FROM: Mary Lou Kuschatka, Transportation Director
SUBJECT: Report on Need for Additional Maintenance Employees
DATE: April 30, 2003
This report responds to a Council question raised at the February 28 Budget Work Session regarding the need to provide additional maintenance employees at the Town Transportation Department.
The number of maintenance employees at the Town Transportation Department has not kept pace with the growth of the services we provide, particularly since the start of Fare-Free Transit. The fleet has increased in the period from 2000 to 2003 to add 26 buses, 2 EZ Rider vans, and 2 support vehicles. We are required by the Federal Transit Administration to perform preventive maintenance on all the vehicles at prescribed intervals. At our most recent audit, in February 2002, we received a finding that our preventive maintenance services did not get performed at an “85% on time basis” needed to be compliant in this area. This is the second audit with this finding.
On March 25 and 26, Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Fleet and Facilities Division consultant, Mr. Kenneth Pouncey, conducted a study of the transit maintenance staffing needs. (Please see the attached report). Mr. Pouncey’s study concludes that we need additional maintenance staff to both manage the daily functions for fleet, facility, and bus stop zone maintenance, and strategic planning for future system improvements and introduction of planned new technology.
CONCLUSION
The number of transit vehicles that have to be maintained has increased by 30% since the inception of fare free transit services. We believe that the transit system will continue to grow as the University continues their development plan.
We believe that we can better meet vehicle maintenance requirements by adding a third shift. This shift would consist of 3 mechanics and 1 supervisor and would work from 9:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. The addition of this shift would allow for a significant amount of repair work to be accomplished as all of the vehicles are on site and the mechanics would not be distracted by road calls and breakdowns. The supervisor would be rescheduled from the existing staff.
There is a need for an Assistant Director, Maintenance to be responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of maintenance system improvements, research, integration and specification development for advanced technology, to aid in the bus systems operating improvements and planned vehicle replacement programs. The new technologies on the horizon include automatic passenger counters, automatic voice annunciations, automatic vehicle locators, and real time route information. The addition of this position would allow the current maintenance superintendent to oversee the daily maintenance and free up a maintenance supervisor to oversee the third shift. The cost of the Assistant Director, Maintenance and the 3 mechanics would be $150,000. This includes salaries and benefits for 9 months.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Study by Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Fleet and Facilities Division (p. 3).