Update on Dumbarton Express Service

Presented before the Union City City CouncilItem 3.b June 11, 2013

Howard Der Interim Contract Service AdministratorAC Transit Service Development

Phone: (510) 891-7208 E-mail: hder@actransit.org

History

• Dumbarton Express (DBX) is a regional public transit service connecting areas of Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties via the Dumbarton Bridge.

• First implemented and operated in 1984 by AC Transit.

• Service has been operated by either AC Transit or by private operators under contract.

• As of December 2011, the current operator is MV Transportation.

Governance & Administration

• AC Transit administers and governs the Dumbarton Express.

• Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations Consortium (DBROC) provides operational oversight.

• DBROC membership includes AC Transit, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), BART, SamTrans, and Union City Transit.

Funding

• Previously, service was funded proportionately by members of DBROC.

• AC Transit funded operating fund shortfall. • The Dumbarton Rail Policy Action Committee

(PAC) and staff investigated transferring its RM-2 operating funds to an interim bus service.

• Staff from DBROC and Dumbarton Rail developed an interim bus service plan to build ridership and compliment the transition to rail service.

Funding(continued)

• Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) approved transfer of Dumbarton Rail RM-2 operating funds to DBX operations.

• MTC allocated $2.2 million in RM-2 funds to operate the DBX for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.

• RM-2 funding removed need for DBROC members to fund DBX operations; DBROC retains operational oversight.

• Dumbarton Rail PAC will petition MTC to reassign RM-2 funds when rail operations begins.

Operations

• DBX operates as a hybrid local and express (Transbay) service weekdays only.

• In the East Bay, local service is offered along the entire route between the Union City BART station and the Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot.

• On the Peninsula, local service is provided west of the Dumbarton Bridge.

Route Structure

Route DB

• Continuous service from 5:22 AM to 8:51 PM. • Operates between Union City BART and the Stanford

Oval via the Dumbarton Bridge. • Peak frequency is approximately every 30 minutes,

and off-peak frequency is approximately every 45 minutes.

• Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook, Menlo Park VA Hospital, Downtown Palo Alto, and Palo Alto Caltrain Station.

• 23 eastbound and 23 westbound trips are operated.

Route DB1

• Peak period service from 5:26 AM to 9:45 AM in the morning and from 1:35 PM to 8:43 PM in the afternoon.

• Operates between Union City BART and the Palo Alto Industrial Park area via the Dumbarton Bridge.

• Peak frequency is approximately every 20 minutes. • Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook, and

Palo Alto VA Hospital. • 23 eastbound and 22 westbound trips are operated.

Bus Fleet

• 16 Gillig Phantom high floor transit buses: 10 ex-AC Transit, 2 ex-SamTrans, and 4 (leased) ex-LA DOT.

• Suburban commuter layout with high-back seating and WiFi connectivity.

• Based and maintained at the Union City Corporation Yard.

Bus Fleet(continued)

Statistics

• Fiscal Year 2012-2013 ridership was 259,587.

• Ridership almost evenly split between Route DB and DB1.

• Combined average daily ridership is almost 1,200.

Statistics(continued)

Dumbarton Express Monthly RidershipDecember 2012-April 2013

18,768 19,842 19,80721,760 20,489 21,114 20,467

24,01326,483

22,299

28,646

23,407

19,025

24,771 24,46526,966 27,360

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

22,000

24,000

26,000

28,000

30,000

32,000

Dec 2011

Jan 2012

Feb 2012

Mar 2012

Apr 2012

May 2012

Jun 2012

Jul 2012

Aug 2012

Sep 2012

Oct 2012

Nov 2012

Dec 2012

Jan 2013

Feb 2013

Mar 2013

Apr 2013To

tal M

onth

ly R

ider

ship

Monthly Ridership

ServiceEnhancements

• Route DB1 frequency increased from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes in July 2012.

• 11 trips added to Route DB and 32 trips added to Route DB1 in July 2012.

• Route DB extended to operate to Stanford Oval with stop near the Stanford Hospital in December 2012.

• Ridership increased from a daily average of 975 passengers to almost 1,200 passengers.

MarketingInitiatives

• Re-branded buses with side and rear decals added.

• Dedicated website launch (www.dumbartonexpress.com).

• Digital billboards near the Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza.

• Commute fairs at employment sites.

Re-branded Buses

New Website

Digital Billboards

Acknowledgements

• Robert (Bob) Saunders, Operations Manager, MV Transportation

• David Smith, Vice President Operations, MV Transportation

• Karen Lynch, Marketing Administrator, AC Transit

• Tony Divito, former Senior Transportation Planner, AC Transit