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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-City Administrator's Office ,.' Chj:::~';\L CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION From: Fred Wilson, City Administrator Subject: Authorization of submittal of a grant application for the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) for the "Rideshare to Rails" Commuter Rail Station Rideshare Incentive Program. MICC Meeting Date: January 7,2001 Dept: City Administrator's Office Date: December 17, 2001 Synopsis of Previous Council Action: none Recommended Motion: Approve the submission of the grant application. ~/OL!JJ6fA )~ 6 Sign ture Contact person: nnllg RnhArt!':nn phonA'x:l4?O Supporting data attached: Staff Report Ward: 1 FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: no direct cost, up to $8,500 in in-kind Services Source: various Finance: Council Notes: Agenda Item No. -.9 J/7//)Y CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Staff Report Subiect: Authorization of submittal of a grant application for the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) for the "Rideshare to Rails" Commuter Rail Station Rideshare Incentive Program. Backl!round: The Metrolink Station located at the historic Santa Fe Depot has been experiencing impacted parking. In October 2000, the Southern California Area Governments conducted a survey which showed that all of the 284 available spaces were utilized. City staff have also observed periods of over utilization resulting in illegal parking. If approved, the City of San Bernardino will submit a grant application to the MSRC in the amount of $24,000. The deadline for filing this grant application is January IS, 2002. This grant opportunity will fund the addition of a new program offering rideshare services to the users of the station in an effort to alleviate a portion of the parking problem. Commuters who use Metrolink will be offered preferred parking for carpooling, a one-time free rail pass for using a rideshare option at least four (4) times per week for a three (3) month period, a $SO discount pass as a recruitment bonus, and quarterly drawings for continued participation. If this program is successful, it can be used as a model for expanding the program to free up additional parking spaces which could result in less need for constructing additional parking spaces at a substantially higher cost. Attached is a summary of the proposed new grant funded program. The City of San Bernardino will partner with SANBAG, Metrolink, and other municipal station owners along the San Bernardino line for a comprehensive marketing, outreach and incentive program to ensure all riders originating their rail commute in San Bernardino County are offered the same benefits and services. Each participating city will apply separately for grant funding. The grant funds will used by SANBAG and its rideshare program vendor for marketing, overseeing the program, processing claims, tracking and disbursement of incentives. The City of San Bernardino will provide logistical support such as sigos and striping, surveying, security and enforcement. The City of Rialto will be submitting a nearly identical, but separate, grant application and will be responsible for the logistics at the Rialto Station. The programs will be integrated by SANBAG so all riders are offered the same incentives. Financial Impact: If approved, the amount of the grant will be approximately $24,000. Grant funds will be used for marketing and incentives. This grant requires a minimum of SO% co-funding from the applicants. As one of the co-applicants, the City of San Bernardino will expend up to $8,SOO in in-kind contributions. The majority of in-kind contributions consist of labor for administration of the .. program to be done by the City Administrator's Office. Additionally, there will be a nominal cost associated with signs and striping covered by existing budget. Recommendation: Approve the submission of the grant application. Attachment 1 Overview of Rideshare to Rails Grant Background Metrolink began offering commuter rail service to San Bernardino county, with the opening of the San Bernardino line in 1992. In support of this line, San Bernardino Associated Govemments (SANBAG) constructed a Metrolink station at the historic Santa Fe Depot. The City of San Bernardino, SANBAG and the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency (EDA) jointly owns the station. Metrolink service is operated by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), and funded by the five impacted county transportation commissions. The San Bernardino station serves 39 Metrolink trains Monday through Friday with connections to a multitude of bus transit operators, including Omnitrans. The San Bernardino Metrolink station has 284 available parking spaces and parking is limited to rail riders only. In a survey conducted by the Southern California Area Govemments in October 2000, these spaces were 100% utilized. City staff will conduct a survey to determine current utilization. Lack of sufficient parking has been an issue at this station for some time, resulting in illegal parking in the lot and surrounding areas, raising safety issues. It is unknown how many potential Metrolink riders choose to drive themselves to their work destination, due to the impacted parking. Project Conceptual Design and Implementation Methodology The proposed Rideshare to Rails concept for the San Bernardino Metrolink station is to partner with SANBAG, Metrolink, OmniTrans, and other municipal station owners along the San Bernardino line for a comprehensive marketing, outreach and incentive program to ensure all riders originating their rail commute in San Bernardino County are offered the same benefits and services. These incentives will include at a minimum: I. preferential parking for carpools; 2. a $165 monthly pass discount for existing or new train commuters who try ridesharing to the train station at least 4 times a week for 3 months; 3. membership to Team Ride, San Bernardino County's reward program for ongoing ridesharers; 4. a $50 monthly pass discount as a recruitment bonus, to existing carpoolers when they add another carpool partner to their carpool; and 5. prize drawings for all participants. Implementation of the Rideshare to Rails program in San Bernardino County would begin July I, 2002. As the lead agency, city staff would market the program directly to riders at the station, sign and stripe parking the parking lot, issue carpool parking permits and have station security guards monitor carpool spaces for compliance. Where available, city parking enforcement staff would issue citations to offenders. In order to qualify for the incentives, participants will be required to complete registration forms to enter the program and a verification/claim form at the end of the three month trial period. Consistent with current SANBAG's ongoing commuter incentive program by contract through the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTe), Inland Transportation Services (ITS) Consulting will perform rideshare matching services, registration and verification oversight, as well as the distribution of fmancial incentives to eligible registrants. The initial financial incentives will spark interest in the program and encourage riders to try the new mode of access. The rideshare matching services will facilitate interested parties coming together to form carpools. And, by having the commuter join Team Ride, as well as participating in drawings and prizes, and the ability for carpoolers to participate in preferential parking, these ongoing programs will help to solidify the new mode of access to their rail station as their permanent commute option. All of these incentives and marketing efforts will serve as a catalyst in alleviating parking congestion at the station. MwkeungandOu"eachP~n The concept of this project was discussed informally, one on one, with survey respondents in early December, 200 I to gauge support and interest. Riders were offered ridematching services at that time and informed of proposed incentives if the project is approved by MSRC. If approved, beginning July 1,2002, the marketing plan will include the following: A. For Eristin!!: Rail Passen!!:ers I. Metrolink Ambassadors will hand out flyers as commuters board the trains the Metrolink station, two days per week for the first four weeks of the program. Depending upon response, repeat as needed throughout the program. 2. Metrolink Ambassadors will respond to questions from commuters, and also have available the application form and other information. 3. Preferential parking will be established, and will including signage and striping detailing the program, with the 1-866-RIDESHARE nmnber listed for interested parties to call for how they can participate. B. For Both Eristin!!: and Potential Rail Passen!!:ers I. Develop and send marketing materials via Citywide distribution methods, such as utility bills, as available in each city. 2. Advertise the program via web sites and links, on the city, SANBAG, SCRRA, and other municipal websites (would include cities which do not have a station but have commuters who access the station, such as Colton, Redlands, Yucaipa and so on). 3. Print two to four advertisements in the following newspapers: San Bernardino County Sun eastern county division, as well as other local newspapers, such as the Inland Empire Community Newspapers (Rialto Record, Colton Courier and EI Chicano). 4. Answer questions generated from all marketing efforts, signs, flyers, websites, newspaper ads via 1-866-RIDESHARE. 5. Articles in Crossroads and/or other monthly newsletters/armouncements to LA-based Employee Transportation Coordinators. 6. Provide information on the program to Los Angeles Rideshare Account Executives, who work with employers in the EI Monte and downtown LA area. 7. Print advertisements and/or articles, in Metrolink Matters, Metrolink's customer newsletter. 8. Promote program at special events in Eastern San Bernardino County area, such as Route 66 Rendezvous (in September 2001), as well as events at National Orange Show (Memorial Day Weekend 2002), and the Redlands Bike Classic. Incentive Structure The Rideshare to Rails incentive program is designed to create an effective sustainable program that will create new carpools, increase vehicle occupancy in carpools, increase use of the bus, walking, and bicycling as a modes of access, and increase the ridership on existing commuter rail. This will help alleviate current parking impaction and result in reduced vehicle emissions. 1. Carpool Incentive Prol!:ram a. Designated parking space - Upon initial enrollment, carpool participants will be issued a parking pass to park in designated spaces nearest the station platform. Signs and striping will be will be installed by city staff. Monitoring of spaces will be done by station security guards with enforcement by city parking enforcement staff, where available. b. One time $165 discount on a monthly rail pass - After the first three months of carpooling to the station, registrants who have carpooled an average of four (4) times per week for a three month period, will receive the $165 discount. This incentive is limited to new carpoolers only. c. Recruitment bonus of $50 discount on a monthly pass - For existing carpoolers who recruit another carpooler, after the first three months of carpooling to the station, registrants who have carpooled an average of four (4) times per week will receive the $50 discount. This incentive is limited to existing carpoolers only and one bonus is paid per carpool. 2. BuslWalk/Bike Incentive Prol!:ram a. One time $165 discount on a monthly rail pass - After the first three months of riding the bus, walking or biking to the station on average of four times per week, the ridesharer will receive the $165 Metrolink discount. This incentive is limited to new bus/walklbike riders only. These modes will be verified by security guards and/or Metrolink Ambassadors, as the ridesharer enters the station property. 3. Existinl!: and Continued Use of Alternate Modes Incentive Prol!:ram a. Drawings for discounts on a monthly rail pass and other prizes. - Once a ridesharer completes his/her three month trial period and demonstrates a commitment of ridesharing to the rail station at least four (4) times per week, the commuter will have the opportunity at drawings and other prizes throughout the one year program. $2,000 has been budgeted for this purpose, during the course of the program. Qualifying modes can be any combination of carpooling, bus riding, walking or bicycling to and from the Metrolink station. b. Membership to Team Ride - When an existing ridesharer to the rail station applies for a permit for preferential parking, or when a new ridesharer to the rail station completes his/her three month trial period, a Team Ride application will be sent to them and encouraged to sign up. Team Ride is the San Bernardino county reward program, rewarding commuters for their commitment to ridesharing. A card is sent to the commuter, which offers discounts to a multitude of restaurants and entertainment venues in the Inland Empire. Currently, SANBAG contracts through RCTC with ITS Consulting to administer commuter assistance programs in San Bernardino County. ITS Consulting has years of demonstrated experience in the management of commuter incentive programs. Under direction, the incentive discounts (the $165 three month trial discount as well as the recruitment bonus) will be distributed by ITS Consulting in the form of "Trainbuck$". The "Trainbuck$" will be customized to conform to the Rideshare to Rails program and will be redeemable by mail. In addition, the Team Ride application and membership will also be managed by ITS Consulting. San Bernardino Rideshare to Rails Grant Preliminary Budget Cost Category MSRC City SANBAG/ITS SCRRA Total Labor for Program Oversight $ 6,000.00 $ 11,190.00 $ 17,190.00 Labor for Security Guards $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00 Labor for Metro Ambassadors $ 1,143.32 $ 1,143.32 Parking Permits $ 700.00 $ 700.00 Painting/Signage $ 900.00 $ 900.00 Advertisement $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00 Website Changes $ 100.00 $ 50.00 $ 100.00 $ 250.00 Direct mail/utility stutters/flyers $ 7,500.00 $ 7,500.00 Program Brochure/Application $ 2,050.00 $ 2,050.00 Finandallnoentives $ 7,250.00 $ 1,650.00 $ 8,900.00 earn Ride $ 3,975.00 $ 3,975.00 Drawings for Prizes $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00 Total $ 24,000.00 $ 8,500.00 $ 16,865.00 $ 1,243.32 $ 50,608.32 1/3/02