Operations Committee Meeting
C-Tran in Vancouver at the Heathman Lodge
March 14-16, 2007
Jeff Wamsley – King County Metro
Welcomed everyone and outlined the agenda.
Next meeting is scheduled Last Wed, Thurs, and Fri in October (tentative)
In Pullman.
Property updates
Lynn Halsey – C-TRAN
Will be having a tunnel tour, and the “C” Tran trailer (new building).
C-Tran has lost its 7th st Vancouver Mall transit center because of gangs, etc, So
they lost the lease. Tried for a 3/10% tax increase, but did not pass. May try again
next election for 2/10%. Have a fare increase, and eliminated transfer slips. Will monitor
if this has worked. Working on Peak/non peak EXPRESS routes trying to catch the rail for
speedier service. This is going to go to public meetings for input.
Marc Bolland- Everett Transit
Getting new DAR Rigs (13) & 4 40’ Low floor Gilligs. Received funding for 2
more video cameras. Looking for new property to build another admin property and
parking area.
John Koschnick- Jefferson Transit
Hood Canal Bridge to close for an undetermined amount of time. Will cause major service
headaches. Will need to hire about 16 operators, and the use of a foot ferry.
Got 4 Chevy cut-aways for DAR supplement
Wade Mahala- Skagit Transit Property Update
Our new fare system continues to be well received by our riders due to the convenience of
just dropping in a few quarters. There has been almost no negative feedback to our fare
increases.
Skagit Transit had our 2007 budget approved which has very little expansion in it for
either Fixed Route or Dial-A-Ride. There is some route improvements for Dial-A-Ride, but
only if we are successful in obtaining some grants through New Freedom. This is due to a
limited revenue stream of only 2/10 of a percent and grants, which have a sunset date.
Skagit Transit is continuing its effort to “Get our Message Out” and most
recently we are in the final process on a commercial that targets the 90-X Commuter routes
from Skagit Station to Everett Station. The recent proofs are very exciting and we look
forward to them hitting the airwaves very shortly.
Skagit Transit will be taking possession of 5 new 40 foot over the road, high floor Gillig
Phantoms. These coaches were specifically ordered for our connector routes between Skagit
Station and WTA’s Station in Bellingham (80-X), and the Everett Station (90-X).
Skagit Transit has just completed negotiations with its drivers union, AFCME Local 176-T.
This process took a little longer than anticipated due to some economic demands from the
union that was just not possible under our current revenue stream. Our contract was
approved at our February Board of Directors meeting.
Vanpools continue to be in high demand and Skagit Transit plans to continue expansion of
this service annually by 4 additional vans. We currently have 30 in operation.
Skagit Transit has hired a Planner that works between us and SCOG (Skagit Council of
Governments). This Planner works out of a Skagit Transit office but is used between both
agencies. This position was paid for by a Grant and we look forward to finally having a
planner for our system.
Skagit Transit has also hired a Facilities Tech. person due to the many compliance
checklists that are federally required on buildings. We found the need for this person
when we took over ownership of Skagit Station and the many PM’s the facility systems
require.
Skagit Transit is currently in the process of implementing a New Financial software
program. This program will involve purchasing, allowing electronic requisitions and
tracking, handle all accounts payable and timekeeping as well. We plan to have this up and
operational within the next 30 days.
Finally, both our Fixed Route and Dial-A-Ride ridership continues to grow. We are
currently at our highest ridership levels since the I-695 cutbacks in 2002. DAR ridership
is actually higher than it was at that time.
Skagit Transit is continuing working with the City of Burlington and WSDOT on our
Chuckanut Park and Ride facility. WSDOT has started the surveying for this project as we
move into phase 2. Target date for opening is fall 2008. We look forward to having this
new location for our North end transfer station.
Tim -Sound Transit
Bus Operations Division
Mainly focusing on operations and planning programs (describe history and vision for
division)
Cheryl – mainly focusing on maintenance and bus procurement programs
Bike Rack Upgrade Program
Replacing the two position racks with the three position rack
Bus Procurement
We are close to exercising options towards replacing 27 1994 40’ CNG Orion buses
operated by Pierce Transit with 27 45’ MCI long-haul coaches. Depending on budget, we
may need to adjust the quantity with a mix of 40’ and 45’ coaches. We hope to
have the MCI buses here by the end of the year or early 2008.
We learned that bus prices went up about $17,000 for the new engine specifications meeting
the EPA 2007 emission standards
Following that order, we are preparing to purchase 10 high capacity expansion buses to be
operated by Community Transit for the new South Everett Park/Ride facility. The facility
is expected to be open February 2009.
Then through 2017, we will be working on replacement buses and depending on ST2, a small
number of expansion buses.
Sounder
Ridership is continuing to increase and currently there are four round trips b/t Tacoma
and Seattle. Recently, we added a seventh car to three of the four round trips. There is
not enough storage room in Tacoma to operate seven cars on all train sets.
With the September Service Change, one peak-hour round trip and one reverse peak round
trips will be added. The new peak trip will leave Tacoma at 5:00am and from Seattle at
3:35pm. The reverse peak trip will leave Seattle at 6:10am and Tacoma at 4:45pm.
This will be the first of several reverse peak trips and we are planning at least one more
peak-hour round trip once track improvement work is completed in 2008.
10% fare increase approved effective June 1 based on the projected increase in fare
revenue. Staff estimates that 37% of riders would experience a fare increase greater than
10%. This is the first fare increase and the system is changing to a distance based fare
system instead of zone based. Sample fares
Base fare $2.55 (current $2.00)
Everett – Seattle $4.50 from $3.00
Tacoma – Seattle $4.75 from $4.00
Cost per mile $0.055 from base fare of $2.00 with $1.00 zone fares
Central Link/Tunnel
The O&M facility on Airport Way is now officially completed (160,00 sq ft; 25 acre
site; 100 light rail vehicles with initial fleet of 35 vehicles)
CL will operate 20 hours a day on a 15.6 mile route
A test train set is operating along the test track b/t the facility and about S Holgate St
Tunnel is planned for opening with the September SC with Link joining buses in 2009
Capital Projects ST Express
Canyon Park Freeway Station – available summer 2007
Issaquah Transit Center – adds 800 stall parking structure; available summer 2007
Mercer Island P/R – adds 450 stall parking structure; construction delay
South Everett Freeway Station – adds new facility with 400 stalls
Totem Lake Freeway Station – adds new facility; construction delay
Capital Projects Sounder
Lakewood Station – construction just started; available fall 2008
Miscellaneous
FTA triennial for June
Customer Service Program; to reward drivers for good service
Director of Transportation position advertised
Customer Satisfaction Survey; 2006 report received and results are relatively good with
high satisfaction rates. The main focus for ST is to address on-time performance and
travel time
Ridership
4th Q ’06 vs. ’05 7% increase system wide
Sounder for ’06 1.7 million
ST Express ’06 9.7 mill
Tacoma Link just under 1% with 10% weekday growth but lower weekend boardings.
Doug Johnson – King County Metro
Downtown tunnel to re-open in Sept. Rail in 2 years will also use tunnel.
Operators will all be re-tested on tunnel procedures, and smart card usage.
Yvonne Greenwood – King County Metro
Re-vamping supervisor training to include use of computers in their vehicles.
Kristina Umbright – Pullman Transit
A Wal-Mart is coming to Pullman. Has had resistance in the past, but sounds like it is
going to happen.
Got a grant for more DAR equipment, usage is at 100 rides a day and getting larger.
Chris Mitchell – Pullman Transit
Trying to use DAR vehicles for fixed routes for trial
Finally expanding Bus Barn, adding 4 Bays & a Bus wash.
Rich Lyons – Yakima Transit
New Transit Service in the City of Selah and the City of Union Gap
Since July 2005 we have operated a demonstration project in both cities funded with CMAQ
(Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality) funds. In November 2006 a ballot measure was voted
on in each city to continue the service funded by a sales tax ( .3% in Selah and .2% in
Union Gap. ) The vote passed in Selah with a 70% approval rate. So we will continue the
same basic service to Selah. Unfortunately the measure failed in Union Gap by 5 votes.
So we have been working with the local COG to obtain addition CMAQ funds to start a
commute route into the City of Union Gap. So far it looks promising with the hope that
this new service could start as early as July. Otherwise we will have to cut the Union Gap
part of the existing routes.
West Valley Annexations-The City of Yakima continues to annex into west valley. Currently
were operate 2 routes as far west as 96th Ave and still run on a 60 minute headway. 96th
Ave is 7 miles from the downtown Transit Center which is about as far as we can stretch
it. Just last week they annexed even further into west valley including the Apple Tree
Golf Course, some very expensive homes and the rest orchards. Property values for the 1.6
sq mile area is $89 million . . . sales tax minimum. So it helped the city but not
transit. No new service is proposed now and hopefully stays that way for a while.
Ridership-Ridership for 2006 was UP over 9%. The trend has continued into 2007 at about 5%
over last year.
Contract Negotiations-The AFSCME Transit contract expired Dec 31, 2006. The City of Yakima
has offered 0% for 2007. Needless to say they are not happy (me neither since no raise for
all non-union employees) and they are nearing mediation. They basically want COLA . Time
will tell.
GPS and Automated Stop Announcements -The City’s computer wiz has been working on
this and it’s almost ready to implement. Still some bugs to work out. But all are
hopeful. On our website yakimatransit.org anyone can check our route buses and see where
their bus is and how long until it arrives at a specific stop. Very handy feature that has
worked really well.
Wayne Parsley – Yakima Transit
Using an in-house voice announcer for stops, going on line tomorrow. English only, not a
vendor
LED inside signs for hearing impaired passengers
They have REI cameras at the transit centers and onboard buses. Their dispatch can view
when necessary.
Roy Harrington – Kitsap Transit
3/10 & vote failed for Ferry’s
Budget tight. DAR in negotiations now. He wants to merge DAR and fixed route operators to
do both jobs. Getting resistance.
They are enlarging their Charleston base.
Is having a 3 day CDL tester class if anyone wants to send someone. Doesn’t have a
cost yet.
Jim Merill – Intercity Transit
Now have a “talking bus”. By orbital TMS
Putting in 90 cameras on fixed, and DAR vehicles.
Buying 20 Low floor Gilligs, and a few El Dorado’s for DAR
Paul Schramer – Whatcom Transit Authority
Remodeling the downtown transit center, should be done by summer
Small fare increase. No complaints from riders
Getting 7 new 30’ Low floor Gilligs
Getting the camera up and running
Dan Morrissey – Grant Transit Authority
Area building fast, potato sheds running more shifts. Serving Quincy this spring also.
Getting 2 van pools together for this.
Getting their cameras up now also.
Rick White – Valley Transit
Trolleys are a hit. One little mishap when a bell fell off.
Very hard finding part-time drivers. Still looking
Frank Bezemer – Spokane Transit
GFI fareboxes coming. Light rail did not pass with the voters
Frank VandeWerfhorst – Island Transit
Trying ride match. Seems to be working well.
Ordered some 40’ Gilligs
C-TRAN
Starting a bio-fuel system. Going to use older buses for test purposes, before moving
forward.
Trying to hook up trapeze software to work with Portland & Vancouver for interlining
some routes.
Sending a fare increase request to the board.
Barbara Warren – Ben Franklin Transit
Passed around info on the bio-diesel that they are using on the road. The only minor
problem was the fuel filters tended to clog up. This has since stopped being a problem as
time on the road increased.
Asked if any property paid their Union Negations on Team for a stragety day to plan for
the negations. No one is doing that.
Discussion on Training Service Supervisors
Several properties discussed their training, and discussed what worked well, and what just
wasn’t necessary for the training.
Chris Mitchell – Pullman Transit
New supers ride with current to observe and have a check off list on what they have been
trained in.
Colleen Baumann – Community Transit
They have a complete 6 week course and supers must pass all phases
Susan Allison & Diane Brown – Pierce Transit
Their Supers are union, and have a complete 5 week course to complete
Doug Johnson & Yvonne Greenwood – King County Metro
10 day intro period, 4 weeks classroom, 5 weeks ride and evaluations,
6 mo. w/ 5 weeks in dispatch, and 4 in scheduling, 4 weeks solo, with a 1 year probation
Frank Bezemer – Spokane Transit
Union Supers, 6 mo. Probation, doing both office and road work
Paul Schramer – Whatcom Transit Authority
Have 6 supers, Hires both in house, and out
Sue Quick – Lane Transit
Promotes from within, 3 weeks classroom, 3 weeks road
They are temporary 1st, and then apply to become 1st line
Bruce Schroeder Summit Law Group
Gave new law changes for transit, as well as proposed changes and additions.
Many properties were interested in the video/audio usage.
Discussion: Do the buses need to have signs saying they are equipped with AUDIO? Bruce
will research.
Returning operators released back to work. Who pays for fitness for duty exam, and do they
go to their Dr. or the Company? The properties are divided about 50-50 on how they do
that.
Can the Union file a grievance without an operator who is being aggrieved consent?
Yes they can, but with a discipline will set a precedent
How much info must you give a Union official coming into a discipline meeting?
Give info in stages as necessary
FMLA- Has there been a change from the requirement that an employee must be with the
company for 1 year, to hours worked?
NO
General Question that was posed to the group:
With the upcoming Radio re-banding issues, I have been asked by our Maintenance Manager to
see how many of the systems use an open microphone with their radios and how many use the
hand sets so when picked up, passengers can not hear the conversations? Also, what brand
of radio do you use?
Minutes taken by Barbara Warren
Complied by Barbara Hays
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