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POLICY PROPOSAL
DATE FILE NUMBER SUBJECT PAGE-1—OF 3_
8/16/76 CP-13 Taxi-Bus Feeder Demonstration
PROPOSAL PROPOSED BY: CITY MANAGER'S REVIEW
Jim Bradshaw t U
1 1
Background
M&C G-3052, dated May 17, 1.976, recommended that the City Manager be authorized to
make application for a demonstration grant from UMTA in the amount of $577,245, to
be matched by $49,165 of in-kind services, for the purpose of determining the
effectiveness of taxi-bus feeder service. That recommendation failed to receive
Council approval. Because the benefits of this program to the elderly and handi-
capped were not fully explored in the earlier communication the following proposal is
submitted for Council consideration.
In determining additional information as to the depth of benefits that could be pro-
vided, it was learned that as of May 31, 1976, new UMTA regulations became effective
which require, as a requisite to continued federal funding, "special efforts" in
planning mass transportation services for the elderly and handicapped, and "reasonable
progress" in implementing such plans by September 30, 1977. Two recent area studies,
"Unmet Needs of the Aging in Tarrant County" and "Transportation Options for Elderly
and Handicapped," point out that: (1) the majority of elderly and handicapped in
Fort Worth could use present bus service except that for many, walking even a short
distance to a bus stop is a hardship, and (2) taxis provide the necessary door-to-
door service, but are too expensive for many potential users. Taxi-feeder service
presents a possible cost-effective method of combining a low fare with door-to-door
service.
If successful, such a program could:
1) Provide safer, more convenient, door-to-door service at a modest price.
2) Reduce the cost to CITRAN of providing service in areas, and at times, of
low ridership.
3) Provide additional revenue to taxicab operations.
Such a plan, involving a public transit operation and private taxi owners, has
not been tried in this country. A similar pian in Peterborough, Ontario increased
use of public transportation and reduced the per-passenger deficit from $2.34 to
$0.60 with a combined taxi-bus fare of 25 cents. Both the Urban Institute and
UMTA have special interest in Fort Worth as a demonstration site because of the
City's size, population density , and demographics, and because of the expressed
willingness of the City Staff, transit operations, transit employees, union and
private taxicab operators to cooperate in such a project.
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FISCAL NOTE
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS�]
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POLICY PROPOSAL (cont'd) FAGE2OF
Under this current proposal, one of the purposes would be to experiment with
various fare levels, sizes of areas served, etc. to determine the most
economical system. Target marketing would be provided for the elderly and
handicapped. Such an experiment would be costly for CITRAN to undertake with
City funds. In this case, UMTA is willing to fund 1.00 percent of the actual
c -st for a demonstration period, including costs of collecting data and
analyzing the results. No cash match is required from the City, only in-kind
services from City and CITRAN staff.
Current Proposal
City Council action recommended at this time is approval of an application for
an UMTA demonstration grant. If the application is accepted by UMTA, Council
approval would again be needed before a grant contract could be executed. More
specific details, including a firm budget, would be reviewed at that time.
Major changes between this proposal and the one submitted to Council last May
are:
Special emphasis on service and reasonable fares for the elderly and
handicapped.
Reduction of the number of demonstration neighborhoods from five to
two.
Reduction of local in-kind services from $49,165 to $39,400.
Reduction of the number of additional personnel to be federally funded for
the demonstration period from five to two and one-half.
Reduction of the contractural costs for data collection, surveying, and
marketing from $126,000 to $75,400.
Reduction of the total project budget from $626,410 to $311,500.
Project Funding
TAXI-BUS FEEDER DEMONSTRATION
ROUNDED TO NEAREST $100
Budget Current
Proposal Budget
5/76 Proposal
Federal Funds
Personnel & Fringes $141,900 $ 67 ,300
Travel 3,400 3,500
Supplies 5,200 5,200
Data Collection, Surveys & Marketing 126,000 75,400
Construction 6,000 -
Fare Subsidy 271.,000 110,000
Indirect Cost 23,700 10,700
TOTAL FEDERAL $577,200 $272,100
CITY OF FORT WORTH
POLICY PROPOSAL (cont'd) PAGE-LOF
Budget Current
Proposal Budget
In Kind 5/76 Proposal
TOTAL PROJECT $626,400 $311,500
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Manager be authorized to make application for
an UMTA demonstration grant in the total amount of $311,500, $272,100 to be
funded by UMTA and $39,400 to be provided by local in-kind services, for the
purpose of determining the cost-effectiveness of taxi-bus feeder service.
Further that the Council be advised on a quarterly basis of the status of this
project.
t
Jim Bradshaw, Councilman
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CITY OF FORT WORTH