Attachment 1

Steamboat Springs Transit

May 5, 2015

Section I
Determination of future
Service Levels

Steamboat Springs Transit would

like to develop a service plan for
winter 2015-2016 and 2016 in
general.
Goals:
1. Have the time to thoroughly develop and
vet the service.
2. Solicit public participation.
3. Enable both customers and other
transportation providers time to adjust to the
service.

Steamboat Springs Transit need

three strong legs to support the
operations.

PERSONNEL

Three service level options:

1. Reduction in budget:
* Reduce hours, service area or frequency.
* Call on the community to provide de-facto privatized transit service.
2. Keep budget the same:
* Re-orient resources to provide valid and reliable service. This will reduce
the service hours, area and/or frequency.
* Annual inflation costs may require reduced hours, service area or
frequency.
* Focus on the times and routes that have the highest use.
3. Restore service to winter 2013-2014 levels while keeping the summer service the
same.
* Will require additional 2.15 seasonal FTEs (10 winter drivers) to meet
on-street service demand.
* Will require the additional funding of $140,000+, housing, recruiting
cost of $7,500 and benefits/bonuses of $95,000.

Review of winter 2014-2015

* Reduction of ridership by 12%. That translates to
85,296 passengers.
* Increase of cost per passenger of $.20.
* Increased level of customer dissatisfaction and
stress.
* Increased levels of driver/staff fatigue and stress.
* Overtime bonus program and establishing West
End shuttle costs totaled $145,000.
* Thankfully, we didnt get much snow.

Steps Steamboat Springs Transit is

taking:
* One of SSTs Supervisors is specifically tasked with
driver recruitment and driver development as
their primary additional duty.
* Developing a pay and benefit plan that makes SST
competitive in the State and in the Valley.
* Have established a good working relationship for
summer seasonal bus recruitment.
* Formalizing data to assist in the development of routes
and service, once direction is given.

Section II
Current economic drivers
&
Future transit growth

Transit generators in the economy

National survey calculated that a monthly savings for a transit rider is
$770 per month (APTA).
SST calculated that a Regional rider will save $10,000 annually (AAA).
Most advertisements for businesses, real-estate or the rental market
highlight proximity to the bus route.
Many workers rely on transit to access work, food and retail.
Many guests rely on transit to access recreation, food and retail.
A competitive transportation system is attractive to guests and
visitors.
Housing and transportation are often linked and many employers are
housing their workers throughout the valley.
Transit removes over a million trips annually from some other mode.

Where we left off in 2008

Transit fixes brought up prior to the economic downturn:
Parking
Shuttle vs. additional service
Congestion
Bus lanes, light queuing, stop light priority.
Additional Local Service
Increased service area and frequency.
Additional Regional Service
Hayden/Craig, South Routt and North Routt
Lodge Van Consolidation
A result of increased congestion and the
challenges of hiring shuttle drivers.
Other modes of mass transit
Rail & Gondola

Section III
Examination of potential
funding options

Local Funding Option

Charge a fare for local routes.
1. Determine the target for fare recovery.
2. Capital costs for charging fares.
3. Operational impacts with charging fares.
4. Competitive issues with Steamboat Springs charging
fares.
5. Anticipated ridership with the introduction of fares.
6. Determine fare structure and cost recovery
implications.
7. Intensive study needed to meet Title VI obligations
whenever a fare is established/increased.

Local Funding Option

1. 1% sales tax dedicated to transportation. Can be done
with new or existing tax.
2. Amenity tax such as a lift ticket tax.
3. Local Marketing District.
4. Student Fees
5. Funding partnerships with local businesses.
6. Higher portion of the general fund dedicated to Transit.
7. Excise tax of 2% on food and beverage or alcohol and
cannabis.

Federal or State Funding Option

Federal or State funding as a portion of overall budget:
$3,500,000.00
$3,000,000.00
$2,500,000.00
$2,000,000.00
$1,500,000.00
$1,000,000.00
$500,000.00
$-

Transit Expenditures
Federal O&A

RTA Funding Option

Regional Transportation Authority:
* Agreement between two governmental entities that forms a
third governmental entity that administers a
transportation system with clearly identified
boundaries.
* Has the ability to impose an annual motor vehicle
registration fee of not more than $10.
* Has the ability to levy a sales or use tax, not to exceed 1%.
* Has the ability to issue and/or reissue bonds.
* May contract with any other governmental or private
source of funding.
* System is wholly owned by a single authority.
* This information is obtained from House Bill 05-1064

At the next intersection

Please assist Steamboat Springs Transit in determining

services levels for next winter.