Metro - File #: 2020-0349

• File #: 2020-0349
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 5/12/2020
• In control: Planning and Programming Committee
• On agenda: 5/20/2020
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE Mobility on Demand Pilot Project report.
• Sponsors: Planning and Programming Committee
• Indexes: Access Services Inc., Budgeting, Contractors, Contracts, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Demand responsive transportation, Federal Transit Administration, First/Last Mile, Informational Report, Paratransit services, Partnerships, Project, Research, Ridership, Ridesharing, Ridesourcing, Safety, Shared mobility, Strategic planning, Subsidies, Surveys, Transfers, Travel time, Vehicle sharing, Wheelchairs

Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
MAY 20, 2020

Subject
SUBJECT: MOBILITY ON DEMAND PILOT PROJECT

Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
RECEIVE AND FILE Mobility on Demand Pilot Project report.

Issue
ISSUE

In January of this year, Metro's Board of Directors accepted a contract extension to Metro's contract with Via, which is the current contractor providing service for the Mobility on Demand program. At that time, a motion was approved requesting a report back on the costs and benefits of the service.

After the January contract extension, ridership on the service continued to grow rapidly through the month of February and the beginning of March. At the end of March and April, the Covid crisis resulted in decreased Via ridership, by about 50%. During the same period, Metro bus ridership dropped about 60% and Metro rail ridership dropped about 75%. Metro has since worked with Via to make adjustments the service to meet shifting transportation demand for essential destinations, as well as use of available service capacity to serve related travel needs.

Background
BACKGROUND

In January of 2019, Metro, in partnership with Via (Nomad Transit) launched a first last mile, on-demand partnership that was funded by a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Grant for Mobility on Demand (MOD). The first year of the MOD Pilot increased mobility and decreased travel times for thousands of riders. The project met all Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), exceeded several KPIs and spent only 80% of the contracted budget amount. The Contract was extended in January of 2020 for six months, with an option to extend for an additional six months until January of 2021. To capture additional travel demand within the approved budget, the contract extension also expanded the service hours from 6AM-8PM on weekdays to 6AM-12AM on weekdays and 8AM-10PM on weekends, to be implemented in phases. In March of 2020, the outbreak of Covid-19 dec...