City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 06/10/2013 Item Number: A-2
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: 1) Consideration of Route Options for the
Exposition Light Rail Station Pilot Circulator Service; and 2) Approval of a
Professional Services Agreement with Transportation Concepts for the Operation
of the Exposition Light Rail Station Pilot Circulator Service in an Amount Not-to-
Exceed $197,731.
Contact Person/Dept.:
Diana Chang/Transportation
Phone Number:(310) 253-6566
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (06/05/13)
Department Approval:
Art Ida (05/30/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol A. Schwab (by H. Baker) (06/03/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (06/05/13)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (06/05/13)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council 1) consider route options for the Exposition Light
Rail Station Pilot Circulator Service (EXPO Pilot Circulator); and 2) approve a
professional services agreement with Transportation Concepts for the operation of
the EXPO Pilot Circulator in an amount not-to-exceed $197,731.
BACKGROUND:
The EXPO Pilot Circulator is a 9-month (36-week) pilot service that would transport
persons between the Hayden Tract and Downtown Culver City with service to the
Culver City Station.
With conceptual support of the Downtown Business Association (DBA), the City
Council unanimously approved the contract with NBS (a consulting firm which
specializes in Special Financing Districts – SFD’s) on April 11, 2011 and directed
staff to explore the Shuttle (connecting Culver City Station, Downtown Culver City,
and the Hayden Tract) concept and an associated SFD in more depth.
Staff from the City Manager’s Office, the Transportation Department, the Public
Works Department, the Finance Department, and the Community Development
Department worked with NBS to develop the preliminary data on the proposed
circulator service. In December 2012, in light of the feedback from the City Manager
indicating that the SFD financing option was not feasible at that point, and in
response to the City Manager’s direction to implement the service at a faster
timeframe and evaluate the success of the service while allowing more time to
identify/create a sustainable financing option for the service, staff proposed to fund,
using transportation funds, a lunch-time EXPO Pilot Circulator for a period of nine (9)
months, during which trial period staff will evaluate the program performance and
report the results of the evaluation to the City Council. On December 10, 2012, the
City Council conceptually approved the EXPO Pilot Circulator that will consist of the
following:
1. Provide service connecting Culver City downtown, the Exposition Light Rail Culver
City Station, and Hayden Tract;
2. Operate with approximately 15-minute headway during the hours of 11am to 3pm (4
hours per day) on weekdays;
3. Contract with a private transportation company for the operations, with service and
contract monitored and managed by the Transportation Department;
4. Utilize contractor-provided shuttle buses that will be specially-wrapped for branding
purposes; and,
5. Utilize existing stops (no stop improvements required).
DISCUSSION:
In response to City Council feedback at the December 10, 2012 City Council
meeting, staff added one new stop (on Hayden Avenue at National Boulevard) and
one existing stop (on Higuera Street at Eastham Drive) in the Hayden Tract to the
proposed EXPO Pilot Circulator route. In addition, staff also extended the west end
of the route to Madison Avenue in order to service two existing stops in front of the
Sony Pictures Entertainment building. The revised proposed EXPO Pilot Circulator
route is shown in Attachment 1.
On February 25, 2013, staff released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit
proposals on the EXPO Pilot Circulator service. Proposals were due on March 28,
2013. Three transportation companies submitted proposals. After careful evaluation
of the proposals, staff determined that Transportation Concepts’ (TC) proposal
showed that they are the best qualified firm to provide the EXPO Pilot Circulator
Service.
The RFP requested for two cost proposal scenarios:
Scenario 1: Two vehicles operating simultaneously (with vehicles arriving at
approximately every ten to twelve minutes depending on traffic), and;
Scenario 2: Three vehicles operating simultaneously (with vehicles arriving at
approximately every seven to eight minutes depending on traffic).
In an effort to minimize passenger wait time, staff recommends Scenario 2 . TC will
provide a fleet of CNG-powered shuttle buses (Attachment 2) that will provide
seating for 22 passengers plus the driver. The shuttle buses are ADA-compliant.
In effort to promote the EXPO Pilot Circulator service, staff hired a marketing
company to design/create special service branding and conduct outreach to the DBA
and major Hayden Tract employers to promote the service. As part of the shuttle
branding/marketing effort, unique branding bus wraps will be installed on the shuttle
buses, street light pole banners will be produced and installed along the proposed
route, and special shuttle stop signs and other promotional materials will also be
produced and installed or distributed.
On May 29, 2013, staff received feedback from DBA representatives that consisted
of a slightly revised route (Attachment 3) and a request for one additional stop in the
Hayden Tract area. The DBA representatives suggested revising the west end of
the route to turn around at Hughes Avenue (the street east of Madison Avenue).
The staff-proposed route will go from westbound Culver Boulevard to Madison
Avenue, Washington Boulevard, Hughes Avenue, and then return to eastbound
Culver Boulevard. The DBA-suggested route will go westbound on Culver
Boulevard to Washington Boulevard, Hughes Avenue, and then return to eastbound
Culver Boulevard. The DBA’s suggestion will shorten the route and eliminate the
use of two stops in front of the Sony Pictures Entertainment building, thereby
achieving some travel time saving. In addition, the DBA requested to add another
stop on eastbound National Boulevard at Eastham Drive. Staff has determined that
this location is not feasible for a bus stop due to traffic safety considerations and,
therefore, does not recommend the addition of a stop on National Boulevard at
Eastham Drive.
At the May 8, 2013 meeting with some Hayden Tract business owners regarding
parking and fiber issues, the business owners expressed a lack of support for the
EXPO Pilot Circulator and expressed doubts as to how much the shuttle will be used
by the employees. The business owners expressed some interest in a commuter-
type shuttle, and staff is currently looking into extending the fixed-route service to the
Hayden Tract to accommodate this demand.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Transportation funds will be used for the EXPO Pilot Circulator. Under TC’s
proposal, Scenario 1 (ten to twelve minute headway) will cost $142,550, and
Scenario 2 (seven to eight minute headway) will cost $197,731. Staff recommends
Scenario 2.
Should the EXPO Pilot Circulator become a success, a sustainable financial
resource will need to be identified in order to fund the service beyond the 9-month
pilot period.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Attachment 1 – City-Proposed EXPO Pilot Circulator Map
• Attachment 2 – Proposed CNG-Powered Shuttle Buses
• Attachment 3 – DBA-Suggested EXPO Pilot Circulator Map
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Direct the City Manager to move forward with one of the following options:
1) Option 1: City-Proposed EXPO Pilot Circulator
2) Option 2: DBA-Suggested EXPO Pilot Circulator with reduced route
and no additional stop
3) Option 3: Not move forward with the Expo Pilot Circulator
If Option 1 or 2 above is chosen:
2. Approve a professional services agreement with Transportation Concepts for
the operation of the EXPO Pilot Circulator in an amount not-to-exceed
$197,731 (Scenario 2); and,
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.
MEETING DATE: 06/10/13
AGENDA ITEM: Approve the Professional Services Agreement with
Transportation Concepts for the Operation of the Exposition
Light Rail Station Pilot Circulator Service in the Amount Not-
to-Exceed $197,731.
ATTACHMENT
Page
1. City-Proposed EXPO Pilot Circulator Route Map 1
2. Proposed CNG-Powered Shuttle Buses 2
3. DBA-Suggested EXPO Pilot Circulator Route Map 3
Attachment 1 – City-Proposed EXPO Pilot Circulator
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Attachment 2 – Proposed CNG-Powered Shuttle Buses
- 2 -
Attachment 3 – DBA-Suggested EXPO Pilot Circulator
- 3 -