REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: GREGORY A. BARFIELD, M.A., Director
Department of Transportation
BY: LINDA TAYLOR, Administrative Manager
Department of Transportation
SHARLEE FLORES, Senior Management Analyst
Department of Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize a one-year FAX revenue agreement, with two optional one-year extensions between the City of Fresno (City) and California State University, Fresno (CSUF), to provide transit services for CSUF students, faculty, and staff on Fresno Area Express (FAX) fixed-route buses for a total compensation not to exceed $125,000 annually.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize a one-year revenue agreement, with two optional one-year extensions between the City of Fresno and CSUF to provide transit services for CSUF students, faculty, and staff on Fresno Area Express (FAX) fixed-route buses.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Through its automated fare collection equipment, FAX can accept different types of fare media, including agency-issued magnetic stripe identification cards. This technology can be used by CSUF students, faculty, and staff to swipe their ID cards at the farebox for fare payment on fixed route buses. FAX will bill CSUF for all rides provided at a rate of $0.75 per ride, with a maximum of $22.00 per month, per rider, and not to exceed $125,000.00 annually, subsidizing the cost for students, faculty, and staff. This pricing is in accordance with the current Fixed Route Student Fare structure, detailed on the Master Fee Schedule Amendment 575, approved for use as of July 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND
In 2013, FAX installed SPX Genfare Odyssey Fareboxes capable of accepting various new fare media, including magnetic stripe cards, which are used on various ID cards. CSUF began using the ID based card system to allow their students, faculty, and staff to ride the FAX fixed route in August 2017. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to remote learning, CSUF temporarily suspended the program with FAX in April 2020. In September 2021, CSUF reinstated the ID Card system, and the revenue agreement was amended to adjust the per-trip pricing for CSUF to be in line with the updated Fixed Route Student Fare of $0.75 per trip with a maximum of $22.00 per rider, per month. FAX invoices CSUF monthly for all ridership the month prior.
The CSUF campus is served by high-frequency FAX Routes 9 and 38. Since the program reinstatement in September 2021 through March 2024, CSUF students, faculty, and staff have taken over 250,000 passenger trips on FAX fixed route buses and generated over $120,000 in farebox revenue for FAX. Monthly billing does not include any transfers completed by a rider within a 90-minute timeframe and does not include payment for a rider that exceeds 29 rides a month (which would exceed the cost of a 31-day pass). The table below details the CSUF ridership by fiscal year.
California Sate University, Fresno Ridership and Biling Data
|
Ridership/Contract Year |
FY 2022* |
FY 2023 |
FY 2024* |
Total |
|
Total Rides |
52,483 |
87,106 |
113,371 |
252,960 |
|
Total Billed |
$30,309 |
$44,114 |
$47,366 |
$121,789 |
Additional notes on data:
• For FY 2022, no service was provided in July and August due to COVID-19.
• For FY 2024, the data only covers July 2023 through March 2024 because of the timing in the preparation of this report.
• Total rides for each FY include all transfer rides (completed within 90 minutes) and rides that went over the 29-ride monthly cap. Those rides were not counted in the billing invoiced to CSUF monthly.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved as to form the proposed agreement.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 the approval of this agreement does not qualify as a project as defined by the CEQA requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered since City is not purchasing goods or services.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund from this action. Costs associated with this agreement are the responsibility of CSUF, and all revenue generated will be received by the FAX enterprise fund.
Attachment:
Revenue Agreement between CSUF and City of Fresno through FAX