HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - SCHOOL FARES BUS SERVICE (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Approval:
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Item to be presented by: Anthony J. Nisich
DATE: June 27, 2000
SUBJECT: ADJUST PAYMENT TO THE WILLIAM S. HART UNION HIGH
SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR COORDINATION OF FARES AND BUS
SERVICES FOR TRANSPORTING STUDENTS IN FISCAL YEAR
1999/2000
DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Engineering Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council authorize an increased payment of $42,840.80 for Fiscal Year 1999/2000 to the
William S. Hart Union High School District pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding
regarding the coordination of fares and bus service for transportation of students between home and
school, for a total payment of $82,840.80.
BACKGROUND
In March 1997, the City of Santa Clarita and the William S. Hart red Union High School District ente
into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to coordinate fares and bus service for the
transportation of students between home and school. The goals of the es a were to make better use
an transit and School District resources, and to better balance passenger loads between school buses
and City transit buses. The key provisions of the MOU include maintaining equivalent fares on both
City and School District services, joint planning of services used by students, and joint public
information efforts. On January 11, 2000, the City Council renewed this MOU to be in effect
through June 30, 2002.
At the time the original MOU was drafted in 1997, Transit staff estimated that the cost of increasing
transit service to accommodate students left behind at bus stops (and reduce overloaded buses)
represented an annual cost of $300,000.00 to the City. Due to inflation and increased enrollment,
that cost to the City would be much higher today. However, as a result of the MOU, the students of
our community are no longer being stranded at bus stops. While many trips continue to carry
standing passengers, the severe overloads that existed in 1997 have been reduced.
In 1997, staff estimated that the City's maximum annual liability to compensate the Hart District for
reduced revenue (as a result of charging a lower rate to ride District school buses and increased costs
due to the need to deploy additional school buses under the terms of the MOU) would be
,U- U,.
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AND THE WILLIAM S. HART UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
June 27, 2000 - Page 2
$170,000.00. The development of this MOU has proved itself to be an extremely cost-effective
method to ensure that adequate transportation capacity is achieved, as the actual annual costs
incurred by the City for each of the previous two fiscal years was $40,000.00.
In each of the past two fiscal years, the $40,000.00 expended by the City has funded a school bus
operating from the Soledad corridor east of Sand Canyon to Canyon High School. This additional
school bus allowed Santa Clarita Transit to discontinue tripper service over the same route. In the
current school year, due to demand, the Hart District identified the need to add a second bus on this
route, necessitating the higher payment.
Under the joint planning provision of the MOU, Santa Clarita Transit is focusing its resources in
Canyon Country on providing service to students traveling to Sierra Vista Junior High School and
Valencia High School, while the Hart District is focusing on La Mesa Junior High School and
Canyon High School. This is based on the fact that the first two schools are situated on a regular bus
route and capacity can be provided by increased frequency that benefits all customers, while the
latter two schools would require special trippers that would benefit only students.
In 1997, the Hart District reduced the cost of school bus passes to be equivalent to the cost of riding
Santa Clarita Transit. Increased ridership on school buses has offset any revenue loss due to lower
fares. As a result, the City has not had to compensate the Hart District for lost revenue.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total budget impact for Fiscal Year 1999/2000 is $82,840.80. In January 2000, the City Council
renewed the Hart District MOU and authorized the expenditure of $40,000.00, previously
appropriated for this program during the annual budget process. At this time, staff is requesting City
Council approval of an additional $42,840.80. Funding to cover the additional amount has been
previously appropriated and is currently available in the Transit Division's Fiscal Year 1999/2000
budget. At this time, the Hart District anticipates that the Fiscal Year 2000/2001 expenditure will
be about $42,000.00 due to plans to discontinue service between Valencia Valley School and
Valencia High School.
ATTACHMENT
None.
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