Title
Staff Report for a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Accept the Alameda County Transportation Commission Approved Measure B Paratransit Application for the Expenditure of Measure B Paratransit Funds in FY 2013-14 and to Negotiate and Execute All Documents in Support of These Activities
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept the FY 2013-14 approved Application for Measure B Paratransit funds. The application provides for the following paratransit services:
Measure B Grant - $279,603
FLEX Shuttle Service (Shuttle) - Two buses, operating on two interconnecting routes during peak hours (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Service is free.
Minimum Services Level Grant - $50,000
Medical Transportation Service - Door to door transportation for medical appointments within Alameda County (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday). Fee is $4.00 per 10 miles.
BACKGROUND
Analysis
Funded with Measure B Paratransit funds, FLEX provides transportation to seniors and disabled adults. The grant allocation is based on a formula which takes into account projected sales tax revenue and the City's population of disabled, 85 and over, 65-84 and SSI recipients. The FLEX Shuttle and Medical Transportation provides approximately 13,500 rides per year.
In 2010-11, significant changes were made to the service in order to reduce program costs to a level sustainable within the grant allocation. The program has been operating within the grant limits for the past two fiscal years. This February staff conducted the annual rider survey and held two public workshops to plan for the 2013-14 grant application and service. The most common feedback received was a desire to expand operating hours and operate the Flex shuttle on the weekends. Because extending operating hours during the week could be done within the budget and coincided well with the Senior Community Center's expanded hours, staff proposed changing the shuttle hours from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., to 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Even with comments regarding a desire for expanded hours, general rider consensus shows that riders are very pleased with the Flex shuttle.
To help further supplement transportation needs for older and paratransit qualified adults in San Leandro, the City also offers medical trip service for adults aged 75 and older and adults 18 and over who are East Bay Paratransit Certified; which is funded through the Implementation Guidelines Assistance program. The Recreation and Human Services Department (RHS) applied for and received a total of $50,000 to this program to provide medical transportation to older adults in San Leandro for FY 2013 - 2014. After June 30, 2014 the CTC medical transportation program will be eliminated due to budget cuts.
In 2012-13, San Leandro participated in an Alameda CTC pilot program to expand the South County Taxi Voucher Program into Central County. Through this program, riders may purchase a $3.50 voucher to subsidize up to $14 of taxi meter fare. CTC funds the program and oversees the taxi vendor contract. RHS staff sells the vouchers and conducts the daily administration. The pilot program will be offered through CTC for one more year, concluding on June 30, 2014. The City of San Leandro and the City of Hayward applied for a joint grant to extend the taxi voucher program for FY 2014-2015; we have not yet heard the results of the application. Although the taxi voucher program has operated for less than a year, the City has received a multitude of positive comments from riders. It is our hope that the continuation and expansion of the taxi voucher program will fill the service gap of the medical trip shuttle's discontinuation.
Committee Review and Actions
City Council approved the resolution for FY 2012 - 2013 to the Alameda County Transportation Commission application and funding for the Senior Services paratransit program at the May 21, 2012 City Council meeting.
Applicable General Plan Policies
- Transportation Safety - Section 4(E) - The General Plan strives to make the streets safer for persons with special needs, including seniors and persons with disabilities.
- Transportation - Interagency Coordination - Section 4(F) - The General Plan strives to manage congestion and create a more viable public transportation system through cooperative efforts with other jurisdictions.
Board/Commission Review and Actions
Senior Commission approved the plan on March 21, 2013.
Summary of Public Outreach Efforts
FY 2013-14 Program Planning Workshops:
February 21, 2013 Public Workshop
February 27, 2013 Public Workshop
February 2013 Survey
Each year we conduct a survey of all registered riders to gather information to plan for next year's service.
Fiscal Impacts
Through the Measure B Grant application, the City has applied for the following grant funds:
Measure B Paratransit Grant $ 279,603
Minimum Service Level Grant $ 50,000
Total $ 329,603
ATTACHMENTS
- FY13-14 Paratransit Application
- FY13-14 Paratransit Program Budget
PREPARED BY: Heather Hafer, Recreation Supervisor, Recreation and Human Services