To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: CAMERON HARDING, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
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APPROVE THE FINAL TRANSIT SERVICES STUDY REPORT FOR BEACH CITIES TRANSIT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On October 5, 2021, the City Council approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Beach Cities Transit (BCT) Transit Services Study (TSS). On February 15, 2022, the City Council approved an agreement with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. (Stantec) to perform the BCT TSS. The scope of work included the performance of a comprehensive analysis to assess and evaluate the current BCT fixed route and WAVE Dial-A-Ride program in the context of present and projected future operations. The study also included an assessment of the financial and environmental conditions, recommendations for a short-range (three to five year) operational changes and improvements, and long-range (five to 15 year) strategic direction to guide the City’s decisions regarding future public transit services and related capital investments for Zero Emission Buses and transit operations facilities infrastructure needs.
On December 5, 2023 the Draft BCT TSS was presented to City Council for input. The Draft TSS was also provided to City staff in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and El Segundo for comment.
The attached BCT TSS Final Report consists of three analyses and planning reports that incorporate direction from the City Council, comments from the beach cities, and input from members of the public at the December 5, 2023 meeting. The three analyses/reports include:
• Transit Services Study (TSS) Report 1 - Current Service Review and Futures Analysis that provides an assessment of the current performance of the BCT system and conditions of the operations facilities
• TSS Report 2 - Short and Long Range Service Plans, that include the public outreach efforts, and analyzes new transportation and land use and development projects impacting BCT services, and provides recommendations for BCT service changes and improvements
• The BCT Draft Study report TSS Report 3 - Infrastructure and Strategic Planning Needs, that provides recommendations for infrastructure construction of a new operations and maintenance facility, and bus capital investments required to support the ZEB transition and continued service
BACKGROUND
1 - Current Service Review and Futures Analysis
The BCT system consists of the operation of the fixed routes BCT Lines 102 and 109 serving Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, and the LAX area, connecting to Metro rail stations and other regional transit agencies and the WAVE senior/disabled dial-a-ride service (WAVE). The transit operations management, oversight and reporting, dispatch and scheduling, and administration is contracted out to Transportation Concepts, Inc. They also perform the vehicle maintenance for the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fleet comprised of 14 fixed route buses, (12 32-foot EZ Riders, two 25-foot cutaways), and five dial-a-ride 25-foot cutaways, and one minivan.
The City-owned transit operations and maintenance facility is located at 1519 Kingsdale Avenue, adjacent to the Redondo Beach Transit Center and parking facility. CNG transit vehicles are fueled off-site at the Gertruda CNG station, and at Clean Energy stations located near LAX, and at the City of Torrance Madrona station.
BCT Lines 102 and 109 provide over 1,300 daily trips. Students account for ~19% of ridership on school days, predominately through the school tripper service provided to Redondo Union High School (RUHS) students.
The WAVE operates in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and specific satellite locations in Torrance (mostly medical facilities), providing curb-to-curb service to Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach seniors (62+) and people with disabilities. The WAVE carries an average of 35 riders each day.
A market assessment and demographic analysis shows that BCT’s service area is a diverse and fairly dense area of Los Angeles County. The large proportions of youth, seniors, and car-free households indicate a high potential propensity for transit use. However, the high median incomes and high car ownership rates, coupled with low percentages of workers commuting by transit show that while land use and demographic conditions could favor greater transit use, most residents rely heavily on private vehicle use for most journeys.
The South Bay is projected to see modest population growth over the next 25 years with more significant growth in employment and jobs, specifically in El Segundo and Hermosa Beach. BCT’s importance as a feeder service to regional transit could increase as it serves the growing commuter market. While projected population growth is expected to be less significant, pockets of Redondo Beach are expected to see population growth, specifically in South Redondo around Riviera Village and in North Redondo around the South Bay Galleria.
In the next several years, Line 109 will predominantly be impacted by changes occurring at LAX, including the Automated People Mover (APM) and Airport Metro Connector Station (AMC).
In the future, Line 102 will be impacted by the C Line Extension and the South Bay Galleria Redevelopment. Both of these developments could increase ridership for Line 102 service, as well as impact the use of the Redondo Beach Transit Center.
TSS Report 2 - Short and Long Range Service Plans
Public Outreach and engagement efforts were designed to receive input from various stakeholders in the BCT service area, including existing riders, other transit operation partners, beach cities’ staff, elected officials, as well as non-riders.
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Engagement Activities |
Outreach Methods |
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• Community survey for riders, non-riders, and WAVE riders • 7 pop-ups across the Beach Cities • 3 community focus groups • Technical Working Group meeting with key stakeholders • Booth at Springfest 2023 |
• Redondo Beach website • Project website • BCT Twitter, retweeted by other transit agencies and Beach Cities • Onboard BCT buses • RUHS student e-blast • Easy Reader 4-week full page ad and digital ads • Community Services Instagram ads • Community Service email list • Direct emails to 109 city partners |
Based on the results of TSS Report 1 and input gathered during the outreach process, short-range service plans were developed for the five-year planning period. Recommended service plans for fixed route and WAVE services are summarized below.
Line 102
• FY 2024-25 (Plan Year 2): decrease weekday headways from current headways to around every 33 minutes for most of the day to provide more frequent service after service became less frequent to serve the RBTC
• FY 2024-25 (Plan Year 2): extend Line 102 from its current terminus at the Pier to Riviera Village. This will create a new transfer hub at the Pier, creates a one-seat ride for South Redondo students, improves access to the Redondo Beach Transit Center and South Bay Galleria
• FY 2025-26 (Plan Year 3): increase Sunday service levels so that they match Saturday service levels
Line 109
• FY 2023-24 (Plan Year 1): re-route Line 109 around Manhattan Village Mall and Plaza El Segundo to provide more direct service, reduce travel time, and eliminate stops with very low ridership that are not pedestrian-friendly
• FY 2024-25 (Plan Year 2): adjust routing around LAX to serve the AMC to provide a direct connection to LAX APM and other transit operators at the AMC
• FY 2024-25 (Plan Year 2): terminate Line 109 at the Pier and extend Line 102 south from the Pier to Riviera Village to enable easier transfers, provides easier access to the Pier and Veterans Park Senior Center, and reflects travel patterns in South Redondo
• FY 2026-27 (Plan Year 4): improve weekday AM and PM peak hour service to every 35 minutes to provide a better experience for riders who use Line 109 during peak hours
• Operate a summer bus service on Manhattan Beach Blvd. east-west along Manhattan Beach Blvd. between Metro C Line Redondo Beach Station and Manhattan Beach Pier, Monday-Thursday from 8am-8pm every thirty minutes, and Friday-Sunday 10am-11pm every thirty minutes, pending funding from the City of Manhattan Beach
WAVE Dial-A-Ride
Survey responses showed the majority of riders were satisfied with the WAVE Dial-A-Ride services. Recommendations focus on opportunities to grow ridership and awareness, as summarized below.
• Outreach and Engagement:
o Marketing and Engagement Plan
o Leverage organizational partnerships
o Travel training
o Promote group trips/social outings
• Technology Improvements
o New scheduling and dispatching software
o Opportunities to book trips in different ways (website, app, etc.)
o Enable WAVE vehicles to take TAP cards
TSS Report 3 Infrastructure and Strategic Planning Needs
It is critical that infrastructure must come first in order to operate, charge, and maintain ZEB buses. All efforts to transition to a ZEB fleet will require significant infrastructure upgrades by the City, and support from several City Departments. A ZEB Multi-Department team that includes representatives from the City Manager’s Office, Finance Department, Community Development Department, Public Works Department, Fire Department, and the Community Services Department will be created at the appropriate time to support and assist with the implementation of the ZEB Rollout Plan and transition.
At the October 3, 2023, City Council meeting staff presented an Administrative Report recommending the BCT bus fleet transition to a Battery Electric Bus (BEB). That report included information on the construction of the required infrastructure of the new transit operations and maintenance facility that will be needed to operate a ZEB fleet. TSS -3 provides additional detail regarding the ZEB type analysis, and the necessary facility and electrical infrastructure.
The cost to transition to the ZEB fleet will be estimated in the future nearest to the bus procurement phase. Currently 30’ BEB buses cost over $1.1 million per bus, more than $500,000 higher than the cost of a CNG bus, so the City will need to apply for State and Federal grants to supplement existing Federal capital funding, as well as increase Local Return allocations to satisfy the local match requirements.
New Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility
The current transit operations facility, located at 1519 Kingsdale Avenue, adjacent to the Transit Center, in its current condition is not suitable for upgrades or renovation, as it is not designed, nor was it built for a ZEB fleet operations. Furthermore, the existing operations and maintenance building and bus parking areas are too small and in need of replacement to sustain the ongoing BCT operations.
A new, modernized Transit Administration, Operations and Maintenance Facility must be constructed to support the successful deployment of the ZEB fleet. Significant upgrades and facility modifications are necessary, including the installation of BEB chargers and dispensers, a new transformer and switchgear, and reorganization of the bus yard. The proposed site plan layout of the new transit operations and maintenance facility shows the relocation of the operations facility from the east side of the upper parking lot to the southwest corner.
The necessary building space to perform the administration and operational functions is approximately 16,264 sq. ft, and can be accommodated within a two-story building. The remaining footprint of the facility will be used for bus parking, charging infrastructure, and related operations functions, for a total of approximately 54,000 square ft. (1.23 acres).
The design of the new facility will need to begin by FY 2025-26, and construction should be completed by 2030 in order to be operational, when the first ZEB buses are planned to be placed in service.
The City has been awarded approximately $32.1M in Subregional Metro Measure R Funding which will be available in FY 2025-26, from the South Bay Cities Council of Governments to fund the planning and construction of the new ZEB transit operations and maintenance facility. The City’s Local Match requirement for these funds is $1.2M. Staff will return to City Council for the approval of the funding MOU in fiscal year 2025.
COORDINATION
Staff coordinated the various aspects of the study with key stakeholders, including City representatives of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Metro, Torrance Transit, and GTrans, performed public outreach via local print and online media, social media, at special events, local farmer’s markets, and key transit stops. The ZEB operations and maintenance facility concepts have been reviewed by staff in the City Manager’s Office and the Public Works Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of the Transit Services Study is $244,670. Funding for the Study was provided by Transportation Operations Restricted Proposition A Funds.
The cost of any specific BCT service change approved by City Council following the Study will be considered during the applicable fiscal year budget. Dedicated transportation restricted funds are expected to be available in future years to fund the proposed BCT service changes and bus procurements. The $32.1M of Subregional Metro Measure R Funding for the planning and construction of the new ZEB transit operations and maintenance facility will be available to the City in FY 2024-25. The City’s local match requirement for these funds is $1.2M and will be covered using other transportation restricted funds that will be appropriated as part of the FY 2024-25 CIP Budget.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Beach Cities Transit, Transit Services Study Final Report, December 2023
• Administrative Report - City Council Beach Cities Transit, Transit Services Study, December 5, 2023
• Presentation - City Council Beach Cities Transit, Transit Services Study Draft Report, December 5, 2023