Flagler County Fixed Route Transit Operation Plan

Flagler County Public Transportation Currently provide a pre-scheduled, demand- response service. Flagler County Public Transportation is a pre-scheduled, demand-response transportation system, providing around 100k annual trips to employment, education, non-emergency medical transportation, and quality of life. Over the years, the County has seen steadily growing ridership on this service. As the ridership grows and the addition of potential future revenue in funding, it presented an opportunity to fulfill the need of a fixed route services. In this presentation, I will briefly go over the past planning efforts in the TPO’s LRTP, Flagler County’s Transit Operation Plan, the need for fixed route service, as well as the steps we are taking to move forward the process of implementing the new fixed route service.

R2CTPO Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) What is a Transit Development Plan (TDP)? Supporting Elements for Public Transportation Transit Efficiency Transit Access to Employment Interconnectivity Between Modes Transit System Security and Safety Enhance security Transit Access to Low Income and Transit Dependent Populations Transit Development Plan (TDP) identifies transit projects/unmet system needs and estimates the future revenue streams. It is required by the Florida DOT for transit agencies that receive block grant funding. In the TPO’s adopted Long Range Transportation Plan, transit has been an essential element in the Planning Goals for a better transportation system of our planning area. A few examples listed in the planning objectives to be achieved are transit efficiency, access to employment….. Transit Development Plan is developed by transit agencies and identifies transit plans and projects, as well as unmet transit needs. The TDP is required by the Florida DOT for transit agencies that receive block grant funding. Much like this LRTP, the TDP identifies transit system needs and estimates the future revenue streams available. It serves as a 10-year strategic planning document.

Flagler County TDP (Adopted Sep. 2015) Increasing operating expenses Low wheelchair boarding rate Repeated travel origin/destination Public involvement Flagler County recently adopted a TDP in September 2015 to expand their current demand-response system. In fact, there was a presentation given to the TPO Board in August 2015. As identified in the TDP, there was an increasing trend on the operating costs; meanwhile, repeated travel destinations were shown. Some of the summaries below are also from passenger survey: Nearly all operating expenses and ratios were on the rise in Flagler County a large portion (64.9%) of FCPT passengers are frequent users of the service. Top two purpose of trip: medical and shopping Without FCPT top two options: not making the trip or ride with someone 15% wheelchair users When asked what are the top three (from a list of 7) potential service improvements, the majority responded later evening door-to-door service, regularly scheduled fixed route service and the addition of buses to increase capacity, are of greatest importance. In customer survey, over 70% think the county should initiate bus service in the next 3 to 5 years. All these suggest that it is the time to start looking at a fixed route service to reduce cost to the agency and customers, also to provide convenience to the repeated travel destinations.

Proposed Fixed Routes in FCTDP So the TDP basically explored route options with the support of data projection in future years, including ridership projection. And it came up with these two routes. The Blue Route – WalMart to Bunnell via Belle Terre Pkway/SR 100

Proposed Fixed Routes in FCTDP The Red Route – Florida Hospital to Flagler Beach via SR 100

Proposed Zonal Services

Expected Funding Support FTA Section 5307 Grant Funds - Capital & Operating TPO SU Allocation - Capital FDOT Block Grant Funds - Operating The other reason that enables Flagler County to start a fixed route bus service is the expectation of future funding. As a result of the 2010 Census population estimates, much of Flagler County became part of the newly designated urbanized area (UZA), With this new designation, Flagler County became eligible to receive new Federal and state funds designated for transit service in urbanized areas, For example, Flagler can now receive a share of the Federal Section 5307 formula funds apportioned to the UZA, FDOT Block Grant funding and may be eligible to receive other funds such as Service Development funding. Currently Flagler County is in process of obtaining confirmation of their designated recipient status, and once that is confirmed, they can access the 5307 grant. In addition, every year, the TPO apportion 30% of the total SU funding we received to transit in our region, now that potion is allocated to Votran only. But once Flagler becomes eligible in their 5307 status, they will be able to make a share of the SU allocation.

Current Work towards Service Implementation Flagler County Fixed Route Transit Operation Plan is being carried out to set detailed recommendations for implementing services. With the support of the planning effort from LRTP and the TDP so far, and as the expected funding is becoming available in the next few years. Now it is a good time to drill down to the details on how to implement the service. For these purposes, the Flalger County Fixed Route Transit Operation Plan is being carried out. Analogy; building 1. Planning for the size of the building, how many floors it should have, nice landscape outside. This is what the TDP does. 2. Then when you actually start building it, the engineer needs to figure out where the elevators should be located, what kind of materials are used for the floor or where do the wire goes for electricity.. This is what the transit operation plan does. So things like how many buses to procure, how many driver to hire, what does the bus stop look like, how to spend the expected funding revenue in day-to-day bus operation. This project will utilize the recommendations of Flagler County’s TDP and prepare a detailed operational plan to guide the implementation of fixed route transit services in Flagler County.

Fixed Route Transit Operation Plan Operational Issues Specific Routing Hours and Days of Service Headways, scheduling Ridership Projections Bus Stop Placement and Maintenance Staffing Vehicle Maintenance Fare Policy/Structure Performance Monitoring Plan - … Capital Needs Procurement of Vehicles and Vehicle Maintenance Tools Signs, Benches, Shelters, and Other Amenities Bus Stop Design Sidewalk Need - … Financial Issues Costs: capital, operating, planning/marketing, and start-up Revenues: capital and operating revenue sources Detailed Five-Year Budget/Financial Plan for Operation - … Things that will be discussed in the study include… The Flagler County Commission eventually makes decisions based on the recommendation and financial figures to implement the service, whether it is Policy decisions such as the County budget for transit, or marketing efforts in the community at the beginning of the operation. The scope of the study was approved by the TPO Board in April and a kick-off meeting with stakeholders in Flagler County was held on May 31, and we expect to deliver a draft by the end of September and a presentation in October to the TPO Board and Committees.

Thank you!