AGENDA #11a

BUDGET WORKING PAPER

TO:                  W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

FROM:            Kurt J. Neufang, Interim Transportation Director

SUBJECT:      Additional Transit Operators for New Service in 2006-2007

DATE:            March 8, 2006

New service proposed for Fiscal Year 2006-2007 includes the U Express, Bible Church Park and Ride, and a Carrboro Feeder Service.  The U Express would service the University’s South Campus and provide a circulator to North Campus. The Bible Church Park and Ride route would provide express service from the Bible Church on Highway 15-501 to the University Campus, and the Carrboro Feeder Service would provide demand responsive service to Carrboro patrons not residing near an established bus route.  The addition of these routes would require the creation of five new Transit Operator positions. 

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

For Fiscal Year 2006-2007, The University has requested that Chapel Hill Transit create two new routes.  The U Express route would provide express circulator service with limited stops from the southern portion of the University campus to North Campus.  The Bible Church Park and Ride route would provide express service from the Bible Church on Highway 15-501 in northern Chapel Hill to the University campus.   

The Town of Carrboro has requested feeder service providing demand responsive service to Carrboro patrons living more than one-quarter mile from an established bus route and bus stop.  This feeder service would transport patrons to the nearest bus stop.

The proposed U Express route would operate four and one-half hours per day, Monday through Friday, and requires one bus and 0.5 FTE.  The proposed Bible Church route would operate 20 hours per day (Monday through Friday) and requires three buses and three FTE. Carrboro Feeder Service would operate Monday through Friday and requires one van and one and one-half FTE.

COST ESTIMATES

University Routes

As with other UNC-related routes, the University will pay 100 percent of the cost of these routes. 

The estimated cost of the proposed new University routes is calculated as follows:

Average cost of salary and benefits for 3.5 Operator IIs at job rate		$154,410
Cost of Uniforms, Physicals, and Drug Tests		$1,519
Estimated cost of fuel for these routes		$59,428
	Estimated Total	$215,357

Carrboro Feeder Service

New demand responsive service has historically been paid for by the requesting Partner in the year of inception. After the initial year, the cost of service has been allocated to all partners based on population numbers.  The Town of Carrboro expects to begin feeder service in the spring of Fiscal Year 2005-06.  Because this is late in the current year, the Town of Carrboro will be expected to pay for 100 per cent of the service in Fiscal Year 2006-2007.  If the Carrboro Feeder Service begins in Fiscal Year 2005-2006, the Council will need to amend the existing contract with the Town of Carrboro. 

The estimated annual cost of the new Carrboro Feeder Service is calculated as follows:

Average cost of salary and benefits for 1.5 Operator IIIs at job rate		$69,450
Cost of Uniforms, Physicals, and Drug Tests		$799
Estimated cost of fuel for this service		$6,292
	Estimated Total	$76,541

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council authorize the creation of the U Express route, Bible Church Park and Ride route, and the Carrboro Feeder Service, and authorize the hiring of five (5) Transit Operators to provide this service.  The Carrboro Feeder Service would be initiated in the spring of fiscal year 2005-2006.  The U Express and Bible Church Park and Ride routes are proposed to begin operation in August of 2006.