City Council Agenda and Packet 2018 09 11 SP

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RECOMMENDED ACTION No action required, for information only. The following service change proposal will be taken to the public for review and comment. DISCUSSION To meet the diverse travel needs of the citizens of the District and maintain a high-performance, sustainable transit system, RTD has developed a networked family of services for which the different classes of service have different expectations of performance. We will continue adjusting services in response to changes in ridership and operational performance of the transit system as a whole. It is also our responsibility to identify services that are underperforming and recommend modifications, curtailment or cancellation of service as warranted or recommend new service as changes in the community warrant and resources allow. Changes to RTD transit service, have historically been measured by and related to ridership and financial impacts. However, current labor market conditions continue to be a serious challenge to the recruitment and retention of bus and rail operators. More to the point, the amount of service being provided by operators working on their days off is at a level that impedes employee retention efforts and makes it difficult to meet our commitments to our customers. To better match the RTD's scheduled service offerings to RTD's available workforce, this proposal starts a process to adjust the level of service on various routes throughout the District. The proposed service adjustments were conceived in accordance to the Service Policies and Standards adopted by the RTD Board of Directors. The proposals herein include a mix of service adjustments and reductions. Notable proposals include a restructure of service to/from Longmont/East Boulder via Routes LD and 225. Additionally, a proposal to merge Route 26 — West Yale with Route 35 - Hampden is also included. A reduction to service frequency on the SKIP is also proposed. We will monitor customer response to the implementation of these service changes and propose adjustments and service alternatives as appropriate in future service change recommendations. The guiding principles for proposed service changes continue to be: • Service performance evaluation based on the RTD Service Standards; • The effects on the overall integrity of the transit network and on transit dependent markets; • The availability of alternative services to affected riders; • Cost-effective distribution throughout the District and Family of Services and the ability to enhance service when possible; • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act: benefits and services are provided without regard to race, color or national origin; also disparate effects on low income and minority populations; and • Response to changes in the communities where services are provided SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES Routes proposed for service improvements: Route 26 — West Yale Avenue/Route 35 — Hampden Avenue: merge Routes 26 and 35 into new crosstown Route 35. Route 228 — Louisville/Broomfield: extend Route 228 east to Hecla and 96th 25