Meeting_Body
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 15, 2015
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: TRANSIT SERVICE POLICY
ACTION: APPROVE THE 2016 TRANSIT SERVICE POLICY
Heading
RECOMMENDATION:
Title
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED (3-0) approving the 2016 Transit Service Policy.
Issue
ISSUE
The Metro Transit Service Policy (TSP) is the fundamental guide for the bus route design, scheduling, implementation and evaluation of Metro transit service. The TSP has been periodically revised over the past 20 years to meet existing and anticipated challenges. The 2016 Transit Service Policy was framed around the policy guidance obtained through the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Peer Review Committee recommendations published in January 2015 along with advice of Metro’s own Peer Review Committee that provided valuable insight into the policies presented here as well as advice on the implementation of a frequent service network.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The Transit Service Policy incorporates the following elements:
• Principles of Network Design, Market Analysis, Classification of Services, and Facilities Design Guidelines.
• Computation of load factors for bus and rail services, computation of maximum load for scheduling service, Route Performance Evaluation, Service Change Performance Evaluation, and the Metro-Muni Service Policy dealing with coordination of services and principles for possible assumption of Metro services by another provider.
• Implementation of the desired frequent service network, service priorities, restructuring plans.
• Service change process to encompass public review processes, Title VI requirements, and coordination with our Union partners
Strategic Bus Network Plan, Peer Review Committee, and APTA Peer Review Process
Nationwide, transit ridership is either staying steady or is showing signs of a decline. Metro has taken on a multi-faceted campaign to reverse those trends in Los Angeles. In addition to annual evaluations of the services currently provided, Metro engaged APTA and representatives of its Local Service Councils to assist the agency in the refinement of the Strategic Bus Network Plan (SBNP). Their goal was to identify reasonable steps to improve the systems’ performance, and to build a sustainable network of high quality, very frequent services. Metro’s objectives are focused to allocate resources to maximize the benefits of service to transit riders while ensuring that service delivery is efficient and cost effective. Achieving this delicate balance requires establishing policy guidance and service standards that are designed to target levels of productivity, efficiency, quality, and equity.
The 2016 TSP document also provides for recommendations to improve the core Bus and Rapid service network, consideration of changes to the owl network, along with service guidelines developed for each type of service. The goal is to develop a high frequency network of sustainable services that provide a quality ride to our customers.
The principles enumerated below and supported by service standards outlined in Sections 2: Designing a Regional Transit Network, and 3: Service Design Guidelines are summarized as follows:
• Aggressively feed rail transit stations with convenient transfers to provide customers with faster and more frequent services.
• Identifying core bus services and increasing the peak frequencies to 15 minute headways. These services were reviewed and identified for enhancement by the Peer Review Committee.
• Changing bus load factors to better tailor service based on service frequency, vehicle size, and peak or off-peak operation.
• Culling out seldom used stops to improve the speed of the system.
• Re-invigorating the bus Rapid network and seeking opportunities to increase the number of rapid services.
• Right-sizing the owl network and providing convenient access to late night services in conjunction with rail operations.
• Working with Municipal and Local Return operators to improve service connections and where possible allow Metro to reinvest in its core services allowing local providers the opportunity to operate more service in their reserved service area.
• Seek expansion of point to point express services or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) type services to extend the reach of the system and make connections between major centers of activity.
• Seek to innovate in the area of service provision and through provision of first mile-last mile connections.
• Seek to insure the involvement of Metro labor partners as the plan and program are developed and initiated through the planning and public review process.
The Transit Service Policy is a comprehensive guide for the development of public transportation services for the Los Angeles region. This update to the Policy recognizes funding constraints and seeks to establish principles for the use and distribution of scarce transit resources. Sections 5 and 6 deal with implementation of the proposed changes and direct the analysis and public information process and procedures that would be fulfilled to bring the recommended changes to fruition.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
This Transit Service Policy and all recommendations identified will be implemented with full adherence to established safety policies and procedures.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Implementation of any of the recommendations, elements, and principles (e.g. Directly Operated service adjustments based on boardings/service needs, right-sizing of duplicative Muni service, headway adjustments, Formula (fund) Allocation Procedure (FAP impact) will be analyzed and brought to the Board for approval.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
With the adoption of the 2016 Transit Service Policy, staff will initiate the Comprehensive Operations Analysis process which reviews the performance of each line in the system and based on that review will develop service change programs to achieve the goals of the plan. The goals include:
• Implement a network of high frequency bus lines
• Reallocate resources to better support core Rapid and Local Bus services
• Right size the owl network
• Provide opportunities to experiment with new or reinvigorated express, point to point services
Service changes drawn from this comprehensive service analysis will be taken through required public hearing processes starting with the Regional Service Councils.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - 2016 Metro Transit Service Policies and Standards
Attachment B - Transit Service Policy Update Presentation
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Jon Hillmer, Executive Director Service Development,
(213)922-6972
Gary Spivack, DEO Operations, (213)922-1241
Questions
Questions: Christopher Reyes, Transportation Planning Manager III, Operations (213)922-4808
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James T. Gallagher, Chief Operations Officer, (213)922-4424
