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Title:
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PUBLIC HEARING – Consideration of the Implementation of a Change to the Fare Charged by Culver CityBus for Sight-Impaired Passengers (Blind Passengers).
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City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 7/14/14 Item Number: PH-3
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: PUBLIC HEARING – Consideration of the
Implementation of a Change to the Fare Charged by Culver CityBus for Sight-
Impaired Passengers (Blind Passengers).
Contact Person/Dept.: Samantha M.
Blackshire/Transportation
Phone Number: (310) 253-6535
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No [] Date: 06/11/14)
Disability Advisory Committee
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (07/08/14); (E-Mail)
Ongoing Topics – Culver CityBus (07/08/14); (Publication) Culver City News (06/05/14
and 06/12/14) Furthermore, to comply with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (LACMTA) notification policy, (USPS) Letters Describing the
Proposed Blind Passenger Fare Increase to Stakeholders (06/02/14) ; (USPS) Letter to
Braille Institute and the Junior Blind of America (06/12/14); Notices Posted in English and
Spanish on Busses and Culver CityBus Webpage; (Dedicated Phone Line) Phone
Message System (06/18/14); Public Outreach Meeting (06/18/14); (Website) Public
Notice Webpage (07/07/14)
Department Approval:
Art Ida (07/01/14)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (07/09/14)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (07/09/14)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (07/09/14)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider a change to the fare charged to Sight
Impaired (Blind) passengers on Culver CityBus as outlined in this report with an
effective date of August 4, 2014.
PROCEDURE:
1. Mayor seeks a motion to receive and file the affidavits of publication and posting
of notices and correspondence received in response to the public hearing
notices; and,
2. Mayor calls for a staff report and City Council Members may pose questions to
staff as desired; and,
3. Mayor seeks a motion to open the public hearing; and,
4. Mayor seeks motion to close the public hearing after all public testimony has
been presented; and, City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
5. City Council discusses the item and arrives at its decision.
BACKGROUND:
Culver CityBus operates eight routes, serving approximately 6 million riders annually
with a service area encompassing 25.5 square miles, which includes the following
Westside communities: Venice, Westchester, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Palms,
Marina Del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, Century City, and Culver City.
Historically, Culver CityBus has allowed blind passengers to ride for free. Staff was
recently contacted by a bus riding patron, who alleged this practice may be in
violation of the law. The individual complained that the City may not give a benefit (in
this instance, free bus fare) to blind patrons beyond what is offered to other disabled
persons or to senior citizens.
DISCUSSION:
Staff contacted three (3) other transit agencies in Los Angeles County that have
provided free fares for the blind: Torrance Transit Systems, Long Beach Transit, and
Gardena Municipal Bus Lines. Torrance Transit Systems has not taken any action to
change its blind passenger fare. Long Beach Transit is in the process of conducting
research (as a larger transit agency it must adhere to other federal Title VI
requirements prior to changing its blind passenger fare). Gardena Municipal Bus
Lines changed its blind passenger fare recently after receiving a similar complaint.
To our knowledge, the other transit agencies in the area charge blind passengers
the same reduced fare as other disabled passengers.
Given the entirety of the circumstances, including the information received from the
other cities and consultation with the City Attorney’s Office regarding the bus
patron’s allegations, Staff proposes that the City Council approve a single fare
applicable to all senior/disabled passengers (including blind passengers) at the
following rate:
Fare Local Transf. IAT
Senior (62+)/Disabled/Medicare/Blind 35¢ 10¢ 20¢
During the public comment period, from June 2 – 23, 2014, staff received comments
at its Public Outreach meeting and after presenting the information item to the
Disability Advisory Committee. The primary question received was why does the
blind passenger fare need to change if it is not due to financial reasons?
Commenters at the Public Outreach meeting stressed that the individual who raised
this issue should take the approach of having his disability category approved to ride City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
the bus for free. Once Transportation Director Art Ida explained the information
surrounding the recent raising of this issue, those in attendance understood the
relevance of staff’s proposal. Staff also encouraged those impacted by the fare
change to apply for an Access Services TAP card, which would allow them to ride
for free under the Free Fare Partnership Program established with several of the
municipal operators including Culver CityBus. At the Public Outreach meeting staff
also informed those attending of the availability of the Metro Rider Relief
Transportation Program (RRTP). RRTP provides fare subsidy coupons to eligible
riders who purchase daily, weekly, or monthly passes, TAP cash purse and EZ
transit passes from participating transit systems (including Culver CityBus).
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
If the blind passenger fare change is approved, the fiscal impact would be minimal
since the impacted rider group does not represent a large number of Culver CityBus
customers.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Stakeholder List
B. Fare Survey
C. Customer Feedback
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Approve the Culver CityBus proposed blind fare change effective on August 4,
2014