Meeting_Body
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
JULY 20, 2017
Subject
SUBJECT: STAFFING REQUEST FOR CRENSHAW LINE
Action
ACTION: APPROVE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) POSITION INCREASE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer to amend the FY18 Budget to add 59 positions, as shown below:
1. Add 8 (eight) non-contract positions to manage and plan for integrated testing, system readiness drills, asset inspection and acceptance, turnover coordination, opening a new Rail Maintenance Facility and pre-revenue service testing of the Crenshaw Line rail project.
2. Add 51 contract positions to support training and certification, asset inspection and acceptance, turnover coordination, integrated testing, system readiness drills, the opening of a Rail Maintenance Facility, pre-revenue service testing and the opening of the Crenshaw Line to the public.
B. RECEIVING AND FILING staff analysis of a comprehensive rail expansion staffing plan to add up to a total of 130 positions in FY19 and FY20. The staffing plan assumes a time-phased, milestone-based hiring construct using the best available current scope of work estimates. These FTE requirements will be brought forward for board consideration during the respective FY19 and FY20 budget development cycles.
Issue
ISSUE
The overall effort to prepare Metro for this new rail line, new maintenance facility, and light-rail vehicles for revenue service beginning no later than October 2019 will require a substantial amount of technical and support staff across several departments. For technical operations staff, Metro must begin recruitment well in advance of actual need in order to ensure adequate training and qualification requirements can be met. These positions will be phased in throughout FY18, FY19 and FY20 and recruitment will be aligned with system safety, critical path activities, systems testing and project milestones.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The Crenshaw Line Rail Project is currently under construction and scheduled to commence revenue service in October 2019. Upon completion, Metro will receive one (1) new light-rail Maintenance Facility (Division 16), 8.5 new route miles for passenger service, eight (8) new stations, and employ 29 light-rail vehicles, all of which must be fully-integrated into the existing Metro Rail network prior to the start of revenue service to ensure the new system meets Metro’s safety standards.
The Crenshaw line is unique in comparison to existing rail lines within our current system with the Right-Of-Way having a combination of below grade, at grade and aerial sections. 2.9 miles of the line will be below grade, supported by three (3) stations. One (1) station will support the 1.4 miles of aerial Right-Of-Way and the final four (4) stations will support the 4.2 miles of at-grade track. The signaling systems are more complex with an 84 mainline and yard switch machines and 100 mainline and yard signals being added to the infrastructure to support the revenue service and the tie into Metro’s Green Line. There will be 17 fully gated crossings to support our new standards and will require a higher level of maintenance compared to the previous design standards.
This project will increase Metro’s light-rail system route miles by almost nine (9) percent and stations along the entire Metro Rail network by seven-and-a-half (7.5) percent. Additionally, the new light-rail Maintenance Facility will increase Metro’s total light-rail maintenance capacity by 20 percent.
As the full-time “owners” of the line, shop and systems, Operations personnel are required to provide day-to-day decisions and support of the construction and outfitting of the line, yard and shop including systems testing, inspections, development of punch list items and other start-up activities. Pre-revenue service testing of the rail line is scheduled for August 2019. Given Metro’s intention to operate full revenue service no later than October 2019, there is an immediate need to recruit, hire and train the staff needed to perform these critical path activities, prevent project delays and eventually deliver daily revenue service.
This agency-wide request for increased staffing in FY18, FY19 and FY20 supports personnel needs for the start-up and operation and maintenance of the Crenshaw Line as well as adjunct departments and considers the time frame needed for recruitment and training of new personnel in conjunction to project deliverables. The comprehensive staffing plan with related rationale is presented in Attachment B: Crenshaw Staffing Timeline. To develop this staffing request, staff considered several factors including revenue service, rail car and infrastructure state of good repair, system complexity, current labor ratios and lessons learned from the recent Gold Line and Expo Line extension start up.
The initial authorization to add positions will allow Metro to hire, provide training and manage critical path activities to prevent project delays and to provide and sustain proper staffing levels to operate and maintain our current rail service. Metro will continue conducting a comprehensive review of budgeted FTEs for Rail Facilities Maintenance, Rail Fleet Services, Rail Transportation, and Wayside. Metro will report back to the Board as part of the FY19 and FY20 Budget process detailing ongoing staffing needs and non-labor expenses for full light rail network integration of the Crenshaw Line.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The authorization to add positions will have a positive impact on safety. This authorization will add the staff needed to plan, manage, and implement start-up activities.
Metro staff will monitor and inspect third-party construction, installations and systems testing. For example, Metro personnel will work closely with constructors during integration testing to check all systems for the ability to operate trains safely through stations, switches, ventilation zones, at-grade crossings or other systems. This testing will also include operating and testing multiple train scenarios to examine the integrity, reliability and redundancy of safety systems. This authorization will allow Metro to maintain existing staffing levels for revenue service on the existing rail network and achieve Crenshaw Project milestones in parallel.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The projected hiring plan and milestones support a Revenue Operations Date (ROD) of October 2019. New staff will begin to arrive during the first three months of FY18. The FY18 annual budget impact is estimated to be $12,000,000.
Funding for the recruitment and training of the added positions will be supported by Operating projects within respective cost centers. Funding for Systems Integration and Pre-ROD testing estimated at $8.2 million is included in the Capital Life of Project (LOP) budget for the Crenshaw Line.
Since this is a multi-year effort, the cost center managers, project managers, and Executive Directors will ensure that planned resources are budgeted in future fiscal years. In FY19 and FY20, it is anticipated that additional funds must be identified to complete and sustain the staffing plan. Staff will identify the funding and continuing Operations support requirements for Board consideration during the FY19 and FY20 budget process.
Impact to Budget
Funding for this effort is Measure R Transit Capital New Rail 35%. These funds are eligible for new rail system integration and pre-revenue activities. No other funds were considered for these Measure R Transit Capital projects.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
Authorization to amend the FY18 Budget to add 59 positions will support Metro’s mission for the continuous improvement of an efficient and effective transportation system for Los Angeles County. Delaying the recruitment, hiring, and training of personnel needed to plan, manage, and implement start-up activities could delay the project.
One alternative would be to reassign existing Metro personnel from current duties to support the project. This approach is not recommended because it would have a negative impact on Metro’s ability to adequately maintain the current level of staffing to meet required regulatory inspections, maintenance and would significantly increase response times to incidents affecting service on our current rail network .
The impacts of not staffing the Crenshaw Project at suitable levels include, but are not limited to, the following risks: lack of Metro oversight and inspection; foregone opportunities to evaluate safety, design, and construction activities; third-party reliance for completion of systems to acceptable standards; failure to satisfy acceptance and delivery schedules; insufficient time to hire, recruit and train staff; and delays to project milestones including revenue operations.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
If approved, Metro will proceed with the recruitment, hiring and training of personnel. Additionally, Metro will advance start-up planning and activities to ensure timely delivery of the Crenshaw Line.
FY19 and FY20 positions will be requested and added through the FY19 and FY20 Budget process and will be based upon revenue service projections. Metro will continue ongoing efforts to finalize plans for Public Safety, Communications, Marketing, Rail Activation, Fleet Management and Operations for the Crenshaw Line project. These plans document Metro’s strategy including roles and responsibilities for directing and managing work through project closure and beyond.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Agency-Wide Staffing Summary by Department and Union
Attachment B - Crenshaw Staffing Timeline
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Carolyn Kreslake, Senior Manager, Transportation Planning, (213)922-7420
Diane Corral-Lopez, Executive Officer, Operations Administration, (213)922-7676
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Debra Avila, Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, (213)418-3051
Pauletta Tonilas, Chief Communications Officer, (213)922-3777
Greg Kildare, Chief Risk, Safety & Asset Management Officer, (213)922-4971
Joanne Peterson, Chief Human Capital & Development Officer, (213)418-3088
Dave Edwards, Chief Information Officer, (213)922-5510
Alex Wiggins, Chief Systems Security & Law Enforcement Officer (213)922-4433
Nalini Ahuja, Chief Financial Officer, (213)922-3088
James T. Gallagher, Chief Operations Officer, (213)418-3108
Stephanie Wiggins, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, (213) 922-1023
