Meeting_Body
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
JUNE 21, 2018
Subject
SUBJECT: JUNE 2018 SERVICE CHANGES
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE status report on Metro service changes to be implemented on Sunday, June 24, 2018.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro adjusts bus and rail service in June and December to improve productivity and service quality, implement new initiatives, and to respond to changes to the operating environment. For June 24, 2018, service changes include implementation of the Warner Center Service Plan, minor route and schedule adjustments, and implementation of All Door Boarding on Line 754 (Vermont Av).
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The next scheduled service change is June 24, 2018, which includes implementation of the Warner Center Service Improvement Plan and All Door Boarding on Line 754 (Vermont Av). In addition, minor route and schedule adjustments will be made to accommodate construction activities, and improve the safety, efficiency and quality of bus service.
Warner Center Service Improvement Plan
Service within Warner Center, including the Orange Line, was reevaluated based on the Board’s decision to electrify the Orange Line by 2020, requiring the Orange Line to remain on the Right of Way to allow for charging of the electric buses. In addition, through outreach to the public and key stakeholders, staff concluded that a comprehensive review of all services in the Warner Center area was warranted given the following issues:
• Access to retail, new development, local businesses and employment from the Orange Line is limited.
• Local and Rapid routes are not intuitive due to out of direction moves and long one-way loops.
• Due to many turns along the routes, travel time through the area is slow.
• Most customers on Local and Rapid Lines are connecting to the Orange Line, with the greatest stop activity at the Warner Center Transit Hub.
As a result, the following changes will be made to services in Warner Center:
• Line 901 (Orange Line) - Service into Warner Center from Canoga Station will be discontinued and replaced with a new shuttle route (Line 602). Connections from other bus lines to the Orange Line at the current Warner Center stop and Oxnard and Owensmouth will be relocated to Canoga Station, a safer and more comfortable off street transfer location. In addition, owl trips will be extended from the Reseda Station terminal west to Canoga Station.
• Line 601 (Warner Center Shuttle) - Implemented new shuttle between Canoga Station and Kaiser Hospital via Westfield Topanga/the Village and Warner Center business park, which will operate every 10 minutes throughout the day, 7 days a week, with tapering headways as the Orange Line headway widens in the late night.
• Lines 150, 161, 164, 245, 750, and 169 - These lines will be extended to Canoga Station to maintain connections with the Orange Line, and streamlined to provide faster and more intuitive routing to and through Warner Center.
All Door Boarding Expansion
In October 2017, the Board approved expansion of All Door Boarding (ADB) to Lines 754 (Vermont Av) and 720 (Wilshire Bl). ADB, currently implemented on Line 910 (Silver Line), allows customers with valid TAP cards to TAP and board the bus through any door, reducing stop dwell times, improving overall travel times and on time performance.
The expansion of ADB launch is two months ahead of schedule with no cost overruns. The accelerated schedule was achieved through a culture of innovation, collaboration and by leveraging the synergies gained from executing several fleet management projects simultaneously. The ADB project team designed standardized modules, and used automation tools to drive cost and schedule benefits to the project. Installation of the bus mobile validators (BMV) was completed safely and with no-lost time incidents in just over seven months. As a result, ADB will be implemented on Line 754 on June 24, 2018 and on Line 720 in October 2018, three months earlier than anticipated. Together, TAP only fare collection and ADB is expected to mirror the Silver Line successful implementation, offering more competitive travel times and greater service reliability.
To support ADB implementation, a comprehensive communication and outreach program will be conducted, including: press releases, media advisories, participation at targeted community events, project website, social media posts, bus stop signage, and distribution of 100k free TAP Cards along the new ADB corridors.
Metro expanded ADB program was designed to improve fare payment options and enhance the customer experience. Beginning FY19, the process of reloading a TAP on-board a bus will be simplified and streamlined for the entire bus network allowing for a “2 tap” reload, and enhancements to the farebox will increase operators’ ability to monitor the rear door boarding activity and ensure greater fare compliance.
The expansion of ADB program further demonstrates Metro’s commitment to providing safe, clean, reliable, on-time, and courteous service for Los Angeles County’s diverse customer base.
Minor Service Adjustments
As with each schedule change cycle, minor service adjustments are made to improve on-time performance and match scheduled service to travel demand, and to adjust to safety concerns and changes in the operating environment such as roadway impacts from construction, including:
Improved Efficiency and Service Quality
• Line 45 - Shorten two late night northbound trips and four southbound trips to San Pedro and Rosecrans. This change completes similar changes implemented in December 2017. Replacement service is provided by Line 246 that now operates 24-hour service.
• Line 60 - To reduce turns, modify route in downtown LA on westbound 7th St, extending the route to Figueroa St.
• Line 177 - To improve stop spacing and provide a new connection to Pasadena Transit Line 20 and Metro Line 258, a stop was added at Lake Av at California Bl. A nearby stop on California Bl at Wilson Av was discontinued.
• Line 206 - Relocate layover to Vermont Av/120th St due to request from GTrans (Gardena) to improve parking access on the 105 Freeway bridge at the Vermont Station.
• Line 605 - Modify turnaround loop at the southern terminal at Grand Vista Av at Olympic Bl to provide improved on-time performance and recovery time at the USC Medical Center northern terminal.
• Line 745 - Add a Rapid stop at Adams and Venice Bls to match other north/south Rapid lines and improve access to nearby USC.
• Line 720 - Modified turnaround loop in downtown Santa Monica to reduce turns and improve on-time performance.
• Norwalk Transit Center - Renumbered bay assignments to improve on-time performance of Line 111 by eliminating double looping of the transit center.
Improve Safety
• Line 215 - Due hazardous conditions and increased traffic conditions, discontinued stop on eastbound Manchester Bl farside of Market St; access is provided by a nearby stop on Manchester Bl at Grevillea Av.
• Line 264 - Due to accessibility safety and stop spacing issues, the stop at New York Dr at Pepper Dr was eliminated in conjunction with City of Pasadena street improvements.
Construction Related
• Lines 4/704/14/16 - Due to completion of the Santa Monica Bl repaving project in Beverly Hills, bus routes previously on long term detour returned to regular route on the boulevard.
• Line 14 - To accommodate Purple Line construction in Beverly Hill, implemented a long term route change at the intersection of Beverly Dr and Wilshire Bl.
• Lines 37, 38, 55 and 355 - These lines have been detoured for six months due to sidewalk pedestrian improvements along Grand Av and Hill St being implemented by LACC Trade Tech.
• Line 102 - Move westbound route from Jenny Av to Airport Bl due to LAWA closing Jenny Av due to People Mover construction.
• Line 115 - Due to long terminal sewer main project conducted by LADOT, reroute westbound service in Playa del Rey south to a new layover on Culver Bl at Vista Del Mar.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The implementation of the June 24, 2018 Service Changes are cost neutral and within the approved FY19 budgeted revenue service hours.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to monitor the service adjustments and make changes where appropriate.
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Scott Page, Senior Director, (213) 418-3400
Conan Cheung, Senior Executive Officer, (213) 418-3034
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James T. Gallagher, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3108
