san benito county local transportation authority

FINAL

SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN

MARCH 2008

SAN BENITO COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY[ ]


SAN BENITO LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY PAGE 1

San Benito County Local Transportation Authority Short Range Transit Plan

March 2008

Prepared for: San Benito County Local Transportation Authority

330 Tres Pinos Road, Suite C7 Hollister, CA 95023

Prepared in conjunction with: Moore & Associates, Inc.

28150 Avenue Stanford, Suite 110 Valencia, CA 91355

www.moore-associates.net The preparation of this Short Range Transit Plan has been funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), through Section 5305 of the Federal Transit Act and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program of the Federal Highway Administration. The contents of the Short Range Transit Plan does not necessarily reflect those of USDOT, Federal Transit Administration, or the Federal Highway Administration..



Special thanks to the following project contributors:

Local Transportation Authority Board of Directors George Dias, Chair, City Council Member for the City of San Juan Bautista

Anthony Botelho, Director, Supervisor for San Benito County

Don Marcus, Director, Supervisor for San Benito County

Brad, Pike, Director, Mayor for the City of Hollister

Pauline Valdivia, City Council Member for the City of Hollister

Local Transportation Authority Staff Lisa Rheinheimer, Executive Director

Mary Dinkuhn, Transportation Planning Manager

Veronica Lezama, Transportation Planner

Betty Li, Transportation Planner

Regina Valentine, Transportation Planning Intern

Alfredo Martinez, Transportation Planning Intern

Kathy Postigo, Administrative Services Specialist

Monica Gomez, Secretary

Frances Kelly, Office Assistant

Technical Advisory Committee Lisa Rheinheimer, Chair, Executive Director of Council of San Benito County Governments

Jerry Lo, Member, Director of San Benito County Public Works

Arthur Henriques, Member Director of San Benito County Planning and Building Inspection Services

Clint Quilter, Member, City Manager for the City of Hollister

Bill Avera, Member, Director of Development Services for the City of Hollister

Mark McCumsey, Member, Regional Planner, Caltrans

Brent Newman, Captain for California Highway Patrol

Janice McClintock, Member, City Manager for the City of San Juan Bautista

Social Services Transportation Advisory Committee Pauline Valdivia, Chair, Jovenes de Antaño

Kevin D. Toy, Member, HOPE Rehabilitation Service

J. Carmen Betancourt, Member, Community Service and Workforce Development

Dolly Devasier, Member

Clay Kempf, Member, Area Agency on Aging

Tony Mercado, Member, Transit Operations Manager



TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11

2. PROJECT OVERVIEW 15 Statement of Project Objectives 15 Situational Analysis 17 Overview of Methodology 19 Demand Assessment 21

3. SERVICE AND SYSTEM EVALUATION 29 County Express Service Overview 29 Jovenes de Antaño Service Overview 33 Fixed Route Performance Evaluation 35 Dial-A-Ride Performance Evaluation 42 Jovenes de Antaño Performance Evaluation 47

4. PEER REVIEW 53 Fixed Route 58 Dial-A-Ride 66

5. RIDECHECK ANALYSIS 75 Fixed Route On-Time Performance 75 Fixed Route Boarding and Alighting 78 Dial-A-Ride On-Time Performance 89 Dial-A-Ride Origin and Destination Study 91 Dial-A-Ride Cancellation and No-Show 94

6. ON-BOARD SURVEY ANALYSIS 97 Demographic Profile 98 On-Board Survey Findings 109

7. COMMUNITY SURVEY ANALYSIS 113 Demographic Profile 115 Community Survey Findings 123

8. COMMUNITY OUTREACH ANALYSIS 125

9. GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STANDARDS 127



10. MARKETING 131 Overview of Marketing Efforts 131 Comprehensive Marketing Strategy 137 Marketing Budget and Timeline 172

11. SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS 175 Service Alternatives 175 Service Recommendations 189

12. CAPITAL AND FINANCIAL PLAN 201 Capital Plan 202 Financial Plan 210

13. PREFERRED SCENARIO 221 Fixed Route 221 Paratransit 229 Fare Structure 233

14. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 241

15. APPENDICES 243 Appendix A: Survey Instruments 246 Appendix B: Additional Graphics 252 Appendix C: Marketing Tools 256 Appendix D: Proposed Template 258



TABLE OF EXHIBITS

Page Exhibit No. Exhibit Title No.

Exhibit 1-1 Local Transportation Authority Organizational Chart 11 Exhibit 2-1 Population Change 21 Exhibit 2-2 Overall County Population Distribution 22 Exhibit 2-3 Key Trip Generators 26 Exhibit 2-4 List of Trip Generators 27 Exhibit 3-1 Fixed Route and Intercounty Fares 30 Exhibit 3-2 Fixed Route Service Area 31 Exhibit 3-3 Dial-A-Ride Service Area 32 Exhibit 3-4 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Fares 33 Exhibit 3-5 Jovenes de Antaño Fares 34 Exhibit 3-6 Fixed Route Performance Measures and Indicators 36 Exhibit 3-7 Fixed Route Annual Ridership 37 Exhibit 3-8 Fixed Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour 38 Exhibit 3-9 Fixed Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile 39 Exhibit 3-10 Fixed Route Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour 40 Exhibit 3-11 Fixed Route Operating Cost/Passenger 40 Exhibit 3-12 Fixed Route Farebox Recovery 41 Exhibit 3-13 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Performance Measures and Indicators 42 Exhibit 3-14 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Annual Ridership 43 Exhibit 3-15 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour 43 Exhibit 3-16 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile 44 Exhibit 3-17 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour 45 Exhibit 3-18 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Operating Cost/Passenger 45 Exhibit 3-19 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Farebox Recovery 46 Exhibit 3-20 Jovenes de Antaño Performance Measures and Indicators 47 Exhibit 3-21 Jovenes de Antaño Annual Ridership 48 Exhibit 3-22 Jovenes de Antaño Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour 48 Exhibit 3-23 Jovenes de Antaño Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile 49 Exhibit 3-24 Jovenes de Antaño Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour 50 Exhibit 3-25 Jovenes de Antaño Operating Cost/Passenger 50 Exhibit 3-26 Jovenes de Antaño Farebox Recovery 51 Exhibit 4-1 Cornerstone Evaluation Criteria 53 Exhibit 4-2 Peer Systems Base Fares 59 Exhibit 4-3 Fixed Route Key Indicators (FY2005/06) 58 Exhibit 4-4 Fixed Route Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour 59 Exhibit 4-5 Peer Review: Fixed Route Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile 50 Exhibit 4-6 Peer Review: Fixed Route Operating Cost/Passenger 61 Exhibit 4-7 Peer Review: Fixed Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour 62




Exhibit 4-8 Fixed Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile 63 Exhibit 4-9 Fixed Route Farebox Recovery 64 Exhibit 4-10 Fixed Route Average Fare/Passenger 65 Exhibit 4-11 Demand-Response Key Indicators (FY2005/06) 66 Exhibit 4-12 Demand-Response Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour 67 Exhibit 4-13 Demand-Response Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile 68 Exhibit 4-14 Demand-Response Operating Cost/Passenger 69 Exhibit 4-15 Demand-Response Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour 70 Exhibit 4-16 Demand-Response Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile 71 Exhibit 4-17 Demand-Response Farebox Recovery 72 Exhibit 4-18 Demand-Response Average Fare/Passenger 73 Exhibit 5-1 System-Wide On-Time Performance 76 Exhibit 5-2 Individual Fixed Route On-Time Performance 77 Exhibit 5-3 Fixed Route Average Boardings/Trip 78 Exhibit 5-4 Clockwise Loop Boarding and Alighting Activity 80 Exhibit 5-5 Counter-Clockwise Loop Boarding and Alighting Activity 82 Exhibit 5-6 Business District Line Boarding and Alighting Activity 84 Exhibit 5-7 Fourth Street Line Boarding and Alighting Activity 86 Exhibit 5-8 Intercounty Route Boarding and Alighting Activity 88 Exhibit 5-9 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit On-Time Performance 990 Exhibit 5-10 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Weekend and Weekday Performance 90 Exhibit 5-11 Top 10 Dial-A-Ride Destinations 92 Exhibit 5-12 Top Trip Generator Categories - Origins 92 Exhibit 5-13 Top Trip Generator Categories - Destinations 93 Exhibit 5-14 Cancellations and “No-Shows” 95 Exhibit 6-1 Rider Age 99 Exhibit 6-2 Household Income 99 Exhibit 6-3 Trip Purpose 100 Exhibit 6-4 Incidence of Ridership 101 Exhibit 6-5 Length of Patronage 101 Exhibit 6-6 Access to Bus Stop 102 Exhibit 6-7 Reason for Riding County Express 102 Exhibit 6-8 Mobility Alternatives 103 Exhibit 6-9 Typical Fare 104 Exhibit 6-10 Service Attribute Satisfaction 104 Exhibit 6-11 Desired Service Improvements 105 Exhibit 6-12 On-Board Survey: Additional Trips Based on Service Improvement 106 Exhibit 6-13 On-Board Survey: Information Channels 107 Exhibit 6-14 On-Board Survey: Radio Stations 108 Exhibit 7-1 Community Survey: Household Income 115




Exhibit 7-2 Ride Dependency 115 Exhibit 7-3 Awareness by Age Group 116 Exhibit 7-4 Awareness by Household Income 117 Exhibit 7-5 Barriers to Using County Express 117 Exhibit 7-6 Ridership Frequency 118 Exhibit 7-7 Service Patronage 118 Exhibit 7-8 Former Riders vs. Barriers 119 Exhibit 7-9 Attribute Satisfaction Ratings 120 Exhibit 7-10 Attribute Importance Ratings 120 Exhibit 7-11 Preferred Information Channels 121 Exhibit 7-12 Radio Stations 121 Exhibit 7-13 Print Media 122 Exhibit 9-1 Goals, Objectives, and Standards 128 Exhibit 10-1 Marketing Assessment 136 Exhibit 10-2 Marketing Timeline 173 Exhibit 11-1 Current System Map 177 Exhibit 11-2 Previous System Map 179 Exhibit 11-3 Service Reduction System Map 181 Exhibit 11-4 Service Expansion System Map 185 Exhibit 11-5 General Public Dial-A-Ride Proposed Service Area 188 Exhibit 11-6 Summary of Proposed Service Alternatives 188 Exhibit 11-7 Proposed Headways 190 Exhibit 12-1 Funding Matrix 201 Exhibit 12-2 County Express Fleet List and Proposed Replacement Year 203 Exhibit 12-3 Fleet Prices 203 Exhibit 12-4 Fare Cost Benefit Matrix 206 Exhibit 12-5 Service Alternative A (Current System) Capital Plan 207 Exhibit 12-6 Service Alternative B (Previous System) Capital Plan 208 Exhibit 12-7 Service Alternative C (Service Reduction) Capital Plan 208 Exhibit 12-8 Service Alternative D (Service Expansion) Capital Plan 209 Exhibit 12-9 Service Alternative E (General Public Dial-A-Ride) Capital Plan 209 Exhibit12-10 Fixed Route Operating Expenses & Performance (Service

Alternative A) 211

Exhibit 12-11 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Operating Expenses & Performance (Service Alternative A)

211

Exhibit 12-12 Financial Plan (Service Alternative A) 211 Exhibit 12-13 Fixed-Route Operating Expenses & Performance (Service

Alternative B) 213

Exhibit 12-14 ADA Paratransit Operating Expenses & Performance (Service Alternative B)

213

Exhibit 12-15 Financial Plan (Service Alternative B) 213




Exhibit 12-16 Fixed Route Operating Expenses & Performance (Service Alternative C)

215

Exhibit 12-17 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Operating Expenses & Performance (Service Alternative C)

215

Exhibit 12-18 Financial Plan (Service Alternative C) 215 Exhibit 12-19 Fixed Route Operating Expenses & Performance (Service

Alternative D) 217

Exhibit 12-20 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Operating Expenses & Performance (Service Alternative D)

217

Exhibit 12-21 Financial Plan (Service Alternative D) 217 Exhibit 12-22 Dial-A-Ride Operating Expenses & Performance (Service

Alternative E) 218

Exhibit 12-23 Financial Plan (Service Alternative E) 219 Exhibit 12-24 Financial and Capital Comparison (Estimated for FY2007/08) 219 Exhibit 12-25 Financial and Capital Comparison (Estimated for FY2011/12) 220 Exhibit 13-1 Service Alternative B Alignment 223 Exhibit 13-2 Service Alternative B Alignment with Trip Generators 224 Exhibit 13-3 Blue Line Schedule 226 Exhibit 13-4 Green Line Schedule 226 Exhibit 13-5 Red Line Schedule 227 Exhibit 13-6 Intercounty – Gavilan Route Schedule 227 Exhibit 13-7 Intercounty – Caltrain Route Schedule 228 Exhibit 13-8 Intercounty – Greyhound Route Schedule 228 Exhibit 13-9 ADA Paratransit Service Area 230 Exhibit 13-10 Proposed Regular Fixed Route Fares (Option 1) 235 Exhibit 13-11 Proposed Discount Fixed Route Fares (Option 1) 235 Exhibit 13-12 Percent Differences of Proposed Fare and Ridership (Option 1) 236 Exhibit 13-13 Fixed Route Farebox Recovery Projections with Option 1 236 Exhibit 13-14 County Express Farebox Recovery Projections with Option 1 236 Exhibit 13-15 Preferred Service Alternative Financial Plan (Option 1) 237 Exhibit 13-16 Proposed Fixed Route Regular Fares (Option 2) 237 Exhibit 13-17 Proposed Fixed Route Discount Fares (Option 2) 238 Exhibit 13-18 Proposed Fare Restructure (Option 3) 239 Exhibit 14-1 First Year Implementation Timeline 242 Exhibit 14-2 Five Year Implementation Timeline 244 Exhibit A-1 On-Board Survey (English)Title 246 Exhibit A-2 On-Board Survey (Spanish) 247 Exhibit A-3 Community Survey (English) 248 Exhibit A-4 Community Survey (Spanish) 250 Exhibit B-1 Youth Population Distribution 252 Exhibit B-2 Senior Population Distribution 252




Exhibit B-3 Disabled Population Distribution 253 Exhibit B-4 Low-Income Households Distribution 253 Exhibit B-5 Incidence of Vehicle Ownership 254 Exhibit B-6 Top 15 Dial-A-Ride Origins 254 Exhibit B-7 Top 15 Dial-A-Ride Destinations 255 Exhibit C-1 Comment Card (English) 256 Exhibit C-2 Comment Card (Spanish) 257 Exhibit D-1 Sample Proposed Monthly Service Report 258



Page Intentionally Blank



CHAPTER 1 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Project Overview The purpose of the project was to update the 1995 Short Range Transit Plan for County

Express, the largest public transit provider in San Benito County and operated by the

Local Transportation Authority. Unlike the previous Plan, the 2008 Short Range Transit

Plan includes an evaluation of the County Express’ older and newer services, and

Jovenes de Antaño, a non-profit organization that Local Transportation Authority

contracts with for specialized transportation services. The Plan includes the following:

1. Review and update of goals, objectives, and performance standards;

2. Individual service and system evaluations;

3. Service and system recommendations;

4. Strategic marketing plan; and

5. Capital and financial plans.

Organizational Structure The County’s public transit provider is the San Benito County Local Transportation

Authority. The Authority administers and operates County Express and contracts with

Jovenes de Antaño for specialized transportation services. The Authority is governed by

a five member Board of Directors of appointed public officials from the Board of

Supervisors and the City Councils of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. Exhibit 1-1

provides a more detailed organizational chart for the Local Transportation Authority.

Exhibit 1-1 Local Transportation Authority Organizational Chart

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS

(RTPA & Funding Agency)

SOCIAL SERVICES TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING MANAGER

SUPERVISING MAINTENANCE MECHANIC

PART-TIME TRANSIT MECHANIC

COUNTY EXPRESS MV Transportation, Inc.

(Private Contractor)

SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION Jovenes de Antaño

(Non-Profit Organization)

TRANSPORTATION PLANNER



System Evaluation The Short Range Transit Plan’s system evaluation of County Express was conducted

with the following tools:

1. On-Board and community surveys;

2. Peer review; and

3. County Express’ performance and maintenance records.

Overall, the Plan concludes that there is a great need for Fixed Route services in San

Benito County. In a peer review, County Express’ Fixed Route and Dial-A-Ride to the

services was compared to the services of its peers of similar size, population, and

service area. For some performance indicators, County Express appeared to be on

track with its peers. However, there is room for improvement.

Other aspects of County Express were evaluated. Customer service, on-time

performance and marketing were found to be lacking. However, County Express is

involved in the community by participating in events, such as, Kids in the Park, Bike

Week, and Rideshare Week.

System Recommendations In response the findings in the service evaluation, there were five options evaluated for

route changes for Fixed Route:

1. Keep the current system;

2. Reverting back to 2004 system;

3. Reducing Fixed Route service;

4. Expanding Fixed Route service; and

5. Eliminating Fixed Route service and have only Dial-A-Ride.

The Short Range Transit Plan recommends that County Express return back to the 2004

system with some minor modifications, including an additional stop at the San Benito

County Jail.

In addition to the Fixed Route service recommendations, the Plan also provided

suggestions for improving the entire County Express operation. One recommendation is

to change to the previous Fixed Route naming system of colors. Currently, routes are

named “Counter-Clockwise” and “Clockwise.” These names created an issue with

translation from English to Spanish texts for customers who spoke and/or read only



Spanish. Implementing a simple naming system will be easier for staff to translate and

for customers to remember.

A capital and financial plan was developed that included a fleet replacement and

marketing plan to ensure fleet sustainability and attract and retain new ridership. Bus

stop amenities are also discussed in the capital portion of the plan. It also

recommended a change from tickets to tokens to save the printing expense. Tokens

may be reused for the life of the token, while tickets are only used once. The switch

from tickets to tokens would also be done in conjunction with fare increase hearings.

The Plan recommends that fare increase be implemented. Fare increases will only

occur after hearings allow for public comment

Implementation Timeline During the first year (2008) of implementation, there are 11 tasks that will be

accomplished. During the implementation process, the Local Transportation Authority

should continue to monitor the system’s performance and community outreach to ensure

that the public is aware of the coming changes. The implementation of the

recommendations should be concluded by December 2008.

During the second year (2009), the Authority should make adjustments to the Fixed

Route to address any unforeseen issues that may arise. Issues may include schedule

adjustments. A customer review survey should be conducted at the one-year

anniversary of the changes.

During the entire lifespan of the Short Range Transit Plan (2008 to 2012), the Authority

should continue to monitor County Express’ performance, strengthen marketing efforts,

and community outreach.






CHAPTER 2 – PROJECT OVERVIEW

STATEMENT OF PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The San Benito County Local Transportation Authority administers and operates public

transportation services in the County. The Local Transportation Authority contracts with

a private operator to provide driver, dispatch, and management services for the transit

system. Under the name of County Express, the Local Transportation Authority

operates a Fixed Route transit service that serves the City of Hollister, a complementary

ADA Paratransit service, General Public Dial-a-Ride service, and Intercounty services to

the city of Gilroy in Santa Clara County. The Local Transportation Authority also

contracts with Jovenes de Antaño, a small non-profit organization that provides

specialized transportation to the elderly and persons with disabilities.

The San Benito County Local Transportation Authority, aware of changing travel needs

and concerned with decreasing transit ridership, published a Request for Proposals for

an update of the San Benito County Short Range Transit Plan. An independent

consultant was chosen via a competitive selection process.

Throughout the course of the project, discussions were held with the San Benito County

Local Transportation Authority Board of Directors as well as the staff charged with the

daily administration and operation of the County Express program. The erosion of

ridership and associated fare revenue called into question public transit in San Benito

County. Had County Express reached a point of diminishing return? Is the provision of

public transit a viable undertaking within San Benito County? Is there something so

fundamentally wrong that it causes County Express to perform in a manner contrary to

its peers and/or the transit industry at-large?

Based on a course of objective and comprehensive evaluation of transportation services

funded by the Local Transportation Authority, elimination of County Express is not

believed to be a viable alternative, from either a compliance or practical point-of-view.

Given the County Express’ 18-year existence, it would be virtually impossible to

conclude the need for affordable public transit as a mobility option no longer exists.

Although ridership across the last several years has decreased, findings from the



onboard survey conducted in December 2006 reveal a significant percentage (nearly 75

percent) of the respondents had patronized County Express for at least a year. Further,

arguably the clearest evidence of continuing “need” is reflected in the public testimony

gathered as part of the Local Transportation Authority’s annual Transportation

Development Act Article 8 public hearing process.

Adoption of a radically different service delivery strategy is both impractical and probably

not attainable within the framework of either immediate or probable funding. For

example, if the County Express were to transition away from its historic two-tier (i.e.,

fixed-route and demand-response) service delivery strategy to a strategy based on a

general-public demand-response service, the historic investment which the public has

made in the County Express across the past 18 years would be nullified because

residents may perceive that service to the area has been reduced. Beyond the capital

considerations, such a decision would negatively impact nearly every rider who has

come to rely on the County Express to enhance his or her personal mobility. Therefore,

identifying strategies for optimizing the value of the current framework of the County

Express services becomes the most reasonable and practical path to pursue.

A comprehensive, interrelated set of service options were subsequently developed

based on historic performance (i.e., ridership, travel patterns), community outreach, field

observations, industry “best practices,” and the professional experience of the

consultant.

In closing, it is essential the Local Transportation Authority regain the confidence of the

San Benito County community. It must embrace service strategies addressing the

mobility needs, funding realties, and political sensibilities of the community it serves.



SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS San Benito County is located in the Coast Range Mountains of California. The County,

nestled in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Metropolitan Statistical Area, is spread

over 1,391 square miles of land and two square miles of water.

According to Census 2000, the population stood at

53,234. The county seat is the City of Hollister, which

accounts for approximately three-fifths of the County's

total population. Historic El Camino Real passes

through the County, where the original San Juan

Bautista Mission stands to this day.

During his expedition to complete the chain of missions in California in 1772, Father

Juan Crespi named a small river in honor of Saint Benedict, the patron saint of the

married. The area surrounding the river became known as the San Benito Valley.

Some 25 years later, Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen christened the mission at San

Juan Bautista in the northwestern part of what was later to become San Benito County.

On February 12, 1874, Governor Newton Booth signed a bill creating a new county from

part of Monterey County, naming it after the San Benito Valley. The county’s population

grew so quickly that, 13 years later, the California legislature expanded the county

boundaries to include parts of Merced and Fresno counties. These boundaries have

remained unchanged since 1887.

San Benito County’s population continues to

grow. With large parcels of available land, San

Benito holds endless possibilities for new

business establishment. Agriculture is San

Benito County’s top industry, grossing more

than $208 million annually. Top crops include

lettuce, bell peppers, onions, celery, broccoli, and cabbage. Livestock and livestock and

poultry products are also an important commodity. Although agriculture produces the

most revenue, manufacturing reflects the greatest number of businesses (12,527 in

1999).



San Benito County is served by eleven school

districts. Education in San Benito County begins early

with the accredited preschools of Sacred Heart,

Presbyterian Preschools, and Growth & Opportunity.

The area’s elementary schools have strong math and

reading programs, modern facilities, and up-to-date

equipment. They have been recognized throughout

California for the development and use of outstanding computer-assisted learning

programs. Secondary education takes place at the county’s two junior high schools, two

high schools, and one continuation high school. Higher education opportunities abound

at Gavilan College locations in Hollister and Gilroy as well as nearby California State

University campuses in Monterey Bay and San Jose.

As housing costs have risen in the San Francisco Bay Area, commuters have begun

relocating to San Benito County. Accordingly, the area has experienced an annual

growth rate of 5.8 percent. The Association of Monterey Bay Governments estimated of

the more than 13,000 individuals employed in San Benito County, 40 percent commuted

outside the county. The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments estimates this

will increase by at least 53 percent each year, reaching over 9,000 commuters by 2010

and over 15,000 by 2020. This trend presents opportunities for San Benito County Local

Transportation Authority and its public transportation service, the County Express.

Service Area Characteristics

The county is traversed by California State Route 156, a direct east-west route from

Monterey County through San Juan Bautista to Hollister.

From north to south, California State Route 25 travels from Gilroy through Hollister, Tres

Pinos, and Paicines before terminating at the junction of California State Route 198.

U.S. Highway 101 passes through the western edge of the county, linking Los Angeles

with Oregon.



OVERVIEW OF METHODOLOGY

The methodology used in the development of San Benito’s Short Range Transit Plan

included the acquisition of data from a wide variety of sources. The following methods

were used in the collection of data required to evaluate the transit program and craft

meaningful service alternatives and recommendations.

Data Review

Among the documents reviewed in the preparation of the Short Range Transit Plan were

the prior Short Range Transit Plan (1995), Regional Transportation Plan (2005),

Triennial Performance Audit (2006), Transportation Development Act Article 8 Unmet

Needs summaries, monthly operator reports, and Dial-A-Ride and ADA Paratransit

driver logs. Planned and proposed development, both residential and commercial,

within San Benito County was also reviewed to analyze future transit demand. Finally,

recent and current marketing activities for County Express were examined to assess

impact and continued relevance.

Site Visits

Site visits and interviews were conducted with Local Transportation Authority Board of

Directors, Local Transportation Authority staff, and operations contractor staff to develop

a thorough understanding of the transit program, its governance and operation, current

fleet, and the environment in which it operates. The improved insight resulting from

these activities contributed to recommendations tailored specifically to San Benito

County.

Surveys

Several surveys were conducted between December 2006 and March 2007 to gather

information regarding the performance of the County Express service, assess customer

satisfaction, develop a demographic profile of the “typical” County Express rider,

evaluate marketing channels, and determine what the community perceives as barriers

to using public transportation in San Benito County. A ride check, an assessment of on-

time performance as well as service productivity (i.e., the number of passengers

boarding and alighting on each route and at each bus stop), was conducted in

December 2006. (Similar data was obtained for the Dial-A-Ride service through a

review of driver trip logs.) An on-board survey, conducted in December 2006, compiled



information on demographics, travel behavior, and customer satisfaction from current

County Express riders. A community survey, distributed by mail, in person, and via the

internet, asked residents (both riders and non-riders) to provide information such as

demographics, awareness of transit services, barriers to use, travel patterns, and

preferred informational channels. The data obtained through these surveys helped form

an overall picture of transit’s role in San Benito County, as well as revealing the

attributes and services most important to current transit customers.

Peer Review

A peer review was completed focusing on other transit operators of similar size, scope,

and service delivery. While no system can be an exact match to the fixed-route and

demand-response services provided by County Express, a range of “typical”

performance can be assessed by comparing standard performance indicators. This

peer review offers comparisons between San Benito County’s transit system and those

in Madera, Calaveras, Tulare, Amador, and Kings Counties.

Community Outreach

Community involvement is a vital component of any transit planning activity. In addition

to the surveys detailed above, community input was obtained through public workshops

and the County Express website. These opportunities for public involvement ensured

the resulting service modifications were appropriate for the community as a whole and

did not focus solely on the interests of a small population.



DEMAND ASSESSMENT

In order to determine where a demand for public transit is most likely to exist, it is

customary to identify concentrations of ride-dependent residents. An individual who is

considered ride- or transit-dependent relies on public transportation for some or all of his

or her basic mobility. Typically, a community’s ride-dependent population is composed

of youth, seniors, persons with disabilities, persons at or below the federal poverty level,

and persons without access to a private vehicle. Demand also revolves around trip

generators, which are locations likely to be frequented by large portions of the overall

population as well as those considered ride-dependent. Examples of trip generators

include schools, healthcare facilities, social service providers, and retail and employment

centers.

Because demographic information is collected every ten years as a part of the federal

census, it can be used to map concentrations of the above-mentioned population

groups. Using Environmental Systems Research Institute ArcView 9.2 and Geographic

Information Systems (GIS) software, zones within the County Express service area

exhibiting significant concentrations of ride-dependent persons are easily identified.

POPULATION San Benito County’s overall population grew 45.1 percent between 1990 and 2000,

reaching approximately 53,234. The population of the County Express’ primary service

area (i.e., urbanized Hollister) grew to 34,413 residents during the same period,

representing a 69.2 percent increase.

Exhibit 2-1 Population Change

1990 2000 % Increase 2010 2015San Benito County 36,697 53,234 45.1% 55,842 57,493 59,622

U.S. Census Population Estimated 2006 Population

Population Forcast

Areas with the greatest population density are located in the northern portion of the

County in the Cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. Of the 53,234 residents in San

Benito County, 64.6 percent live in Hollister. The population is growing right around 5.8

percent each year in San Benito County, compared to a statewide growth rate of nearly

6.5 percent. One of the more important driving forces behind the County’s growth is the



increasing number of jobs in the neighboring Silicon Valley. Because of steep housing

costs and limited availability, individuals employed in the Silicon Valley and San

Francisco Bay Area look to San Benito County and other outlying areas for less

expensive housing options.

Exhibit 2-2 Overall County Population Distribution



Youth Population

Youth are defined as individuals between the ages of 5 and 17. San Benito County has

a youth population of 12,479, or 23.4 percent of the total population. (Refer to Appendix

B for a graphical representation of the youth population distribution.) Because youth are

traditionally considered to be a ride-dependent population (due to lack of a driver license

and/or access to a personal vehicle), public transit is an important home-to-school travel

alternative.

Approximately 68 percent of the county’s youth population

resides within Hollister. The highest concentration of youth in

central Hollister reflects the fact that three of the four public

secondary schools in the county are located in this section of

the community. Two public middle schools are also located in

central Hollister: Rancho San Justo at Rancho Drive and East

Park Street, and Marguerite Maze on Meridian Street, east of Highway 25. San Benito

High School is located at the intersection of Monterey Street and Nash Road. San

Andreas Continuation High School is also located in central Hollister. The other public

high school in the County, Anzar High School, is in San Juan Bautista, which has a

modest enrollment. Elementary schools tend to be more community-based and are

therefore spread throughout the populated portions of the county.

Senior Population

Seniors are defined as individuals age 65 or older. The senior population of San Benito

County is 4,217, or 7.9 percent of the total population. (Refer to Appendix B for a

graphical representation of the senior population distribution.)

Of these 4,217 individuals, 2,151 reside in Hollister. Seniors are predominately

concentrated in the central and southern areas of the city. These areas boast relatively

easy access to healthcare services as well as retail and social services. This distribution

suggests many seniors choose to live close to their healthcare providers for

convenience. When taking into account this population distribution as well as data

arising from both the community and transit rider surveys, it is clear much of San

Benito’s senior population relies on public transit to access healthcare services.



Central Hollister is fairly densely populated with medical facilities such as the San Benito

County Health Foundation (Felice Drive at San Juan Road) and Hollister Community

Center (West Street and 3rd Street). Healthcare services in the southern section of the

community are offered at sites such as the Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital (Sunset

Drive and Memorial Drive) and Hollister Cardiac Rehabilitation Center (Sunnyslope

Road at Memorial Drive). Also within proximity of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital are

several nursing and care homes such as Hazel Hawkins Convalescent Hospital,

Solutions Senior Mental Health Services, and the William and Inez Mabie Skilled

Nursing Facility.

Disabled Population

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a disability is defined as “a physical or mental

impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities” (29 U.S.C. §705(9)).

These disabilities can be sensory, physical, or mental. There are 13,779 persons with

disabilities age 5 years and older within the study area, translating to approximately 25.9

percent of the total population. (Refer to Appendix B for a graphical representation of

the disabled population distribution.)

Slightly more than 17 percent of the County’s disabled

residents reside in Hollister. The highest concentrations

of disabled individuals live in the central, south central,

and eastern sections of Hollister. This is similar to the

distribution of the senior population, and can be

attributed to the various healthcare, physical therapy,

and rehabilitation facilities located in these areas (including the Hazel Hawkins Memorial

Hospital Department of Physical Therapy and the Department of Rehabilitation).

Low-Income Population

According to Census 2000, approximately 10 percent (5,241) of the residents of San

Benito County are living at or below the federal poverty level. (Refer to Appendix B for a

graphical representation of the low-income population distribution.)

The greatest concentrations of low-income persons are in San Juan Bautista and the

central and northeastern portions of Hollister. Approximately 77 percent of low-income



residents live in census block groups that are either completely or partially within

Hollister city limits. Another 6.3 percent reside within San Juan Bautista. These

individuals may not have access to a personal automobile as their primary mode of

transportation, and therefore may rely on public transit for their basic mobility needs.

Incidence of Vehicle Ownership

The number of households in San Benito County reporting no access to a personal

vehicle is 772. This translates to 4 percent of the total population. The distribution of

these households corresponds to those areas featuring high populations of youth,

seniors, and persons with disabilities (specifically, central and southern Hollister). These

high concentrations of ride-dependent persons suggest a large need and demand for

public transit services in those areas. (Refer to Appendix B for a graphical

representation of incidence of vehicle ownership.)



TRIP GENERATORS The identification of major activity centers throughout

the County Express service area provides the basis of

the following:

• Identifying and quantifying demand for a

change in the exiting public transit service.

• Identifying temporal and spatial service

gaps.

Most significant transit activity takes place in the central downtown area of Hollister.

This data was collected through boarding and alighting studies conducted in the ride-

check analysis. Exhibit 2-3 Key Trip Generators



Exhibit 2-4 List of Trip Generators Name Location

San Benito County Free Library 5th St and Monterrey StSan Benito County Superior Court 5th St and Monterrey StHollister Municipal Airport San Felipe Rd and Skyline DrHollister City Hall 5th St and Monterrey StVeterans Memorial Building San Benito St and Browns AlleyHead Start Line St and Steinbeck DrSan Benito Labor Camp Southside Rd and Labor Camp RdHazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Sunset Dr and Memorial DrSan Benito Health Foundation Felice Dr and San Juan RdPinnacle Healthcare Meridian St and McCray StCompassion Pregnancy Services West St and 5th StSan Benito County Health Department 4th Street and Monterrey StHollister Cardiac Rehabilitation Center Sunnyslope Rd and Memorial DrBertha Briggs Memorial Youth Verdun Ave and Memorial DrChamberlains Childrens Center San Benito St and Cienega RdMabie Northside Skilled Nursing Facility Sunset Dr and Airline HwySan Benito Home Health Care Facility Sunset Dr and Airline HwyHazel Hawkins Community Health Clinic Sunset Dr and Airline HwyHazel Hawkins Solutions Program Sunnyslope Rd and Memorial DrHazel Hawkins Rehabilitation Services Sunset Dr and Airline HwyHope Services Technology Pkwy and Apollo WayRidgemark Golf and Country Club Airline Hwy and Fairview RdGranada Theater 5th St and Monterrey StEl Teatro Campesino Tahuahami St and 4th StCalifornia Rec Mall & Family Golf Park Pacheco Pass Hwy and San Felip RdHollister Recreation Center West St and 3rd StUSA Sport Connection Industrial Dr and Hillcrest RdYMCA of San Benito County 5th St and San Benito StPlayers Edge Indoor Family Fun Center Lane Way and Shelton WaySan Juan Oaks Golf Club Nothing Rd and Union RdVeterans Memorial Park Hillcrest Rd and Memorial DrSan Benito High School Monterey St and Palmtag DrGavilan College San Benito St and 4th StCalaveras Elementary Buena Vista Rd and Miller RdCerra Vista Elementary Cerra Vista Dr and Union RdGabilan Hills Elementary Santa Ana Dr and La Baig DrLadd Lane Elementary Ladd Ln and Southside RdR.O. Hardin Elementary Line St and Peridot CtSunnyslope Elementary Memorial Dr and Sunnyslope RdRancho San Justo Junior High Schoo Rancho St and E Park StMarguerite Maze Junior High School Meridian St and Monte Carlo DrSan Andreas Continuation High School Alvarado St and S Chappell RdHollister Business Park Santa Ana Rd and Kane DrTechnology Park Technology Pkwy and Apollo WaySacred Heart Church 5th St and Ann StSavemart McCray St and 3rd StKmart Tres Pinos Rd and Ladd LaneSafeway Supermarket Tres Pinos Rd and McCray StTarget Airline Hwy and Sunset DrNob Hill Supermarket Sunnyslope Rd and Airline Hwy4th Street and San Benito Street 4th St and San Benito StMisssion Oaks Mobile Home Park San Juan Rd and Miller RdGraf Rd and Central Ave Graf Rd and Central AveCentral Ave and Felice Dr Central Ave and Felice Dr






CHAPTER 3 – SERVICE AND SYSTEM EVALUATION

An operational assessment of the San Benito County Express Fixed Route and Demand

Response services was essential to the Short Range Transit Plan process. This

evaluation included an assessment of actual quantitative performance from year to year

as well as comparison with adopted standards.

COUNTY EXPRESS SERVICE OVERVIEW The County Express operates Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday service is available only through general public Dial-A-Ride from

8:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. or the Intercounty Gilroy Greyhound route from 7:40 a.m. to 5:55

p.m. Service holidays are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor

Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Fixed Route, Dial-A-Ride and ADA

Paratransit services are operated by a private contractor, while specialized

transportation services are available through Jovenes de Antaño, a non-profit

organization.

Fixed-Route Service

The County Express service includes four Fixed Routes in the City of Hollister, operating

Monday through Friday from 6:20 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The Fourth Street Line, Business

District Line, Clockwise Loop, and Counter-Clockwise Loop outline Hollister and serve

the city’s most frequented locations. The primary service area is bounded by Graf Road

on the west, Fourth Street on the north, El Toro Drive on the east, and Sunset Drive on

the south; although the Business District Line extends northward along San Felipe Road.

Two Intercounty routes operate Monday through Friday, providing a critical link between

Hollister, San Juan Bautista and destinations in neighboring Santa Clara County. A third

Intercounty route operates on Saturday and Sunday only. Each route originates in

Hollister at Veteran’s Memorial Park and stops at the downtown transfer point at Fourth

Street and San Benito Street.

• Caltrain Route: County Express provides express bus service from

Hollister to the Caltrain commuter rail station in Gilroy. Buses connect

with train departures and arrivals Monday through Friday. This



service operates during peak commuting hours (5:30 a.m. to 8:15

a.m. and 4:35 p.m. to 8:35 p.m.).

• Gavilan College route: Service to Gavilan College operates Monday

through Friday linking Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and Gilroy.

Service days and times reflect the Gavilan College school year.

Limited service is available during school vacation periods. Patrons

may also connect with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

(VTA) bus system at Gavilan College in Gilroy.

• Gilroy Greyhound route: Service is provided on Saturday and Sunday

connecting Hollister and San Juan Bautista to the Greyhound Bus

Terminal in Gilroy. The route is designed to coordinate with

Greyhound departure times.

Intercounty services are widely used because of their variety of destinations and transfer

opportunities to other transit services. Approximately 30 percent of County Express

riders patronize the Intercounty services.

Exhibit 3-1 illustrates the County Express Fixed Route and Intercounty fare structure at

the time of the service evaluation. Transfers are free of charge between local fixed

routes, and are honored two hours from the time of issuance. Children age four and

under ride free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

Exhibit 3-1 Fixed Route and Intercounty Fares

General Public Youth (5-17) Senior (65+)/ Disabled

One-Way Ticket $0.75 $0.50 $0.5010-Ticket Booklet $6.50 $4.50 $4.50Monthly Pass (unlimited rides) $20.00 $14.00 $14.00


One-Way Ticket $1.75 $1.75 $1.7510-Ticket Booklet $16 $16.00 $16.00Monthly Pass (unlimited rides) $56.00 $56.00 $56.00

Local Fixed-Route

Intercounty



Monthly passes may be purchased at the County Express office, 3240 Southside Road

in Hollister.

Exhibit 3-2 Fixed-Route Service Routes



General Public Dial-A-Ride and ADA Paratransit Service

The County Express Dial-A-Ride is a general public, curb-to-curb, demand-response

transit service. The service, which operates Monday through Friday (6:00 a.m. to 7:00

p.m.) and weekends as general public Dial-A-Ride (8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.), is available

to all persons residing within a five-mile radius of downtown Hollister. The ADA

Paratransit Service operates Monday through Friday (6:20 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.). Both

services can be used for a variety of trip purposes including work, medical appointments,

and school. Reservations can be scheduled as early as 14 days in advance, and pick-

ups are scheduled using a 30-minute window.

The service area is divided into two fare zones. Exhibit 3-4 details fares according to

travel zone, rider type, and payment method.

Exhibit 3-3 Dial-A-Ride Service Area



Exhibit 3-4 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Fares


Zone A (Hollister City Limits) $1.75 $1.75 $0.75Zone B (Outside City Limits) $2.00 $2.00 $1.00Zone A 10-Ticket Book (Hollister City Limits) $15.75 $15.75 $6.50Zone B 10-Ticket Book (Outside City Limits) $18.00 $18.00 $9.00ADA Paratransit - Certified Passenger N/A N/A $0.75ADA Paratransit - Companion $1.75 $1.75 $1.00Southside/Sunnyslope Area Reservation Service (advance reservations) $1.25 $0.75 $0.75

Dial-A-Ride

Demand-response alternatives are also available such as Southside and Sunnyslope

Area Discount Reservation Services (SSARS). Non-emergency medical transportation

outside the County Express service area is provided by Jovenes de Antaño. Further

details regarding non-emergency medical transportation are presented below.

JOVENES DE ANTAÑO SERVICE OVERVIEW In addition to County Express-provided Dial-A-Ride services, an additional specialized

transportation service is available to San Benito County residents. The three specialized

transportation services are operated by Jovenes de Antaño, Spanish for “Youth of

Yesteryear.”

The first service is an out-of-county non-emergency medical transportation service.

Although open to the general public, patrons tend to be almost exclusively either seniors

or persons with disabilities. To be eligible for this service, the party must reside within

San Benito County and the desired medical service must not be available within

Hollister. Further, patrons must have no other transportation option and the trip must be

scheduled one week in advance. Despite the scheduling guideline, Jovenes de Antaño

drivers and dispatchers work diligently to accommodate last-minute service requests

(pending space availability).

This non-emergency medical transportation service links Hollister with Gilroy, Monterey,

Palo Alto, Salinas, Santa Cruz, Stanford, and Watsonville. Jovenes de Antaño also

operates a dedicated service for dialysis patients traveling to Gilroy.



A second service provided through Jovenes de Antaño is the Medical and Shopping

Assistance Program. This program provides transportation to non-healthcare

locations/services as well as healthcare appointments. Patrons must be at least 60

years of age or mobility impaired in order to be eligible for the Medical and Shopping

Assistance Program. The fee for this service is one dollar each way, and reservations

must be made two days prior to the desired trip date.

A third Jovenes de Antaño service is known as the San Juan Bautista Route. This free

service transports senior citizens from San Juan Bautista into Hollister for a publicly-

funded Nutrition Program.

Patron escort and Spanish translation are other aspects of this service. Jovenes de

Antaño drivers are trained to assist passengers with translations of initial forms and sign-

in sheets they may encounter at their medical appointments, though drivers do not go

into the actual consultation. Drivers will also escort any patrons requiring mobility

assistance to enter a facility. The service employs four part-time drivers and one full-

time driver. All Jovenes de Antaño vehicles are wheelchair-lift equipped. The hours of

operation for this service vary according to the number of persons traveling as well as

their respective appointment times.

Exhibit 3-5 Jovenes de Antaño Fares


Out of County Medical Transport Free Free Free

Medical and Shopping Assistance Program N/A N/A$1.00/one-way

tripSan Juan Bautista Route N/A N/A Free

Jovenes de Antaño

The Local Transportation Authority contracts with Jovenes de Antaño to operate the

three services listed above. Those services are jointly funded by the Area Agency on

Aging of San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties, and the San Benito County Local

Transportation Authority.



COUNTY EXPRESS SERVICE PERFORMANCE

The success of a transit service can be objectively assessed using indicators which are

standard evaluations of a service’s efficiency and effectiveness regarding cost and

service delivery. Using five common performance measures – operating cost, fare

revenue, vehicle service hours, vehicle service miles, and ridership – performance

indicators can be calculated to address the following:

• How much does it cost to carry one passenger? (Operating

Cost/Passenger)

• How much does it cost to provide one hour or mile of service?

(Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour or Vehicle Service Mile)

• How many passengers are carried for every hour or mile of service

provided? (Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour or Vehicle Service Mile)

• What is the average fare paid per passenger? (Average

Fare/Passenger)

• What percentage of the service’s operating cost is paid via passenger

fares? (Farebox Recovery Ratio)

These performance indicators can be compared to adopted standards to evaluate

operational performance, or compared to like-peer operations to establish a range of

acceptable performance (peer review). It should be noted that the following numbers

reflect a dramatic service change that County Express went through in 2004.

Fixed-Route Performance

Performance measures for County Express’ Fixed Route service were evaluated across

three fiscal years (FY 2003/04, FY 2004/05, and FY 2005/06). Performance indicators

were then calculated from these performance measures, providing the basis for the

following fixed-route performance evaluation. Each performance measure and indicator

is also represented by a graph indicating the trend through the three fiscal years

preceding this report.



Exhibit 3-6 Fixed-Route Performance Measures and Indicators

Performance Measure FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06Operating Cost (Actual $) $408,337 $385,746 $403,445

Annual Change -5.5% 4.4%Fare Revenue (Actual $) $39,959 $29,290 $25,407

Annual Change -26.7% -15.3%Vehicle Service Hours 9,064 9,277 8,427

Annual Change 2.3% -9.2%Vehicle Service Miles 91,460 88,941 83,163

Annual Change -2.8% -6.5%Passengers 76,247 61,145 64,362

Annual Change -19.8% 5.3%

Operating Cost/VSH (Actual $) $45.05 $41.58 $47.88 Annual Change -7.7% 15.1%

Operating Cost/Passenger (Actual $) $5.36 $6.31 $6.27 Annual Change 17.8% -0.6%

Passengerr/VSH 8.41 6.59 7.64Annual Change -21.6% 15.9%

Passengers/VSM 0.83 0.69 0.77Annual Change -17.5% 12.6%

Farebox Recovery 9.8% 7.6% 6.3%Annual Change -22.4% -17.1%

Operating Cost/VSM (Actual) $4.46 $4.34 $4.85Annual Change -2.9% 11.9%

VSM/VSH 10.09 9.59 9.87Annual Change -5.0% 2.9%

Average Fare/Passenger $0.52 $0.48 $0.39Annual Change -8.6% -17.6%

Fixed-Route Performance Indicators

Performance Indicators

Source: Triennial Performance Audit of San Benito Local Transportation Authority:

FY 2003/04 through FY 2005/06



Fixed-Route Ridership Ridership is simply the number of single trips taken aboard a service’s vehicles during a

given period of time. Perhaps the most straightforward of the performance indicators,

ridership provides a single figure that answers the question, “How many people ride the

County Express?”

County Express’ fixed-route ridership has fluctuated across the past three fiscal years.

Ridership peaked during FY 2003/04 at 76,247. A decrease of 19.8 percent followed

between FY 2003/04 and FY 2004/05. The final year, ridership increased slightly (5.3

percent). Decline in ridership during FY 2004/05 may have been due to dissatisfaction

with a changed system alignment in 2004, minimal marketing efforts by the Local

Transportation Authority or an increase in population not dependent on public transit.

Exhibit 3-7 Fixed-Route Annual Ridership

76,247

64,36261,14560,000

65,000

70,000

75,000

80,000

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Fixed-Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

One of the most commonly used yardsticks of service effectiveness, Passengers/Vehicle

Service Hour, indicates how many rides are provided within a service revenue hour. A

revenue hour is defined as each hour the vehicle is actually providing transit service

(versus driving from the maintenance facility to the first stop, for example).

Between FY 2003/04 to FY 2004/05, the Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour indicator

decreased 21.6 percent. Data from the most recent Fiscal Year shows the indicator to

be on the rise, increasing 15.6 percent from FY 2004/05. The prior Short Range Transit

Plan set a benchmark for this indicator of at least 13.0 Passengers/Vehicle Service

Hour. Actual performance last Fiscal Year, more than 10 years after the prior Short

Range Transit Plan, stood at 7.64. This is 41.2 percent below the adopted standard.

Similar to Exhibit 3-7, there was a decline in Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour during FY

2004/05. Decline in ridership may have been due to dissatisfaction with a changed

system alignment, minimal marketing efforts by the Local Transportation Authority or an

increase in population not dependent on public transit. With the system change,

additional hours were added to the schedule. The decrease in ridership accompanied by

an increase in Vehicle Service Hours caused this indicator to drop.

Exhibit 3-8 Fixed-Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

7.64

8.41

6.59

5.005.506.006.507.007.508.008.509.00

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Fixed-Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile

Another common yardstick used for assessing transit service effectiveness is

Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile. While similar to the previous indicator, Passengers/

Vehicle Service Mile measures how many rides are provided for each mile traveled while

providing transit service.

As with Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour, the number of rides provided within each

Vehicle Service Mile fluctuated over the last three Fiscal Years. Between FY 2003/04

and FY 2004/05, the indicator hovered between 0.83 and 0.0.69. The indicator rose 10.4

percent last Fiscal Year. The Local Transportation Authority should strive to meet a

benchmark of no less than 1.00 Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile.

Exhibit 3-9 Fixed-Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile

0.83

0.69

0.77

0.500.550.600.650.700.750.800.850.90

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Fixed-Route Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

The County Express Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour indicator has fluctuated

between $14.00 and $16.00 across the past three fiscal years. The indicator increased

8.4 percent between FY 2003/04 and FY 2004/05, and 13.4 percent the following fiscal

year. No standard was set in the prior Short Range Transit Plan for Operating

Cost/Vehicle Service Hour. Setting a standard of no more than $48.00 for this indicator

is important as it provides important insight into service efficiency.

Exhibit 3-10 Fixed-Route Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

$41.58

$45.05

$47.88

$40.00$41.00$42.00$43.00$44.00$45.00$46.00$47.00$48.00$49.00$50.00

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06

Fixed-Route Operating Cost/Passenger

Operating Cost and overall ridership are inversely related. The increase in Operating

Cost can be attributed to external and internal contributors such as rising fuel and

insurance costs. With the significant decrease in ridership from FY 2003/04 to FY

2004/05, an associated in Operating Cost/Passenger followed. The following Fiscal

Year, as ridership increased slightly, the indicator decreased 5.2 percent.

Exhibit 3-11 Fixed-Route Operating Cost/Passenger

$6.27

$5.36

$6.31

$5.00

$5.50

$6.00

$6.50

$7.00

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Fixed-Route Farebox Recovery Based on State of California’s Transportation Development Act, if the claimant is

categorized as a non-urbanized area, it must maintain a ratio of fare revenues to

operating cost of not less than 10 percent.

From FY 2003/04 to FY 2004/05, the ratio decreased 22.4 percent and 17.1 percent the

following fiscal year. A major contributor to this indicator’s trend is the decline in fare

revenue figures. Between FY 2003/04 and FY 2004/05, fare revenue and operating

costs fell 26.7 percent and 5.5 percent respectively. The significant decline in fare

revenue can be attributed to the decline in ridership. The decline in ridership may have

been due to dissatisfaction with a changed system alignment, minimal marketing efforts

by the Local Transportation Authority, or an increase in population not dependent on

public transit.

The succeeding fiscal year reported the indicator steadily declining 17.1 percent as a

direct result of a modest increase in Operating Cost (4.4 percent) and considerable

decrease in fare revenue (15.3). It is important to note that although ridership numbers

improved, fare revenue continued to decline. This may be associated with non-cash fare

sales (i.e., 10-Trip Booklet, Monthly Pass) which would affect fare revenue figures.

A standard of no less than 15 percent was established in the prior Short Range Transit

Plan.

Exhibit 3-12 Fixed Route Farebox Recovery

9.8%

7.6%6.3%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Dial-A-Ride Performance

Performance measures for the County Express Dial-A-Ride service were evaluated

across three fiscal years (FY 2003/04, FY 2004/05, and FY 2005/06) and are inclusive of

ADA Paratransit as well as general public Dial-A-Ride. Performance indicators were

then calculated from these performance measures, providing a basis for the following

demand-response performance evaluation. Each performance measure and indicator is

also represented by a chart illustrating the trend through the three most recent fiscal

years.

Exhibit 3-13 Dial-A-Ride Performance Measures and Indicators


Annual Change -2.0% 6.2%Fare Revenue (Actual $) $57,638 $69,934 $48,869

Annual Change 21.3% -30.1%Vehicle Service Hours 14,805 15,725 14,556

Annual Change 6.2% -7.4%Vehicle Service Miles 210,562 227,340 211,659

Annual Change 8.0% -6.9%Passengers 54,954 63,412 65,465

Annual Change 15.4% 3.2%


Operating Cost/Passenger (Actual $) $12.14 $10.31 $10.64 Annual Change -15.0% 3.2%

Passengerr/VSH 3.71 4.03 4.50Annual Change 8.6% 11.5%

Passengers/VSM 0.26 0.28 0.31Annual Change 6.9% 10.9%

Farebox Recovery (Actual $) 8.6% 10.7% 7.0%Annual Change 23.8% -34.4%


VSM/VSH 14.22 14.46 14.54Annual Change 1.7% 0.6%

Fare/Passenger $1.05 $1.10 $0.75Annual Change 5.1% -32.3%

Dial-A-Ride Performance Indicators


Source: Triennial Performance Audit of San Benito Local Transportation Authority:

FY 2003/04 through FY 2005/06



Dial-A-Ride Ridership Ridership for the County Express Dial-A-Ride service has increased across the past

three fiscal years. Between FY 2003/04 and FY 2004/05, ridership increased 15.4

percent. Increase in demand-response ridership can due to dissatisfaction with fixed-

route services, increase of school-aged youth without school bus service, or increase in

population outside the fixed-route service area.

Exhibit 3-14 Dial-A-Ride Annual Ridership

54,954

65,46563,412

48,00050,00052,00054,00056,00058,00060,00062,00064,00066,00068,000

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06

Dial-A-Ride Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

The prior Short Range Transit Plan set a benchmark indicator at 5.0 Passengers/Vehicle

Service Hour. Actual performance in FY 2005/06 was 4.5 Passengers/Vehicle Service

Hour, 10 percent below the standard.

Although data from the most recent fiscal year show Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

as below the standard, it is nearing the adopted standard. The 5.0 standard remains

valid.

Exhibit 3-15 Dial-A-Ride Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

4.03

4.50

3.71

3.003.203.403.603.804.004.204.404.60

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Dial-A-Ride Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile

The Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile indicator has been increasing at a near constant

rate. Over the past three fiscal years, Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile has increased

by 19.2 percent, a positive trend in terms of overall service productivity. The Local

Transportation Authority should strive to meet a benchmark of no less than 0.5

Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile.

Exhibit 3-16 Dial-A-Ride Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile

0.31

0.28

0.26

0.230.240.250.260.270.280.290.300.310.32

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Dial-A-Ride Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

Across the last three fiscal years, Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour for the demand-

response service fluctuated significantly. FY 2004/05 saw a decrease of 7.7 percent.

Unfortunately, the trend was short lived as the indicator rose to a historic high of $47.87

in FY 2005/06. The increase in Operating Cost can be attributed to external and internal

contributors such as rising fuel and insurance costs.

The recent increase in Operating Costs can be attributed to rising fuel and insurance

costs. No standard for this indicator was included in the prior Short Range Transit Plan.

Setting a standard of no more than $48.00 for this indicator is important as it provides

insight into service efficiency

Exhibit 3-17 Dial-A-Ride Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

$41.58

$47.87

$45.05

$38.00

$40.00

$42.00

$44.00

$46.00

$48.00

$50.00

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06

Dial-A-Ride Operating Cost/Passenger

Operating Cost/Passenger has declined 12.4 percent over the past three fiscal years.

This trend can be attributed to overall growth in ridership exceeding increases in

operating cost.

Exhibit 3-18 Dial-A-Ride Operating Cost/Passenger

$12.14

$10.64

$10.31

$9.00

$9.50

$10.00

$10.50

$11.00

$11.50

$12.00

$12.50

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Dial-A-Ride Farebox Recovery

Based on the California Transportation Development Act, a non-urbanized operator must

have a farebox recovery standard of no less then 10 percent. A 12-percent benchmark

was established for County Express Dial-A-Ride in the prior Short Range Transit Plan.

Across the three-year evaluation, County Express experienced an overall decrease in

farebox recovery of 18.6 percent. Lowering the standard to 10 percent is reasonable

given recent actual performance.

Exhibit 3-19 Dial-A-Ride Farebox Recovery

8.6%

10.7%

7.0%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Jovenes de Antaño Performance

Exhibit 3-20 presents performance measures and indicators for Jovenes de Antaño for

FY 2003/04, FY 2004/05, and FY 2005/06. Mileage for Jovenes de Antaño services was

unavailable at the time of the study. Therefore, Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile and

Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile could not be calculated. Further, data for

December 2004 was not included in the figures for FY 2004/05, which may slightly skew

measures and indicators within the fiscal year.

Exhibit 3-20 Jovenes de Antaño Performance Measures and Indicators


Annual Change 1.6% 13.0%Fare Revenue (Actual $) $8,094 $6,315 $6,481

Annual Change -22.0% 2.6%Vehicle Service Hours 5,153 5,452 5,477

Annual Change 5.8% 0.5%Vehicle Service Miles 71,045 73,413 79,780

Annual Change 3.3% 8.7%Passengers 7,396 7,079 6,276

Annual Change -4.3% -11.3%


Operating Cost/Passenger (Actual $) $27.66 $29.37 $38.07 Annual Change 6.2% 29.6%

Passengerr/VSH 1.44 1.30 1.15Annual Change -9.5% -11.7%

Passengers/VSM 0.10 0.10 0.08Annual Change -7.4% -18.4%

Farebox Recovery (Actual $) 4.0% 3.0% 2.7%Annual Change -23.2% -10.7%


VSM/VSH 13.79 13.47 14.57Annual Change -2.3% 8.2%

Fare/Passenger $1.09 $0.89 $1.03Annual Change -18.5% 15.8%

Jovenes de Antaño Performance Indicators


Source: Jovenes de Antaño Out-of-County Medical Program Monthly Service Report

July 2003-January 2007



Jovenes de Antaño Ridership

Ridership for the three services operated by Jovenes de Antaño decreased 15 percent

across the last three fiscal years. This drop in ridership may be attributed to insufficient

marketing and lack of awareness by the public.

Exhibit 3-21 Jovenes de Antaño Annual Ridership

7,079

6,276

7,396

5,6005,8006,0006,2006,4006,6006,8007,0007,2007,4007,600

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06

Jovenes de Antaño Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

The number of Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour decreased 20.1 percent between FY

2003/04 and FY 2005/06.

Based on the annual change listed within the Performance Indicators (Exhibit 3-20),

there has been a 6.3-percent increase in Vehicle Service Hours, and a 15-percent

decrease in ridership. To realize improvement in this indicator, ridership needs to

increase or Vehicle Service Hours need to decrease.

Exhibit 3-22 Jovenes de Antaño Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

1.44

1.15

1.30

1.001.051.101.151.201.251.301.351.401.451.50

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Jovenes de Antaño Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile

The number of Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile decreased 20 percent between FY

2003/04 and FY 2005/06. Similar to the Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour indicator, the

decrease associated with this measure is due to a decline in ridership coupled with an

overall increase in mileage. This trend may be associated with patrons utilizing their

options for medical attention in areas such as Palo Alto (approximately 65 miles north of

Hollister). These lengthy trips do not allow for the service to accommodate to as many

passengers as in the previous fiscal years. The Local Transportation Authority should

strive to meet a benchmark of no less than 0.2 Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile.

Exhibit 3-23 Jovenes de Antaño Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile

0.104

0.096

0.079

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

0.10

0.11

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Jovenes de Antaño Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

In FY 2004/05, Jovenes de Antaño posted a four percent decline in this indicator from

the previous year. This can be attributed to a decrease in operating cost and revenue

hours. The indicator rose 14.4 percent the succeeding fiscal year. The increase in

Operating Cost can be attributed to external and internal contributors such as rising fuel

and insurance costs. Setting a standard of no more than $45.00 for this indicator is

important as it provides insight into service efficiency

Exhibit 3-24 Jovenes de Antaño Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

$43.62

$38.13

$39.70

$34.00

$36.00

$38.00

$40.00

$42.00

$44.00

$46.00

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06

Jovenes de Antaño Operating Cost/Passenger

This indicator fluctuated slightly across the past three fiscal years. Between FY 2003/04

and FY 2004/05, the indicator increased 6.2 percent. The following year, the indicator

rose 29.6 percent. This trend will continue to increase as long as loss in ridership

outpaces growth in operating cost.

Exhibit 3-25 Jovenes de Antaño Operating Cost/Passenger

$38.07

$29.37$27.66

$20.00$22.00$24.00$26.00$28.00$30.00$32.00$34.00$36.00$38.00$40.00

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06



Jovenes de Antaño Farebox Recovery

Comparing fare revenue to operating cost illustrates the farebox recovery ratio indicator.

Jovenes de Antaño would employ this indicator as a yardstick for performance

efficiency. The prior Short Range Transit Plan set a farebox recovery standard of 12

percent. Jovenes de Antaño should adopt a farebox recovery target of not less than 10

percent.

Exhibit 3-26 Jovenes de Antaño Farebox Recovery

4.0%

3.0%

2.7%2.5%

2.7%

2.9%

3.1%

3.3%

3.5%

3.7%

3.9%

4.1%

FY 2003/04 FY 2004/05 FY 2005/06






CHAPTER 4 – PEER REVIEW

A simple tried-and-true method of evaluating the effectiveness of a transit service is peer

review. A peer review compares County Express’ Fixed Route and Dial-A-Ride services

with those of similar transit programs in California. This review will also illustrate the

amount of service provided by each peer in relation to the number of persons riding

within the respective service area.

It is difficult to find exact matches to any transit system. Like-peers were identified using

the following criteria (listed in order of importance):

1. Comparable service areas, population, and fleet size;

2. Similarity in type of services offered (i.e., combined fixed-route and demand-

response);

3. Similarity in funding and governance; and

4. Comparable performance indicators (i.e. operating costs, passengers, etc.)

The goal of this review is to quantitatively analyze County Express’ performance as

compared to like-peers. Exhibit 4-1 provides a basic comparison between San Benito

and transit programs in Madera, Tulare, Amador, and Kings Counties. All performance

indicators reflect FY 2005/06 data, while demographic data reflects Census 2000.

Exhibit 4-1 Cornerstone Evaluation Criteria

San Benito County

Madera County

Tulare County

Amador County

Kings County

Area (square miles) 1,391 2,153 4,863 605 1,391Population 53,234 123,138 368,021 38,471 129,461Passengers 64,362 9,056 73,206 113,200 759,007Vehicles 10 4 7 12 14



PEER PROFILES Madera County

Madera County, located in California’s Central Valley, lies to the east of San Benito

County. The Madera County Transportation Commission is responsible for the

administration of several transit services within the County of Madera. Services include

Madera Area Express and its complementary demand-response service (City of

Madera), Chowchilla Area Transit Express (City of Chowchilla), Madera County

Connection, and Eastern Madera County Senior Bus and Escort services.

Madera Area Express is a fixed-route service operating Monday through Friday, 7:00

a.m. until 6:30 p.m.; and Saturday 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The base fare is seventy-

five cents. The City of Madera’s demand-response service is offered as a

complementary service having the same hours of operation as Madera Area Express,

with additional service on Sunday, 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The fare for the general

public Dial-A-Ride is two dollars, which includes travel throughout the designated service

area. The base fare for seniors and persons with disabilities is one dollar within city

limits and two dollars for travel throughout the county.

Chowchilla Area Transit Express (CATX) is a general-public demand-response service

operating Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The base fare is one dollar

within the designated “inner zone” and $1.50 in the designated “outer zone.”

Madera County Connection is an intercity fixed-route service that consists of three

routes: Eastern Madera County, Chowchilla and Fairmead, and Eastin Arcola-

Ripperdan-La Vina. The Eastern Madera County service operates Monday through

Friday, 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. and includes trips to Madera College, Children’s

Hospital, and Yosemite Lakes. The Chowchilla and Fairmead service operates Monday

through Friday, 7:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., traveling along Highway 99 from Chowchilla to

the Madera Municipal Airport. The Eastin Arcola-Ripperdan-La Vina service operates on

Wednesday and Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. The base fare for each of these

services is two dollars, while children age five and under ride free when accompanied by

a fare-paying adult.



The Eastern Madera County Senior Bus is a demand-response service operating

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This service is provided for seniors

and persons with disabilities and the base fare is $1.50.

The Eastern Madera County Escort Service is demand-response service utilizing

volunteer drivers and private vehicles. The service includes medical trips to Madera,

Fresno, and Clovis. Service is also available within the rural communities of North Fork,

Bass Lake, Oakhurst, Coarsegold, and Ahwahnee. The service operates Tuesday and

Thursday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., with a base fare of ten dollars. The Eastern Madera

County Escort Service also operates in the Madera Ranchos area Monday through

Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., with a base fare of five dollars.

Tulare County

Located just south of Fresno County in the San Joaquin Valley, Tulare County provides

deviated fixed-route service (Tulare County Area Transit) with complementary general-

public demand-response service. Deviations to the fixed-route service are restricted to

patrons with special needs. There are four intercity routes and five local circulator

routes. Service is provided Monday through Friday beginning as early as 5:40 a.m. and

ending as late as 7:30 p.m.

The four inter-city routes are designated North, South, Northeast, and Southeast County

routes. The North County Route travels between Cutler, Dinuba, East Orosi, Justice

Complex, Orosi, Patterson Tract, Seville, Sultana, Visalia, and Yettern. The South

County Route travels between Delano, Earlimart, Matheny Tract, Pixley, Richgrove,

Teviston, Tipton, and Tulare. The Northeast County Route travels between Ivanhoe,

Lemon Cove, Three Rivers, Visalia, and Woodlake. The Southeast County Route

travels between Lindsay, Porterville, Strathmore, and Visalia.

The community circulator route names reflect the areas they serve: Dinuba-London-

Traver-Delft Colony, Lindsay-Strathmore-Plainview-Porterville, Portervile-Springville

(Tuesday and Thursday only), Porterville-Terra Bella (Monday and Wednesday only),

and Woodville-Poplar-Porterville. The base fare for any Tulare County Area Transit

fixed-route service is $1.50.



General-public demand-response service is offered at different times, depending on the

individual service area. Service within the Dinuba/Sultana/Monson/Cutler/Orosi area

operates from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Service within Lindsay and Toneyville operates

from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Service within the Pixley/Tipton/Earlimart area operates

from 6:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., and again from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Service within the

City of Tulare operates from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00

p.m. All services operate Monday through Friday. The base fare is seventy-five cents.

Amador County

The Amador Regional Transit System operates as a deviated fixed-route service within

Amador County and its five incorporated cities: Ione, Amador City, Plymouth, Sutter

Creek, and Jackson. Deviations of up to one-half mile off the fixed route can be

accommodated. There are seven routes within the Amador Regional Transit System.

Route C (Sutter Hill/Ione/Camanche), Route V (Sutter Hill/Pine Grove/Volcano), Route S

(Jackson/Sutter Creek Shuttle), Route M (Jackson/Mace Meadow), Route P

(Jackson/Plymouth), Route I (Sutter Hill/Ione), and Route X (Amador/Sacramento

Express).

The adult base fare for the local routes is one dollar, with seniors and persons with

disabilities eligible for a discounted fare of fifty cents. Route X, the express route to

Sacramento, costs $3.50 each way for the entire trip ($1.85 for seniors and persons with

disabilities). Service begins as early as 5:40 a.m. and runs as late as 7:14 p.m. All

routes operate Monday through Friday.

Kings County

Kings Area Rural Transit, the largest public transit provider within Kings County, is

operated by the Kings County Area Public Transit Agency. Kings County is situated in

the San Joaquin Valley just south of Fresno County. Kings County Rural Transit

provides fixed-route and demand-response services throughout Kings County and into

neighboring counties, including the cities of Armona, Avenal, Corcoran, Fresno,

Grangeville, Hardwick, Kettleman City, Laton, Lemoore, Lemoore Naval Air Station,

Stratford, and Visalia.



Six fixed-route alignments “pulse” within downtown Hanford. These services run

Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. until 5:00

p.m. The base fare is one dollar.

Additionally, there are six inter-city fixed-route services within Kings County. One

service runs from Hanford to Lemoore, Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 10:50 p.m.

Another service runs from Hanford to Lemoore to Lemoore Naval Air Station, Monday

through Friday, 5:00 a.m. to 7:20 p.m.; and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. The

Hanford-Avenal service runs Monday through Friday from 6:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m., with

one morning and one afternoon roundtrip on Saturday. The Hanford-Corcoran route has

one morning and one afternoon roundtrip each weekday. The Hanford-Fresno Route

makes one roundtrip each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Hanford-Laton Route

makes one roundtrip on Monday through Friday. The inter-city base fare is $1.50.

A general-public demand-response service is available to those requiring service more

than one-half mile from a designated Kings Area Rural Transit bus stop/route. This

service operates Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. After 6:30 p.m.

service becomes available to any Hanford resident. Service is available in Lemoore

Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Service is available in Avenal Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The base

fare for all demand-response services is two dollars.

Exhibit 4-2 Peer Systems Base Fares

Fixed-Route Demand-Response

Regular 75 cents $1.75Discounted 50 cents 75 cents

Regular $2.00 $1.50Discounted N/A N/A

Regular $1.50 75 centsDiscounted N/A N/A

Regular $1.00 N/ADiscounted 50 cents N/A

Regular $1.00 $2.00Discounted N/A N/A

Kings

San Benito

Madera

Tulare

Amador



FIXED-ROUTE PEER REVIEW

Presented in Exhibit 4-3 are comparisons between County Express’ key fixed-route

performance indicators for Fiscal Year 2005/06 (as discussed in Chapter 4) and those of

the selected peers for the same period.

Exhibit 4-3 Fixed-Route Key Indicators (FY 2005/06)

San Benito County

Madera County

Tulare County

Amador County

Kings County Median Average

Operating Cost $403,445 $300,000 $712,995 $1,002,005 $2,519,368 $712,995 $822,969Fare Revenue $25,407 $12,797 $98,337 $221,204 $440,010 $98,337 $132,959Vehicle Service Hours (VSH) 8,427 4,734 13,840 13,759 39,478 13,759 16,048Vehicle Service Miles (VSM) 83,163 153,086 396,578 311,127 680,349 311,127 324,861Passengers 64,362 9,056 73,206 113,200 759,007 73,206 203,766Total Fleet 12 5 9 12 14 12 10Peak Fleet 10 4 7 12 14 10 9

Operating Cost/VSH $47.88 $63.37 $51.52 $72.83 $63.82 $63.37 $59.88Operating Cost/VSM $4.85 $1.96 $1.80 $3.22 $3.70 $3.22 $3.11Operating Cost/Passenger $6.27 $33.13 $9.74 $8.85 $3.32 $8.85 $12.26Passengers/VSH 7.6 1.9 5.3 8.2 19.2 7.6 8.46Passengers/VSM 0.8 0.1 0.2 0.4 1.1 0.4 0.50Farebox Recovery 6.3% 4.3% 13.8% 22.1% 17.5% 13.8% 12.8%Average Fare/Passenger $0.39 $1.41 $1.34 $1.95 $0.58 $1.34 $1.14



Service Efficiency Two performance indicators are employed to assess service efficiency: Operating

Cost/Vehicle Service Hour and Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile. Efficiency is

defined as having the resources required to achieve the reported outcome. For these

indicators, lower dollar figures represent greater service efficiency.

Amador Regional Transit System’s Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour was the highest

of the peer group (21.6 percent above the peer average). County Express reported the

lowest at $47.88 (20 percent below the peer average).

Exhibit 4-4 Fixed-Route Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

$47.88

$63.37

$72.83

$63.82

$51.52

$0.00

$20.00

$40.00

$60.00

$80.00

$100.00

San Benito Madera Tulare Amador Kings

Average ($59.88)



Tulare County Area Transit posted the best rating among the peers ($1.80) in terms of

service efficiency as measured by Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile. By contrast, San

Benito’s had the highest Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile at $4.85 (38.8 percent

above the peer average).

Exhibit 4-5 Fixed-Route Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile

$4.85

$1.96$1.80

$3.22

$3.70

$0.00

$0.50

$1.00

$1.50

$2.00

$2.50

$3.00

$3.50

$4.00

$4.50

$5.00


Average ($3.11)



Service Effectiveness Operating Cost/Passenger is an indicator of service effectiveness. Effectiveness is

defined as to the extent to which a service is meeting its intended goals. As with the two

previous indicators, lower dollar figures indicate better service effectiveness.

County Express had the second-lowest indicator within the peer group, 48.9 percent

below the peer average. Madera County Connection had the highest, 170 percent

greater than the peer average. County Express’ prior Short Range Transit Plan set a

benchmark of Operating Cost/Passenger at $3.50. While lower than three of the four

peers, the program has yet to meet the adopted standard.

Exhibit 4-6 Fixed-Route Operating Cost/Passenger

$6.27

$33.13

$9.74 $8.85

$3.32

$0.00

$5.00

$10.00

$15.00

$20.00

$25.00

$30.00

$35.00

$40.00


Average ($12.26)



Another measure of transit service effectiveness, Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour, indicates,

on average, how many passengers are transported for each mile the vehicle is in service.

When an indicator assessing the number of passengers is high, it likely indicates rising fare

revenue as well as popularity of the service. At 7.6, the County Express was rated right in the

middle of its peers, 13 percent below the peer average. Kings Area Rural Transit carried the

most passengers per hour, while Madera County carried the least.

Exhibit 4-7 Fixed-Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour

1.9

5.3

8.27.6

19.2

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0


Average (8.5)



At 0.8, San Benito was second only to Kings County in another measurement of service

effectiveness, Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile. The Local Transportation Authority’s

prior Short Range Transit Plan set a standard of 1.3 Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile.

Except for Kings County, none of the peers is close to that figure. San Benito has

reached nearly 40 percent of this benchmark. Lowering the benchmark to 1.0

Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile would make achievement of this standard more likely.

Exhibit 4-8 Fixed-Route Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile

0.1

0.2

1.1

0.4

0.8

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4


Average (0.5)



A transit program’s farebox recovery ratio illustrates the percentage of operating cost

recovered through passenger fares. It is the most common measure of public subsidy of

a transit service. County Express’ farebox recovery was 6.3 percent, 50 percent below

the peer average of 12.8 percent. The prior Short Range Transit Plan set a benchmark

of 15 percent. County Express has not only failed to meet the adopted standard, but has

since dropped below the Transit Development Act-mandated 10-percent farebox ratio.

Bringing the farebox recovery ratio back up to acceptable levels should be a priority for

the Local Transportation Authority.

Exhibit 4-9 Fixed-Route Farebox Recovery

6.3%

4.3%

13.8%

22.1%

17.5%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%


Average (12.8%)



Average fare/passenger assesses the average fare received per ride once all discounted

fare media and free rides have been factored in. County Express’ average fare is lowest

amongst the peers (66 percent below the peer average). However, this figure is just 15

percent less than County Express’ fixed-route base fare of 75 cents. Amador’s high

indicator can be attributed in part to its express route, which has a base fare of $3.50.

Exhibit 4-10 Fixed-Route Average Fare/Passenger

$1.34

$0.58$0.39

$1.41

$1.95

$0.00

$0.50

$1.00

$1.50

$2.00

$2.50


Average ($1.14)



DIAL-A-RIDE PEER REVIEW

The demand-response peer review compared San Benito’s Dial-A-Ride performance

within several key indicators for Fiscal Year 2005/06 with those of Madera County, Kings

County, and Tulare County. A comparison of San Benito with like-peers reveals the

demand-response service is performing within typical parameters.

Exhibit 4-11 Demand-Response Key Indicators (FY 2005/06)

San Benito County

Madera County

Tulare County

Kings County Median Average

Operating Cost $696,838 $450,259 $103,530 $941,710 $573,549 $548,084Fare Revenue $48,869 $56,581 $9,925 $44,514 $46,692 $39,972Vehicle Service Hours (VSH) 14,556 8,834 1,860 14,757 11,695 10,002Vehicle Service Miles (VSM) 211,659 147,135 15,801 148,456 147,796 130,763Passengers 65,465 40,538 17,806 43,733 42,136 41,886Total Fleet 10 5 8 8 8Peak Fleet 4 5 8 5 6

Operating Cost/VSH $47.87 $50.97 $55.66 $63.81 $53.32 $54.58Operating Cost/VSM $3.29 $3.06 $6.55 $6.34 $4.82 $4.81Operating Cost/Passenger $10.64 $11.11 $5.81 $21.53 $10.88 $12.27Passengers/VSH 4.5 4.6 9.6 3.0 4.5 5.4Passengers/VSM 0.3 0.3 1.1 0.3 0.3 0.5Farebox Recovery 7.0% 12.6% 9.6% 4.7% 8.3% 8.5%Average Fare/Passenger $0.75 $1.40 $0.56 $1.02 $0.88 $0.93



Service Efficiency The Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour indicator scored well against like-peers.

County Express was the lowest, 13.4 percent below the peer average. This can be

attributed to lower annual operating costs and fewer revenue hours. No standard was

set for this indicator in the prior Short Range Transit Plan. In light of current

performance, it is recommended the County set an interim benchmark of not more than

$48.00/Vehicle Service Hour. In addition, the Local Transportation Authority should re-

evaluate this indicator at the six-month point within the soon-to-be-executed operations

contract.

Exhibit 4-12 Dial-A-Ride Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour

$50.97$55.66

$63.81

$47.87

$0.00

$20.00

$40.00

$60.00

$80.00

$100.00

San Benito Madera Tulare Kings

Average ($54.38)



Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile is another measure of cost effectiveness. San

Benito scored second-highest among its peers, 31.6 percent below the peer average.

Madera County’s performance was only slightly better.

Exhibit 4-13 Dial-A-Ride Operating Cost/Vehicle Service Mile

$3.29 $3.06

$6.55 $6.34

$0.00

$2.00

$4.00

$6.00

$8.00

$10.00


Average ($4.81)



Service Effectiveness San Benito’s Dial-A-Ride has an Operating Cost/Passenger indicator of $10.64, 13.3

percent below the peer average. County Express is performing well because it has

significantly higher ridership than like-peers and a relatively low operating cost. With an

operating cost much higher than County Express and 20,000 fewer passengers

annually, Kings Area Rural Transit Dial-A-Ride has the highest Operating

Cost/Passenger (43 percent above the peer average).

Exhibit 4-14 Dial-A-Ride Operating Cost/Passenger

$10.64 $11.11

$5.81

$21.53

$0.00

$5.00

$10.00

$15.00

$20.00

$25.00


Average ($12.27)



In terms of service effectiveness, Dial-A-Ride carried 18.5 percent fewer passengers

than the peer average. While the service experienced high ridership, that figure was

offset by high vehicle service hours. The prior Short Range Transit Plan set a

benchmark of 5.0 Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour. In light of recent performance

trends, raising this benchmark to 10.0 would be appropriate.

Exhibit 4-15 Dial-A-Ride Passengers/Vehicle Service Hours

4.6

9.6

3.04.5

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0


Average (5.4)



Dial-A-Ride’s Passengers/Vehicle Service Mile indicator mirrors those of Madera and

Kings Counties. Tulare County has an unusually high indicator, resulting in a skewed

average. Tulare’s high indicator was due to having 2,000 more passengers than vehicle

service miles for FY 2005/06.

Exhibit 4-16 Dial-A-Ride Passengers/Vehicle Service Miles

0.3 0.3

1.1

0.3

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4


Average (0.5)



The farebox recovery ratio for County Express Dial-A-Ride was 17.6 percent below the

peer average of 8.5 percent. Kings County had the lowest farebox recovery ratio (just

under five percent). The prior Short Range Transit Plan set a benchmark of 12 percent.

In light of recent performance, it is recommended this standard be adjusted to 10

percent, the Transportation Development Act threshold. Of the peers, only Madera

County is performing above the Transportation Development Act-mandated level.

Exhibit 4-17 Dial-A-Ride Farebox Recovery

7.0%

12.6%9.6%

4.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%


Average (8.5%)



Dial-A-Ride collected an average fare of seventy-five cents per passenger. This

indicator was 19.4 percent lower than the already-low average of 93 cents. The prior

Short Range Transit Plan set a subsidy per passenger benchmark of not greater than

ten dollars. It is recommended the benchmark be lowered to a goal of six dollars per

passenger.

Exhibit 4-18 Dial-A-Ride Average Fare/Passenger

$0.75

$1.40

$0.56

$1.02

$0.00$0.20$0.40$0.60$0.80$1.00$1.20$1.40$1.60$1.80$2.00


Average ($0.93)






CHAPTER 5 – RIDE CHECK ANALYSIS A ride check of the Fixed Route service of County Express was conducted in

December 2006. The survey team recorded information regarding passenger loads,

running times, and schedule adherence. The benefit of conducting a ride check is two-

fold:

• Comparison of actual schedule adherence versus the published

timetable (on-time performance), and

• Assessment of service productivity at the individual route and bus

stop levels (boarding and alighting).

The ride check was undertaken across a five-day period (Monday through Friday) during

which a sampling of 170 trips were evaluated.

ON-TIME PERFORMANCE

A key aspect of the ride check was a comprehensive and objective evaluation of the on-

time performance of the County Express’ Fixed Route service under actual field

conditions. In determining on-time performance, the survey team synchronized their

timepieces with the County Express’ dispatching office so that all times were consistent.

The surveyors then rode the buses recording arrival and departure times at each

established time point along a given route. Following the ride check, collected data was

entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences platform, where it was

cleaned, coded, and prepared for analysis.

Actual schedule adherence was assessed at the beginning of each trip (departure),

midpoint (departure), and end of trip (arrival).

• On-time is defined as any trip departing within four minutes after the

published time.

• Early is defined as any trip departing prior to the published time.

• Late is defined as any trip departing five minutes or more after the

published time.



System-Wide Findings

County Express’ on-time performance was evaluated against the industry standard of

90-percent. Using the above criteria, on-time performance was calculated to be

approximately 53 percent.

As is often the case with public transit services, County Express’ on-time performance

declined slightly following departure from the initial time-point. Average schedule

adherence was 54.6 percent at trip start, 53.3 percent at mid-run, and 51.2 percent at

trip end. Exhibit 5-1 summarizes on-time performance for the County Express fixed-

route service.

Exhibit 5-1 System-Wide On-Time Performance

On-Time Early Late On-Time Early Late On-Time Early LateSystem

Average 54.6% 29.5% 15.9% 53.3% 33.4% 15.9% 51.2% 39.7% 9.1%

Beginning of Trip (Departures) Mid-Point (Departures) End of Trip (Arrivals)

“Hot running,” or early departure from a published time point, has a significant impact on

overall system performance. Overall, incidences of early departures increased steadily

through each route. While 29.5 percent of trips “ran hot” at the beginning of the run,

39.7 percent completed the run ahead of schedule.

There are a number of factors which can influence the incidence of early departures in a

transit service. With respect to the County Express, the primary contributor appears to

be driver compensation for delays anticipated to occur at some point throughout a given

trip or run. While understandable, this practice is causing drivers to intentionally run

ahead of schedule so as to ensure they complete their runs at or near the published

schedule time. This trend is evidenced by the decrease in late arrivals at the end of trip,

which points to drivers correctly anticipating possible delays along a route. The problem

with this tactic, however, is the incidence of early departures and arrivals increases

throughout the trip; especially as no delays are encountered.

While a driver’s desire to stay on schedule is commendable, “running hot” contributes to

the public perception of not only poor schedule adherence, but overall unreliability. A



customer who is not aware the bus left the stop ahead of the published schedule may

instead conclude the bus never came at all.

There are a number of possible solutions to improve the County Express’ on-time

performance. These include (1) holding at designated time points, (2) adjusting running

times between time points, and (3) recurrent driver training. Having drivers wait at time-

points allows them to stay on schedule even if they complete one portion of the run

early. If external factors (such as construction or road congestion) greatly affect the

running time between individual time-points, it may be necessary to re-evaluate how

long it takes to get from Stop A to Stop B (thereby changing the published schedule).

Recurrent driver training can eliminate tactics such as the “hot running” described above

by identifying faulty practices and offering additional solutions. These recommendations

will be discussed in more detail within the “Service Recommendations” chapter.

Overall, the Business District Line posted the best on-time performance while the

Counter-Clockwise Loop had the poorest. The Business District Line’s on-time

performance was 72.5 percent at the beginning of the trip, while the Counter-Clockwise

Loop started just 38.0 percent of trips on time. Assessment at trip midpoint reflected

similar results: the Business District Line’s on-time performance rose to 85.3 percent

while the Counter-Clockwise Loop’s dipped to 34.6 percent. At trip-end, performance

patterns remained consistent. The Business District Line ended 74.7 percent of its trips

on time, while the Counter-Clockwise Loop ended only 25.9 percent of trips on time.

Exhibit 5-2 Individual Route On-Time Performance

On-Time Early Late On-Time Early Late On-Time Early LateClockwise Loop 53.7% 32.8% 13.4% 56.0% 40.0% 4.0% 35.7% 61.4% 4.3%Counter-Clockwise Loop 38.0% 43.0% 19.0% 34.6% 53.5% 11.8% 25.9% 66.7% 7.4%Business District Line 72.5% 13.2% 14.3% 85.3% 9.5% 5.3% 74.7% 17.2% 8.1%4th Street Line 42.9% 48.8% 8.3% 47.5% 35.0% 17.5% 40.5% 54.4% 5.1%Intercounty Route 43.1% 27.6% 29.3% 45.0% 15.0% 40.0% 40.5% 21.6% 37.8%

Beginning of Trip (Departures) Mid-Point (Departures) End of Trip (Arrivals)



BOARDING AND ALIGHTING A boarding and alighting survey examines how many passengers got on the bus

(boarding) and off the bus (alighting) at each individual stop. This data can be used to

evaluate demand by identifying which stops and routes have the highest activity.

In order to illustrate when and where peak activity occurred, the evaluation was divided

into four distinct day-parts or blocks of time. Those day-parts were:

• 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. (early/mid-morning),

• 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (late morning/afternoon),

• 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (early afternoon), and

• 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (late afternoon/evening).

Analysis revealed overall County Express boarding activity peaks occurred during the

3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. period (late afternoon/evening). Trips during this day-part

averaged 6.5 boardings per trip. Boarding activity was at its lowest between 9:00 a.m.

and 12:00 p.m. (late morning/afternoon), when only 3.3 boardings occurred on each trip.

Exhibit 5-3 summarizes each route’s ridership activity by day-part. The Clockwise Loop

was the most productive (12.4 boardings per trip), while the Business District Line was

the least productive.

Exhibit 5-3 Average Boardings/Trip

6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. TotalClockwise Loop 3.8 — — 21 24.8Counter-Clockwise Loop 4.3 — 6.7 5.8 16.8Business District Line — 3.5 2.7 3.5 9.74th Street Line — 2.8 4.5 — 7.3Intercounty Route 12.9 3.5 8 — 24.4System Average 5.7 3.3 5.3 6.5 16.6

Boardings by Day-Part

Ridership dips in the middle of the day before peaking in the early evening. This

indicates that many passengers seem to be using County Express for activities that last

a full day, such as full-time employment or school. This conclusion is supported by data

from the on-board survey, in which nearly 59 percent of those riders surveyed indicated

using the Fixed Route service to access school or work.



Route-by-Route Findings Clockwise Loop (Green Route)

The Clockwise Loop (Green Route) operates during the peak-hour portions of the

service day. Morning service runs from 6:21 a.m. to 9:06 a.m. Afternoon service

operates from 2:35 p.m. until 5:43 p.m. The Clockwise Loop operates on an

approximate 40-minute headway.

The route travels eastbound in a clockwise direction throughout downtown Hollister. The

alignment covers Meridian Street, Tres Pinos Road, Central Avenue, and Fourth Street.

With respect to boardings and alightings 78.1 percent of ridership activity occurred

between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The route experiences considerably lower activity

(21.9 percent of unlinked trips) between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Trip generators along the Clockwise Loop include Marguerite Maze Middle School,

Veterans Memorial Park, Sunnyslope School, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Target,

Safeway, K-Mart, San Benito High School, Head Start, R.O. Hardin School, the Mission

Oaks Mobile Home Park, Calaveras School, San Benito Health Foundation, the County

Administration Building, Fremont School, and Gavilan College.

Bus stops with the greatest activity include Marguerite Maze Middle School, Veteran’s

Memorial Park, Rancho San Justo Middle School, San Benito High School, R.O. Hardin

School, and Mission Oaks Mobile Home Park. This activity is reflective of a large

number of students patronizing the route.



Exhibit 5-4 Clockwise Loop Boarding and Alighting Activity



Counter-Clockwise Loop (Blue Route)

The Counter-Clockwise Loop (Blue Route) operates during peak hours of the service

day, mirroring the Clockwise Loop (Green Route). Morning service runs from 6:21 a.m.

through 9:06 p.m. Afternoon service begins at 2:38 p.m. and ends at 5:43 p.m. The

service runs on an approximate 40-minute headway.

The Counter-Clockwise Loop (Blue Route) travels westbound along the same

thoroughfares as the Clockwise Loop (Green Route). Nearly 64 percent of this route’s

ridership activity occurs between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., with the period of

lowest activity (8.1 percent) occurring between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Trip generators along the Counter-Clockwise Loop include Gavilan College, the County

Administration Building, San Benito Health Foundation, Calaveras School, the Mission

Oaks Mobile Home Park, R.O. Hardin School, Head Start, San Benito High School, K-

Mart, Safeway, Target, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Sunnyslope School, Veteran’s

Memorial Park, and Marguerite Maze Middle School.

The highest boarding and alighting activity occurs at San Benito High School, San

Benito Health Foundation, Mission Oaks Mobile Home Park, and Rancho San Justo

Middle School, Veteran’s Memorial Park, and Downtown Hollister. As with the

Clockwise Loop, this activity is reflective of a large number of students patronizing the

route.



Exhibit 5-5 Counter-Clockwise Loop Boarding and Alighting Activity



Business District Line (Red Route)

The Business District Line (Red Route) operates throughout the day, with service

beginning at 9:04 a.m. and concluding at 5:04 p.m. Service to the southeastern portion

of the route (i.e., Hazel Hawkins Hospital) is only provided through early afternoon (2:09

p.m.); after that time, the route only goes as far south as the Safeway market. Buses

run approximately every 35 to 45 minutes.

The Business District Line travels south along San Felipe Road and accesses San

Benito Street via the downtown transfer stop. Turning east, it travels along Tres Pinos

Road before heading southeast to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital. Nearly 54 percent

of rides occurred between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., while only 4.6 percent between

3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Trip generators located along the Business District Line include San Benito County

Health and Human Services offices, Gateway Center, San Felipe Center, Fiesta Plaza,

Hollister Post Office, Department of Motor Vehicles, Hollister City Hall, Veterans

Memorial Hall, Safeway, and Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital,.

Bus stops with significant boarding and alighting activity included Hazel Hawkins

Memorial Hospital, the downtown transfer stop, and the County offices at 1111 San

Felipe Road.



Exhibit 5-6 Business District Line Boarding and Alighting Activity



Fourth Street Line (Yellow Route)

The Fourth Street Line (Yellow Route) operates from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 2:30

p.m., with buses running every 20 minutes. The Fourth Street Line does not operate

during the early morning or late afternoon day-parts.

Originating at the downtown transfer stop, the route travels east along Fourth Street. At

Fourth and McCray, it turns around and proceeds westward along Fourth Street. The

route turns north on Felice and continue west along Central before turning south again

on Graf Road. From Graf Road the Fourth Street Line travels east along Fourth Street,

ending at the downtown transfer stop. The highest ridership (64.7 percent) occurred

between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Trip generators located along the route include the downtown transfer stop, Premier

Cinemas, Savemart, Gavilan College, the County Administration Building, San Benito

Health Foundation, and Mission Oaks Mobile Home Park.

Stops with the most activity were the downtown transfer stop, Fourth and McCray, and

Central and Graf.



Exhibit 5-7 Fourth Street Line Boarding and Alighting Activity



Intercounty Routes (Gold Routes) Three Intercounty Routes (Gold Routes) link Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and Gilroy.

The Caltrain route offers weekday express service between Hollister and the Caltrain

Station between 5:30 a.m. and 7:25 a.m., and again from 4:35 p.m. to 8:35 p.m. These

trips also offer limited service to Gavilan College in Gilroy. The Gavilan College route

travels between Hollister and Gavilan College on weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 6:10

p.m. About half of the trips travel via Abbe Park and Anzar High School in San Juan

Bautista. The Gilroy Greyhound route operates only on weekends, traveling from

Hollister to Gilroy via Abbe Park in San Juan Bautista between 7:40 a.m. and 5:55 p.m.

The Gavilan College and Gilroy Greyhound routes travel along State Route 156 and

U.S. Highway 101, providing service to San Juan Bautista. The Caltrain express route

travels via State Route 25. All service begins at Veterans Memorial Park in Hollister,

with additional stops along Fourth Street at the downtown transfer stop and Miller

(Gavilan College route). Important trip generators on the Intercounty Routes include the

Caltrain/Greyhound Station and Gavilan College in Gilroy, and Anzar High School and

Abbe Park in San Juan Bautista.

This route has two major activity periods: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 3:00

p.m., with 168 boardings each. The most popular boarding and alighting points were the

downtown transfer stop and Gavilan College in Gilroy, with limited ridership associated

with the San Juan Bautista stops. It is clear the Intercounty Routes are used primarily to

link Hollister and Gilroy.



Exhibit 5-8 Intercounty Route Boarding and Alighting Activity



DIAL-A-RIDE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS Dial-A-Ride trip sheets dated March 13 through March 27, 2007 were evaluated to

assess on-time performance, origins and destinations, and incidence of cancellations

and no-shows. This review reflects a 100-percent sampling methodology.

The County Express demand-response service operates from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday, and from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekends. There is a

discernable difference between ADA Paratransit and general public Dial-A-Ride service.

The average number of ADA Paratransit scheduled pickups on weekdays is 122, while

the average number of general public Dial-A-Ride pickups is 31. The variance in

scheduled pickups between weekdays and weekend is more than 80 percent. The

number of scheduled pickups on weekends indicates a much lower demand. However,

even though demand is lower on weekends, the number of service hours is not

dramatically reduced. Because the number of service hours drops only 30 percent on

weekends, average ridership should be close to 85.

On-Time Performance

County Express dispatch provides its customers with a 15-minute window for pick-up.

The following criterion was used to evaluate on-time performance:

• On-time is defined as arrival at a scheduled pick-up location within

the 15-minute window.

• Early is defined as any arrival prior to the scheduled 15-minute pick-

up window.

• Late is defined as any arrival after the scheduled 15-minute pick-up

window.

Dial-A-Ride had an aggregate on-time performance of 83.5 percent throughout the two-

week evaluation period. On average, the incidence of early arrival was 11.1 percent,

while the incidence of late arrival was 5.4 percent.

The data presented in Exhibit 5-9 covers the two-week period beginning on Tuesday,

March 13, 2007, and represents service across a seven-day week. Dial-A-Ride

exhibited its best on-time performance (92.1 percent) on Wednesday, March 14.

Sunday, March 18 yielded the poorest on-time performance (72.4 percent).



Exhibit 5-9 Dial-A-Ride On-Time Performance

On-Time Early Late Total % On-Time % Early % Late03.13.07 139 6 13 158 88.0% 3.8% 8.2%03.14.07 82 3 4 89 92.1% 3.4% 4.5%03.15.07 101 25 6 132 76.5% 18.9% 4.5%03.16.07 93 9 4 106 87.7% 8.5% 3.8%03.17.07 30 1 2 33 90.9% 3.0% 6.1%03.18.07 21 5 3 29 72.4% 17.2% 10.3%03.19.07 77 15 3 95 81.1% 15.8% 3.2%03.20.07 76 11 7 94 80.9% 11.7% 7.4%03.21.07 101 13 10 124 81.5% 10.5% 8.1%03.22.07 161 15 5 181 89.0% 8.3% 2.8%03.23.07 94 11 13 118 79.7% 9.3% 11.0%03.24.07 29 2 2 33 87.9% 6.1% 6.1%03.25.07 23 5 2 30 76.7% 16.7% 6.7%03.26.07 104 22 2 128 81.3% 17.2% 1.6%03.27.07 96 20 3 119 80.7% 16.8% 2.5%

Total 1227 163 79 1469 83.5% 11.1% 5.4%

Exhibit 5-10 Dial-A-Ride Weekend and Weekday Performance

On-Time Early Late Total % On-Time % Early % Late

Weekday 1124 150 70 1344 83.6% 11.2% 5.2%Weekend 103 13 9 125 82.4% 10.4% 7.2%

Total 1227 163 79 1469 83.5% 11.1% 5.4%

During the survey period, late arrivals ranged from 1.6 percent to 11.0 percent. It

appears there is a greater incidence of early arrivals rather than late. Often this is not

seen as a problem, as most individuals would rather be early than risk missing a

scheduled appointment or activity. Early arrivals ranged from 3.0 percent to 18.9

percent. Three percent should be an absolute maximum and 18.9 percent is

unacceptable. Eight of the 15 days when data was evaluated had early arrivals above

10.0 percent. The solution to on-time performance, especially early arrivals, is more

effective driver training. Drivers need to be encouraged to arrive at pick-up locations

within the scheduled 15-minute window.

Given drivers are allotted a 15-minute window to pick up a patron, the service’s current

on-time performance of 84 percent is understandable. However, an on-time

performance standard of 95 percent is attainable.



Origin and Destination Study

An examination of two weeks of driver trip logs for Dial-A-Ride revealed the most

frequented origins (trip starting points) and destinations (trip end points) for Dial-A-Ride

passengers. It should be noted that due to discrepancies in the drivers’ recordkeeping

(i.e., illegible penmanship) and variations in how locations are described (i.e., one

drivers logs in a street address, while another logs in the business name), some origins

and destinations were eliminated from calculation. Out of those entries where distinct

locations could be identified, definite patterns began to emerge.

Hope Services was by far the most frequent origin and destination. Many patrons used

Dial-A-Ride on a daily basis to travel to and from Hope’s location at 2300 Technology

Parkway. This may be due in part to the elimination of fixed-route service (Business

District Line) to Hope. However, because many of these passengers are

developmentally disabled, they may qualify for and prefer to ride the demand-response

service, and attempting to mode-shift them would likely result in few changes.

The medical district, including Hazel Hawkins Hospital and the surrounding medical

facilities such as the Mabie Skilled Nursing Facility and Rehabilitation Clinics, was the

second-most visited destination and the third-most frequent origin. Ladd Lane School

was the second-most frequent origin and fourth-most visited destination, as many

students use the service for their school transportation. The County Labor Camp was

the third-most visited destination, but did not rank among the top five origins. Cerra

Vista School was the fourth-most popular origin. A location in the 200 block of Daffodil

Drive (likely a residence or group home) ranked fifth on both lists; a fairly large group of

passengers traveled between this address and Hope Services on a daily basis. The top

ten origin and destination pairings are presented in Exhibits 5-11.



Exhibit 5-11 Top 10 Dial-A-Ride Origin and Destination

Origin Frequency Destination FrequencyHope Services 283 Hope Services 183Ladd Lane School 153 Medical District 122Medical District 110 Labor Camp 82Cerra Vista School 81 Ladd Lane School 69200 Block Daffodil Dr. 78 200 Block Daffodil Dr. 40Labor Camp 76 San Benito Health Foundation 40Southside School 57 Head Start 39Prospect Villas Apartments 47 Prospect Villas Apartments 34San Andreas HS 43 San Andreas HS 29San Benito HS 42 Safeway 29

After identifying the most popular locations for trip origin and destination, the results

were analyzed to determine top trip generator categories. Five categories topped both

lists: social services (including the County Mental Health Department, Health and

Human Services, and Solutions), schools (elementary and secondary), medical services

(including the medical district, Pinnacle Urgent Care, and the San Benito Health

Foundation), housing sites (apartments, senior housing, and the County Labor Camp),

and shopping (including grocery stores, department stores, and drugstores).

These top categories are presented in Exhibits 5-12 and 5-13.

Exhibit 5-12 Top Trip Generator Categories – Origins

050

100150200250300350400450500

Schools Socialservices

Housing Shopping Medicalservices

Pass

enge

rs



Exhibit 5-13 Top Trip Generator Categories - Destinations

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Socialservices

Schools Medicalservices

Housing Shopping

Pass

enge

rs

Many Dial-A-Ride customers are coming from outside the Fixed Route service area,

including Fairview Road, off Airline Highway near Ridgemark County Club, and at or

near the County Labor Camp. Many of these customers are using Dial-A-Ride for

school travel, especially to Ladd Lane Elementary, but also to San Benito High School

and other schools. School “Tripper” service on the eastern and southern portions of

Hollister might be an effective service addition if, upon further study, it is determined that

enough students are originating from these locations to warrant scheduled service.

Weekend service is relatively modest. Hope Services and schools disappear as trip

generators, as do many social services. The top five individual trip origins were the 200

block of Daffodil Drive, St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, K-Mart, Rovella’s Athletic Club,

and the medical district. While many passengers began their trips at what appear to be

private residences, the most popular origins were shopping (K-Mart, Baler’s Market, Nob

Hill), churches, restaurants (notably Burger King), and medical facilities.

Weekend trip destinations reflected a similar pattern. The top five individual destinations

were the 200 block of Daffodil Drive (previously identified as a top weekday location), the

600 block of Churchill (possibly a residence or agricultural business), St. Benedict’s

Catholic Church, Burger King, and the medical district. The most popular destination

categories were shopping locations (Nob Hill, K-Mart, Save Mart, etc.), followed by



restaurants (Burger King, Taco Bell, Cedar House, Jerry’s), churches, and medical

facilities (the hospital area and urgent care).

Cancellations and “No Shows”

Cancellations that are made on-time (more than one hour prior to the scheduled pick-up)

do not affect the service negatively and can be excluded from this evaluation. Two other

types of cancellations are more problematic – those that provide little or no notice to the

Dial-A-Ride service. Cancellations made less than before the scheduled pick-up time

are considered “insufficient notice cancellations.” A “no show” occurs when there is no

effort by the patron to call ahead and cancel the service, resulting in the vehicle traveling

to the scheduled pick-up point.

The instance of cancellations during the two-week evaluation period was 1.7 percent,

while the instance of “no shows” during the same period was 6.8 percent. The greatest

incidence of cancellations was noted on March 18 (Sunday), while March 25 and 27

(Sunday and Tuesday) experienced the lowest. March 18 also experienced the greatest

number of “no shows” (13.9 percent). The lowest “no show” rate was 1.8 percent on

March 13 (Tuesday).

It is important to advise customers of the service impact when rides are cancelled late or

riders fail to show. This policy can be enforced by implementing a procedure that results

in a temporary loss of service privileges for patrons who exceed a set number of “no

shows” or cancel service without adequate notice too many times. Addressing the “no

show” problem could be the single-most important means of increasing program

productivity.



Exhibit 5-14 Cancellations and “No Shows”

Cancelled No Show Total % Cancelled % No Show03.13.07 4 3 165 2.4% 1.8%03.14.07 2 10 101 2.0% 9.9%03.15.07 3 5 140 2.1% 3.6%03.16.07 2 9 117 1.7% 7.7%03.17.07 1 4 38 2.6% 10.5%03.18.07 2 5 36 5.6% 13.9%03.19.07 2 8 105 1.9% 7.6%03.20.07 2 7 103 1.9% 6.8%03.21.07 1 5 130 0.8% 3.8%03.22.07 1 7 189 0.5% 3.7%03.23.07 1 5 124 0.8% 4.0%03.24.07 1 1 35 2.9% 2.9%03.25.07 0 4 34 0.0% 11.8%03.26.07 1 6 135 0.7% 4.4%03.27.07 0 12 131 0.0% 9.2%

Total 23 91 1583 1.7% 6.8%






CHAPTER 6 – ON-BOARD SURVEY ANALYSIS A statistically-valid survey of persons riding on-board Fixed and Intercounty routes was

conducted. Administered across a six-day period in early December 2006, the survey

had a number of objectives:

• Collect information at the rider level.

• Assist in the development of a “transit rider” demographic profile.

• Codify “normal” travel patterns among transit riders.

• Assess customer satisfaction regarding various service attributes.

• Identify potential service enhancements and the propensity of current

customers to patronage them.

• Identify “most favored” marketing or promotional channels.

Survey Methodology

A self-administered survey of adults traveling on Fixed Route and Intercounty was

conducted during the week of December 10, 2006. For surveying purposes, the term

“adult” is defined as a person age 16 years or older. A bilingual survey instrument was

printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other so that customers could

complete the survey in their preferred language.

Three steps were taken to assure statistical validity. First, a stratified random-sample

methodology was employed. This approach allowed the survey team to obtain a

balanced sample reflecting each County Express route’s relative ridership. Second, the

survey was conducted across a six-day week, throughout all day-parts. In doing so, all

persons using transit throughout a typical service week were provided equal opportunity

to participate. Third, a bilingual instrument (English/Spanish) was used to ensure those

who are not fluent in English were equally represented.

The validity of each completed survey form was verified by the survey coordinator, who

also provided on-site supervision throughout the data collection process. Survey forms

reflecting partial completion or faulty data were not included in the final data sample so

as to reduce the incidence of data skewing. Further, a pre-test of the approved survey

instrument was conducted using a sample size equal to 10 percent of the overall survey



target. This pre-test failed to identify any problem with survey comprehension, survey

flow, or possible survey response bias.

Once data collection was complete, the survey data was imported into the Statistical

Package for the Social Sciences software platform. The raw survey data was then

cleaned and coded, thereby providing both simple frequencies as well as relationships

(i.e., cross-tabulations) between individual data sets. From this data, both system-wide

and line-specific conclusions could be drawn.

A statistically-valid sample of 188 surveys was obtained, translating to a 95-percent

confidence level with a ± 7.15-percent margin of error.

Demographic Profile

A demographic profile of the average County Express Fixed Route and Intercounty rider

was developed using the data collected as part of the on-board and customer surveys.

The “typical” rider is female (64.5 percent), age 23–59 (45.8 percent), absent a mobility

impairment (91.8 percent), and ride-dependent (66.9 percent).

Respondents most commonly identified themselves as students (37.8 percent), followed

by employed full-time (16 percent), homemaker (15.4 percent), and employed part-time

(14.4 percent).

Among those customers surveyed, 45.8 percent fell within the age 23–59 demographic,

followed by those under 16 years of age (26.8 percent) and age 17–22 (21.2 percent).

Riders 60 years or older comprise the smallest age group (6.1 percent). It can be

inferred that many seniors are currently taking advantage of Dial-A-Ride service in lieu of

the Fixed Route Service.



Exhibit 6-1 Rider Age

45.8%

21.2%

26.8%

6.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Under 16 17-22 23-59 60 years or older

Based on the survey data, 67 percent of the current County Express customer base can

be termed ride-dependent or partially ride-dependent. In most cases, this translates to

the absence of either a valid driver license or ready access to a personal vehicle.

Respondents were queried as to their total annual household income. Approximately

57.9 percent indicated an income of less than $20,000 per year. This statistic further

supports the conclusion that the majority of present County Express patrons are ride-

dependent. In contrast, the average household income within San Benito County stood

at $57,469 as of Census 2000.

Exhibit 6-2 Household Income

11.3%

29.3%

57.9%

1.5%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Less than $20,000 $20,001-$34,000 $34,001-$50,000 More than $50,000



Travel Patterns

Regarding trip purpose, many survey respondents selected multiple responses from

among the options provided. On a system-wide basis, school was cited most frequently

(42.5 percent). Work (16.1 percent), personal business (15.6 percent), and

medical/dental services (14 percent) all garnered similar response levels. This

information indicates 1) County Express’s core ridership is composed of fully or partially

ride-dependent persons, and 2) the service is addressing a wide array of travel needs.

Exhibit 6-3 Trip Purpose

15.6%

14.0%

2.7%

9.1%

42.5%

16.1%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Work School Shopping Recreation/Social/ Visiting

Medical/ DentalServices

PersonalBusiness/ Other

Survey participants were asked how often in a typical week they ride the County

Express. Nearly half (48.3 percent) indicated riding five or more times per week.

Overall, more than three-quarters of the customers surveyed use the service more than

two times per week.



Exhibit 6-4 Incidence of Ridership

3.4%

17.4%

30.9%

48.3%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

5 or more times per week 2-4 times per week 1-4 times per month Less than once per month

When asked how long they have been riding the County Express, nearly 57.4 percent of

respondents indicated a period of one to three years. Another 20.7 percent indicated

riding less than one year. A further 17 percent indicated riding for more than three

years. The remaining responses (4.7 percent) revealed first-time ridership. From these

observations, it can be assumed that current County Express customer base is

composed of the following:

1) A numerically modest group of dedicated core riders,

2) A very limited number of “choice” riders, and

3) Relatively few “first-time” riders (indicating a low incidence of trial

ridership).

Exhibit 6-5 Length of Patronage

4.7%

20.7%

57.4%

17.2%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

More than 3 years 1-3 years Less than 1 year First time



Survey participants were asked how they normally access the County Express bus stop.

Responses were split evenly between walking more than three blocks and walking less

than three blocks.

Exhibit 6-6 Access to Bus Stop

1.1%

7.3%

39.3%42.7%

9.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Transfer fromanother bus

Walk more than 3blocks

Walk less than 3blocks

Drive Bicycle

County Express customers were asked to identify the primary motivator for selecting

public transit in order to complete the surveyed trip. Lack of alternatives was the reason

chosen most often (54.3 percent), further supporting the conclusion regarding the level

of ride-dependency present within the County Express customer base. Comparison to

like-peers will be presented in the “Peer Review” chapter.

Exhibit 6-7 Reason for Riding County Express

3.6%2.6%

29.2%

52.3%

11.8%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

Cost of service Lack of alternatives Convenience Avoid traffic Service quality



To further assess personal mobility options, each respondent was asked how they would

make the surveyed trip had the bus not been available. The most frequent selection was

walk or bicycle. This finding is not surprising given the high percentage of respondents

indicating walking more than three blocks to access County Express service.

Exhibit 6-8 Mobility Alternatives

17.9%

28.7%

46.7%

6.7%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Drive self Walk or bicycle Would not make this trip Friend/ family

Fare Type

Survey participants were asked to indicate which County Express fare category applied

to them. Nearly 75 percent used the adult or general fare category. Twelve percent

cited traveling within the senior/disabled fare and another 14 percent used a student

fare. This breakdown is consistent with overall population demographics present within

San Benito County as identified by Census 2005 estimates.

Additionally, each survey respondent was asked to identify his or her typical fare

payment method. More than 70 percent cited paying with cash, while a combined 27.6

percent indicated using non-cash alternatives such as the monthly pass or 10-ticket

booklet.



Exhibit 6-9 Typical Fare

12.7%14.9%

72.4%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

Cash 10-ticket booklet Monthly pass

Customer Satisfaction

The survey asked riders to indicate their satisfaction with regard to a series of service

attributes on a scale of one to four (wherein 4 = “very satisfied” and 1 = “very

dissatisfied”). The mean (or average) score for each attribute is presented in Exhibit 6-

10. Using the same scale described above, the mean score indicates overall

satisfaction for each service attribute.

Exhibit 6-10 Service Attribute Satisfaction

Service AttributeMean Score

Bus comfort 3.22Covenience/Ease of Use 3.15Driver courtesy 3.47Current schedule 2.93On-time performance 3.20Bus fare 3.17Availability of service/schedule information 3.10Problem resolution 3.31Overall satisfaction 3.24

Next each rider was asked if he or she had visited the County Express website

(www.sanbenitocountyexpress.org) prior to completing the survey. A relatively modest

percentage (15.3 percent) indicated having done so. With expanded marketing efforts

and the recent launch of the new County Express website, this figure should increase

appreciably.



In addition to the service attributes outlined above, survey respondents were asked that,

in the event they experienced a problem or concern with County Express service within

the 60 days prior to the survey, if their concern was addressed or resolved in a timely

and acceptable manner. Employing the same four-point rating scale, complaint/concern

resolution garnered a 3.31 rating.

Service Enhancements

Survey participants were provided with a list of four service enhancement options and

asked to select the one item they would most like to see implemented or enhanced.

Despite the instructions, many respondents indicated multiple enhancements.

While all enhancement options received a similar number of responses, the most-

frequently cited attribute was later evening service (28.7 percent), followed by extended

service area (26.3 percent), Saturday service (25.7 percent), and earlier morning service

(21.2 percent). (At the time of the survey, local fixed-route service operated from

approximately 6:20 a.m. until approximately 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.)

Exhibit 6-11 Service Improvements

26.3%25.7%

21.2%

28.7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Earlier morning service Later evening service Saturday service Extended service area

Data cross-tabulations were performed between service enhancements and routes. On

the Clockwise Loop (Green Route), respondents requested either later evening service

(53.9 percent) or extended service area (46.1 percent). With regard to the Counter-

Clockwise Loop (Blue Route), top service requests were later evening service (31.1

percent), extended service area (20 percent), and Saturday service (11 percent).



Respondents indicated a preference for earlier morning service (31.1 percent) and

Saturday service (35.6 percent) on the Business District Line (Red Route). Earlier

morning service and later evening service (37.5 percent each) were the two top choices

for service enhancement on the Fourth Street Line. Finally, the Intercounty Routes

noted a high incidence of requests for earlier morning service (26.3 percent) and

Saturday service (29.8 percent).

Since each of the above-cited improvements garnered very similar response levels,

survey participants were asked how the desired service improvement might affect their

patronage. Thirty percent indicated implementation of the desired service improvement

would cause them to add 5 or more trips per week. This was followed closely by 1–4

more trips per month (29.1 percent) and 2–4 more trips per week (28.6 percent). Twelve

percent of respondents indicated that introduction of the desired service change would

cause them to add less than one trip per week.

A data cross-tabulation was performed comparing individual service improvement with

probable patronage. Respondents indicating later evening service had the greatest

propensity (34.7 percent) to add 5 or more trips per week. In contrast, those persons

citing earlier morning service had the lowest propensity (16.7 percent) to add 5 or more

trips/week.

Exhibit 6-12 Number of Additional Trips Based on Desired Service Improvement

More than 5 trips per week

3 - 4 trips per week

1 - 2 trips per week

Less than 1 trip per week Total

Earlier morning service 11 10 10 2 33Later evening service 14 19 10 3 46

Saturday service 18 6 18 2 44Extended service area 13 10 10 10 43

Total 56 45 48 17 166

When asked if they thought there was a destination or location not currently served by

County Express which should be, one-third of all respondents answered indicated that

there was. Those answering “yes” were asked to identify specific locations. The most

requested locations were the intersections of Clearview and Hillcrest (near Calvary

Cemetery) and Central and Willow (primarily residential).



Information Channels

To assist in the development of future County Express marketing activities, survey

respondents were asked how they typically obtain information about County Express

services. More than 40 percent indicated they typically obtain information through the

County Express customer service phone line. An additional 38 percent indicated

obtaining information at the bus stop, which reinforces the importance of providing easy-

to-read, up-to-date information at these locations. Other responses included newspaper

(6.9 percent), website (5.2 percent), social service agency (3.4 percent), and radio (2.9

percent).

Exhibit 6-13 Information Channels

37.9%

3.4%5.2%

43.7%

2.9%6.9%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Newspaper Radio Phone line Website Social serviceagency

At bus stop

To assist the Local Transportation Authority in enhancing its public outreach efforts,

respondents were asked to identify which print media outlets they most typically access.

Respondents had the opportunity to specify up to two choices. As one might expect,

respondents most-frequently selected the Hollister Free Lance (27.5 percent). A large

percentage of the balance was composed of regional publications such as the San Jose

Mercury News or San Francisco Chronicle.



Survey respondents were also asked to identify their two most-favored radio stations.

Overwhelmingly, KDON (102.5 FM) in Salinas was the preferred outlet. A tabulation of

stations is presented in Exhibit 6-14.

Exhibit 6-14 Radio Stations

2.7%5.9%4.3%4.8%

8.5%

29.3%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

KDON 102.5 KSQL 99.1 KYDL 94.9 KEZR 106.5 KMPG 1520 None



Onboard Survey Findings On the surface, it appears public transit is not capturing a significant share of total trips

currently being made within the County Express service area. When combined with

findings from supplementary market research activities conducted in support of the Short

Range Transit Plan process, the current County Express customer base is numerically

modest and the primary motivator for selecting County Express is a high level of ride-

dependency within the core customer base.

The most successful public transit services are market-driven. It is impossible to realize

sustainable ridership growth by focusing principally on securing patronage from a ride-

dependant population. The reason for this is simple: The overriding goal of most ride-

dependent persons is to make enough money to buy a car. Therefore, the Local

Transportation Authority should undertake a series of targeted marketing campaigns

designed to expand the County Express’s customer base beyond ride-dependent

persons. Among the tactics recommended are direct mail advertising targeted at specific

population groups, free or reduced-cost trial ridership opportunities, and rewards for

long-time customers (i.e., customer loyalty program). These and other possible

marketing activities are more fully addressed in Chapter 7, “Marketing.”

Nearly 10 percent of respondents indicated they had to transfer from another bus in

order to complete the surveyed trip. This is noteworthy for a number of reasons. First,

the number of possible connections is rather limited. This response provides further

insight into customer travel patterns wherein use of more than one route is required in

order to complete a trip. Second, unless refuted by data associated with the concurrent

ride check, the use of transfers indicates that the current timed-transfer operation is

functioning effectively. Third, it identifies a ridership growth opportunity through targeted

marketing of the bus as a “systemic” travel alternative, versus travel that is redirected to

a single line or set of destinations. This is especially true of the Intercounty routes;

which offer connections to other public transportation systems, such as the Santa Clara

Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), through service to Gilroy.

Although San Benito County possesses numerous bike trails, only 1.1 percent of

respondents indicated using a bicycle to access a County Express bus stop. In many

communities, there is a lack of community awareness regarding the benefits of



intermodal connectivity, and San Benito is likely no exception. Initiation of a targeted

marketing campaign promoting the combined use of transit and bikes (such as “All

County Express buses feature easy-loading bike carriers, so your bike rides free”) is one

possible solution. The Local Transportation Authority may be able to secure

discretionary grant funding to support such an effort.

The fact that 70 percent of customers use a cash fare reveals a valuable ridership

growth opportunity. A majority of current County Express riders are not taking

advantage of multi-ride (i.e., discount) fare payment options. When combined with the

high incidence of persons making several trips via transit weekly, this conveys 1) an

overall lack of community awareness regarding County Express fare options and/or 2) a

lack of awareness within the County Express customer base as to the savings potential

available through non-cash fare options.

A major factor influencing the selection of non-cash fare alternatives is due to lack of

awareness of fare options, the shortage of pass sale outlets within the service area, or

combination of the both. Experience in similar communities reveals a symbiotic

relationship often develops between the transit provider and its fare sales partners.

A data cross-tabulation was performed to assess the relationship between fare type and

patronage (i.e., frequency of use). The use of non-cash fare media among persons who

rode County Express five or more times per week (the market segment most likely to

benefit from discounted multi-ride fare options) rose to nearly 35 percent. An interior

vehicle advertising campaign promoting convenience and affordability could be

implemented to promote non-cash fare use among this segment of ridership.

Transit operators also benefit from the availability of non-cash fare media. First, it

typically reduces average dwell time at bus stops, supporting on-time performance.

Second, it reduces administrative workload, including the time required to process cash

fares. Third, it reduces the incidence of fare evasion, as the customer enjoys

quantifiable savings with each subsequent trip made. Fourth, independent market

research reveals a positive relationship between use of non-cash fare media and

extended patronage or longevity.



Current schedule and availability of service/schedule information were the service

attributes that received the lowest ratings. The lack of service knowledge/awareness is

directly connected to the availability of service materials. The development of a formal

distribution schedule for providing printed schedules and other materials to high

traffic/high visibility outlets (i.e., libraries, schools, civic centers, key retailers, etc.) is one

possible solution. Often such an activity can be accomplished in partnership with the

service operations contractor.

The complaint/concern resolution rating of 3.31 offers County Express an opportunity for

growth in customer loyalty and the ridership that normally follows. When a County

Express customer receives good customer service, he or she will perhaps share the

experience with others, but more often than not will simply continue using the service. In

contrast, when a customer receives poor service, he or she will pass details of that

experience on to a large number of people, including fellow riders. Therefore, it is

important the Local Transportation Authority ensure all interaction between customers

and customer service staff is positive.






CHAPTER 7 – COMMUNITY SURVEY ANALYSIS A statistically-valid survey of households in San Benito County Express service area was

conducted as part of the overall service assessment. Results of this and other surveys

will help shape the recommendations presented later in the Service Recommendations

chapter.

The community survey, completed between December 2006 and March 2007, had the

following objectives:

• Assess awareness.

• Identify and codify community travel patterns.

• Frame community perceptions.

• Identify possible barriers to patronage.

• Assess respondent satisfaction.

• Identify most-favored marketing or promotional channels.

Methodology

A direct mail survey was distributed during December 2006 to 1,000 households

throughout the San Benito County Express service area. The survey sample was

developed using a random-sample methodology. This approach ensures accurate

random number representation (i.e., both published and non-published) within a given

geographic area. The database from which the sample was developed was current

within one month prior to data collection.

To assure statistical validity, three additional steps were taken. First, in order to garner a

proportional sampling of representative households, numerical targets within individual

U.S. Postal Service postal codes were calculated. Second, to encourage the broadest

possible participation, a bilingual survey instrument (i.e., English/Spanish) was utilized.

Lastly, participants became eligible for a random drawing of fifty-dollar gift certificates to

Nob Hill Supermarket.

The direct mail survey campaign resulted in an extremely modest sample of 77

responses. This return rate of only 8 percent was too modest to reflect a thorough

assessment of community opinions regarding County Express.



To compensate for the lack of responses from the direct mail survey, an additional 1,000

bilingual surveys were distributed via:

• Public employees within San Benito County,

• The Hollister public library,

• County Labor Camp, and

• South County Housing Authority.

Bilingual surveys were also available for download from the San Benito County Express

website (http://www.SanBenitoCountyExpress.org). Respondents were instructed to

return the completed survey either to a central collection point or by mail.

The sample size for this second round of surveys was 98, reflecting a response rate of

9.8 percent. Still unsatisfied with the number of surveys collected, a third attempt at

community outreach was planned.

Through six bilingual community forums, residents were given an opportunity to ask

questions, voice their concerns, and discuss service requests and modifications

regarding County Express services. The same bilingual community survey form used in

the previous two efforts was available at each of the sessions.

Collectively, these outreach efforts resulted in a sample size of 181. A group of this size

has a + 7.28-percent margin of error at the 95-percent confidence level.

Once data collection was complete, the survey data was imported into the Statistical

Package for the Social Sciences software platform. The raw survey data was then

cleaned and coded. The raw data was then exported into Microsoft Excel where it was

translated into graphs and tables to provide a visual representation of the results.



Demographic Information

Most survey respondents were female (73.3 percent), within the age category of 35–64

(67.7 percent), employed full-time (64.9 percent), and absent any impairment affecting

their personal mobility (89.6 percent).

A majority (61.7 percent) indicated an annual household income of $50,000. Only a

small percentage (6.0 percent) cited a household income of less than $15,000 annually.

Exhibit 7-1 Household Income

6.0% 7.2%

25.1%

61.7%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Less than $15,000 $15,001-$29,999 $30,000-$49,999 $50,000 or more

Most respondents (92.4 percent) indicated having access to a personal vehicle. When

asked if they were in possession of a valid driver license, 92.0 percent answered

affirmatively. Nearly 87 percent indicated having access to both a vehicle and a valid

driver license. This indicates a low level of ride-dependency among respondents to the

community survey.

Exhibit 7-2 Ride-Dependency

Yes NoYes 86.9% 4.5%No 2.8% 5.7%

Driver License Vehicle Access



General Awareness

In order for a person to select public transit as a travel alternative, he or she must first be

aware of its availability. Slightly more than 55 percent of those persons surveyed

indicated an awareness of County Express and/or its services. This relatively low level

of awareness is surprising given the modest size of the County Express service area.

Experience in other non-urbanized settings throughout California generally reveals a

greater level of “transit awareness.”

Exhibit 7-3 illustrates a cross-tabulation between awareness and respondent age. A

diverse level of awareness regarding County Express exists among the age categories.

Respondents in the age 35–64 category exhibited the highest awareness (68.4 percent).

Those respondents within the age 16–18 category reflected the lowest level of

awareness (3.2 percent). This lack of awareness among older youth is a serious point of

concern. This demographic typically benefits the most from public transit as it translates

into increased freedom and independence not normally available without a personal

vehicle.

Exhibit 7-3 Awareness by Age Group

3.2%

21.1%

7.4%

55.9%68.4%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Age 16-18 Age 19-34 Age 35-64 Age 65 and older OverallAwareness

Of those persons indicating some level of awareness of County Express, 61.3 percent

indicated they or a family member had ridden County Express within the 12 months

immediately prior to the survey contact.



Exhibit 7-4, a data cross-tabulation between awareness level and household income,

reveals a negative correlation between total household income and respondent

awareness. That is, as household income decreases, level of awareness decreases

(from 60.2 percent for households over $50,000 to 6.8 percent for households under

$15,000). This maybe attributed to poor targeted marketing efforts.

Exhibit 7-4 Awareness by Household Income

6.8% 6.8%

26.1%

60.2%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Less than $15,000 $15,000-$29,000 $30,000-$49.999 $50,000 or more

Respondents who expressed an awareness of County Express services but identified

themselves as non-riders were asked about possible barriers to use. Approximately 27

percent indicated need car during the day, followed by takes too long (17.9 percent), and

does not go where I need to go (14.5 percent).

Exhibit 7-5 Barriers to Using County Express

9.5%17.9% 14.5% 10.6% 12.8%

1.1%1.7%2.2%

26.8%

2.8%0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Prefer todrive alone

Takes toolong

Does nottravel

where Ineed to go

Notfrequentenough

Does nottravelwhen

needed

Unreliable Need carduring the

day

Concernedaboutsafety

onboard

Costs toomuch

Purchaseda car



Travel Patterns

Survey respondents who indicated they or a member of their household had ridden

County Express within 12 months prior to the survey contact were asked how often they

typically ride the bus. Responses were distributed almost evenly among three of the five

categories: ride 2–3 times/week, ride 4–5 times/week, and formerly rode, but no longer

do. Nearly 32 percent of respondents indicated they ride less frequently than once per

week. In addition, less than 5 percent indicate riding more than five times/week.

Exhibit 7-6 Ridership Frequency

23.2% 23.2% 23.2%

4.3%

31.9%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

0-1 time/week 2-3 times/week 4-5 times/week More than 5times/week

Formerly rode, nolonger do so.

Among those respondents identifying themselves as County Express riders, the

consultant sought to identify the most-frequented service or route. Nearly 33 percent

indicated using the Intercounty Route as part of their typical travel via public transit. A

mere 5.7 percent cited use of the Dial-A-Ride service (i.e., general public Dial-A-Ride

and ADA Paratransit).

Exhibit 7-7 Service Patronage

15.7%22.9%12.9%

5.7%

32.9%

10.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

ClockwiseLoop

Counter-Clockwise

Loop

BusinessDistrict Line

FourthStreet Line

IntercountyRoute

Dial-A-Ride



To further assess how County Express services influence rider patronage, a data cross-

tabulation was performed between respondents who indicated formerly riding County

Express and the perceived or actual barriers.

Exhibit 7-8 Former Riders vs. Barriers

27.3% 27.3% 27.3%

54.5%

9.1%9.1%9.1%9.1%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Prefer todrive alone

Takes tolong

Does nottravel

where Ineed to go

Notfrequentenough

Does nottravel when

needed

Unreliable Need carduring the

day

Concernedaboutsafety

onboard

The primary reason former riders do not ride County Express was need car during the

day. Those respondents do not believe the County Express can satisfy their

transportation requirements due to issues such as frequency, destination, and lack of

mid-day service.

Opinions about Public Transit

The community survey included a list of service attributes amongst which respondents

were asked to indicate their satisfaction with regard to a series of service attributes on a

scale of one to four (wherein 4 = “very satisfied” and 1 = “very dissatisfied”). The mean

(or average) score for each attribute is presented in Exhibit 7-9. Using the same scale

described above, the mean score indicates overall satisfaction for each service attribute.

The ratings in Exhibit 7-9 should be viewed with the understanding that 1) few among

the direct mail surveys can be considered County Express customers; 2) community



dissatisfaction focused on inadequate service frequency and lack of convenience; and 3)

County Express has undertaken very little marketing.

Exhibit 7-9 Attribute Satisfaction Ratings Attribute ScoreAvailability of service info 2.63Proximity of stop near home 2.60Proximity of stop near destination 2.72Frequency of service 2.51Reliability 2.66Convenience 2.46Cost 2.87

Survey participants were asked to rank certain public transit service attributes, especially

those of County Express, in order of importance (wherein 1 = “most important” and 7 =

“least important”). The mean (or average) score for each attribute is presented in Exhibit

7-10.

Several service attributes received strong importance ratings. Proximity of stop near

home (2.18) was rated most important, followed by proximity of stop near destination

(2.96), and reliability (3.13).

Exhibit 7-10 Attribute Importance Ratings

Attribute ScoreAvailability of service info 4.59Proximity of stop near home 2.18Proximity of stop near destination 2.96Frequency of service 3.31Reliablity 3.13Convenience 3.26Cost 4.39

Sources of Information

In an effort to identify optimal marketing channels for the promotion of County Express

services, the survey included a question seeking to identify preferred media outlets.

This information represents the entire San Benito County community, not simply the

segment of current riders (although a portion of current riders are included).



Current riders most commonly obtain information about County Express services via the

customer phone line or at the bus stop.

Exhibit 7-11 Preferred Information Channels

6.9%2.9%

43.7%

5.2% 3.4%

37.9%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Newspaper Radio Phone line Website Social serviceagency

At the bus stop

Respondents were provided an opportunity to indicate two preferred radio stations.

Based on simple frequency, the most popular radio stations were KBAY (94.5 FM) (13.5

percent) and KDON (102.5 FM) (12.7 percent). This is consistent with the preferences

specified in on-board survey responses.

Exhibit 7-12 Radio Stations

13.5% 12.7%

3.6% 4.0%6.3% 5.6%7.1%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

KBAY (94.5FM)

KDON (102.5FM)

KEZR (106.5FM)

KGO (810AM)

KTOM (92.7FM)

KISQ (98.1FM)

KFOX (98.5FM)



Survey respondents were also asked which print media they most frequently read. The

Hollister Free Lance ranked highest (52.7 percent) followed by the Hollister-based The

Pinnacle (28.5 percent) and San Jose Mercury News (18.8 percent).

Exhibit 7-13 Print Media

18.8%

28.5%

52.7%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Hollister Free Lance San Jose Mercury News The Pinnacle

More than 80 percent of survey participants indicated having internet access at their

residence. The internet provides a cost-effective promotional-channel between the

County Express and current/potential customers. The internet can be used as an

instrument for posting rider alerts, media releases, and other service developments.



Community Survey Findings

The negative correlation between awareness of County Express and household income

is significant, as transit market research traditionally confirms that persons of low-income

are among the core groups benefiting the greatest from publicly-funded transportation

alternatives. The second round of surveys skewed this finding. Of the 98 surveys

returned, more than 90 percent were completed by public employees who exhibited high

awareness of transit and typically have a higher-than-average household income.

Although the data did not confirm the general finding that people of lower income are

more aware of transit services because of potential ride-dependency, this was

evidenced at the community meetings. Attendees were in large part Hispanic, of

average to lower household income, with a modest incidence of vehicle ownership.

Persons expressing awareness of County Express services and not currently using its

services, may be a key demographic for County Express’ ridership growth. County

Express has failed to capture an appreciable share of the “choice rider” population within

its service area. This market segment is vital to sustainable ridership and may be

persuaded to mode-shift should County Express services be improved and/or modified

to better suit resident travel needs. Since choice riders are more reluctant to mode-shift,

County Express services must be perceived as being on a par with competing modes in

terms of reliability, flexibility, and cost.

Exhibit 7-6 – Ridership Frequency provides important insight into County Express’

competitive position as a transportation alternative, as 23.2 percent identified

themselves as former customers. This customer erosion can be attributed to a variety of

reasons including changes to schedules and routes, inconsistent on-time performance,

lack of service options, poor customer service, ineffective marketing, and an increase in

personal vehicle ownership.

Given nearly 33 percent of survey participants indicated a need for a car during the day,

it is clear people see it easier to fight traffic than ride County Express. Those persons

claiming it takes too long to get to a destination or the bus does not go where they need

to go may not be familiar with the County Express service area and/or transfer

opportunities enabling access to other transportation services within the region.



A sufficient number of respondents indicated a “work” zip code different from their

“home” zip code. Approximately 83 percent of respondents indicated residing in the zip

code corresponding to Hollister. A data cross-tabulation revealed 25 percent of

respondents both live and work within Hollister’s zip code (95023), correlating to the

finding regarding the service most frequently used by current San Benito County

Express customers. The Intercounty Route, which serves a broader region, travels

beyond areas served by other County Express services and allows riders the opportunity

to connect to other transit services.

Although it is gratifying to learn residents are utilizing the Intercounty Service, most of

the riders patronizing the Intercounty Service likely do so to travel out of Hollister, and

may not otherwise use transit for travel within Hollister. Marketing targeted toward work-

age persons traveling outside San Benito County represents a potential growth strategy.

By contrast, many other respondents (children and students) simply use San Benito

County Express’ Fixed Route and Dial-A-Ride within Hollister. Most are traveling within

the same zip code, and in doing so ride the County Express at least three times per

week.

The question regarding the importance of service attributes was directed towards the

community at-large, not specifically current County Express. The results reveal that the

community as a whole thinks more of the convenience of a transit system rather than its

cost. This finding serves to reinforce the conclusion that County Express services are

not fulfilling the community’s demand. It is a common belief that bus systems go to

popular and desirable destinations, but the difficulty is in originating bus stops where

they are available to large amounts of people. This importance rating confirms what

parents stated at the community workshop. Bus stops are located at most of the

schools, but not in some residential areas where transit-dependent students live.



CHAPTER 8 – COMMUNITY OUTREACH ANALYSIS In order to adequately consider the needs and concerns of the San Benito community,

several types of community outreach were undertaken as part of the Short Range

Transit Plan update process. As described in previous sections, an on-board survey and

community survey were conducted to collect information regarding demographics, travel

patterns, awareness of transit, preferred media channels, valued service attributes, and

desired service enhancements.

While surveys collect valuable data, they do not give respondents the opportunity to ask

questions and voice their own concerns. To that end, six community workshops were

held during March 2007 to allow members of the community to play a greater role in the

future of the County Express system. Each of the 90-minute meetings was conducted in

both English and Spanish to facilitate full participation by attendees.

The first two meetings were held at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21,

at Ladd Lane School. The third meeting took place at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22,

at San Juan Bautista City Hall. The fourth meeting, also on Thursday, was held at 6:30

p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building. The final two meetings took place at 1:00 p.m.

and 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 23, at Spring Grove School.

Though attendance at these meetings was rather modest, three core concerns were

identified:

• Overall public frustration regarding the quality of customer service

provided through the County Express telephone call center.

• Overall frustration regarding the quality and reliability of the County

Express fleet.

• Overall frustration of County Express riders regarding the current

County Express route network versus the prior County Express route

network.

Several reasons explaining why some of the persons attending the community meetings

do not ride County Express were identified. Some felt the bus drivers were rude. Others



cited inconvenient schedule times, circulatory routing, or difficulties in obtaining basic

service information.

Attendees at the six community workshops were almost exclusively parents of

elementary school-aged children and elementary school teachers and staff. The primary

discussion of these meetings involved either a) concerns regarding the absence of

adequate home-to-school transportation and/or b) concerns regarding the quality of

transit service historically afforded these children (i.e., onboard the vehicle and via the

customer service phone line). This concern may be addressed through the introduction

of school trippers (Chapter 6, Service Alternative D).

Other attendees expressed frustration regarding their attempts to obtain basic service

information via the customer service phone line. Some teachers relayed that parents

would call the school crying because of poor treatment over the phone with County

Express. Teachers stated they too were often treated poorly when trying to reserve

seats for their students on the County Express demand-response service.

Parents and teachers who attended the community meetings expressed concern for the

reliability of the service as well as its frequency. School buses do not pick up children

who live near a County Express stop. Therefore, many children have no other option but

to take the Fixed Route service. Parents expressed concern due to bus overcrowding;

in some instances, children were denied a ride because the bus was at capacity. In

these cases, children had only the option of walking to school, regardless of distance.

Teachers are concerned because students may have to wait thirty minutes before a bus

picks them up after school or from after-school programs. Parents are concerned

because children may be late getting to school and late getting home.



CHAPTER 9 – GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STANDARDS

This section advances a Performance Measurement System for those public transit

services funded by the San Benito County Local Transportation Authority:

• County Express Fixed Route

• County Express Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit

• Jovenes de Antaño senior transportation services

• Local Transportation Authority

Although there is no exact match in services provided by County Express to those of

like-peers, there are programs with similar standards of performance. Combining the

prior Short Range Transit Plan and goals and objectives collected from like peers, the

consultant created a measurement system with a range of “probable performance” for

the County Express. Within the following tables are goals for safe and reliable service,

increased productivity, and minimizing of cost in contrast to the recent County Express

performance.

Goals, Objectives, and Measures An effective Performance Measurement System is composed of goals, objectives, and

standards.

• Goals are statements that qualify the desired results. They are the end

toward which efforts are directed. They are general and timeless, yet

theoretically attainable.

• Objectives provide quantifiable measures of the goals. They are more

precise and capable of both attainment and measurement.

• Measures set quantifiable targets for achieving the adopted goals.

The following tables link the adopted goal to the quantifiable measure; and then

document actual recent performance in relation to the specified goal.



Exhibit 9-1 Goals, Objectives, and Measures Goal 1. Provide safe and reliable service.

Objective Performance Measure Adopted Performance Standard Basis for Standard

FY 2005/06 Actual Performance Recommended Standard

Fixed-route Meets standardDemand-Response Meets standardJovenes de Antaño Meets standard

Fixed-route 95 percent of all monthly trips operate on-time (defined as arriving within 4 minutes of the published time).

Prior SRTP 53.03% 95 percent of all monthly trips operate on-time (defined as arriving within 4 minutes of the published time).

Demand-Response 83.50%

Jovenes de Antaño Meets standard

Fixed-route 30 minutes Prior SRTP Meets standard 30 minutesIntercounty fixed-route 45 minutes - 2 hours Prior SRTP Meets standard 45 minutes - 2 hours

Fixed-route 75%Demand-Response 40%Jovenes de Antaño 25%



Demand-Response None N/A Meets standard (times are negotiated for same-day trip requests)

All ADA-eligible trips scheduled within one hour of requested pick-up time.

Demand-Response No more than one percent of total monthly trip requests result in denial due to capacity constraints.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Meets standard No more than one percent of total monthly trip requests result in denial due to capacity constraints.

95 percent of all monthly trips operate on-time (defined as within 15 minutes of the scheduled pick-up time).

None

None

Provide safe service.Minimum of 60,000 miles between preventable accidents.

N/A

N/A

N/A

Prior SRTP

Prior SRTP

Provide reliable service.

Road calls

Maintenance schedule

Spare ratio

Maximize service frequency (maximum headway)

On-time performance

Minimum of 60,000 miles between preventable accidents.

95 percent of all monthly trips operate on-time (defined as within 15 minutes of the scheduled pick-up time).

20 percent

All regularly scheduled maintenance completed within 500 miles or five days of scheduled date/cycle.

No less than 20,000 miles between road calls. Defined as incidents where service is interrupted longer than five minutes due to a mechanical failure (except for flat tires).

Preventable accidents

Trip reservations

Trip denials

None



Goal II. Operate an efficient and effective system that maximizes service and minimizes cost impacts.

Objective Performance Measure Performance Standard Basis for Standard


Fixed-route $47.88 < $48.00Demand-Response $47.87 < $48.00Jovenes de Antaño $43.62 < $45.00

Fixed-route $6.27 < $7.00Demand-Response $10.64 < $10.00Jovenes de Antaño $38.07 < $10.00

Fixed-route > 15 percent 6.3% > 15 percentDemand-Response 7.0%Jovenes de Antaño 2.7%

Fixed-route -15.1%Demand-Response 19.1%Jovenes de Antaño -15.1%

*Figures from 2007 TPA

Fixed-route > 13.0 7.64 > 13.0Demand-Response 4.50Jovenes de Antaño 1.15

Fixed-route 0.77 > 1.0Demand-Response 0.31 > 0.5Jovenes de Antaño 0.08 > 0.2

Goal III. Evaluate, monitor and improve transit services on an on-going basis.



Regularly programmed service evaluations.

None N/A Previous SRTP completed in 1995.

Independent evaluations at intervals of no great than 5 years.

Availability of service schedules and maps.

None N/A Meets standard Constistantly provide service schedules and maps on buses and in public entities.

NonePassengers/Vehicle Service Mile (VSM)

N/A

N/A

> 5.0

Operating Cost/Passenger

Farebox recovery

N/A

Increase transit usage.

Minimize operating costs.

> 12 percent

None

Ongoing mandatory enhancement.

> 10 percent

> 5.0

NoneOperating Cost/Vehicle Service Hour (VSH)

Prior SRTP

Prior SRTP

NoneAnnual growth in ridership

Passengers/Vehicle Service Hour (VSH)

Growth in annual ridership mirrors that of the population of the respective service area. (2000-2005 population increase of 5.8%)

N/A



Goal IV. Undertake effective marketing, outreach, and public participation



Development of Marketing Plan; implementation of recommendations.

Actual expenditures. None N/A 3.6% of services and supplies budget

Not less than 4 percent of annual operating budget.

Conduct TDA Article 8 process.

Conduct annual outreach prior to meetings to encourage public input on unmet needs.

Transportation Development Act

Meet Standards Conduct annual outreach prior to meetings to encourage public input on unmet needs.

Customer feedback options.

None N/A Feedback mechanisms are not provided.

Provide customer feedback mechanism on all transit vehicles.

Goal V. Coordinate transit system development with community planning and development efforts and land-use policy.



None N/A Regional Transportation Plan updated in 2005.

Specify service levels. Identify capital improvements to be included in new developments.

None N/A Efforts were made by the Local Transportation Authority to coordinate transit and business.

Work with retailers and business community to increase accessibility to the public transit service network.

Goal VI. Serve the transportation needs of the community



Geographic coverage. None N/A Fixed-route covers more populated area, Demand-Response covers less populated areas.

Equal coverage throughout the populated areas.

None N/A 100% accessible 100% accessible.None N/A Nearly all bus stops are

demarkated.All transit vehicles' bus stops marked appropriately.

Maximize accessibility.

Accessibility.

Encourage citizen participation.

Encourage inclusion of transit in land-use policies during the review and approval process.

Practice involvement in the planning/ approval process.



CHAPTER 10 – MARKETING

The success of any public transit program is dependent in large part on public

acceptance and understanding of the services offered. A strong marketing and

customer service strategy will assist the Local Transportation Authority in

retaining existing public transit customers, attracting new customers and

developing support for the new public transit incentives.

As a community resource since 1975, County Express’ marketing efforts have

been modest. Therefore, this Marketing narrative presents the foundation of a

strategic approach intended to enhance community mobility, broaden the County

Express customer base, increase annual ridership, and realize the lowest

reasonable public subsidy. To accomplish this, the Local Transportation

Authority should allocate no less than four percent of its annual operating budget

to marketing in the first year of this Plan, and 3.5 percent every year thereafter.

The strategies outlined herein are intended to support those service offerings in

place at the time of the evaluation, as well as those service recommendations

discussed herein. The proposed approach includes a mechanism for the

effectiveness of impact.

Overview of Marketing Efforts Some of the current marketing materials appeared to be out-of-date. Concurrent

with the development of this report, a redesign of the current County Express

website was completed.

Print The principal transit marketing tool is the County Express service brochure. The

brochure is presented in a double-sided, full-color, accordion-fold format with a

finished size of 5.5 inches by 3.75 inches. Basic individual design elements

include timetable, route map, fare details, and customer information. The

brochure is updated when significant service modifications are made. The most

recent changes were made in 2004 and again in 2006, with a print run of

approximately 5,900 units for the latter. Brochures are available at county/city



offices, major employers (including Granite Rock, Milgard, Hazel Hawkins,

Ridgemark, and San Benito Foods), and educational facilities throughout San

Benito County.

Broadcast As a service to the community, County Express has enjoyed complimentary radio

spots, via KMPG 1520, for rider alerts, service changes, and special events.

Internet Prior to its redesign, County Express’s website content appeared to be both

accurate and up-to-date. With the exception of its vibrant appearance, the site

appeared to be functioning properly. While it is always possible to make

enhancements to a site’s appearance, navigation, and content, none are more

crucial than site accessibility.

Further, in the December 2006 onboard survey, nearly half of all respondents

indicated no familiarity with the County Express website

(www.SanBenitoCountyExpress.org). It is recommended the website should be

included in all County Express marketing materials and that the site content be

updated no less frequently than once a quarter. Further, interior vehicle

advertisements can promote the website as the easiest way to retrieve the most

current information about the service.

Events It is vital to its success that County Express be viewed as a good neighbor and

benefit to its community. In the past year, the County Express has maintained a

presence at many local events in San Benito County. Events included the San

Benito County Fair, Hazel Hawkins Health Fair, Gavilan College registration, and

Career Fair. At each of these events, a representative has been present to pass

out transit brochures with information about Bike Week and Rideshare Week.

San Benito County is an area rich in community and has no shortage of events

throughout the year. As a result, it is recommended that County Express expand



its involvement to other events in the community. Further, to encourage and

reward trial ridership, the distribution of free-ride coupons is strongly encouraged.

Promotions

In recent months, County Express has promoted fitness, environmental

consciousness, safety, and cost-savings through its participation in the Council of

San Benito County Governments’ Bike Week, Rideshare Week, and Senior Safe

Mobility Week.

During the promotion of Bike Week, the County Express distributed free-ride

tickets to any persons riding their bike to a County Express bus stop. Posters

displayed throughout Downtown Hollister as well as brochure distribution served

to generate public awareness.

One of the events during Bike Week is the Commuter Bike Challenge where free

lunches are offered to the employer with the most participants and a drawing for

a $1,000 cash prize. Further, local news publications and radio stations were

also utilized as advertising outlets for the event. Both of these promotions had

their own web home, where people could learn about or register for the events.

County Express should become a more active participant in the event to

generate more public awareness and support for the system.

At the San Benito County Fair, the Local Transportation Authority and the

Council of Governments promote County Express services and Rideshare Week.

Rideshare Week is an event that is promoted by the Council of Governments in

partnership with the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. Like Bike

Week, County Express should become a more active participant in the even to

generate more public awareness and support for the system.



Bus Stop Amenities

Each bus stop functions as the “front door” to the County Express service.

Signage informs new riders where to catch the bus and potential riders that

transit service travels through the area. In addition, each sign creates an

impression among non-riders, generating service and brand awareness.

Based on the December 2006 ride check, it appears some of the “established”

bus stops throughout the County Express system were identified by “Intercounty”

stop signage. Signage was not clearly identified as a part of the County Express

Fixed Route system; as a result, it is recommended that the Local Transportation

Authority coordinate all appropriate stops with identifiable bus stop amenities.

Further, all bus stops and shelters were equipped with an identification sign that

included the County Express logo. While these signs are effective in function,

many are defaced or deteriorating. Damaged signage needs to be repaired or

replaced so that it may function properly.

Bus stop amenities such as pole-mounted schedules with service information

(info posts) are available at many bus stops. However, current bus stop

amenities are generic in design and provide contradictory information. Many

signs feature only some of the routes that stop there, while others had signs for

all routes that stop at that point. Those stops equipped with info posts were

inconsistent with the according stop signage as noted above. For instance,

some displayed the Intercounty signage, yet lacked an Intercounty timetable on

the associated info post.

Bus stop amenities are a cost-effective means of raising general community

awareness as well as providing a much-desired amenity to current customers.

Given the availability of effective, easy-to-read printed service information

materials, reworking these materials into an appropriate format for these bus stop

information display units appears to be a feasible undertaking, whether through

current staff or an outside consultant.



Vehicles

Each County Express vehicle was clearly identifiable from both a color scheme

and marking or signage point of view. At the time of the December 2006 ride

check, however, not all County Express vehicles had functioning headsigns. A

headsign, located on the outside front of the vehicle above the windshield,

displays the vehicles route or destination information. Some vehicles were

equipped with headsigns that were either broken or in poor condition.

Brochure holders were not installed on any County Express vehicles. Some

drivers were supplied with brochures that are distributed to passengers upon

request. All vehicles should be equipped with brochure holders (placed behind

the driver) which are fully stocked at all times.

Interior signs (i.e., car cards) were not present. This is a promotional channel

that can be used for the marketing of transit services as well as local/community-

based programs or services. This approach would work well for County Express,

and the installation of interior signage is recommended for all vehicles. Doing so

provides County Express with a captive audience.

Exterior vehicle advertising represents a desired balance between maintaining

the visual integrity of the fleet while also providing some revenue generation

element. At the time of evaluation, no vehicles display exterior advertising.

Given community sensibility, as well as the relatively modest fleet size,

maintaining visual integrity by opting not to include exterior advertising is an

appropriate decision.



Customer Service

The following table summarizes the assessment of County Express’ pre-Short

Range Transit Plan marketing materials and subsequent recommendations.

Exhibit 10-1 Marketing Assessment

Marketing Element

Positives Negatives Recommendations

Service Brochure

Convenient size. Comprehensive system map.

Compressed with information, arranged in an illogical order.

Brochure redesign.

On-board Advertising

Exterior and interior adverting is not utilized. Minimal revenue generation.

Use of car cards; at a minimum, post rider alerts on-board vehicles.

Website Easy-to-understand site content and URL.

Vibrant appearance, hard on the eyes.

Total overhaul (launched January 2007).

Phone Number Service phone number is included throughout printed materials.

Continue policy of inclusion within all marketing materials.

Bus Stop Amenities

Bus stop signs in place at each stop. Info posts installed at many stops.

Info posts and bus stop signs are inconsistent.

Update info posts to be route-specific and apply County Express logo to bus stops.

Brochure Availability

Available at County/City offices, other employment/ school sites.

No brochure holders in place; brochures not visibly available to riders.

Install brochure holders on all vehicles and keep them fully stocked at all times.



Comprehensive Marketing Strategy Quality public transportation provides enhanced mobility, independence, access,

and choice for Americans. It strengthens communities by stimulating the

economy, mitigating roadway congestion, creating jobs, and preserving the

environment. One need not ride public transportation to benefit from it. Yet how

do you communicate this to the community at-large? You do it through

marketing.

Marketing plays a major role in the growth of a business, no matter what type of

business it is. The only way to get more customers is to get the word out. But

because marketing is a business tool that can work for or against you, it is

important to do it right the first time. While it is easier to keep a customer than

attract a new one, effective marketing can do both.

County Express is a service enterprise, and therefore requires a different

approach than a product marketer. A service-intensive business must

differentiate itself on the basis of its market understanding and customer service–

its ability to understand what the customer wants, and how those wants and

needs are changing.

The term "marketing" means different things to different people and is often the

subject of much confusion. Many assume marketing is simply a more glamorous

name for sales, though in reality they are quite different. Others take marketing

to mean the advertising, public relations, communications, and general

promotional activities of a company. Marketing incorporates these types of

activities and much more. The Local Transportation Authority must strive to

answer the following questions:

• Does it really understand its key markets, their size and growth

rate, and where they are headed over the longer term? Can it

quantify and rank specific target markets, by customer

segment, by geographic region, and by type of service?

• Can it define those market areas that its current strengths

allow it to best serve? Does it know what share of the



transportation market it currently holds in each of the definable

customer, geographic, and product markets?

• Does it regularly and formally review its service offerings and

extend, augment, or refashion them? Does it ask its

customers what they think of its services, and how they can be

improved?

• Does it adequately anticipate changes in external economic,

political, regulatory, and technological developments, or is it

frequently caught by surprise?

The classic marketing principle is based on the four Ps of marketing: product,

price, place, and promotion.

• Product – The service County Express intends to provide to

San Benito County.

• Price – The amount County Express will charge for its

service.

• Place – The geographic service areas, key destinations,

and eligibility requirements for providing service to the

customer. Essentially, is service accessible?

• Promotion – The strategies used to inform and persuade

potential customers to try public transit service.

By fusing these components, the Local Transportation Authority will be able to

guide its strategies more concisely and adjust its services accordingly. A large

portion of marketing efforts should be in the best interest of the customer. By

conducting the recent customer and community surveys, the Local

Transportation Authority has gained important insight into its customers’ needs

and wants, all of which has been used to develop this narrative.

Where does advertising fit into this?

Generally speaking, advertising and marketing go hand-in-glove. There are

various forms of advertising such as print media (newspaper, publications,

flyers), broadcast (television and radio), outdoor media (billboards), online

technology, and direct mail, just to name a few. Another form of advertising is



word-of-mouth. This method is the most popular and least expensive way to

advertise, although it certainly should not be the only channel. A strong

advertising campaign can be a useful tool in generating ridership growth for

County Express.

The following Plan is designed to meet the Local Transportation Authority goal

for a cohesive and comprehensive strategic marketing plan. No matter how well

a product is designed – or in this case, how excellent the service is – customers

will not emerge unless awareness is generated in the marketplace. Each

consumer wants to know how the product will affect his or her day-to-day life.

Although the County Express service is not a tangible product, it does provide

residents a means of enhancing their quality of life.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis The approach to developing a successful marketing plan for County Express

includes a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis. This

analysis provides important insight into County Express’ respective strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The following is an overview of the

questions that must be addressed regarding County Express:

Strengths

• What competitive advantages does County Express possess?

• What does County Express do particularly well?

• What resources does County Express have access to?

• What do others perceive as County Express’ core strengths?

Weaknesses

• How could County Express improve its offerings?

• What operational or service areas most warrant improvement?

Opportunities

• What practical, near-term opportunities exist?

• What important trends are present within San Benito County?

Threats

• What obstacles does County Express face?

• What is the competition doing?



• Is changing technology threatening County Express’

competitive position?

Strengths

County Express offers affordable independence to those who

currently do not have access to a personal vehicle or opt to use

public transit as their preferred transportation mode. This is

especially true for the growing senior population as well as

persons with disabilities. Another important positive is the ready

availability of easy-to-understand information throughout the

service area.

Weaknesses

Weaknesses are based on demographic profiles of current County Express

riders obtained through the December 2006 on-board surveys.

The service has failed to attract many “choice riders.” Based on the survey,

between 13.2 – 22.8 percent of those persons surveyed in the on-board survey

can be termed “choice riders.” While presenting a significant challenge, this

relatively low percentage is not insurmountable. Specific strategies are

discussed below.

Opportunities

In recent months, County Express has made forward movement through its

promotion of Bike Week and Rideshare Week. However, without a full-time staff

dedicated to it, the Local Transportation Authority may not be able to develop

thorough marketing for the County Express. Though the foundation exists,

current efforts need to be expanded upon, and many avenues have been left

unexplored.

Several opportunities exist to not only support annual ridership growth, but also

to broaden County Express’ customer base while gathering public support for the

service. Soaring housing costs in neighboring regions has made San Benito

County a more affordable option. As a result, many persons commute from San

Benito County back into the Bay Area for work each day. There continues to be



an appreciable lack of service patronage amongst “choice riders.” This provides

an important opportunity to promote County Express as a preferred

transportation mode when commuting into the Bay Area, or transferring to

connecting services. Choice riders also readily embrace feel-good aspects.

Further, it is recommended the Local Transportation Authority give priority to the

“local faces” element of the proposed advertising campaign. By placing a “face”

on the County Express service, the broadening of the public transit customer

base will be realized.

Threats

Given the high incidence of vehicle ownership present throughout San Benito

County, the primary threat to County Express is the inherent freedom offered by

the car. With many new San Benito residents commuting to and from the Bay

Area, the appeal of the personal vehicle is especially inherent. Though

increasingly expensive to own and operate, the personal vehicle is the yardstick

against which all competing transportation modes are measured.

Marketing Strategies A strategic marketing plan is fundamental to effectively promoting public transit

within San Benito County. The County Express Marketing Plan and

accompanying implementation strategy are intended to achieve the following

goals and objectives.

1. Increase transit patronage among residents and visitors alike.

2. Increase transit’s market share of the region’s travel market.

3. Enhance the image of transit as a local and regional resource.

4. Mitigate the impact which increased development has had on

region’s air quality.

5. Assist in the mitigation of local roadway congestion.

6. Enhance personal mobility.

To be successful, strategies must be focused. The development of effective

marketing strategies require focus on (1) selected target markets, (2) selected

target market needs as related to selected product or service offerings, and (3)



the relative strengths of the County Express service. This strategy demands the

use of a coordinated outreach effort.

A successful marketing plan begins with effective top-level strategies. The

Marketing Strategy Pyramid places strategy at the top, supported by tactics in the

middle, and programs at the base. The pyramid emphasizes the practical

importance of building a solid marketing plan structure. Strategy, at the top of

the pyramid, concentrates on market segments, market needs, and service

offerings. Strategies must be complementary and congruent.

Strategies provide the focus for the

development of specific tactics. Tactics

expand the message and determine the

media for the Plan's advertising, public

relations, and promotional efforts. A mix

of marketing tools will form the individual

programs and campaigns. Strategic

alignment matches strategies to tactics

to specific programs or activities. Strategic alignment is simple: Bring marketing

activities and spending into logical harmony with the strategic plan.

The Marketing Plan consists of five elements:

1. Strategies,

2. Tactics,

3. Campaigns,

4. Timeline, and

5. Budget.

Strong positioning and branding strategies are critical to the success of the

County Express Marketing Plan. These strategies define the identity and role of

public transit in San Benito County. County Express’ identity is reflected in all

public information, advertising, and marketing collateral. Well-defined branding

and positioning strategies provide a consistent and congruent look and feel to



public pieces, thereby underscoring recognition of County Express throughout

the service area.

Successful branding and positioning include an image development program.

This effort is already evident in County Express operations, collateral materials,

events, websites, advertising, and even the way the customer service telephone

is answered.

• Branding Strategy

A successful branding strategy clearly and creatively defines the

image of public transportation within the community. The branding

strategy communicates the image, identity, and personality of transit

within the community. This strategy determines the emotional impact

the brand has on customers, potential customers, stakeholders, and

the public. It shapes the opinion and attitude the market will have of

public transportation.

To develop the branding strategy, service features that reflect the

attributes transit riders most value will be emphasized. The look and

feel of the branding strategy is achieved by assigning qualities to the

features, which translate into benefits by the target market:

1. Convenience,

2. Affordability,

3. Reliability,

4. Accessibility, and

5. Safety.

By meeting basic needs, both for the individual customer as well as

the community at-large, positioning for County Express achieves an

emotional connection with respect to the following values:

1. Security,

2. Independence,

3. Empowerment,

4. Fulfillment.



This value system integrates well with the social-demographic and

psychographic profiles present throughout San Benito County.

Linking public transit to these values and supporting the benefits with

features of the service provide the branding context.

County Express has an effective, recognizable logo or service identity

already in place. Therefore, it is extremely important to use the brand

identity/logo in a consistent manner. The logo is the core of the

County Express branding and should always appear in the same

design, as well as the same colors. The logo should be included on

all marketing materials, including print media, vehicle branding,

letterhead, or bus stop signage.

• Positioning Strategy

To increase the significance of public transit in the minds of existing

and prospective patrons, it must be linked to other issues people care

about and support, (i.e., key personal values). Translating features

into benefits and describing how such benefits address the target’s

needs achieve the emotional connection.

In today’s society, mobility has evolved into a fundamental

physiological need. Public transit ensures mobility. It provides

access. By providing opportunity and choice, public transit is a way to

meet social needs. Public transit's relative low cost translates to

value for the consumer. Safety onboard and at the bus stops

provides security.

The positioning strategy compares the service to competing travel

modes. By focusing on the unique qualities of public transit, the

positioning strategy establishes its benefits over competing travel

modes, both to the rider and the community at-large. Still, benefits

(i.e., what the service offers the user) must be supported by features.



The automobile, particularly the single-occupant vehicle, is public

transit's primary competitor. The recommended strategy positions

public transit in contrast with the beloved member of the American

household.

Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration and the

Transit Development Cooperation reveals…

First and foremost, perceptions of public transportation are influenced by Americans’ attitudes toward the automobile. The private

vehicle is, simply put, a staple of most American households.

The automobile is an indispensable and loved

member of the American family.

A successful positioning strategy should not focus on the negatives of

the competition. Rather, it should spotlight the positives of public

transportation. Capitalizing on public transportation’s strengths will

pave the way for development of a successful positioning strategy. A

leveraged positioning strategy offers the following advantages:

• Key audiences will be predisposed to view

public transportation in high esteem in absolute

terms and relative to the alternatives;

• Area residents will become more likely to select

public transit as a viable transportation option

for themselves and others.

A marketing plan that incorporates similarities in an overall message

and theme brings not only greater impact, but also efficiency and cost

effectiveness. The positioning strategy for public transit in San Benito

County will communicate the service as a good neighbor.

The lifestyle opportunities resulting from enhanced public transit is

important for non-riders and riders alike. Ongoing behavior and value



research reveals although non-riders may not see themselves as

prospective transit customers, such transportation-advantaged

persons remain committed to public transit as an important quality of

life factor.

A tag line is a brief phrase or statement conveying the essential

unique message about public transit. A good tag line is a natural fit

with the branding and positioning strategies. It differentiates public

transit from the competition, establishes an image, and reflects

consistency throughout all marketing campaigns and programs.

Effective tag lines catch attention and thus are memorable. More

importantly, they convey a message to public transit’s many

audiences: riders, employees, stakeholders, and the community at-

large. It’s more than just a catchy phrase; it’s a streamlined vision or

mission statement encapsulated.

Each of the sponsoring partners will need to be comfortable with the

tag line. Below are a number of possible branding-related tag lines

that embody the branding and positioning strategies. However, during

discussions additional ideas may emerge:

1. San Benito County’s mobility solution.

2. Connecting you to (insert destination) just got easier.

3. Where will it take you?

4. Keeping San Benito County moving.

5. Connecting the community.

6. How will you ride it?

7. Wherever life takes you.

8. Going your way.

9. We’ll get you there.

10. Less expense. Less stress. Less is more.

11. What can San Benito County Express do for you?

12. Here to help

13. Serving you.



Outreach Strategy In coordination with the marketing strategies (branding and positioning), several

specific goal-related strategies have been delineated:

1. Extend the presence and visibility of public transit throughout

the community.

2. Expand promotional channels for providing information to

potential riders, stakeholders, and non-riders.

3. Customize promotions and offerings to address the values and

needs of specific demographic segments within urbanized San

Benito County.

• Extend Community Involvement

The positioning and branding strategies emphasize the importance

and value of public transit within the community. A regular and consistent presence in the community will strengthen the connection

of the County Express service to the San Benito community through

association.

The recommended association should be with organizations and

activities having a strong identity and placement within the individual

communities. While many of the envisioned activities should be on a

local (or service-specific) basis, it will be important to coordinate and

align local and regional activity to the greatest extent possible.

As discussed within the branding and positioning strategies, the most

important aspect of community involvement should be to provide

substance to the attributes and benefits of public transit as a good

neighbor. This is accomplished by participating in activities and

associating with organizations that reflect community values, exhibit

the area’s image, and can be connective with the positive benefits of

public transit: freedom, fulfillment, and independence.

Association is a classical marketing technique to assign a particular

attribute to a product or service. By partnering with organizations and



events that project an image of public transit’s positive benefits to the

community at-large, the same qualities would become associated with

County Express.

As noted earlier in this chapter, County Express has participated in

several noteworthy events. Continual and additional community

involvement may include the following activities:

1. Participation in community events and fairs.

2. Speaking at community clubs and associations.

3. Affinity marketing with other community-based

services/ programs.

4. Distribution of free ride vouchers at each community

activity.

• Customize Promotions

Faced with limited marketing funds, most transit agencies use

demographics, psychographics, and geography to segment

populations with the greatest propensity to use the service. Well-

managed target marketing can increase the Return on Investment

(ROI) on marketing dollars. Within the transit arena, ROI has been

historically measured by increasing ridership numbers. Target

markets should be reviewed periodically through biannual market

research activities.

An effective targeted marketing program focuses on the specific

benefits that may be of value to the particular market segment

targeted as part of the campaign or promotion. Each campaign and

promotion will identify a specific target market. Selection of media

and message would be customized to the demographic and lifestyle

profile of the market segment. Specific market segments for transit

services include the following:

1. Non-riders: Here, primary interest will be in the overall

value public transit offers the community and in some

cases, availability of travel options for themselves. Values



such as pride in their community and providing fulfillment

opportunities for themselves and others can generate

support. Transit market research has shown by simply

increasing the awareness and familiarity of individuals in

this segment, their support and approval of public

transportation increases.

2. Choice riders: In today’s automobile-dominated culture,

choice riders are perhaps the most difficult segment to

motivate. American Public Transit Association-sponsored

research reveals the larger the commute trip (or the cost

associated with the trip), the higher the probability a person

will consider public transportation as a means of

commuting. Reliability and flexibility are the most important

attributes for this segment. However, the key motivator is

employer support through a subsidy or other motivating

initiatives emphasizing the importance of employer

outreach.

3. Non-direct markets, such as business and social service agencies: Employers and social service

providers offer channels for reaching both workers and

other targeted market segments. The key message in

communicating with businesses is to promote the value of

transit in dollars and cents. Benefits must be greater than

cost. Promoting the realization of benefits (i.e., tax

savings, worker retention) with minimal administrative or

direct costs has proven generally appealing to this

segment. Specifics are more credible than generalities.

4. Seniors: As people age, their ability to drive often

becomes impaired and their need for reliable transportation

alternatives increases. Transportation needs center

around safe and convenient conveyance. Communication

with this market segment is most effectively achieved

through respected community leaders and targeted direct

mail. The key to success is instilling a high level of



confidence in the safety and reliability in the transit service.

Safety and independence can be motivating benefits.

5. Youth who have yet to reach driving age: This segment

is another target market for potential customers. Most

youth do not have an independent means of transportation

and therefore must rely on family or friends for travel.

Special youth fares and promotions have the capability to

attract this segment. Independence and freedom are

motivating benefits. Although safety is not usually a major

consideration for this segment, it is a primary concern of

parents and caregivers, who would most likely fund their

dependent’s travel.

6. Persons in the lowest income quadrant: This

demographic segment historically has been the primary

target market for public transportation. Many within this

segment are fully or partially transit-dependent.

Unfortunately, a large portion of this segment is

disenfranchised from the mainstream. As a result, this

segment is often difficult to reach through traditional media

and public outreach activities. Appealing to the

demographic market requires stressing value and low cost,

while also emphasizing how these features translate to

pride and empowerment.

Tactical Plan actics and programs make up the practical implementation of the County

Express marketing strategy. Tactics are the message (what you say), media

(how you deliver the message to the customer), and the look & feel (mood, tone,

and image). Programs consist of campaigns developed using your current

County Express marketing strategies and complementary tactics.

T



The Tactical Plan comprises four tactical areas:

1. Marketing materials,

2. Advertising,

3. Public relations, and

4. Channel marketing.

Marketing Materials This toolkit outlines the proposed approach for the design and production of

marketing and informational materials such as maps and schedules, media kits,

and other explanatory materials.

A portfolio piece would be ideal. This is a folder or dossier allowing marketing

materials to be customized for presentation to a particular customer through the

insertion of materials targeted to individual needs. For example, a portfolio to be

distributed to seniors would have materials promoting enhanced mobility, safety,

and reliability as they relate to County Express. It wound not include other

materials geared toward youth or choice riders. Doing so would allow for a single

resource kit that could be employed in coordinated marketing initiatives. A

phased approach would be used with the design standards developed for new

pieces and incorporated into revised pieces as appropriate.

All elements would be coordinated to present a professional and unified look to

the dossier. The most economical approach to this is a common size paper for

County Express system-route maps and schedules. The schedules could then

be used to provide local schedule information and in a unified portfolio.

The individual components of the kit, including schedules, could be designed and

reprinted using a phased-in approach once the basic design is adopted. Other

components of the resource kit could include the following:

1. A folder or portfolio that is specially die-cut to display

schedules and other reference materials as required. Another

alternative is a loose-leaf notebook with die-cut pockets for



individual schedules. The goal of this piece would be to

provide a single reference piece for a client.

2. A decision-tree matrix would direct the reader to the “right”

transit service for a particular trip or provide an explanation on

how to book a transit trip. The primary purpose of this piece

would be to assist social service clients in determining the

correct or best service to use in a given situation.

3. Aimed at employers, an Employer Incentives Overview would

identify both hard incentives (e.g., tax benefits) and soft

incentives (e.g., wider recruitment area and reduced turn-over)

for subsidizing employee use of transit.

4. The County Express system map would emphasize coverage,

destinations, and connections.

5. A Guaranteed Ride Home program provides no-cost

emergency transportation to those who utilize public transit.

This program ensures that public transit customers do not get

stranded if, for example, their carpool driver has to leave work

early or they themselves have to return home suddenly at a

time when their regular bus is not available. Information on

how the program works and how to register for the service

would be included.

6. A Media Release Layout Template is to be used for media

releases, both to local press and industry press; and

7. Posters for Employer and Agency posting (two per year).

Most of the individual pieces currently exist in one form or

another. The success of this effort would depend on

reformatting the individual mismatched pieces produced by

various agencies into a unified format and a consistent look &

feel that is representative of the positioning and branding

strategies for the coordinated transit marketing plan.



Advertising This section presents the recommendations for the design, production, and

distribution of direct mail advertising pieces, newspaper and other print

advertisements, radio and other broadcast media, and other media determined to

be appropriate for marketing public transit in San Benito County. The Advertising

Plan has two components: message and media.

• Message

Crafting an effective message is critical to the success of a marketing

program. The message consists of both the written copy and the

visual images. The impact of a creative message is often quantified

by a multiple of the frequency, the number of times a marketing

message reaches a target market in a given time frame. To achieve

optimal impact, the message delivered must adhere to the following:

1. The message needs to be consistent throughout all County

Express marketing materials. Having well developed

marketing strategies helps maintain a consistent message.

Developing a tag line or slogan is an effective mechanism

for achieving this result.

2. The message should focus on the benefits of the overall

branding and positioning strategy. Public transportation

is a good neighbor. It enhances life in the community

offering the following benefits:

• Safety,

• Freedom,

• Personal achievement,

• Pride,

• Empowerment, and

• Independence.

The qualities of the brand personality should reflect the following

attributes:

• Friendly,

• Approachable,



• Trustworthy,

• Community-conscious, and

• Affordable.

3. Features will support the benefits. The findings of both the

rider and community surveys provide supportive evidence

for the benefits embedded in the marketing message.

Marketing pieces must be frank, direct, and credible.

4. The marketing message must be unpredictable.

Predictable advertising is boring and will not get the

attention of the target markets. Curiosity and news can

stimulate the potential customer to learn more. However,

creativity that is not channeled to deliver the message may

be entertaining; yet, will not increase ridership or public

support.

5. The message must always be stated positively. A

marketing message that speaks to fear or discomfort

invokes negative images and emotions, which may, in turn,

become linked with County Express.

• Media

Media selection is how the message is delivered to the target market.

The media mix is the combination of media to be used in the

marketing program. Industry research reveals that in today’s

increasingly complex media world, the choice of media can have a

major impact on how an audience receives and responds to a

message. It is the consumer who controls where, when, and under

what circumstances he or she pays attention to advertising. The

strengths of each individual medium must be considered relative to its

ability to reach the target audience with the desired impact.

The qualities inherent to a type of media can be used to good

advantage for the message. The primary tactical objectives of this

plan are⎯



1. Increase awareness among the general public and

specifically within market segments exhibiting the highest

propensity to use public transit;

2. Influence potential customers to try transit and non-riders

to have a more positive opinion of the County Express

service.

3. Provide information potential customers require in

sampling public transit.

The optimal vehicles for delivering this type of message within San

Benito County are print, broadcast, direct mail, and the Internet. The selected media will support the advertising campaigns and, to a

limited degree, a number of the promotional campaigns.

Consistency and repetition are two key components for increasing

awareness. These components are also required to ensure the

information is available to potential riders at times when those

potential riders are receptive to accepting the information.

○ Print

Within the realm of available print media, recommended

publications include:

• Hollister Free Lance

• The Pinnacle

• San Jose Mercury News

According to the community and on-board surveys, many

respondents (27.5 percent) indicated a preference for The

Hollister Free Lance. Hollister Free Lance is a publication

produced Tuesday and Friday. Average circulation varies

from 3,400 to 3,600.

The Pinnacle is a free publication for the Hollister and San

Juan Bautista areas. It is published weekly and retains a



circulation of approximately 54,500; it was listed as the

preferred publication by 12.7 percent of survey

respondents. Both publications are locally-focused and

include article topics such as news, business, sports,

entertainment, and classifieds. Although not truly local, the

San Jose Mercury News was preferred by 9 percent of

those surveyed. The daily covers the nation’s fifth largest

market, and thus possesses a wide demographic reach in

the area.

Smaller print buys (or preferably barters) for targeted

promotions in special interest publications are also

recommended:

• The Bridge/El Puente

• Downtown Digest

• The Chamber News

The Bridge/El Puente is San Benito County’s only bilingual

newspaper. The bi-monthly publication is extremely

community-oriented, with a community spotlight section

suitable for local advertisements. The Bridge enjoys a

circulation of approximately 6,000. Another local print

media outlet is Downtown Digest – the Hollister Downtown

Association publication distributed to new residents,

business, and visitors throughout the year. The publication

has a wide distribution and is produced monthly. Due to its

frequency, it is a valuable publication for County Express’s

marketing efforts. Because the Downtown Hollister area is

the center of commerce for the entire county, this

publication effectively targets many markets of interest to

the County Express. The Chamber News is a monthly

newsletter produced by the San Benito County Chamber of

Commerce. The publication showcases local members



and businesses, as well as provides sponsorship and

advertising opportunities.

○ Broadcast

Radio provides an excellent opportunity to reach specific

market segments in a relatively cost-effective manner.

Morning and evening “drive times” are ideal for reaching

choice riders and youth, as they get ready and travel to

work or school. Spanish-language stations provide a direct

avenue to the Hispanic market segment.

Based on audience/market data, the recommended radio

outlets within San Benito County are:

• KGO 810 – News/Talk

• KSQL 99.1 - Spanish, Santa Cruz

• KDON 102.5 – Top 40 hits, Salinas

• KBAY 94.5 – Soft Rock, Gilroy

• KMPG 1520 – Radio Bonita, Spanish

Traffic sponsorships are an effective way to convey the

same message numerous times to the target audience,

typically in a more cost-effective manner than straight

advertisements. Because each of the stations listed above

cater to a different audience, they can be used in

conjunction to promote an event or new service, and can

successfully be used individually to target each group.

Although not technically a broadcast medium,

cinema/theater typically falls into this category because of

its method of production and delivery. Pre-movie

advertisements provide an excellent means of reaching a

“captive” audience comprised of a broad cross-section of

target markets per exposure at a relatively low cost. As

moviegoers arrive early to secure the best seat, the



message will often reach choice riders, youth, and seniors

at the same time. There are limited theaters in the County

Express service area that offer this promotional

opportunity, however, nearly Gilroy is home to the Caltrain

station, as well as the Platinum and Gilroy Theatres.

Smaller local theaters include the Granada Theatre and

Premiere Cinemas, both of which are located in Hollister.

Television offers limited advertising opportunities on a

modest budget. Slides on public information channels are

inexpensive, yet often have minimal impact. Investing in

commercial production and placement can be expensive,

and the content typically loses its “freshness” rather

quickly.

○ Internet

A complete revamp of the County Express’ website was

recommended to provide the amount of information and

level of service today’s technologically savvy consumer

demand, while enhancing its visual appeal. On January 1,

2007, the newly designed County Express website was

launched. The website is accessible in both English and

Spanish. System maps for both the Fixed Route and

Intercounty Routes are available and printable by .pdf files.

General information including services, fares, operating

hours, and connecting services is expanded to also include

rider and bikes on bus tips and information. Viewers are

able to access County Express news, including press

releases and rider alerts.

○ Public Service Announcements

Most media outlets will allow non-profit organizations to

publicize their efforts by airing or printing public service

announcements. County Express can use public service



announcements created for print (newspaper and

magazines), television, and radio. Radio stations are the

outlets most likely to use public service announcements;

with television, magazines, and newspapers following.

Other written or orally communicated public service

announcements that have been used successfully to get a

message across include grocery bags, company elevators,

and billboards along highways and in public transit

terminals. In addition, local public channels offer another

public service announcement opportunity.

It is important that the public service announcements

structure a message that will spotlight the benefit of public

transportation to the community and its citizens rather than

an obvious advertisement to increase ridership.

Unfortunately, public transportation will be competing

against hundreds of other groups and worthy causes.

Because public service announcements can become stale

and not used, a quarterly cycle for updating the public

service announcements for the media is included in this

plan.

○ Other Media

Direct mail, bus stop information displays, utility bill inserts,

and point of purchase signage would provide targeted

marketing for route-specific or market-specific campaigns,

while outdoor advertising, including billboards, banners,

and transit vehicle advertising, could be employed when

appropriate and cost-effective to increase awareness.

As mentioned earlier, San Benito County has experienced

notable population growth over the past ten years. Many

California residents are seeking to escape the high costs of



living in the Bay Area by commuting to the Bay Area and

relocating to San Benito County.

County Express is a community asset, and new residents

in particular will need to be informed about the variety of

public transportation services. The distribution of a

“welcome packet” – consisting of information regarding

County Express services – to real estate personnel or

relocation agents will assist in this increased transit

awareness.

The placement of County Express service advertisements

on County Express vehicles provides awareness of the

accessible service. By highlighting the convenience and

reduction in stress and costs associated with driving,

single-occupant vehicle-dependant commuters may be

encouraged to try public transit, potentially resulting in a

decrease in auto travel. Transit advertising includes

interior as well as exterior vehicle opportunities. Interior

advertisements include car cards with transit facts and

information on new services. It is recommended there

always be route/service specific cards in place on all

vehicles.

Exterior advertisements will serve to underscore basic

contact information such as website and phone number.

Each vehicle’s rear panel is a revenue-generating place to

promote County Express services, new routes, and

upcoming events that County Express will be holding or

participating in.

Phone directory listings are an integral element of the

media plan with yellow page, white page, and



government/community page listings published throughout

the County Express service area.

The San Benito County Express is currently listed in two

local directories: South Valley Phone Directory and

Hollister-San Juan Bautista Telephone Directory. In both

directories, County Express is listed under “bus lines” and

“transit lines.” In the white pages portion of both

directories, the County Express is also listed under “San

Benito County Dial-A-Ride,” “San Benito County

Rideshare,” “San Benito County Office of Education

Transportation,” and “County Express.” Continuation of

this effort is recommended through maintaining the current

listings, as well as through placing listings in the

government and senior services sections.

Google Transit Trip Planner

Following completion of 2007’s Short Range Transit Plan, San Benito County

Express will be incorporated into the Google Transit network. Google Transit

Trip Planner enables transit customers to enter the specifics of their trip – where

they are starting (by specific street address), where they would like to go, and

what time of day they would like to depart and/or arrive. The site uses the

provided information and available transit routes to plot the most efficient

directions.

With Google Transit Trip

Planner, commuters, visitors,

and residents will easily access

public transit schedules, routes,

and trips using local public

transportation options. Google

Transit is equipped with an

interface that combines the best

of Google Maps with the best of



current transit trip planners. It informs customers where to walk and how long it

will take to do so, what route to take and when, plots it on the map (both walking

and riding, with flags to differentiate), and compares the cost of the trip to the

cost of driving.

The system finds the best routes based on the information entered for each trip.

If there are a limited number of transit options for a specific route, similar routes

with different departure times will be provided instead. When more transit

options are available for a trip, the list of departures may include different

methods of getting to that specified destination.

Google is a name known by virtually everyone. Partnering with such a high-

profile organization serves to increase County Express’ role in the community, as

well as the public transportation industry. Google’s Trip Planner is a free service

offered to the transit community. Nationwide, there are currently less than 10

transit systems incorporated into the Google network, none of which are in

Central California. The goal: to provide detailed instructions on traveling coast-

to-coast via the Google network. By doing so, County Express will establish itself

among the forefront of technology-enhanced transit systems.

Allowing users to quickly and easily enter location-to-location information and

receive accurate results with the use of state-of-the-art satellite imagery

technology will also improve customer service. Google Transit addresses the

needs of the community as well as established riders and Local Transportation

Authority employees.

Public Relations The Public Relations Plan develops the message as delineated in the advertising

plan and incorporates the plan's branding and positioning strategies as well as

other general marketing strategies. Public relations tools include non-paid media

communication, promotions, and community outreach.

Public relations objectives are designed to affect specific incremental behavior

over a short period of time, with tactics designed to accomplish the following:



1. Induce incremental customer behavior;

2. Focus on singular goal;

3. Be measurable and quantifiable;

4. Relate to a specific period of time;

5. Provide geographic focus;

6. Maintain budget constraints or profit parameters;

7. Focus on affecting one of the following target market behaviors:

• Retaining current riders,

• Increasing usage by current riders and potential riders, or

• Obtain repeat usage after initial trial.

Media Releases and Feature Articles

A major aspect in generating publicity is attracting attention and interest of

journalists and news people so that the story is communicated to the public.

Spotlighting County Express’s general operational practices or coverage of

specific campaigns within industry publications ensures positive attention by the

transit community, possibly leading to proposed increases in funding through the

support of elected officials.

Current efforts distribute media releases to limited community contacts. To

increase public support, it is recommended that the Local Transportation

Authority widely distribute to not only media contacts, but community and political

contacts as well.

To obtain publicity, each story must have an angle of interest (the hook) for the

reader. As a public service enterprise, County Express has the ability to attract

the interest of community publications more readily than private corporations.

Types of potential articles or news stories include:

• Straight media release announcing newsworthy event.

• Feature story exploring a subject of interest to the public.

• Human interest stories demonstrating how the qualities of

public transportation enhance the quality of life on a personal

level.

• “Concept” article describing the basic premise of public transit.



• Opinion pieces providing commentary on public transit service

and its impact and affect on the community.

The proposed plan includes monthly media releases disseminated to all media

outlets within San Benito County, as well as industry, local business, political,

and community specific publications, where appropriate. This plan includes a

minimum of two feature length articles suitable for industry press with

accompanying news releases to the local media.

Community Outreach

Positioning the County Express program/service within the community is a critical

component of the consultant’s marketing strategy. The community outreach

activities include four major components:

1. Promotions,

2. Events,

3. Social service outreach, and

4. Sponsorship.

• Campaigns

Two campaigns will be integrated into the overall marketing plan. The

campaigns have been developed to complement other marketing

opportunities.

○ Try Transit Week

Objective: Expand upon current

Rideshare Week efforts; take a more

transit-specific approach than in the

past to encourage trial ridership among

the general public and potential riders. Awareness; improve perception of

transit.

Description: Coordinate with Try Transit Week sponsors

and the Rideshare Week; contest with existing riders to

select the Exceptional Bus Driver (short essay contest)



Bus Driver of the Year (both driver and rider would win

prize); public vote for best essay with sweepstakes winner

selected; coupon to Try Public Transportation during week.

Media: Newspaper buy and web sites, media releases,

outdoor, special public service announcements, direct mail.

Evaluation: Counts to determine number of redeemed

coupons; telephone follow-up of sweepstakes entries to

assess awareness.

○ San Benito County Clean Air Month

Objective: Coordinate with current San Benito County

Bike Week in May and Bike to Work Day. Awareness of

bike racks on buses; encourage trial-use of

a bicycle to complete trip on public

transportation. Generate more community

involvement and awareness than previous

efforts.

Description: Encourage the combined use

of County Express and bicycling by playing

an active role in the events. Emphasize

health, exercise, and environment. Distribute free-ride

coupons for the events at clinics, shops, and parks.

Promote Bikes on Buses.

Media: Promotional flyers at bike shops, gyms, parks. Use

print/newspaper buys; media release (earned media).

Include information in Employer Resource Kits with passes

for employees; telephone registered employers when

alerts are issued; coordinate with City and County; media

releases. Offer incentives to promote alternative

transportation choices, such as free rides for senior

citizens, or free rides for those carrying bicycles, or

helmets.



Evaluation: Special counts by drivers to determine

number of trials from coupons and total number of

bicycles.

• Promotions

A number of promotional offerings are included as part of this plan,

including displays, coupons, promotional fares, contests, and gift

offers. Five promotions are presented for implementation during the

first year of the plan. The success and impact of each promotion

would be evaluated for possible inclusion in subsequent years.

○ Holiday Shopper Shuttle

Objective: To encourage

trial use of public

transportation for shopping,

errands, and recreational

purposes among choice and

semi-transit dependent

riders.

Description: Tie-in with Gilroy Outlets, Northridge Mall, or

other local shopping centers. Holiday Shopper Shuttle

extends its operating hours to assist shopping. Emphasize

the easy way to do your holiday shopping during the

busiest shopping days of the year. Other promotional

offers could be explored, such as a free drink with the

purchase of meal when patron shows a valid bus ticket for

that day.

Promotion: Flyers and point-of-purchase advertising at

Mall and various establishments. Transit posters at the

Mall and other major shopping areas. Use newspaper

media buy; spot radio media release.

Evaluation: Special counts by drivers to determine

number of trials.



Hollister Beautification

Objective: To promote environmental consciousness and

County Express service by showcasing it as a benefit to

the community and the environment.

Description: Coordination and

participation with the Downtown

Spring and Fall Clean-Ups.

Promotion: On-board

advertising, print and radio ad

campaign. Media release.

Evaluation: Special counts by

drivers to determine number of trials; attendance at event.

○ Transit Raffle

Objective: To increase ridership, encourage repeat rides,

and gain trial ridership throughout

the community.

Description: Distribution of raffle

tickets to each rider as they board.

Get local businesses involved with

local transit by soliciting local

businesses to participate by donating prizes for weekly

raffle drawing.

Promotion: On-board advertising, print and radio ad

campaign. Point-of-purchase flyers. Mall advertisements.

Media release. Include descriptions of possible prizes and

faces/testimonials of past winners. Listings in Chamber of

Commerce and Hollister Downtown Association calendars.

Evaluation: Special counts by raffle facilitators to count

the number of entries.

○ Lucky Log-On Day

Objective: To increase awareness and community

involvement of the system.



Description: Once a month, a free ride voucher will be

placed on the County

Express website. Day of

the month would be

chosen at random and

would vary each from

month to month. On that

day, a printable voucher would be placed. Encourages

consistent patronage of the website.

Promotion: On-board, online advertising.

Evaluation: Counts by webmaster to determine the

number of website hits.

○

○ Bus Buddy Day

Objective: Increase trial ridership.

Description: Tie in with national Friend Day every

August 5th. Every paying rider can bring a buddy to ride for

free.

Promotion: Promote County Express as a social

experience and way to meet new people. Onboard

advertisements, listings in area

calendars (Chamber of

Commerce, Hollister Downtown

Association), local radio spot,

Downtown posters.

Evaluation: Free-ride counts

to determine how many riders

participated.

• Events

Through a coordinated approach between the County, its partners,

and the operations contractor, County Express would establish a

presence at a variety of community events throughout the year, either



with a transit information booth, vehicle demo, or providing shuttle

service. Additional recurring events include:

• Downtown Concert Series

• Annual Street Festival and Sidewalk Sale

• Path of the Padres Hikes

• Mission 10-mile and 5K Run

• Bluegrass Festival

• Veteran’s Day Parade

• Lights On Celebration

• Gilroy Garlic Festival

• YMCA, 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament

• Food, Wine, and Golf Classic at Ridgemark

• Social Service Outreach

Quarterly mailings would supplement telephone and personal visits to

agencies serving San Benito County. Inclusion in the organizations’

newsletters and mailing will increase County Express’ presence in the

community and specifically among the particular groups. Constructing

a program where the organization or group is able to purchase

discounted passes in order to either sell or give away to their

members provides an excellent means of not only increasing

awareness, while also increasing ridership as well as farebox

revenue. Agencies include the American Red Cross, Go Kids Inc.,

Hollister Youth Alliance, Health Foundation, Salvation Army, and

Veteran’s Services.

○ Speaker’s Bureau

For many organizations, a speech can have more impact

and generate more immediate influence than a paid

advertising campaign. Speakers are perceived as the

expert. If the talk is interesting, the speaker immediately

establishes credibility with the audience. A captivating

speech positions public transit within hand-shaking

distance of your audience.



The approach includes the

creation or enhancement of a

speaker’s bureau. Presentation

opportunities will be identified

that hold the greatest Return on

Investment. A supporting Microsoft© PowerPoint

presentation would be created. A presentation outline

would be developed. However, presenters would be

encouraged to communicate the material in their own

words.

• Community Sponsorship

Sponsorship of a youth or

recreational league in the community

would provide County Express with

an additional connection to

community events. By providing

uniforms or T-shirts to team members with the team name and County

Express logo, County Express could increase its presence at

community events. Sponsorship eligibility should be restricted to non-

professional teams. In order to choose which team is to receive

sponsorship, a creative, attention-getting, and of course, newsworthy,

application process can be implemented so as to “level the playing

field.”

Channel Marketing Employer and Business Outreach

Under TEA-21, employers may provide transportation benefits in addition to

compensation paid to their workers (employer-paid) or in lieu of their existing

compensation (employee-paid). The non-taxable benefit may be up to $100 per

month for taxable years after December 31, 2001, and may increase with

reauthorization.



Companies with greater than 250

employees are asked to maintain a

rideshare program and designate an

Employee Transportation Coordinator

(ETC) responsible for ensuring the firm’s

compliance. Unfortunately, in many instances, the ETC role is an add-on

function and does not command a priority.

In addition, the coordinator may not be in a position to implement employee

transit incentives. However, frequent outreach combined with frequent and

complete information about current transportation alternatives, often results in an

empowering of the ETC network as an external sales force.

The key message in communicating with businesses is to promote the benefit of

transit in dollars and cents. Value must be greater than cost. Promoting the

realization of benefits (i.e., tax savings, worker retention, and recruitment) with

minimal administrative or direct costs is generally appealing to this segment.

Specifics are more credible than generalities.

The underlying goal of any work-trip marketing is to ensure current and user-

friendly information is readily available, and that top of mind presence is

maintained within the market segment.

The plan includes establishing and maintaining relationships with the individual

ETCs as well as employer networks. The plan would continue to nurture any

established programs, combined with additional incentives and promotional

pieces to stimulate more interest in transit as a transportation option. Posters

and paycheck inserts would be provided to promote public transportation in this

sector. It is also important to promote the benefits of public transportation to

decision-makers within each company.

Education Outreach



Students and staff traveling to educational facilities within or adjacent to the

service area present another important market segment. To reach major

employers and schools, using existing employer transportation networks

supplemented through semi-annual direct mailing to other business lists will

enhance awareness and familiarity. While direct mail

is the most cost-effective method to maintain top-of-

mind awareness, personal contact has proven to be

the longest lasting. The addition of “Tripper”

programs that run along existing routes and provide

additional capacity during the morning and afternoon peak travel periods (in

conjunction with school dismissal hours) has proven to be quite successful. This

program should be partnered with a “back to school” campaign and can be done

directly through the schools via an insert in the “back to school” pack.

Marketing Budget and Timeline The Marketing Timeline in Exhibit 10-2 provides three marketing budget

scenarios. The recommended minimum marketing budget for Local

Transportation Authority is $40,000 (Aqua). There are also a mid-level marketing

budget of $55,000 (Light Green) and a higher level of marketing of $70,000 (Light

Blue). The items highlighted in the Light Green and Light Blue are activities that

are done in conjunction with the items in Aqua. For example if the marketing

budget is $55,000, the events in Aqua and Light Green would be used to compile

the marketing strategy.



Exhibit 10-2 Marketing Timeline






CHAPTER 11 – SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS

The first step in the creation of service alternatives and recommendations for the

County Express program is to identify significant service gaps. Existing services

were evaluated using quantitative criteria such as area coverage and

performance, comparison to like-peers, and surveys of the community. Using

data from the previous steps, clear, attainable and effective alternatives and

recommendations were developed for enhancing County Express services

across the next five years.

The alternatives presented herein offer cost-effective, operational enhancement

opportunities designed to achieve greater system efficiency. These

recommendations are designed to produce qualitative and quantitative benefits

such as more efficient service area coverage and increased service frequency

based upon community outreach and field observation. Under most proposed

service options (all except Service Alternative E), the consultant does not

recommend any modifications to:

• the Intercounty Route,

• the Southside & Sunnyslope Discount Reservation,

• Jovenes de Antaño, and

• General Public Dial-A-Ride.

Each service alternative outlined below may be implemented with the current

organizational structure in place. Service Alternative E (elimination of Fixed

Route service and replace with Dial-A-Ride service) may require the private

operator to restructure some of its dispatching procedures or internal

organization. However, this would not effect the administration of County

Express or Jovenes de Antaño from the perspective of the Local Transportation

Authority.



Service Alternative A (Current System)

No changes would be implemented to the existing County Express service or

alignments. This would mean no change in the relationship between this service

and others such as Intercounty, Southside & Sunnyslope Discount Reservation,

or Jovenes de Antaño. Similarly, no changes to the ADA Paratransit or Dial-A-

Ride service areas would be required, nor would administrative structure

changes be necessary.

By choosing to continue the current service without change, the community

would not need to adjust to a new system. However, the County would be faced

with addressing farebox recovery issue. Increasing farebox recovery through

efforts to attract new riders and to increase the number of trips taken by current

riders could be explored through a strategic marketing campaign aimed at

educating residents about the services available.



Exhibit 11-1 Current System Map



Service Alternative B (Revert to Previous Alignment)

Service Alternative B would revert entirely to the previous service plan. This

service alternative would reallocate its current assets with the slight realignment

of the Counter-Clockwise and Clockwise Loops, a northern extension of the

Business District Line, and elimination of the Fourth Street Line.

Service area would be comparable to the current system coverage. The system

would maintain coverage within areas where ride-dependent persons frequent.

Paratransit and Dial-A-Ride service boundaries would be slightly altered; the

Federal Transportation Authority requires service must be provided within three-

fourths of a mile of regular fixed-route service. Neither the County’s

administrative structure nor the specialized services such as Intercounty,

Southside & Sunnyslope Discount Reservation, or Jovenes de Antaño would

need to be updated.



Exhibit 11-2 Previous System Map



Service Alternative C (Service Reduction)

Service Alternative C would reduce the total number of Vehicle Service Miles and

Vehicle Service Hours by eliminating both the Fourth Street Line and the

Counter-Clockwise Loop. These changes would leave only the Business District

Line and the Clockwise Loop.

Like Service Alternative B, service boundaries for Paratransit and Dial-A-Ride

Services would be slightly altered to meet ADA guidelines. Service Alternative C

would have no other effect on any other County transit service.

The benefits associated with having two routes cover a similar area in opposite

directions would be lost, but riders would still be able to reach all of the current

service points. This plan would allow the Local Transportation Authority to

consolidate service and concentrate on improving customer service and ridership

growth.



Exhibit 11-3 Service Reduction System Map



Service Alternative D (Service Expansion)

Service Alternative D was developed based on field observations, ride-check

analysis, on-board survey analysis, and community survey analysis.

This alternative would provide bi-directional service along San Benito Street,

increase service frequency, extend the service area, remove the Fourth Street

Line, and add another route serving McCray Street and northeast Hollister. All

route names would revert back to colors.

Service Alternative D would split the Clockwise and Counter-Clockwise Loops

into two separate routes with San Benito Street as a bisector and cover more

area. Because both these loops would run on 30-minute headways throughout

service hours, Service Alternative D would eliminate the need for the existing

Fourth Street Line.

The Western Loop (Blue) would begin at the Fourth Street and San Benito Street

transfer stop. It would then follow Fourth Street west, travel north on Felice

Drive, east on Central Avenue, north on Westside Boulevard, west on Buena

Vista Road, south on Beresini Lane, east on West Graf Road, south on

Bridgevale Road, east on Bridge Road which merges with San Juan Road, south

on Rajkovich Way, west on Wilma Drive, south on Summer Drive, east on South

Street, south on Line Street, east on Nash Road, then north on San Benito Street

back up to the Fourth and San Benito Street transfer stop.

To alleviate loads during school hours, a school tripper route extension is

recommended. The route would divert at the intersection of South and Line

Streets, and proceed north on Line Street, east on Seventh Street near Sacred

Heart School and Church, south on West Street, west on South Street and south

on Line Street to continue on the route’s original alignment.

The Eastern Loop (Green) would begin at the Fourth Street/San Benito Street

transfer stop. It would then follow San Benito Street south, turn east on Tres

Pinos Road, south on Cushman Street, east on Eastview Drive, north on Nora

Drive, east on Mary Drive, south on Olga Drive, east on Talbot Drive, south on



Ladd Lane, east on Southside Road, north on Sunset Drive, west on Talbot

Drive, north on Ladd Lane, east on Airline Highway, east on Sunset Drive, south

on Valley View road, east on Union Road, north on Highland Drive, west on

Sunnyslope Road, north on Memorial Street, and west on Meridian Street to end

up at the Fourth Street and San Benito Street transfer stop.

It is recommended the Eastern Loop (Green) operate an extension service to

Ladd Lane Elementary school during peak hours only. These trippers would

accommodate the current heavy student loads.

Unlike previous alignments for this area, the new routes would run unidirectional

service. Both routes would run counter-clockwise to create bi-directional service

on San Benito Street. Although there would only be unidirectional service within

each loop, these adjustments would allow for greater service frequency and

cover a broader service area than previous or status quo alternatives.

Service Alternative D would keep a Business District Line, but would modify it to

create higher frequency and less redundancy within the route system. With the

current Clockwise and Counter-Clockwise Loops bisected along San Benito

Street into two loops, the Business District Line would only go as far south as

Fourth Street.

The northern portion of Service Alternative D’s Business District Line (Red)

would remain the same until reaching the Fourth Street/San Benito Street

transfer stop, where the route would go east on Fourth Street, which turns into

Meridian Street, north on Chappell Road, north on Alvarado Street, west on

Santa Ana Road and back up north on San Benito Street. This southern loop in

the Business Direct Line would bring service to McCarthy Park and San Andreas

Continuation School, which are popular demand-response trip generators.

Drivers cited numerous complaints regarding the discontinuation of service to

2300 Technology Way; this realignment of the Business District Line would

alleviate that service gap.



Service Alternative D proposes the addition of a route that would serve McCray

Street and northeast Hollister (Yellow). Depending on the potential impact of the

Highway 25 Bypass project, this may only be a temporary route. Regardless,

there is currently a need for service along McCray Street, where numerous trip

generators are located. In addition, this route would serve the community in the

northeast area of Hollister, where federal census data shows a high population of

ride-dependent residents.

This recommended additional route would begin at the Fourth Street/San Benito

Street transfer stop and go north on San Benito Road, east on Santa Ana Road,

south on Fairview road, west on Hillcrest Road, south on Memorial Drive, west

on Sunnyslope Road, north on McCray Street, and west on Fourth Street to end

at the Fourth and San Benito Street transfer point.

Service Alternative D recommends keeping the Intercounty service in its current

configuration. The Local Transportation Authority should focus on the

development of services within Hollister before expanding services. If significant

demand is shown for service to Salinas and/or San Jose, an addition to the

Intercounty Route should then be taken into consideration.

Paratransit service boundaries would be slightly altered; the Federal

Transportation Authority requires service must be provided within three-fourths of

a mile of regular fixed-route service.



Exhibit 11-4 Service Expansion System Map



Service Alternative E (General Public Dial-A-Ride)

Service Alternative E would eliminate the Fixed Route service and its

complementary Paratransit service and replace it with general public Dial-A-Ride.

The Intercounty and Jovenes de Antaño services would not be modified.

However with the implementation of this service option, there would be no need

for the Southside & Sunnyslope Discount Reservation services.

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifies the level of service

for ambulatory patrons provided by a publicly funded demand-response service

must be equivalent to the level of service offered to persons with disabilities (42

U.S.C § 12144). The Local Transportation Authority must ensure they maintain a

balanced level of service to secure all current funding sources.

While the proposed Dial-A-Ride service would be open to the general public,

priority trip reservations would be offered to ADA-certified patrons and seniors.

The proposed service could potentially inconvenience current Dial-A-Ride riders

because the service is open to anyone in the service area and may reduce

availability of reservations. As a result, there may be a longer wait time for a

pickup or cause the elimination of same day service.

By implementing the general public Dial-A-Ride service, the Local Transportation

Authority would combine the monies used to operated the Fixed Route and

Paratransit services, and reallocate those funds to a single, consolidated service

for the County.

Implementing this new service would require additional training and certification

for San Benito County Express drivers. All drivers must obtain a General Public

Paratransit Vehicle (GPPV) certificate by attending at least 12 hours of class,

eight hours of Certified Defensive Driving, and 20 hours behind the wheel training

in order to be certified to drive a General Public Paratransit Vehicle. A two-hour

refresher course is required every year. The Local Transportation Authority must

also ensure that vehicles from its fleet meet standards set forth by California

Vehicle Code Title 336.



A General Public Paratransit Vehicle is defined as any publicly owned and

operated transit system vehicle designed to provide local transportation to the

general public. This Code also stipulates pupils at or below the 12th-grade level

must be allowed to utilize the vehicle for trips to or from a public or private school

or school activity. Furthermore, the vehicle may carry no more than 24 persons

plus the driver and may operate as a dial-a-ride, subscription service, or route-

deviated bus service.

Based on the Local Transportation Authority provided fleet list, all current

demand-response vehicles meet the above specifications. However, the vehicle

cannot operate as a General Public Paratransit Vehicle until certified by the

California Highway Patrol.

In addition, service area boundaries must be clearly defined. It is recommended

the Local Transportation Authority restrict service to patrons within current limits

(i.e., City of Hollister, City of San Juan Bautista).

The general public Dial-A-Ride service would use the existing County Express

fleet and operate during comparable service hours.

If selected, it is recommended this service change be framed within the context

of a six-month demonstration project. In addition, an aggressive marketing

campaign should accompany the modification to mitigate the perception that

service to the area has been reduced.



Exhibit 11-5 General Public Dial-A-Ride Proposed Service Area

The following chart provides a summary of all proposed service alternatives.

Exhibit 11-6 Summary of Proposed Service Alternatives

Service Alternative Type Fixed-Route Changes Demand-Response Changes Benefit Financial Impact- Compared to Status Quo

A Current No Changes No Changes Avoid confusion of service changes Status Quo

B Previous

Realignment of loops, extension of Business District Line, elimination of Fourth Street Line

Slightly altered coverage area to comply with FTA regulations

Improve service efficiency and reach 10 percent farebox recovery

Increased revenue and farebox recovery

C Reduction

Elimination of the Fourth Street Line and Counter-Clockwise Loop.


Allows concentration of efforts to improve customer service and ridership

Lower operating costs, revenue, and farebox recovery

D Expansion

Bi-directional service on San Benito blvd, increase service frequency, eliminate Fourth Street Line, split up loops, add route serving northeast Hollister, add school tripper


More comprehensive coverage area and increased frequency

Increased operating costs, revenue, and farebox recovery

E Dial-A-Ride

Eliminate all fixed-route service Open complementary Dial-A-Ride to general public

Elimination of rider requirements will broaden customer base and will allow the LTA to combine funds

Increased revenue, operating costs, and lower farebox recovery



Service Recommendations Sunnyslope and Southside Area

The boundaries for this service would not change.

General Public Dial-A-Ride

There are no recommendations for the General Public Dial-A-Ride services

because this is the sole provider of transportation service during the weekends.

Jovenes de Antaño

Services offered by Jovenes de Antaño exceed the requirements put forth by the

Federal Transportation Administration’s ADA standards. The only

recommendation to services is to alter current reservation protocol. Currently,

patrons of the service must make reservations at least one week in advance.

Those who would like to utilize the medical and shopping assistance program are

required to reserve space two days prior to their desired trip time. To streamline

the process, it is recommended Jovenes de Antaño services adopt a 24-hour

advance reservation policy. The proposed policy would attract more patrons

because of the less restrictive reservation requirements. This may shift regular

Dial-A-Ride patrons to Jovenes de Antaño services.

Service Hours

Under all proposed service options, it is recommended running all services

throughout the service hours of 6:00 a.m. until 6:20 p.m. To create less

congestion at the transit hub, it is recommended that route start times be

staggered.

In addition, to increase efficiency, it is recommended that the routes with the

heavier ridership (i.e. Clockwise Route, Counter-Clockwise Route) operate more

frequently during peak hours. The increased frequency would be achieved by

reducing the headway of the route and/or adding extra buses on the route. The

following chart is a guideline for proposed headways by day-part applicable to all

scenarios with Fixed Route services.



Exhibit 11-7 Proposed Headways

Half-Hour One-Hour Half-Hour One-Hour Half-Hour One-Hour Half-Hour One-HourX X X XX X X XX X X XX X X X3:01 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Yellow Line

6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.9:01 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.12:01 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

HeadwaysRed Line Green Line Blue Line

Route Names

Comments from customers and drivers alike stated that they preferred a route

system named with colors rather than directions or “areas.” Blue Line and Green

Line are recommended for the two loop routes, Red Line for the Business District

Line, and Yellow Line for any additional route. Not only are colors easier to

remember, but they are easier to translate to other languages.

Mission Statement

The Local Transportation Authority should develop a mission statement for

County Express. A mission statement can be used as a guide for system

performance. It also creates a goal for the service to reach. A mission statement

communicates long-term direction.

Some examples include:

“The Transportation Department is committed to providing a safe, pleasant

environment for living, conducting commerce and traveling while promoting

residential quality of life and economic strength in our community”.

City of Beverly Hills

“The mission of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is to provide the

public with a safe and efficient countywide transportation system. The system

increases access and mobility, reduces congestion, improves the environment,

and supports economic development, thereby enhancing quality of life”.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority



“Yolo County Transportation District values excellence as we:

• Coordinate transportation planning and funding

• Provide transit service

• Advocate for transportation issues and services”

Yolo County Transportation District

Enhanced Customer Service

Customer service needs to become a high priority in order to retain customers,

attract new riders, and improve the system’s reputation in the community.

Customer service enhancement should include activities such as the regular

distribution of rider surveys, availability of a customer comment mechanism, and

ongoing training for all County Express staff.

• Rider Survey

In order for San Benito County Express to provide an efficient

and effective customer and transit service, County Express

must have a clear understanding of its customer’s needs and

opinions. To that end, the County Express should conduct a

rider survey at no less than 12-month intervals.

To facilitate comparison between data sets, the recommended

initial survey is based on the survey instrument utilized in this

evaluation. Doing so would provide the Local Transportation

Authority with insight regarding behavioral trends and service

request patterns.

By implementing this recommendation, Local Transportation

Authority would benefit by having a clearer understanding of

its customers needs. The survey would provide insight into

who is using the service, for what purpose, and customer

travel patterns.

The information collected as part of a customer survey would

also aid the Local Transportation Authority in gaining further



perspective as how to best channel its marketing efforts.

Conducting annual rider surveys provides valuable market

research that will assist County Express be proactive to

community needs. Customer surveys promote community

participation.

• Customer Comment Mechanism

There is a need to facilitate more proactive communication at

the customer level. In order to encourage such

communication, the Local Transportation Authority should

design and place aboard County Express vehicles a postage-

paid comment card.

The postage-paid element simplifies the process for the

customer, thereby encouraging use of this communications

channel.

The proposed customer comment card should collect the

following:

• Date,

• Comments (with adequate space allowed),

• Desired resolution or follow-up, and

• Contact information.

In addition, a comment/complaint specific mechanism should

be integrated into the County Express website. Currently

contact information for County Express is available, but it does

not necessarily invite comments. Creating a second email

(i.e., [email protected]) would garner valuable

insight for County Express.

Local Transportation Authority or its operations contractor staff

should respond to any comments received within five business

days.



The primary benefit of this recommendation is a mechanism

for candid feedback in an anonymous manner (if so desired).

It also establishes a line of communication and instills a sense

of “ownership” among riders.

• Recurring Dispatcher, Supervisor, and Driver Training

Driver courtesy and competency were not highly rated service

attributes among County Express’s Fixed Route, Dial-A-Ride

and Paratransit riders. In some cases, youth were denied

rides to school. Parents and teachers were having trouble

making reservations for students and received poor customer

service.

The operations contractor should conduct quarterly training

sessions with all operations staff. The focus of this training

should be operational issues (i.e., schedule adherence,

vehicle inspections, and equipment checks), maintaining safe

working and operating conditions, customer service, and how

to address/resolve customer concerns.

The recommended training sessions would also provide an

opportunity for drivers and contractor staff to provide the Local

Transportation Authority with valuable feedback regarding

customer concerns, shifts in travel patterns, and other

operational issues that may arise. This proactive approach

would ensure the County Express’ frontline ambassadors (i.e.,

drivers) understand the Local Transportation Authority’s goals

and objectives as well as the important role they play in

achieving such goals.

There may be a need to introduce additional phone lines to the

dispatching office and/or hiring more dispatchers. Further, a

voice mail system should be installed allowing callers to leave



a message with a trip request or listen to service information

outside of normal business hours.

If more phone lines and a voice mail service were put in place

the benefits would be 1) significantly reduced occurrence of

busy signals, 2) reduction in hold-time, and 3) improved

customer service. By enhancing public access to customer

information, the propensity to use the service increases.

Opportunities for Coordination and Consolidation While San Benito currently utilizes several types of demand response services,

these are specialized and non-redundant and do not offer an opportunity for

consolidation. Nevertheless, the Local Transportation Authority may consider the

benefits of a centralized call center. The implementation of such a program

would begin with the adoption of a single, toll-free phone number for all Local

Transportation Authority’s services. By channeling all callers to a single, central

dispatch, customer service would be streamlined. Furthermore, riders may be

directed by dispatch to the service(s) which most closely fit their need.

The Local Transportation Authority may explore approaching Gavilan College

regarding the possibility of offering their students and faculty discounted fares

through the federal transit commuter benefit program. This program permits

private employers, non-profit organizations, and public agencies to provide up to

$105 per month in pre-tax transit benefits. Through this effort, Gavilan College

would become a major purchaser of monthly transit passes, thereby providing a

new source of revenue for County Express.

The federal transit commuter benefit program would similarly benefit commuting

workers. Efforts to inform the Employee Transportation Coordinators of area

businesses should be undertaken.

Internet Promotion

In conjunction with the Short Range Transit Plan process, a website was

developed for San Benito County Express. This page can be accessed from the



Council of San Benito County Governments. Creating an easy access link on the

City of Hollister (www.hollister.ca.gov) and City of San Juan Bautista (www.san-

juan-bautista.ca.us) websites is recommended.

The County Express website should be constantly updated and maintained with

route cancellations, changes, or special services. At some point in the future

there may also be demand for implementation of the sales of County Express

passes from the website.

Establish Criteria for Establishing and Deleting Stops

To best serve the evolving needs of both County Express riders and the

community at-large, the Local Transportation Authority should establish a policy

that specifies criteria for the evaluation of individual stops within the fixed-route

system. Because this process would involve repeated requests over a several

month period, it is unlikely that stops would be constantly changing. Those that

are selected to be added or deleted could be well-publicized through media

releases, postings at bus stops, notices on vehicles, and the County Express

website prior to any changes. Therefore, establishing this process would not

result in confusion for County Express customers, but would allow them to

address their transit needs more proactively.

The proposed policy would establish guidelines for the creation of new bus stops

as well as the elimination of existing stops. The addition of a new bus stop would

reflect the following guidelines:

• A minimum of nine documented requests received for the

establishment of a stop at the same location over a three-

month period.

• The new stop would be located along an existing route

alignment.

• The requested stop location must not result in the creation of a

traffic hazard, and be deemed safe by Local Transportation

Authority staff and law enforcement personnel.

• The requested stop would not be located within one-eighth

mile of an existing transit stop.



• Any new stop would be considered temporary for a period of

ninety days. During the initial 90-day period, the Local

Transportation Authority should collect four separate activity

samples to measure the stop’s activity level/performance. In

the event a temporary stop does not meet the minimum

activity/performance criteria, the stop should be eliminated as

soon as possible.

The deletion of an existing bus stop should follow these guidelines:

• Stop activity is less than five boardings and alightings per

weekday. To account for any unusual boarding activity, an

average of five sample weekdays should be used as the

activity criteria.

• Location of the stop has created a measurable safety or health

concern for riders and/or area residents.

• A minimum of nine documented removal requests should be

received for the deletion of the same stop over a three-month

period.

• Elimination of stop would not result in a County Express patron

traveling more than one-quarter mile to the next available stop.

Strengthen No-Show Definition and Cancellation Policy

The County Express’ Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit services use four terms to

classify trips scheduled but not completed: no-show, on-time cancellation and

insufficient notice cancellation. According to the operations contractor, a no-

show occurs when a patron is not at the designated pick-up location within the

agreed-upon 15-minute window. Based on a two-week review of driver logs, the

no-show rate for the demand-response service averaged 6.8 percent of trips per

day. County Express seems to have a greater problem with no-shows than the

average like-peer.

Given the manner in which on-time cancellations were recorded, it was not

possible to calculate the frequency of occurrence. From those recorded on driver



trip sheets there was an average of 1.7 percent of trips per day that were

cancelled insufficiently.

To improve the efficiency of the County Express demand-response program, it is

recommended the Local Transportation Authority establish easily understood

“No-Show” and “Cancellation” definitions and policies and communicate these to

its transit customers. At a minimum, the adopted policy should address:

• Definition of a no-show and cancellation.

• The limits before action will be taken.

• Penalties for non-compliance.

• The process by which a patron will be notified.

• Available appeals process.

The adopted policy should clearly define no-show and late cancellation. The

proposed definitions are as follows:

• No-show: A patron who fails to cancel a scheduled trip; who is

not at the designated pick-up location at the scheduled time;

who is not ready to travel at the scheduled time.

• Insufficient notice cancellation: A patron who cancels a

scheduled ride less than two hours in advance of the

scheduled pick-up time.

When dealing with patrons with a pattern of no-shows or late cancellations, it is

recommended County Express adopt the following:

• Two no-shows or late cancellations within a two-month period

results in a written reminder.

• Three no-shows or late cancellations within a two-month

period results in possible service restriction for one month.

When notifying a patron of possible service restrictions, the Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA) requires such communication be made in writing. When

requested by the customer, such notification should also be made available in

another “usable format,” such as audio recording or Braille print.



The ADA also requires a patron be allowed to appeal an imposed service

restriction. It is recommended the Local Transportation Authority allow any

patron facing restricted access to demand-response service be allowed to submit

a written appeal within 30 days of notification. The written appeal should be

addressed to the Local Transportation Authority and explain clearly why the

intended service restriction should not be imposed.

The purpose of the recommended policy is not to punish riders, but rather to

educate them. By explaining the impact an individual’s actions can have on the

operation of their service, patrons not only become proponents of the policy, they

can encourage compliance through peer pressure.

In order to effectively implement these recommendations, the operations

contractor must collect accurate data and share such information with the Local

Transportation Authority on a timely basis.

Lastly, it is recommended all written notification and decisions regarding service

restrictions should come from the Local Transportation Authority staff.

Maintenance and Safety

Vehicle maintenance is vital to a transit system’s safety and security. Regular

maintenance reduces the likelihood of accidents that may harm passengers,

employees, pedestrians, other motorists or the general public. Properly-

maintained vehicles ensure that equipment is in safe working order, and that

investments in the public transportation infrastructure are protected. Following

an effective maintenance program along with functional recordkeeping is a

critical first step to keep buses in service and eliminate hazards.

Similarly, proper training of drivers and dispatchers is a vital component to be

managed by County Express’ private operations contractor. The matrices

provided in the Goals, Objectives, and Standards chapter of this report review

current maintenance and safety practices and establish future guidelines.



It is recommended the Local Transportation Authority revise the monthly service

reports to include more detail. The revised service report should have separate

sections for services that fall under the “Dial-A-Ride” umbrella. The appendix

offers a sample of a revised monthly service report.






CHAPTER 12 – CAPITAL AND FINANCE PLAN

The capital requirements and five-year operating budget projections to support

the service recommendations are presented in this chapter. Five distinct service

alternatives were developed: Current System (A), Revert to Previous System (B),

Service Reduction (C), Service Expansion (D), and General Public Dial-A-Ride

(E). This Capital Plan outlines the supporting infrastructure needed for the Local

Transportation Authority to carry out the service recommendations discussed

within this study, as well as continuing the current program of County Express

demand-response and Intercounty services. The Financial Plan illustrates

operating and capital costs by year and identifies potential funding sources

across a five-year horizon.

The service alternatives presented herein may be sustained through a

combination of Federal (i.e., 5309) and State (i.e., Proposition 1B) funds. The

succeeding table itemizes funding opportunities available for the County Express.

Exhibit 12-1 Funding Matrix

Match %/% Capital or Operational

Amount (Maximum) Services/items funded

New Freedom up to 80/20 capital - 50/50 operating Both $115,000 Vehicle purchase/ride share programsJARC up to 80/20 capital - 50/50 operating Both $190,000 Vehicle purchase/ride share programs1B 50/50 Both $467,009 Fleet replacement5309 50/50 Capital NA Buses, facilities, storage, mantainance5310 88.53/11.47 Minimum Capital NA Elderly and disabled facilities and services5311 50/50 Both NA Buses, lifts, computers, user programs



CAPITAL PLAN Fleet Replacement

The current County Express fleet consists of 21 vehicles. However, six of these

vehicles are out of service; they had been dedicated to fixed-route service. The

Local Transportation Authority has been using Dial-A-Ride vehicles to substitute

those that are out of service. As a result, County Express does not have a

sufficient spare ratio.

A total of 11 vehicles need to be replaced, three need to be repaired, and two

need to be purchased within the period covered by this study. The Federal

Replacement Threshold for the heavy-duty vehicles (i.e., Bluebird) is 10 years,,

or 350,000 miles. Historically, County Express does not reach the allotted

number of miles within 10 years. The medium-duty vehicles in the fleet (i.e.,

Goshen Coach) have a Federal Replacement Threshold of 7 years, or

200,000 miles, which is adhered to by County Express. Exhibit 12-1 outlines the

proposed replacement schedule.



Exhibit 12-2 County Express Fleet List and Proposed Replacement Year

The supplementary chart reflects the costs of the vehicles based on the 2007

Caltrans State Contract. The chart also reflects a three-percent annual cost

adjustment.

Exhibit 12-3 Fleet Prices

Type II Type III Type IVMedium Bus

"STANDARD" Large Bus Raised Top VanFY 2007/08 $44,558 $45,797 $42,500FY 2008/09 $45,895 $47,171 $43,775FY 2009/10 $47,272 $48,586 $45,088FY 2010/11 $48,690 $50,044 $46,441FY 2011/12 $50,150 $51,545 $47,834



The Local Transportation Authority is encouraged to adopt the following changes

to its Capital Plan.

Purchase 40’ Coaches for Fixed-Route Services

Transit operators the size of County Express should purchase 40-foot vehicles

whenever possible for the fixed-route service. The benefits of this policy include

larger capacity and better dollar value. There is a demand and a need for larger

buses on the two Loop systems as well as Business District Line, especially

during peak hours.

On some routes, 40-foot vehicles are not feasible due to street width

considerations, making 35-foot or cutaway coaches a more viable option.

Purchase Alternative Energy Vehicles

While there is an initial cost savings associated with purchasing traditional ultra-

low sulfur diesel-powered vehicles, the Local Transportation Authority should

allocate additional funds for the purchase of vehicles with either hybrid or

compressed natural gas (CNG) engines. This practice could yield significant fuel

savings over diesel in the summer months and will limit emissions to help

preserve the region’s air quality. However, during the winter, CNG is extremely

expensive. The maintenance on CNG vehicles and fueling stations are more

expensive than traditional diesel engines.

Adjust Replacement Schedule for Cutaway Vehicles

The Local Transportation Authority should begin replacing demand-response

vehicles on a staggered schedule so not to purchase all necessary vehicles in

one year every seven years. This practice will require a less frequent investment

of capital funds; Local Transportation Authority will ultimately realize savings in

fuel and maintenance costs as the fleet will be composed of newer vehicles.

This practice will also ensure County Express remains compliant with California

Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations.

Maintain an Up-to-Date Fleet List

When reviewing the fleet list provided by Local Transportation Authority staff, it

became clear that there is no set replacement schedule in place. Local



Transportation Authority should develop a Capital Plan that will mirror the fleet

list and replacement schedule but will create the most efficient fleet possible and

inevitably save money by minimizing maintenance and time wasted with out-of-

service buses.

Update Passenger Amenities

The City of Hollister has a downtown transfer stop located at Fourth Street and

San Benito Street. The downtown transfer stop is a hub for all County Express

services (including the Intercounty routes). County Express has another major

transfer stop at the intersection of Tres Pinos Road and Airline Highway where

the Safeway market is located.

Within the scope of this Short Range Transit Plan, it is recommended the Local

Transportation Authority dedicate capital monies to passenger amenities.

Improvements include:

• Updating all bus stop informational units (i.e., signage, bus

schedule holders),

• Positioning trash receptacles at most patronized bus stops,

• Installing additional bus benches/shelters throughout the

system, and

• Replacing at least two of the system’s current bus shelters.

Improving passenger amenities at bus stops is an important component of transit

attractiveness to both exiting riders as well as prospective patrons in that it:

• Increases the visibility of County Express.

• Advances the attractiveness of County Express as a travel

alternative.

• Improves comfort of transit patrons (i.e., providing seating and

protection from weather).

• Communicates up-to-date service information.

Transit Tokens

During fiscal year 2006/07, Local Transportation Authority spent

$6,877.95 on printing fees for tickets and in fiscal year 2005/06, Local



Transportation Authority spent $5,299.23. For fiscal year 2007/08, the

Local Transportation Authority has spent $4,826.25 and will be ordering

more in the future.

Local Transportation Authority and staff of the contracted private operator

collaborated in researching cost saving fare options. The most

advantageous option would be the purchase of tokens.

Price varies depending on the type of token (i.e., metal, size, etc.) and the

quantity requested. The most economical tokens would cost

approximately $400 for 5,000 tokens or $2,300 for 50,000 tokens. Also,

for an additional charge, the tokens can be colored in shades like red,

green, blue, or gold.

Transit tokens would reduce operation costs because token equipment

damage occurs less frequently than paper tickets or magnetic strip cards.

There are some disadvantages that include a high up-front cost

associated with buying high quantities of tokens and their corresponding

equipment.

Exhibit 12-4 Fare Cost Benefit Matrix

Fare Type Benefit CostConsistent low cost High long-term cost

· Requires no new equipment · Excess paper waste· Already familiar to customers · Frequent reprinting

Lower long-term cost High initial cost· Reusable · Customers not familiar· No waste · Less frequent maintenance

Paper Ticket

Token

Other Capital Costs

The County must take into careful consideration the cost associated with

collecting fares.

The type of fare pass utilized as well as the level of technology built into

the fare collection system will drive capital costs. Fare collection systems



and instillation kits range in complexity and cost. Pricing for a simple

vault-style drop box would start at approximately $1,200.

Additional capital expenditures can include coin sorting and counting

equipment, safe or revenue storage facilities, and security modifications

at the operations contractor facility.

The succeeding exhibit is an updated Capital Plan. In addition to the

recommended capital purchases from the previous chapter, this Plan

budgets for the Local Transportation Authority to purchase 50,000 tokens

in FY 2008/09. During each subsequent fiscal year, the Plan budgets for

additional purchases of 5,000 tokens and two simple vault-style drop

boxes.

Service Alternative A (Current System)

A Capital Plan for the Current System scenario was developed along the idea

that the system would remain unchanged from how it exists now. As no changes

will be made that effect ridership, an overall increase of three percent per year is

expected.

The Capital Plan for Service Alternative A reflects the replacement schedule in

Exhibit 12-1. Prices for the vehicles are based on Exhibit 12-2.

Exhibit 12-5 Service Alternative A (Current System) Capital Plan FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 20010/11 FY 20011/12

Replacement Buses Quantity 2 3 3 1Total Cost $89,116 $45,895 $141,815 $147,423 $50,150

Expansion Buses Quantity 1 47,272 1Total Cost $44,558 $48,690 $48,586

Replacement Vans Quantity 50,150 2Total Cost $95,668

Expansion Vans QuantityTotal Cost

$133,674 $0 $190,401 $147,423 $145,819Furniture and FixturesEquipment other than Computer $18,700 $2,300 $3,400 $3,400 $3,400Computer Hardware

$152,374 $2,300 $193,801 $150,823 $149,219

Capital Expense Item

Total Fleet Cost

Total Capital Costs



Service Alternative B (Previous System)

Since the service delivery for Service Alternative B is comparable Service

Alternative A (Current System), the Capital Plan for Service Alternative B reflects

the replacement schedule in Exhibit 12-1. Prices for the vehicles are based on

Exhibit 12-2.

In addition to fleet replacement, supplementary passenger amenities (i.e., stop

signage, waste receptacles, benches, etc.) should be installed at proposed bus

stops throughout the County Express service area.

Exhibit 12-6 Service Alternative B (Previous System) Capital Plan FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 20010/11 FY2011/12

Replacement Buses Quantity 2 3 3 1Total Cost $89,116 $141,815 $147,423 $50,150

Expansion Buses Quantity 1 67,800 1Total Cost $44,558 $48,586

Replacement Vans Quantity 130,000 2Total Cost $95,668



$152,374 $2,300 $193,801 $150,823 $149,219


Total Fleet Costs

Total Capital Costs

Service Alternative C (Service Reduction)

Service Alternative C would reduce service by eliminating two routes. Therefore,

it is not recommended any expansion vehicles be purchased during the period

covered within this Short Range Transit Plan.

Exhibit 12-7 Service Alternative C (Service Reduction) Capital Plan FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 20010/11 FY 20011/12


Expansion Buses QuantityTotal Cost

Replacement Vans Quantity 2Total Cost $95,668



$107,816 $2,300 $145,215 $150,823 $149,219


Total Fleet Cost

Total Capital Costs



Service Alternative D (Service Expansion)

Service Alternative D would expand service by increasing frequency, adding

service area, altering existing routes, and adding school trippers. Therefore, in

addition to the recommended vehicle purchases proposed in Exhibit 12-1, it is

recommended the County Express purchase expansion vehicles to

accommodate to the increased service.

Exhibit 12-8 Service Alternative D (Service Expansion) Capital Plan FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 20010/11 FY2011/12


Expansion Buses Quantity 1 1 1 1Total Cost $44,558 $45,895 $47,272 $50,150


Expansion Vans Quantity 2Total Cost $87,550

$133,674 $133,445 $189,086 $147,423 $195,969Furniture and FixturesEquipment other than Computer $18,700 $2,300 $3,400 $3,400 $3,400Computer Hardware

$152,374 $135,745 $192,486 $150,823 $199,369


Total Fleet Costs

Total Capital Costs

Service Alternative E (General Public Dial-A-Ride)

Service Alternative E would reduce service by eliminating fixed-route service

completely and converting the ADA Paratransit service into a general public

demand-response service. Consequently, no replacement of Fixed Route

vehicles would be programmed.

Exhibit 12-9 Service Alternative E (General Public Dial-A-Ride) Capital Plan FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 20010/11 FY 20011/12


Expansion Buses QuantityTotal Cost




$107,816 $2,300 $145,215 $149,469 $149,219


Total Fleet Cost

Total Capital Costs



FINANCIAL PLAN Service Alternative A Operating Expenses and Performance Assumptions

Realistic five-year operating expenses have been projected for Service

Alternative A (Current System) using the following assumptions:

1. No recommendations outlined in the study will be

implemented.

2. Replacement vehicle purchases will take place during the

fiscal year identified within the Capital Plan.

3. All other purchases in the Capital Plan will take place during

the fiscal year identified.

4. Operational costs are based on County Express-provided data

for FY 2006/07.

5. Inflation is forecast at three percent per year.

6. Average fare/passenger is calculated by applying the three

percent inflation. This is then multiplied by the ridership to

show fare revenue.

7. Farebox recovery is calculated by dividing the fare revenue by

the operating cost.

8. No change in the County Express fare structure would occur

during the study’s implementation horizon.

As with any plan, should the assumptions change, the plan will need to be

modified accordingly. This plan assumes the procurement of 40 foot diesel

buses, as described in the previous chapter. Operating cost, revenue, and

ridership are based on figures provided by the San Benito Local Transportation

Authority. Maintenance costs are based on industry data. The farebox recovery

figures are calculated based on farebox revenue and operating cost data.



Exhibit 12-10 Fixed-Route Operating Expenses & Performance

(Service Alternative A)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost

Farebox Recovery

RatioFY 2007/08 67,100 $28,120 $305,883 9.2%FY 2008/09 69,113 $29,833 $315,059 9.5%FY 2009/10 71,187 $31,649 $324,511 9.8%FY 2010/11 73,322 $33,577 $334,246 10.0%FY 2011/12 75,522 $35,622 $344,274 10.3%

Exhibit 12-11 Dial-A-Ride Operating Expenses & Performance

(Service Alternative A)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost

Farebox Recovery


Exhibit 12-10 and Exhibit 12-11 contains estimated operating expenses and

revenues for the County Express Fixed Route, Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit

services for FY 2007/08 through FY 2011/12. Exhibit 12-12 provides more detail

financial plan.

Exhibit 12-12 Financial Plan (Service Alternative A) FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY 2011/12

Passenger Fares $86,238 $91,490 $97,061 $102,972 $109,243FTA $585,600 $1,519,800 $1,001,000 $2,088,200 $562,400TDA $1,159,728 $1,191,615 $1,224,296 $1,257,786 $1,292,098

$1,831,566 $2,802,905 $2,322,358 $3,448,959 $1,963,741

Personnel $257,631 $265,360 $273,321 $281,520 $289,966Purchased Transportation $923,910 $951,627 $980,176 $1,009,581 $1,039,869Other Operating Expenses $56,425 $58,118 $59,861 $61,657 $63,507Marketing $8,000 $8,000 $8,000 $8,000 $8,000

$322,056 $331,477 $341,182 $351,177 $361,472

Capital Plan $152,374 $2,300 $193,801 $150,823 $149,219$1,831,566 $2,802,905 $2,322,358 $3,448,959 $1,963,741Total Expenses

Total Revenues

Total Operating ExpensesCapital Expenses

Operating Expenses

Revenues



Service Alternative B Operating Expenses and Performance Assumption

Realistic five-year operating expenses for Service Alternative B (Revert to Prior

Alignment) have been projected using the following assumptions:

1. Recommendations outlined in Recommendation B would be

implemented during the first quarter of FY 2007/08.

2. Fixed-route service would experience an annual ridership

increase of five percent.

3. Demand-response service would experience an annual

ridership increase of three percent.

4. Replacement vehicle purchases and demand-response

expansion vehicles would occur during the fiscal year

identified in the Capital Plan.

5. All other expenditures in the Capital Plan would occur during


6. Marketing is set at five percent of the total operating cost for

FY 2007/08, and not less than 3.5 percent every year

thereafter.

7. Operational costs were based on County Express-provided

data for FY 2006/07.




show fare revenue.


the operating cost.

11. Proposed changes in fare structure and their expected impact

on farebox and ridership were detailed earlier in the report for

this, the Preferred Scenario.




(Service Alternative B)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost

Farebox Recovery


Exhibit 12-14 ADA Paratransit Operating Expenses & Performance

(Service Alternative B)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost

Estimated Farebox Recovery





financial plan.

Exhibit 12-15 Financial Plan (Service Alternative B) FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY2011/12

Passenger Fares $89,514 $95,612 $102,134 $109,111 $116,574FTA $152,374 $2,300 $193,801 $150,823 $149,219TDA $1,210,350 $1,224,121 $1,257,191 $1,290,994 $1,325,534

$1,452,238 $1,322,033 $1,553,126 $1,550,928 $1,591,327


$375,954 $368,106 $379,149 $390,524 $402,239

Capital Plan $152,374 $2,300 $193,801 $150,823 $149,219$528,328 $2,498,515 $1,923,586 $2,248,464 $1,541,172

Total Revenues

Total Operating Expenses

Total Expenses

Revenues

Operating Expenses

Capital Expenses



Service Alternative C Operating Expenses and Performance Assumption

Realistic five-year operating expenses for Service Alternative C (Service

Reduction) have been projected using the following assumptions:

1. Recommendations outlined in Recommendation C would be



increase of five percent following a decrease of 25 percent

during the first year of implementation.



4. Replacement vehicle purchases and demand-response

expansion vehicles would occur during the fiscal year

identified in the Capital Plan.





thereafter.

7. Operational costs were based on County Express-provided

data for FY 2006/07.




show fare revenue.


the operating cost.


during the Plan period.




(Service Alternative C)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost



Exhibit 12-17 Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit Operating Expenses & Performance

(Service Alternative C)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost






financial plan.

Exhibit 12-18 Financial Plan (Service Alternative C) FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY 2011/12


$1,351,552 $1,265,047 $1,445,845 $1,490,472 $1,529,057

Personnel $257,631 $265,360 $273,321 $281,520 $289,966Purchased Transportation $870,455 $896,568 $923,465 $951,169 $979,705Other Operating Expenses $56,425 $58,118 $59,861 $61,657 $63,507Marketing $59,226 $42,702 $43,983 $45,302 $46,661

$373,281 $366,179 $377,164 $388,479 $400,134

Capital Plan $107,816 $2,300 $145,215 $150,823 $149,219$1,351,552 $1,265,047 $1,445,845 $1,490,472 $1,529,057Total Expenses

Revenues

Operating Expenses

Capital ExpensesTotal Operating Expenses

Total Revenues



Service Alternative D Operating Expenses and Performance Assumption

Realistic five-year operating expenses for Service Alternative D (Service

Expansion) have been projected using the following assumptions:

1. Recommendations outlined in Recommendation D would be



increase of ten percent.



4. Purchases of County Express replacement vehicles and

demand-response expansion vehicles would occur during the

fiscal year identified in the Capital Plan.





thereafter.

7. Operational costs were based on County Express-provided for

FY 2006/07.




show fare revenue.


the operating cost.



12. No operating expenses or performance data for demand-

response was calculated, as there is no need to alter the

system from its current status. Refer to Exhibit 12-6 for

demand-response capital data.




(Service Alternative D)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost

Farebox Recovery


Exhibit 12-20 ADA Paratransit Operating Expenses & Performance

(Service Alternative D)

Estimated Ridership

Estimated Fare

Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost






financial plan.

Exhibit 12-21 Financial Plan (Service Alternative D) FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 20010/11 FY 2011/12


$1,458,474 $1,461,810 $1,558,333 $1,557,646 $1,648,396


$376,251 $368,320 $379,370 $390,751 $402,473

Capital Plan $152,374 $135,745 $192,486 $150,823 $199,369$1,458,474 $1,461,810 $1,558,333 $1,557,646 $1,648,396


Total Expenses

Total Revenues

Revenues

Operating Expenses

Capital Expenses



Service Alternative E Operating Expenses and Performance Assumption

Realistic five-year operating expenses for Service Alternative E (general public

Dial-A-Ride) have been projected using the following assumptions:

1. Recommendations outlined in Recommendation E would be


2. Demand-response service would experience an annual ridership

increase of five percent each year.

3. Purchases of County Express replacement vehicles and demand-

response expansion vehicles would occur during the fiscal year

identified in the general public Dial-A-Ride Capital Plan .

4. All other expenditures in the Capital Plan would occur during the

fiscal year identified.

5. Marketing is set at five percent of the total operating cost for FY

2007/08, and not less than 3.5 percent every year thereafter.

6. Operational costs were based on County Express-provided data

for FY 2006/07.



percent inflation. This is then multiplied by the ridership to show

fare revenue.

9. Farebox recovery is calculated by dividing the fare revenue by the

operating cost.



Exhibit 12-22 Dial-A-Ride Operating Expenses & Performance

(Service Alternative E)

YearEstimated Ridership

Estimated Fare Revenue

Estimated Operating

Cost





Exhibit 12-22 estimated operating expenses and revenues for the County

Express Dial-A-Ride service for FY 2007/08 through FY 2011/12. Exhibit 12-23

provides more detail financial plan.

Exhibit 12-23 Financial Plan (Service Alternative E) FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY 2011/12


$1,221,779 $1,133,291 $1,310,136 $1,349,338 $1,385,083

Personnel $257,631 $265,360 $273,321 $281,520 $289,966Purchased Transportation $746,862 $769,268 $792,346 $816,116 $840,600Other Operating Expenses $56,425 $58,118 $59,861 $61,657 $63,507Marketing $53,046 $38,246 $39,393 $40,575 $41,793

$367,102 $361,723 $372,575 $383,752 $395,265

Capital Plan $107,816 $2,300 $145,215 $149,469 $149,219$1,221,779 $1,133,291 $1,310,136 $1,349,338 $1,385,083

Total Revenues

Revenues

Total Expenses

Operating Expenses

Total Operating ExpensesCapital Expenses

Exhibit 12-24 compares the financial and capital plans for all five service

recommendations for FY 2007/2008.

Exhibit 12-24 Financial and Capital Comparison (Estimated for FY2007/08) Alternative A Alternative B Alternative C Alternative D Alternative E

Ridership (Fixed-Route) 67,100 74,918 48,860 71,661 0Ridership (Dial-A-Ride) 63,188 63,188 63,188 63,188 68,403Total Ridership 130,289 138,106 112,048 134,849 68,403

Farebox Recovery (Fixed-Route) 9.2% 10.3% 6.1% 9.6% 0.0%Farebox Recovery (Dial-A-Ride) 9.4% 9.4% 9.4% 9.4% 8.4%Total Farebox Recovery 9.3% 9.7% 9.0% 9.5% 8.4%

Fare Revenue (Fixed-Route) $28,120 $31,396 $20,476 $30,031 $0Fare Revenue (Dial-A-Ride) $58,118 $58,118 $58,118 $58,118 $62,914Total Fare Revenue $86,238 $89,514 $78,593 $88,149 $62,914

Fare Revenue $86,238 $89,514 $78,593 $88,149 $62,914FTA and TDA $1,745,328 $1,302,450 $1,553,954 $1,976,552 $1,636,649Total Revenues $1,831,566 $1,391,964 $1,632,547 $2,064,700 $1,699,563

Operating Cost- Fixed-Route $305,883 $305,883 $252,427 $311,822 $0Operating Cost- Dial-A-Ride $618,027 $618,027 $618,027 $618,027 $746,862Total Operating Cost $923,910 $923,910 $870,455 $929,849 $746,862Operating Expenses $322,056 $375,954 $373,281 $376,251 $367,102Capital Expenses $152,374 $152,374 $107,816 $152,374 $107,816Total Operation Costs and Expenses $1,398,340 $1,452,238 $1,351,552 $1,458,474 $1,221,779

Ridership

Farebox Recovery

Fare Revenue

Revenue

Operating Costs and Expenses



Exhibit 12-25 compares the financial and capital plans for all five service

recommendations for FY 2011/2012.

Exhibit 12-25 Financial and Capital Comparison (Estimated for FY2011/12) Alternative A Alternative B Alternative C Alternative D Alternative E

Ridership (Fixed-Route) 75,522 91,063 59,389 104,918 0Ridership (Dial-A-Ride) 71,119 71,119 71,119 71,119 83,145Total Ridership 146,641 162,182 130,508 176,037 83,145

Farebox Recovery (Fixed-Route) 10.3% 12.5% 6.6% 14.1% 0.0%Farebox Recovery (Dial-A-Ride) 10.6% 10.6% 10.6% 10.6% 10.2%Total Farebox Recovery 10.5% 11.2% 10.4% 11.8% 10.2%

Fare Revenue (Fixed-Route) $35,622 $42,952 $28,012 $49,487 $0Fare Revenue (Dial-A-Ride) $73,622 $73,622 $73,622 $73,622 $86,070Total Fare Revenue $109,243 $116,574 $101,634 $123,109 $86,070

Fare Revenue $109,243 $116,574 $101,634 $123,109 $86,070FTA and TDA $1,854,498 $1,472,434 $1,840,604 $2,341,318 $1,712,194Total Revenues $1,963,741 $1,589,008 $1,942,238 $2,464,427 $1,798,265

Operating Cost- Fixed-Route $344,274 $344,274 $284,109 $350,959 $0Operating Cost- Dial-A-Ride $695,595 $695,595 $695,595 $695,595 $840,600Total Operating Cost $1,039,869 $1,039,869 $979,705 $1,046,554 $840,600Operating Expenses $361,472 $402,239 $400,134 $402,473 $395,265Capital Expenses $149,219 $149,219 $149,219 $199,369 $149,219Total Operation Costs and Expenses $510,691 $551,458 $549,352 $601,842 $544,484

Revenue

Operating Costs and Expenses

Farebox Recovery

Ridership

Fare Revenue



CHAPTER 13 – PREFERRED SCENARIO

On October 16, 2007, a Special Board Meeting was scheduled to review options

for the San Benito County Express System. The Local Transportation Authority

Board of Directors and the Social Services Transportation Advisory Council

discussed the system’s current performance as well as each of the proposed

service options. The Authority’s Board of Directors raised concerns regarding

the system’s farebox recovery ratio, ridership, operating costs and how system

changes may affect the new operations contract with the private operator. The

Authority’s Board decided it was best for the San Benito County Express System

to revert to its prior alignment with some service modifications. Presented herein

is the preferred scenario option for the San Benito County Express System as

chosen by the Authority’s Board.

The preferred scenario option offers cost-effective improvements designed to

achieve greater system efficiency. Scenario Option B holds the greatest

likelihood of achieving the Board’s target of 10 percent farebox recovery.

Service change often warrants a revised marketing strategy to alert the

community and prepare them for the adjustment. Implementing the marketing

strategy prematurely risks riders losing interest in the service adjustment,

whereas delayed notification warrants implementing it late allows the possibility

of not giving riders an adequate adjustment period. Marketing the service

change one month prior allows current and potential riders to adapt to the service

changes.

Fixed-Route Service The San Benito County Express’ Fixed Route would revert to its prior

service plan, adopted in 2005 with minor modifications.

First, all route names would be re-labeled as “colors” rather than by

“direction” or “area.”



The Red Line, comparable to the current Business District route, would

commence its trip at Rancho Drive and Tres Pinos Road. This route

would provide coverage along San Benito Street/San Felipe Road from

Tres Pinos Road to the Hope Services Hollister Center at Technology

Parkway.

A member of the public requested a stop to be placed at the San Benito

County Jail, located just off San Benito Street at 710 Flynn Road. The

stop will be made as a stop along the Red Line and is subsequent to a 12

month demonstration project. The Local Transportation Authority should

review the activity level at this bus stop and determine whether to

implement a permanent stop at this location, or eliminate service.

The Blue and Green Lines are very similar to the Clockwise and Counter-

Clockwise Routes. The Blue and Green Lines, however, do not deviate

onto El Toro Drive, Hillcrest Road, and Sunnyslope Road. The lines

would remain on Memorial Drive. In addition, the routes will preserve

service in the northwestern segment (i.e., Graf Road and Central

Avenue). The prior Blue and Green Lines did not extend service to that

segment of the City.

There are no modifications to the Intercounty Route.

The following map illustrates the proposed Fixed Route service.



Exhibit 13-1 Service Alternative B Alignment

The proposed Fixed Route alignment will provide comparable coverage to

major trip generators compared to what is currently provided. Exhibit 13-

2 joins the preferred fixed-route service plan with major trip generators.



Exhibit 13-2 Service Alternative B with Trip Generators

Schedule



San Benito County Express fixed-route services will operate on slightly extended

hours: from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. The Blue and Green routes will

also serve a new stop at Central Avenue and Graf Road. The Intercounty Route

will maintain its current scheduling

.


SAN BENITO COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY PAGE 226

Exhibit 13-3 Blue Line Schedule

Exhibit 13-4 Green Line Schedule

* Bold and italicized times indicate evening hours.



Exhibit 13-5 Red Line Schedule

Exhibit 13-6 Intercounty – Gavilan Route Schedule




Exhibit 13-7 Intercounty – Caltrain Route Schedule

Exhibit 13-8 Intercounty – Greyhound Route Schedule




Paratransit Service Area

The changes of the Fixed Route alignments require modifications to the Paratransit

service area.

The Department of Transportation requires “each public entity operating a fixed-route

system shall provide Paratransit or other special service to individuals with disabilities

that is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who

use the fixed-route system” (49 CFR § 37.121 (c)). In addition, it is stipulated that the

complementary paratransit service is not required for commuter bus services (49 CFR §

37.121 (c)).

Paratransit service will only be required to run during the same hours of operation as the

Red, Blue and Green Lines - weekdays from approximately 6:00 a.m. until 6:20 p.m.

The service is not required to run during the hours of operation of the Intercounty Route

as this route is defined as a commuter bus system.

With the exception of on-call or Paratransit feeder services, (49 CFR § 37.129(a))

specifies “complementary Paratransit service for ADA Paratransit eligible persons shall

be origin-to-destination services.”

A document was released in September 2005 by the Department of Transportation’s

Disability Law Coordinating Council as guidance for the general public to better

comprehend the definition of “origin-to-destination” service.

According to the Council, this term was deliberately chosen to avoid using either the

term “curb-to-curb” service or the term “door-to-door” service and to emphasize the

obligation of transit providers to ensure that eligible passengers are actually able to use

Paratransit service to get from their points of origin to their destinations. To meet this

origin-to-destination requirement, service may be provided to some individuals, or at

some locations, in a manner that goes beyond curb-to-curb service. Drivers would not

exceed door-to-door service.1

Department of Transportation’s Disability Law Coordinating Council. (01 September 2005). Origin-to-Destination Service. Retrieved August 16, 2006, from http://fta.dot.gov/printer_friendly/civil_rights_3891.html.



Exhibit 13-9 ADA Paratransit Service Area with Origins and Destinations

Service Time

Reservations may be scheduled between 24 hours and 14 days in advance. Reservation

service must be available during normal business hours. County Express Paratransit



services must accommodate passengers by scheduling trips no more than one hour

before or after the passenger’s desired time of departure. (49 CFR § 37.131(b)).

Vehicle Type

Industry standards consider an appropriate vehicle for paratransit services to be a

standard medium bus. Such a bus should be equipped with an ADA-approved lift,

accommodate a maximum of 14 ambulatory passengers (not including the driver), and

have a standard of two wheelchair positions and a maximum of four wheelchair

positions. The lifecycle for this vehicle type, based on the Federal Replacement

Threshold, is seven years or 200,000 miles.

Shifting Demand Response Customers to Fixed-route

The principal benefit of shifting Paratransit riders to other services is reducing the

demand for this more expensive transit service. The following are cost-saving options

for the County Express’ Paratransit service.

Stricter Certification Requirements for ADA Paratransit Patrons

Local Transportation Authority is recommended to develop a stricter certification

policy for its ADA Paratransit customers. Currently, ADA Paratransit services are

available to “certified ADA-eligible” persons. With the rising trend of both

operating costs and ridership, it is recommended the Local Transportation

Authority appoint selected physicians to certify riders. The stricter certification

requirements would reduce the number of ADA paratransit customers, which

would result in a reduction of operating costs.

Incentives and Educational Services

By shifting riders to Fixed Route, the Local Transportation Authority would reduce

operating costs on its ADA Paratransit service, increase ridership on Fixed Route

service, and ultimately increase the farebox recovery ratio. The preferred

scenario and current routing are very similar. As such, it is recommended the

Authority begin an outreach campaign aimed at educating residents about the

destinations to which the Fixed Route serves. This report outlines marketing

strategies designed to do this.



The Authority could offer incentives or education services for ADA Paratransit

eligible riders to increase fixed-route ridership and decrease the cost of the

Paratransit service.

The following are some examples of different strategies the Local Transportation

Authority may implement2:

1. Free Rides: The Authority could offer free rides on Fixed Route for all

Paratransit eligible persons. The Charlottesville Transit System of

Virginia was able to save nearly $1 million annually by avoiding

Paratransit services for these trips.

2. Mobility Training: Other transit agencies have decided rider education is

an effective way of shifting paratransit riders onto fixed-route services.

Sacramento Regional Transit offers fixed-route coaching to seniors and

persons with disabilities. Riders are taught how to ride to and from

specific locations or basic trip training. By providing mobility training,

seniors and persons with disabilities are more independent and may feel

more connected to the community. This program has saved the County

just over $1 million in paratransit operating costs. Funding is available for

similar programs through SAFETEA-LU.

Subsidize Other Paratransit Services

Various transit agencies throughout the nation have identified cost-saving

paratransit alternatives to meet needs that are beyond the jurisdictions of

traditional public transit services.

Riverside County, for example, operates a volunteer reimbursement program

called the Transportation Reimbursement and Information Project (TRIP). The

County agrees to reimburse volunteers who transport individuals to/from outside

the public transit coverage area and/or individuals who are physically unable to

utilize public transit services. The program has saved the County over $1.5

2 Derived from case studies in the “Transit Cooperative Research Program: Report 91- Economic Benefits of Coordinating Human Service Transportation and Transit Services.”2



million in operating costs. Certain limitations exist due to the volunteer-nature of

the drivers.

Subsidizing taxi services is a common form of paratransit alternatives. The

Specialized Transit for Arlington Residents (STAR) in Arlington, Virginia provides

the annual benefits of approximately $450,000. However, this may not be a

viable alternative for San Benito at this time due to the fact that only one taxi

company currently exists in Hollister.

Fare Structure

All of County Express services offer the following payment options:

• One-way cash fare,

• 10-ticket booklet, and

• Monthly pass.

However, there are no monthly passes for Dial-A-Ride services.

Youth (ages 5 through 17), seniors (over the age of 65), and persons with disabilities

may receive discounts on the local fixed-route fare payment options. Children 4 years of

age and younger may ride free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult (maximum two

per adult).

The Local Transportation Authority should consider the implementation of a day pass

priced at a threshold slightly higher than two one-way trips. Similar to the other multi-trip

fare options, the introduction of a day pass – with the appropriate marketing – would

influence ridership growth and provide another convenient fare option for riders.

Planned Fare Increase

During the October 2007, Special Meeting, the Local Transportation Authority

Board expressed concern with County Express’ Fixed Route’s inability to meet

the California Transportation Development Act farebox recovery standard of 10

percent. Members agreed the most effective method of reaching the desired

farebox ratio in the least amount of time would be to increase fares.



The Short Range Transit Plan recommends three fare increases for County

Express services.

1. Annual fare increases for Fixed Route;

2. One-time fare increase during the first year and no increases for the

next four years for Fixed Route; and

3. Restructure entire fare structure with one-time fare increase.

All fare increases require a public hearing to inform and provide a forum for the

public to voice their concerns about the potential fare increases. During these

hearings, the public should be presented with the three fare increase options.

Prior to the hearings, extensive marketing and public outreach should be made to

ensure an adequate amount of participants.

At the end of FY 2011/12, the Authority may reevaluate the preferred fare

structure and determine whether, or not, a fare increase is need. Although

Option 2 and Option 3 include a planned one-time fare increase, the Authority

should continue to monitor farebox revenue. If there are extenuating

circumstances that warrant a fare increase before the lifespan of the Short

Range Transit Plan has been reached, the Authority may consider another fare

increase.

Option 1: Annual Increases for Fixed Route

The first option of fare increases is to incrementally increase Fixed Route fares

because market research revealed significant incidence of ride-dependency

throughout the County Express service area. An immediate significant increase

in fare level would result in a considerable decrease in County Express

patronage. Any sudden sizeable increase in fare level could be viewed as an

unfair mobility impairment for economically-disadvantaged persons throughout

the County Express service area.

Beginning FY 2008/09, the fares would increase 10 cents annually up to FY

2010/11. In FY 2011/12, the San Benito County Express’ fixed-route regular cash

fare would increase fares by 5 cents. The fare increase would proportionally

affect the regular 10-ticket booklet and regular monthly pass prices.



Exhibit 13-10 Proposed Regular Fixed-Route Fares (Option 1)

Proposed Adult Cash Fare Proposed 10-Ticket Booklet Proposed Monthly PassFY 2007/08 $0.75 $6.50 $20.00FY 2008/09 $0.85 $7.50 $22.50FY 2009/10 $0.95 $8.25 $25.50FY 2010/11 $1.05 $9.10 $28.00FY 2011/12 $1.10 $9.50 $29.50

For discounted regular cash fares, smaller incremental increases of 5 cents per

annum commencing FY 2008/09 is recommended. There is no recommended

increase in FY 2011/12. The increase will proportionally affect the discounted 10-

ticket booklet and discounted monthly pass prices.

The less significant, incremental fare increases would likely be a more attractive

alternative for those who would typically utilize paratransit.

Exhibit 13-11 Proposed Discounted Fixed Route Fares (Option 1) Proposed Discounted Regular Cash Fare

Proposed Discounted 10-Ticket Booklet

Proposed Discounted Monthly Pass

FY 2007/08 $0.50 $4.50 $14.00FY 2008/09 $0.55 $5.00 $15.40FY 2009/10 $0.60 $5.50 $17.00FY 2010/11 $0.65 $6.00 $18.50FY 2011/12 $0.65 $6.00 $18.50

The succeeding exhibits will display the affect of the proposed fare increases on

the ridership, fare revenue and farebox performance indicators.

The figures are based on initial assumptions which include a rate of inflation 3

percent per annum, absence of a fare increase, etc.

Initially, Alternative B assumed Fixed Route ridership would increase 15 percent

during the first year of implementation. Ridership would then increase at a steady

rate of 5 percent per annum every year thereafter.

With the proposed fare increases, however, the total projected ridership and fare

revenue calculations displayed in Exhibit 12-35 would be affected.

The percentages were calculated based on the average percentage increase of

fixed-route fares multiplied by the fare elasticity variable (-0.40).



Exhibit 13-12 Percent Differences of Proposed Fare and Ridership (Option 1)

FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY 2011/12Percent Increase of Regulare Fares 13% 12% 11% 5%Percent Increase of Discounted Fares 10% 9% 8% 0%

Average Percent Increase of All Fares 11.5% 10.5% 9.7% 2.5%Estimated Ridership Growth -4.6% -4.2% -3.9% -1.0%

The ridership percentage decline was applied to the ridership projections in

Exhibit 12-36. To calculate fare revenue, the updated ridership numbers were

multiplied by the average fare per passenger indicator as calculated in Chapter 8

– Capital and Financial Plan.

After the first year of implementation with the fare increase, the San Benito

County Express would surpass the California Transportation Development Act

farebox recovery standard of 10 percent.

Exhibit 13-13 Fixed-Route Farebox Recovery Projections with Option 1

FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY 2011/12Operating Cost $305,883 $315,059 $324,511 $334,246 $344,274Fare Revenue $31,396 $32,465 $35,251 $38,263 $42,616Ridership 74,918 75,046 79,112 83,371 90,152

Farebox Recovery 10.3% 10.3% 10.9% 11.4% 12.4%

There is no recommended fare increases for Dial-A-Ride and Intercounty services.

However, the fare for Paratransit services may be increased as with the Fixed Route

increases. The fare for Paratransit services may not exceed twice the fare for Fixed

Route (49 CFR § 37.131(c)).

The following chart exhibits the total system projections for Option 1.

Exhibit 13-14 County Express Farebox Recovery Projects with Option 1

FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY 2011/12Operating Cost $923,909.99 $951,627.29 $980,176.11 $1,009,581.40 $1,039,868.84Fare Revenue $84,220.19 $94,121.79 $100,662.45 $107,658.13 $116,237.82Ridership 138,106 140,130 146,149 152,419 161,271

Farebox Recovery 9.1% 9.9% 10.3% 10.7% 11.2%



The following exhibit is the updated Capital and Financial Plan for the preferred service

option.

Exhibit 13-15 Preferred Service Option Financial Plan (Option 1) FY 2007/08 FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 FY 2010/11 FY2011/12


$1,452,238 $1,322,033 $1,553,126 $1,550,928 $1,591,327


$375,954 $368,106 $379,149 $390,524 $402,239

Capital Plan $152,374 $2,300 $193,801 $150,823 $149,219$528,328 $2,498,515 $1,923,586 $2,248,464 $1,541,172

Preferrred Service Option

Total Revenues


Total Expenses

Revenues

Operating Expenses

Capital Expenses

Option 2: One Time Increase for Fixed Route

The second option for fare increases is to have a one time fare increase for Fixed

Route during the first year of implementing the recommendations. Although the

one time increase may result in a decrease in ridership, it may also improve the

image of County Express in San Benito County. The timing of the one-time

increase may be supported by capital improvements, such as, newer buses and

improved customer service.

Beginning FY 2008/09, the regular fares would increase by 25 cents to $1.00

with no further planned increases. The fare increase would proportionally affect

the regular 10-ticket booklet and regular monthly pass prices.

Exhibit 13-16 Proposed Fixed-Route Regular Fares (Option 2)

Proposed Adult Cash Fare Proposed 10-Ticket Booklet Proposed Monthly PassFY 2007/08 $0.75 $6.50 $20.00FY 2008/09 $1.00 $8.50 $27.00FY 2009/10 $1.00 $8.50 $27.00FY 2010/11 $1.00 $8.50 $27.00FY 2011/12 $1.00 $8.50 $27.00

For discounted regular cash fares, an one time fare increase of 15 cents is

recommended in FY 2008/09 with no further increases. The fare increase would



proportionally affect the regular 10-ticket booklet and regular monthly pass

prices.

Exhibit 13-17 Proposed Fixed Route Discounted Fares (Option 2) Proposed Discounted Regular Cash Fare

Proposed Discounted 10-Ticket Booklet

Proposed Discounted Monthly Pass

FY 2007/08 $0.50 $4.50 $14.00FY 2008/09 $0.65 $6.00 $18.50FY 2009/10 $0.65 $6.00 $18.50FY 2010/11 $0.65 $6.00 $18.50FY 2011/12 $0.65 $6.00 $18.50

The one time increase would provide Fixed Route riders more fare stability and

the Authority would not have to reprint materials, tickets, and the marketing

needed to inform the public of fare increases.

Option 3: Restructure Entire County Express Fare Structure

The third option for fare increases is to completely restructure the current County

Express fare structure. The highlights of the fare restructure include:

• One time increase for Fixed Route and Paratransit;

• Reduced companion fare for Paratransit

• Introduction of a discounted fare for Intercounty;

• Elimination of Zone B for Dial-A-Ride;

• Introduction of a discounted fares for youths on Dial-A-Ride;

• Change of fares for Southside and Sunnyslope Area Discount

Reservation Service (SSARS)

• Interchangeable fares for Intercounty, Dial-A-Ride, and SSARS

The one time fare increase for Fixed Route addresses the Local Transportation

Authority Board of Director’s concern about farebox recovery. The increase for

Paratransit is a compromise between the maximum legally allowable fare (i.e.

twice the Fixed Route fare) and increase farebox recovery.

When comparing the Dial-A-Ride Zone A and Paratransit service boundaries, the

difference between the two boundaries was hardly discernable. As a result,

Zone A can be eliminated as most people would not qualify for the Zone A

Dial-A-Ride during the weekday. The elimination of Zone B is proposed to attract

potential and current Dial-A-Ride customers on the outskirts of the service area



to try the service and increase usage by current customers. The new Dial-A-

Ride fares may also attract more ridership on the weekends.

A discount fare that includes youths, seniors and persons with disabilities would

be introduced for the Intercounty and Dial-A-Ride services. Currently, the

Intercounty fare does not have a discounted fare and Dial-A-Ride does not

include youths in its discount fare. Because Dial-A-Ride and Paratransit services

do not cross the County line, this results in fewer discount mobility options. The

introduction of the discount fare for Intercounty would address the mobility issue

for the youth, seniors and disabled while increasing ridership. For Dial-A-Ride,

the expansion of the discount fare is targeted at youths who do not currently

reside near a Fixed Route and use Dial-A-Ride for trips to and from school. The

discounted fare would help families with limited incomes get their children to and

from school.

Exhibit 13-17 provides a side by side comparison of the current fares and

structure and the fare structure of Option 3.

Exhibit 13-18 Proposed Fare Restructure (Option 3)

Service Rider One-Way 10 Tickets Monthly Pass

Regular $0.75 $6.50 $20.00 Discount $0.50 $4.50 $14.00

Intercounty All $1.75 $16.00 $56.00 Regular $2.00 $18.00 Discount $0.75 $6.50 Adult and

Youth $1.75 $15.75

Senior and Disabled $0.75 $6.50

Adult and Youth $2.00 $18.00

Senior and Disabled $1.00 $9.00

ADA Eligible $0.75

Personal Care

Attendant¹Free

Adult and Youth $1.75

Senior and Disabled $1.00

DAR Zone B

Paratransit

Current Fare Structure

Fixed Route

SSARS

DAR Zone A

Service Rider One-Way 10 Tickets Monthly Pass

Regular $1.00 $8.00 $27.00 Discount $0.75 $5.00 $18.50 Regular $1.75 $16.00 $56.00 Discount $1.00 $8.00 $33.00 Regular $1.75 $16.00 N/ADiscount $1.00 $8.00 N/ARegular $1.75 $16.00 Discount $1.00 $8.00

ADA Eligible $1.00

Personal Care

AttendantFree

Companion $1.00

DAR

Paratransit

Proposed Fare Structure

Fixed Route

Intercounty

SSARS



Under the current fare structure, there are eight different fares and results in

eight different tickets. Option 3 would condense the fares for Intercounty, Dial-A-

Ride, and SSARS services and customers may use the fares for each of those

services interchangeably. The restructured fares may also attract newer riders

because it is less confusing to understand than the current fare structure.

The condensed fare structure would also be more suitable for the switch from

tickets to tokens because it eliminates the need to have eight different colored

tokens.



CHAPTER 14 – IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

The implementation plan is vital the success of the recommendations in the Short Range

Transit Plan. The implementation plan will provide a timeline of milestones and tasks

that must be completed. The timeline would include:

• Detailed first year timeline for implementation;

• Five year timeline for milestones and tasks; and

• Fleet replacement schedule.

Implementation Timeline During the first year (2008) of implementation, there are 16 tasks and milestones that will

be accomplished. Following the adoption of the Short Range Transit Plan, staff will

begin designing new signs and literature , including route maps and schedules. The

Local Transportation Authority will hold public hearings for the fare increases. Once a

preferred fare increase is selected and adopted by the Board, staff will design and order

tokens and related equipment. The anticipated first day of operations of the new County

Express Fixed Route system will be in August 2008.

The fleet replacement schedule should also be adhered to. There are two separate

orders for five replacement cutaways. The orders are expected to arrive by end

December 2008. In addition to the replacement vehicles, County Express will also

receive four spare vehicles that may be used to switch out cutaways for maintenance.

The spares may also be used to supplement the regular fleet during peak times to

alleviate pressure points and improve customer service.

During the implementation stage, the Authority will conduct extensive community

outreach to inform the public about service changes and improvements. It will be

extremely important to market the fare increases to ensure that the community is well

inform about the fare increases and to actively take part in decision-making process.

Having the community participate at the hearings may positively improve their

awareness of County Express services and image. Exhibit 14-1 provides a detailed

timeline of the tasks and milestones during the first year of implementation.



Exhibit 14-1 First Year Implementation Timeline



During the second year (2009) of implementation, the Authority should continue to make

adjustments to the Fixed Route, as issues arise or areas for improvement become

evident. The Authority should closely monitor ridership patterns and conduct a customer

review survey at the one-year anniversary of the route modifications. The Local

Transportation Authority will also undergo a Triennial Performance Audit, required for all

transit agencies receiving Transportation Development Act funds. The Audit evaluates

the effectiveness and efficiency of public transit service provided by the Authority.

For the following three years (2010 through 2012), staff will continue to monitor County

Express’s performance and make changes to service operations as warranted. In 2010,

there will be three major tasks for the Authority which are:

1. Develop a Request for Proposals for management and operations of specialized

transportation

2. Develop a Request for Proposals for County Express management and

operations

3. Prepare grant request for the update of the 2008 Short Range Transit Plan

Exhibit 14-2 provides a general overview of milestones and tasks for the next five years.

During the Short Range Transit Plan timeframe, the Authority should:

• Closely monitor ridership patterns and system performance;

• Make minor adjustments, as needed;

• Conduct customer surveys annually;

• Follow and update the fleet replacement schedule; and

• Continue marketing and community outreach about County Express

services, improvements and solicit comments.



Exhibit 14-2 Five Year Implementation Timeline



APPENDIX A – SURVEY INSTRUMENTS



Exhibit A-1 On-Board Survey (English)



Exhibit A-2 On-Board Survey (Spanish)



Exhibit A-3 Community Survey

(English)





Exhibit A-4 Community Survey (Spanish)





APPENDIX B – ADDITIONAL GRAPHICS

Exhibit B-1 Youth Population Distribution

Exhibit B-2 Senior Population Distribution



Exhibit B-3 Disabled Population Distribution

Exhibit B-4 Low-Income Households Distribution



Exhibit B-5 Incidence of Vehicle Ownership

Exhibit B-6 Top 15 Dial-A-Ride Origins

Origin Address PassengersHope Services 2300 Technology Parkway 283 Ladd Lane School 161 Ladd Lane 153 Medical District Sunset/Sunnyslope area 110 Cerra Vista School 2151 Cerra Vista Dr. 81 Daffodil Drive 200 block 78 County Labor Camp Southside/Labor Camp Rd. 76 Southside School 4991 Southside Rd. 57 Prospect Villa Apartments 960-970 Prospect 47 San Andreas Continuation HS 191 Alvarado St. 43 San Benito HS 1220 Monterey St. 42 R.O. Hardin School 881 Line St. 39 Head Start Line St. 32 Safeway 591 Tres Pinos Rd. 29 Albertson’s 291 McCray St. 28 Ponderosa Court 1900 block 26



Exhibit B-7 Top 15 Dial-A-Ride Destinations

Destination Address PassengersHope Services 2300 Technology Parkway 183 Medical District Sunset/Sunnyslope area 122 County Labor Camp Southside/Labor Camp Rd. 82 Ladd Lane School 161 Ladd Lane 69 Daffodil Drive 200 block 40 San Benito Health Foundation 351 Felice St. 40 Head Start Line St. 39 Prospect Villa Apartments 960-970 Prospect 34 San Andreas Continuation HS 191 Alvarado St. 29 Safeway 591 Tres Pinos Rd. 29 San Benito HS 1220 Monterey St. 28 San Benito County Health & Human Services

1111 San Felipe 27

Community Center 300 West St. 26 Comstock 600 block 26 Bolsa Road 4000 block 24



APPENDIX C – MARKETING TOOLS

Exhibit C-1 Comment Card (English)



Exhibit C-2 Comment Card (Spanish)



Cash Book MonthlyFixed RouteGavilainCaltrainGreyhoundADA ParatransitGeneral Public Dial-A-RideSystem-wide

Service Invoiced Passengers Revenue

Fare Type

No. of Cancellations

No. of No-Shows

Farebox Recovery

No. of Lift-Assisted

TripsNumber of Road Calls

No. of Turn-Downs

Vehicle Service Hours

Vehicle Service Miles

NOTES:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MV TRANSPORTATION

MONTHLY SERVICE REPORT DECEMBER 2007

Exhibit D-1 Proposed Monthly Service Report

Documents

san benito county local transportation authority