TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: December 2021 Sign-up
BRIEFING ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving a report on the District’s planned service changes associated with the December 2021 Sign-up.
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Convenient and Reliable Service
Initiative - Service Quality
The service changes going into effect on December 5, 2021, are focused towards solving schedule reliability issues, mid-year school bell time adjustments, reinstating Line FS, reinstating weekday service on lines 52 and 74, and extending Line 60 to South Hayward BART.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
Total daily weekday vehicle platform hours have increased from Fall 2021 service levels by 164 hours, Saturday hours have increased by 15 and Sunday hours have increased by 15. In total, these changes yield an annual increase of 43,470 platform hours, resulting in an annual estimated increase of $6 million, within the District’s annual operating budget for service growth.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
AC Transit conducts four Sign-ups each year as required by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 192. These occur in March, June, August, and December.
Implementation of the December service change is the next phase of the District’s service recovery plan. For this service change, only limited improvements are possible given the operator resources available. Service improvements were balanced with the need to improve reliability while reducing missed layovers and meal breaks. Systemwide, the District will be nearing 85% of pre-pandemic service levels in December of 2021.
Service improvements for the December service change are outlined in the attachment. The reliability improvements were focused on five routes selected per operating Division that were identified in collaboration with the ATU Local 192 Drivers Committee. In addition, unworkable interlines (multiple routes operated by the same bus) were redesigned when necessary for service reliability improvements and ensuring timely operator meal and rest breaks.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
The primary advantage of implementing the December service adjustment would be to improve service reliability for both our customers and operators with some service improvements to better align with growing ridership demand.
The disadvantage of implementing the December service changes are the additional resources required for operation.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
Staff evaluated other alternatives, including not implementing these changes, but the disadvantages were too great. Service would remain unreliable on the routes scheduled for adjustments and some routes would continue to face overcrowding or uncoordinated schedules with school bell times.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
There are no prior relevant board actions/policies.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Service Change Summary
Prepared by:
Ajay Martin, Acting Transit Schedules Manager
In Collaboration with:
Michael Eshleman, Service Planning Manager
Approved/Reviewed by:
Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development and Planning
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Derik Calhoun, Director of Transportation
Salvador Llamas, Chief Operating Officer
Chris Andrichak, Chief Financial Officer
Jill A. Sprague, General Counsel