. On Sept 3, 1996 ATC assumed the contract to operate commuter express bus service
to the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley from Antelope Valley Bus Inc (AVBI). The
services operated by AVBI were initially created as emergency services after the Northridge
Earthquake and require the contractor operating the service to provide the equipment, while the
former ATE services are operated with City owned equipment. ATC acquired ten 1986 Neoplan
Metroliners (similar to the eleven 1991 Neoplan Metroliners owned by the City) to replace the buses
operated by AVBI. (AVBI had been using 1982 MCI buses for this service. Three of the other four
bidders for this service had proposed using 1982 MCI's while the other bidder proposed using
Bluebird Q buses - a lighter weight bus that staff considered unsuitable for this service.)
Several maintenance problems were experienced during the months of September and October with
the 1986 Neoplans. Additionally the supplier of these buses was slow in delivering them, requiring
ATC to subcontract with AVBI for some trips and often operating with no spare buses. Staff and
ATC met daily and several actions were taken to resolve problems. Also the Commuter Ambassador
program was established at this time by ATC to improve communication between ATC and the
customers. Between November and January complaints diminished. ATC canceled the subcontract
with AVBI, assuming full operation of the service on January 1, 1997.
However, in January problems began to increase again. Concern about these problems prompted
staff to write to Bill McCloud, Chief Operating Officer of ATC. In response to this letter, ATC
SATRANSMTRANSITISS4197ATC
Ngenda Item:
management and City staff met on March 4, 1997 and an action plan was presented to the City. City
staff directed ATC to pursue the action plan which includes bringing in two additional express buses
at ATC's expense to increase the spare ratio and allow time to pull other buses out of service to make
the necessary major repairs. However staff expressed dissatisfaction at the. length of time needed
to correct problems and that we were wrongly led to believe that problems were under control in late
1996 when the AVBI sub contract was terminated.
It should be noted that maintenance problems are not limited to the 1986 Neoplans, but include the
City owned 1991 Neoplans also used in express service and 1991 Gillig Spirits used in local fixed
route service. The problems with the latter two types of buses are generally invisible to the customer
but potentially more serious. In both cases the City should have been alerted to the problems prior
to ATC, becoming the contractor.
RECOMMENDATION—
City Council receive and discuss the staff report and contractor presentation on Santa Clarita Transit
service delivery.
111YADIA