Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

 

FROM:

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

 

CC:

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

Casey Toomay, Budget Manager and Interim Transit Administrator

 

Date:

 

October 15, 2008

RE:

Letter of Intent with the University of Kansas Regarding Transit Planning and Coordination and Update from KU-City Transit Planning Team

 

Letter of Intent

In June of 2008, the City Commission reviewed a draft Letter of Intent with the University of Kansas regarding the potential merger of the City and KU transit systems provided certain conditions were met and an implementation plan could be developed and approved by the necessary authorities at the University and the City.

 

Attached is a finalized Letter of Intent that has been reviewed by the University and City staff as a result of recent discussions between a team of City staff and University representatives established this summer to develop an implementation plan.  The Letter of Intent outlines the intention of both the City and the University to examine the potential for enhanced coordination, ranging from possible route sharing and other collaboration to a possible merger.  The Letter of Intent outlines the following key points:

·        The City and KU will further explore feasibility of coordinating transit systems with a goal of seamless service effective July 1, 2009;

·        The Letter is conditioned on both parties continuing to provide funding resources in the amount necessary to fund the existing level of service and fleet requirements, the City voters passing the sales tax proposal on the November 4 ballot, and appropriate approvals with both the University and City;

·        Recognition that KU’s primary goal is the benefit of the students;

·        Acknowledgment that any merger agreement should address a number of operating factors and should provide for the ability of future separation of the services if that outcome is necessary to provide appropriate service for either side’s constituents;

·        Both parties agree to explore in good faith the possibilities of enhanced coordination, consolidation or merger by working together to develop a timeline for the steps required to implement seamless service by July 1, 2009 if the conditions outlined in the Letter of Intent are met.

 

Discussions on Enhanced Coordination:

In August 2008, the City and the University of Kansas designated staff members from each entity for the purpose of discussing enhanced coordination between the City’s transit system and KU on Wheels.  The team began meeting in mid-September and is meeting on a weekly basis to discuss various issues related to its task.

 

Membership of the KU-City Transit Planning Team:

The following is a list of members of the KU-City Transit Planning Team:

 

University of Kansas

City of Lawrence

Donna Hultine

Director of Parking and Transit

Diane Stoddard

Assistant City Manager

Danny Kaiser,

Assistant Director of Parking and Transit

Casey Toomay

Budget Manager and Interim Transit Administrator

Peg Livingood,

Planner

Wendy Koerner,

Transportation Specialist

Brian Hardouin,

Chair, University Transit Commission

Todd Girdler

Senior Transportation Planner

Metropolitan Planning Organization

Derek Meier,

Transportation Coordinator

 

 

Groups including the City’s Public Transportation Advisory Committee, University Transit Commission, Student Senate, the Provost and the City Commission will need to approve the implementation of any plan recommended by the KU-City Transit Planning Team.  The KU-City Transit Planning Team plans to solicit general community and student input and comment during the discussions. 

 

Background regarding Transit Cooperation:

The City and the University have a history of several initiatives to enhance transit cooperation. 

 

In 2006, the City and KU completed a joint study, the “City of Lawrence Coordinated Public Transportation Development Plan” by Dan Boyle Associates.  The study evaluated a number of options related to enhanced coordination, including coordination of routes.  Additionally, the study evaluated options for governance and a timeline for potential merger of the systems. 

 

In 2008, the City and the University worked together on a joint Request for Proposals (RFP) for transit services in order to jointly evaluate service proposals for a new contract period beginning in 2009.  The RFP called for stand-alone pricing for both the City and the University, along with combined pricing from potential contractors.  The City and the University worked together to review the proposals and jointly arrived at a recommendation to continue the service arrangement with MV Transportation. 

 

More recently, the City and the University have had success in establishing a program to reciprocate pass acceptance on each other’s transit system routes.  While the reciprocal program just began in August 2008, the program has already shown success.  Ridership on the Lawrence Transit System is up 20 percent this September from the prior September in the first month of a new reciprocal agreement between the City of Lawrence and the University of Kansas. In addition, KU transit ridership has doubled as a result of going fare-free with the beginning of the fall semester.

 

Team Objectives, Issues and Timeline:

At its initial meeting on September 19, 2008, the KU-City Transit Planning Team agreed upon the following overall objective for its work:

 

Develop an implementation plan with the objective of seamless service and a target date of July 1, 2009 for operations taking into account meeting University and City needs and providing for the equitable allocation and efficient use of resources.

 

The KU-City Transit Planning Team has agreed thus far that it needs to discuss the following items, which are in no particular order:

 

·        Governance (Representation, Funding and Staffing)

·        Operations (Maintenance Facility, Routes and Service Levels, Fares, Paratransit)

·        Planning (Metropolitan Planning Organization, Kansas Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, Sustainability, Fleet Acquisition and Replacement

·        Implementation

 

Continued discussions will rely upon the successful outcome of the sales tax election on November 4, which would enable the City to have sufficient resources to continue its role in transit.                 

 

Ongoing Information regarding Team:

The KU-City Transit Planning Team plans to provide updates at appropriate points in the process.     

 

Requested Action:

The City Commission should consider authorizing the Mayor to execute the Letter of Intent with the University of Kansas regarding exploring enhanced cooperation and possible merger of the City’s transit system with KU on Wheels.