DATE: November 3, 2015
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Library & Community Services
SUBJECT: Approval of FY 2015-16 Measure B/BB Annual Paratransit Program Plan
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council:
1) Adopts the attached resolution authorizing the FY 2016 Measure B/BB Annual Paratransit Program Plan, including the continued provision of paratransit taxi, door-to-door group trip, meals-on-wheels, travel to Alzheimer’s daycare, and travel training through the Hayward Operated Paratransit (The HOP) program effective July 1, 2015;
2) Authorizes the City Manager to approve the provision of the following new paratransit pilot projects: VIP Rides (volunteer driver program) and the CRIL accessible car share program through Measure B/BB funds;
3) Authorizes the City Manager to execute service agreements with: Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay (ASEB); Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL); LIFE Eldercare; MV Transportation Inc.; St. Mini Cab, Inc. and Services Opportunities for Seniors (SOS) Meals on Wheels, for the continued provision of Paratransit services in FY 2016 through Measure B/BB funds.
4) Authorizes the City Manager to execute an agreement with the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) to engage Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates to conduct a Taxi Program ID/Debit Card feasibility study funded through Measure B/BB; and
5) Authorizes the City Manager to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cities of Berkeley, Fremont, Oakland and San Leandro to jointly fund and implement a Taxi Program ID/Debit Card regional pilot project authorized by the Alameda County Transportation Commission with Measure B/BB funds.
BACKGROUND
Each year, the City of Hayward submits an Annual Paratransit Program Plan to ACTC detailing the proposed parameters of paratransit service. In FY 2016, the Hayward Operated Paratransit (HOP) program will provide paratransit and related services to eligible enrolled riders and their attendants who live in Hayward, the unincorporated areas of Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Ashland and Cherryland.
The HOP program is administered in Hayward by the Library and Community Services Department. The program is funded in its entirety by Alameda County Measure B and Measure BB half cent sales tax revenues administered by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Hayward paratransit service is a complement and supplement to the Alameda County-wide mandated ADA Paratransit Service, also known as the East Bay Paratransit Service (EBP).
DISCUSSION
The Hayward Operated Paratransit (HOP) program engages subcontractors to carry out all services in its Annual Paratransit Program Plan, subject to Measure B/BB pass-through funding availability. More detail about each of these programs is available in Attachment II and summaries are provided below:
• The primary means of paratransit service is through standard sedans and accessible van taxi, offered on demand as a curb-to-curb service and contracted through St. Mini Cab, Inc.
• MV Transportation and Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay (ASEB) provide door-to-door paratransit service with lift equipped vehicles on a shared ride basis.
• Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) provides travel training workshops to the mobility challenged through excursions on various modes of Bay Area transportation (including BART, AC Transit and the HOP).
• Service Opportunities for Seniors (SOS) Meals on Wheels provides homebound seniors with nutritious meals delivered by volunteer drivers.
Additional funding for non-ADA paratransit service was authorized by Alameda County voters in November 2014 with the passage of Measure BB. Working with ACTC, staff has identified three new pilot projects to expand transportation options for eligible riders to improve their independence and provide respite to their families and friends who are often responsible for providing transit:
1. LIFE Eldercare, a senior serving nonprofit, has introduced the VIP Rides program to the Hayward area. The program matches screened volunteers driving their own personal vehicles with senior and non-senior disabled adults. The volunteers provide “door-through-door” service, acting as attendants who help with medical appointments, shopping and various errands. Though a Fremont-based organization, LIFE Eldercare recently leased space at the Weekes Community Center in Hayward in order to better serve HOP enrolled clients.
2. Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) has agreed to consider a pilot car sharing project utilizing accessible vehicles in the Hayward area. The project would operate similarly to Bay Area operated Zip Car and City Car Share systems, but be restricted to wheelchair dependent clients. Through a program grant, CRIL would lease lift equipped and specially converted vehicles which would be housed on-site and made available to eligible consumers through a CRIL dispatched system.
3. ACTC has contracted with consulting firm Nelson\Nygaard, nationally recognized experts in paratransit service provision, to examine the feasibility of piloting an electronic identification and payment system in Central Alameda County, including Hayward. Currently, the HOP taxi program, like other programs in the county, utilizes a woefully outdated Microsoft Access database for client enrollment and a paper-based voucher system for service payments.
The multi-jurisdictional pilot project to implement an electronic payment and identification system (item #3 in the above list) caused the finalization of the FY 2016 Annual Paratransit Program to be delayed pending the implementation of a feasibility study to assess the viability of the project. Staff met with ACTC, Nelson\Nyagaard and the jurisdictions of Berkeley, Fremont and Oakland on multiple occasions to determine planning costs and implementation timelines for inclusion in the Annual Paratransit Program Plan:
- 3/31/15: Initial concept meeting with City/County of San Francisco Metropolitan Paratransit Transportation program to review their electronic id/paratransit fare system.
- 6/11/15: ACTC proposal to engage Nelson\Nygaard for Pilot Research study funded through Measure BB on behalf of Hayward, Berkeley, Fremont and Oakland.
- 8/12/15: Award of contract to Nelson\Nygaard to complete a two phase study (feasibility and implementation).
- 9/18/15: Kick-off jurisdictional meeting with Nelson\Nygaard to develop study schedule.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
The Hayward Operated Paratransit Program will be supported 100% by Alameda County Measure B/BB funds. Eligible enrolled riders and their attendants (attendants ride free of charge) are offered three options for service in the Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo and unincorporated areas. The service offers convenient, cost-effective transportation alternatives for residents who cannot take regular public transit due to age or disability.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed FY 2016 Annual Paratransit Program Plan has no impact to the City’s General Fund. The program costs, including City staff and administrative costs, are 100% offset by the City’s Measure B/BB Paratransit special revenue fund derived from Measure B/BB sales tax revenues administered by ACTC.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Staff presented the FY 2016 Paratransit Program Plan, including the three proposed pilot programs, to the ACTC Paratransit Advisory and Planning Committee (PAPCO) and the City of Hayward Paratransit Advisory Committee (PAC) for review and approval on the following dates:
- 9/16/14: PAC Meeting
- 12/16/14: PAC Meeting
- 3/14/15: Public presentation at Hayward Mobile Country Club
- 3/17/15: PAC Meeting
- 5/20/15: Community Services Commission
- 6/16/15: PAC Meeting
Additional public feedback was solicited by staff regarding the discontinuance of MV Transportation door-to-door and the move to 100% taxi service as shown below:
- 3/17/15: Proposal to the PAC - following review and discussion approved as suggested 6/16/15;
- 7/13/15: Notice to all clients of impending service change effective August 1, 2015;
- 7/21/15; Survey to all standing order (recurring scheduled ride) MV clients informing them of change and requesting feedback and offering assistance if needed;
- 8/21/15: Thirty-five (35) surveys distributed - 12 returned by requested deadline (8/21/15) - no opposition.
NEXT STEPS
Staff recommends that Council adopts the attached resolution approving the FY 2016 Annual Paratransit Program Plan and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute all agreements necessary for program implementation. Should Council adopt the resolution, staff will meet with representatives from each contracting agency to facilitate contract execution so that there will be a continuation of delivery of Paratransit services.
Prepared by: Dana Bailey, Senior Property Rehabilitation Specialist
Dawn Jaeger, Community Services Manager
Recommended by: Sean Reinhart, Director of Library and Community Services
Approved by:
Fran David, City Manager
Attachments:
|
Attachment I |
Resolution |
|
Attachment II |
FY 2015-16 Hayward Paratransit Program Plan - Executive Summary |