RTS Roundtable

RTS Team 2

Goals for Today 1.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 3

Thank you for your input! Topics Requested for Discussion Today TIP Process Service Standards and Performance Guidelines Effectively communicating proposed service changes Service Change Requests Shelters and benches Betterments Projects Customer Service Reports Special Group Trip Requests Sharing best practices around the Province 4

Thank you for your input! Topic RequestedCovered in… Provincial funding Lean Transit: Financial Opportunities and Risk Fleet replacement impact on asset charges Ridership DataSmartBus: Technology in Transit Process for piloting alternative fuel types Fleet Management and Right Sizing Contingency Buses Fleet Procurement & Greener Vehicles Right Sizing Vehicles Accommodating Seasonal schedulesThe Relationship of Scheduling to Costs Transit Systems with Multiple AOAs Future Session or Communication Informing Riders (especially new ones) Contract Life Cycle 5

APCC APS WTF 6

7 APSTIP3YBAOA APCC Standards & Guidelines Change Requests

8 APS Route Route Boardings as % of Total % % % 42.66% 55.58% 63.49% 72.61% 81.95% 90.40% % %

9 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 Standards What 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 10

11 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)

12 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

13 Discussion Topic: Proposal Service 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?

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

15 Discussion Topic Recognizing the challenges of timelines, are there ways we can better communicate and align the TIP process?

16 3YB Three Year Budget Forecasts ‣ Base Budget (September) ‣ Calendar Year Budget (October) ‣ Expansion Initiatives Budget (October) Local Gov’t feedback in advance of AOA

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

18 AOA - Amendments Potential changes to AOA require an MOU ‣ ie. Service Plans, Service Implementations MOUs include: ‣ Scope ‣ Deliverables/Reports ‣ Timeline ‣ Partner Agreement

19 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?

20 Informing Elected Officials Presentations to Boards/Councils ‣ BCT Orientation ‣ Annual Performance Summary ‣ Budget ‣ Expansion Initiatives Attendance at LGAs BC Transit Workshop APSTIP3YBAOA

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? 21

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? 23

Bus Stop Infrastructure Local Gov’t responsibility Provincial Shelter Program MOTI Betterment Program 24

Discussion Topic What are the challenges faced by Local Gov’t today with regards to bus stop infrastructure? How are local governments addressing them? 25

Customer Feedback Opportunities for Feedback Process for responding Reporting 26

Discussion Topic Are you tracking information independently of BCT and the Operator? How can we collaborate better to ensure complete, consistent and timely feedback? 27

Special Group Trips Guidelines ‣ For who ‣ How often 28

Discussion Topic What types of special group trip requests are you receiving and how many? 29

Discussion Topics Are there any best practices you wish to share with other partners? 30

Review of Goals 1.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 31

Reminder If we didn’t get to your topic, or we didn’t answer your questions Please contact your RTM 32

Thank You!