HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.B 10/17/2017 SRTP Part 1talAouma
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DRAFT
Short Range Transit Plan
FY 2016/17 - 2026/27
City of Petaluma
August 15, 2016
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016 SH
Federal transportation statutes require that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission
(MTC), in partnership with state and local agencies, develop and periodically update a long -
range Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), and a Transportation Improvement Program
(TIP) which implements the RTP by programming federal funds to transportation projects
contained in the RTP. In order to effectively execute these planning and programming
responsibilities, MTC requires that each transit operator in its region which receives
federal funding through the TIP, prepare, adopt, and submit to MTC a Short Range Transit
Plan (SRTP).
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF PETALUMA '- 20
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: SYSTEM OVERVIEW .................................................................. ............................... 1
Cityof Petaluma ................................................................................................ ............................... 1
Governance................................................................................................................................... ..............................2
OrganizationalStructure ........................................................................................................ ..............................2
SystemHistory ............................................................................................................................ ..............................4
RecentHistory ............................................................................................................................. ..............................5
TransitService Overview ............................................................................... ............................... 8
Fixed -Route Service .................................................................................................................. ..............................8
ParatransitService .................................................................................................................. .............................10
OtherTransit Services ........................................................................................................... .............................10
ExistingFacilities .............................................................................................. .............................12
FareStructure .................................................................................................... .............................12
ClipperRegional Fare Card ............................................................................ .............................14
DemandAssessment ........................................................................................ .............................15
Ride - Dependent Population ............................................................................................... .............................15
CHAPTER 2 - GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STANDARDS ............................. .............................21
Goals, Objectives, and Measures ..........................................................:........ .............................21
Introduction: Petaluma Transit Goals, Policies and Service Standards ....... .............................21
The Role of Transit and the City of Petaluma General Plan ................................. .............................22
Petaluma Transit Mission Statement ............................................................................. .............................25
Petaluma Transit Goal Statement .................................................................................... .............................25
Petaluma Transit Objectives and Policy Statements .............................................. .............................25
ServiceStandards and Guidelines ................................................................ .............................29
Efficiency Performance Standards .................................................................................. .............................30
Petaluma Fixed Route and Paratransit Efficiency Performance Standards .............................31
Monitoring, Evaluation and Corrective Measures ................................................... .............................33
Service Quality and Reliability Standards .................................................................... .............................33
NewService Warrants ..................................................................................... .............................44
Introduction of New Services on a Trial Basis ........................................................... .............................45
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Title IV and Environmental Justice Considerations ................................................ .............................45
CHAPTER 3 - FIXED -ROUTE SERVICE AND SYSTEM EVALUATION ...... .............................47
On -Time Performance ..................................................................................... .............................47
RouteDescriptions and Analysis ................................................................ ............................... 50
Route1 .......................................................................................................................................... .............................50
Route2 .......................................................................................................................................... .............................52
72
Route3 / 33 ................................................................................................................................ .............................53
Route5 .......................................................................................................................................... .............................54
Route11 ....................................................................................................................................... .............................55
Route24 ....................................................................................................................................... .............................56
EastsideTrippers ..................................................................................................................... .............................57
ServiceEvaluation ............................................................................................ .............................59
CHAPTER 4 - PARATRANSIT SERVICE AND SYSTEM EVALUATION ... ............................... 68
ServiceOverview ............................................................................................ ............................... 68
CurrentPolicy Framework ............................................................................. .............................68
KeyPolicy Elements ............................................................................................................... .............................69
CurrentOperating Framework ................................................................... ...............................
72
ParatransitStaff Resources ................................................................................................. .............................72
Fleetand Bus Maintenance ................................................................................................. .............................73
TripScheduling and Dispatch ............................................................................................ .............................73
PerformanceTrends ........................................................................................ .............................75
Costs /Revenue and Ridership Trends ........................................................................... .............................75
Cancellationsand No- shows ............................................................................................... .............................77
Proportion Subscription to Reservation Trips .......................................................... .............................78
ADACompliance ................................................................................................ .............................79
DemandForecasts ............................................................................................ .............................85
Summary& Recommendations .................................................................. ............................... 87
Petaluma Paratransit Summary Comments ................................................................ .............................87
Petaluma Paratransit Recommendations .................................................................... .............................88
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CHAPTER 5: OPERATIONS PLAN & BUDGET ............................................ ............................... 93
Proposed Operating Expenses and Performance Assumptions ......... ............................... 93
OperatingFunding ............................................................................................ .............................93
CurrentSystem Challenges 2016 ..................................................................................... .............................98
Fixed -Route Operations Plan ................................................................... ............................... 119
Short /Near Term Recommendations ........................................... ............................... ............................119
Mid -Term Recommendations ........................................................... ............................... ............................122
Long -Term Recommendations ......................................................... ............................... ............................123
CHAPTER 6: CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM .............................. ............................... 125
CapitalFunding ............................................................................................ ............................... 132
Fixed -Route Vehicle Program .................................................................. ............................... 134
ParatransitVehicle Program .................................................................... ............................... 135
OtherCapital Programs ............................................................................. ............................... 139
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Table 1: Current Fare & Pass Structure ............................................................................. .............................14
Table 2: Recommended Petaluma Transit and Paratransit Service Standards ...........................35
Table 3: Fixed Route Performance Trends FY06- FY15 .............................................. .............................61
Table 4: 2015 Active Petaluma Paratransit Service Fleet ......................................... .............................73
Table 5: Dispatch Center Coverage by Day of Week .................................................... .............................74
Table 6: Petaluma Paratransit Trip Booking, Scheduling and Dispatch Process ........................
74
Table 7: Petaluma Paratransit Performance Trends ................................................... .............................76
Table 8: Petaluma Paratransit Cancellation and No -show Trends ....................... .............................78
Table 9: Petaluma Paratransit Peak Service Hours with High Subscription Trip Ratios........
79
Table 10: Petaluma Paratransit: ADA Compliance Summary .................................. .............................81
Table 11: Annual ADA Paratransit Demand and Revenue Hour Projections ... .............................86
Table 12: Operating Expenses and Revenues FY15 - FY27 ...................................... .............................96
Table 13: Service Plan FY16- FY27 ........................................................................................ .............................97
Table 14: Paratransit Vehicle Inventory ........................................... ............................... ............................136
Table 15: Fixed Route Vehicle Inventory ......................................... ............................... ............................136
Table 16: Paratransit Fleet Replacement Plan .............................. ............................... ............................137
Table 17: Fixed Route Fleet Replacement Plan ............................. ............................... ............................137
Table 18: Capital Plan FY16- FY27 ....................................................... ............................... ............................138
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Figures
Figure 1: Public Works and Utilities Organizational Chart ......................................... ..............................3
Figure 2: Updated Transit Maintenance Facility ............................................................. ..............................7
Figure3: Current System Map .................................................................................................. ..............................9
Figure 4: Ridership by Stop, Route 1 (Oct. 2015) .......................................................... .............................51
Figure 5: Ridership by Stop, Route 2 (Oct. 2015) .......................................................... .............................52
Figure 6: Ridership by Stop, Route 3 (Oct. 2015) .......................................................... .............................53
Figure 7: Ridership by Stop, Route 33 (Oct. 2015) ....................................................... .............................54
Figure 8: Ridership by Stop, Route 5 (Oct. 2015) .......................................................... .............................55
Figure 9: Ridership by Stop, Route 11 (Oct. 2015) ....................................................... .............................56
Figure 10: Ridership by Stop, Route 24 ............................................................................. .............................57
Figure 11: October 2015 Weekday Riders (Per Hour & By Route) ...................... .............................58
Figure 12: Productivity by Route (October 2015) ........................................................ .............................62
Figure 13: Total Fixed Route Passengers FY 2008 -09 to 2014- 15 ....................... .............................62
Figure 14: Passengers per Revenue Vehicle Hour ........................................................ .............................63
Figure 15: Passengers per Revenue Vehicle Mile .......................................................... .............................63
Figure 16: Operating Cost per Revenue Vehicle Hour ................................................ .............................64
Figure 17: Operating Cost per Passenger .......................................................................... .............................65
Figure 18: Farebox Recovery Ratio: Fare Revenue / Operating Cost .................. .............................66
Figure19: Fare per Passenger ................................................................................................ .............................67
Figure20: FY15 Revenue Sources ........................................................................................ .............................93
Figure 21: SMART Origin /Destination Responses Fall
2015 ...................... ...........................1041
Figure22: Modification of Route 24 ................................................. ............................... ...........................1041
Figure 23: Ridership by Stop, Route
24 ......................... ............................... ............................11003
Figure 24: Modification of Route 1 Keokuk Alignment .............................. ............................106
Figure 25: Modification of Route 1 Magnolia Alignment ........................... ............................106
Figure 26: Modification of Route 5 ............................... ............................... ............................108
Figure 27: Ridership by Stop, Route 1 (Oct 2015) ....................... ............................... ............................110
Figure 28: Senior Shuttle /Silver Shuttle ...................... ............................... ............................112
Figure29: Crosstown Route ................................................................... ............................... ............................112
Figure 30: Potential Future SMART Station -- Northeast Petaluma ................... ............................113
Figure31: North Petaluma Shuttle ...................................................... ............................... ............................117
Figure 32: Modified Route 1 with Peak and Midday Alignments .............. ............................121
Figure 33: Modified Route 5 with Route 14 for SMART Trips ................... ............................121
Figure34: Route 5 .......................................................... ............................... ............................122
Figure 35: Capital Expenditures by Type FY16- FY27 ................ ............................... ............................132
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Figure 36: Capital Revenue Sources FY16 -FY27 .......................... ............................... ............................133
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Chapter 1: System Overview
City of Petaluma
Located in southern Sonoma County, Petaluma lies approximately 39 miles north of the
Golden Gate Bridge. California Highway 101 and Washington Street divide the community
into quadrants. For example, the segment east of CA Highway 101 and south of Washington
Street is referred to as the southeast sector of the city.
Petaluma has become increasingly attractive as a bedroom community for persons
employed either within the San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Rosa, or neighboring Napa,
Marin or Solano counties. Petaluma's population has increased by over 33% across the
past three decades, with the Census 2014 Population Estimate at 59,953 residents.
Incorporated in 1858, the city includes 14 squares miles of land area. Overall density is
4,282 persons /square mile. The City maintains a proactive development review process,
resulting in a balanced mix of residential and commercial development. Recent years have
seen a more "pro- growth" sentiment, with resulting additions of two large commercial
shopping centers that augment the local tax base, plug leakage in the local economy, and
increase traffic congestion. The Petaluma River is at the heart of the community. A historic
downtown flanks the river and contributes to the community's authentic Victorian charm.
To the east lie Petaluma's 1970 -90s constructed neighborhoods and retail centers.
Surrounding the city, dairy ranches and agricultural- related land provide significant open
space areas. Historically, Petaluma's economy was poultry- based. Today, most of the small,
independently -owned farms have been merged into larger producers. Petaluma's core
industries include poultry, dairy, telecommunications, and microbreweries /tourism.
Petaluma provides both fixed route (Petaluma Transit) and ADA complementary
paratransit services within the Petaluma Urbanized Area (primarily City Limits). The Fiscal
Year 2016 fixed route network features a four -bus base network, operating on six different
routes, running seven days a week from early morning to late evening. Petaluma
Paratransit operates the same time span as the fixed route, providing ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act) "premium" service, by providing rides to eligible persons to and from any
location in the Petaluma Urbanized Area, regardless of the proximity to active fixed route
bus service.
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CITY OF PETALUMA - 20
Governance
Petaluma is a charter city with a council - manager form of government. The city council is
composed of seven members, one of whom functions as mayor and one as vice - mayor. The
Mayor is directly elected during municipal elections held on even years. Council members
are elected at -large for a four -year term, and serve on a city -wide basis. Terms overlap,
resulting in at least three seats being open for election every two years. In 2007, to address
concerns surrounding the performance of its transit system, City Council formed the
Transit Advisory Committee (TAC) to guide staff in optimizing transit within the City and
Petaluma's role and impact in regional transit issues. The TAC meets monthly to discuss a
wide variety of transit issues, with a focus on Petaluma Transit. TAC is appointed by the
City Council, with 1 -4 spots opening each year.
Organizational Structure
The City's public transit program, marketed as Petaluma Transit, features a single full -time
employee, the City's Transit Division Manager, supported by two part -time positions. The
title of Transit Division Manager was modified briefly in 2012 and retitled "Transportation
Division Manager" with additional responsibilities for the Airport and Marina. However,
the position was again fully dedicated to public transit and returned to "Transit Division
Manager" in 2013, with Airport and Marina duties reassigned elsewhere.
The Transit Division Manager is responsible for control oversight, day -to -day program
administration, service planning, capital project development and programming/ grants
and marketing. Prior to 2009, the City relied on the assistance of outside consultants with
respect to service planning, marketing, and compliance activities. Since the hiring of the
current Transit Division Manager in 2009, these functions have been executed "in- house ",
using skills possessed by existing City Transit staff. Since 2009, a part -time Senior Transit
Specialist has assisted with overall program activities. This half -time Senior Transit
Specialist position focuses on transit finance and grants management, compliance, and
managing the ADA paratransit service, as well as providing backup to the Transit Division
Manager when he is on vacation or out of the office. In 2011, the City obtained a Federal
New Freedom grant to establish the part time position of transit travel trainer, and then a
Federal JARC grant was obtained in 2013 to hire a part time Spanish Speaking Outreach
Specialist. These positions were combined into a single .75 FTE position in 2015 under the
combined title of Transit Travel Trainer and Marketing Assistant ( TTTMA). The TTTMA
does travel training and outreach in the community, utilizing her bi- lingual (Spanish)
language fluency, teaches groups and individuals how to utilize the fixed route bus system,
PETALUMA TRANSIT
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and generates a wide array of marketing materials including bus schedules, brochures,
posters. This function is a key part of the paratransit demand management strategy that
maximizes available funding.
Figure 1: Public Works and Utilities Organizational Chart
Public Works and Utilities
Director
Administration
Development
Engineering
Capital Projects
&Engineering
Operations
Parks and
Facilities
Environmental
Services
Transit
Maintenance
Traffic
Engineering
CIP Engineering
Water Crews
Parks
.Maintenance
Ellis Creek Water
Recycling Facility
Transit`
Traffic Y
Building
Environmental
Street Lights
Inspection
Sewer Crews
Maintenance
and Laboratory
Services
Paratransit
tAD
Industrial
Fleet
Management
Pretreatment
Maintenance
Utilities
Maintenance
Marina
Turning Basin
Airport {
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CITY OF'PETALUMA
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The operations, maintenance, and daily service delivery is provided through a multi -year
contract with MV Transportation.
System History
Petaluma Transit officially began service in 1976 and has been under the general direction
of the Public Works Department throughout its 40 -year history. Like many municipal
transit systems, the growth and development of the system has been impacted by the
individuals within Public Works assigned to manage the system, as well as by the
contractors hired to provide drivers, maintenance, etc. Petaluma Transit in the 1990s and
2000s focused on its "small town" heritage, choosing to operate a variety of small vehicles,
often acquired after the vehicle had exceeded its useful life at another transit agency. While
not comfortable for the riding public, these smaller transit vehicles seemed to "fit" the
community and the modest levels of transit ridership during that period. System fixed
route productivity was low, and many folks gravitated towards Petaluma Paratransit rather
than learn how to navigate the challenged fixed route network. Fixed Route ridership
fluctuated between 150,000 and 200,000 for much of this early period of the transit
system, while annual revenue hours of service also fluctuated slightly with economic
conditions, staying in the 13,000- 15,000 annual hour range. How much of the unusual
growth in paratransit versus fixed route can be attributed to the City's contractor and staff
marketing efforts is unclear. It does appear that City fixed route marketing efforts were
limited, while the City's longtime paratransit contractor was more aggressive in marketing
their portion to the community. From its inception until 2011, Petaluma Transit (fixed
route) and Petaluma Paratransit were delivered by two separate contractors under
separate contracts. Not only inefficient due to duplicative management and support
structures, this model is also susceptible to paratransit growth when that separate
contractor seeks to increase the volume and value of the contract by aggressively
promoting the service. This 35 -year period saw paratransit ridership in Petaluma grow to
well over 22,000 in the late 2000s, while fixed route languished near 150,000 in that same
n
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period. It is highly unusual in U.S. small urban public transit agencies with both modes
(fixed route and paratransit) to have paratransit ridership near 13% of total ridership.
Fixed route in the 19990s and 2000s was delivered by older, smaller buses that frequently
encountered maintenance and reliability issues. The service was geared towards seniors
perhaps, and for a long time the vehicles were named "schooners" in honor of Petaluma's
river heritage. The limited capacity of these vehicles precluded ridership growth in the
bell -time oriented student market, and the system evolved under a mixed bag of consultant
created service plans. City transit staff were not veterans of public transit, and the system
in general failed to follow and implement industry best practices. The system lacked a
permanent "home" for operations as well, relocating several times over the years from
contractor - provided facilities to City- provided facilities before finally landing at the current
location at 555 N. McDowell Blvd in 2000. This facility was acquired by the City from the
Marin Sonoma Mosquito Control District using transit funds, then shared by transit with
the Public Works Department for a time in the early 2000s. The "Triple Nickel" facility
(named after the street number 555) was then turned over almost entirely to transit in the
late part of the 2000s. Petaluma Transit finally had a permanent home, featuring two
adjacent buildings, one for operations and maintenance, the other for administration.
Recent History
MV Public Transportation has been the contractor for fixed route operations and
maintenance since 2001 via a series of contracts, the last of which was a five -year contract
in 2011, with two one -year options. Prior to July 2011, Petaluma People Services Center
(PPSC) was under contract to manage and deliver paratransit services. From July 2011 to
May 2012, PPSC provided drivers (only), while MV Transportation assumed responsibility
for scheduling and dispatch. In May 2012, the contract between MV and PPSC was
terminated, and these services were brought fully under MV Transportation management.
MV assigns a full -time manager, two road supervisors, one full -time and two part -time
dispatchers (23 FTE total), a mechanic and 2 maintenance utility workers to the Petaluma
contract. All MV staff on the contract are domiciled at the City's Transit facility located at
555 North McDowell Boulevard.
The base five -year contract with MV Transportation runs through June 30, 2016.
Operations and financial reports are submitted by the contractor on a monthly basis. An
obvious benefit of this co- location of the City as well as contractor staff at the North
McDowell facility is streamlined communications. The City's Transit Division Manager
1 • • PAGE 5
embraces an active role in program oversight, interacting with contractor staff throughout
each day, and supporting operations in the office or field when required.
Petaluma Transit has completed a major modernization effort on its revenue fleet in recent
years. Initiated in 2007 with the introduction of Petaluma's first full sized, heavy -duty
transit buses (4 35 -foot Gillig low -floor buses) and most recently by the addition of (3) 40-
foot New Flyer low -floor buses recently retired by the City of Santa Rosa. Sandwiched in
between these fleet milestones was the procurement of (4) 29 -foot Gillig (BRT, or bus rapid
transit styled) low -floor buses, featuring the new attractive periwinkle blue paint scheme
in 2011. These buses allowed the complete transition away from using the rough riding and
unreliable medium duty "cutaway" Chevy vans that comprised the fixed route fleet from
2003 -2007. Re- branding of the fleet (brand standardization) was accomplished in the
summer of 2012, as the (4) 2007 35' low -floor buses were repainted to match the new
Petaluma Transit "brand" introduced with the 2011 bus purchase. This new look was
designed by staff in collaboration with the Transit Advisory Committee and has quickly
established itself a popular element of the Petaluma streetscape.
2007 Gillig Pre- "Rebranding"
The key funding that enabled this dramatic fleet overhaul in the last nine years was secured
when the City successfully obtained "direct grantee" status with the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) in 2007 and began accessing its share of regional FTA funding, via
participation in regional transit planning at MTC, shortly thereafter.
PETALUMA TRANSIT Igo Im ° ' •
CITY OF PETALUMA`- 2016
Transit vehicle maintenance and washing are also performed at the North McDowell
facility. In 2010 the City was awarded $1,750,000 in FTA State of Good Repair funds to
increase the clearance height and length of maintenance bays, and to install a bus wash,
reconfigure access to the facility, including ADA improvements, and upgrade the roof and
HVAC system on the building.
Figure 2: Updated Transit Maintenance Facility - 2014
Beyond the procurement and transition into larger- capacity, more reliable and attractive
buses that began in 2007, was a heightened focus on service planning and marketing that
began in 2009. This close evaluation of the local transit markets, and the fixed route
network happened to coincide with a dramatic loss of transit operating funds caused by the
"Great Recession" of 2007 -2009. Transit staff were compelled to reduce fixed route service
hours in order to adapt to new budget realities. Concurrently, staff began the process of
discovery by conducting the first in several waves of in -depth outreach to Petaluma Transit
"core market" customers (youth and seniors), gaining insight into challenges and
opportunities as seen through the eyes of customers and potential customers. The service
change of 2010 created the Eastside Transit Center and reconfigured routes to reduce
travel times and reallocate service onto the system's most productive corridors. Additional
"tripper" capacity was added to serve the school bell times at local secondary schools, and
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ridership began to grow at unprecedented rates in the timeframe 2010 -2014. Today's
Petaluma Transit had begun to take shape.
Transit Service Overview
Fixed -Route Service
The City initiated fixed -route service in 1976. Today, Petaluma Transit proves scheduled
service along six separate alignments using a fleet of Gillig and New Flyer low -floor transit
coaches, varying in length from 29 to 40 feet. All active fixed route buses are low -floor for
accessibility, hold 2 mobility devices, and feature bike racks.
From 2010 to 2014, all routes operated on 30- or 60- minute headways. In January of 2014,
in an effort to provide close -in service to the newly opened East Washington Place (Target)
Shopping Center, and to address consistent delays caused by the reconstruction of the
Petaluma River Bridge (U.S. 101), Route 24 and 1 (interlined with the same bus) were
reduced from hourly service to 75 minute headways. Route 24 added service along Payran
Street (south of Washington) to access the single, northbound -only, bus stop on Kenilworth
Drive provided by the new shopping center.
In FY 2015/16 service is provided from 6:15 a.m. to 10:10 p.m., Monday through Friday;
from 7AS a.m. to 10:10 p.m. on Saturday, and (since 2012) from 8:20 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on
Sunday. The 2015 route network is largely the same as created by the 2010 service
restructuring, which was driven by the financial crisis of the Great Recession, and a need to
improve connectivity & reallocate service hours to areas with greater transit demand. The
July 2010 service changes reduced revenue hours by over 16 %, while leading to
unprecedented ridership growth in the 2010 -2014 timeframe.
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CITY OF PETALUMA — 2016 SHORT RANGE ,T-,,,
Figure 3: Current System Map 2016
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PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF PETALUMA 2
Paratransit Service
The City's paratransit service was initiated in 1982. It functions as the ADA complementary
component of the overall public transit network. As such, its operating schedule mirrors
that of the fixed -route service. The service is open to ADA- certified patrons who travel in
Petaluma. Service delivery is reservation - based, shared -ride. The program utilizes seven
vehicles, owned by the City. As previously mentioned, the City goes beyond the minimum
ADA- required level of service provision by extending rides to and from locations beyond 3/4
mile from an active fixed route. Petaluma Paratransit serves eligible (as defined by ADA
law) persons anywhere within the Petaluma Urbanized Area as defined by the 2010 U.S.
Census.
Petaluma Paratransit Van #16, a 2012 Elkhart Coach Ford
Since 2013) the crucial eligibility determination process has been contracted out to CARE
Evaluators, Inc., and includes a mandatory interview process for new applicants, to ensure
only those truly eligible for the expensive service are granted eligibility.
Other Transit Services
Sonoma County Transit and Golden Gate Transit also provide transit service within
Petaluma. Sonoma County Transit, the countywide public transit service, provides service
along three distinct alignments within Petaluma: Lines 40, 44, and 48. While operating
times vary by route, service is provided in Petaluma from 5:20 a.m. to 9:42 p.m. on
weekdays, and from 7:05 a.m. to 9:37 p.m. on weekends.
Golden Gate Transit is a regional transit service linking Petaluma with San Francisco and
Santa Rosa. GGT operates three distinct alignments within Petaluma: Routes 74, 76,101.
PETALUMA TRANSIT
Routes 74 and 76 are uni- directional commuter routes, southbound in the AM and
northbound in the PM, with 7 and 5 AM trips respectively, and 6 and 5 PM northbound
trips, respectively. Route 101 provides bi- directional, approximately hourly service seven
days per week from 4:33 a.m. to 2:05 a.m. Similar to Sonoma County transit, connections
with Petaluma Transit can be made at several co- terminal locations throughout the
community.
Due to the limited road network linking east and west Petaluma, there is notable
duplication of service between all three transit systems, especially Petaluma Transit and
Sonoma County Transit. One positive aspect arising from this is the number of co- terminal
service points affording inter - service transfers. All three operators have in place transfer
agreements that allow for credits on inter - agency transfers to encourage the use of
multiple systems without financial penalty. The upcoming SMART train service will also
feature these same cooperative transfer agreements to encourage riders to use local transit
to access SMART stations. A cooperative project to design and install "shared" bus stop
signs at all bus stops that are served by more than one agency was completed in the late
2000s and accounts for about 65 % of the 150 or so official bus stops in Petaluma. The
Copeland Transit Mall, located at East Washington Street and Copeland Street, features
linear, curbside connections, with dedicated bus shelters for Petaluma Transit, Sonoma
County Transit, and Golden Gate Transit.
Adjacent to the Transit Mall is a parcel owned by Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART).
Late in 2016, SMART will begin operations of their commuter rail service (and
bicycle /pedestrian path) initially running from Airport Boulevard in Northwest Santa Rosa
to the San Francisco -bound ferry at Larkspur Landing in Marlin County. In Phase I, the train
and bike -walk path will run from North Santa Rosa to San Rafael with a proposed SMART
Connector dedicated bus service between Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Windsor and Santa Rosa
as well as from San Rafael to Larkspur. SMART plans to launch the first 40 -mile phase
between Northwest Santa Rosa and Downtown San Rafael, with service to Petaluma, in late
2016.
SMART Commuter Rail Coming to Petaluma late in 2016
PETALUMA TRANSIT °
CITY OF PETALUMA
Existing Facilities
In partnership with the County of Sonoma, the City designed and constructed the Copeland
Transit Mall, which opened in November 2007 on Copeland Street, between East
Washington and D Streets. The Mall supplanted the previous on- street transfer site located
Downtown at Fourth and C Streets as the focal -point for inter - agency transfers in the
Downtown /Westside area. The Transit Mall serves as the most defined regional transfer
facility in Petaluma, bringing together routes from Petaluma Transit, Sonoma County
Transit, and Golden Gate Transit. In addition, the Transit Mall is served by private taxis and
is equipped with bicycle racks, poster displays, and an information kiosk.
Although Copeland has been open for 8 years, both Amtrak and the Sonoma Airport
Express continue to operate from the Fair Grounds (E. Washington just west of Highway
101). These regional bus providers feel that Copeland Transit Mall is not an optimal
operations location for Amtrak and the Airport Express, due to the lack of parking. In
addition, all three transit providers that serve Petaluma (PT, SCT, GGT) serve along E.
Washington in front of the fairgrounds enabling transit access.
The City constructed the Eastside Transit Center (ETC) in 2010 along the side of the
Washington Square Shopping Center on Maria Drive, just east of S. McDowell Blvd. The new
facility offers a transfer point for routes serving the East side of Petaluma (11, 2, 3, and 33).
The ETC features four curbside bus bays, two passenger waiting shelters, and several
benches. Early in 2016 the ETC received an electronic "real - time" bus arrival sign as one of
the initial locations of this technology. The real -time signs are driven by the data generated
by the new automated vehicle location (AVL) project that was deployed in 2015. The ETC is
by far the City's busiest passenger transfer facility, serving well over half of the 1600 daily
weekday riders.
Fare Structure
Petaluma Transit implemented its most recent fare increase in August 2014 in conjunction
with the long- anticipated expansion of evening services. Adult fare for fixed -route service is
now $1.50. Up to two children (under the age of five) may ride free with each fare - paying
adult. The student rate, for youth 6 -18 remains at $1.00. Seniors (age 65 and above) and
persons with disabilities ride at a reduced rate of $35 (up from $.50 prior to August 2014).
Drivers do not make change for fares. Petaluma Transit offers a 10 -ride transit pass,
although there is no monetary savings realized with this option and few are sold. Prior to
2014, fares were last raised in July of 2010, when Adult fares went from $1 to $1.25.
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF PETALUMA
Petaluma Transit also offers a monthly pass for unlimited rides (within the month of
issuance) priced at $30. A student monthly pass is available for $20 dollars and a
senior /disabled version at $15. Passes have remained at the same price over the last 5
years, as cash fares have increased, to incentivize purchase and use. While use of monthly
passes often dilute an agency's average fare indicator, this is offset by increased patron
loyalty as well as speed of boardings. Passes may be purchased at 14 locations in Petaluma,
including City Hall, the Community Center, Mail Depot, G &G Supermarket, Lolita's Market,
Boys & Girls Club, Petaluma City School Admin Offices, and at each of the four major public
Jr. High and High School campuses. Early in 2016, staff introduced an internet option for
purchasing passes through the Petaluma Transit mobile website.
In 2012, the City worked collaboratively with its Transit Advisory Committee (TAC) and
the Petaluma City School District (PCSD) in the development of a means -based student
discount pass. The pilot project created a new "quarterly pass ", available to PCSD
secondary school students at each campus, for a current price of $40 per quarter (3
months). Students whose families participate in the national free and reduced price lunch
program (low- income) are able to purchase the new quarterly pass at half price, for only
$20 per quarter. This means -based pass has proven highly popular and has added to the
overall level of pass usage and undoubtedly provided financial incentive for transit use, and
budget relief for many local low- income families. The program has evolved over the first
four years to adapt to changes within PCSD and to enable internet purchase and eligibility
verification.
Intra- system transfers are free with paid fare. Transfers from other transit systems within
Sonoma County connecting with Petaluma Transit are worth one free one -way trip.
Petaluma Transit transfers are worth one dollar fifty cents ($1.50) on Golden Gate Transit
(and SMART, once it begins operations) and one free fare zone on Sonoma County Transit.
The City's paratransit service features a single fare of $3.00 (reflective of ADA policy). The
last paratransit fare increase was in August 2014, when fares went from $2.50 to $3.00.
• PAGE 13
p�
- =011-
Table 1: Current Fare & Pass Structure
Fixed -Route Adults - cash
$1.50
Students (18 & under) - cash
$1.00
Seniors (65 & older) & Disabled with RTC card -
cash
$0.75
10 -Ride Pass (Adult)
$15.00
10 -Ride Pass (Senior / Disabled)
$7.50
Monthly Pass
$30.00
Student Monthly Pass
$20.00
Senior /Disabled Monthly Pass
$15.00
Quarterly Student Pass (income dependent)
$40/$20
Transfers Petaluma Transit (within 2 hours)
Free
To Sonoma County Transit / Golden Gate
Transit /SMART Train* (within 2 hours)
$1.50 credit
(or 1 zone)
From Sonoma County Transit / Golden Gate
Transit /SMART Train* (within 2 hours)
Free
Paratransit One -Way Trip
$3.00
Round Trip
$6.00
Rider Card (12 one -way rides)
$33.00
*SMART Transfer Credit Rules Adopted (Via of This SRTP) to Mirror Existing Agreements between
Petaluma Transit and Golden Gate Transit and Sonoma County Transit.
Clipper Regional Fare Card
After many years of planning, Petaluma Transit, Sonoma County Transit, and Santa Rosa
CityBus all began accepting the regional Clipper Fare Card in early 2016. Clipper is
designed for ease of use by transit riders who regularly use multiple transit agencies,
eliminating the need for exact change and facilitating easier transfers between systems. E-
cash or transit agency unlimited ride passes are both loadable on Clipper.
Existing inter - operator transfer agreements (see above) that allow for free and reduced
price travel between multiple transit agencies are programmed into Clipper to mimic the
existing paper transfer discounts. To comply with regional business rules, Petaluma Transit
is currently only allowed to grant one free bus ride after exiting GGT /SCT /SMART vehicles.
PT Clipper Card users should ask their PT driver for a paper transfer should a 2nd PT bus be
needed to complete their one -way journey. Petaluma and Santa Rosa staff are negotiating
with Clipper to modify this arrangement, as both systems would like a 2nd free tag option.
w ���PAGE.14
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016 SHORT RANGE 'I`RA�m,
Demand Assessment
Of the 500,292 (Census 2014 Population Estimates) residents in Sonoma County, 11.9
percent live in Petaluma. Between 2000 and 2010, the City's population increased
approximately 6.2 percent, reflecting a much slower rate of growth than the previous
decade, which showed a 26 percent population increase. The greatest population
concentrations are located in northeastern Petaluma. While Petaluma has seen an increase
in the number of residents 65 years and older, the increase for those 85 years and older has
been even greater. This trend brings with it an increased demand for public transit
services, paratransit services in particular. Petaluma's strategy in recent years of approving
development of senior housing may indeed offer the City fiscal relief in other arena's
(police, for example) but it aggravates Petaluma Transit's struggle to meet the unfunded
mandate of ADA paratransit while maintaining robust fixed routes.
Ride - Dependent Population
Typically, a community's ride - dependent population is composed of youth, seniors, persons
with disabilities, persons at or below the federal poverty level, and persons lacking access
to a personal vehicle.
Youth Population
For the purposes of this study, youth is defined as individuals under 18 years of age. In
2014, the number of youth in Petaluma was equal to 23.4 percent of the city's population'.
School -age youth are a core customer component of most transit programs as they reflect a
high degree of ride - dependency (i.e., lack a driver's license and /or access to a personal
vehicle). Given the concentration of youth population combined with the location of
schools, public transit as a home -to- school travel alternative is important. In conducting
our surveys of current transit riders, it is apparent that school is a popular travel motivator.
Based on 2000 Census data, a concentration of youth resides in the southeastern quadrant.
This is logical given the concentration of single - family dwellings located therein, as well as
the supporting infrastructure (i.e., schools). Petaluma's largest high school, Casa Grande
High is located on Casa Grande Road. Although not a target market for Petaluma Transit,
three of the 14 elementary schools in Petaluma are in the southeastern area. In addition the
Kaiser Medical Center is located on the far southeast edge of Petaluma, and is a popular
medical destination. In the northeast quadrant, Santa Rosa Junior College (Petaluma
12014 American Community Survey (ACS)
•• PAGE 15
CITY OF PETALUMA`
Campus) on Sonoma Mountain Parkway, and Kenilworth Junior High School on Riesling
Road are major trip attractors.
Petaluma High School and Petaluma Junior High are the major trip attractors in the
southwest quadrant, and are surrounded by primarily single family residential
developments. Other secondary schools in Petaluma include San Antonio High School on
Vallejo Street, Carpe Diem High School on Fair Street, and Saint Vincent's High School on
Keokuk Street.
Elderly Population
For purposes of this study, elderly population is defined as individuals over the age of 65.
In 2010, the number of elderly in Petaluma was equal to 13.1 percent of the city's
population, an increase from 11 percent in 2000. Several new "55 +" senior living
apartments have been constructed in recent years, adding to the segment growth in elderly
population, and applying pressure on Petaluma Paratransit to meet growing demand.
Based on the 2000 Census data, significant concentrations of seniors reside within the
northern and southeastern portions of the city. A high senior concentration correlates with
transportation needs to local medical facilities. Kaiser Permanente Medical Center is
located at the far southeastern edge of the City, at the intersection of Lakeville Highway and
Pine View Way, while Petaluma Valley Hospital is more centrally located at the intersection
of Professional Drive and North McDowell Boulevard. The large senior population in this
area may also correlate with the concentration of assisted living establishments in
northeastern Petaluma, such as Vintage Chateau Apartments, Springfield Place, Sunrise
Senior Living Centers, and scattered PEP (Petaluma Ecumenical Properties) housing
complexes. In addition, senior activity centers, such as the Petaluma Senior Center and
Senior Cafe (lunch program) on Novak Drive, are located in this segment of the city.
In addition, there is an area on the West side of Petaluma that boasts a high concentration
of seniors, which is attributed to the area's medical facilities: Evergreen Health and
Rehabilitation Center (300 Douglas), the Oaks Alzheimer's and Dementia Clinic, (450 Hayes
Lane), Petaluma Post -Acute Rehab (1115 B Street), and Windsor Care (523 Hayes Lane).
In this hilly area formerly served for many years by the unproductive Route 1S, this cluster
of medical facilities poses a tremendous challenge to serve with fixed route, due to the hilly
nature (making walking, especially for seniors, very difficult) and surrounding high -end
residential single - family housing developments in this area. However, due to the nature of
PETALUMA TRANSIT
191 s a
"residents" of these skilled nursing homes, there is almost no demand from the residents
for fixed route service (Petaluma Paratransit does provide trips to these facilities) and to
this date, little interest has been expressed from the facilities' employees.
Petaluma Ecumenical Properties (PEP) provides low- income senior housing at the
following locations. Nearby fixed routes are in parenthesis. PEP housing locations marked
with an " *" are off of main streets and very difficult to serve by fixed route transit:
• .700 Daniel Drive
• 231 Wilson Street (11)
• 1275 Lindberg Lane* (24)
• 306 Mountain View Avenue (1)
• 210 Douglas Street* (5)
• 167 Edith Street (11)
• 1400 Caulfield Lane (3, 33)
• 739 South McDowell (3, 33)
• 1405 Caulfield Lane (3, 33)
• 575 Vallejo Street* (24)
• 579 Vallejo Street* (24)
Petaluma's Senior Population in relation to the route network
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF'PETALUMA 2016 SHORT RANGE TRANSIT{
Disabled Population
Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, disability is defined as "a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities" (29 U.S.C. §705(9)).
According to Census 2010 there are 4,716 disabled persons within the study area,
translating to approximately 8.3 percent of the total population. Based on the 2000 Census,
the highest concentrations of disabled individuals live in areas east of the Petaluma River.
This could be attributed to lower housing costs, as well as proximity to medical facilities.
Petaluma's Disabled Population in relation to the route network
Low Income Population
According to Census 2010, approximately 7.5 percent of the residents of Petaluma are
living at or below the poverty federal poverty level. This is an increase from six percent in
2000. Based on the 2000 Census, the greatest concentration of persons of lower income is
in the central and southeastern portions of Petaluma. These individuals may not have
access to a personal automobile as their primary mode of transportation. Therefore, many
rely on the public transit service.
The Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) is located at the Mary Isaak Center at 900 Hopper
Road, in central Petaluma, near Route 24. COTS provide temporary housing for the
homeless and families in transition. At 1500 Petaluma Boulevard South, in southwest
Petaluma on Route 1, Petaluma People Services (PPSC) has its Sonoma -Works program,
which is the southern Sonoma County Welfare -to -Work program.
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF PETALUMA- 201
Incidence of Vehicle Ownership
The number of households in Petaluma reporting no access to a personal vehicle in 2010 is
1,228. This translates to almost 6 percent of households. The distribution of households
without access to a personal vehicle corresponds to those areas featuring high populations
of youth, seniors, and the disabled. The highest concentration of these ride - dependent
populations is in south central, Downtown, and eastern Petaluma; this indicates demand
for public transit services in these areas, and used in 2010 to restructure services to better
"MIS,
Petaluma's Zero - Vehicle Households in Relation to the Route Network
is
• • • PAGE 19
CITY OF PETALUMA'- 2(
Petaluma's Minority Households in Relation to the Route Network
PT Ridership surged after introduction of 2011 Gilligs & New Branding
IS ON
.. PAGE 20
CITY OF PETALUMA`- 201
CHAPTER 2 — Goals, Objectives, and Standards
The following section advances a Performance Measurement System for the City of
Petaluma's public transit program. The foundation for this Performance Measurement
System reflects the data gathered as part of the required TDA compliance audits and other
industry- standard statistics.
Goals, Objectives, and Measures
An effective Performance Measurement System is composed of goals, objectives, and
standards.
• Goals are statements that qualify the desired results. They are the end toward which
efforts are directed. They are general and timeless, yet theoretically attainable.
• Objectives provide quantifiable measures of the goals. They are more precise and
capable of both attainment and measurement.
• Standards set quantifiable targets for achieving the adopted goals.
Introduction: Petaluma Transit Goals, Policies and Service Standards
The following Chapter outlines potential goals, objectives, policies and service standards
for Petaluma Transit's fixed route and paratransit services. The intention is to provide a
policy framework and "toolkit" to direct the ongoing operation of existing services and
guide the planning of future services. Goals, objectives, policies and service standards
provide a framework for the effective utilization of transit resources and available revenue
sources, as well as the setting of service priorities within dynamic financial realities.
Transit service goals are guiding principles reflecting the City of Petaluma's vision for
public transit. Objectives and policy statements should be achievable and designed to
support the approved goals for transit. Service standards provide benchmarks for the
effective planning, evaluation and operation of transit services. Petaluma Transit
objectives, policies and standards should be reviewed and approved by City Council. This
will be accomplished through the approval of the 2016 SRTP. An approved set of transit
goals, objectives, policies and standards provides direction to transit management and
staff.
The Petaluma Transit Goals, Policies and Service Standards chapter is organized into the
following sections:
• The Role of Transit and the City of Petaluma General Plan - explores the
relationship between transit goals and the community and development goals
r
• PAGE 21
CITY OF PETALUMA 20
defined in the City of Petaluma: General Plan 2025 (Revision Date: January 11,
2012).
• Petaluma Transit Mission Statement - provides a suggested Mission statement
for Petaluma Transit in support of Mobility Goals presented in City of Petaluma:
General Plan 2025.
• Petaluma Transit Goals - identifies transit goals defined in in City of Petaluma:
General Plan 2025.
• Petaluma Transit Goals, Objectives and Policy Statements - provides a series of
potential service objectives supported by related policy statements.
• Service Standards and Guidelines - summarizes proposed efficiency, service
quality and design standards.
• New Service Warrants - provides guidelines for the introduction of new services.
• Title IV and Environmental Justice Considerations - summarizes Title VI service
planning requirements.
The Role of Transit and the City of Petaluma General Plan
Transit is a means to an end. That end is getting people where they need, or want to go.
Transit should also support other community goals as these may relate to equity issues, the
environment, and economic and land use development plans. The City of Petaluma:
General Plan 2025. completed in May 2008, provides a community vision and a set of
Goals, Policies and Programs to achieve this vision.
• • • PAGE 22
CITY OF PETALUMA - 20
Chapter 5: Mobility of the City of Petaluma: General Plan 2025 document summarizes
the Mobility Element of the General Plan. The Mobility Element identifies long -range
transportation needs for moving people and goods in and around Petaluma. It considers
bicycle, motor vehicle and pedestrian travel as well as public transit, rail, air, and water
travel as well as a range of public safety, environmental, and social equity issues associated
with transportation.
The following mobility priorities are laid out in the General Plan:
• "Improve Petaluma's transportation system to increase mobility for all modes of
travel, especially for automobiles, pedestrians, bicycles, buses, and freight and /or
passenger rail transit;
• Provide cross -town mobility enhancements for Petaluma residents that make
crossings of Highway 101, the Northwest Pacific Railroad Tracks and the Petaluma
River easier and more convenient;
• Create a pedestrian environment that is safe, attractive, encourages walking, and is
accessible to all;
• Implement a bicycle network free of gaps that permits easy bicycle travel to all
schools and major City destinations;
• Support efforts to provide regional commuter rail service to neighboring cities in
Sonoma and Marin Counties; and
• Improve the existing bus transit system so that it is convenient and provides more
frequent, regular service along major City corridors. Better coordinate the local
transit system schedule and service with Sonoma County Transit, Golden Gate
Transit, local paratransit services, and school schedules."
The above priorities provide a framework for the near and long term planning of Petaluma
Transit service. The last bullet provides a particular emphasis for the setting of Petaluma
Transit priorities:
• The provision of convenient and more frequent service along major City corridors,
and better coordination with regional public transit providers and student class
times.
General Plan Transit Strategies
The General Plan recognizes that while Petaluma Transit did not (as of 2008) currently
play a major role for travel within Petaluma, it will become increasingly important in the
future:
"This General Plan seeks to foster increased transit use and a greater emphasis on
.. M PAGE 23
transit in planning for future transportation. In the long term, this will include commuter
rail service, increased frequency bus service with transit priority, transit - oriented
development practices and the development of transit signal corridors (including potential
"bus rapid transit" routes) along Washington Street and Petaluma Boulevard. Future
enrollment growth at the Petaluma Campus of Santa Rosa Junior College could also
generate a need for additional transit amenities to serve students and faculty. In addition, a
local nonprofit group is pursuing funding for restoration of a historic trolley line that would
connect Downtown and the Factory Outlets and would be intended to facilitate tourism and
riverfront activity."
"The mode share for transit could be enhanced through increased frequency of service
within the city, especially between the neighborhoods and Central Petaluma, and to
neighboring cities along the 101 corridor, where many of Petaluma's residents work.
However, as mentioned above, the dispersed land use patterns throughout the North Bay
make transit infeasible for many trips. In addition, expanded service hours would
necessitate increased transit subsidies, which would likely need to come from local
sources. Implementation of a transportation demand management (TDM) program with a
funding mechanism dedicated to transit is recommended to achieve the goals outlined in
this section. "?
General Plan Transit Goal and Policies (2008)
Goal 5 -G -6: Public Transit
Promote the expansion of the transit system and the intensification of use by the public.
Policies and Programs:
5 -P -42 Expand the bus transit system so that it is convenient and provides frequent,
regular service along major City corridors serving education, shopping, and
employment destinations, and SMART park- and -ride lots. Identify increased funding
sources for local transit service and improvements.
• 5 -P -43 Support efforts for transit oriented development around the Petaluma Depot
and along the Washington Street, Petaluma Boulevard, McDowell Boulevard,
Lakeville Street, and other transit corridors. Reserve and plan for future bus stop
enhancement and transit signal priority along Washington Street and Petaluma
Boulevard. Enhance the use of the Park and Ride facility at the Fairgrounds through
education and marketing.
2 City of Petaluma: General Plan 2025, page 5 -22.
PETALUMA TRANSIT
1111111E 1161 Z
5 -P -44 Maintain a transit system of nominal cost, or no cost, to riders. Investigate
the creation of subsidies for designations such as education, significant employment,
and /or recreation destinations. Collaborate with Santa Rosa Junior College to
promote measures to enhance transit access and service at the Petaluma Campus.
5 -P -45 Coordinate transit improvement efforts and schedules among Petaluma
Transit, Sonoma County Transit, Golden Gate Transit, airport shuttle services,
paratransit, taxi services, commuter rail, and schools; coordinate local transit to
include after - school activity schedules.
• 5 -P -46 Consider benefits to the possible consolidation of transit serving agencies.
Petaluma Transit Mission Statement
Currently there is no specific Mission Statement for Petaluma Transit. A mission statement
should reflect the City's vision for public transit services. It should provide general
philosophical support for General Plan Goals. The following proposed Petaluma Transit
Mission statement is drawn from a draft mission statement for the Petaluma Transit
Advisory Committee3:
Create and maintain a transit system with a commitment to enhance the quality of life for the
people in Petaluma by providing and promoting transportation choices that support
accessible and sustainable community mobility.
Petaluma Transit Goal Statement
The SRTP adopts the General Plan Goal S -G -6: Public Transit for Petaluma Transit:
"Promote the expansion of the transit system and the intensification of use by the public."
The following provides a summary of more operational and service planning objectives and
policies to guide the administration and planning of Petaluma Transit services.
Petaluma Transit Objectives and Policy Statements
An objective is a more clearly defined target, or direction to achieve a goal. Policies define
an organization's approved course of action to achieve specific objectives. The following
objectives and policy statements support the service goal defined for Petaluma Transit. .
3 Transit Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, Thursday, June 7. 2007.
.. NEW-011 F PAGE 25
CITY OF PETALUMA
Objective A: Maximize service availability, reliability, and convenience.
Policies:
1. Priority should be given to serving the travel needs of the primary transit markets in
Petaluma - carless or single car households, students, seniors, persons on fixed
and /or limited income, and persons with disabilities.
2. After ensuring the availability of reliable and convenient service to the primary
transit markets, design and operate services to attract and serve the "choice" transit
market for local travel needs within Petaluma and as public transit feeders to and
from regional commute services provided by Golden Gate Transit, Sonoma County
Transit, SMART, and Airport Express.
3. Ensure sufficient service capacity to maximize service availability to all primary
transit markets throughout the service day. Although service capacity is ultimately
determined by funding, ensure that a reasonable level of service is available.
4. Provide an adequate number of vehicles to meet all bus pullout requirements for
scheduled Petaluma fixed route and Paratransit services.
S. Practice a zero tolerance policy for the cancellation of scheduled fixed route and
paratransit service due to the lack of in- service vehicles or operator availability.
6. Ensure availability of sufficient bus capacity to avoid passenger pass -ups on fixed
route service. This can be accomplished by increasing bus size or service
frequencies, or by operating peak overlay trippers. Provide Paratransit back -up
service to avoid fixed route bus pass -ups of persons using wheelchairs when
wheelchair capacity has been reached.
7. Ensure sufficient Paratransit capacity to avoid denial of trip requests by ADA
eligible registrants made at least one day before desired travel.
8. Ensure adequate bus capacity to accommodate passenger loads within the adopted
maximum load standards established for Petaluma Transit.
9. Ensure sufficient round trip travel times for fixed route services to facilitate on -time
performance within an adopted on -time performance standard.
10. Ensure on -time performance by scheduling adequate recovery time into all fixed
route and (if applicable) flexroute schedules.
11. Establish timed transfers between local services (top priority) and key regional
services at transfer locations.
12. Establish schedules around critical arrival or departure times at key local
destinations such as class start and dismissal bells at secondary schools served by
Petaluma Transit; retail hours at key malls and other major retail concentrations
served by Petaluma Transit; common work shift start and finish times4, and
program start and finish times for the developmentally disabled. Criteria will vary
4 Buses should be scheduled to arrive at key employer concentrations 10 to 15 minutes prior to work start
times and depart 10 to 15 minutes after shift end times.
PETALUMA TRANSIT ¢� 11 NINE
CITY OF PETALUMA
from route to route and concessions will have to be made to ensure timed transfers
at planned transfer locations.
13. Operate clockface schedules where practical.
14. Scheduled fixed routes will not depart a timepoint before the published departure
time in the schedule.
Objective B. Maximize operating efficiency without negatively impacting service
quality.
Policies:
1. Establish minimum productivity performance policies for local fixed route services.
A minimum productivity standard as measured by the number of passengers
carried /revenue hour should be based on achieving a passenger revenue recovery
ratio based on State's minimum 20% for urban fixed route services (inclusive of
Measure M revenues allocated to Petaluma Transit annual operating budgets).
Minimum productivity policies shall be incorporated in Petaluma Transit fixed route
service performance and design standards, and subject to annual review as
operating costs and revenues change. Services (by route or time of day) that fall
below minimum productivity performance standards should be considered for
cancellation or reduction when funding is insufficient to meet full program
requirements.
2. Establish a minimum productivity performance policy for Petaluma Paratransit
service based on achieving the State's minimum 10% farebox recovery ratio for
demand response services (inclusive of Measure M revenues allocated to Petaluma
Transit annual operating budgets). Minimum productivity policies shall be
incorporated in Petaluma Paratransit service performance and design standards,
and subject to annual review as operating costs and revenues change. Petaluma
Paratransit should be included in service contract expectations.
3. Evaluate and consider requests for the extension of service hours, the expansion of
service area coverage, and the introduction of additional service based on the
potential of the new services to achieve minimum productivity performance
benchmarks. The City of Petaluma will introduce or implement new services on a
pilot project basis for a trial period not to exceed 24 months. During this period, the
new service will be evaluated and adjusted to improve performance. Productivity
expectations shall be established for the evaluation of new services during the pilot
project period.
4. Maintain a vehicle retirement program that recognizes the effective life cycle of the
various heavy, medium and light duty service vehicles.
S. Maximize ride - sharing, linked trips and productive Petaluma Paratransit vehicle
utilization by using scheduling trip assignment parameters and procedures that
ensure the achievement of the minimum productivity benchmark.
• • • PAGE 27
CITY OF PETALUMA
6. Subject to the availability of appropriate funding, provide technical assistance and
promotional fare discounts in support of public agency initiatives to "travel train"
persons with disabilities.
Objective C: Operate a productive service that remains affordable to the key transit
markets.
Policies:
1. Operating productive and efficient services to minimize fare increases.
Objective D: Ensure ongoing service monitoring, evaluation and planning.
Policies:
1. Actively monitor service performance through the review of operating and cost
performance reports, operational data from the new AVL system, and regular field
spot checks.
2. Separate in -house fixed route and paratransit Scheduling Committees should be
formally established to meet, at a minimum, on a regular basis for the ongoing
review and resolution of operations and service quality issues, and to obtain input
on ongoing service and budget planning.
3. Actively engage the Petaluma Transit Advisory Committee in the evaluation and
planning of fixed route and paratransit services.
4. Petaluma Transit planning staff will regularly ride the service to develop a firsthand
understanding of who uses the service, operating issues, and key destinations. This
requirement should be included as a formal position objective.
5. Based on ongoing service monitoring and evaluation, amend service performance
and design standards as appropriate.
6. Ensure sufficient full time and /or part time staff resources to conduct service
monitoring and contract oversight in support of service planning, contract
compliance and budget adherence.
7. Ensure sufficient full time and /or part time staff resources to prepare NTD reports.
Objective E. Actively participate in the development approval process.
Policies:
1. Petaluma Transit planning staff actively participates in the development review
process to ensure that transit operations are considered as part of new
developments (location and site design) at the initial planning stages.
2. Maintain transit service standards that support City of Petaluma General Plan
goals and policies.
PETALUMA TRANSIT '
"
CITY OF PETALUMA - 20
3. Ensure sufficient full time and /or part time staff resources to actively participate in
the development review process
Objective F. Adhere to prudent budgeting and financial practices.
Policies:
1. Annually prepare a ten -year financial plan covering operating and capital financial
needs and revenue sources preceding the annual budget process. Monitor service
delivery and performance and prepare monthly budget variance reports. Corrective
measures will be developed and implemented as required on a monthly and /or
quarterly basis to correct and avoid negative budget variances.
2. Report financial performance and anticipated service adjustments to the Director of
Public Works, City Manager and the general public on an annual basis.
3. Use realistic and fiscally conservative estimates of costs and revenues in preparing
the five -year financial and service plan.
4. When feasible, maintain annual operating and capital reserves to cushion against
sudden drops in revenues. This will facilitate a planned and strategic response and
minimize a "reactive" response.
S. Ensure sufficient full -time and /or part -time staff resources to carefully process
invoices, prepare financial plans, and prepare monthly budget variance reports.
Objective G: Promote public /private partnerships to increase transit revenue and
ridership.
Policies:
1. Explore joint promotions with retailers, business organizations such as the Chamber
of Commerce etc., and corporate sponsors for the production of Petaluma Transit
information brochures, and the operation of extended holiday or special events
services.
2. Actively pursue the joint promotion of transit as a "green" transportation alternative
to single occupant vehicle (SOV) use.
3. Where appropriate explore the cost sharing of operating costs with developers and
public agencies to extend service to new development or facilities located off the
route network.
4. Ensure sufficient full time and /or part time staff resources to participate in the
promotion of public /private partnership initiatives.
Service Standards and Guidelines
Service standards and guidelines are critical to the administration, operation and planning
of public transit services. Standards should reflect and support the achievement of service
goals, objectives and policies. Standards can be set by federal or state requirements, as well
as by goals, objectives and service priorities adopted by the City of Petaluma.
• • • _.> PAGE 29
CITY OF PETALUMA -201(
While specific standards vary from agency to agency, industry practice generally uses the
following three categories for service performance and design:
1. Efficiency standards.
2. Service quality /reliability standards.
3. Service design standards.
Efficiency and service quality /reliability standards set rules and guidelines for the delivery
of transit services. Where service operations are contracted out, key performance
standards provide contractual expectations and performance benchmarks5. Monitoring
service performance remains an important task for transit providers.
Efficiency Performance Standards
Efficiency standards set parameters for the productive operations of transit services and
guide planning within available operating budgets and funding ceilings.
Efficiency standards use operational performance data to measure the performance of a
transit system. Monitoring operational efficiency and productivity requires data such as
operating cost, passenger fare revenue recovery, vehicle revenue miles, vehicle revenue
hours, and boardings (revenue passenger trips). These data are consistent with operating
and cost data already collected by the City.
Transit monitoring and evaluation should be kept simple to free administrative resources
for service marketing, problem solving and planning. Petaluma Transit should spend time
and resources optimizing the performance of its new AVL /CAD system. This will ensure the
AVL produces reliable operations data, making monitoring and evaluation feasible with
current staffing.
Petaluma Transit Efficiency performance should be monitored and reviewed by transit
planning staff on a monthly basis and reported to the public on an annual basis. The City
should limit its range of efficiency performance measurements to a few key indicators.
These include:
• Operating Cost per Passenger: Calculated by dividing all operating and
administrative costs by total passengers (with passengers defined as revenue trips).
The subsidy cost per passenger is a further refinement of this measure and is
calculated by subtracting farebox revenue from gross operating and administrative
costs and dividing by total passengers.
5 While service standards proposed in this document may not reflect those currently in the City's current
service agreement, they can be considered for the RFP and contract documentation for the next contracting
cycle.
• •, PAGE30
CITY OF PETALUMA'- 2
Operating Cost per Revenue Hour: Calculated by dividing all operating and
administrative costs by the total number of vehicle service hours (with revenue
hours defined as the time when the vehicle is actually in passenger service).
Passengers per Revenue Hour: Calculated by dividing the total number of
passengers (revenue trips) by the total number of vehicle service hours. The
number of passengers per hour is a good measure of service productivity and
critical to the establishment of design standards and benchmarks for the expansion
of transit service. Passengers per service hour should be calculated separately for
fixed route and paratransit services. Fixed route passengers per service hour
standards should be established for different time periods, such as peak, midday,
weekends, and evenings. In the case of fixed route services, passengers per revenue
hour should be measured by individual one way bus trip. For paratransit service,
passengers per hour should be summarized by hour of the day and day of the week.
Passengers per hour standards should be calculated annually based on a consistent
efficiency target that is not subject to annual operating cost fluctuations, such as a
farebox recovery target.
Passenger Revenue Recovery Ratio Targets: Calculated by dividing all passenger
revenue by total operating and administrative costs. Passenger revenue recovery
ratio targets are critical to the establishment of passengers per revenue hour
efficiency standards. To this end farebox recovery targets should be established and
monitored separately for fixed routes and paratransit.
Petaluma Fixed Route and Paratransit Efficiency Performance Standards
The operating cost per revenue hour will likely increase annually as operating costs
increase. While it is more difficult to control increases in the cost per revenue hour
because of increasing labor (wages and benefits) and fuel costs, the cost per passenger can
be more effectively controlled, and potentially lowered, by increasing service productivity.
With transit operating costs fluctuating annually, the operating cost per revenue hour,
although it should be monitored for contractual compliance, is not a good efficiency
performance standard.
Under the Transportation Development Act (TDA) urbanized jurisdictions such as
Petaluma are required to achieve a 20% farebox recovery ratio for fixed route transit
services and a 10% farebox recovery ratio for paratransit services. Petaluma Transit is
able to use Measure M funding to top up farebox revenues in order to achieve the TDA
farebox recovery goals. With fluctuating operating costs, farebox recovery targets remain a
consistent financial measurement base for calculating other standard efficient performance
standards such as:
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF PETALUMA 20
• The number of passengers /revenue hour; and
• The operating cost /one -way passenger trip.
Passengers /Revenue Hour
Passengers /revenue hour standards are recommended as a key efficiency measure for both
Petaluma fixed route and paratransit services. Separate passengers /revenue hour
standards should be calculated separately for each service. The following are
recommended for as passengers /revenue hour service performance standards:
Fixed Route
Number of passengers /revenue hour to
meet 20% farebox recovery6
Paratransit
Number of passengers /revenue hour to
meet 10% farebox recovery
Example: with Petaluma Transit's FY 2016 fully loaded cost per revenue hour of $73.84 and average fare per
passenger of $0.60, an overall system productivity (passengers per revenue hour) target of 24.6 pax /hr is
needed to produce $14.77 in hourly farebox revenue (20% of $73.84).
Passengers per revenue hour standards will vary from year to year, depending on the
number of passengers required to achieve the passenger revenue recovery targets for each
service type. Operating costs should include invoiced contract operating costs, fuel costs,
maintenance and parts costs, and all direct Petaluma overheads assigned to the transit
program. The farebox revenue targets should be based on fares collected from passengers
and not on any local top up revenue contributions. The minimum number of passengers
required per revenue hour is calculated as follows:
Passenger Revenue Recovery Required per Revenue Hour = a X b = c
Where: a = cost per revenue hour (for each service type).
b = passenger revenue recovery targets (calculated for low and high measures for each
service type).
c = actual total revenues per revenue hour required.
Number of Passengers Required to Achieve Farebox Recovery Minimum = c divided by d =
e
Where: c = actual total revenues per revenue hour required.
d = average fare collected per passenger carried (by service type).
e = passengers /revenue hour standard (calculated for low and high measures for each
6 Should be established for each individual route and as a system -wide efficiency standard.
1
�• • •
NEIRMgm SAGE 32
CITY OF PETALUMA -
service type).
As operating costs increase, a greater number of passengers carried per revenue hour will
be necessary. Generally, with fixed route service this is accomplished through a shift from
less productive service coverage to services with a higher ridership potential - eliminating
unproductive service coverage hours or individual bus trips, and short turning buses. With
paratransit this is accomplished by reducing capacity (bus pull -outs) and increasing
productivity through more effective scheduling, dispatching and trip negotiation.
Operating Cost /one -way Passenger Trip
Operating cost /one -way passenger trip standards are also recommended as a key
efficiency measure for both fixed route and paratransit services. Operating cost /one -way
passenger trip standards should be calculated separately for fixed route services and ADA
paratransit service. A maximum operating cost /one -way passenger trip can be calculated
annually for each service type by:
• Dividing the operating cost /revenue hour by the passengers /revenue hour
standards set for each service type.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Corrective Measures
Actual service performance can be monitored on a monthly basis and compared with the
approved annual efficiency performance standards. If a fixed route is performing below
the approved standards, a trip by trip analysis can be conducted to identify specific trips
that could be considered for elimination in order to improve overall route performance. In
the case of paratransit, trip assignment policies and procedures could be changed to
enhance overall productivity. Petaluma Transit has the systems in place (AVL, Trapeze) to
make comprehensive monitoring possible, but will require adequate staffing.
Service Quality and Reliability Standards
Service quality and reliability standards should reflect system goals and support the
measurement of success in achieving specific objectives and policies. Table 2 summarizes
the key service quality and reliability standards and numeric values for Petaluma Transit.
Service quality and reliability standards will be monitored and reviewed by Petaluma
planning staff on a monthly basis and reported to TAC and /or City Council annually.
Service Design Guidelines
Service design standards are critical planning tools to justify and prioritize the expansion of
service to new areas and potential markets, and to guide how the service will be delivered.
PAGE 33
CITY OF PETALUMA = 201
Transit service design incorporates a mix of interrelated social, political, geographical, and
economic factors. Generally these can include:
• The community's vision, goals, and objectives for transit.
• The marketability of the service(s) to be provided.
• Environmental and energy issues.
• Available technology.
• Topography, land use design and right -of -way design characteristics and limitations.
• Budget limitations.
PETALUMA TRANSIT
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CITY OF PETALUMA
New Service Warrants
New Service Warrants provide a tool for judging when new services or service extensions
are appropriate. A new fixed route or route extension could be introduced when ridership
forecasts based on population, school enrollment, or job density are sufficient to achieve
minimum passengers /revenue hour standards by service type. New services should be
introduced on a trial basis and given a minimum of twenty -four months to achieve the
required minimum passenger revenue recovery ratio.
As new residential areas or business developments build out, there may initially be only
sufficient potential ridership to support peak -only service. With eventual build out, there
may be sufficient potential ridership to support midday, evening and weekend service.
New service expansion and /or service frequency increases should always be assessed in
terms of potential ridership and the achievement of the minimum passengers /revenue
hour standard. Prior to the recommendation of new services, an analysis of ridership
potential and passenger revenue recovery is required.
The potential ridership in a new or proposed service area can be calculated by:
or
• Multiplying the population within 1/4 mile of the proposed new service by the per
capita transit trip rate of the Petaluma Transit fixed route service area.
• Daily ridership can also be calculated by multiplying the population in the new area
(employees in a business park or students in a school) to be served by an accepted
daily per capita trip rate. Hourly productivity can be calculated by dividing the
projected daily demand by the number of revenue hours needed to operate the
service.
The decision to introduce new service should be contingent upon the number of potential
passengers per revenue hour being equal to or greater than the minimum passengers per
revenue standard. A Go /No Go decision can be based on the probability of attracting
sufficient ridership to meet the approved passengers per revenue standard within a formal
pilot project timeframe.
In some cases, new services may only be warranted during weekday peaks when hourly
productivity is sufficient to support passenger revenue recovery requirements. In other
cases, service requests to new business parks or new residential subdivisions could be
considered through a joint partnership with major employers or developers to offset
• • • � PACE 44
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2
passenger revenue recovery shortfalls when initial ridership during the early phases of
development is too low to support the approved passengers per revenue hour minimum.
Introduction of New Services on a Trial Basis
New or expanded services should be introduced on a pilot basis for a trial period not to
exceed 24 months. During this period, the new service will be evaluated and adjusted to
improve performance. Productivity expectations should be established for the evaluation of
new services during the pilot period.
New service should achieve at least 50% of the system -wide minimum passengers per
revenue hour within the first 18 months of operation9. Any new service not achieving this
minimum should be considered for discontinuation at the end of the pilot project period.
The revenue hours could be reallocated to other planned service improvements. Following
the pilot period, the service could be discontinued or reconfigured if it continues to fall
below the minimum performance standard for the service type.
Title IV and Environmental Justice Considerations
In accordance with Federal Transportation Administration requirements, the planning of
new Petaluma Transit services and the operation of current services must adhere to the
objectives of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the policies set forth in the
Executive Order on Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low - Income Populations (1994).
FTA Title VI Objectives
Title VI objectives for transit service planning include:
• Ensure FTA- assisted benefits and related services are equitably distributed without
regard to race, color, disability or national origin.
• Ensure that both the level and quality of transit services provide equal access and
mobility for any person without regard to race, disability, color or national origin.
• Prevent the denial, reduction, or delay in benefits related to programs and activities
that benefit minority populations or low - income populations.
9 Given lower levels of ridership, new weekend or evening services should within the first 18- months achieve
a minimum of 50% of the farebox recovery ratio established through historic trends for these lower demand
periods.
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF;PETALUMA-
O Ensure that decisions on the location of transit facilities and services are made
without regard to race, disability, color, or national origin.
• Ensure meaningful access to programs and activities by persons with limited
English proficiency.
Environmental Justice Principles
FTA requires transit agencies to incorporate environment justice and non - discrimination
principles into transportation planning and decision making processes as well as
environmental review for specific projects. Meaningful consideration should be given to
minorities and low- income populations when planning service to ensure transportation
and mobility needs in these communities are addressed. Principles guiding the
environmental justice process include:
• To avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high or adverse human health
and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority and
low- income populations.
• To ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in
the transportation decision - making process.
To prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits
by minority and low - income populations.
2011 Gillig Interior— Note side - facing seating towards front
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016 SHORT RANGE TRANSI' Pig jw
CHAPTER 3 — Fixed -Route Service and System Evaluation
On -Time Performance
In the 2007 SRTP, on -time performance (OTP) was identified as a critical problem for
Petaluma Transit. Since 2009, schedules have been repeatedly optimized, moving running
times where needed, placing as much recovery time at the end of trips as financially
possible (if significant additional funds were available, minutes could be added without
negatively impacting the service), and popular routes paired through interlining. These
efforts initially improved OT, and the most recent, 2012 SRTP did not call out OTP as a
major issue. Unfortunately, a dual threat emerged in recent years significantly degrading
Petaluma Transit's on -time performance.
Increased ridership
While this is the source of great pride for Petaluma Transit, it is also a double -edged sword.
More ridership means stopping more often, and for longer periods of time to board and
alight passengers. There are also more passengers utilizing mobility devices (wheelchairs,
power chairs, scooters, walkers) which slow down the boarding /alighting process. These
normally positive factors have coalesced to bring down Petaluma Transit's OTP.
Increased traffic congestion
Traffic congestion has dramatically increased in Petaluma since 2012 with a combination
of the recovering and growing economy, and the addition of the East Washington Place
Shopping Center just west of U.S. 101 on the already congested E. Washington Street
Corridor. This acute congestion on E. Washington peaks in the mid - afternoon and does not
recede until after 6pm, causing Petaluma Transit severe transfer reliability and general on-
time performance problems, particularly in the late afternoon.
From July 2010 until January 2014, Petaluma Transit featured a "dual timed - pulse" route
network, which puts pressure on each route to maintain schedule adherence to avoid
passengers missing transfer connections on either side of town. OTP importance is critical.
If one route falls significantly behind schedule, due to mobility devices, road congestion, or
whatever reason, transfers are missed at key points in the system. The impact of this is that
passenger trips that were planned to take 20 -30 minutes are delayed and can take an hour
or more.
PETALUMA TRANSIT
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016 SHI
Route
Deadhead
Route 1
Route 11
Route 2
Route 24
Route 3
Route 33
Route 5
Total
Schedule Adherence
Jan 1, 2016 -Dec 31, 2016
% OnTime
44.4
59.2
72.3
52.7
68.4
71.7
78.9
63.8
67.7
Operational Status
% Late % Early
24.2
I 31.4
30.2
10.6
23.8
3.9
44.4
2.8
24.4
7.2
19
9.3
13.1
8
23.7
12.5
25.6 1 6.8
m.
These summary OTP reports are generated from the newly installed Avail AVL /CAD
dispatching system. Of note are the overall OTP numbers in the low 60% range, which is far
from optimal, meaning that nearly 40% of the time, a PT bus will be 6 or more minutes
behind schedule at a published timepoint. This is a bit misleading, in that the scheduler for
PT deliberately creates "tight" schedules to keep the buses moving and places any available
"extra" time at the end of each trip, at the transit centers where restrooms are available and
time can be maximized for passenger transferring. If the AVL report could be altered to
look only at the first and last stops along each route, the OTP rate would improve. Other
notables in this Early 2016 OTP Report include:
• Deadhead times (buses to /from yard) are a part of the base report - disregard this
line as this does not impact the passengers
• Route 1 features a 10% Early ratio, which is unacceptable and under monitoring
• Route 2 was further "tightened" by the scheduler in advance of the Transit Signal
Priority (TSP) Pilot Corridor Project in August 2015. Unfortunately, the TSP project
was delayed a few months, causing OTP to worsen on Route 2.
PETALUMA TRANS`
Number of
% Specials
I Departures
0
631
0
5273
0
15704
0
10461
0
0
��- -5010
I 7818
0
T 10459
0
2449
0
57805
These summary OTP reports are generated from the newly installed Avail AVL /CAD
dispatching system. Of note are the overall OTP numbers in the low 60% range, which is far
from optimal, meaning that nearly 40% of the time, a PT bus will be 6 or more minutes
behind schedule at a published timepoint. This is a bit misleading, in that the scheduler for
PT deliberately creates "tight" schedules to keep the buses moving and places any available
"extra" time at the end of each trip, at the transit centers where restrooms are available and
time can be maximized for passenger transferring. If the AVL report could be altered to
look only at the first and last stops along each route, the OTP rate would improve. Other
notables in this Early 2016 OTP Report include:
• Deadhead times (buses to /from yard) are a part of the base report - disregard this
line as this does not impact the passengers
• Route 1 features a 10% Early ratio, which is unacceptable and under monitoring
• Route 2 was further "tightened" by the scheduler in advance of the Transit Signal
Priority (TSP) Pilot Corridor Project in August 2015. Unfortunately, the TSP project
was delayed a few months, causing OTP to worsen on Route 2.
PETALUMA TRANS`
CITY OF PETALUMA'- 201E
• Route 5 (formerly 1T) also shows a 12.5% Early ratio, which is not ideal, but due to
its role as a school bell oriented tripper route, is not as serious a problem.
Scheduling will move minutes to fix in the next schedule change.
• Route 33 is the most reliable PT route, with 79% on -time performance.
In January 2014, reacting to requests for close -in service to the new East Washington Place
Shopping Center (Target) the Western end of the "dual timed pulse" system was broken
apart in order to add more minutes onto the running time cycle of the interlined Routes 24
and 1. This not only allowed new service along Kenilworth Drive, at the front of the new
shopping center, but also added needed minutes to the Route 24 segment on Lakeville
Highway under the US 101 Freeway Bridge over the Petaluma River, which was under
major expansion construction and causing severe traffic congestion and bus delays. This
change meant that only a few of the Route 24 departures from Copeland Transit Mall
actually "pulsed" with Route 11. This means that many connecting trips to /from Routes 1
and 24 to Route 11 (Crosstown) had to endure significant waits at Copeland, unlike before.
In the transit industry, and in Petaluma, the following criteria are used to evaluate on -time
performance:
• On -time: defined as trip departure between no more than one minute prior to the
published time and no more than five minutes past the published time.
• Early: defined as any departure more than a minute prior to the published
scheduled time.
• Late: defined as any departure occurring six or more minutes after the published
time.
• Missed: a trip that is not delivered, often in order to "reset" the buses on their
routes and get the buses back on schedule after severe delays.
Factors that are challenging Petaluma Transit's on -time performance include, in order of
magnitude:
• Traffic congestion, especially in the afternoon school bell hour
• Lack of funding to mitigate OTP issues with more buses on longer running cycles
• Lack of transit signal priority to assist buses with schedule adherence
• Wheelchair /mobility device boardings /alightings
• Local road construction.
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2
Route Descriptions and Analysis
A route -by -route analysis was conducted to identify strengths and weaknesses of the
current (2015 -16) route network.
Route 1
Route 1 provides weekday and Saturday service to Petaluma Boulevard, primarily from its
northern extent at Gossage Ave, at the Gossage Park & Ride and the Petaluma Village
Premium Outlets, to the entry to the Quarry Heights neighborhood at the southern edge of
the west side of Petaluma. The Route serves downtown, stopping at the Phoenix Theater
and Petaluma Market, Fourth and C, and the Transit Mall.
This route serves the fairly productive Petaluma Blvd. North Corridor, with its most
productive stop at the Factory Outlets, then traverses Downtown albeit in a uni- directional
manner going southbound to the lightly used Petaluma Blvd South segment. To illustrate
this, the stops a passenger would use to board the Route 1 to go to the Factory Outlets are
located at Copeland Transit Mall, and E. Washington at the "River Stop" by the River
Apartments. It is not possible in the current alignment to board the Route 1 in Downtown
proper to travel to the Factory Outlets or any Boulevard North destinations, due to the one -
way configuration of the route and its interlining with Route 24 upon its completion of its
route at Copeland Transit Mall.
Prior to 2010, Route 1 was combined with what is now Route 5 (formerly Route 1T until
2015) to provide service on two half -hour variants, 1S and 1N, both featuring extremely
low productivity, especially outside school bell times. This configuration was transformed
in 2010 to the all -day, Petaluma Boulevard oriented Route 1, and the school bell focused
Route 5 (1T). Route 1 ran on clockface hourly schedules from 2010 to 2014, when, due to
severe construction - induced congestion on the interlined Route 24,15 additional minutes
were added to the 1/24 to produce 75 minute (non- clockface) headways. This service
scheme was a temporary measure and is planned to undergo a major transformation with
the start of SMART service.
Highest Productivity: Factory Outlets, Pet Blvd North at Magnolia
Lowest Productivity: Petaluma Blvd South, PBN between Downtown & Magnolia
The Avail- generated ridership by stop for Route 1 is shown below. This analysis reports
rides by Route and by stop. Copeland Transit Mall is by far the most used stop on Route 1,
with other busy stops on PBN at Shasta NB, PBN at Magnolia SB, and the Factory Outlet
PETALUMA Ti
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016 SH
stops. Note the very poor ridership on PBS, with only PBS at the Quarry Heights
Roundabout and PBS at Mtn. View Northbound showing significant boarding activity.
Penry Park in Downtown Petaluma, on Route 1
Figure 4: Ridership by Stop, Route 1 (Oct. 2015)
PetBiv&ShastaSB
PetB1v &Magno1S6
PetBiv & WestStN B
PetBiv& WashinSB
PBN & West SO
100 200 300 400
Ridership
PETALUMA T`
Route 2
Route 2 provides service to North McDowell Boulevard, from the Eastside Transit Center
(ETC) at Maria Drive in the south, to Old Redwood Highway in the north. Located along this
route are Petaluma Valley Hospital and adjacent medical offices, the Petaluma Health
Center, a post office, several retirement communities, major retail centers, and the
employment -rich area around Old Redwood Highway. Route 2 also features an important
transfer point to and from Sonoma County Transit at the IHOP on Old Redwood Highway.
Highest Productivity: ETC, Petaluma Plaza SC, Petaluma Health Center, Lynch Creek
(medical), Old Redwood Highway at McDowell (IHOP) transfer point to SCT 44/48
Lowest Productivity: North McDowell between Professional & Candlewood (MHP)
Figure 5: Ridership by Stop, Route 2 (Oct. 2015)
PetBly &IndstrEB
East Side TC
SMcDow &EWash1N8
NMcDow &CommCntr
NMcDow &LynchCNB
NMcDowRRain1eNB
NMcDow &CandleNB
NMcDow &SundsNB
NMcDow &SouthpNB
NMcDow &PetBIvNB
NMcDow &YoungsNB
C+IdRed &NMcDowE6
1330Re &No11stat
1367NM &RedwooSB
NMcDow &RossStSB
NMcDow &Rand5tSB
NMcDow &Youngsat
NMcD &PetEsMHPSB -
NMcDow &SouthpSB -
NMcDow &RoundWat
NMcDow &CandlwSB
NMcDow &RainieSB
NMcDow &LynchCSB
NMcDow &PetaSCN -
NMcDow &PetaSCS
NMcD&RainNB_TP
NMcD&Ra1ni$B_TP,
SMcDow&MariaDNB
0
PETALUMA TR
500 1,000 1,500 2,000
Ridership
CITY OF PETALUMA`- 2016
Route 3 / 33
This route sees significant ridership from Casa Grande High School and Kenilworth Junior
High School, and the Petaluma Campus of the Santa Rosa Junior College. Routes 3/33 also
serves to provide access to Petaluma's major retail centers from the primarily residential
areas of the East side, east of McDowell.
Highest Productivity: 3T at PM school bell times at KJHS & CGHS, ETC, SRJC, S. McDowell
Lowest Productivity: N. Maria Drive Segment, SMP between SRJC & Washington
Both Routes 3 and 33 follow nearly identical alignments, and see significant ridership from
Casa Grande High School and Kenilworth Junior High School, and the Petaluma Campus of
the Santa Rosa Junior College. Other notably busy stops include S. McDowell at Lindberg
Lane, Baywood Drive, and St. Francis and Maria Drive at Creekside. Ridership on the North
Maria Drive segment is sparse with the exception of the Meadow School area.
Figure 6: Ridership by Stop, Route 3 (Oct. 2015)
Keller& W esterS B -
4th & C St-
EWashl&E1l1sSWB-
East SideTC
SMcDow&EWashiN6-
EMad1s &Novak DEB -
MariaD &Monroe146 -
Maria D &RainleN6 -
MariaD &NorthsSB.-
MariaD &MeadowN6
Sonoma &MariaDSB
Sonoma &ColombS6
Sonoma & CampusS B -
Sonoma &CygnusSO
Sonoma &RainieSO
Sonoma & Clary W S B -
Sonoma &ChehalSB -
Sonoma &Stlam @at -
Kenilworth 3 H S
Elyely &GilrixSB
ElyBiv&WashinCr-
ElyBlv&Caulif-
ElyBlv&7ulietSB-
ElyBly &CasaGrsO
SMCDow&CasaGYNB
SMCDow &AnnaWaS8
SMCDow &BaywooNe
SMCDow &CaulfiN6
SMcDow & W eaverN8
Ely8lv&CaptstEB ;
0 Soo 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Ridership
Figure 7: Ridership by Stop, Route 33 (Oct. 2015)
MariaD &RainieSB
MariaD&MonroeSB
EIyBIv &CIydesNB
_EIyBiv &GIINXNB
iMCDow &Youngsat
NNcDow &RainieSB
NNcDow&PetaSCN
NMcDow &PetaSCS
StFranWkDowat
500 1,000 1, Soo 2,000
Ridership
Route 5
The Route 5 (formerly Route 1T) alignment serves the residential neighborhoods on the
west side of Petaluma, Petaluma High School and Junior High School, as well as areas along
Bodega Avenue and Petaluma Boulevard, near St. Vincent High School. The 5 operates 6
trips per day, at the school bell times, and is highly productive on schooldays.
PETALUMA TRA
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016
Route 5V is an extension north on Petaluma Boulevard of Route 5, serving the morning bell
time at Headwaters Academy at Industrial Ave. The 5V happens once per weekday for the
AM bell. The PM bell at Headwaters Academy is served by a variation of the Route 2. This
was implemented to address input received from students at PJHS who had some negative
experiences with students from Headwaters riding on the same bus in the PM.
Figure 8: Ridership by Stop, Route 5 (Oct. 2015)
Keller& Wester!
4th & C
PetBly &FSt!
PetBly &MtnVie!
PetBly &Rounda!
McNear &Missiot
ISt&Sunnys,
Petaluma
Petaluma 71
Bodega&Bantaml
PetBly& Washint
PetBly &5hastat
PetBlv&Facbort
Indust& PetBly!
PetBlv&Gossag
PetBly &Factor!
PetBly &Shasta!
PetBly &Magnol!
PBN & West !
0 100 200 ' 300 400 500
Ridership
Route 5 has its busiest stops at the two major schools, and at the Keller & Western
(Petaluma Market) stop, where the 5 meets the Route 11 for crosstown transfers before
and after school. Outside these stops, and as a proxy for where Route 5 riders live, I Street
& Sunnyslope, Bodega & Bantam, and the Route 1 stops along PBN are all productive.
Route 11
Route 11 provides a connection between the east and west sides of Petaluma, linking up
with Route 1 downtown at Petaluma Market, 4th and C, and the Copeland Transit Mall, with
Route 24 at the Transit Mall, and with Routes 2, 3, and 33 at the Eastside Transit Center.
The alignment serves Downtown via Washington Street, Keller, 4th & C, and D Street, then
easterly from the Copeland Transit Mall, along Washington, serving the Library, Whole
Foods, the Swim Center /Library, and the Eastside Transit Center (ETC) at the Washington
Square (Safeway) Shopping Center.
CITY OF PETALUMA - 20
Highest Productivity: Eastside Transit Center (ETC), Downtown, Copeland, Library
Lowest Productivity: Washington & Lakeville
Figure 9: Ridership by Stop, Route 11 (Oct. 2015)
Route 11 ridership shows the dominance of the Eastside Transit Center (ETC) followed by
the emerging Keller & Western (Petaluma Market) Downtown stop, which has evolved as a
transfer point between Route 11 and the Route 5, with bulk transfers occurring at the main
bell time trips of Route S. Copeland Transit Mall is also a busy stop on Route 11, as is 41h
and C, E. Washington and Ellis (Fairgrounds), and Maria at Creekside near the Eastside
Transit Center.
Route 24
Route 24 serves the Lakeville Highway corridor, from the Copeland Transit Mall out to the
Kaiser Medical Offices, at the southeast edge of town. South of Lakeville and Caulfield, the
route is largely a one -way loop, with the legacy outbound alignment serving St. Francis
Drive, Casa Grande Road, and Ely Blvd, providing service to Casa Grande High School. The
Route then loops out to the Kaiser Medical Offices, provides service to the large Lakeville
Office Park, then returning via Lakeville Highway, serving the Gateway Shopping Center,
PETALUMA TRA
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016
and then returns to the Transit Mall via Lakeville Hwy. This route is challenged by the high
percentage of one -way loops, and is being modified to be more bi- directional to better
serve the SMART station.
Highest Productivity: Kaiser, Copeland Transit Mall, Lucky's SC, Casa Grande HS
Lowest Productivity: St. Francis Segment, Lakeville between S. McDowell & Caulfield
Figure 10: Ridership by Stop, Route 24
CopelandStTrans
EWashi&LakeviEB
EWashi &VallejEB
EWashi &EIIisS W B
EWashi& Vallej W B
CasaGr &SWDowei
Casa Gr& SartorE B -
ElyOWN&Frates -
Lake W & Frateson -
Kaiser Med Ctr-
S Mc Dow & Cypres W B -
2000SM &CaderLSB-
SMcDow &FisherNB -
Lakevi &CaulifW e -
Caulf &LakevilEB -
StFran&MiwokSat-
StFran&SMcDowat
3820Cy&SMCDowSB-
StFran & Lombarat-
StFran &BaywooSB
S Mc Dow & Lakevi S B -
Kenilw &TargetSC
0 200 400 600
Ridership
Route 24 ridership is predominantly from Copeland Transit Mall, indicating a high
percentage of people accessing Route 24 from another PT bus, most likely Route 11. The
unsigned stop at S. McDowell Extension and Cypress (Mrs. Grossman's) along with
Lakeville & Caulfeld, Lakeville & Baywood, and Ely & Frates, and the Target Shopping
Center stop on Kenilworth Drive are Route 24's most productive stops.
Eastside Trippers
Route 3T is a twice -daily Tripper (extra trip) running between the Kenilworth Junior High
School and Casa Grande High, providing double capacity during this high- demand period at
PT's two highest ridership schools. Unfortunately, at this time the Avail data is unavailable
CITY OF PETALUMA = 201
to isolate the 3T/33T/3S/33M tripper data from the base Route 3/33 data. However, this
overall ridership graphic shows the incredible productivity of these bell -time services.
Figure 11: October 2015 Weekday Riders (Per Hour & By Route)
These trippers in general carry over 100 passengers per hour based on their innovative
design to closely meet the needs of local students. The graph above shows the impacts felt
by PT of the local student commuter markets, as the most productive routes are all
enhanced by, or purely driven by student boardings (even 3/33 enjoys a bump in ridership
around bell times, and Route 5 is the west side tripper mainly used by students).
PETALUMA TRAI
CITY OF PETALUMA'- 201
Service Evaluation
Petaluma Transit like many smaller transit agencies has struggled to obtain a high level of
detailed ridership /productivity data historically. However, with the recent implementation
of the Avail Technologies AVL /CAD System (Automated Vehicle Location /Computer Aided
Dispatch) a huge volume of daily stop - level, and trip -level data is beginning to appear.
Hence, some of the data presented here is very recent and lacking historical background,
but helpful to construct the overall system performance story of Petaluma Transit. Staff
then uses actual system performance data comparatively against City- adopted
performance standards (revised performance standards contained herein as Chapter 2).
Figure 11 presents productivity by route, measured by the number of total hoardings
divided by the revenue hours of service. This fresh sample was taken from October 2015.
As is shown, Petaluma Transit's most productive routes are the bell -time oriented "tripper"
routes that are added as overlays onto existing routes (Shadow, 3T, 33M) or run only at
bell times (Route 5). This is consistent with the data contained in the 2012 Short Range
Transit Plan, as shown below as Figure S. It should be noted that other routes, beyond the
trippers (3T,Shadow, 3/33M), carry a significant amount of student commuters daily,
particularly (regular) Routes 3 and 33, both of which would be below Routes 2 and 11 in
overall productivity were it not for their bell time trips that serve riders at Casa Grande HS
and Kenilworth JHS. Of the routes that are relatively un- impacted by school bell ridership,
Routes 2 and 11 are very productive all day long (averaging around 20 riders per revenue
hour in their long spans of service) while Routes 1 and 24 lag far behind. It should be noted
that PT's main trunk routes (11, 2) are producing at or above 20 riders per hour, which is
very successful in a suburban environment.
Service frequency attracts riders, providing that the demand in that area supports service.
Routes 2 and 11 run every half hour all day, and Route 3 and 33 cover the same alignment
in opposite directions to provide a "net 30 minute frequency ". Petaluma Transit's only two
routes that run a lifeline - level, less than half - hourly frequency, are Routes 1 and 24. These
routes are and always have been in recent years the worst performers in the system, with
slightly above and under 10 passengers per hour respectively. AS noted earlier in this plan,
in January 201415 additional minutes were added to the (interlined) cycle times for the
1/24 bus, diluting frequency even further from hourly, to every 75 minutes. It is difficult to
predict how productivity would react on these routes should frequencies by increased in
the future but there is little doubt that customers who use Routes 1 and /or 24 would like to
see more frequent service.
PETALUMA TRAI
CITY OF PETALUMA - 2016 SHOR'
Table 3 presents performance measures and indicators for the entire fixed -route service.
The measures and indicators were evaluated across a nine -year period facilitating trend
analysis.
Items of note on Table 3 include:
• 17% increase in operating cost compared with a 38% increase in revenue hours;
this is a direct result of streamlining of operations through a single contract and the
more efficient route network implemented in 2010.
• 82% rise in passengers compared with a 62% rise in fare revenue; this is
attributable to the easier and free transfers between routes and the greater use of
monthly and quarterly flash passes. This can also be seen in the 38% increase in
productivity compared with the 11% decrease in average fare per passenger.
• Declining cost per hour is due to the streamlining of the operations contract and
expansion of hours, plus the reform of cost allocations, which historically were over -
allocated to fixed route.
PETALUMA TRANSIT