Proposed Fare Adjustments Public Meetings October 17, 2017 12 noon - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Proposed Fare Adjustments Public Meetings October 17, 2017 12 noon October 18, 2017 12 noon & 6pm October 19, 2017 6pm

MEETING PURPOSE Thank you for joining us and participating in this community discussion. The purpose of this meeting is to take public comments and answer questions on proposed fare adjustments that would be effective on Monday, January 1, 2018. No final decisions have been made. 2

MEETING FORMAT Be considerate of meeting attendees and COTA staff. Please silence cell phones. We welcome questions at the end of the presentation. • Please raise your hand, so that we may call on you. • Ask one question at a time. • Questions and comments are limited to two (2) minutes per person. Participants are encouraged to complete comment cards. Please print clearly. 3

COTA FARE POLICY • COTA has a responsibility to operate with and manage taxpayer funds in a prudent and sound manner. • A system-wide fare recovery goal of 20% was adopted in 2009. • As described in COTA’s Long Range Transit Plan, fares are evaluated every three years. • COTA fares were last adjusted on January 1, 2012. • The increase proposed for 2015 was not adopted. • COTA will conduct a public information and comment process prior to recommending fare adjustments to the Board of Trustees. Full policies available at COTA.com/policies/fare-change-policy 4

COTA STAKEHOLDERS Taxpayers COTA’s Service Area population 1.3 million COTA Management Customers Employees 60,000 weekday trips Approximately 1,000 18 million annual trips 5

FARE ANALYSIS

FARE ANALYSIS • An independent evaluation of COTA’s current fare structure was completed, including a peer agency comparative analysis. • Preliminary fare structure options have been identified. • Next steps: • Consider input from the public • Identify structures to be evaluated based on Board and staff input • Evaluate potential ridership and revenue impacts • Refine alternatives • Perform a Title VI analysis • Make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees 7

SUMMARY OF INDEPENDENT EVALUATION • COTA’s fare structure is in the general range of its peer transit agencies, in terms of: • Fares related to class of service – Frequent/Standard; Rush Hour; Mainstream • Transfer availability and validity • Methods of payments • Special fares • Fare media • The target fare recovery rate of 20% is within the range of 15%-30% for our peer transit agencies. Much of this range is due to local financial or policy choices, rather than specific system characteristics. • COTA’s pass program is broadly representative of its peers and is appropriate to its size. 8

HISTORY OF COTA’S LOCAL BUS BASE CASH FARE $3.00 $2.48 $2.50 $2.33 $2.21 $2.04 $2.00 $2.00 $1.80 $1.75 $1.59 $1.50 $1.50 $1.38 $1.26 $1.25 $1.10 $1.00 $1.00 $0.75 $0.74 $0.50 $0.50 $0.50 $0.60 $0.00 Local Fare Inflated from 1974 Nominal Local Fare 9

FARE STRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS • Flatten the structure • Fewer distinct classes of service, as a result of service changes (TSR) and new services (CMAX Bus Rapid Transit) • Reduce potential for customers paying more for a trip because of their choice of fare media (cash or pass) • Take advantage of and stay within the capabilities of the new fare collection system • Future-proof for planned transition to mobile application payment and “tap - on” smartcards 10

FARE LEVEL CONSIDERATIONS • Ensure that transit users pay a fair and reasonable portion of the total cost of providing transit service (goal of 80 percent taxpayer support / 20 percent farebox recovery from customers) • Maintain affordability for customers • Cover the costs associated with providing service and continuing service growth and improvements • Match fares and farebox recovery rates with peer and other Ohio transit agencies • Apply adjustments uniformly across the entire fare structure, as practicable 11

FAREBOX RECOVERY RATES* IN PEER AND OHIO CITIES (2015) COTA Peers and Ohio Systems Other Similar Systems (2016) (2016) Cincinnati 33.6% Rochester 35.8% Buffalo 32.7% Broward 31.4% Orlando 29.7% Tampa 23.5% Milwaukee 27.3% Tucson 20.9% Charlotte 25.9% Columbus (2017 Projection - 14.2%) 18.8% Toledo 24.9% Norfolk 18.6% Providence 22.1% Average without COTA 26.0% Cleveland 21.3% Weighted average without COTA 24.3% Hartford 20.7% Indianapolis 18.9% Columbus (2017 Projection - 14.2%) 18.8% Louisville 18.5% Dayton 18.1% Jacksonville 15.4% Average without COTA 23.8% Median without COTA 22.1% * For directly operated buses, not including paratransit services 12

LOCAL BUS FARES FOR COTA PEERS AND OHIO TRANSIT SYSTEMS City Base Fare Differences (fleet, size, ridership and service) Cleveland $2.50 (free transfer) Larger and multimodal $2.25 (cash, no transfer) – Higher service intensity Milwaukee $1.75 (smart card, free transfer) $2.00 (no transfer) Multimodal and lower service intensity Buffalo Providence $2.00 + $1.00 transfer Lower service intensity Columbus $2.00 (free transfer) $2.00 (free transfer) More boardings and longer trips Orlando Indianapolis $1.75 (no transfer) Smaller $1.75 + $0.50 transfer + $0.90 Cincinnati outside city $1.75 + $0.25 transfer Smaller Dayton Hartford $1.75 (free transfer) Lower service intensity $1.50 (no transfer) Smaller and longer trips Jacksonville Akron $1.25 (free transfer) Smaller Toledo $1.25 (free transfer) Smaller 13

FARE ANALYSIS CONCLUSIONS • A general fare increase is overdue in terms of both timing and cost recovery • COTA’s fare recovery is now at the low end of the range for peers and similar systems • Increases in service since 2011 have not been met with corresponding demand growth • It is too early to gauge the demand effects of the Transit System Redesign (TSR), but if projections are realized, cost recovery will be below goal (about 14%) • Attention should focus on preventing further loss in fare recovery and on achieving goals for the structure ( e.g. flattening and future-proofing) 14

FARE ANALYSIS

PRELIMINARY FARE STRUCTURE OPTIONS Goals: • Maintain planned service levels • Improve systemwide fare recovery from the estimated 14.2% for 2017 Options: • Option 1: Target for a 20% system-wide fare recovery, per 2009 board policy • Option 2: Target for an 18% system-wide fare recovery, based on taxpayers’ share of operating costs of 82 percent 16

PRELIMINARY FARE STRUCTURE OPTIONS Features Proposed for All Options • Guaranteed Lowest Fare Similar to a frequency-based discount, this would guarantee riders the lowest fare for which they are eligible based on the extent of the usage of their fare cards. For example, if a day pass is $5 and the rider has paid $5 in fares within a 24 hour period, the rider would not pay a fare for additional trips taken in the remainder of the 24 hour period. • End Express Upcharge This would “flatten” COTA’s fare schedule and make all bus fares consistent across all express (Rush Hour) and local (Frequent/Standard) lines. • 2-Hour Round Trip Ticket This would allow a customer to pay one fare for a 2-hour period, making all transfers free including round trips. 17

PRELIMINARY FARE STRUCTURE OPTIONS Option 1 Option 2 Fare Structure Current Est. 20% Est. 18% Fare Recovery Fare Recovery Single Fares Standard & Frequent $2.00 $2.75 $2.50 Rush Hour (Express) $2.75 $2.75 $2.50 AirConnect* $2.75 $2.75 $5.50 Transfer** Free Free Free CBUS Free Free Free Senior, Child, Key $1.00 $1.35 $1.25 ADA Card Free Free Free Passes 31-day Standard & Frequent $62.00 $86.00 $82.00 31-day Rush Hour $85.00 $86.00 $82.00 31- day Senior, Child, Key $31.00 $43.00 $41.00 7-Day Standard & Frequent $25.00 $34.00 $31.00 Standard & Frequent Day $4.50 $6.25 $5.50 Discount Day Pass $2.25 $3.00 $2.75 Mobility Services ADA Mainstream $3.50 $4.75 $4.50 ADA Mainstream Monthly $105.00 $146.00 $135.00 Non-ADA Service $5.00 $7.00 $6.00 *The AirConnect fares listed are the on-board cash fares. Passes will be accepted at their normal rate. ** Transfers will be valid in all vehicles for 2 hours regardless of direction of travel. 18

PRELIMINARY FARE STRUCTURE OPTIONS Option 1 Fare Structure Current Est. 20% Fare Recovery Single Fares Standard & Frequent $2.00 $2.75 Rush Hour (Express) $2.75 $2.75 AirConnect* $2.75 $2.75 Transfer** Free Free CBUS Free Free Senior, Child, Key $1.00 $1.35 ADA Card Free Free Passes 31-day Standard & Frequent $62.00 $86.00 31-day Rush Hour $85.00 $86.00 31- day Senior, Child, Key $31.00 $43.00 7-Day Standard & Frequent $25.00 $34.00 Standard & Frequent Day $4.50 $6.25 Discount Day Pass $2.25 $3.00 Mobility Services ADA Mainstream $3.50 $4.75 ADA Mainstream Monthly $105.00 $146.00 Non-ADA Service $5.00 $7.00 *The AirConnect fares listed are the on-board cash fares. Passes will be accepted at their normal rate. ** Transfers will be valid in all vehicles for 2 hours regardless of direction of travel. 19