Lee County 2012 – 2021 Transit Development Plan

1. Lee County 2012 – 2021 Transit Development Plan

2. Presentation Overview What is the TDP? Existing service levels Public outreach Situation appraisal 2021 Needs Plan

3. What is the TDP? • FDOT requirement • 10-year plan • Strategic plan for transit service • Evaluation of demographic and travel behavior characteristics • Assessment of existing transit service • Public involvement and outreach efforts • Determination of transportation needs • Service and implementation plan development

4. What is the TDP? • Difference from prior TDP efforts • Development of a 25-year vision • Expanded public outreach

5. Existing Service Levels Passenger Trips per Revenue Hour Trend

6. Existing Service Levels Operating Expense per Passenger Trip Trend *Operating expenses were deflated to 2005 dollars to reflect actual trend variation.

7. LeeTran Trends % Change (2005 – 2009) Summary of Trends • Strengths • Passenger trips per revenue hour: (+) 4.3% • Farebox recovery: (+) 6.7% • Average fare: (+) 24.1% • Challenges • Operating expense per revenue hour: (+) 5.8% • Average age of fleet: (+) 46.0%

8. Peer Review Peer Selection Process • Service area population • Service area size • Population density • Operating expense • Revenue miles • Passenger trips • Average speed • Peak vehicles National Transit Database (NTD) Southeastern United States (12 States) Peer selection variables:

9. Peer Review County of Volusia (Votran) Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) Chatham Area Transit Authority (CAT) Capital Transportation Corporation (CATS) Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) Lexington Transit Authority (LexTran)

10. LeeTran Peer Review (2009) Passenger Trips per Revenue Hour

11. LeeTran Peer Review (2009) Operating Expense per Passenger Trip

12. LeeTran Peer Review (2009) Summary of Peer Review • Strengths • Operating expense per revenue mile: (-) 8.7% • Average fare: (+) 12.2% • Challenges • Passenger trips: (-) 12.9% • Passenger trips per revenue mile: (-) 30.6% • Operating expense per passenger trip: (+) 22.0% • Average age of fleet: (+) 27.7% % indicates LeeTran’s deviation from the peer group average

13. Public Involvement Expanded Public Outreach Community group presentations (5) Public workshops (4) Discussion group workshops (6) Stakeholder interviews (19) On-board survey LeeTran operator interview and survey

14. Community & Discussion Groups • Discussion Groups • LeeTran bus users • Students • Social service agency representatives • Business/medical/education industry representatives • Transportation planning agencies • County departments • Community Groups • Bike/Walk Lee • Community Sustainability Advisory Committee • Reconnecting Lee • Horizon Council • Transit Task Force

15. Public Workshops • January and July 2011 • Top three improvements • More benches and shelters at bus stops • Later service on existing routes • More frequent service on existing routes

16. On-Board Survey Customer Satisfaction Levels

17. On-Board Survey Trip Purpose

18. On-Board Survey Reasons for Using LeeTran

19. On-Board Survey Service Improvements

20. Operator Interview and Survey • Operator concerns include: • Improving poor connectivity/timing • Providing more frequent service during peak periods • Expanding service in Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral, and to surrounding counties • Improving capital infrastructure and equipment

21. Situation Appraisal • Appraisal of changes in: • Transit markets • County demographics • Local policies • Other relevant issues • Demand assessment

22. Situation Appraisal • Peer review/Trend analysis • Trends: Flat/stagnant ridership levels • Peer Review: Less ridership per unit of service supplied • Land use • Coordination with local efforts • Integrate transit infrastructure

23. Situation Appraisal • Technology/Capital Needs • Replacement of older vehicles • Improved station infrastructure • New administrative and operations facility • Funding • Funding limited/constrained • Difficulty in securing new funding sources

24. Situation Appraisal • Service Needs (2012 – 2021) • Improvements to existing service • More weekend and evening service • Efficiency improvements • Service expansion • New local service (10 routes) • Express bus service with park and ride (4 routes) • Bus Rapid Transit (1 route by 2021)

25. 2021 TDP Needs Plan 2021 TDP Needs Plan Improved Local Service New Local Service Express Service BRT

26. Financial Plan – Operating 10-Year Costs: $280.7 million 10-Year Revenues: $213.3 million

27. Financial Plan – Operating 10-Year Shortfall $67.4 million

28. Financial Plan – Capital 10-Year Costs: $103.2 million 10-Year Revenues: $56.1 million

29. Financial Plan – Capital 10-Year Shortfall $47.1 million

30. Financial Plan – Total 10-Year Costs: $383.9 million 10-Year Revenues: $269.4 million

31. Financial Plan – Total 10-Year Shortfall $115 million

32. Cost Feasible Plan • Operations • COA efficiency improvements • Central Fort Myers Circulator (Route 5) • Lehigh Circulator • Collier Connector (LinC) • Capital • Administration facility • Park-and-ride improvements • Bus stop infrastructure • Vehicle replacement

33. Cost Feasible Plan

34. 10-Year TDP Priorities • Operations • Maximize existing service efficiency and resource utilization • Implement high-frequency premium bus service along US 41 • Implement new fixed-bus routes • Implement inter-county bus service • Continue expansion of marketing efforts/program

35. 10-Year TDP Priorities • Capital • Replace aging vehicle fleet with hybrids/”green” vehicles • Improve stop amenities and infrastructure • Construct new administration and operations facility

36. Comments & Questions

37. UPDATE ON TRANSIT TASK FORCE AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS

38. Transit Task Force Responsibilities • Make a recommendation to BOCC on future scope of transit services • Deal with existing funding shortfall • Determine best funding option for future transit needs

39. Transit Task Force Progress • Begun in late 2010 • Reviewed COA • Recommended its adoption • Per BOCC request, split COA recommendations into cost saving and cost increasing modifications • To assist in meeting budget, recommended cost saving changes be implemented in October, cost increasing services in January

40. Transit Task Force Progress • Ways to fund LeeTran Capital and Operating Costs • 1/2 cent sales tax increase • Create a Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) • Create a Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) • Dedicate portion of existing property taxes to transit • Raise property tax rate and dedicate to transit • Make LeeTran a Transit Authority

41. Transit Task Force Funding Issues • Hold referendum on ½ cent sales tax • How to garner political and public support • Who leads effort for voter approval? • Create MSBU • How close to routes do property owners need to be to derive benefit • Do we use sliding scale based on distance? • Flat fee per property versus valuation approach; 50%+1

42. Transit Task Force Funding Issues • Create MSTU • Millage based and some localities are approaching millage limit • How are boundaries drawn • Dedicate portion of existing property taxes to transit • Is there political and citizen support • Transit still subject to year-to year approval by BOCC

43. Transit Task Force Funding Issues • Increase property taxes and dedicate to transit (to fund needs plan tax would equate to $30-$64/$100,000 value) • Is there a will and a way without political suicide? • Make LeeTran a Transit Authority • Will other localities participate • If not, what do we do with service in those areas • Redundant bureaucracy

44. Comments & Questions Wayne and I will entertain any questions, thoughts or lead a discussion on the COA, TDP or Task Force. FIRE AWAY!!