Call for Public Hearing August 2019 Service Changes Committee-of-the-Whole January 22, 2019 Rob Smith, AVP Service Planning & Scheduling 1
Recommendation To call a Public Hearing on March 12, 2019 for proposed August 2019 service changes We will brief the Board monthly through September on the August change process and to consider changes to the 2045 System Plan After the Public Hearing, we will return in April with a final August proposal for Board consideration Our objective is to develop a 2045 System Plan for Board consideration by September, including recommendations for anticipated FY20 service changes 2
Recommendation Based upon discussion during the Operations Committee, recommendations now include only higher-priority changes that fit within FY19 Financial Plan resources The following slides address some of the key questions posed during the Operations discussion 3
Operations Committee Questions Committee of the Whole 4
Operations Committee Questions 1. Concern about the large number of candidate routes versus available funds and a desire for staff recommendations on priorities 2. Ridership impacts on sections of Route 415 that would lose service and what might happen if all resources were applied to a single Wheatland crosstown route rather than two separate replacement routes 3. Incremental costs were shown throughout the presentation, but what are the current costs for these services? Committee of the Whole 5
Prioritization of Candidate Changes We believe that the schedule adjustments required for on time performance are essential (and have a major impact on ridership and customer satisfaction), and that this item would have the highest priority For other changes, we looked at a couple of measures, including: The ratio of the expected ridership gains versus the additional costs required for service (new ridership generated) The ratio of total ridership served versus the additional costs (total ridership base benefitting from improvements) For several routes that were not as high on the priority list, we would recommend that the Board consider changing route alignments without frequency improvements most of the route changes are cost-neutral Committee of the Whole 6
Recommended High Priority Candidates All Fit Within FY19 Financial Plan Route or Service Various Routes Express Route Changes 466/467/547 Proposed Changes Schedule adjustments targeting improved on time performance Downtown Dallas route alignment changes with schedule adjustments Route changes and core frequent service for 466, 467 Initial Cost/ Added Rider N/A Initial Cost/ Total Rider N/A N/A $0.98 $7.16 $1.34 502/583 Route changes and core frequent service for 583 $8.59 $1.22 409/426 Split 409 into two routes, with core frequent service for Parkland-Fair Park section $8.60 $1.58 404 Core frequent service with route adjustment $9.78 $2.01 453 Route adjustment only No net cost No net cost 52/59 Route adjustment only No net cost No net cost 428 Route adjustment only No net cost No net cost Committee of the Whole 7
Lower Priority Candidates For future consideration Route or Service Proposed Changes Initial Cost/ Added Rider Initial Cost/ Total Rider 453 Core frequent service for 453 $16.57 $1.43 110 Core frequent service for 110 $18.07 $2.49 506 Core frequent service for 506 $18.87 $0.96 428 Route changes and core frequent service for 428 $21.68 $1.70 10/11/29 Jefferson and Maple routes merged to create 10, 11 covers South Dallas, both core frequent service $22.20 $0.69 486 Core frequent service for 486 $27.94 $3.90 52/59 Route changes and core frequent sevice for 52 $30.51 $2.48 36 Core frequent service for 36 $39.58 $6.52 401/402/403 19/30 Route changes for 401 and 403, core frequent service for 401 and 402 Split 19 into two routes, with core frequent service for the Lakewood-Downtown section $53.75 $4.89 $130.61 $1.09 415/416 Realign 415 into two separate crosstown routes -$5.36 $2.51 Committee of the Whole 8
Route 415/416 Review One of the lower priority alternatives created a modified Route 415 (Wheatland) and a new Route 416 (Camp Wisdom) The revised 415 routing would eliminate service on a section of Racine, Kirnwood, and Leigh Ann (between Camp Wisdom and Wheatland) which would likely cause a significant loss of ridership Ridership in the affected area is 200 riders per weekday which is 34% of riders on the route 415 A branch of Route 161 serves these streets, so some service would remain We were also asked at the meeting about the impact of implementing only a modified Route 415 with higher frequency while not implementing a new Route 416. This would leave an additional 83 passengers on Camp Wisdom without service, for a total of 283 per weekday (48% of riders on the route) Staff does not recommend either change at this time Committee of the Whole 9
Base Costs of Affected Routes We were asked about the current operating costs for various services under consideration The following slide summarizes both current annual operating costs and the cost of candidate improvements Committee of the Whole 10
Current/Changed Costs for Candidates CORE FREQUENT AND SERVICE RESTRUCTURING Route Corridor Current Cost Added Cost 10 Jefferson-Maple 11 Malcolm X/Bexar $3,795,223 $1,185,582 19 Gaston $2,946,682 $561,997 36 Preston $1,988,011 $1,968,418 52 Singleton 59 Bernal $2,234,007 $896,621 110 East Dallas $1,402,761 $1,006,803 401 MacArthur $1,232,994 402/403 Belt Line $2,424,308 $4,155,611 404 Westmoreland $2,979,954 $1,446,069 409 Peak/Haskell $2,327,917 $870,577 428 Northwest Hwy $2,920,838 $909,652 453 Hampton $2,969,390 $892,400 466 Ledbetter 467 Buckner $5,791,401 $2,057,946 486 Forest Lane $2,446,116 $2,628,021 506 Vickery Meadow $1,171,228 $355,685 583 Skillman $2,115,151 $898,397 Route Location Current Cost Added Cost 81/82 Live Oak-Zang $2,401,091 $107,527 111 Skyline $1,119,350 $56,021 205 Addison $ 537,688 None 206 Glenn Heights $1,235,399 $125,138 208 NW Plano $1,584,928 $161,605 210 Jack Hatchell $716,904 $136,805 278 Red Bird $664,558 $184,339 283 350 Lake Ray Hubbard Addison to Parker Rd $1,347,769 $185,710 $1,325,033 $394,606 428 NW Hwy $2,920,838 $26,968 504 Story Ln $470,079 $133,633 513 Firewheel Center $467,186 $178,987 525 Regal Row $509,411 $121,026 536 Keller Springs $425,221 $86,852 541 Kiest $986,086 $74,346 571 Buckingham $961,364 $131,368 841 EXPRESS AND SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS Plano Pkwy/ Renner Rd Committee of the Whole Recommended Service restructuring recommended only (no added cost) $367,735 $84,834 11
Background 12
August 2019 Timeline Call for Public Hearing Operations Committee Public Hearing March 12 Approve Changes April Board Action Changes Start Today s step Call for Public Hearing Board Action 30+ days required Public Meetings Approve Changes April Operations Committee 4 months: Finish schedules, prepare printed and online materials, operator signups, place bus stops, and other implementation elements January February March April May June July August Monthly Board briefings on August Service Changes, including impact of changes on ridership, cost, and job access Monthly Board briefings on 2045 System Plan, including service changes in FY20 and beyond 13
Context: Service Improvement Initiatives 2017 2018 2019 Start Process Service Standards August 2019 service changes are part of a series of initiatives aimed at improving DART transit services Transit System Plan Start Process Adopted Changes Start Process Approve Changes Aug 2019 Changes Bus Service Plan Implement Adopt Plan Early Service Plan work will influence August 2019 changes, and adopted Plan will direct changes in 2020 and beyond Adopt Plan Start to Implement Future Changes Implement ation Implement ation Cotton Belt Design Construction 14
2045 System Plan The System Plan team has started preliminary work, with a focus on bus and mobility on demand service improvements that will be included in the 2045 System Plan The goal of the effort will be to develop a new Service Plan for DART buses and mobility services, framing key service changes including: Establishment of a core frequent route network Creation of faster, more direct bus service New mobility on demand services A review of supporting amenities and facilities needed to support service changes 15
Approach for August Staff has narrowed a large list of candidate service improvements down to a narrower list that fits within the current FY19 Financial Plan Other service changes for FY20 and beyond will be discussed during monthly briefings (through September) as the System Plan is fully developed 16
Approach for August In selecting August improvements, our general objectives included: Higher service frequency in accordance with new Service Standards Straighter and more direct routes -- fewer deviations off the main route path Building ridership through improved service Improving job access, particularly from lowincome neighborhoods 17
Key Themes for August CORE FREQUENT ROUTES We have identified a number of major routes that will likely be included in DART s core frequent route network (consistent with new Board Service Standards and input from DART Cities), and many of the improvements fit into this category ROUTE RESTRUCTURING March 2018 changes included route restructuring for a number of NE Dallas routes and the former Route 400 corridor, and August would expand the targets including straightening some of the routes that would have core frequent status 18
Key Themes for August DOWNTOWN EXPRESS CHANGES DART s remaining downtown express routes have a number of scheduling challenges that require a series of route changes Revised alignments will create core peak-hour frequent service to major work centers SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS August will include all remaining planned schedule adjustments targeting improved on time performance, using a portion of the new buses to improve peak and off-peak schedules (some changes include frequency improvements as well) DART will not achieve OTP performance objectives without these changes 19
August 2019 Resources 41 new buses and $7.9 million budget (annualized) will be available to implement August 2019 service changes Completion of a more comprehensive full core frequent route network will require more resources than available for FY19 changes potentially higher operating costs, additional buses, and a new bus operating facility The 2045 System Plan will identify service improvement options beyond August 2019, including targeted improvements for FY20 and FY21 20
Core Frequent Routes 21
Core Frequent Routes DART s newly-adopted Service Standards create a new category of routes called core frequent routes These routes would include rail-like frequencies: 15 minutes peak, 20 minutes midday, and 20-30 minutes at other times Some of the routes are also candidates for route changes aimed at reducing duplication and straightening route alignments We will share more details on the benefits and impacts of service options in upcoming Board briefings 22
Core Frequent Routes: August Recommendations Route Corridor Notes Current Service Cost Cost of Changes 404 Westmoreland Minor changes to current route $2,979,954 $1,446,069 409 Peak/Haskell Shortened route Parkland to MLK 466 Ledbetter Shorter E-W route 467 Buckner Existing route alignment 583 Skillman Rerouted in Village, Timber Creek $2,327,917 $870,577 $5,791,401 $2,057,946 $2,115,151 $898,397 23
Route Restructuring 24
Route Restructuring Proposals include a number of changes to straighten out, simplify, and/or improve access on some DART routes Some of the routes involved would also become part of the core frequent route network, and that is noted where applicable (costing covers both route and frequency changes) 25
Route 52/59 West Dallas Routes would be realigned to serve Singleton more directly Current service frequency No net cost 26
Route 404 Westmoreland Southern end of current route would be truncated at Wheatland, with Route 453 serving Beckleymeade area All trips would follow same alignment between Medical District and South Oak Cliff Route 404 would be part of the core frequent route network Peak 15-minute service is available now on the southern part of the route, but not for the entire alignment Current cost: $2.98m annualized Added cost of change: $1.45m annualized 27
Route 453 Hampton Route would be extended to Beckleymeade, replacing service provided by Route 404 All trips would follow the same alignment between Medical District and South Oak Cliff Chaucer service provided by Route 547 No net cost for route change 28
Route 466 Ledbetter Route would be realigned into a straighter E/W crosstown service and extended to serve AFES Service to Red Bird provided by Routes 404 and 547 Route 466 would be part of the core frequent route network Existing schedule interline with Route 467 would be broken Current cost of 466/467 service: $5.79m annualized Additional cost of changes to Routes 466, 467, and 547 combined: $2.06m annualized WalMart served by all trips 29
Route 547 Cockrell Hill Rd-Red Bird Route 547 would be realigned to replace parts of changes to Routes 453 and 466 Kiest service to Potters House Sunday only 30
Route 409 Peak/Haskell Includes core N-S part of current Route 409 alignment between Medical District and JB Jackson TC Route 409 could be part of the core frequent route network Other sections of Route 409 would become Route 426 without frequent service Current cost of service: $2.33m annualized Additional cost of changes to Routes 409 and 426 combined: $0.87m annualized 31
Route 426 Corinth Street Rd Remaining sections of the former Route 409 alignment would become a separate route without frequent service 32
Route 428 Northwest Highway Route would see changes to serve Park Lane and Timber Creek No net cost for route change 33
Route 583 Skillman/Audelia Realigned to serve the Village and Timber Creek shopping area; Route 502 would cover former service on Lovers and Abrams Route 583 would be part of the core frequent route network Current cost of Route 583 service: $2.12m annualized Cost of changes to Routes 583 and 502 combined: $0.90m annualized Served by Route 502 34
Express Route Changes 35
Express Routes Many of DART s express routes follow loops or loop-like alignments in Downtown Dallas While good for circulation, this design causes a series of schedule challenges especially where there is bi-directional travel If an inbound bus arrives early to Downtown, we have bad choices: kill time and delay customers on the bus, or run early and end up missing outbound customers on the return trip We have been working on new express route alignments that would provide nearly comparable coverage while eliminating loops, providing designated recovery locations, and improved core frequency in parts of Downtown, Uptown, and Cedars All remaining express routes would be relocated from Main Street Current cost of service on affected express routes: $6.09m annualized Combined cost of these changes on all express routes: $0.94m annualized 36
Example: Route 208 Route 208 (NW Plano) is an example of the changes The Ross/Ervay/Main loop would be replaced by a N/S alignment and extended to Cedars Station 37
Schedule Adjustments 38
Schedule Adjustments For the past several years, DART has been working on a five-year plan to adjust schedules to allow for adequate recovery time and appropriate running speeds For August 2019, we will complete the process, including all remaining changes planned for 2019 and 2020 Unlike previous phases, the focus for August will be on peak schedule adjustments we have not had the equipment to do them sooner Combined cost of these changes on all routes: $2.38m annualized Routes targeted: 11, 81, 82, 111, 350, 428, 504, 513, 525, 536, 541, 571, 841 Part of this initiative will use new data and software to analyze bus running times and adjust schedules to match observed conditions 39
Recommendation 40
Recommendation To call a Public Hearing on March 12, 2019 for candidate August 2019 service changes 41
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Supplemental Slides 43
Schedule: August 2019 Changes Item Timing Call for Public Hearing, Operations Committee January 8, 2019 Call for Public Hearing, Approval January 22, 2019 Board Retreat Session (Tentative) February 2, 2019 Briefing and update, Operations Committee February 12, 2019 Public Meeting on August changes, Bus Service Plan, Transit Service Plan February-March, 2019 Briefing and update, Operations Committee March 12, 2019 Public Hearing on August changes March 12, 2019 Approval of August changes, Operations Committee April 9, 2019 Approval of August changes April 23, 2019 Briefing and update, Operations Committee May 14, 2019 Briefing and update, Operations Committee June 11, 2019 Briefing and update, Operations Committee July 9, 2019 Implementation of August changes August 12, 2019 Briefing and update, Operations Committee August 13, 2019 Approval of Transit System Plan (Tentative) September 2019 44
Other Route Restructuring Changes 45
Route 502 Vickery Meadow Realigned to serve Abrams and Lovers Lane; Route 583 would cover former service in the Village and on parts of Skillman Alignment serves an unusual mix of high density and nongrid street networks Cost of changes to Routes 583 and 502 combined: $0.90m annualized 46
Downtown Express Route Changes 47
Express Route Changes 205 206 48
Express Route Changes 208 210 49
Express Route Changes 278 283 50
Schedule Adjustment Details 51
August Schedule Adjustments Route(s) Location Changes Cost 11 81/82 Jefferson- Malcolm X Live Oak- Zang Added recovery time $165,697 Added recovery time $107,527 111 Skyline Added recovery time $56,021 350 Addison to Parker Rd Added recovery time $394,606 428 NW Hwy Added recovery time $26,968 504 Story Ln Added recovery time $133,633 52
August Schedule Adjustments Route(s) Location Changes Cost 513 Firewheel Center Added recovery time; frequency to 30 minutes from 60 $178,987 525 Regal Row Schedule adjustments $121,026 536 Keller Springs Added recovery time $86,852 541 Kiest Added recovery time $74,346 571 Buckingham Added recovery time $131,368 841 Plano Pkwy/ Renner Rd Added recovery time; frequency to 45 minutes from 60 $84,834 53