REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
September 28, 2017
FROM: BRUCE A. RUDD, Interim Director/Assistant City Manager
Department of Transportation
BY: GREGORY A. BARFIELD, Assistant Director
Department of Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - 538th amendment to the Master Fee Schedule (MFS) Resolution No. 80-420 to add a reduced bus fare rate and include language allowing the Transportation Director, contingent upon the approval of the City Manager, to reduce fares for pilot programs not to exceed one year in duration (Citywide) (Subject to Mayor's veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council adopt the 538th Amendment to the MFS Resolution No. 80-420 to add a reduced fare rate and include language allowing for the Department of Transportation Director, subject to approval of the City Manager, to reduce fares for pilot programs not to exceed one year in duration.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department is seeking to increase ridership after a dramatic 46% loss of ridership over the last seven years. In order to mitigate any further decline in ridership the Department is seeking authorization to allow the Director of Transportation the ability to implement different fare options in order to develop different fare options that could be implemented in order to incentive the use of public transportation. One such option includes, but limited to, implementing a pilot program that would reduce cash fares from $1.25 to $1.00 after 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and all day on weekends and holidays.
BACKGROUND
From 2011 to present, the Department has experienced a reduction of 46 percent of its ridership. In order to address the decline in ridership the Department has recently implemented a number of service improvements, such as increasing frequencies on key corridors such as Blackstone, Ventura, Cedar, and Shaw from 30 minutes to 15 minutes during the day. These improvements have resulted in positive growth in ridership along these corridors. Additio...
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