TOWN OF BEAUMONT SHUTTLE BUS TRANSIT STUDY PROJECT NO 141-14900
Prepared for: Town of Beaumont Date: April 2014
Prepared by:
Alexander J. Casey Associate – WSP Canada Inc. 600 Cochrane Drive th 5 Floor Markham, ON L4R 5K3 Phone: 905-475-7270 Fax: 905-475-5994 www.wspgroup.com
April 9, 2014 Jarrett Esslinger Town of Beaumont 5600 49th Street Beaumont, AB T4X 1A1
Subject:
Shuttle Bus Study Report
Dear Mr. Esslinger, Attached is our Draft Report for the Beaumont Bus Shuttle Study. Please review and provide your comments. Yours truly,
_________________________________________ Eric Peissel, MCIP, MUP Vice President, Transportation – Ontario
WSP Canada Inc. Address line 1 Address line 2 Phone: +1 555-555-5555 Fax: +1 555-555-5555 www.wspgroup.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS 1. 2.
INTRODUCTION TRAVEL DEMAND ANALYSIS
1 3
2.1
Beaumont Census Data
5
2.2
Leduc Census Data
5
2.3
Nisku Employment Distribution
6
2.4
Overall Work Demand Distribution
7
3.
ANALYSIS OF PROPOSED EDMONTON TERMINALS ROUTE OPTIONS
9 15
4.1
Travel times
15
4.2
Route Options
16
4.3
Evaluation criteria
17
4.4
Option 1 – Beaumont-Mill woods Bus Terminal
18
4.5
Option-2: Beaumont-Nisku – Transfer to C-Line – Century Park LRT Terminal
20
comparison of the options
23
OPERATING COST OF THE BEAUMONT SERVICE SERVICE DELIVERY SCENARIOS
25 29
4.
4.5
5. 6. 6.1
Scenario 1 – Town of Beaumont Owned and Operated 29
6.2
Scenario 2 – Contract to ETS
29
6.3
SCENARIO 3 – CONTRACT TO A NEIGHBOURING TRANSIT SYSTEM
30
Discussion and Recommendation
30
CONCLUSION
33
6.4
7.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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EXHIBITS Exhibit 1-1 – Service Options under Analysis Exhibit 2-1 – 2012 Work Destination – Town of Beaumont Exhibit 2-2 – 2013 Place of Employment – Leduc Exhibit 2-3 – Employment Distribution – Nisku Exhibit 2-4 – Region Work Destinations Exhibit 2-5 – Region Work Destinations Exhibit 2-6 – Region Work Links – AM Period Exhibit 3-1 – Edmonton Destination Areas Exhibit 3-2 – Access to Edmonton Areas by ETS Routes from Mill woods Terminal. Exhibit 3-3 –Transit Access to Edmonton Destinations from each of the ETS Terminals Exhibit 4-1 – Travel Times Exhibit 4-2 – Travel Times Exhibit 4-3 – Evaluation Criteria Exhibit 4-4 – Option 1 Exhibit 4-5 – Option 2 Exhibit 4-6 – C-Line Exhibit 4-7 – Comparison of the Options Exhibit 5-1 – Net Operating Costs
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
1 5 6 6 7 7 8 9 11 13 15 16 17 18 20 21 24 28
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1. INTRODUCTION Following the Transit Feasibility Study completed in March 2013, the Town of Beaumont has decided to examine the possibility of using a more cost effective way to provide transit service to its residents by building on the previous study completed by WSP (formerly GENIVAR) and examine the viability of reviewing two additional options: service from Beaumont to Mill woods Transit Centre (Option 1) service from Beaumont to Nisku with connection onward to Century Park LRT Station built on synergies with the City of Leduc’s transit service (Option 2) Exhibit 1-1 identifies the service options analyzed by WSP.
Exhibit 1-1 – Service Options under Analysis
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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For each of these two potential options, the following elements were examined: routing of the proposed service operating and capital costs potential ridership and revenue fare recovery and operating subsidies In order to assess the ridership and routing assessment for these two options the following information was utilized: latest census profiles for cities Edmonton, Leduc and Beaumont employment statistics in Nisku passenger counting data from Route 98 connecting Edmonton and Beaumont passenger counting data on existing Route 590 (C-Line) connecting Edmonton and Leduc geo-characteristics of the road networks in the area schedules and alignment of connecting ETS routes schedules of Edmonton LRT services from Century Park The study also examined two different possible operating models for the proposed transit service by: contracting the service to a third-party operator (i.e., ETS) a Town-owned and operated service Finally, the study assesses the two options and makes recommendations to the Town of Beaumont.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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2. TRAVEL DEMAND ANALYSIS The March 2013 report had identified travel demand backgrounds in the Edmonton Region and for Beaumont using information provided by the local planning agencies, such as: Beaumont Municipal Development plan
Capital Region Growth Plan Capital Region Board – 30-Year Transit Service Plan
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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The summary and analysis of these documents were presented in detail in the March 2013 report. The principal issues that were identified are: Consideration for a future Beaumont bus service is required to encourage continued residential development around the current urban periphery, strengthening the mixed-use focus of the downtown area, encouraging further commercial development (particularly along 50th Street), and developing a business park area along Highway 625. Development of an Inter-municipal Transit Network Plan (ITNP) which will coordinate planning and implementation of a regional transit network that links Capital Region citizens to an efficient, convenient and seamless transit system. The plan’s short-term capital program includes the operation of a new inter-municipal bus service linking Beaumont to the South Light Rail Transit (LRT). In the medium-term, additional bus service is proposed to link to the Southeast LRT at Mill Woods. Constructing the Southeast LRT line to Mill Woods (as part of the Edmonton Transportation Master Plan – “The Way We Move”). Operating bus transit service from Beaumont to the Century Park LRT Station by 2015. Identifying Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) as the initial bus operations contractor and transitioning to a private contractor as the system grows. Expanding bus service to Nisku and Leduc as ridership increases.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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2.1
BEAUMONT CENSUS DATA The 2012 Canadian Census confirms the results of the 2013 Study (since this data was not available for that study) and emphasizes the importance of Nisku as an employment destination for Beaumont residents. The work destination of Beaumont residents is shown in Exhibit 2-1.
Exhibit 2-1 – 2012 Work Destination – Town of Beaumont
Source: 2012 Census Report – Beaumont
Examining the data presented above we see that more than 50 percent of Beaumont residents work in Edmonton, while 20 percent work locally in Beaumont. There are also significant working links to Nisku (12 percent) and Leduc (4 percent).
2.2
LEDUC CENSUS DATA The 2013 statistical data of Leduc Employment distribution, shown in Exhibit 2-2, illustrates, that just 20 percent of Leduc residents work in Edmonton and another 20 percent of the workforce is employed in Nisku. Exhibit 2-2 illustrates the distribution of Leduc’s population and can be applied to support the service options developed later in this study by showing that there could be a significant number of Leduc residents working in Nisku that could benefit from a transit service that connects directly to Nisku.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Exhibit 2-2 – 2013 Place of Employment – Leduc
2.3
NISKU EMPLOYMENT DISTRIBUTION The latest data on Nisku employment distribution, Exhibit 2-3, indicates that approximately 33 percent of Nisku employees are Leduc residents while 46 percent are from Edmonton and 16 percent are from Beaumont
Exhibit 2-3 – Employment Distribution – Nisku
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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2.4
OVERALL WORK DEMAND DISTRIBUTION Exhibit 2-3 shows the distribution of employment destinations for area residents into the Nisku employment complex. At present only the workers from Edmonton have access to Nisku by public transit via the C-Line operated by ETS for the City of Leduc. The C-Line service returning to Edmonton does not serve the Nisku industrial complex at present even though the above Exhibit 2-3 indicates a significant portion of the workforce is employed there. This breakdown will be used to further support the development of proposed service options and ridership estimates for the Beaumont and Leduc transit service options. Major work destinations are illustrated in Exhibit 2-4, Exhibit 2-5 and Exhibit 2-6 and we can see that Edmonton and to a lesser degree Nisku are the major destinations.
Exhibit 2-4 – Region Work Destinations
Exhibit 2-5 – Region Work Destinations Origin
Work Destination 0%
Leduc Beaumont Leduc Leduc Edmonton Leduc Beaumont Beaumont Beaumont Beaumont Other Leduc
> > > > > > > > > > > >
Leduc Edmonton Edmonton Nisku Nisku Other Beaumont Nisku Other Leduc Nisku Beaumont
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
6,180
26%
4,030
17%
2,830
12%
2,760
12%
2,000
8%
1,930
8%
1,472
6%
965
4%
942
4%
314
1%
275
1%
80
0%
23,778
100%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
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30%
8
Exhibit 2-6 – Region Work Links – AM Period
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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3. ANALYSIS OF PROPOSED EDMONTON TERMINALS To compare service options, the ETS Terminals at Mill Woods and Century Park, which are the closest major transfer points to the ETS system, were examined to identify travel times required to reach various Edmonton destinations for Beaumont riders continuing on into Edmonton. These destinations are illustrated in Exhibit 3-1.
Exhibit 3-1 – Edmonton Destination Areas
To estimate transit access time from each of the two ETS terminals to various important trip destinations in Edmonton, ETS schedules were analyzed.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Exhibit 3-2 identifies the frequency of service to various destinations from both the ETS Century Park LRT station and the Mill Woods Bus Terminal.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Exhibit 3-2 – Access to Edmonton Areas by ETS Routes from Mill woods Terminal.
By ETS buses Areas 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
7:00-8:00 Millwoods Terminal Century Park SouthGate Downtown Legger Westmount Mall University Parsons Rd Millgate 36 Ave 12 Ave-37 St Knoottwood Rd 32 St Silver Barry Rd Jackson Rd Meadows Lakewood Edwards Savaryn Dr 82 Ave 32 St 25 Ave-10 St Chappelle Blvd Rutherford Rd Saddleback Rd 44 Ave-117St
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
By LRT
Beaumont->MW : 25 minutes
Beaumont->CP : 40 minutes
From Millwood Terminal
From Century Park
Trips/hour
Time,minutes
7 9 31 4 2 2 4 5 4 10 3 2 4 4 5 3 4 3
13 27 34 26 50 50 13 10 12 6 7 10 8 15 18 22 18 18
2
15
Trips/hour 6
Time,minutes
2
18
6 2 14 2
11 35 20 13
5
18
12 14 4 14 11
8 15 10 5 10
Time from CP,minutes
13 7 17
14
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Exhibit 3-2 shows the travel time from Beaumont to the Mill Woods terminal and then the additional time required to reach various destinations in Edmonton using the ETS routes operating out of Mill Wood.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Exhibit 3-2 also shows the travel time from Beaumont to the Century Park LRT station and the ETS bus routes and frequency operating from that location. It also shows the time required to access the major destinations in the City using the LRT from Century Park Exhibit 3-3 shows the travel times by transit as well as service frequency to Edmonton destinations from both the Mill Woods and Century Park Stations in map form, and clearly shows the destinations of the ETS surface routes from each of the terminals by bus noting the travel time to the Downtown area.
Exhibit 3-3 –Transit Access to Edmonton Destinations from each of the ETS Terminals
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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4. ROUTE OPTIONS 4.1
TRAVEL TIMES Exhibit 4-1Error! Reference source not found. shows the distance and estimated travel times by transit between pairs of control points. This information will be used to estimate travel times, operating costs and help define the different route options to be analyzed as part of the study. These travel times were estimated taking into account the distances traveled, the posted speed limit and congestion.
Exhibit 4-1 – Travel Times
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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For clarification, a breakdown of the travel time data by segment is presented in Exhibit 4-2 in a tabular format. This table also indicates direction, revenue speed and revenue timeError! Reference source not found..
3
2-1
4
2-2
5
3-1
6
3-2
7
4-1
8
4-2
9
5-1
10
5-2
11
6-1
12
6-2
13
7-1
14
7-2
15
8-1
16
8-2
17
9-1
18
9-2
19
10-1
20
10-2
21
11-1
22
11-2
23
12-1
24
12-2
1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12
1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
B1 B2 B2 N1 B2 N2 N2 N1 E6 N1 E5 E6 E4 E5 E3 E4 E3 E2 E2 E1 E1 B1 E1 E6
Hwy 50-Coloniale Way Road 243-HWY 625 Road 243-HWY 625 QE HWY-HWY 625 Road 243-HWY 625 Nisku Industrial Nisku Industrial QE HWY-HWY 625 Elerslie & HWY 2 QE HWY-HWY 625 HWY 2 -Hwy 216 Elerslie & HWY 2 LRT-Century Park HWY 2 -Hwy 216 Terminal Mill Woods LRT-Century Park Terminal Mill Woods Hwy 50 -Hwy 216 Hwy 50 -Hwy 216 Elerslie & HWY 50 Elerslie & HWY 50 Hwy 50-Coloniale Way Elerslie & HWY 50 Elerslie & HWY 2
B2 B1 N1 B2 N2 B2 N1 N2 N1 E6 E6 E5 E5 E4 E4 E3 E2 E3 E1 E2 B1 E1 E6 E1
Road 243-HWY 625 Hwy 50-Coloniale Way QE HWY-HWY 625 Road 243-HWY 625 Nisku Industrial Road 243-HWY 625 QE HWY-HWY 625 Nisku Industrial QE HWY-HWY 625 Elerslie & HWY 2 Elerslie & HWY 2 HWY 2 -Hwy 216 HWY 2 -Hwy 216 LRT-Century Park LRT-Century Park Terminal Mill Woods Hwy 50 -Hwy 216 Terminal Mill Woods Elerslie & HWY 50 Hwy 50 -Hwy 216 Hwy 50-Coloniale Way Elerslie & HWY 50 Elerslie & HWY 2 Elerslie & HWY 50
Revenue Speed ,km/h
1-2
To
Revenue Time, minutes
1-1
2
Direction
1
Segment
From
Distance, km
Exhibit 4-2 – Travel Times
5.5 5.5 7.0 7.0 8.5 8.5 2.0 2.0 11.0 11.0 1.8 1.8 4.0 4.0 7.2 7.2 2.3 2.3 1.3 1.3 6.5 6.5 6.3 6.3
19 19 9 9 12 12 3 3 9 9 2 2 7 7 15 15 5 5 3 3 8 8 10 10
17.4 17.4 46.7 46.7 42.5 42.5 40.0 40.0 73.3 73.3 54.0 54.0 34.3 34.3 28.8 28.8 27.6 27.6 26.0 26.0 48.8 48.8 37.8 37.8
The route segments noted above were used to develop the proposed routing for both the direct service to the Mill Woods Terminal via 50 Street, as well as the proposed routing along Highway 625 to the Nisku industrial area. Each of the segments indicates a distance and a time allocation based on the segment operating speed. From this, the total run time of the individual routes was established. This information was then used to determine the revenue hours per day for each of the proposed routes.
4.2
ROUTE OPTIONS Based on the analysis presented previously and from a review of the latest statistical data, two route options were identified and developed. These two options were evaluated and ranked based on evaluation criteria developed for the purposes of this study. An evaluation rating scale and associated
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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weighting factors were applied for each criterion to determine the relative performance of each of the two route options. A descriptive overview of the evaluation for each service option is found in this section. The evaluation of all service options and the recommendation of a preferred service option will ensure that Beaumont is recommended the most efficient and cost effective transit solution to meet the needs of the Town’s residents. The options developed for this study were: service from Beaumont to Mill woods Transit Centre (Option-1) service from Beaumont to Nisku with connection onward to Century Park LRT Station built on synergies with the City of Leduc’s transit service (Option-2)
4.3
EVALUATION CRITERIA The service criteria utilized for this study are summarized in Exhibit 4-3. The service option that best meets the objectives of the criteria will be identified as the recommended service option for short-term implementation. The chart also includes a qualitative weighting for each of the evaluation criteria. The criteria developed for this project is different from the March 2013 study because of the stronger emphasis on developing the Nisku market and the joint service options with the Leduc service. The same applies to the Century Park LRT Terminal, as it provides a faster connection to Downtown Edmonton. Connections to Nisku and travelling within Beaumont are identified as medium, based on demand statistics, and connection to Leduc has a low weighting. Cost is of high concern since the tax base for the Town of Beaumont is primarily on residential property assessments and any shortfall in the net operating cost for providing the transit service will fall on its residents. The feasibility criteria are also important as the service has to be implemented in a timeframe acceptable to the Town.
Exhibit 4-3 – Evaluation Criteria Weighting
2
Option Evaluation Travel Time/Connection to: Edmonton Downtown Edmonton University LRT Station Nisku Leduc Travel within Beaumont
3 4
Operating Cost Ridership potential
Medium Medium
5
Feasibility
High
1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
High High High Medium
Description of Criteria Route options should provide convenient access to the major destinations and easy transit transfers taken by Beaumont residents
Low Medium
Route options should provide passengers an alternative to travel within the Town Route options should minimize operating costs Route options should be attractive to Beaumont residents Route options should be implementable in a set time frame
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4.4
OPTION 1 – BEAUMONT-MILL WOODS BUS TERMINAL This option connects Beaumont with the Edmonton Mill woods Transit Centre, as shown in Exhibit 4-4. The proposed route would collect passengers within Beaumont making numerous local stops to ensure good coverage of the community. From there, the route would operate as a limited-stop express service along 50 Street and bring riders to Mill woods Transit Centre. The service would operate in both directions. In Beaumont, buses will operate on Montalet Street, 56A Street, 57 Street, 50 Avenue, 50 Street, 55 Street, 44 Street, 43 Avenue, 50 Street, and make an on-street loop via 30 Avenue, Parc Street, and Soleil Boulevard.
Exhibit 4-4 – Option 1
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Parameters
Daily Operated Trips
Cost
Scheduled Round Trip Time
Service
Option-1 Overall:
Round Trip Distance, km
1:20
Revenue
1:10
Recovery
0:10
5
Daily
9
31.2
Round Trip Speed, km/h
23.4 AM
Average Service Frequency, minutes
4
PM
30-40
Required Buses Operation Hours:
Daily
12.0
260
Annual
3,120
Operation KM:
Daily
281
260
Annual
73,008
2
Travel to Edmonton Downtown (57 to 60 minutes from Beaumont): The proposed route takes riders to Mill woods Transit Centre (about 25 minutes from Beaumont Centre) where they can transfer to: ETS bus routes to Edmonton Downtown (35 minutes / 30 trips per hour) with one transfer or ETS Bus routes to Century Park LRT (15 minutes / 7 trips per hour) +LRT(17 minutes / 7 trips per hour) and two transfers Travel to Alberta University (54 to 75 minutes from Beaumont): The proposed route takes riders to Mill woods Transit Centre (about 25 minutes from Beaumont Centre) and they can transfer to:
ETS bus routes to Edmonton Downtown (50 minutes / 2 trips per hour) with one transfer, or
ETS bus routes to Century Park LRT (15 minutes / 7 trips per hour) +LRT(14 minutes / 7 trips per hour) requiring two transfers Travel to LRT (40 minutes from Beaumont): The proposed route takes riders to Mill woods Transit Centre (about 25 minutes from Beaumont Centre) and they can transfer to: ETS bus routes to Century Park LRT (15 minutes / 7 trips per hour) with one transfer Travel within Beaumont (5 to19 minutes): Beaumont residents can travel in both directions within the Town this service provides reasonable coverage for residents who require an alternative to the automobile. Operating Hours for Option 1 Option 1 will require 12.0 revenue service hours per day and two buses in order to offer a reasonable level of service. Ridership potential This option provides service between Beaumont and Edmonton and could have a potential daily ridership in the initial stages of implementation of between 110 to 115 passengers per day. This would be expected to grow in the medium term as the service matures.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Feasibility This option can be implemented quickly since it is not dependent on any other parties such as the transit service to/from Leduc.
4.5
OPTION-2: BEAUMONT-NISKU – TRANSFER TO C-LINE – CENTURY PARK LRT TERMINAL Option 2 provides a service for Beaumont residents to Nisku where a coordinated transfer with the Leduc C-Line would allow Beaumont riders to continue to the Century Park LRT Station and onwards to destinations in Edmonton. The route would provide good coverage within Beaumont, and then continue as a limited-stop express service along Highway 625. The route would operate along the same corridors in both directions in the AM and PM peak periods. This option is shown in Exhibit 4-5. Within Beaumont, the service would operate an on-street loop along 50 Street, 50 Avenue, 57 Street, 56A Street, Montalet Street, 50 Street, then proceed along 55 Avenue, 44 Street, 43 Avenue, 50 Street, and Highway 625 to Nisku.
Exhibit 4-5 – Option 2
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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As noted above, this option is dependent on negotiating an efficient connection with the C-Line. Currently, the existing C-Line routing does not serve Nisku on the inbound direction from Leduc in the morning or outbound from Edmonton in the afternoon The existing C-Line in currently operates as follows (as shown in Exhibit 4-6): AM Period – C-Line enters Nisku in a southbound direction (from Edmonton) PM Period – C-Line enters Nisku in a northbound direction (to Edmonton) The existing routing does not support a transfer from Beaumont to Edmonton in morning nor does it provide an opportunity for the return trip in the afternoon.
Exhibit 4-6 – C-Line
Source: ETS 2014
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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In order for Option 2 to be feasible, the C-Line going to Century Park LRT would have to establish a stop point in Nisku that would permit the coordination of a service from Beaumont. If such a transfer could be organized, the proposed routing for the Beaumont service would be as follows: AM Period:
Clockwise loop: 11 Avenue, 5 Street, 15 Avenue, 8 Street, 7 Street, Highway 625 toward Beaumont
The proposed Beaumont Route brings riders to transfer to the C-Line and then distributes other riders within the Nisku industrial zone, which as illustrated previously is a significant employment destination for Beaumont residents. PM Period
Counter Clockwise loop: 7 Street, 8 Street, 15 Avenue, 5 Street, 11 Avenue, Highway 625 toward Beaumont
The proposed Beaumont Route collects riders from the Nisku industrial zone and then serves the transfer location with C-Line before servicing Beaumont. The details of the proposed route would be:
Parameters
Daily Operated Trips
Cost
Scheduled Round Trip Time
Service
Option-2 Overall:
1:10
Round Trip Distance, km
28.5
Round Trip Speed, km/h
24.4 AM
Average Service Frequency, minutes
4
Revenue
PM
1:02
Recovery
0:08
5
Daily
9
30-40
Required Buses Operation Hours:
Daily
10.5
260
Annual
2,730
Operation KM:
Daily
257
260
Annual
66,690
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
2
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Travel to Edmonton Downtown (57minutes from Beaumont): The proposed route takes riders to Nisku Centre (about 20 minutes from Beaumont) and they can transfer to the C-Line service for the trip to Century Park LRT (about 20 minutes from Nisku). To reach Downtown takes 17 minutes by LRT. For Beaumont residents destined to Downtown Edmonton two transfers would be required; one to the C-Line the other to LRT. Travel to Alberta University (54minutes from Beaumont): The proposed route takes riders to Nisku Centre (about 20 minutes from Beaumont) and they can transfer to Century Park LRT (about 20 minutes from Nisku). From there riders can take on of the six scheduled ETS bus trips per hour connecting Century Park to the University. This would also require two transfers for Beaumont residents. Travel to LRT (40 minutes from Beaumont): The proposed route takes riders to Nisku Centre (about 20 minutes from Beaumont) where they can transfer to the Century Park LRT (about 20 minutes from Nisku). Travel within Beaumont (5-19 minutes): Beaumont residents can travel in both directions within the Town this service provides reasonable coverage for residents who require an alternative to the automobile. Operating Hours for Option 2 This option requires 10.5 revenue service hours per day and two buses in order to offer a reasonable level of service. Ridership potential In addition to providing a routing to Edmonton for Beaumont residents, this option provides a Beaumont to Nisku link and a Beaumont to Leduc link. In the initial stages of implementation, this service will have potential daily ridership of between 130 to 140 passengers per day. The option of providing a connection with the C-Line at Nisku could potentially provide additional riders on both services in the future. Feasibility This option can be implemented only if Leduc Transit were willing to make an adjustment to the existing routing of the C-Line service to include a stop at Leduc on the inbound morning and outbound afternoon trips between Leduc and Edmonton.
4.5
COMPARISON OF THE OPTIONS Exhibit 4-7 evaluates the various routing options. The most advantageous one for residents of Beaumont is the direct service to the Mill Woods Transit Centre, saving 15 minutes over the Century Park option. However, reaching destinations in the Downtown area does not provide any clear cut advantage from either terminal, other than more options would be required for Option 2. Option 2, however, has a greater potential to develop ridership as it serves the Nisku complex and possibly on to Leduc should Leduc Transit be open to coordinating its services with Beaumont. Both options offer different advantages and both have different drawbacks.
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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Exhibit 4-7 – Comparison of the Options ↑
Travel to Edmonton Terminal
Option-1
Option-2
Millwood Transit Centre
Century Park LRT
Direct Route : 25 minutes
Option-1
Route to Nisku : 20 minutes
48
transfer
C-Line : 20 minutes 25 minutes Travel to Edmonton Downtown Importance : High
From Beaumont : 3
57-60 minutes
Importance : High
=
9
9
54 minutes
From Beaumont : 3
From Beaumont :
by bus route(6 trips/h) or using LRT
=
=
3
3
9
9
transfer from Millwood
transfer to C-Line
=
=
3
3
9
9
4
2
40 minutes
-
2
Operation Cost 2
Rank (Out of 4) Ridership Potential
Feasibility
Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
From Beaumont :
20 minutes
↑
transfer to C-Line
3
Beaumont residents can travel in both directions
Beaumont residents can travel in both directions
within the Town
4 In case of 4 trips/AM and 5 trips /PM
In case of 4 trips/AM and 5 trips /PM
12.0 hours daily
10.5 hours daily
3
4
Daily Ridership -111
Daily Ridership -133
1
3
within the Town
=
=
4
8
8
↑ 6
3
This option can be operated with no conditions
This option can be operated just in case of
4
8
↑
20% more than option-1
2 3
8
35 minutes
1
2
Rank (Out of 4) Importance : High
-
1
Rank (Out of 4)
Rank (Out of 4)
From Beaumont :
40 minutes
↑ From Beaumont :
Travel within Beaumont
Importance : Medium
From Beaumont :
1
Rank (Out of 4)
Importance : Medium
54-60 minutes
2
Travel to Leduc
Importance : Medium
From Beaumont :
using transfer to LRT
Rank (Out of 4) Importance :Low
57 minutes =
Rank (Out of 4) Importance : Medium
60
3
3
Travel to Nisku
=
60
using LRT
Rank (Out of 4) Importance : High
60
3 From Beaumont :
Travel to LRT Station
Total Score =
by bus route(30 trips/h) or using transfer to LRT
Rank (Out of 4) Travel to Alberta University
40 minutes From Beaumont :
Option-2
Score w/o Feasibility
4
re-planning C-Line and Leduc Service
↑
0
12
6
0
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5. OPERATING COST OF THE BEAUMONT SERVICE Two different service scenarios have been developed for the service between Beaumont and Edmonton; one assumes that the service will be provided by ETS , similar to that which is currently provided for the City of Leduc and the second scenario is one in which the Town purchases its own fleet of smaller buses (new or used) and operates the service. For the operating costs we have used the hourly rates identified in the previous WSP (GENIVAR 2013) report which was identified as being $158.54/hour for a service provided by ETS, which includes both the operators and vehicles, deadheading and access to their support network, etc. The figure of $100.00/hour for a Town-operated service would include operators, maintenance and consumables (fuel .oil, etc.) SCENARIO 1A – Contract Service to ETS – Beaumont to Mill Woods Under Scenario 1A, ETS would provide the service from Beaumont to the ETS Mill Woods Terminal. The service would provide four AM and five PM trips each weekday and require 12.0 operating hours per day or 3,120 hours annually. The operating cost of Scenario 1A would then be 3,120 x $158.54 = $494,644.80 annually. In addition, the Town would require an administrator part time to oversee the service plus the cost of marketing and ongoing maintenance of bus stops and other infrastructure at $97,500 per annum as identified in the 2013 report. The total cost of Scenario 1A if provided by ETS would be $592,145.00 per annum. SCENARIO 1B – Contract Service to ETS – Beaumont to Nisku Scenario 1B provided by ETS would include service from Beaumont to Nisku with possible connections on to Edmonton using the C-Line. Service would operate a total of nine trips per day with 10.5 service hours or 2,730 hours annually. The operating cost of Scenario 1B is then 2,730 x $158.54 or $ 432,814.00 annually. Again, a cost of $97,500 for a part time administrator would be required to administer and promote the service and cover maintenance of bus stops and other infrastructure. The total cost of Scenario 1B provided by ETS would then be $530,314.00 per annum. SCENARIO 2 – Town Provided Service As in the case with ETS the service, one option will be to provide service directly to the Mill Woods terminal. The second would see service into the Nisku industrial area with the possible option for riders to transfer to the C-Line service to Edmonton. SCENARIO 2A – Town Provided Service – Beaumont to Mill Woods As mentioned above Scenario 2A service to Mill Woods will require 3,120 annual operating hours. The operating cost of this option is 3,120 x $100.00 = $312,000.00 per annum.
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Plus an additional cost to the Town of one full time staff, promotion and stop maintenance will be incurred for a total of $150,000.00 per annum. Total cost of Scenario 2A operated by the Town is $462,000.00 per annum. SCENARIO 2B – Town Provided Service – Beaumont to Nisku The second option operates service to the Nisku industrial area and will require 2,730 hours annually at a cost of $100.00/hour = $273,000.00 per annum. Again, an additional $150,000.00 is required for a full time staff for promotion and maintenance. The total operating cost for Scenario 2B operated by the Town is $423,000.00 per annum. INFRASTRUCTURE In addition to the above, there will also be a capital cost associated with the service in Town for the installation of bus stops, sign posts, and shelters. An initial outlay of $250,000.00 was identified in the 2013 WSP report which is still valid If the Town proceeds with operating Scenario 2 whereby they purchase and operate the service, each option requires a commitment of two vehicles plus a spare to operate the service. One option would be to purchase three new 30-foot low floor buses from one of a number of manufacturers. The lead time for new bus purchases in usually 12 months but, if the Beaumont order is added to an existing order, the time period may be reduced. A standard 30-foot low floor transit vehicle will cost in the order of $360,000 to $370,000 plus options and applicable taxes. These vehicles are designed to provide a minimum service life of 12 years before requiring replacement of major refurbishing. Another option would be to purchase a fleet of 26’ vehicles such as the El Dorado Passport HD which is a low floor 26 passenger vehicle. This model is currently being used to provide community service in the ETS system. This vehicle costs approximately $250,000 and may have a shorter delivery time over a regular transit bus. However, this vehicle is designed to have a service life of between 7 to 10 years before replacement. Vans, on the other hand, are another option to consider but the seating capacity of vans is generally less than 10 seats and, for the most part, are not deemed accessible unless they have undergone extensive renovation. Vans generally cost in the order of $20,000 to $30,000 but have a relatively short service life compared to transit vehicles, usually a maximum of 5 years. Once again it is important to note that vans would not meet current accessibility guidelines. If the Town were to purchase used transit coaches, the initial purchase price would be lower but the selection might also be limited. Generally, transit properties do not retire buses before they have reached the end of their operational life (normally 12 years). In Alberta, some of the larger transit properties still have active buses that are 25 years old. In our area search, we have found that Strathcona County Transit, who operate a fleet of suburban coaches in its commuter operation, plans on retiring a number of 56 passenger buses that are 2007 models with 125.000 to 150,000km on them. This is not considered high mileage as highway coaches, if properly maintained, can easily last a minimum of twelve years before being either rebuilt or replaced. The advantage of obtaining transit coaches from a transit property is that all PM records and a history of the vehicle will be available for inspection prior to making an offer. As noted, the Strathcona County buses have relatively low mileage (less than 20,000km per year) and may be equipment that Beaumont could look into when they become available later this year.
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It should be noted that these particular vehicles are identified as “suburban” meaning they only have one door. These vehicles are also classified as “high floor” which may restrict access by persons with disabilities but, nonetheless, they may prove to be ideal for the proposed Beaumont start-up service. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The 2013 WSP report on the proposed transit service assumed an average fare of $3.90 per trip between Beaumont and Edmonton which, for this analysis, will remain unchanged. Ridership for Option 1 (regardless of the operator) is estimated to be in the order of 110 to115 riders per day providing an annual ridership of 28,600 to 29,900 passengers in the first year of service and revenues of $111,540 to $ 116,610 per annum. Ridership for Option 2 is estimated to generate 130 to 140 riders per day for the initial service netting a total ridership in the range of between 33,800 to 36,400 annually and revenues of $131,820 to $141,960 per annum. If a transfer to the C-Line can be negotiated at Nisku, a cost-sharing arrangement with Leduc will have to be developed where riders initially carried by Beaumont, pay the Beaumont fare and riders carried initially by Leduc Transit pay the Leduc fare. This will, of course, affect the revenues for the service but the savings to Beaumont through the transfers could offset the potential loss in revenue. NET OPERATING COST The net operating costs are shown in Exhibit 7-1.
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Exhibit 5-1 – Net Operating Costs Description of Option
Contracted service to 3rd party ETS own/operate/maintain vehicles
Town of Beaumont own/operate /maintain service
Option 1
Option 2
Option 1
Option 2
Revenue Service Hours Annual Service Hours Total Operating Cost
12 3120 $494,645
10.5 2730 $432,814
12 3120 $312,000
10.5 2730 $273,000
STAFFING COSTS Totak FTE Wages and Salaries
0.5 $32,500
0.5 $32,500
1 $65,000
1 $65,000
OTHER OPERATING COSTS Market Launch On Going Matketing General Stop Maintenance
$20,000 $5,000 $40,000
$20,000 $5,000 $40,000
$40,000 $5,000 $40,000
$40,000 $5,000 $40,000
TOTAL OPERATING COSTS
$592,145
$530,314
$462,000
$423,000
OPERATING COSTS
RIDERSHIP AND REVENUES Annual Ridership Average Fare ($) Total Operating Revenue ($)
low high low high low high low high 28,600 29,900 33,800 36,400 28,600 29,900 33,800 36,400 $3.90 $3.90 $3.90 $3.90 $3.90 $3.90 $3.90 $3.90 $111,540 $116,610 $131,820 $141,960 $111,540 $116,610 $131,820 $141,960
NET OPERATING COST
$480,605 $475,535 $398,494 $388,354 $350,460 $345,390 $291,180 $281,040
CAPITAL COSTS Stops and Shelters Vehicle Purchases New ( 30'Buses) New ( 26'Buses) Used (40'Buses) New Vans TOTAL CAPITAL COST
$250,000 New 30' Buses
$250,000
3 units 3 units 3 units 3 units $250,000
$250,000
$250,000
$1.1M $0.75M $0.6M $0.09M
$1.1M $0.75M $0.6M $0.09M
$250,000 Depending on the vehicles selected for the service
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6. SERVICE DELIVERY SCENARIOS Recently, the Town of Beaumont decided to pursue the option of investigating a commuter service operating from the Town to the ETS bus terminal at the Mill Woods Transit Centre or a routing linking the Town to the Nisku industrial area with connections to the Leduc Transit “C” Line service at that location. The operating costs for such service remain comparable to the costs outlined in the 2013 Town of Beaumont Transit Feasibility Study and the advantages/disadvantages of the two delivery scenarios remain unchanged. However, what has changed in the interim is that the Town is now considering purchasing its own vehicles with the following impacts on the service delivery options identified in the previous study.
6.1
SCENARIO 1 – TOWN OF BEAUMONT OWNED AND OPERATED In this option, the Town would be responsible for all facets of the transit service, including the purchase, maintenance, and operation of the transit vehicles by the Town of Beaumont. The Town would be responsible for day-to-day delivery, service operations, and management of the service, including the provision of customer service functions, service planning, scheduling activities, and operations management. Advantages: The Town would have direct control over all aspects of the transit service, including communication with drivers, maintenance, training, supervision, and dispatch. Customer service and other communication issues would be simplified as handling complaints and other customer interaction would be provided by one organization. Providing the service in-house will also provide an opportunity to increase transit awareness in the community and build a transit “brand” for the Town. Disadvantages: A municipally owned and operated service will require a significant up-front and ongoing investment from the Town. Costs include expenses for the day-to-day management and administration of the transit service, purchase and maintenance of the vehicles, dispatch and scheduling functions, recruitment and training of drivers, marketing and customer service.
6.2
SCENARIO 2 – CONTRACT TO ETS Similar to commuter services operated in Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan and Spruce Grove, the Town of Beaumont could contract ETS to operate the service. In this scenario, the City of Edmonton would own the vehicles, maintain the vehicles, and operate the service on behalf of the Town. Through the contract partnership, ETS would also assist in providing customer information services, both the delivery of service information and materials, by tapping into their organization’s already established economies of scale. This partnership would also allow the contracted service to operate to ETSowned transit terminal areas to promote convenient passenger transfers. As part of this study, we participated in discussions with ETS regarding the potential for such an arrangement. Through those discussions, ETS has showed continued interest in playing a role in promoting transit in the region and has demonstrated willingness to operate services on behalf of Beaumont, subject to resource and fleet availability. ETS will require additional buses to operate the Beaumont service, so further discussions and negotiations would need to take place between the Town and ETS to ensure vehicle availability and feasibility of this operating arrangement. Advantages: ETS already has the infrastructure and expertise necessary to provide services to Beaumont, including dispatch and scheduling services, trained bus drivers, maintenance facilities, Beaumont Shuttle Bus Service
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management and administrative services. Providing the service through a known regional operator can give it credibility and legitimacy with the public. The Town will also be able to gain and capitalize on ETS’s expertise in local operations and planning on a more ongoing basis. Additionally, contracting to ETS reduces the amount of administrative costs necessary because they will be able to provide customer service information as part of the contract. Disadvantages: ETS maintains a high operating cost in support for their bus operators, maintenance and administrative employees. Given that ETS is a service owned and operated by the City of Edmonton, the transit system puts priority on the delivery of transit service within its own jurisdiction before the contract services supplied to communities in its periphery – though contractual obligations will ensure that services are supplied through the life of the agreement. Electing ETS as the operating contractor also presents the Town with less control over the delivery of the service (i.e., bus branding and livery opportunities), though we note that Leduc contracts its service to ETS and they were still able to develop a differentiated brand called the “C-Line”. It is important to note the Leduc will be ending its service with ETS this September and be providing the C-Line service itself.
6.3
SCENARIO 3 – CONTRACT TO A NEIGHBOURING TRANSIT SYSTEM As an alternate scenario, the Town could approach a neighbouring transit property (i.e., Leduc Transit) to determine if it would be willing to consider providing the Beaumont service using vehicles supplied by the Town Under this arrangement, the Town-owned vehicles would be operated and maintained by the neighbouring system. Advantages: Under this arrangement the Town would see a lower operating cost than having the service provided by ETS (although the rate would have to be negotiated) and is unknown at this time. The neighbouring system would also assume responsibility for training operators, vehicle maintenance, dispatch and scheduling, as well as day-to-day management of the service. The service, if provided by Leduc, would probably see Leduc being more receptive to altering their existing C-Line service to serve Nisku in the AM peak, thereby allowing passenger transfer from the Beaumont route at the Nisku Centre This option would benefit both municipalities and provide an expanded public transit access to Nisku from both Leduc and Beaumont. Disadvantages: The Town would have to assume a more active role in overseeing the administration of the service. The vehicles would be off-site and thus not under the direct control of the municipality. Leduc Transit does not have the infrastructure or expertise to provide the same service as ETS is able to and is only now in the process of redesigning its service delivery for implementation in September 2014.
6.4
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION Implementation of Scenario 2 based on the assessment of the advantages and disadvantages in the context of the Town are still valid. Contracting the service to ETS allows the Town to capitalize on ETS’s expertise in the planning and delivery of the inter-municipal service, minimize the financial risks inherent in the implementation of a new transit service. However, operating costs are relatively high. By providing Town owned vehicles, the financial implications of pursuing Scenario 1 versus Scenario 2 will be realized in operational savings over time. This will, however, require an initial capital outlay to procure the necessary three vehicles to operate the proposed service in the first year, as well as any additional buses that may be required with any increases in service. This will necessitate more up-front costs than option 2. After the assessment of the service delivery options, Scenario 2 is the recommended service delivery option if the Town does not acquire its own vehicles. Scenario 1, on the other hand, is the preferred
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alternative if the Town purchases its own buses for the service and can afford the additional up-front costs. However, Scenario 3 is interesting since Leduc is planning to organize its own service in September 2014. This is a unique opportunity for the Town of Beaumont since it is possible to coordinate the launch of a Beaumont service with that of Leduc’s. There could be significant savings of a joint operation; however at this time it is not possible to determine the exact costs. We recommend that the Town of Beaumont undertake discussions with Leduc to determine if a joint service delivery model would be possible. Our initial discussions with Leduc show them as receptive to this possibility. More study would be required, but as noted in the discussion for Option 2 the connection with Leduc’s C-Line in Nisku, this service serves numerous employment destinations for Beaumont residents. It is doubtful that Leduc could provide the equipment required to operate Beaumont’s service since the City of Leduc is currently in the process of purchasing both 40’ and 26’ buses to be used in the introduction its new service designed to replace the one operated by ETS.
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7. CONCLUSION The Town of Beaumont retained WSP to examine two different route options to serve the community: service from Beaumont to Mill Woods Transit Centre (Option 1) service from Beaumont to Nisku with connection onward to Century Park LRT Station built on synergies with the City of Leduc’s transit service (Option 2) Operating services to Edmonton’s Mill Woods Transit Centre would provide good service to Edmonton destinations and also provide an opportunity to offer local service within Beaumont. This option is easy to put in place since no coordination is required with other parties due to the high frequency of most major ETS services running to the Transit Centre. Operating a service to Nisku to connect to the C-Line serving Leduc does provide some additional benefits, notably it gives an opportunity to transit riders to access the Nisku and possibility the Leduc employment centres by transit. An analysis of work destinations of Beaumont residents shows that Nisku is a significant destination for employment. This service would also be able to provide local services within Beaumont. However, currently, the C-Line only stops in the counter peak direction and cannot provide transfers for Beaumont residents with destinations in Edmonton. In order to provide such a service, it would be necessary to negotiate a change in the routing of the current C-Line. However, initial discussions with the City of Leduc led us to discover that the City was planning on taking over the C-Line as of September 2014. This opens the possibility of developing a joint service with Leduc. With the introduction of a new Leduc-run service, Beaumont has a unique opportunity to explore service options with Leduc as a complement to this current study. The study also examined different operating scenarios for the service: contracting the service to a third-party operator (i.e. ETS) a Town-owned and operated service If the Town of Beaumont uses a third part operator such as ETS, the Town will have minimum involvement in the operation and administration of the service but benefit from the experience of having a much larger system provide the service. However, the operating costs for this service are significant. The Town could also operate the service themselves with their own vehicles. This would result in a higher initial start-up cost, but would result in long-term savings. However, if the Town decides to purchase its own vehicles and operate the service, it should be timed to be introduced with the arrival of the buses meaning that all of the required infrastructure (shelters, stops, etc.) would be in place beforehand. Vehicle purchases should be limited to heavy duty transit buses that will provide service for 10 to 12 years. These buses will cost in the order of $250,000 to $370,000 depending on the type selected. There is little opportunity to purchase this type of equipment used as transit properties tend to keep their rolling stock for the full term of its useful life. It is not worthwhile considering vans as they have limited passenger capacity and relatively short service life in a transit service application. However, there is an interesting possibility to buy used vehicles from Strathcona County and this should be investigated further.
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Another option that could be pursued is to approach Leduc Transit to determine if they would be interested in operating Beaumont’s service under contract similar to ETS. It is, however, doubtful that Leduc Transit will have the equipment available to operate the service but may be interested if Beaumont purchased the vehicles and had Leduc operate and maintain them under contract. This could be advantageous to Beaumont as Leduc may then alter its operation to serve Nisku in the AM and PM peak hours. It is recommended to investigate this option further before deciding on a service delivery option.
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