1. Proposed Service Changes
May 30, 2010

2. Budget Shortfall Sales Taxes Internal cost savings from
56% of operating revenue
Declining
Internal cost savings from
Salary Freezes
Administrative cuts
Deferred Hiring
Service reductions as a last resort
Most of our funding comes from local sales taxes which have been declining in this recession.
Sales tax for 2010 is projected to be about 2.8 million dollars less than last year which means we have a budget shortfall.
Our first response was to tighten our belts internally by freezing salaries, eliminating some administrative costs and postponing to fill some vacant positions.
Cutting bus service is a last resort.

3. Time Line for Service Changes
September 17, 2009 Public Board Mtg
Budget Approved
October 16 Public Board Mtg
Sales Tax down 9%
Administrative cuts
Develop service cuts
Public Hearings on January service changes
November and December Board Meetings.
Service Cuts needed
January 20:
Service cut Route #16.

4. Time Line for Service Changes (cont’d)
January Public Board Meeting
Sales Tax down 11%
Service Cuts developed
Marketing cuts, hiring freeze.
February Public Board Meeting
Sales Tax down 8%,
Service Cuts finalized
March:
Notices were placed on all effected bus routes
News releases were issued on proposed service reductions
Public Hearings were held on March 9 and 10.

5. Proposed Service Changes
Ideals:
Do not completely cut service to any neighborhood
Minimize the number of people affected
Strategies:
Saturday reductions
Frequency reductions
Combining Routes
Eliminate late evening trips
Special situations
Ideally we do not want to cut off service to any neighborhood and we want to minimize the number of people who will be affected. In the current economy, we realize that its important that we continue to provide some options for people to get to work.
Strategies include reducing some service on Saturdays when fewer people are riding the bus, reducing frequency from every half hour to hourly on some routes which while less convenient, maintains connections, combining routes which in some cases gives us some operating efficiencies, eliminating some late evening trips when fewer people ride and lastly, looking at our special service routes to see if there are any savings to be accomplished there.
The package of proposed changes will affect the following routes, 4, 7, 10, 22, 23, 25, 26, 68 and the Expanco shuttle.

6. Proposed Service Changes

7. Saturday Reductions
Routes 4 - East Rosedale
26 - Ridgmar/
Normandale

8. Route 4 – East Rosedale -($59,000) Ridership (Average Per Trip)
Weekday
Saturday
Frequency
Weekday and Saturday both 30 minutes
Proposal
Reduce Saturday frequency to hourly to be more in line with demand.
Ridership on Saturday is half the weekday volume, yet we have the same frequency on Saturday as weekdays. It would only require half as many buses to carry the number of passengers that ride on Saturday. Therefore, we are proposing to reduce the Saturday frequency to hourly.
-($59,000)

9. Route 26 – Ridgmar Mall/Normandale
Ridership (Average Per Trip)
Weekday – 18
Saturday
Frequency
Weekday and Saturday both 30 minutes from 6:30am to 6:30pm
Proposal
Reduce to hourly frequency in the early morning when fewer people ride.
-($12,000)

10. Frequency Reductions Route 7 – University Route 22 – Meadowbrook
Route Crosstown

11. Routes 7 & 22 are the lowest ridership with the smallest peaks
Routes 7 & 22 are the lowest ridership with the smallest peaks. Route 22 has slightly higher peaks than 7.

12. Route 7 - University -($165,000) Ridership (Average per trip)
Peak –
Midday –
After 7pm
Frequency
Weekday and Saturday 30 minutes till 6:45pm
Proposal
Reduce Weekday and Saturday frequency to hourly all day to be more in line with demand.
Route 7 ridership is 34% less than the average for Radials 3, 4, 5, 6 & 46 which are all 30 minute frequency.
Radials 9, 10, 11, 12, & 17 all end with the 7:15pm trip.
-($165,000)

13. Route 22 - Meadowbrook -($77,000) Ridership (Average Per Trip)
Peak –
Midday –
After 7pm
Frequency
Weekdays 30 minutes all day
Proposal
Reduce midday frequency to hourly and eliminate the next to the last trip for hourly frequency after 6:15pm.
Use a 40 passenger bus.
-($77,000)

14. Route 25 - Crosstown -($308,000) Ridership (Average per trip) Proposal
East of La Gran –
West of La Gran –
Proposal
Split the route at La Gran such that every other trip travels through and the West side is reduced to hourly frequency.
-($308,000)

15. Combining Routes
Route 23 – Mercantile
Route 11 - Sylvania

16. Route 23 - Mercantile -($84,000) Ridership (Average per trip) Proposal
Peak –
Midday – 5
Proposal
Combine with Route 11 such that it extends to Mercantile area only in the peak.
This will also give Route 11 the recovery time it now lacks.
-($84,000)

17. Late Evening Trips Route 7 – University Route 26 – Ridgmar/Normandale
Route 68 – Arlington Park Springs Park-n- Ride

18. Route 7 - University -($39,000) Ridership (Average per Trip)
Peak –
Midday –
After 7pm
Recommendation
Eliminate 8:15, 9:15 and 10:15pm trips to mirror service span of other radials with similar ridership characteristics.
Route 7 ridership is 34% less than the average for Radials 3, 4, 5, 6 & 46 which are all 30 minute frequency.
Radials 9, 10, 11, 12, & 17 all end with the 7:15pm trip.
-($39,000)

19. Route 26 – Ridgmar Mall /Normandale
Ridership (Average Per Trip)
Peak –
Midday –
After 7pm
Route 2 already does “the loop” at 6:51, 7:51 & 8:51pm weekdays and Saturday.
Proposal
Eliminate the 8:15, 9:15 & 10:15pm trips weekdays.
Eliminate the 7:35, 8:35 & 9:35pm trips Saturday.
Add a 9:51pm loop to Route 2 weekdays and Saturday.
-($32,000)

20. Route 68 – Arlington Park Springs Park-and-Ride
Ridership (Passengers per Trip)
4:06pm – 16
4:36pm – 16
5:06pm – 11
6:06pm
Proposal
Eliminate the 6:06pm trip.
-($18,000)

21. Special Situations
Route 10 – Bailey
Route Expanco

22. Route 10 – Bailey -($5,800) Extension to Will Rogers
Route 16 discontinued in January
Few people utilize the extension
Regular passengers inconvenienced
Proposal
Discontinue the extension to Will Rogers and return Route 10 to the way it was before January.
-($5,800)

23. Route 993 – Expanco Shuttle
Ridership (Passengers per Trip)
7:10am –
7:50am – 10
Proposal
Consolidate all passengers onto the 7:50am trip.
-($11,000)

24. Summary Total Savings ~ approximately $800,000 annual
About 4.5% of total bus hours.

25. The T New Protocol Effective: March 23, 2010
Responsibility: Government Relations Director
All service related changes will be reviewed by the Government Relations Director.
The Government Relations Director will be responsible for notifying, in writing or by , of upcoming proposed service changes the following:
Fort Worth Mayor and City Council
Richland Hills Mayor and City Council (if applicable)
Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court
Any significant institutions effected by such changes (Fort Worth Zoo, TCU, etc.)

26. Questions or Comments?