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PTAC Agenda 12/18/2018 Public Transit Advisory Committee Collier County Government Administration- Building F 3299 Tamiami Trail East – Suite 501 IT Training Room Naples, Florida December 18, 2018 3:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes a. November 20, 2018 Minutes 5. Committee Action 6. Reports and Presentations a. Discuss preparation of February 2019 Transit Workshop 7. Member Comments 8. Public Comments 9. Next Meeting Date – January 15, 2018 10. Adjournment Two or more members of the Board of County Commissioners may be present and may participate at the meeting. The subject matter of this meeting may be an item for discussion and action at a future BCC meeting . Collier Area Transit operates in compliance with Federal Transit Administration, (FTA) pr ogram requirements and ensures that transit services are made available and equitably distributed, and provides equal AGENDA access and mobility to any person without regard to race, color, or national origin, disability, gender or age. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; FTA Circular 4702.1A, "Title VI and Title VI Dependent Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients. Anyone who required an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or other reasonable accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, should contact the Collier County Facilities Management Department located at 3335 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, Florida 34112 or 239-252-8380 as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event. Such reasonable accommodations will be provided at no cost to the individual. 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 714 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) 34.A.2Packet Pg. 715Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 1 MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC TRANSIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING November 20, 2018 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, the Public Transit Advisory Committee in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 3:00 P.M. in REGULAR SESSION at Administrative Building “F”, Suite 501, Collier County Government Complex Naples, Florida with the following members present: ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman: Mr. John DiMarco Vice-Chairman: Mr. John Jenkins Mr. Arthur Dobberstein Ms. Sonja Lee Samek Mr. Harold Weeks ALSO PRESENT: Ms. Michelle Arnold, Director, Public Transit and Neighborhood Enhancement Mr. Omar DeLeon, Senior Planner, Public Transit and Neighborhood Enhancement Ms. Elena Ortiz Rosado, Events, Sales and Marketing Coordinator 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 716 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 2 I. Call to Order Chairman DiMarco called the meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. II. Roll Call Roll call was taken and a quorum was established. III. Approval of Agenda Mr. Jenkins entered a motion to approve the November 20, 2018 meeting agenda. Mr. Weeks seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion was carried. IV. Approval of Minutes a. August 21, 2018 Minutes Mr. Jenkins entered a motion to approve the August 21, 2018 meeting minutes. Mr. Weeks seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion was carried. b. October 30, 2018 Minutes Correction to Item II: A quorum was not met at the October 30, 2018 meeting and approval of the minutes could not be voted upon. Mr. Weeks entered a motion to approve the October 30, 2018 meeting minutes, with the noted correction. Mr. Dobberstein seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion was carried. V. Committee Action +Note was made by Mr. DeLeon that the removal of Mr. Derru from the Advisory Committee due to an insufficient attendance record was pending final disposition by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). +Ms. Arnold stated that direction had been received from the County Attorney’s office with regard to whether or not an after-the-fact Advisory Committee vote was required for the appointment of Ms. Sonja Lee Samek to the Advisory Committee. As the Board of County Commissioners had acted on the appointment of Ms. Samek by the School Board, no vote would be required by the Advisory Committee. VI. Reports and Presentations a. Performance Measures Mr. DeLeon shared fiscal end of year ridership performance measures with the Committee. Mr. DeLeon pointed out the disparity in ridership figures between September FY17 and FY18 were due to Hurricane Irma. Mr. Jenkins inquired as to whether Staff had any concerns with the performance measures presented. Ms. Arnold stated that the figures were in line with national trends and were based upon current local route patterns. Some route changes were made this season, with evaluation of further route enhancements to be done as part of the Transit Development Plan update. Mr. Jenkins inquired about planning sessions to discuss route planning and design. 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 717 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 3 Mr. DeLeon stated that PTAC will participate in stakeholder’s meetings, at which input will be provided to the consultants hired to assist with that project. These discussions will be had sometime after the planned February 5, 2019 meeting with the BCC. Mr. Dobberstein requested that a hard copy of the summary article detailing national ridership trends be given to Advisory Board members. b. Grant Applications for 5310, 5311, and 5339 Mr. DeLeon explained that grants 5310, 5311, and 5339 are competitive grants which are applied for on an annual basis. +Grant 5310: These grant funds are typically used for expansion of paratransit services or the replacement of vehicles, with this year’s funding earmarked for the purchase of 6 paratransit vehicles, to include radios and onboard GPS technology. The new vehicles will be Ford Transits, with the current fleet vehicles evaluated to determine feasibility for continued use. Mr. Jenkins suggested consideration of the technology which allows riders a real time view of vehicle location, such as that used by Uber and Lyft. Mr. DeLeon stated the current software is presently being evaluated for efficiency in order to determine whether these types of innovations will be added to the existing program or whether to pursue other options in order to offer a more complete system. Mr. DiMarco stated this technology could circumvent the need for paratransit drivers to get out and look for their rider, such as when it is raining or too hot for the rider to wait outside. Various types of technology in this regard were briefly mentioned, such as those that offer text alerts to riders to remind them of a scheduled trip, as well as when the bus is 15 minutes away or has arrived. Mr. Dobberstein inquired as to whether the 5310 grant funds may be put towards operational costs to assist with financial shortfall. Ms. Arnold stated the funds may be used for operational purposes but would require a 50/50 match. Mr. Dobberstein further inquired as to whether the vehicles are able to be purchased at a discounted price and Mr. DeLeon confirmed a mass purchase price is utilized through an FDOT contract. +Grant 5311: This grant funding is used for operational purposes; specifically for services offered to rural areas. This grant includes a 50% Federal share with a 50% local share requirement. Mr. Weeks inquired as to the source of local share funding, which Ms. Arnold stated is sourced from the General Fund. Ms. Arnold stated that historically, the amounts requested have been granted, although actual funds received will depend upon grant funding awarded to other agencies as well. +Grant 5339: This grant funding is used for enhancing services to rural areas; Immokalee and Golden Gate Estates. This capital grant includes an 80% Federal share with a 20% State share. Specifically, these funds are being requested for the design of a superstop in the Immokalee area. This structure will be constructed near the Health Department in an empty County owned lot, where 4 buses presently connect. 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 718 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 4 This funding will supplement the portion of the TIGER grant previously awarded to Collier County for use in Immokalee for city improvements, which includes funding for additional bus shelters, as well as the transfer facility. A scope of services is presently being drafted for a consultant to assist with zoning approval. Public Transit will ultimately coordinate with Growth Management in the design of the transfer center, which is anticipated to be multimodal, including sidewalk access and plentiful bicycle racks. The facility is expected to be smaller than the transfer station at the Naples Government Center, however will include an indoor area with restrooms and possible vending type machines to purchase bus passes. The anticipated completion date is in 2021. Multiple sources of funding are being reviewed, having a more accurate cost estimate for the project following the completion of design. A determination will be made at that time whether or not to reapply for 5339 grant funding for this project. Mr. Dobberstein inquired as to whether 5339 grant funds may be utilized to purchases buses. Ms. Arnold stated that while this grant funding may be used for this purpose, other sources are utilized for the purchase of buses. c. Marketing Efforts Ms. Ortiz Rosado summarized the many varied marketing events which had occurred throughout the year; January 2018 through December 2018: • January: Veteran’s Expo, MLK Jr., Parade, Collier County Employee Health and Savings Expo, Fare Study Public Workshop. • February: Trucks, Trucks, Trucks, 2018 Senior Expo. • March: Passenger surveys, Farmer’s Market Committee. • April: Try Transit Day. • June: Mail-A-Book Senior presentation. • July: Lighthouse of Collier County Summer Camp presentation. • August: Immokalee Travel Training Day, ITech College Travel Training. • September: BCC Board meeting. • October: Big Bus Event, FPTA/CTD Conference. • November: Mobility Week Event, Passenger Appreciation Day, Immokalee Community School presentation, Naples High School (Adult Program). • December: Immokalee Christmas Parade, CAT/Lee Tran Roadeo. VII. Member Comments Mr. Dobberstein commented upon two bus shelters which recently had been damaged in automobile related accidents on Santa Barbara Boulevard and inquired as to whether there were any injuries as a result. Ms. Arnold stated that no injuries to bus patrons were reported. A brief conversation ensued with regard to the possible placement of protective barriers in front of bus shelters. Ms. Arnold stated that protective barriers have never been discussed or investigated in the past and was uncertain about ADA compliance challenges with placing a barrier in front of a bus shelter. VIII. Public Comments There were no comments made by members of the public. 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 719 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 5 IX. Next Meeting Date – December 18, 2018 X. Adjournment There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair. Public Transit Advisory Committee ________________________________ John DiMarco, Chairman These minutes approved by the Board/Committee on _________________as presented________ or as amended ___________. 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 720 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 1 MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC TRANSIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING October 30, 2018 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, the Public Transit Advisory Committee in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 3:00 P.M. in REGULAR SESSION at Administrative Building “F”, Suite 501, Collier County Government Complex Naples, Florida with the following members present: ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman: Mr. John DiMarco Mr. Arthur Dobberstein Mr. Harold Weeks ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Mr. Kerru Dera Mr. John Jenkins ALSO PRESENT: Ms. Michelle Arnold, Director, Public Transit and Neighborhood Enhancement Mr. Barry Bland, General Manager, MTM, Inc. Mr. Omar DeLeon, Public Transit Manager, Public Transit and Neighborhood Enhancement Mr. Braian Morales, General Manager, MV Transportation, Inc. Ms. Elena Ortiz Rosado, Events, Sales and Marketing Coordinator Ms. Sonja Lee Samek, Advisory Committee Member Candidate 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 721 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 2 I. Call to Order Chairman DiMarco called the meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. II. Roll Call Roll call was taken and a quorum was not established. III. Approval of Agenda Approval of the agenda could not be voted upon due to a quorum not having been established. IV. Approval of Minutes a. August 21, 2018 minutes Approval of the August 21, 2018 meeting minutes could not be voted upon due to a quorum not having been established. V. Committee Action a. New Member Recommendation As a quorum was not established at this meeting, an Advisory Committee vote could not be taken with regard to the new member application for Ms. Sonja Lee Samek; however, Ms. Samek has previously been given approval for membership by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). Ms. Arnold will inquire of the County Attorney’s office as to whether the Advisory Committee is still required to vote upon the new member application if previously approved by the BCC. b. Membership Attendance Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) meeting attendance was discussed. According to the governing Ordinance: 1. Any Board member who is absent for more than one-half of the Board’s meetings in a given fiscal year shall be deemed to have tendered his or her resignation from such Board. 2. In the event that any Board member is absent from two consecutive meetings without a satisfactory excuse acceptable to the Board/Committee chairperson, the chairperson shall state such fact at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting and shall thereafter notify, in writing, the Executive Manager to the Commission of the Board member’s failure to attend without a satisfactory excuse. Ms. Arnold shared a copy of the PTAC meeting attendance log for FY2017-2018. Specifically, Mr. Kerru Dera began committee membership in October 2017 and has attended only one meeting after that time. As Mr. Dera’s consistent failure to attend PTAC meetings falls within Ordinance guidelines as stated above, a letter notifying him of his resignation from the PTAC will be sent to him. VI. Reports and Presentations a. Vendor Contract Update Ms. Arnold reported that a Request for Proposal (RFP) had been generated to solicit bids for a single vendor; presently one vendor is responsible for operations and a second 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 722 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 3 vendor is responsible for customer service. Seven responses were received, with this group short-listed to four. Presentations by the four finalists were done for Staff several weeks ago, with final vendor selection pending. The current recommendation for selection however, is MV Transportation, Inc. MV Transportation, Inc. presently oversees all operations, including hiring of drivers and performance of all trips, both fixed and paratransit. New duties would also include all customer service related functions; answering phones, reservations, and all administrative functions. Ms. Arnold stated the transition to one vendor was in response to the need for a more streamlined, coordinated process. Mr. Dobberstein inquired if the move to one vendor would result in cost savings. Mr. DeLeon stated this is unknown, as pricing negotiation has yet to be initiated. Ms. Arnold stated that the bid package was structured to reflect a more multimodal operation in anticipation of added programs and services. With the potential for an increase in revenue hours for more services, all non-impacted administrative functions were separated within the bid package. With regard to vehicle ownership, Ms. Arnold stated that the majority of vehicles are county owned, with 20% of vehicles owned by a subcontractor or vendor. Mr. Dobberstein inquired as to whether the 20% vehicle ownership involved fixed route or paratransit vehicles, or both. Mr. DeLeon clarified that this applied to paratransit vehicles only. There are presently 25 fixed route buses and 27 paratransit buses which are county owned, with 8 vendor owned paratransit buses. All buses are presently active vehicles; however, 20 fixed routes buses are on the road during peak service, with 18 in service during non-peak hours. The number of paratransit buses on the road fluctuates daily, based on ridership. Ms. Arnold stated that updates regarding vendor selection will be provided to the Advisory Committee as information becomes available. The target start date is February/March 1, 2019. b. BCC Transit Workshop Ms. Arnold stated that the joint BCC/Public Transit meeting which was originally anticipated to be held in November 2018 has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 5, 2019 due to scheduling conflicts. Ms. Arnold stated the mission for the workshop was to share the history of the Transit Division, growth over time, as well as the vision for the future. Ms. Arnold shared a copy of the slide presentation done by Staff on September 13, 2018 to the County Productivity Committee, which provided a brief history of the Transit Division, from its genesis to growth over time, overcoming initial resistance and negative public perception of pollution and added congestion on the roadway. Ms. Arnold solicited Advisory Committee feedback with regard to the presentation and whether portions or the entirety should be shared at the BCC Workshop. Suggestions were made with regard to changing some of the slide illustrations, as well as clarification with regard to ridership age range demographics. A suggestion was made to remark upon the national trend downward in ridership. 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 723 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 4 Mr. Dobberstein requested clarification as to the start date of the paratransit program; Ms. Arnold replied that while private vendors had provided paratransit service prior, the County affiliated paratransit service began in 1999. The County took over the paratransit program in response to a demonstrated need for a more reliable and structured program. Collier Area Transit (CAT) began in 2001. Specific improvements in the system had been highlighted in the presentation, including the addition of the operations center on Radio Road. Other points made were in reference to the number of routes, number of vehicles, growth in ridership, and fare structure. County demographics were shown to illustrate the need for public transit. Ms. Arnold stated that a major point to be made is that the County has remained steady in its financial contribution and has not increased financial commitment to Public Transit on a local level, as has been the case for all other Divisions. If increases had been made over time, it is felt the present financial picture would not have been realized. Fare revenues and other sources of funding, including local, state, federal assistance, and other were contrasted against local counties. Ms. Arnold stated that as reserves have been exhausted, capital funds are being utilized this year to cover operational costs, without additional funding for capital, thus impacting the ability to maintain service or allow further growth. Fares contribute only 20% revenue at best towards operational costs for fixed route, and advertising under the current policy is limited. Presently, advertising may only be done on the interior of buses, GPS triggered voice enunciators, and within transfer stations. Recent marketing research revealed that up to an additional $300K could be generated the first year from advertising via full bus wraps, with the potential of up to $700K in following years. The financial impact of advertising on benches was not studied; however, is a possibility. Mr. Weeks inquired as to whether any funding may be derived from the potential penny sales tax increase which is on the ballot for voter consideration in November. Ms. Arnold replied that there are many entities within the county vying for funding and distribution would be at the discretion of the BCC. Ms. Arnold stated the Transit Development Plan identifies the 10-year plan of action needed in order to better serve the community. Yearly public surveys have yielded a desire for later service and greater frequency; however, funding for operations to meet these expressed needs is critical. Consideration is also being given to multimodal types of services which will meet the unique needs and accessibility issues of Collier County residents, such as those living in large, gated communities. Integration of a bus pullout or an area for golf carts to park-and-ride public transit was suggested for new communities. An additional revenue source would be in allowing private commuter buses, such as Greyhound, Red Bus, etc., to share transfer facilities, although there would be a cost involved due to zoning changes necessary for additional uses. Partnering with ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft is another option under discussion, although road congestion would remain an issue. The possibility for airport 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 724 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 5 shuttle service was discussed; however, public demand would need to be assessed. Special event routes were discussed, such as on Fourth of July, seafood/art festivals, etc., however, care must be taken to not violate regulations pertaining to competition with the private charter industry. Collaboration with the Tourist Development Council in various ways was discussed, with the Beach Bus route currently a joint effort. Ms. Arnold stated she had made mention in her presentation to the Productivity Committee of the Transit fiscal structure and that while much of the funding comes from grants, these funds are specified for certain uses only. Grant funding must also be matched by the Division. Further, while grants for capital projects are more easily obtained, most grant funding does not provide operating dollars and if they do, it is at 50% contribution only. Infrastructure demands were discussed, such as purchasing additional buses, new bus stop construction, and conversion of existing bus stops to meet ADA accessibility requirements. Park-and-Ride was discussed, however difficulties have been encountered with regard to identifying partners willing to set aside parking spaces within their lots, largely due to an existing shortage of parking spaces. Ms. Arnold stated an emphasis needs to be placed upon operating in a proactive manner and planning for the future, rather than continuing to operate reactively. Mr. DiMarco remarked upon encountering a teacher and class on the bus and inquired if there is a program within the school system which allows for disabled children to ride the bus. Ms. Samek explained that children with disabilities are educated on material which earns diploma credits, until they are age 18. Between ages 18 to 22, they may remain in school to learn transition skills, which includes how to access public transportation; a program offered at all Collier County high schools. A brief discussion was had pertaining to the booming growth of apartment housing construction and the need for integration of bus stop and pull-off areas in these new developments. Mr. DeLeon pointed out that developers are not required to make these design accommodations, however greater density along transit corridors was recently approved VII. Member Comments Mr. DeLeon invited PTAC members to attend the Passenger Appreciation celebration scheduled for Friday, November 2, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Government Center transfer station. VIII. Public Comments There were no comments made by members of the public. IX. Next Meeting Date – November 20, 2018 X. Adjournment 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 725 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018) Page 6 There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair. Public Transit Advisory Committee ________________________________ John DiMarco, Chairman These minutes approved by the Board/Committee on _________________as presented________ or as amended ___________. 34.A.2 Packet Pg. 726 Attachment: PTAC Meeting Agenda & Backup - December 18, 2018 (7635 : Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) - December 18, 2018)