HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-01-02 - AGENDA REPORTS - TRANSIT MGMT OPTIONS (2)CITY OF SANTA CLA,RITA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Weste and City Councilmembers
FROM: George A. Caravalho, City Manager
DATE:
SUBJECT:
i
January 2, 2001
REPORT BY CONSULTANT OF TRANSIT MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council review and comment on the report by consultants of transit management options.
BACKGROUND
In August 2001, Santa Clarita Transit will celebrate its ten-year anniversary. The contract
with ATC, the current service provider, also expires at that time. Since the first year of
operation, ridership has quintupled and service has more than doubled. Anticipated growth
in the Santa Clarita Valley and the need to increase transit market share are outlined in the
General Plan Circulation Element in order to maintain mobility. Even with all anticipated
road improvements, this places additional demands upon the Transit Division.
At this time, it is appropriate for the City to examine if the manner in which the Community s
transit needs have been provided during the past ten years is still the bestapproach for the
coming decade. To this end, the City Council previously authorized staff to contract with
Urbitran and Mundle and Associates for the purpose of analyzing the City's Transit system. As
a consulting firm specializing in Transit, Urbitran and Mundle and Associates has nearly
50 years of collective experience auditing numerous transit systems throughout the United
States for the Federal Transit Administration, including Santa Clarita Transit.
In developing the examination and subsequent recommendations, the consultants interviewed
stakeholders in Santa Clarita Transit. These stakeholders included Transit Division staff,
contractor staff, City Councilmembers and City Management, funding agencies, neighboring
transit systems, and representatives of other interested organizations, such as the Santa
Clarita Valley Council of Aging and Chamber of Commerce. They also conducted performance
comparisons with several peer transit systems from throughout California. They examined the
current contract and the RFP used to solicit service providers in 1996, and combined this with
their vast expertise from managing and studying transit systems throughout the United States.
Agenda Item: /_
REPORT BY CONSULTANT OF TRANSIT MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
January 2, 2001
Page 2
The consultants identified strengths and potential areas to improve the transit operation,
examining several approaches in order to ascertain the most effective method available for
managing the system. At this time, the consultants are recommending modifications to the
RFP process for selecting a new contractor for the next five years, as well as potential changes
in the contractual relationship between the City and the successful bidder. These will be
discussed in greater detail at the City Council's January 2, 2001 Study Session.
Santa Clarita Transit has provided outstanding service over the past ten years, as
demonstrated by the rapid ridership growth, even during recession years when population was
not growing. Staff intends to use the work performed by the consultants as the foundation for
providing an even higher level of service in the years to come.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this report.
&TTA--ACHMENT
None
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