Okaloosa County BOCC — August 16, 2016 — Access EC Rider TDP - August Draft Report — reading text

routes. Focus all new services on connecting residential areas to critical activity centers, employment Objective 1.8 centers and military installations within Okaloosa County. Investigate express transit service from residential areas to employment areas such as the Eglin Strategy 1.8.1 Main Base, Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach and Destin, including consideration of park-and-ride areas and vanpool programs. Address connections to all major attractors in Okaloosa County including intermodal terminals Strategy 1.8.2 and access to aviation and rail facilities as funding resources warrant. Use the Ride-On Commuter Services park-and-ride map and the Okaloosa-Walton TPO LRTP needs Strategy 1.8.3 plan to supplement locating new park-and-ride lots. Establish performance benchmarks for all service improvements and monitor performance to Objective 1.9 ensure minimum performance levels are met. Establish measureable indicators against which the achievement of mobility goals of the Strategy 1.9.1 community can be evaluated. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 117  Section 6: Goals and Objectives Use the system average for passenger trips, revenue miles, revenue hours, passenger trips per Strategy 1.9.2 revenue mile, passenger trips per revenue hour as benchmarks for service performance. Goal 2: Maintain and expand adequate capital infrastructure to ensure vehicles, facilities, customer amenities, and bus stops achieve the highest standard of accessibility and comfort. Objective 2.1 Develop and maintain a comprehensive Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Use this major TDP update as a basis for developing and maintaining a Capital Improvement Strategy 2.1.1 Program (CIP). Strategy 2.1.2 Expend Section 5307 funds to replace vehicles as needed. Objective 2.2: Expand fleet as needed for future service improvements. Purchase coaches for future service improvements when grant funding sources are available for Strategy 2.2.1 operations. Create a passenger amenities program to place shelters and amenities throughout the service Objective 2.5 area. Continue to coordinate improvements with Destin to implement the Transit Stop Design and Strategy 2.5.1 Location Study. Strategy 2.5.2 When possible, apply design standards for shelters in Destin to other system stops. Section 2.5.3 Program Section 5307 or other funding to procure passenger amenities. Create a bus stop improvement program to bring all bus stops into compliance with the Objective 2.6 Americans with Disabilities Act. Prepare and maintain a comprehensive inventory of the available infrastructure and accessibility Strategy 2.6.1 of all bus stops and develop an ADA transition plan to implement needed infrastructure and accessibility improvements. Procure firm capable of design, engineering, construction and permitting to bring bus stops into Strategy 2.6.2 ADA compliance. Strategy 2.6. 3 Program Section 5307 or other funding to complete this program of bus stop improvements. Pursue technology improvements to enhance operational efficiency, effectiveness, and Objective 2.7 customer satisfaction. Strategy 2.7.1 Consider automatic passenger counters and stop announcement system for fixed-route buses. Strategy 2.7.2: Pursue technology enhancements as organizational capabilities warrant. Coordinate with municipalities, business interests, community associations, etc. to leverage Objective 2.8 resources for capital and operating improvements. Strategy 2.8.1 Assess high demand areas for potential new funding sources, such as special assessments. Coordinate with private property owners as part of their own ADA requirements for accessible Strategy 2.8.2 pathways to make ADA bus stop accessibility improvements when right-of-way is insufficient. Goal 3: Develop a comprehensive marketing, communications and media relations program to effectively promote transit’s image, awareness, public embrace and information materials. Develop a comprehensive marketing program to market services to existing and potential customer bases, including employees, employers, traditional transit markets, persons with Objective 3.1 disabilities, military personnel and their dependents, tourists, primary school students and college students. Identify and communicate the need for a marketing program and estimate annual cost of a Strategy 3.1.1 marketing program. Pursue federal and state grants to pay for the annual marketing program identified in Strategy Strategy 3.1.2 3.1.1 and identify local funds that can be used to supplement these other non-local sources. Strategy 3.1.3 When possible, conduct marketing activities that can be completed within existing staff resources. Create an attractive and clear brand for Emerald Coast Rider that is easily and universally Strategy 3.1.4 recognized by users and non-users of the system. Objective 3.2: Improve information and marketing for riders. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 118  Section 6: Goals and Objectives Update the website and bus schedule to provide clear and concise information to existing and Strategy 3.2.1 potential riders. Monitor information materials and web activity over time to determine if enhancements to Strategy 3.2.2 existing information materials are warranted. Make information available at all county offices on commuter assistance programs, public transit, Strategy 3.2.3 the coordinated transportation system program, and bicycle/pedestrian programs. Objective 3.3 Enhance communications between EC Rider and its riders using social media. Use Facebook™, Twitter™, Bing™ and other forms of social media to establish communications Strategy 3.3.1 with customers and the community. Develop a comprehensive media-relations program to communicate successes and Objective 3.4 appropriately deal with incidents. Strategy 3.4.1 Proactively seek positive press coverage for EC Rider’s initiatives and improvements. Objective 3.5 Increase advertising revenue by 25% through implementation of a targeted marketing program. Maintain a bus advertising program to promote interior and exterior advertisements to local Strategy 3.5.1 businesses. Objective 3.6 Encourage paratransit rider shift to fixed-route service. Increase public awareness/education of fixed-route system through advertising, public service Strategy 3.6.1 announcements and other appropriate, cost-effective media. Identify service strategies that can assist/support shifting riders from paratransit to fixed-route Strategy 3.6.2 services. Goal 4: Support community efforts and initiatives to provide a transit-supportive environment. Support and promote collaborative land and use and transportation planning efforts that to Objective 4.1 ensure efficient and sustainable way development. Coordinate with FDOT, County and municipal engineers to incorporate transit amenities and ADA Strategy 4.1.1 stop improvements on any road construction projects. Coordinate with bicycle and pedestrian plans to ensure that transit routes are a consideration in Objective 4.2: the prioritization process for projects. Coordinate with the Okaloosa-Walton TPO in bicycle and pedestrian planning activities to ensure Strategy 4.2.1 that transit has a place in the overall priority mix for improvements. Coordinate with local development comprehensive planning and zoning code efforts to Objective 4.3: encourage transit-oriented development policies. Coordinate with Okaloosa County Growth Management to ensure that new developments Strategy 4.3.1 incorporate transit amenities within the service area. Objective 4.4 Support efforts of the City of Destin to implement transit stops and shelters within the city. Strategy 4.4.1 Program Section 5307 or other funding for stop and shelter improvements. Objective 4.5 Ensure transit improvements are included in the Okaloosa-Walton TPO’s LRTP. Evaluate the 10-Year TDP for inclusion into the long range transportation plan cost affordable Strategy 4.5.1 plan. Objective 4.6 Promote linkages between transit services and education and training facilities. Pursue student fees for transportation from colleges/universities where service improvements Strategy 4.6.1 enhance student mobility. Goal 5: Maximize safety and security for all transit services and facilities. Objective 5.1 Maintain a comprehensive System Safety Program Plan (SSPP). Strategy 5.1.1 Update the SSPP in accordance with FDOT requirements. Maintain and implement safety and security systems throughout facilities, fleet and public Objective 5.2 stops and stations. Strategy 5.2.1 Implement security cameras on buses. Strategy 5.2.2 Identify safety and security issues at Uptown Station and other transfer locations or bus stops. ACCESS EC RIDER | Okaloosa County’s 10-Year Transit Development Plan 119  Section 6: Goals and Objectives Objective 5.3 Establish design guidelines and priority system improvements. Prioritize improvements for office facilities, passenger waiting areas, transfer centers, and on- Strategy 5.3.1: street transfer locations. Goal 6: Ensure prudent public stewardship of financial resources and secure additional funding for system maintenance and improvements. Objective 6.1: Maintain an equitable fare policy and establish a farebox recovery standard. Strategy 6.1.1 Consider daily and weekly passes that can be sold on buses as additional fare media. Maintain or improve the farebox recovery ratio through an annual evaluation