NIAGARA REGION Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance Study J ANUARY 16 TH , 2017 C ITY OF S T . C ATHARINES Dennis Kar, Dillon Consulting Limited Gary McNeil, McNeil Management Services
Study Purpose Service Ability of governance • Design structure to support the Next evolution of NRT • guiding principles of the routes, including integration service design and delivery with post-secondary and plan local services Service Service Structure Delivery Customer service aspects of service delivery, • including fare structure and technology integration, trip planning, customer service Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Updates Since the Interim Presentations Consulted with each municipal Council (St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, • Welland and Niagara Region) Presented preliminary plan to the public (four public open houses in St. • Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland and Lincoln) Engaged the public through online consultation (received 771 • responses from online and paper surveys) Input used to confirmed certain recommendations and modify others • Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
New Service Delivery and Governance Model Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Principle Status Quo Consolidated Regional Customer MEDIUM MEDIUM-HIGH HIGH Driven Integrated LOW MEDIUM-HIGH HIGH Economically MEDIUM HIGH MEDIUM-HIGH Responsible Equitable HIGH HIGH MEDIUM Ease of MEDIUM HIGH MEDIUM Implementation TOTAL MEDIUM HIGH MEDIUM - HIGH Adherence to Principles: LOW , MEDIUM , HIGH Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Consolidated Transit Model RECOMMENTATION Implement a Consolidated Transit Model that would see St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland Transit systems combine their services into one large Consolidated Transit system Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Benefits of Consolidation Structure can provide enhanced seamless inter-municipal transit (routes, fares, • communications, technology), which supports: access to places of work, school and health services within Niagara Region – GO service in Niagara (help build ridership and support future GO Rail to the Region) – youth retention and economic development (addressing unemployment issues and increasing – investment in the Region) a high quality of life (e.g. potential reduction of household income spent on the purchase and – operation of automobiles) a growing population and employment base (15% growth by 2023) – sustainable community development (by providing a sustainable travel option for residents) – Maintains more control with local municipalities than the Regional Model where 80% of • existing trips are made Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Cost of Remaining with the Status Quo Model Status Quo Model annual net operating cost are expected to increase within the Region • (between 2015 and 2018) This is due to annual inflation (2% per year) as well as various planned and approved • local and inter-municipal service improvements, staffing increases and facility expansions: New mechanics to maintain reliability on bus fleet (Welland and St. Catharines) – Need to expand maintenance facilities in St. Catharines and Welland – Need for additional supervisors and service planning staff – Growth in service – Move to 30 minute peak frequency on all routes in Niagara Falls • Implementation of a new cross-town route in St. Catharines • Implementation of Sunday service in Welland • New service expansion in Fort Erie and new potential for new services in Grimsby, West Lincoln and Lincoln • Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Cost of Consolidation There is generally a higher operating cost associated with consolidation, primarily due to • the higher operating rate of a unified system Next Step will be to determine distribution of net operating cost increase between the • four participating municipalities Net Operating Costs Consolidated Regional Municipality Status Quo Model Transit Model Transit Model (2018 rate) (2018 rate) (2018 rate) Niagara Region $3,076,300 $3,138,400 $3,143,600 St. Catharines $10,736,400 $10,783,800 $10,913,900 Niagara Falls $5,860,200 $5,861,500 $5,869,900 Welland $2,534,700 $2,678,600 $2,679,800 Outer Municipalities $2,214,300 $2,214,300 $2,536,600 Total $24,421,900 $24,676,600 $25,143,800 Increase from Status Quo - $254,700 $721,900 Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Recommended Inter-municipal Service Plan Elimination of duplicate services servicing • post-secondary institutions and expansion of off-peak services on key corridors Better integration with municipal transit • New Niagara-West inter-municipal transit link • (integration with GO Transit) New dynamic transit services for low-demand • areas Improved connections to GO Train service (e.g. • new Express service between Welland and the St. Catharines GO Station) Integrated fares and payment technology • Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Proposed Transit Plan – Annual Revenue Service Hours Existing Service 2019 2023 (2016/2017)* Core Urban Area of St. Catharines/Thorold, Niagara Falls and Welland 9,000 12,700 12,700 Route 40/45 9,300 12,700 12,700 Route 50/55 8,500 4,500 7,400 Route 60/65 8,500 12,700 12,700 Route 70/75 *Note: New services that were 1,700 Route 70/75 GO Express implemented in September 14,000 8,400 8,400 Post-secondary services 2016 have been annualized for Sub-Total 49,300 51,000 55,600 comparative purposes. Inter-municipal Connections to Urban Niagara 2,600 **Note: Service hours not Port Colborne LINK 2,000 2,100 indicted as the plan makes use 2,600 Fort Erie LINK 2,100 2,100 of existing service provided by Grimsby / Beamsville LINK ** ** GO Transit West-Lincoln LINK 2,900 3,200 ***Note: No defined annual Wainfleet Dynamic LINK *** *** service hours as service Crystal Beach Dynamic LINK *** *** provision is dynamic and based on demand Sub-total 4,100 7,100 8,400 53,400 58,100 64,000 TOTAL Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Net Operating Costs Existing Service 2019 2023 (2016/2017)* Core Urban Area of St. Catharines/Thorold, Niagara Falls and Welland Route 40/45 $740,500 $1,013,300 $1,207,600 Route 50/55 $742,000 $952,200 $1,141,600 Route 60/65 $652,500 $253,300 $604,500 Route 70/75 $620,100 $978,900 $1,172,700 Route 70/75 GO Express $0 $0 $86,900 Post-secondary services** $0 $0 $0 Sub-Total $2,755,100 $3,197,700 $4,213,300 Inter-municipal Connections to Urban Niagara *Note: New services that were Port Colborne LINK $172,600 $185,500 $263,300 implemented in September Fort Erie LINK $189,100 2016 have been annualized for $199,300 $268,500 comparative purposes. Grimsby / Beamsville LINK $0 $449,500 $251,200 West-Lincoln LINK $0 $174,400 $184,200 **Note: Net operating costs for Wainfleet Dynamic LINK $0 $161,400 $175,600 post- secondary services “$0.00” Crystal Beach Dynamic LINK $0 $122,600 $112,800 because they are implemented Sub-total $361,700 $1,084,600 $1,463,700 as a revenue neutral service TOTAL $3,116,800 $4,282,300 $5,677,000 Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Proposed Distribution of Transit Costs Region fund: 100% of inter-municipal transit capital fleet costs throughout the Region • 100% of inter-municipal transit operating costs within the Consolidated Transit Service Area • 60% of inter-municipal transit operating costs outside the Consolidated Transit Service Area • Local Municipalities within the Consolidated Transit Service Area fund: 100% Local Transit operating and capital costs • Local Municipalities outside of the Consolidated Transit Service Area fund: 100% Local Transit operating and capital costs • 40% of inter-municipal transit operating costs connecting their municipality to an urban • centre Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
Distribution of Costs Municipality 2016/2017* 2019 2023 Niagara Region (Inter-municipal and share of rural $2,972,120 $3,848,460 $5,091,520 link routes) Port Colborne (share of Port Colborne Link and $69,040 $96,760 $129,840 Crystal Beach Dynamic Link) Fort Erie (share of Fort Erie Link and Crystal Beach $75,640 $102,280 $131,920 Dynamic service) Grimsby (share of Grimsby/Beamsville Link) $0 $50,240 $89,900 Lincoln (share of Grimsby/Beamsville Link) $0 $50,240 $89,900 West Lincoln (share of Smithville Link) $0 $69,760 $73,680 Wainfleet (share of Wainfleet Dynamic Link) $0 $64,560 $70,240 TOTAL $3,116,800 $4,282,300 $5,677,000 *Note: Net Operating Cost based on service in place as of September 2016 (annualized over a one year period) Niagara Transit Service Delivery and Governance
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