| ITEM #: 11. DATE: 07/01/2024 AI #:2038 |
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CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
| SUBJECT: | APPROVE AMENDMENT 13 TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT (IGA) BETWEEN CITY OF GOODYEAR AND REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITY |
| STAFF PRESENTER(S): | Christine McMurdy, Project Management Coordinator |
SUMMARY
The thirteenth amendment to the IGA will renew Valley Metro’s obligation to provide express bus trips at the Goodyear Park and Ride, fixed route bus service on Route 3 and Route 17, and Paratransit/Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) services via Dial a Ride and the RideChoice program. The city’s cost to continue the provision of accessible transit services in Goodyear for FY25 is $506,720.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to approve Transit Services Amendment 13 between City of Goodyear and Regional Public Transit Authority (RPTA) and related FY2025 budget transfer. (Christine McMurdy, Project Management Coordinator)
FISCAL IMPACT
Per Valley Metro and the agreement being presented, FY2025 Regional Paratransit and RideChoice services are estimated to be $506,800. This item is included in the FY2025 budget in the amount of $365,100. A budget amendment in the amount of $141,600 is necessary from the available fund balance in the Park & Ride fund.
BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS
Schedule A of the Amendment refers to regionally funded Fixed Route Bus Service, which includes the Route 562 Express bus operating out of the Goodyear Park and Ride Monday through Friday, Route 17 (McDowell Road) and Route 3 (Van Buren), which operate Monday through Saturday. RPTA Funds (Proposition 400) pay for these services.
Schedule C refers to a federally mandated ADA paratransit (Dial a Ride) service, which is required to be provided within ¾ miles of Route 17, and Route 3. Schedule C of the Amendment shows that after the city’s allocation of Proposition 400 Paratransit funds ($16,980 identified in Schedule E), and federal operating assistance are applied, the city’s cost for paratransit service in FY2025 is $50,018.
Schedule D refers to the RideChoice program. RideChoice is available citywide to ADA certified residents of Goodyear that need a trip to work, school or medical appointments. There are program options for Goodyear residents based on how often and how far they need to travel. The base program costs $3 for up to 8 miles, with any additional miles costing $2 per mile. There is also a mileage-based option that allows customers to travel up to 400 miles per month, for trips of up to 50 miles in length, for $3 per trip. The City pays for RideChoice services using advertising revenue from the digital marquee at the Park and Ride. Valley Metro estimates that Goodyear will provide at least 16,677 RideChoice trips in FY25, which is more than double the 7,480 trips estimated in FY24. The cost of service for FY2025 is $456,702.
Schedule E refers to the City’s allocation of Public Transportation Funds (PTF) available for offsetting the cost of ADA trips in Goodyear. The maximum amount available, $16,485 is applied to the City’s Dial a Ride expenses, noted in Schedule C.
Schedule C refers to a federally mandated ADA paratransit (Dial a Ride) service, which is required to be provided within ¾ miles of Route 17, and Route 3. Schedule C of the Amendment shows that after the city’s allocation of Proposition 400 Paratransit funds ($16,980 identified in Schedule E), and federal operating assistance are applied, the city’s cost for paratransit service in FY2025 is $50,018.
Schedule D refers to the RideChoice program. RideChoice is available citywide to ADA certified residents of Goodyear that need a trip to work, school or medical appointments. There are program options for Goodyear residents based on how often and how far they need to travel. The base program costs $3 for up to 8 miles, with any additional miles costing $2 per mile. There is also a mileage-based option that allows customers to travel up to 400 miles per month, for trips of up to 50 miles in length, for $3 per trip. The City pays for RideChoice services using advertising revenue from the digital marquee at the Park and Ride. Valley Metro estimates that Goodyear will provide at least 16,677 RideChoice trips in FY25, which is more than double the 7,480 trips estimated in FY24. The cost of service for FY2025 is $456,702.
Schedule E refers to the City’s allocation of Public Transportation Funds (PTF) available for offsetting the cost of ADA trips in Goodyear. The maximum amount available, $16,485 is applied to the City’s Dial a Ride expenses, noted in Schedule C.
STAFF ANALYSIS
Regional accessible services, which include RideChoice and Dial a Ride, pick up ADA certified customers at their door and deliver them to the front door of their destination. The federal government mandates that as long as the City offers regional fixed-route bus service on Route 3 and Route 17, Goodyear is required to provide Dial a Ride within ¾ of a mile of those bus routes.
RideChoice was created by Valley Metro as a less expensive, more flexible alternative to Dial a Ride. RideChoice is an on-demand service that includes a large network of rideshare transportation providers (i.e. Uber, taxicabs and other wheelchair-accessible vehicles). While Dial a Ride trips are shared rides that must be scheduled in advance, RideChoice trips can be scheduled on the same-day and allow the customer to ride alone. The number of Goodyear residents using RideChoice service has grown to more than double from FY24 because the service is available citywide. Dial a Ride and WeRIDE are only available within a specifically designated area of the city.
Valley Metro expects the allocated cost to provide RideChoice service to decline over the next 1-2 years because the city of Phoenix begins providing RideChoice service in July and Valley Metro is soliciting a new service provider that will handle all on-demand services.
RideChoice was created by Valley Metro as a less expensive, more flexible alternative to Dial a Ride. RideChoice is an on-demand service that includes a large network of rideshare transportation providers (i.e. Uber, taxicabs and other wheelchair-accessible vehicles). While Dial a Ride trips are shared rides that must be scheduled in advance, RideChoice trips can be scheduled on the same-day and allow the customer to ride alone. The number of Goodyear residents using RideChoice service has grown to more than double from FY24 because the service is available citywide. Dial a Ride and WeRIDE are only available within a specifically designated area of the city.
Valley Metro expects the allocated cost to provide RideChoice service to decline over the next 1-2 years because the city of Phoenix begins providing RideChoice service in July and Valley Metro is soliciting a new service provider that will handle all on-demand services.