Transit Implementation Guidelines for Small Canadian Municipalities

Transcription

1 Transit Implementation Guidelines for Small Canadian Municipalities

2 TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR SMALL CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES This Study has been produced with the assistance of the Green Municipal Fund, a Fund financed by the Government of Canada and administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Notwithstanding this support, the views expressed are the personal views of the author(s), and the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities accept no responsibility for them. ROFESS AL ENGIN CHOLAS F E ALBERTA PERMIT TO PRACTICE D. A. WATT CONSULTING GROUP LTD. Signature March 29, 2006 PERMIT NUMBER: P 3818 The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta Date March 29, 2006 Prepared by: Masterton Planning Group In Association with D.A. Watt Consulting, Transportation Division File: 2202.T01 Date: January 20, 2006 Copyright 2006, Town of Canmore

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION... 1 SECTION 1 TRANSIT FEASIBILITY GOALS FOR THE SYSTEM POTENTIAL MARKETS Large Seniors Population Students Secondary School Students Post-secondary School Shoppers Commuters Summary of potential market URBAN FORM TYPES OF TRANSIT SERVICE TO MEET THE MARKET Identification of Major Trip Generators Transit Service Options Fixed Route/Fixed Schedule Demand-Responsive Shared-Ride Taxi Accessible Services School Service Hierarchy of needs Weekday Peak Service Midday Service Saturday Sunday Evening COSTING THE SYSTEM System Size System Cost System Ridership System Revenue Available Funding...21 SECTION 2 SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION EXISTING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Taxis (land and water) Seniors Centre/ specialized community buses Shopping mall buses Private transit...23 TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES

4 8.0 SERVICE DESIGN AND ROUTE PLANNING System Design Transit Oriented Development Hybrid or Regional Town Centre Transit Development-Oriented Transit System Design Summary Route Design Route Typology Mainline or Line-Haul Regional Connectors Express Local Designing the Route Fixed Route Line-Haul Fixed Route - Loop (one or two-way) Fixed Route - with deviation Fixed Route Line route with Loop Fixed Route Y or Split Tail Flexible Route with Area Deviations Transfer Options Focal Point Transfer Timed Transfer Random Transfer Feeder to Mainline Transit Zones Bus Zones Transit Zones Pedestrian Environment OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS Hours of Operation/Public Schedule Vehicle Schedules Operator s Schedule SYSTEM MANAGEMENT Direct Municipal Operation Contracted Operation Contract Operations including Vehicles STAFF CONSIDERATIONS VEHICLE MANAGEMENT Vehicle Procurement Vehicle Maintenance...36 TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES

5 13.0 REVENUE COLLECTION AND SECURITY Fare Structure Fare Collection Fare Security Fare Media Fare Collection Vault Removal Storage Movement of Coins to Bank Coin Counting FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Operating Costs Fixed Costs Capital Costs CUSTOMER INTERFACE Information Complaint System Purchase of Pre-Paid Fare Media System Promotion SYSTEM EVALUATION AND MONITORING RESORT TOWNS Vail Aspen...44 SECTION 3 - SUMMARY APPENDIX: CANMORE TRANSIT PLAN FINANCIAL & IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS BIBLIOGRAPHY TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES

6 TABLES TABLE 1 COST COMPARISONS FOR SELECTED CANADIAN TRANSIT SYSTEMS... 6 TABLE 2 CALCULATION OF HOURS TABLE 3 AVERAGE FARE CALCULATION TABLE 4 COST CALCULATIONS (FROM EXAMPLES) EXHIBITS EXHIBIT 1 TRANSIT FEASIBILITY PROCESS... 3 EXHIBIT 2 BASIC DEVELOPMENT TYPES EXHIBIT 3 MAP 1 TOWN OF VAIL TRANSIT SERVICE EXHIBIT 4 MAP 2 ASPEN VALLEY TRANSIT SERVICE TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES

7 1.0 INTRODUCTION Determining the feasibility of implementing a transit system in a small municipality requires examination of a number of factors or issues. Many municipalities considering transit are left unsure of the questions to ask when considering transit and how their community compares to common standards for transit implementation. Unfortunately, transit feasibility is a function of each community s specific desires, wants or needs. This means that a transit system can be as small as a taxi operating several trips per day or per week all the way up to a full system operating on fixed routes, seven days a week. However, there are ways to assess the feasibility of implementing transit in a community. The simplest method is to look at both the transit feasibility and the transit implementation as a series of questions and tasks, as noted below: 1. What is the community wishing to accomplish with the implementation of public transit? What are the social, economic and environmental benefits of public transit? 2. Who will use public transit? What is the potential market for public transit? 3. What are the urban form, size, economic structure and demographics of the community? 4. What type of public transit service is required? 5. Where should the public transit service operate? What are the most common areas and facilities that citizens wish to travel to/from? 6. When should the transit service operate? What days of the week and hours of the day should service be available? 7. How much service will be provided, how much will the service cost and how will the operating costs be funded? 8. Who will plan, promote, operate and maintain the transit system? What components of the system will be operated by the municipality or contracted? 9. How much revenue is the system expected to generate? What are the types and amounts of passenger fares? How is revenue collected, managed and accounted for? 10. What type of vehicle and physical infrastructure is required? How will the vehicles and capital infrastructure be funded, operated and maintained? 11. What is the level of community financial support for public transit? There is an order to these questions that can be expressed in a linear relationship that can in turn act as a guide for the overall question of transit feasibility. The relationship is shown in Figure 1. As a basic initial guide, the questions can lead to answering the basic question: Should we implement a transit system? TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 1

8 Once the community has answered Yes to all the questions regarding feasibility, the next stage is to design a system in detail and create an Implementation Plan that takes into account all the factors from Questions This will include a detailed costing of the system based on known features, and should also incorporate the all-important monitoring and evaluation elements inherent in the following Question How will the service be evaluated? Is the service meeting community objectives, are the community and customers satisfied, are there areas for improvement, and how might the service develop in the future? TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 2

9 EXHIBIT 1 TRANSIT FEASIBILITY PROCESS Stop NO Are there Local Issues you trying to solve by starting a transit system? Traffic Congestion Defraying additional road investment Social Concerns Environmental Issues (clean air etc) Yes Stop No specific markets Are there specific markets that are requesting service and are there definable places to take them? Seniors Students Workers Yes Stop Scattered development & Road structure make it difficult Is your community organized to support a transit system? Yes Stop No support Do you have public support for a transit system? Yes Stop No support Do you have political support for a transit system? Yes Stop No funding Can you afford to operate a transit system? Yes Move to implementation phase TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 3

10 Although these questions can help scope out whether transit is desirable and at what scale, they cannot answer the fundamental question: When is a community big enough to support a transit system? Many communities considering the issue of public transit will concern themselves with a single question: At what point or population threshold does it become feasible to operate a transit system? The answer varies, particularly because there is no real threshold in terms of population as transit can be implemented at any population level depending upon the financial resources of the community, the desire to implement a system, and the flexibility for finding a solution (e.g., using taxis, dial-a-ride, paratransit services, limited bus service or other options to start the service until the community can afford to upgrade the service.) Transit in most small communities is viewed more as a social service for the community, not unlike the provision of a library or recreation centre. Transit is part of the basic social services that help create a sense of community. This is particularly true for residents that require accessible services due to some form of disability. However, transit will always require a substantial subsidy (potentially up to 70% of the total costs in small systems). It is therefore the social or environmental reasons which push a community to investigate transit more than a threshold than density, total population, or community development. The latter issues affect the design of the system and the productivity but not the rationale for starting a system. Larger systems such as Calgary and Vancouver have created guidelines for introduction of service to new areas, however these may not be applicable to smaller cities contemplating transit for the first time. Ultimately, the threshold for transit is the cost per citizen that Council is willing to accept in order to implement the system. Some examples of costing are shown in Table 1, where the cost of the system can vary considerably depending on the complexity of the system. The ability of the town or city to finance a transit system may require a smaller system to start cautiously with slow growth over time. Three examples are provided in Appendix A that document the growth of a small system, a medium-to-large system, and a resort town over a couple of decades to show that the system will grow slowly based on new growth, cost, and the maturity of the system. The intent of these guidelines is to help define the community conditions (such as urban form and travel needs) under which public transit becomes economically feasible for a small Canadian municipality. Economic feasibility will be different for each community. However, approximate costs can be determined based on data from existing small Canadian systems. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 4

11 Section 1 details the factors to be analyzed in determining the feasibility of a transit system. Section 2 reviews the issues surrounding the implementation of a system. Section 3 provides a summary of the main points. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 5

12 TABLE 1 COST COMPARISONS FOR SELECTED CANADIAN TRANSIT SYSTEMS BC Provincial Average Cobourg, ON Belleville, ON Population 20,733 18,000 37,000 30,000 42,000 18,000 42,000 24,200 8,500 Hours of Operation / Capita Cost per Operating Hour $61.56 $59.17 $68.54 $54.65 $61.37 $48.54 $50.81 $83.98 $38.89 Rides / Capita Average Fare $1.09 $1.80 $1.53 $1.26 $1.02 $1.58 $1.49 $0.72 $1.30 Stratford, ON Brandon, ON Yellowknife Grande Prairie, AB Whistler, BC Banff, AB Annual Hours of Operation 12,025 7,077 32,463 31,390 42,922 10,920 27,415 68,509 8,218 Annual Ridership 244,027 67, , , , , ,404 2,937, ,258 Passengers per Operating Hour Annual Operating Cost $740,268 $418,864 $2,224,994 $1,715,326 $2,634,231 $530,071 $1,392,954 $5,753,238 $327,790 Annual Revenue $265,990 $123,556 $1,270,965 $726,233 $880,118 $206,071 $564,583 $2,114,960 $326,054 Annual Net Cost (Deficit) -$474,278 -$295,308 -$954,029 -$989,093 -$1,754,113 -$324,000 -$828,371 -$3,638,278 -$1,736 Revenue to Cost Percentage 36% 30% 57% 42% 33% 39% 41% 37% 99% Net Cost Per Capita -$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $0.20 TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 6

13 SECTION 1 TRANSIT FEASIBILITY 2.0 GOALS FOR THE SYSTEM Question 1 - What is the community wishing to accomplish with the implementation of public transit? What are the social, economic and environmental benefits of public transit? Establishing a public transit system in a small community typically develops from a desire to address a specific local issue. There are a number of issues common to most communities considering transit, such as: 1. Providing public transit for seniors to access community services. 2. Creating a social transportation safety net to provide people with no access to a vehicle, some ability to move around the community and be employed. 3. Providing a means for older children/young adults to move safely around the community in order to take part in after-school activities, evening or weekend activities or part-time jobs. Transit can provide a sense of independence as well as some assurance to parents that their children have a means to get home other than a ride from the parent. 4. Providing some basic transportation system for persons with transportation disabilities. 5. Providing an economic link with surrounding communities or between town centres in a larger community. 6. Serving a major trip generator such as a university or college, or a major town industry and reduce the impact of auto traffic during peak hours. 7. Providing an alternative to the car for environmental or social goals. It is important to understand why the community is considering public transit because the goals for the system affect the type of service that will be established. It will also provide some insight into the degree of public and political support that will be available for the system. Transit systems require financial subsidization and will compete for municipal funding for recreation centres, road works, police or fire officer hiring or other municipal priorities. Political support is necessary to implement a system and public support is required to keep the system strong with appropriate funding. In answering the central question as well as the ones listed below, a municipality will be able to document the rationale driving the desire for a transit system. If there is no latent demand that is obvious, or if the system is being driven for short-term political reasons without a strong base of public support, then the system will not be successful in becoming an integral part of the local transportation network. Understanding the rationale will also give a base to TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 7

14 the size of the system and the potential areas of town that should be served. It is important to work through this issue in the feasibility phase because it is the preamble to creating the prototype transit of the system and determining the cost of the system. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) What are you trying to accomplish with the implementation of a transit system? 2) Is there sufficient political support for a transit system? 3) Is there sufficient public support for a transit system? 4) Can the community afford to implement a transit system and subsidize it while ridership builds? 3.0 POTENTIAL MARKETS Question 2 - Who will use public transit? What is the potential market for public transit? The demographic structure of the community will help identify potential markets, as will a review of potential trip generators and the existing transportation network. Transit markets are relatively stable regardless of the community and there is a substantial amount of transit data from small communities throughout Canada that may be used to guide the analysis of potential ridership. 3.1 Large Seniors Population If there is no existing van service that takes residents from seniors residences to community centres or to access medical services or social functions, then some form of system can be considered. Although most seniors will hold onto a driver s license as long as possible in order to maintain independence, many will be essentially housebound. Social interaction is an important component to maintaining a healthy and productive life. Many seniors or care residential complexes offer some form of transportation service as part of the benefits. However, in smaller communities the only means of transportation is through family, friends, volunteer-driver programs or the local taxi service. Taxis can be an expensive option for seniors on a fixed income, and their quality of life may suffer if they are unable to get out into the community on a regular basis. As a result, any community with a large seniors population (defined as more than 10-15% of the total population) has the potential to create either an on-demand service or a small system based on the midday desires of the community. Half-hourly service would be ideal; however it is possible to provide more limited service depending on the circumstances of the community and the desired destination. For example, in a small community situated within an hour s drive of a larger town with services unavailable in the smaller community, TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 8

15 residents may be happy with three trips a day to allow them to spend half a day in the larger community. In a larger town, midday service that is hourly may be sufficient to start the system with. 3.2 Students Secondary School For elementary and secondary school students, transit can act as an alternative or supplement to a yellow school bus program. The typical yellow school bus program is timeconstrained, with single-time departures after school. This can cause issues for students attending after-school events, sports, band, clubs or other programs. If they choose to stay after school, the school bus is not an option and other means of transportation must be arranged. Public transit can provide multiple trip opportunities that allow the student to fully participate in all aspects of school while offering a safe option for returning home. Combining school trips with a midday service may provide enough ridership to keep a small system sustainable. School trips are time-sensitive in that they must be able to deliver students to school within a prescribed time before school (within 20 minutes of the opening bell) and offer a number of choices after school to allow for extracurricular activities. The majority of students, as evidenced in the standard yellow school bus operation, will be content with several trip options as close to the opening and closing bells as possible. Buses must be large enough to handle the influx of students, while the regular system may not require that extra capacity during the day. Some small systems use a minibus during the day and simply bring out an older 40 bus or school bus as a tripper to serve the schools only. 3.3 Students Post-secondary School College and University campuses create perfect transit markets in that most students will be dependent upon transit for mobility, as the vast majority cannot finance school and living arrangements as well as a private automobile. The location of the campus may not be central or close to the majority of rental accommodations in town, so the ability to easily and inexpensively move between residence and school is important for students. Through Universal Pass programs (usually referred to as U-Pass), all students get a semester pass at a reduced rate, creating guaranteed revenue for the system as well as a steady ridership. The challenge is that students will all start school within a short time window in the morning, but afternoon and evening ridership may be spread out. Often U-Pass programs are too successful and create a substantial burden on smaller systems to ensure sufficient capacity is available to match demand. In a town with a college, transit can provide access to the campus and into the surrounding community. College ridership can make a system successful because students will use transit and will use it often if the price is attractive. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 9

16 3.4 Shoppers The market segment that uses the bus between the traditional morning rush (am Peak Period or 6am to 9am) and the evening rush (3pm to 6pm) is often referred to as shoppers. Though simplistic, the term is meant to convey both a purpose and an attitude. This midday market avoids traveling during the busy periods and tends to use services like doctors, libraries, community centres, shopping centres or downtowns when they have more free time. It is this market, along with seniors and students, which forms the basis for the majority of ridership in small-market transit systems. This market travels from home to undertake whatever activity is current on their agenda at varying times during the late morning and early afternoon, with travel home often coinciding with the start of the afternoon commute. This market has more time flexibility and therefore will still travel if transit service levels are lower. A system that operates from 8am to 6pm will capture the majority of this market segment. Although some systems start with 60 minutes service frequencies, key routes should strive for 30 minute service. 3.5 Commuters The commuter market consists of people going to work or school with little travel outside those needs during the week. This market requires high levels of service in the am and pm peak periods in order to get to work or school in a timely manner. This means high penetration into the residential neighbourhoods as well as frequency levels of 15 minutes or less. This market has a high percentage of choice riders or those who have other options for travel, therefore the system must be fast and efficient to attract and keep this market segment. Maturing systems will begin to cater towards commuters by offering more service to offer greater choice and reduce perceived crowding issues. Commuters are a discerning market that require a degree of customization of the service. In larger communities, this means a move away from long circle routes through the community to more direct services with timed transfer points to ensure a relatively easy, quick, and direct ride to or from home. 3.6 Summary of potential market Determining the market that the transit service is supposed to serve will allow the municipality to understand the scope of the service, how much of the community to cover, how often the routes should run, days of the week, and so on. The operating cost of the service can then be estimated, and it can be determined whether or not it is within the fiscal limits of the town. One method of gauging the potential market for transit is looking at what is already in place within the community. Volunteer drivers programs, private van services, large taxi fleets in small communities, and even private transit operations can exist, catering to an existing demand. The role of transit is not to replace these programs but to tap into latent demand and allow the existing operations to cater to a smaller, more demanding market. Transit can TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 10

17 potentially replace these services; however it may be in the best interest of the community in the long run to have transit serve the major market segments and allow private operations to serve their own specialized market niches. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) What is the primary market for transit? 2) Are there several markets that can provide demand for transit throughout the day? 3) Are there current transportation providers already servicing some of the latent demand? 4.0 URBAN FORM Question 3 - What are the urban form, size, economic structure and demographics of the community? Urban form plays a major role in the complexity of the system. Urban form dictates how the transit network can serve the community, how simple the system can be, and how sections of the community can be linked together. There are three basic types of development as shown in Figure 1. EXHIBIT 2 BASIC DEVELOPMENT TYPES Most small communities start with a traditional town centre and a walkable community around the centre. Over time, suburban development occurs and the downtown becomes only one attraction node within the larger community. In communities that are still small enough to walk across in 15 minutes, there is little need for a general transit system, but assistance to seniors and persons with disabilities may be required. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 11

18 As communities develop, there are three distinct types of development, each lending themselves to different forms of transit, with some being easier to serve than others. The scattered development is the most common style, with multiple small commercial centres around town and no discernible travel patterns because work or school options are spread around town. This type of development means that transit must try and serve a number of potential origins and destinations without the benefit of moving a large number of passengers along defined corridors. As a result of this development, transit is spread out and it becomes expensive to provide high levels of service. Typically there is little control over development because the need for increasing a tax base overcomes the desire to create a sustainable community. Transit service is provided at low levels all around town because there are no distinct corridors that allow transit to move large numbers of passengers along a common path. Therefore, passengers have few transfer opportunities and movement across town is accomplished easier by driving than taking the bus. The town centre style of development has a strong central core and a number of distinct clustered town centres around the city. There is strong connectivity between the town centres and the core and correspondingly strong demand for travel along specific corridors. Transit works exceptionally well in this environment because of the transit demand linking identifiable areas. As a result, routes can be created that serve these centres and the core, creating easy transfer opportunities and the ability to easily move across town. Transit can be efficient and cost-effective because high capacity service can move between the centres, and community-style service can extend from the centres into the residential communities. Linear development is the most common form of development in larger cities in North America, where the central core is very strong and development occurs along spines that radiate from the core. Transit routes are created along these corridors because of the strong demand for travel. As the city grows, town centres are created along the spines and residential development eventually fills in these gaps between the spines. Rings of development form as the community grows and transit is well suited to linking the town centres and adapting to the suburb to suburb travel in the outer rings. A variety of transit options can be used and travel through the city can be quick and effective. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 12

19 5.0 TYPES OF TRANSIT SERVICE TO MEET THE MARKET Question 4 - What type of public transit service is required? The type of transit system required is a function of how the town has developed, the street network and the market that will be served. As noted in the previous section, the market defines the scope of the system and the layout of the community defines how the system will function. There are a number of forms of transit to consider, along with understanding the times of day and days per week during which transit should operate in order to be most effective. 5.1 Identification of Major Trip Generators Question 5 - Where should the public transit service operate? What are the most common areas and facilities that citizens wish to travel to/from? Within the community there will be a number of places that people wish to access. As noted earlier, these areas can be the downtown core, a major industrial area, a college, a local mall, a park or recreational area. In order to get to these trip generators, and back to the major residential areas there will be a number of identifiable routes along major arterial roads or connectors. The key to creating the transit system is to understand how to make a reasonable route thread through the community and connect the major points in order to give passengers as quick a ride as possible. This may be achievable with a single route in a small town but may require a number of routes meeting at a transfer point in larger centres. 5.2 Transit Service Options There are a number of system types that provide a range of options depending on the market for transit and the ability to pay for the service. These system types can be used for the entire system or for a specific route depending on the need Fixed Route/Fixed Schedule Fixed route service or conventional service is the standard transit system with a public timetable, published routes and little change to the service between operator (bus driver) sign-ups that usually occur four times a year. Fixed route service is predictable and semipermanent, offering passengers a comfort level with the system. Most transit systems feature fixed routes and fixed schedules for the majority of the system. One variation on this is a route that operates along a main route but alternates between two service areas at the end. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 13

20 5.2.2 Demand-Responsive Demand-responsive service covers a wide range of transit options from custom transit for persons with disabilities to dial-a-ride in new communities or low-demand areas. This type of service usually has a service area rather than a defined route and requires passengers to telephone to request a pickup. Passengers can be picked up at the curbside or at designated pickup points throughout the community. This service can work well to identify a market as well as a route, and typically works better for minibus-type services so that the service can use all roads in a subdivision or community Shared-Ride Taxi Unlike a standard taxi service where a single passenger is taken from one origin to one destination, the shared-ride taxi acts as an alternative to the bus. The taxi attempts to organize several distinct trips into a single run, diverting off course to pick up and drop off passengers. This can be a low-cost alternative to a full-scale transit system but relies on an extremely organized and effective taxi system with an advanced scheduling and dispatching system. Passengers are given a window of time for pick-up and drop-off so there is some lack of flexibility Accessible Services Accessible transit service is a dedicated service for persons with disabilities, similar to the shared-ride taxi. Passengers must qualify for the service through some form of screening process and are then entered in a database. Rides can be booked in advance though there is some decline in the ability of the service to offer same day booking due to scheduling complexities. This type of service requires a full call-taking, scheduling, and dispatching system, as well as training for staff in working with persons with disabilities. Often, this type of system starts as an adjunct to other services provided by a local non-profit society that has a background in dealing with disability issues School Service School service is a limited form of transit catering to offering several morning and afternoon trips directly to local elementary or secondary schools. In some jurisdictions, public schools have funding for yellow school bus programs whereas private schools may not and must contract out with public transit for services. There is a hybrid option where the yellow school buses provide the traditional school service but are used for a regular transit service in the non-school hours. 5.3 Hierarchy of needs When transit systems are first started, there is a definite market to be served and a time when that market requires the service. In most systems, a traditional hierarchy of transit TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 14

21 service can be identified, with transit service added over time to serve secondary markets at off peak times. The following describes the traditional market hierarchy. Question 6 When should the transit service operate? What days of the week and hours of the day should service be available? Weekday Peak Service For the majority of transit systems that are focused on the commuter market, the first area of concern will be providing service Monday through Friday between 6am and 9am (am Peak) and between 3pm and 6pm (pm Peak). This will allow the vast majority of students and working people to access jobs with a large enough margin to catch early and late starts. As a system grows, the peak periods have a tendency to expand in length. Service should be as frequent as financially possible to serve the demand Midday Service For passengers wanting to access shopping or social activities, the preferred travel time is between the peak periods or from 9am when shops and services open to 3pm, just prior to the evening rush hour. Service can be less frequent than during the peak periods because volumes are lower and passengers generally have more time to travel. This is usually the second phase of transit service to be provided Saturday Once the transit system has served the commuter and shopper market by providing weekday service, the demand will be much lower for service during the evenings and weekends, however, large post-secondary institutions may increase demand in the off peak. Saturday is the next highest demand period though the service day starts later than during the weekday and the total demand can be served with off peak frequencies until the system has fully matured or demand increases to the point where crowding occurs Sunday Sunday service is typically the lowest demand period during the week in smaller communities, as stores open late and fewer people are disposed to travel. Although church does provide some demand for morning transit, many passengers find alternate means of returning home Evening The demand for evening service will vary from community to community. In some small towns, there will be a demand for Friday evening service to accommodate younger passengers wanting to go out with friends. This type of demand can also extend to a TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 15

22 Thursday evening, especially with post-secondary students and may jump in the hierarchy above weekend service. Evening service during the rest of the week has low demand and is usually offered after the transit system has matured and the community demands the service as a necessary part of the transportation infrastructure. More Questions to Ask: 1) What type of transit system best suits the primary market? 2) Can the system support more than one market in the beginning? 3) Can a hierarchy of needs be identified in terms of service time periods or days? 6.0 COSTING THE SYSTEM Question 7 - How much service will be provided, how much will the service cost and how will the operating costs be funded Estimating the cost of the system is a function of the size of the system, anticipated numbers of passengers, the fares charged and the level of detail required. In a feasibility study, the costing is somewhat general, because while the general scale of the service is known and a rough notion of the service levels is available, significant work on detailed route planning and scheduling needs to happen in the implementation phase. Nevertheless, the principles of costing remain the same for the feasibility and implementation phases it is only the level of detail that differs. This section details how to calculate costs for transit, similar to those costs shown earlier in Table System Size Systems for communities under 20,000 residents typically average from just 1 bus for the community up to 1 bus for every 7,000 residents. Systems from 20,000 to 50,000 residents will average from 1 bus to every 7000 residents (under 25,000) up to 1 bus per 5,000 residents. Above 50,000 there is a gradual increase in the size of the system. A bus in full-time service (18 hours weekdays, 16 hours on Saturdays and 12 hours on Sundays) will require just over 6,000 operating hours per year. However, when averaged out per bus in the system, this figure decreases based on factors such as spares in the system and the number of buses used in only peak hours. The average number of hours per bus is 3,000 3,500 for larger systems as the number of buses utilized only in peak periods on weekdays increases (the make-up of the fleet and the number of buses used only in peak periods is often referred to as the peak-to-base ratio. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 16

23 Larger systems have a larger peak-to-base ratio, meaning that some buses are only out for 6 to eight hours per day, 5 days per week.) Each system design will require careful review to determine the number of buses required and operating hours per bus per day. Smaller systems under 50,000 can average up to 4,000 hours per total bus in the fleet. Each fleet will have a spare ratio of 10-20% (buses that are available when a bus breaks down or when routine maintenance is required that prevents a bus from being used in service) that also brings the average annual hours per bus down. Once routes have been sketched out and the service levels established, the annual service hours can be calculated. The example below looks at a one-bus system, operating Monday through Saturday. Multi-bus systems can use a similar approach, though it must be ensured that the calculations are done based on each bus rather than simply looking at the time schedule. This means that if two buses are operating on a single route and the service day is 10 hours per day, the actual operating hours per day are 20 hours. Example: Town size 10,500 Service Plan Bus runs 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Mon to Sat, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Thursday and Friday Bus Fleet - 2 buses (1 in service and 1 spare) Monday to Wednesday 10 hours per day, 151 days per year (average) Thursday & Friday 13 hours per day, 101 days per year Saturday - 10 hours per day, 51 days per year Sunday - 0 hours per day, 62 days per year (most systems will run Sunday service on holidays but smaller systems may not start with Sunday service) The Total Annual Hours of Service would be approximately 3,333, using only a single bus to provide the service. If a second bus was in service over the same time periods then the annual hours would double. (See hours calculation below) TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 17

24 TABLE 2: CALCULATION OF HOURS Days/Year Hours/Day Hours/Year Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Total ,333 Note that the days per year are calculated as an average year. Actual yearly days may vary by several days, therefore an updated calendar must be used. 6.2 System Cost System costs can be broken into Operating and Total costs. Operating costs include drivers wages, mechanics wages, maintenance costs, fuel, oil, tires, overhead, management and so on, but do not include the cost of any capital associated with the system typically just the vehicles are excluded. Total costs include the Operating Costs and the Capital cost of the vehicles. Table 1 showed Operating Costs, while this example uses the average Total cost of a system based on data from BC Transit Municipal Systems Program. The BC Transit average total cost for small systems ranges from $3 to $4 per ride or $70-$80 per total hour of service. Calculating the total cost is simply a function of the number of rides or the total hours, though the use of total hours is preferable as it tends to be more definable than riders at the feasibility stage. Example: Using our previous example, the cost for the system with 3,333 annual service hours would range between $233,300 and $266,700 per year based on a range of costs between $70 and $80. This would include all costs associated with the system including capital, and does not take into account any subsidies or revenues to offset the costs. 6.3 System Ridership System Ridership can typically be expressed as a function of the service hours, either using a standard range based on smaller systems elsewhere or as a function of the number of rides per capita. The per-capita method, shown in Table 1, does have some error built into it because it assumes that all rides can be associated with residents. In towns where there TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 18

25 is a strong influx of tourists or part-time residents during holiday periods, the rides per capita is artificially high, therefore, care must be taken when using this type of ridership estimating function. Table 1 has a range of rides per capita of 121 for Whistler BC to only 3.7 for Coburg, Ontario. Selecting the appropriate town to use as the guide is extremely important. The alternate method is to estimate based on the annual hours of service, something likely to be more stable between communities. For example, using historical data from BC Transit that covers 60+ communities over the past 20 years with populations ranging from several thousand up to over 100,000, there is an average of rides per hour of annual service for larger systems (20,000 plus population) and rides per hour for systems under 20,000. Example: The example system would average between 40,000 and 50,000 annual rides based on a range of rides per hour. 6.4 System Revenue Question 8 - How much revenue is the system expected to generate? What are the types and amounts of passenger fares? How is revenue collected, managed and accounted for? Question 9 - What is the level of community financial support for public transit? Once an estimate of Ridership has been created, the revenue can then be determined. Use an estimated 25% - 30% average cost recovery (revenue from the farebox) as a target range in estimating ridership potential for the system. Using an average fare calculation for the market, it is possible then to calculate the potential cost to the taxpayers to operate a transit system. Farebox revenue must always be considered in calculating the cost of the system to the taxpayers, because revenue reduces the overall costs. The average fare calculation is simply an estimate of the ratio of full paying fares (Adults typically) to concession fares (seniors, students or other categories that pay a reduced fare) and the ratio of passes/tickets to cash. Example (General): 1000 passengers, Adult Fare - $2.00, Concession $1.50, Monthly Pass Average Fare (based on estimated # of trips per month) Adults $1.75, Concession $1.25 Ratio of Passes to Cash Fare 40/60 Ratio of Adults to Concession 30/70 Therefore, out of 1000 passengers, 400 use passes and 600 pay cash and the average fare for the system is $1.55 (see Table 3 for calculation) TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 19

26 TABLE 3 - AVERAGE FARE CALCULATION Fare Passengers Total Cash Adult Cash $360 Conc Cash $630 Adult Pass $210 Conc Pass $350 Total 1000 $1,550 Average Fare $1.55 Once the revenues have been calculated and the operating cost estimated, it is a simple matter to calculate the cost per taxpayer. Table 3, Table 4 and the example below show the calculation and the range than can occur based on the permutations of the system designed in the feasibility study. Example: Specific Using the same principles, our example system with identical fare structure and average fare would average revenues of between $62,000 to $77,500 per year. This would leave an annual liability to the taxpayers for the system of between $156,000 $204,000. For our example community with 10,500 taxpayers, this would average between $15 and $20 per person per year. TABLE 4 COST CALCULATIONS (FROM EXAMPLES) Cost Calculations Annual Hours 3333 Average Fare $1.55 Cost/Hour Range $70.00 $80.00 Annual Cost $233,310 $266,640 Rides/Hour Annual Rides 39,996 49,995 Annual Revenue $61, $77, Total Remainder Tax per Resident $171, $16.32 $155, $14.84 $204, $19.49 $189, $18.01 TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 20

27 6.5 Available Funding According to the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), there is funding available for some aspect of transit, either operating or capital, in 10 provinces, though the majority of the funding is for specialized or custom transit rather than conventional services. See the report by CUTA entitled Provincial and Territorial Funding of Urban Transit in Canada (2005) at the following link: TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 21

28 SECTION 2 SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION Once the decision has been made to implement a transit system, the routes and system designed in the feasibility study must undergo further analysis. In addition, there are a number of considerations surrounding system operations that must be understood, prior to advancing to this stage. The better prepared and informed the municipal officials are, the more likely that the system will be implemented in a cost-efficient and effective manner, creating a lasting legacy within the community. 7.0 EXISTING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM One of the most important reviews when considering a transit system is to understand what local transportation options may be available to use as an interim solution before committing to a full transit system. This includes taxis, water taxis, seniors centre buses, shopping mall buses, and private transit options 7.1 Taxis (land and water) Taxis provide a vital link for movement around a community based on unshared trips from many points to many points. There is maximum flexibility for the consumer, but it comes at a high cost due to the lack of subsidy. There is typically no attempt by the taxi operator to group trips together in order to reduce the overall costs, as this reduces the profitability of the service. Taxis run on narrow operating margins and therefore there is little incentive to operate a shared-ride system for the benefit of the community, given no extra financial return. 7.2 Seniors Centre/ specialized community buses Many seniors centres or residential complexes have a minibus that is used for regular outings by its members throughout the community. The buses may not be used extensively because of the cost of ongoing maintenance and finding a driver. Capital expenditures are somewhat easier to raise funds for than ongoing costs, therefore the buses typically sit parked for much of their lifespan. 7.3 Shopping mall buses In some cases, the lack of a public transit system will force a major shopping mall to create its own shuttle between major points in the community. The existence of such a shuttle indicates that the shopping mall has noted the need for public transit in order to bring customers. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 22

29 7.4 Private transit It is unusual to find private transit within a small community, though in some cases entrepreneurs have found a way to run a profitable service. Whistler had a small private system of two minibuses operating prior to the establishment of the publicly-funded system. Private systems are small in nature and can only survive by providing service along the main corridors with limited service. The community as a whole will not have service under this scenario. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) How large is the taxi system in the community? Is it larger than similar-sized towns with a transit system? 2) Are there a large number of private minibuses providing service for specific groups in the community? 8.0 SERVICE DESIGN AND ROUTE PLANNING Service design can be a complicated aspect of the transit planning process but should be considered at the time of the feasibility study. A number of terms must be understood, such as: System Design This is the overall layout of the system (i.e., is it focused on downtown, shopping malls, the local college or post-secondary institution, a recreational site, etc?) Route Design and Layout Where will the routes operate (i.e., on what streets) and what type of route structure will be utilized? Transit Zones There are two types of transit zones a bus stop zone and a transfer/terminal zones. Pedestrian Environment It is often said that every transit rider begins and ends their journey as a pedestrian, or put another way, transit is a break in the journey as a pedestrian. Pedestrian facilities are an important component in creating a comfortable and safe transit environment. 8.1 System Design Creating a transit network that meets the needs of the people, helps support development and is cost-effective requires an understanding of factors that influence transit ridership, transit network design considerations and what role transit will play in the local transportation network. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 23

30 System structure refers to the type of transit network that is created for the town or city. The structure of the network can either help define the growth of the town or it can simply react. The better networks help define corridors of growth and connect major activity centres, creating viable transit networks and offering an alternative to the automobile. There are three major models of transit and its interaction with development Transit Oriented Development The transit network reacts to the few to few trip types: this means many people going from only a few key origins to a few key destinations along easily defined corridors. This is usually seen in larger urban centres where rapid transit operates to link downtown and major traffic generators. It can also be seen in small towns where a bus route can link schools, a main street, several major suburbs and a main job location. In this form, transit can actually impact the way that development occurs by creating a benefit to locating along the transit line. Higher density development places more people within walking distance of the transit line, further enhancing the transit network by creating more demand Hybrid or Regional Town Centre Transit As a town grows and ages, focused development occurs in the older suburban areas around town centres. In a system where jobs and residential areas cluster around a number of town centres, a Many-to-Few trip type is created, with only a few destinations but many origins. Line Haul bus or rapid transit lines connect the town centres quickly and efficiently, with feeder bus routes bringing passengers into exchanges where multiple crosstown routes meet. A good transit network helps reinforce the town centres as positive development areas. This in turn creates more transit demand and better overall service to meet the demand. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 24

31 8.1.3 Development-Oriented Transit Typically, transit in many towns starts as a social-type service for students and seniors. No connection between transit and land use is created and therefore the transit network must try and connect a multiple number of origins and destinations ( Manyto-Many service). The network is somewhat haphazard, with long trips required by transit users to move across town. The network carries only those who have no ability to access a vehicle. Several corridors may be successful but the network as a whole lacks structure and cohesion System Design Summary The system that is created can either help define the built environment or react to the existing environment. For most small systems, it is somewhat impractical, given the slow growth, to create a system that will change the way development occurs. Instead, most smaller systems will react to the development and typically will be a hub-and-spoke style system where all routes radiate out of the downtown. In larger centres where secondary town centres are created, the Hybrid system may evolve. 8.2 Route Design The operational aspects of the routes should be considered in the final design of the system. If total vehicle resources are limited and a few buses will provide all the service, then the questions to be answered are: How will the routes be designed? What will they focus on? Will there be a primary route and a few secondary routes? Will the routes be separated or will they be interlined (this is where a bus travels on one route then another and back to the first route so passengers may not have to physically transfer buses in order to travel across town)? Route design will also be affected by the street network and road design standards. Conventional transit vehicles (non-minibuses) can weigh 20,000 lbs or more, potentially causing problems in road surface integrity if the road is not designed to a robust enough TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 25

32 standard. In addition, physical aspects of the road geometry, intersection geometry, location of street furniture, location of on-street parking and so on, will all require review in determining the ultimate route design. The reaction of the residents must also be considered, not only in route design but also in the placement of bus stop zones. All residents may not view transit in the same positive light so route design, while not dependent upon local support (there will always be a NIMBY factor to any new intrusion into a neighbourhood, no matter how much it benefits the greater good), should be cognizant of residents reactions. The transit implementer should be prepared to either defend the route as optimal for the community as a whole, or change it, before implementation, to a route that can be supported as well as be productive. Route design has a number of components, including the actual design style of the route, the frequency of service, and how the transfers within the system are handled. 8.3 Route Typology Route typology refers to the way a route will function. The function is based on the services that the route is expected to perform Mainline or Line-Haul A mainline or line-haul style service is one that is focused upon a specific corridor or between two major origin/destination points. The service runs at a higher frequency than other routes in the system and carries the highest number of passengers at a good rate of efficiency. Even small systems can still feature this type of route. The City of Penticton, with a population of 28,000, has 8 routes with one featured only during the summer season specifically to move tourists between two local lakes. These routes can often offer greater distance between stops, and may use high-capacity articulated buses or traffic signal priority in order to increase the speed of the route as well as the overall route capacity Regional Connectors A regional connector route does exactly what the name implies it connects a regional or suburban location with another regional or suburban location. This type of route is typically a crosstown route that does not go through the downtown. Instead, it will connect regional town centres or significant trip generators to match the crosstown movements that develop as a municipality grows in size Express An express route typically focuses on outlying suburban areas, bringing passengers into the downtown in the morning and back out again in the evening. Express routes operate with a limited number of trips and do not usually run during the midday period. These routes have a number of local stops through a suburban neighbourhood and the buses then travel TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 26

33 directly to the downtown with a limited number of stops. In the reverse trip, the express trip will only pick up passengers in the downtown and will offer limited offloading opportunities at the suburban end, in an effort to reduce the number of passengers trying to use the service in lieu of local routes Local The local route is the workhorse of the system. These are the routes that run throughout the city with regular stops every metres, and offer a variety of frequencies depending on the demand for the service. These routes can be altered in a number of ways to react to the needs of the community. 8.4 Designing the Route Route design depends on the factors already noted, but each route can also be designed in a different manner, depending on the function the route plays and the neighbourhood design or layout of the streets. There are a number of fixed route types with several non-fixed route options as detailed below (and shown in the following diagram): Fixed Route Line-Haul The line-haul or mainline, as noted earlier, is focused upon a specific corridor or between two specific trip generators. The route is very direct and operates at a high frequency. At the conceptual level, this type of route represents the preferred route type as it is the quickest way to travel between two points Fixed Route - Loop (one or two-way) The loop route is used when there is a large residential area to cover and either the street network dictates a loop, or the lack of resources means that a single bus has to cover a large area. In small systems, it is common to use one-way loops to provide a minimum level of service. The one-way loop does have a major drawback in that passengers will have one short trip on one leg of their trip and a much longer one on the second leg as they travel around the loop. If resources are available and there is no option other than a loop route, then providing service in both directions around the loop is preferred. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 27

34 8.4.3 Fixed Route - with deviation A fixed route with a deviation is used when there is a temporary demand during the day to go off-route into an additional area. This may be to provide service to a major business or pick up/drop off passengers during the peak periods only. This type of route is less common but can be effective in providing a limited service without creating a new route. There can be some confusion for passengers in understanding the different travel times for runs with the deviation, as well as the potential to miss timed transfers Fixed Route Line route with Loop Many corridors can be served using a line route and a small loop to run through a neighbourhood and turn the bus around Fixed Route Y or Split Tail The split tail or Y route is a line route that alternates destinations on successive trips or using limited trips. This type of route can work well in smaller communities where there is a common corridor but two distinct communities that don t require a high frequency of service Flexible Route with Area Deviations A flexible route has an area to serve rather than a route. The timetable is created to allow maximum flexibility to travel within a specified area in a certain time period. Passengers can either flag the bus down or a dial-a-ride system of dispatching can be used. This type of route is good where there is no major street network and the level of demand is undetermined. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 28

35 8.5 Transfer Options A transfer, or the movement of passengers between routes, plays an important function in the system. Ideally, no passengers would ever have to transfer. However, the reality is that most transit systems require a transfer for some of the riders. The goal of the transit planner is to minimize the transfers while retaining the overall effectiveness of the system. Transfers can be planned out in advance if the movement of passengers across town is fully understood. The manner of planning the transfers is another input into the overall design of the system. There are a number of transfer styles (as shown in the diagram to the right) such as: Focal point transfer Timed transfer Random transfer Feeder to Mainline transfer Focal Point Transfer This is used where there is only a central transfer point in town (the hub-and-spoke style system) or in suburban areas where headways are low. The focal point transfer brings a number of buses to a single location in order to affect quick and efficient transfers between buses. This can be very important when the route headway (how often the bus runs) is more than 20 minutes and passengers are forced to wait a long time if they miss the transfer Timed Transfer The timed transfer system is used when there is a requirement to ensure a timely connection between two routes, particularly in suburban or rural areas where the routes run at greater than 30 minute headways. The routes are organized so that the two routes meet or pass each other within a few minutes, allowing a quick transfer option without having to bring buses to a central terminal location. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 29

36 8.5.3 Random Transfer A random transfer refers simply to a transfer that occurs between two routes where the frequency of service is often enough that no special actions need be taken to ensure an efficient transfer takes place. The services are frequent enough that a passenger requires little time to wait for the bus to which he/she is transferring Feeder to Mainline A feeder to mainline transfer is a forced transfer from a low-frequency suburban route to a high-frequency service that acts as one of the main routes in the system. Typically the mainline type service is very linear and is focused upon a specific corridor towards a high activity destination point such as a downtown. 8.6 Transit Zones Transit zones consist of actual bus stop locations as well as more substantial transit zones needed for route layover (time for the operator to take a short break from driving) and for transfer needs, such as a downtown transit exchange Bus Zones In most jurisdictions, bus zones are within the public road right-of-way, so locating them can be a sensitive issue. Ideally, stops on most routes are metres apart. However, block length and a lack of need in some areas (empty lots) may alter the spacing. Bus stop zones typically feature a minimum of a pole and a sign, along with a parking restriction. Passengers need somewhere to wait for the bus, therefore a concrete pad may be required (for accessibility reasons, a pad or hard surface is necessary to allow persons using mobility aids, mothers with strollers, or people with small shopping carts to easily reach the stop and make use of the low-floor feature of most buses or the lift). Other amenities such as a shelter, bench, or lighting all take up curbside space. Locations with wide public sidewalks and upright curb are preferable, however in smaller towns or more suburban locations there may be sidewalks only on one side of the street or no sidewalks at all. It is preferable to place zones along property lot lines dividing two lots, or along side yards rather than front yards, or in locations not fronting residential development. One option to reduce the impact of the zones is to ensure that potential residents are informed of future bus zone locations at the time of the subdivision plan. The municipality may also install poles with Future Bus Stop signs to indicate the exact location. In addition, all future bus corridors should be marked on property maps to prepare landowners for future services. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 30

37 8.6.2 Transit Zones At the end of the route, operators are often given some layover time to allow them to stretch, eat, or use public facilities (if available). The location of these zones must be considered with some care to allow the bus to park for longer periods of time (10 minutes or more). Transfer zones such as at a downtown terminus can be designed to be on-street (simply marking the curb at several adjacent locations) or off-street as a dedicated transit exchange. A downtown on-street terminus can work adequately for most smaller towns until the number of buses on the street becomes an issue either for traffic, the transfer of passengers or the local merchants Pedestrian Environment As noted earlier, the pedestrian environment at the origin and destination of the passenger s trip can have a dramatic influence on the total journey. Pathways and illumination can reduce the length of the trip to the bus stop and create a positive ambiance surrounding transit. The area around the stop, including connecting sidewalks, allows passengers a pleasant walking and waiting environment. Accessibility is also a factor to be considered in terms of making a bus stop large enough, with the appropriate amenities. Many larger transit agencies have created accessible bus stop design guidelines that can be used to create the proper environment. The pedestrian environment affects how people perceive transit and the quality of the service. A poor pedestrian walking area creates a feeling of a lower-class service and will make it difficult to attract choice riders (i.e., those who have other attractive travel modes such as a vehicle) to the system. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) What type of system will best serve the needs of the community? 2) What are the main focal points for the system? 3) What type of routes will best serve the individual corridors or neighbourhoods? 4) How should the transfer between routes be accommodated? 5) Where will bus zones be located? 6) What streets will be used for the transit system? 7) Are the streets designed appropriately? 8) Are there functional design concerns for the street network or at key intersections? 9) Will on-street parking be affected and what will be the reaction of merchants? 10) Where will layover zones be located? TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 31

38 11) Will there be a downtown terminus? 12) Will there be regional transfer exchanges? 13) How is the pedestrian environment around bus zones, terminals, exchanges and connecting neighbourhoods and key demand locations? 9.0 OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS The operation of a transit system involves creating public schedules, maps, vehicle schedules, and operators schedules. Once a system has been designed, the operational aspects of the system must be refined from the feasibility study to create a detailed plan of how the system will operate. 9.1 Hours of Operation/Public Schedule Hours of operation, as noted earlier, are defined by the size of the community and the market demand. The overall hours will dictate the size of the employee base, the maintenance cycle, operating costs and a number of other issues. The hours of operation are simply the total daily timeframe for the system. The public schedule is based on the hours of operation as well as the frequency of the routes. 9.2 Vehicle Schedules Vehicle scheduling refers to the allotment of vehicles to the routes in order to cover all trips during the day. Although there are computer-based programs to take care of this in larger systems, smaller systems can use standard spreadsheet programs to dedicate buses to trips. Scheduling should be done to maximize the efficient use of the vehicles with minimal layovers. An example of simplified vehicle scheduling is shown below: Route 1 Bus 1 Bus 2 Bus 3 Bus 4 Bus 1 Lv. Point A 8:00 8:15 8:30 8:45 9:00 Lv. Point B 8:10 8:25 8:40 8:55 9:10 Lv. Point C 8:18 8:33 8:48 9:03 9:18 Lv. Point D 8:20 8:35 8:50 9:05 9:20 Lv. Point C 8:22 8:37 8:52 9:07 9:22 Lv. Point B 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:15 9:30 Ar. Point A 8:40 8:55 9:10 9:25 9:40 Route 2 Lv. Point A 8:40 8:55 9:10 9:25 9:40 Lv. Point E 8:48 9:03 9:18 9:33 9:48 Ar. Point A 8:56 9:11 9:26 9:41 9:56 TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 32

39 9.3 Operator s Schedule Just as with the vehicle schedule, operators must be assigned to drive the buses. This assignment will be based on existing municipal contracts if the transit system is to be operated by the municipality, or through negotiations between an operating company and the employees. The number of operators will depend upon the number of total service hours per day and the length of the service day. Most systems require less than 8 hours of driving per operator per day, therefore systems operating longer than that will require two shifts or will need to operate split shifts to allow extra operators in the am and pm peaks. For larger systems, there are special scheduling packages available by companies such as Trapeze, or Giro (HASTUS). Smaller systems may be able to use standard spreadsheet programs to assign operator schedules. Typically, driver s sheets are created four times a year (April, June, September, and December) with sign-up periods that allow operators to sign up for shifts based on seniority. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) What are the hours of operation for the transit system? 2) How will vehicles be assigned? And who will do the assignment? 3) How will operators be assigned shifts to ensure the public schedule is fulfilled? 10.0 SYSTEM MANAGEMENT Question 10 - Who will plan, promote, operate and maintain the transit system? What components of the system will be operated by the municipality or contracted? There are a number of factors to consider after the decision has been made to implement a transit service. Essentially there are only two options to consider in operating a small-sized transit system, though 1-2 bus systems have a third sub-option that may be viable in the short term. The three options are presented below Direct Municipal Operation Under this option, the local municipality, regional district or consortium of municipalities operates the transit service as a municipal function. This is common throughout North America for all sizes of transit system. The municipality is required to have a number of employees wholly or partially involved in the essential functions such as: Finance and budget management Fare Security TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 33

40 Human resources for hiring of Operations staff Operators Maintenance (mechanics, shop personnel, janitorial) Customer Information Planning and Marketing Field Supervision Capital purchasing The amount of time that each function requires of municipal staff depends largely upon the size of the transit system. Smaller systems may combine the tasks with other staff duties and some functions can be accomplished through the use of consultants Contracted Operation Contracted operations require a separation of functions, with the municipality providing contract administration and financial administration, and the operating company assuming responsibility for all operations and maintenance functions. Operating companies exist in most provinces, running charter bus operations, transit systems or school bus systems, and they provide an alternative for the municipality. The operating company takes responsibility for providing the service and thus relieves the burden of daily operational issues from the municipality. The municipality is responsible for: Vehicle purchase Setting Fares Setting policies Designing routes Designing schedules Contract Administration Fare Security Marketing services The Operating Company is responsible for: Hiring Operators Hiring Maintenance Staff Maintaining vehicles TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 34

41 Providing the scheduled service Customer relations Scheduling manpower and vehicles Providing input into planning 10.3 Contract Operations including Vehicles Many school bus operations contracts require the operating company to provide the vehicles for the services. Typically, in order to make this a viable option for the operator, the contract terms are longer. This provides certainty to operators and allows the operating company to amortize the vehicle purchase over a longer time period and make a reasonable operating profit during the contract. Because the purchase price of conventional transit buses is much more expensive than school buses, this is not an option for larger systems. However, it may be a possible option for smaller systems, particularly if the fleet consists of minibuses rather than larger conventional buses. This option further removes the municipality from the burden of procuring vehicles, with a lease fee being paid through the contract to the operating company. In all other facets, this option is identical to Option 2 Contracted Operations. Additional Question to Ask: 1) Does the municipality want to operate the system internally or will the contract option be preferred? 11.0 STAFF CONSIDERATIONS Similar to system management, the staffing of the service can be through municipal employees or by contract. If the municipality chooses to operate the transit system, the staff will most likely be municipal employees subject to the same contract considerations as other drivers and mechanics. It may be possible to have transit staff separated by having a contractor provide the staff to drive the buses. For a contracted operation, the transit operators, mechanics and other staff are separated from the municipality by being employees of the contractor rather than the municipality. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) Does the municipality want to have transit operating staff within its organization or not? TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 35

42 12.0 VEHICLE MANAGEMENT Question 11 - What type of vehicle and physical infrastructure is required? How will the vehicles and capital infrastructure be funded, operated and maintained? Vehicle management has a number of components that need to be considered separately in terms of the impact on the municipality Vehicle Procurement Purchasing vehicles can be an extremely difficult task for smaller transit systems. For systems using minibuses, there are a number of Canadian companies offering products that can suit most organizations, however it is less simple for conventional buses. Unlike in Europe where bus manufacturers offer a choice of a number of styles with little ability to make changes, North American manufacturers allow full specification of the vehicle. This means that virtually every system has a slightly different bus, even from the same manufacturer. In addition, there is an month delay from the time of procurement to actual delivery of a vehicle. Creating a specification for a transit vehicle is complicated for new systems. However, there are a number of similar-sized systems in all ranges of size across Canada that can help provide guidance in vehicle procurement. Many small systems simply try and tag onto a larger system that has similar vehicle requirements. The Canadian Urban Transit Authority (CUTA) can be very beneficial in providing support information for prospective transit agencies Vehicle Maintenance Maintenance can be undertaken through a variety of means. Most municipalities have existing maintenance facilities that can accommodate transit vehicles up to a certain number before a dedicated facility is required. In addition, if the system is contracted out, the contractor can be obligated to provide all maintenance. A final option is to contract out maintenance as a separate function. If there is a maintenance facility that is properly accredited and that can provide the proper level of priority for the vehicles, then maintenance can easily be contracted to a third party. Many small transit systems use this contracted option until the system reaches a size where a contracted operation can no longer accommodate the system without jeopardizing the contractor s other clientele. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) Who within the organization will undertake the vehicle procurement process? 2) What type of vehicle will be used for the service? TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 36

43 3) How will the vehicle(s) be financed? 4) Where will the vehicles be maintained? And by whom? 13.0 REVENUE COLLECTION AND SECURITY For a transit system to reduce the impact of costs on the residents of the community, fares must be charged and collected. The process of creating a fare structure, collecting and securing fare revenue must be closely monitored to retain the integrity of the process Fare Structure Fare structure can be a highly debated issue. On the one hand, most riders will demand the lowest possible fare. On the other hand, the operating cost of the system will require as much revenue return from the farebox as possible. There are relatively standard ranges for most small properties throughout Canada, with an Adult fare and some reduction in that fare for students and seniors. In larger systems, it is a matter of the amount of fare revenue returned as a percentage of the operating costs. In addition to cash fares, most transit properties offer pre-paid fare options at discounted prices such as a book of 10 or 20 tickets, a day pass, and a monthly pass. The benefit to the pre-paid fare options is that the municipality has revenue in advance of use and there is a reduced potential for fare evasion at the farebox. However, in this age of scanners and colour printers, these fare media must be created with revenue security and fraud potential as a consideration Fare Collection Fares are collected at the farebox in the bus and diligence must be used to ensure that there is no misappropriation of funds and that the fare revenue accurately reflects the average usage in the system. The system of fare collection can range from a simple locked tin box in a minibus to commercial fareboxes. The choice of farebox is a matter of the degree of security required and of the desire to monitor pass or ticket use Fare Security Fare security refers to the multi-step process of ensuring security from the time of purchase of the fare media to fare collection on the bus to removal of the fare vault, storage of the coins on site, movement of the coins from the transit garage or storage site to the bank, counting of the coins at a local bank and ultimately, provision of credit for the coins to the municipal account. Municipalities must have a process in place for the security of the revenue, and must go through the process of auditing the process periodically to ensure that there is no misappropriation or accidental loss. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 37

44 Fare Media As noted earlier, pre-purchased fare media must be printed with fraud prevention as a factor. Monthly passes are a valuable commodity and should feature as many anti-fraud features as financially possible. Larger systems print and treat monthly passes with similar anti-fraud features to Canadian currency, including using similar banknote paper to discourage fraud. Tickets must be shredded or burned after use to avoid copying, re-use, or re-selling Fare Collection The collection of coin fares on the buses is monitored by the operator, who ensures that all passengers have paid their fares. As in any segment of society, there is the potential for temptation if access to the coins is possible. An audit procedure should be created to compare fare revenue to number of passengers, and to create estimated weights of the fare vaults so that anomalies can be identified and investigated Vault Removal Inside each farebox is a fare vault that can only be accessed by a special key. Access to the vaults should be restricted, with removal of the vaults at a secure location where the coins will be stored until removal to the bank Storage The storage of the accumulated money (most smaller systems will store the coins for pickup only one to two times per week) must be in a secure area in a large vault structure. Storage of several days or a week of accumulated fare revenue can amount to a large amount of funds, making the vault a potential target for thieves. Monitoring of the storage facility should be part of the process created for securing the money Movement of Coins to Bank Coins should be moved to the bank from the storage area by a reputable, bonded company familiar with the secure movement of coins. There are a number of companies that provide this service, though other less secure methods such as couriers have been used in smaller communities where an armoured car service is not available Coin Counting Coin counting machines are expensive, but a local bank will likely have such a machine that can be rented. Prior to sending the coins to the bank, tickets and transfers will have to be removed first. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 38

45 Additional Questions to Ask: 1) What will the fare structure be? 2) What pre-paid fare media will be offered? 3) How will the security of the fares be maintained throughout the process? 14.0 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT The financial operation of a transit system is divided into three distinct components: Operating Costs, Fixed Costs and Capital Costs Each of these components must be estimated and considered when calculating the cost of implementing a transit system. Revenue can be calculated as a percentage recovery of the Operating-plus-Fixed Costs (called generically Operating Costs), or of all three (Total Costs) Operating Costs Operating Costs consist of operators wages, maintenance staff wages, fuel, maintenance, tires and other operational aspects of putting the transit buses out in service Fixed Costs Fixed costs are the management costs of the system. For a municipally-run operation, there is no management fee or built-in profit margin, but most costs are identical to those experienced in the contracted operation. These costs are for on-going planning and management of the system, human resources, customer interface (phone calls, web site maintenance, front-line staff wages), standard office costs, computers, phone lines, staff time and so on Capital Costs The capital cost is restricted to the annual purchases, financing, or lease costs of the vehicles used in the system. Lease costs of maintenance equipment are generally covered under the Operating cost section. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) What are the start-up costs for the system? 2) What are the year 2 and 3 costs? TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 39

46 3) How will the system be funded? (most jurisdictions allow for property taxes only, or third party funds along with the fare box revenue. U.S. laws allow for a dedicated sales tax or the use of Hotel taxes in resort areas to fund transit ) 4) What staff resources must be dedicated to running transit? 15.0 CUSTOMER INTERFACE Customer interface refers to any interaction point between the customer and the transit system. This includes requests for information, complaints, purchase of pre-paid fare media and promotion of the system. Customer interface must be well designed as a process and needs to have ongoing resources in order to provide up-to-date information and allow an outlet for passengers to easily access information Information Passenger information consists of publishing the public schedule (also known as a timetable), providing phone-based and/or web-based information and trip planning, publishing the hours of service, fare schedule and other pertinent facts about the transit system. This can be provided in both written and electronic formats as well as being available via a phone-based system Complaint System All transit organizations need to create some process for the public to register complaints and commendations about the service. Many systems refer to this as a Customer Service Request system or CSR. This system can be via phone or web-based. A process must be developed to receive, respond to, and learn from these customer service comments Purchase of Pre-Paid Fare Media Passengers must be able to easily purchase tickets and passes at a number of outlets around town. Smaller systems tend to focus on municipally-run locations such as City Hall, libraries and recreation centres. Larger systems require more locations, therefore vendor contracts must be created with larger retail organizations such as convenience shop retailers. These retailers are offered a small percentage of the fare revenue thus derived, in return for selling the transit products. For monthly passes, a process must be established to sell the passes starting at the end of the month (for many systems pass sales run from the 25 th of the previous month to the end of the first week of the valid month) as well as retrieve the unsold passes. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 40

47 15.4 System Promotion Transit systems tend to do very little self promotion because in existing systems the buses themselves often act as an advertisement, showing that a transit system is in town. For new systems, the system must be promoted over the first three years as a minimum until the system matures. Even after maturity, transit should continue to self-promote by being seen as an active and responsible community member, with staff engagements at local service groups, meetings with merchant groups and participation in local functions and events. The purpose is two-fold to keep transit in the public eye, and to create a sense that the transit system is locally owned and is a valuable asset to the community. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) How will system information be distributed? 2) How will customer concerns be addressed and responded to? 3) What staff resources are required to take care of CSRs and public information? 4) Where will tickets and passes be sold? 16.0 SYSTEM EVALUATION AND MONITORING Question 12 - How will the service be evaluated? Is the service meeting community objectives, are the community and customers satisfied, are there areas for improvement, how might the service develop in the future? All transit systems, particularly new systems, must keep track of the data that allows a continuing review of how the system is functioning. The municipal council must be able to answer the question, is the investment in transit worthwhile? Systems use standard monitoring data called Key Performance Indicators (or KPIs) such as: Total Passengers Is the system increasing in riders or has it plateaued? Annual Service Hours Is the system static, increasing or decreasing? Hours per Capita Is the system growing with the community? Rides per Hour How effective is the system? Cost per Ride How much subsidy is required per passenger? Cost per Hour How efficient is the system? Cost Recovery Is the system Cost effective? In order to provide evaluation data, a transit system must be monitored. Monitoring can be through the use of automated fareboxes that count fares, using Automatic Passenger Counters (APCs) that count every passenger on and off as well as bus location, or through a TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 41

48 low-cost method of using transit staff. Staff can record passenger movements both on a bus as well as at key locations to monitor transfers. Evaluation must be organized and consistently used in order to monitor the progress of the system and allow consistent statistical analysis. Additional Questions to Ask: 1) How will the system be monitored? 2) How will the data be evaluated and utilized? 17.0 RESORT TOWNS Resort towns differ from a regular community in that they have fluctuations in community size depending on the season and the tourist services offered. For example, Whistler must adjust from a town with 12,000 population during the off peak seasons to a population of 40,000-plus during the winter, especially on weekends. As a result, the requirements of the resort town will be much higher than for a non-resort town of the same size. In addition, most resort towns have seasonal ebbs and flows requiring the transit system to adjust far more than a standard municipal system. Summer resorts will require special tourist services not required for the rest of the year. Mountain-based resorts typically actually develop two seasons. The winter season is usually the first to develop due to local ski hills or Nordic terrain, and then a summer season develops based on hiking or walking in the area and on mountain biking programs. The off seasons require very little transit as there are few seasonal workers in town and many businesses close down for holidays or refurbishing/restocking. Over time, the dual season resorts have the winter and summer seasons extending to such a degree that the off seasons are very short but crucial to allow major maintenance to the transit fleet. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 42

49 EXHIBIT 3: MAP 1 TOWN OF VAIL TRANSIT SERVICE Vail and Aspen are excellent examples of resort-based transit systems, therefore, the current operations of the two systems have been provided Vail The Vail transit system carried 3.2 million passengers in 2002 with 2 million on the Intown route and 1.2 million on the outlying routes. Vail carries 75% of its passengers during the winter season using 34 buses and 62,000 annual hours of service. The operating cost in 2001 was US $3.02 million. The Vail service has two main ski areas to service, as well as outlying residential areas. The major difference between the Vail and the Whistler, BC transit services is that the two ski hill bases in Vail are only a few kilometres apart in comparison to the much larger distance between Whistler Creek and Whistler Village (See Map 2). In-town Shuttle service in Vail is provided on a minute frequency from 6:30am to 1:50am. Regional transit service is operated by Eagle County (Municipal-style government) under the name ECO transit which runs between Vail, the neighbouring ski hill at Beaver Creek, to the local airport at Gypsum. The service runs approximately hourly, with greater frequency in the mornings (inbound to Vail) and in the afternoons (outbound). All service in Vail is free, with revenue coming from hotel TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 43

50 taxes, specially dedicated tax, and lift tickets. Vail s major service issue at present is the creation of an intermodal transportation facility slated for development in Both Vail and Aspen charge for parking. In Vail, parking is $12 per day on peak (weekend) days. Aspen gets fewer drive-in visitors than Vail, so parking is less of an issue. Nevertheless, Aspen charges for parking (except on Sundays). Vail and Aspen both have a significant amount of regional transit service carrying commuters into town. Regional service operates between Aspen and Glenwood Springs (70 km away) every 30 minutes throughout the day. In addition, there are express trips from Glenwood Springs and several other towns operating at peak times. The regional service uses a mix of regular transit buses, articulated buses, and highway coaches Aspen Aspen is similar to Whistler, BC from the standpoint of having a major ski base in town as well as a second major ski base at Snowmass some distance from Aspen and two other ski bases nearby at Buttermilk and Highlands. Aspen s real estate market has made it difficult for employees to find reasonable accommodation in town. Therefore, employees of Aspen live in the neighbouring towns of Woody Creek, Basalt, El Jebel, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. Roaring Forks Transit Agency (RFTA) runs transit service into in the Aspen area (See the following map) from Glenwood Springs. The Snowmass Ski company operates a separate transit system with eight routes operating in winter. Within Aspen there are five main routes operated by RFTA, while the various mountain areas have connector service operated by RFTA for the Aspen Skiing Company. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 44

51 EXHIBIT 4: MAP 2 ASPEN VALLEY TRANSIT SERVICE RFTA carried 3.6 million rides in 1999/2000 at an operating cost of US $12 million. RFTA operates a mixed fleet of vehicles, ranging from regional coaches to minibuses to suit the different services. Funding for the RFTA comes from a dedicated county-wide sales tax, along with fares and donations. Fares account for only US $2.6 million of the US$11.7 million funding for Vail and Aspen have both reached points where winter ridership is relatively static but with major ridership gains occurring in the summer and off-seasons. Both Vail and Aspen also house many of their employees in neighbouring communities, creating a need for an affordable, reliable and convenient regional transit service. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 45

52 SECTION 3 - SUMMARY The implementation of a public transit service can make a community more livable, and address specific social, environmental and economic issues that may be of concern to the community. Public transit improves the physical mobility of the young, the elderly, the poor and the disabled. Communities may use public transit to foster citizen inclusion in the work, educational and social life of the community. Travel by public transit is safer than private auto travel, and walking to and from bus stops encourages a more physically active lifestyle. Both factors may lower health costs and create a healthier community. Public transit lowers out-of-pocket and long-term individual and community transportation expenditures. Public transit use reduces air pollution and contributes to a healthier community. The report describes a process for examining the feasibility and implementation of public transit in a small community by asking a series of questions. By working through the questions, in sequence, a small community will more fully understand the costs and benefits of operating a public transit system, and will be better positioned to be successful should they decide to implement a system. 1. What is the community wishing to accomplish with the implementation of public transit? What are the social, economic and environmental benefits of public transit? 2. Who will use public transit? What is the potential market for public transit? 3. What are the urban form, size, economic structure and demographics of the community? 4. What type of public transit service is required? 5. Where should the public transit operate? What are the most common areas and facilities that citizens wish to travel to/from? 6. When should the transit service operate? What days of the week and hours of the day should service by available? 7. How much service will be provided, how much will the service cost and how will the operating costs be funded? 8. Who will plan, promote, operate and maintain the transit system? What components of the system will be operated by the municipality or contracted? 9. How much revenue is the system expected to generate? What are the types and amounts of passenger fares? How is revenue collected, managed and accounted for? TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 46

53 10. What type of vehicle and physical infrastructure is required? How will the vehicles and capital infrastructure be funded, operated and maintained? 11. What is the level of community financial support for public transit? 12. How will the service be evaluated? Is the service meeting community objectives, are the community and customers satisfied, are there areas for improvement, and how might the service develop in the future? As well, transit system information (Table 1 Cost Comparisons for Selected Canadian Transit Systems, on following page) from small Canadian transit systems allows comparison. In developing answers to the twelve questions and interpreting the information from other small transit systems a town may seek assistance from the management of other transit systems, from transit consultants and from transit industry associations (Canadian Urban Transit Assocation, American Public Transportation Association, etc.) Regardless of the approach or combination of approaches the management and politicians in a small town follow, it is critically important that the planning and initial implementation of a transit service begin with modest expectations and build on demonstrated successes. TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 47

54 TABLE 1 COST COMPARISONS FOR SELECTED CANADIAN TRANSIT SYSTEMS BC Provincial Average Cobourg, ON Belleville, ON Population 20,733 18,000 37,000 30,000 42,000 18,000 42,000 24,200 8,500 Hours of Operation / Capita Cost per Operating Hour $61.56 $59.17 $68.54 $54.65 $61.37 $48.54 $50.81 $83.98 $38.89 Rides / Capita Average Fare $1.09 $1.80 $1.53 $1.26 $1.02 $1.58 $1.49 $0.72 $1.30 Stratford, ON Brandon, ON Yellowknife Grande Prairie, AB Whistler, BC Banff, AB Annual Hours of Operation 12,025 7,077 32,463 31,390 42,922 10,920 27,415 68,509 8,218 Annual Ridership 244,027 67, , , , , ,404 2,937, ,258 Passengers per Operating Hour Annual Operating Cost $740,268 $418,864 $2,224,994 $1,715,326 $2,634,231 $530,071 $1,392,954 $5,753,238 $327,790 Annual Revenue $265,990 $123,556 $1,270,965 $726,233 $880,118 $206,071 $564,583 $2,114,960 $326,054 Annual Net Cost (Deficit) -$474,278 -$295,308 -$954,029 -$989,093 -$1,754,113 -$324,000 -$828,371 -$3,638,278 -$1,736 Revenue to Cost Percentage 36% 30% 57% 42% 33% 39% 41% 37% 99% Net Cost Per Capita -$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $0.20 TRANSIT IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES p. 48

55 APPENDIX CANMORE TRANSIT PLAN FINANCING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

56 1.0 INTRODUCTION In accordance with the Transit Implementation Guidelines for Small Canadian Municipalities, a transit feasibility study was performed for the Town of Canmore, Alberta. The findings of the Town of Canmore Transit Feasibility Study were presented to Town Council for its information on January 24, The purposes of this following Appendix are three-fold: (i) To summarize the options for financing transit service in Canmore (ii) To describe the political framework/setting within which decisions regarding transit service in Canmore may be taken (iii) To summarize the expected environmental benefits of the recommended transit option identified in the Feasibility study. 2.0 FINANCING AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Across Canada small transit systems recover, on average, around 40% of their operating costs from passenger revenues. The operating costs are a function of vehicle, staff and overhead costs, while the system revenues are a function of the revenue collected per passenger and the number of passengers. The feasibility point or the threshold at which Canmore may initiate a new public transit system is therefore a function of the initial capital costs, ongoing operating costs, system revenues and the community s willingness to fund the system deficit. The following Table presents the basic performance measures, including costs and revenues, for the starter transit system recommended for Canmore. Canmore Transit Plan p. 1 Financing & Implementation Plan and Expected Environmental Benefits

57 MID-RANGE OPERATING COST PERFORMANCE MEASURES, CANMORE Permanent Town Population 11,442 Permanent & Non-permanent Population 15,232 Total Dwelling Units Hours of Operation/Capita 0.52 Cost per Operating Hour $60.00 Annual Rides/Capita 12.9 Average Fare $1.50 Annual Hours of Operation 6,000 Annual Ridership 147,602 Passengers per Operating Hour 24.6 Annual Operating Costs $360,000 Annual Re venue $221,403 Annual Net Cost or Deficit ($138,597) Revenue to Cost Percentage 61.5% Net Cost per Household (Total) ($ 19.60) Net Cost per Capita (Perm. Pop.) ($ 12.11) Net Cost per Capita (Total Pop.) ($9.10) With respect to basic capital costs, the initial bus zone installations and bus purchases would require investments of $60,000 and $185,000 $200,000 respectively. Service promotion and brochures would cost $15,000. Total startup costs would therefore be in the order of $260,000 $275,000. Annual operating costs for 12 hours of service per day with an additional bus serving the weekday peak periods would be $330,000 $360,000. Annual revenues are estimated at $205,000 $319,000. The annual operating deficit could be in the order of $11,000 $155,000 depending on the fare level. For planning purposes, assuming the mid-range operating costs, ridership and a $1.50 fare, an initial annual deficit of $138,600 should be considered reasonable. The Table reflects this mid-range scenario. The portion of costs not covered by passenger revenue is usually funded from local government tax-based sources. Based on the 2005 Canmore Civic Census a $138,600 annual deficit would represent a cost of $9.10 per total resident or $12.11 per permanent resident. The deficit would be $19.60 per Canmore Transit Plan p. 2 Financing & Implementation Plan and Expected Environmental Benefits

58 dwelling, or less if spread over both the residential and commercial tax assessment. At the time of writing this report, exactly how the operating costs of the Canmore transit system would be financed is an unknown. The anticipated annual deficit of $138,600 is not excessive and is near the lower end of the net cost per capita for similar small transit systems operating in Canada. Beyond use of local taxes as identified above, there are a number of other potential funding sources that could be considered: Provincial or Federal funds Private funding contributions, through: o o o o o a hotel room tax a per-occupied-bed hotel tax employer-paid employee levy retail/restaurant business sales tax tourist attraction surcharges Additionally, hotels and resorts in Canmore could potentially combine to run a special shuttle transit service connecting their facilities with each other or with some specific point in the Town. As to capital costs, the availability of Provincial or Federal capital grants for bus purchases should be explored, as funds from these sources would lower the cost of entry into the transit business. The specific source of financing a transit system in Canmore is yet to be determined. Along with the anticipated capital and operational costs, the potential environmental, economic and social benefits will be evaluated by Council in their decision. A description of the expected environmental, economic and social benefits is contained within Section 4.0 of this Appendix. 3.0 POLITICAL FRAMEWORK Located adjacent to Banff National Park and surrounded by Alberta Provincial Parklands, the Town of Canmore is experiencing rapid development pressures within an ecologically diverse area. The natural beauty of this area is a major reason people have chosen to live and recreate here. In the past, Canmore was a small coal mining community and environmental issues were not considered relevant. After the 1988 Olympic Nordic events were held in Canmore, people from across Canada and around the world recognized the beauty of the location as a vacation retreat and the population and development skyrocketed. In response to these pressures, Town Council has become aware of the need to protect the natural environment and has gradually revised its operations to reflect this focus. Council states in the Municipal Development Plan that Canmore is an environmentally sensitive community that provides a high quality of life for its residents. Canmore Transit Plan p. 3 Financing & Implementation Plan and Expected Environmental Benefits

59 In November of 2004, Council directed the Town Of Canmore to become an early adopter of the Natural Step, a decision-making framework to guide the Town s business operations and the community as a whole towards greater sustainability. The Natural Step is used to evaluate proposed Capital Projects and operating decisions for the organization. Specific action plans encouraging more sustainable operations for each town department and for the community are being developed through The Natural Step. In terms of existing innovative environmental infrastructure, the Town of Canmore recently completed construction of a new Civic Centre that has been LEEDS Silver certified as an environmentally low impact structure. The building uses over 40% less energy to heat compared to conventional construction and provides abundant natural light, healthy air and very low water consumption. The town s solid waste collection vehicles are powered with bio-diesel fuel and there is a hybrid gas-electric vehicle for staff transportation. The Town of Canmore s Corporate Business Plan states as a major goal: To protect our unique environment through innovative initiatives and policies that minimize the negative impacts of human intervention. As a part of that business plan, the Town has established Energy Management, Cosmetic Pesticide, Solid Waste Management and Water Action Plans for establishing more sustainable environmental practices in those areas. The Municipal Development Plan, Bylaw 30-98, states under transportation objectives in section To provide for improvement and extension of Town-wide multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail system and encourage the use of alternatives to the private automobile for visitor and resident movement among key destinations within the Town. In order to address the feasibility of providing alternatives to private automobiles, the Town of Canmore authorized financial support along with GMEF funding to perform the Transit Feasibility Study. During open houses, describing potential transit delivery options for Canmore, there was good public support for the town to provide a transit service. In response to a formal presentation of the Transit Feasibility Study, Council voiced unanimous support, provided that the financial liability was clear and that ridership projections were accurate. To answer those concerns, a follow up origin-destination survey will be completed in the summer of 2006, to verify expected travel patterns of residents and visitors within Canmore. The results of that survey information will be presented to Council in the Fall of 2006 along with a recommendation to consider providing transit services as part of the 2007 Capital and Operating Budget approval process. In summary, the proposed Canmore Transit system as described in the Transit Feasibility Study is in excellent alignment with the town s vision for sustainability and the Municipal Development Plan. A transit system is also in alignment with the Bow Corridor Mobility Strategy as it would supplement regional transit objectives and reduce the need for additional private automobiles. A transit system would also reduce the need to provide additional parking in the downtown cores, which supports the pedestrian centric design of Canmore s downtown enhancement Canmore Transit Plan p. 4 Financing & Implementation Plan and Expected Environmental Benefits

60 project. Given these supports and benefits, it appears that a transit system in Canmore will be supported by Council and the public provided that the financial liability is successfully addressed. 4.0 EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS 4.1 Study Goal The primary purpose of the Transit Feasibility Study has been to determine if transit in Canmore would be economically viable and, if it is judged to be viable, to ensure that the service will be oriented to achieving success both financially and environmentally. Financial factors were addressed in Section 2, and the following Section identifies potential environmental benefits. 4.2 Study Options The basic options addressed in the study were a no-transit option ( the status quo ) and the starter Transit option whose projected performance is summarized in the previous Table. The status quo option has no public transit service working in the Town only a few cabs and regional shuttle bus services that travel to Calgary and particularly the Calgary International Airport. In addition, the local School Boards in Canmore provide school bus services for those students situated beyond walking distance from their school. The Transit Option, shown in the following Figure, is composed of a single route which circulates through or close to most areas of residential development and provides access to major community activity centres. The Figure illustrates that the majority of the community is within a 400 metre walking distance of the proposed route. The Figure also illustrates the location of the 54 recommended Bus Zones, located in areas where it is safe to stop the bus and where customer walking access is as short as possible. The recommended transit route would initially be serviced with one bus from 06:30 to 18:30, seven days of the week, and a second bus from 07:00 to 09:00 and 15:00 to 18:00 weekdays. This would provide a base 60-minute service at all times and a 30-minute service during the weekday peak periods. Travel times from the outer ends of the route into downtown Canmore would be less than 15 minutes, and the majority of trips would be less than 10 minutes in length. 4.3 Primary Environmental Benefits The environmental goal of the Canmore Transit System is to reduce the need to use private automobiles for travel within Canmore. The Transit Option, if implemented, will replace only a portion of the Canmore trips currently being made by the private vehicle. The following Table summarizes the benefits, in terms of reduced eco 2 (Equivalent Carbon Dioxide) emissions, of the Transit option compared to the No-Transit option. The resultant savings in emissions are estimated to be in the tonnes per year range. Based on a 2005 permanent Canmore Transit Plan p. 5 Financing & Implementation Plan and Expected Environmental Benefits

61 Canmore Transit Plan p. 6 Financing & Implementation Plan and Expected Environmental Benefits