| Members: | Acting Chairman Rene Barrera, Oscar Gaytan, Roger Cauvin, Mark Sze-To, Kirk Royal, Shannon Halley, James Harris, Jessica Wilson, Rich MacKinnon, Martin Thomen |
| Visitors: | Alta Moten, Lee Hill |
| CMTA Staff: | John-Michael Cortez, Meredith Highsmith, James Gamez, Justin Marlin, Dottie Watkins |
- Meeting called to order – Introduction of CSAC members, staff, and visitors
- Approval of Minutes for February 5, 2008 and March 13, 2008 CSAC Meetings February minutes were approved unanimously. March minutes were tabled until the next meeting.
- Citizens communication No citizens signed up to speak
Discussion and Possible Action on Proposed August 2008 Service Changes and Dillo Restructuring
Mr. Gamez reported on proposed service changes, which are scheduled to come before the board for decision in May.
Proposed changes to Route 1 corridor include route 101, 1L/M, and 201. Proposed changes are due to area growth and infill development. The changes are intended to alleviate crowding along corridor and coincide with the tentative opening of the South-central transit center in fall 2008. Changes to corridor include improved frequency, the opening of new markets and additional connections, and improved cross-town networks and service in Southeast Austin.
Planned changes include extending route 101 from Rundberg to Tech Ridge. The intention is to create new markets and allow more commuters to access the Park and Ride and additional key destinations in North central Austin. These route changes in North Austin place emphasis on more popular express service, instead of increased local services. No adjustments will be made to Route 1M north of the river, but it will now go to the new facility on Ben White. Route 201 will also be extended to Ben White Facility. Advantages of changes include extension to full day service for route 101, and extension of 201 further North with Sunday service.
Route evaluations are conducted three times per year, but for major analysis it is most useful to compare Fall to Fall ridership numbers. These proposed changes are only the first phase of a number of future changes. New route parings will seek to maximize route productivity among paired routes, while also making route pairings and route numbers more intuitive for riders.
UT shuttle service changes are made in conjunction with the UT shuttle committee. These changes are more regular adjustments that are based on daily reports and fluctuations in ridership and student populations. Outreach for these changes includes meeting with major apartment communities and posting notifications around campus and area bus stops.
Capital Bus stop must be moved per request of the State. The relocated transfer center will now take up three corners of the intersection at Congress and 10th St.
Dillo restructuring and Congress Ave. skip-stop proposal – Meredith Highsmith
Mrs. Highsmith reported on Congress avenue skip stop proposal scheduled for August 2008. Reasons for the proposed changes include eliminating chances for cars to make right hand turns from the center lane, thus cutting off bus and endangering riders and pedestrians. Decreased congestion and travel time on Congress Avenue are added benefits of skip stop proposal. Eliminated stops include odd numbered streets on northbound route and even numbered streets on southbound route, with the preservation of the 10th and 6th Street stops in both directions.
The Dillo restructuring seeks to model the Dillo system after more effective downtown circulator systems found in other cities. The Dillo system is to be redesigned to facilitate movement downtown without the need for personal vehicles. The Dillo system will also be amendable to any future downtown transportation changes.
The Dillo task force working with Capital Metro had several recommendations based on recent changes to the downtown environment. The Park and Ride function of the Dillo no longer attracts significant amounts of Dillo riders. The lack of riders also resulted in the elimination of the moonlight and starlight Dillos. The task force found that passengers prefer linear routes as opposed to circulator routes, as well as increased frequency as opposed to increased coverage. Recommendations included routes with ten minutes or less wait time, a decrease in the number of routes, with remaining routes more intuitive in name and destination. The target markets are downtown employees, residents and tourists, in that order. Recommendations also included a preview period with no fares, a change to a different vehicle type, simplified hours of operation, and standards for the addition of new routes.
New route recommendations include North-South route traveling on Congress Avenue and around the Capital (North on Lavaca and South on San Jacinto). The second route will travel East on 5th Street and West on 6th Street, from Lamar to Red river. Proposed frequency for these routes is five minutes.
Dillo restructuring is currently in the public involvement stage and will seek Board approval in May, with scheduling, more public involvement, and marketing coming this summer. Ridership potential is determined by CAMPO Traffic Analysis Zones that examine current population trends and area specific growth projections.
CSAC Resolutions:
Resolution # 20080402-02 (See attached) Motion by Cauvin, Gaytan 2nd . Friendly amendment accepted. Adopted 7-0-2 (MacKinnon and Halley abstaining)
Resolution # 20080402-01 (See attached) Motion by MacKinnon, Royal 2nd. Friendly amendment accepted. Adopted 8-0 (Thomen off dais)
- Discussion and Possible Action on CSAC Resolution 01/08 as Introduced by David Patterson Motion tabled until next meeting
- Subcommittee Reports
- CSAC Bylaws No Report
- Officer Nominations Committee No Report
- Report from Urban Transportation Commission No report. UTC has not met since last update.
Report from ACCESS Committee
Access Committee report was presented to CSAC by Mr. Hill, standing in for Mr. Patterson.
Access took issue with the purchasing of new vans and drivers in lieu of maintaining taxi vouchers. Access expressed continued concern regarding Paratransit changes and continues to work with Capital Metro on proposed changes. Access also expressed concern about the way Paratransit service changes were announced, feeling that they had been excluded from the process. Paratransit changes put on hold while Capital Metro board member Mike Martinez agrees to facilitate meetings between Capital Metro staff and access committee, while also representing the board at the staff and committee discussions.
- Report on Action Items – John Michael Cortez
- Include a summary of Customer Call Reports in CSAC members’ meeting materials There is no change on this item.
- Continue recruitment of additional CSAC membersNew members recently added, additional applications still being evaluated.
- Report on status of stop services requests from CSAC meeting attendees.
- Relocation of stop on Riverside Drive: Still waiting for City of Austin to install bollards.
- Sunday service for Route 201 to Southpark Meadows: This is a recommendation for the August service change proposal.
- Stop shelter at Southpark Meadows: Shelter installation likely with August service changes.
- Increased frequency for routes # 26 and 27 at non-peak hours: This is part of recommended August service change proposal.
- Update on proposed rapid bus service. Currently determining long rang financial plan and then moving forward with first phases of rapid bus on North Lamar and South Congress corridor. Waiting for board to approve RFP to determine what type of vehicles to be purchased.
- Transit Advertising Budget: $75,000 line item budget for install and removal of ads, and staff time for up to $51,000. The transit advertisement program is expected to generate $1 Million in revenue.
- Rider e-mail Alert System: Currently there are 1400 member and placards are being discussed by marketing folks.
- Transfer of 311 calls to GO-Line: Capitol metro concerns called into 311 are transferred to GO-line.
- Tracking of pocket schedules availability on busses and at transit centers: Will report on this item at next meeting.
- New/Other Business
- CSAC Meeting Location and Dates Determining possible meeting times and following up on use of “bull- pen” room in city hall.
- Date for New CSAC Members OrientationTo be determined
- C. Discussion of future agenda items and issues
- Quarterly Information Technology Update – May.
- Paratransit procedural changes – May (schedule permitting)
- MetroRail connectors – To be determined
- Downtown Transfer Center – To be determined
- Vehicle Maintenance –
- CSAC members’ tour of MetroRail: To be determined
- Mrs. Watkins reported on the status of quality control: Up to twice a year, third party performance evaluators study the system and ride variety of routes. Many are former transit supervisors trained to evaluate transit services. Specific complaints are followed up on a regular basis by one of fourteen field supervisors. Radar guns are also used to monitor the speeds of busses in reported problem areas.
- Mr. McKinnon of proposing a pedestrian safety initiative since so many of Capitol Metro services are pedestrian oriented and connect with pedestrian facilities. Specifically when a pedestrian is in the street or right-of-way, motorists should yield to pedestrians, and Capital Metro drivers should serve as role models for yielding to pedestrians.
- Evaluate standards for amenities placement. Example: Bird droppings on bench (between Guadalupe and Lavaca on 6th St.) makes bench useless.
- Meeting Adjourned
WHEREAS the Customer Satisfaction Advisory Committee (CSAC) serves as an advisory body to the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors, as outlined in the Transportation Code, Subtitle K. “Mass Transportation”, Section § 451.109 “Advisory Committee;” and
WHEREAS, CSAC reviews, studies, and makes recommendations to the Capital Metro Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, CSAC receives and studies member and citizen comments and suggestions in all areas of Capital Metro operations, including but not limited to route planning, facility design and operation, customer service, marketing, budgeting, purchasing, and special projects;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that CSAC supports the proposed restructuring of the Dillo System to a more effective downtown circulator as conceptually presented by Capital Metro staff at the April 2, 2008 meeting of CSAC; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, CSAC recommends that Capital Metro staff work with key destinations on proposed routes to market the Dillo service and facilitate ease of access and integration of services by Dillo users to the destination.
Adopted this __2nd __ day of __April___, 2008 _____________________________ Rene Barrera, CSAC Acting-Chair
WHEREAS the Customer Satisfaction Advisory Committee (CSAC) serves as an advisory body to the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors, as outlined in the Transportation Code, Subtitle K. “Mass Transportation”, Section § 451.109 “Advisory Committee;” and
WHEREAS, CSAC reviews, studies, and makes recommendations to the Capital Metro Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, CSAC receives and studies member and citizen comments and suggestions in all areas of Capital Metro operations, including but not limited to route planning, facility design and operation, customer service, marketing, budgeting, purchasing, and special projects;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that CSAC supports the proposed August 2008 Service Changes as conceptually presented by Capital Metro staff at the April 2, 2008 meeting of CSAC, pending a review of service options in the William Cannon corridor.
Adopted this __2nd __ day of __April___, 2008 _____________________________ Rene Barrera, CSAC Acting-Chair
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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