HomeMy WebLinkAbout15.D.2. Expansion of Transit Service
) ~. O. 1.,
CITY OF SHAKOPEE
Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council
Mark McNeill, City Administrator
FROM: R. Michael Leek, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Expansion of Transit Services
MEETING DATE: May 18, 2004
CASELOG NO.: Not Applicable
REVIEW PERIOD: Not Applicable
INTRODUCTION:
Council is asked to Approve revisions of the current contracted services by
1. extending dial-a-ride service hours, and 2) changing routes.
DISCUSSION:
In November of2002, The City of Shako pee entered into an agreement with Scott
County to have Scott County Transit provide Dial a Ride (door to door) transit services
from November 2002 through November 2005. This contract compensates the County on
a per hour basis that currently covers all expenses. The contract acknowledges there may
be changes in service over the life of the contract. Recently, and because of available
transit revenues, City staff approached County transit staff about the possibility of
providing additional hours of dial-a-ride service, as well as additions in service.
Specific proposed changes are as follows:
1. Revise Dial-a-Ride to provide service from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday-Friday, and
Saturday from 7am -3pm. (Current hours are Monday - Friday 6:00 am to 5:30 PM).
2. Revise service routes to provide service from the Shakopee Park and Ride lots to
Minnesota Valley Transit's Bumsville Station. (Currently routes connect from Belle
Plaine, Jordan,. and Shakopee Park and Ride lots to Southwest Metro Transit Station in
Eden Prairie.)
3. Circulator service within the city limits. (Currently not provided at all)
4. Additional route service focused on the entertainment venues such as Valley Fair,
Canterbury Park and local hotel~. (Currently not provided)
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County staff reviewed current ridership, studied their traveling habits, and attempted to
find an economical way to transporti them as well as encourage general public use at the
same time. Studies have shown that!it is more economical to operate regular or circulator
bus service than it is to provide Dial a Ride service. A standard industry method for
measuring productivity is dividing the service cost into the amount of passengers per
hour. Regular routes traditionally range from 20 - 30 passengers per hour, while Dial a
Ride service generates 3 to 4 passengers per hour.
The proposed changes were presented to the Scott County Board of Commissioners, who
have approved making the changes, including additional changes outlined below;
. Change the express routes to go from Shakopee to the Burnsville Transit Station and
eliminate the Belle Plaine, Jordan, Shakopee service to Eden Prairie Southwest Metro
Station.
. Expand the express service to the Bumsville Station during evening hours.
. Incorporate the entertainment venues as stops on the routes to encourage transit
ridership from these locations.
. Establish circulator services within the City limits of Shakopee to include the
destinations ofthe current riders and incorporate them with the general public
destinations such as Cub foods, Community Center, Courthouse, High School, JR
High, Target, Valley Fair, South Bridge, Wal-Mart and the new college going in at
the Old Town Square Mall.
. Incorporate entertainment stops, night service to Burnsville and circulator service on
a temporary basis through the summer and re-evaluate these routes at the end of the
summer. This data will be useful information for the Unified Transit Study being
undertaken by the Scott County Transit Review Team. That study will help make
recommendations on how we best address future transit needs in this area.
. Give Belle Plaine and Jordan residents 30 day notice of the service reduction that
would include an explanation in the reduction of service and an intent to continue
including these locations in future service planning. All of these changes will take
place about the first week of June 2004 and would continue through August or until
the evaluation has been completed.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Offer and pass a motion authorizing the appropriate city officials to work with Scott
County Transit to implement the proposed changes.
2. Do not approve the implementation of the proposed changes.
3. Table the request for additional information.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends alternative no. 1.
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ACTION REQUESTED:
Offer and pass a motion authorizing the appropriate city officials to work with Scott
County Transit to implement the proposed changes.
R. Michael Leek
Community Development Director
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