University Assembly Transportation Advisory Committee

Transportation Advisory Committee
Minutes from Monday, April 24, 2006
11:30 AM � 12:45 PM, 316 Day Hall Boardroom

Present: Jim Gibbs, Sara Gomez-Ibanez, Peter Hoyt, Marisa LaFalce, Yael Levitte, Tim McConnochie, Arnim Meyburg

Ex-officio present: Judy Eckard, Jonathan Feldman, David Lieb, Helen Steh

Also present: Rich McDaniel, Nancy Oltz, Joe Turcotte

Excused: Leon Lawrence

J. Feldman called the meeting to order at 11:40 AM. Introductions were made around the table. He asked D. Lieb to take charge of the TCAT portion of the meeting.

TCAT

D. Lieb turned the meeting over to Joe Turcotte, TCAT General Manager. J. Turcotte said that the big project on campus was the Thurston Avenue Bridge detour. TCAT worked with the project team on the detour. Ridership has not dipped too much because of it. Overall, ridership was an increase of 15 percent over last year. TCAT is over 3 Million riders and we are noticing crowded buses.

A. Meyburg asked if anyone at TCAT is tracking origin and destinations. J. Turcotte said that origin only is tracked. A. Meyburg asked if TCAT considers the overcrowding as temporary or a trend. J. Turcotte said he thought it was temporary and TCAT adjusted.

A. Meyburg asked if TCAT has the flexibility/capacity so the �left behind� phenomenon doesn�t occur. J. Turcotte noted that TCAT only has 42 buses with 35 in use. If it becomes a constant problem, TCAT would have to get more buses.

Y. Levitte asked what TCAT would do if Cornell gave all students free bus passes. J. Turcotte commented that TCAT would have to get more buses � but lead time is 12 to 18 months for new buses. Of course, we can lease buses. It would be critical (lead time).

P. Hoyt asked about the cost of new buses. J. Turcotte said that low floor diesel bus is $300K; a hybrid is $480K. P. Hoyt noted that years ago CU Transit used old school buses which are cheaper and TCAT could keep them around. J. Turcotte said that in a public transit fleet, TCAT would have to use them in the entire system. TCAT has a fleet size plus a spare size and the transit system is supposed to use them equally.

P. Hoyt commented that if TCAT didn�t pay for the buses with federal funds, TCAT wouldn�t have to use them according to NYS rules. J. Turcotte said that he didn�t think it matters who funds the buses, TCAT has to report usage. T. McConnochie said it sounds like TCAT is prevented from having equipment for excess capacity. J. Turcotte said no, TCAT just has to consider it in planning. Buses rotate through the system�s routes. Y. Levitte asked if this was something that TCAT can consider or is it out of the question. J. Turcotte commented that it is a question of durability.

Y. Levitte asked how TCAT knows if it is serving who they need to? N. Oltz said by ridership. TCAT will run a bus on a trial period � e.g. TCAT took Route 50 and changed the head way from 45 minutes to 30 minutes and also sent it through Varna (an underserved area). We rerouted 84 the Collegetown service and combined it with Route 50.

T. McConnochie asked what are the prospects to increase the TCAT fleet size and what is the projected need. J. Turcotte said that TCAT�s replacement schedule is in place. We can break a bus assignment down real quick when we know what service we need. A. Meyburg asked why do bus companies (vendors) not crank out buses and carry an inventory. J. Turcotte said that it�s a financial issue because of the cost of the product. A. Meyburg asked if hybrids are custom specific.

J. Feldman asked who are TCAT�s current funding sources. J. Turcotte said that it�s Federal and State Governments and partners (City, Cornell, and County). He noted that in other transit systems funding sources include: property tax, mortgage recording tax, and sales tax. TCAT needs to extend out and access a creative funding source. T. McConnochie asked if funding is attached to ridership. J. Turcotte said it is on the State level. It is by passengers and miles which is 26 percent of total funding.

P. Hoyt asked what Cornell pays. R. McDaniel said that Cornell funds one-third of the residual cost. Cornell has representation on the Board. He noted that most of the Board�s discussion is about safety, stewardship (funding), and service. As a Cornell representative, R. McDaniel said that one of the major concerns he has is service to our constituents but we have to consider that in terms of the entire system. He also noted that being a new Board member, he is really impressed with the TCAT management and Board.

T. McConnochie commented that since it takes a long time to get excess capacity � the free bus pass issue is not really desirable. R. McDaniel said that when you throw in additional demand we really have to do our homework on which routes need to increase capacity. J. Turcotte commented that it�s a great problem to have. We have a crunch time of an hour or two at commute times. Buses are used throughout the system and often switch routes within the day. T. McConnochie said that it sounds like the extra ridership TCAT has can be meet okay right now. J. Turcotte said that TCAT will receive eight new buses in August. If TCAT knows there will be more ridership it will not have to give up all eight. J. Turcotte said that TCAT is looking at the JART system which uses smaller buses to rural areas so we can concentrate using large buses where there is more ridership. S. Gomez-Ibanez said that her constituents (grad/professional students) are looking for added service to Varna and Collegetown around 7:00 PM � 8:00 PM. It�s hard to get home after 6:00 PM. N. Oltz said that Route 92 runs until 12:00 midnight to Collegetown from the Vet School.

T. McConnochie wanted to know how TCAT forecasts changes in service; how does TCAT objectively measure service needs. N. Oltz said that TCAT depends a lot on the drivers to call in when they have to leave passengers; we also do supervisor observations � it�s more of a problem-solving mode. J. Gibbs asked if there was any way that TCAT can be proactive rather than reactive. N. Oltz said that it�s often semester to semester and it is hard to predict off-campus areas. J. Turcotte said that bus operators often come through with the best ideas for route planning.

Y. Levitte asked if there is an exchange of information from surveys such as t-GEIS. D. Lieb said yes; it will be shared.

J. Gibbs commented that it would be good if TCAT was notified about building permits for housing/apartment complexes. S. Gomez-Ibanez said that it would be good if the transit maps could be posted on the buses. She said the paper schedules are often not available on the buses. Y. Levitte asked if there could be a timetable at each stop. A. Meyburg commented that it is a basic ingredient on buses and at stops. J. Turcotte noted that it is a hot topic on TCAT�s Operations Committee.

Car Sharing

D. Lieb said the sub-committees are meeting and will have the first large committee meeting with sub-committee reports the last week in April.

Summer Meetings

J. Feldman asked if there was any interest in having summer meetings. P. Hoyt was in favor of them. A. Meyburg asked if there are some worthy issues to discuss. He would object to setting meetings just to meet. M. LaFalce said that she would suggest that if an issue comes up e.g. Red Bud Woods, then we could get together and meet. J. Feldman said that we�ll schedule a meeting for August.

J. Feldman asked if, at the stop sign at Duffield Hall, there is any way to move the stopping line (for vehicles for a better turning radius for buses, etc.).

S. Gomez-Ibanez asked if TAC will receive a report on the t-GEIS survey. D. Lieb said yes. He noted that the raw data will be available in about three weeks and the analysis will probably take the summer.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:45 PM.