pages: CityCouncil/2022-04-05.pdf, 15
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CityCouncil | 2022-04-05 | 15 | The Paratransit Coordinator responded many rides are round-trips; stated the ridership average is 242; the shuttle service has not been reliable due to driver issues; reluctance to get on buses goes away when people actually ride the bus. In response to Councilmember Herrera Spencer's inquiry related to March ridership, the Paratransit Coordinator stated that she does not have March ridership numbers yet. Councilmember Herrera Spencer inquired the ridership for February. The Paratransit Coordinator responded the average rides for February were 485. Councilmember Herrera Spencer stated 485 rides is a great number; the number shows that the shuttle riders have not been transitioned to AC Transit yet and that there is work to be done; expressed concern about abruptly ending a service with that many riders; discussed her recent experience riding AC Transit from the airport and the bus being empty; stated that she sees many seniors getting off the shuttle near Trader Joe's; the shuttle is still being used; it is premature to end the service at this time; expressed support for the matter returning to Council when the transition can be shown as successful; stated the issue of not having a driver is a different problem and should be addressed separately the numbers confirm the demand for service. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether there is a report of passenger amounts that the ridership numbers represent. The Paratransit Coordinator responded in the negative; stated staff brought the matter to the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC); the pre-pandemic ridership average was 1,100; ACTC looked at Alameda's ridership numbers compared to similar cities; the ridership in other cities is close to pre-pandemic numbers; the Alameda shuttle ridership has not consistently returned; many people are riding both the bus and the shuttle; many people with a free bus pass are also seen on the shuttle; the transition will not be a challenge for many riders. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director stated the program comes down to the per- ride cost of the shuttle; the cost exceeds the standard to be met by the City for use of public money; there is a fundamental problem that the City is spending too much per ride for the shuttle service, which is not sustainable; the City is out of compliance with the funding guidelines; there might be a handful of people that love the shuttle and want to continue riding; however, the public paying $25 for each ride cannot continue; staff is recommending moving to the other free program which costs $2 per ride. Councilmember Herrera Spencer stated the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and AC Transit ridership is significantly down from pre-pandemic levels; public transportation being down is not unusual. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director stated the City had been exceeding the standard pre-pandemic; the issue is not directly related to the pandemic; the cost per ride was too high before COVID-19 hit; ridership became worse throughout the pandemic. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether the City being out of compliance is related to Measure B/BB funds, to which the Planning, Building and Transportation Director responded in the 14 | CityCouncil/2022-04-05.pdf |