TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Kathleen Kelly, Interim General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: Board Policy 544 - Service Adjustments
ACTION ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider approving amendments to Board Policy 544 - Service Adjustments to include specific policy language regarding the implementation of major service detours. [Continued from the June 12, 2024, Board of Directors Meeting.]
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Convenient and Reliable Service
Initiative - Service Quality
Board Policy 544 provides guidance on the process for making service adjustments as well as the process for Board review and scheduling public hearings. The proposed amendments include the addition of guidance related to the handling of detours as well as notifications to the Board.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no budget impact associated with this Board Policy update.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
At the March 13, 2024, Board meeting, Director Walsh made an Agenda Planning Request to address detours within Board Policy 544. More specifically, the request asked staff to amend Board Policy 544 to ensure that the Board and the public are informed when a detour will have a major impact on riders. The staff report (Staff Report 24-285) was originally presented to the Board on June 12, 2024, along with Staff Report 24-286 regarding nighttime detours in downtown Oakland. Staff Report 24-285 on Board Policy 544 was continued to a future Board meeting date.
AC Transit uses detours to respond to temporary changes in field conditions that affect both routes and bus stops. These detours typically fall into the following categories:
1. Small-scale, short-term changes in conditions such as small-scale construction, emergency infrastructure repairs, local business events or law enforcement activity that impact use of bus stop(s) for a relatively short period of time, which is defined as any time shorter than a full sign-up period;
2. Large-scale, short-term changes such as a marathon or parade that impact service routes and bus stops for a relatively short period of time, which, again, is defined as any time shorter than a full sign-up period;
3. Small-scale, long-term changes such as roadway or building construction that impact service route(s) and bus stop(s) for a long period of time, which is defined as any period long enough that the detour can be included in a sign-up; and
4. Large-scale, long-term changes such as the closure of a bridge, tunnel, major street, or transit center, that impact multiple service routes over a relatively long period of time, which is defined as any period long enough that the detour can be included in a sign-up.
Detour requests are handled by an inter-disciplinary internal team who engage in a service notice disruption process that identifies alternative routes and bus stops and publishes Operations Bulletins. These bulletins provide District staff, including bus operators, with a summary of detour changes and instructions. Long-term detours are those detours which are long enough to be included within a sign-up and require coordination between staff and external stakeholders to identify alternatives such as relocating bus stops, parking space removal, or other actions that will facilitate access to AC Transit service during the detour. The Marketing, Communications, and Customer Services Department and the Transportation Department coordinate to provide information about the detour to the public, including the closest location to board a bus during the detour. This information is distributed at least 72 hours in advance at the affected bus stop(s), on the District’s website and via social media, eNews, and GTFS/Realtime when appropriate. For long-term or large-scale changes, AC Transit requires external stakeholders (event organizers, construction contractors, city officials) to provide information at least 10-days in advance using the Construction & Events notification form on the District’s website. Without timely and complete notification and information, AC Transit must adjust its service on a more ad hoc basis and will be unable to utilize all its communications tools to provide 72-hour advance notice to the public. See Attachment 2 for “Service Alert Matrix.”
The recommended amendment to this policy is to require staff to provide a list of any planned long-term detours occurring during the upcoming service change period in the Service Adjustment Summary Staff Report that precedes each sign-up. Staff started this process in 2024 and the report is submitted to the Board prior to implementation of each Sign-up.
The specific proposed changes to Board Policy 544 including the following:
• In Section III, short-term and long-term detour definitions are added.
• In Section IV.A.1, service adjustment timing now has clarifying language that the number and timing of sign-ups are dictated by the applicable CBA.
• New Section IV.C is added regarding how detours are managed and communicated.
• In Section V, language has been amended to indicate the Board of Directors can determine when major service changes can be implemented.
• Other minor edits throughout the document to improve clarity.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
The primary advantage of this report is to define detours in Board Policy 544 and inform the Board of staff’s process to communicate this information to District employees and the public. The update to the Board on upcoming detours also increases transparency by identifying planned, known, long-term detours that will be in effect during the next sign-up.
There is no disadvantage associated with this report.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
Staff considered including all completed or planned detours in the report to the Board but determined that the significant work required to include such detail would not yield a commensurate benefit as most of the detours in effect are minor and for a short duration. Focusing on detours that will be in effect during the next sign-up provides the Board with information on major changes to service that could have significant impacts on a larger group of riders.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
SR 24-285 - Board Policy 544 - Service Adjustments
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Updated Board Policy 544
2. Service Alert Matrix
Prepared by:
Michael Eshleman, Service Planning Manager
In Collaboration with:
Tony Gee, Marketing Administrator
Jonathan Bair, Communications Manager
Approved/Reviewed by:
Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development and Planning
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Dwain Crawley, Director of Transportation
Nichele Laynes, Director of Marketing, Communications & Customer Services
Claudia Burgos, Interim Executive Director of External Affairs, Marketing & Communications
Salvador Llamas, Chief Operating Officer
Aimee L. Steele, General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer