RTS Roundtable

RTS Team

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Goals for Today1. Outline key communications to partners

2. Identify how we can better inform, or support you to inform, elected officials

3. Share insight on key topics and best practices around the province

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Thank you for your input!Topics Requested for Discussion Today

TIP ProcessService Standards and Performance Guidelines Effectively communicating proposed service changesService Change Requests Shelters and benches Betterments ProjectsCustomer Service ReportsSpecial Group Trip RequestsSharing best practices around the Province

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Thank you for your input!Topic Requested Covered in…

Provincial fundingLean Transit: Financial Opportunities and Risk

Fleet replacement impact on asset chargesRidership Data SmartBus: Technology in TransitProcess for piloting alternative fuel types

Fleet Management and Right SizingContingency BusesFleet Procurement & Greener VehiclesRight Sizing VehiclesAccommodating Seasonal schedules The Relationship of Scheduling to CostsTransit Systems with Multiple AOAs

Future Session or CommunicationInforming Riders (especially new ones)Contract Life Cycle

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APCC

TIPSAOA

3YB

APCCAPS

MOU

MOA

TSAWTF

SCC

TFP6

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APS

TIP

3YB

AOA

APCC Standards & Guidelines

Change Requests

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APSRoute

Route Boardings

as % of Total

1 20.80%2 16.69%3 14.68%4 2.66%5 5.58%6 3.49%7 2.61%8 1.95%9 0.40%

10 1.11%11 4.62%

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Discussion Topic• What does the APS tell you about your

system?• How can it better inform future efforts?• What is the key info elected officials want

to know?

Service StandardsWhat they are and why they matter:• Define minimum levels of service desired

to meet community needs• Reflect community values• Assist local governments and BC Transit

staff in:• Determining and managing community

expectations• Assessing land development proposals• Designing the transit system and service

When to provide new service When to increase or decrease service

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Performance Guidelines• A tool to:

– Evaluate existing services and trends in performance– Evaluate past investment or reinvestment– Evaluate service to make evidence-based planning

recommendations on where to implement new resources, re-invest existing resources or reduce resources

– Identify areas for more detailed analysis• Ensure resources are used efficiently and effectively• Help to develop specific targets by system, route and service

layers/corridors (route classes)

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What We’ve Heard So Far

• Most valuable for prioritizing investments, answering customer feedback, and (going forward) development referrals

• Useful as a “flagging” system, a basis for further analysis• Developing them with communities can be very complex and

time consuming• The diversity and data availability in smaller communities

makes performance guidelines hard to create and they are likely of limited use

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Discussion Topic: ProposalService Standards• Consistent service design standards across all systems

‣ Reflect industry best practices‣ Ability to customize around fleet type, service span, frequency

Performance Guidelines• Developed for Transit Future Plan communities

‣ Route level monitoring/measures in tandem with APC improvements

• For smaller communities:‣ System level analysis as part of APS‣ Route level analysis as part of Service Reviews

Your thoughts?

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TIP• Confirms alignment on initiatives• Informs Draft Service Plan (September)• Informs 3YB – Initiatives (October)• Provincial Budget confirmed (February)• Funding availability confirmed (March)

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Discussion Topic• Recognizing the challenges of timelines,

are there ways we can better communicate and align the TIP process?

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3YB• Three Year Budget Forecasts

‣ Base Budget (September)‣ Calendar Year Budget (October)‣ Expansion Initiatives Budget (October)

• Local Gov’t feedback in advance of AOA

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AOA• Follows Provincial Budget announcement• Confirms Service Levels• Confirms Budget for Operating Year

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AOA - Amendments• Potential changes to AOA require an MOU

‣ ie. Service Plans, Service Implementations

• MOUs include:‣ Scope ‣ Deliverables/Reports ‣ Timeline‣ Partner Agreement

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Discussion Topic• Are there ways we can better present, or

assist you in presenting, outcomes and recommendations to elected officials?

• Are there ways we can improve the MOU process to further align outcomes with the expectations of staff and elected officials?

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Informing Elected Officials• Presentations to Boards/Councils

‣ BCT Orientation‣ Annual Performance Summary‣ Budget‣ Expansion Initiatives

• Attendance at LGAs• BC Transit Workshop

APS

TIP

3YB

AOA

Discussion Topic• How have these communications

supported your ability to inform and/or make key budget and service level decisions?

• What improvements would you like to see?

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FAQs• Why are all of the buses

running around empty? money? ‣ Perception vs Reality‣ True cost/benefit of smaller

vehicles• Shouldn’t transit be 100%

funded by users?• How come we don’t use

smaller buses? 22

Discussion Topic Elected officials are faced with these questions and often have this perception themselves. • What other perceptions are out there?• How can we better inform their opinion

and response?

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Bus Stop Infrastructure• Local Gov’t responsibility• Provincial Shelter Program• MOTI Betterment Program

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Discussion Topic• What are the challenges faced by Local

Gov’t today with regards to bus stop infrastructure?

• How are local governments addressing them?

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Customer Feedback• Opportunities for Feedback• Process for responding• Reporting

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Discussion Topic• Are you tracking information independently

of BCT and the Operator?• How can we collaborate better to ensure

complete, consistent and timely feedback?

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Special Group Trips• Guidelines

‣ For who‣ How often

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Discussion Topic• What types of special group trip requests

are you receiving and how many?

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Discussion Topics• Are there any best practices you wish to

share with other partners?

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Review of Goals1. Outline key communications to partners

2. Identify how we can better inform, or support you in informing, elected officials

3. Share insight on key topics and best practices around the province

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Reminder• If we didn’t get to your topic, or we didn’t

answer your questions

Please contact your RTM

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Thank You!