HomeMy WebLinkAboutOUTBoard minutes 0817161
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Approved 9/21/2016
MINUTES
ORANGE COUNTY OUTBOARD
AUGUST 17, 2016
REGULAR MEETING
MEMBERS PRESENT: Heidi Perry (Chair), At -Large Representative; Alex Castro (Vice- Chair), Bingham Township
Representative; Amy Cole, At -Large Representative; Art Menius, At -Large Representative; Jeff Charles, At -Large
Representative; David Laudicina, Cheeks Township Representative; Ted Triebel, Little River Township
Representative; Brantley Wells, Hillsborough Township Representative; Erle Smith, Chapel Hill Township
Representative;
MEMBERS ABSENT: John Rubin, At -Large Representative; Gary Saunders, At -Large Representative; Ed Vaugh,
Cedar Grove Township Representative;
STAFF PRESENT: Peter Murphy, OPT Transportation Administrator; Abigaile Pittman, Transportation /Land Use
Planner; Max Bushell, Transportation /Land Use Planner; Meredith Pucci, Administrative Assistant; Malcum
Massenburg, OPT Transportation Assistant Administrator;
OTHERS PRESENT FOR TRANSIT ADVISORY SERVICES: Lisa Berley, TSA Member; Janet Sparks, TSA Member; Vince
Hines, Go Triangle;
AGENDA ITEM 1: CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Heidi Perry called the meeting to order.
AGENDA ITEM 2: APPROVAL OF MINUTES
JUNE 15, 2016 REGULAR MEETING
Alex Castro pointed out changes that need to be made.
MOTION by Alex Castro to approve the June 15, 2016 OUTBoard Minutes with corrections. Seconded by Art Menius.
VOTE: UNANIMOUS
AGENDA ITEM 3: CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
Alex Castro brought up an issue about a cyclist running a Stop Sign and suggested discussing that further sometime.
AGENDA ITEM 4: TRANSIT SERVICES /ORANGE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION (OPT) —
This section of the agenda is addressed jointly by the OUTBoard and supplemental staff from
other County departments (Aging; DSS; Housing, Human Rights and Community
Development; Health; Child Support Enforcement; and the Library) to address transit services.
AGENDA ITEM 4A: OPT QUARTERLY OPERATIONAL UPDATES (PETER MURPHY)
I. FY 2016/2017 Budget
II. OPT as an independent department
III. Fare boxes approved
Approved 9/21/2016
53
IV.
Technology approved
54
V.
New services started
55
VI.
Pending expansion services
56
VII.
Bus purchase options
57
VIII.
Vehicles already received
58
IX.
Orange County ridership data 2014 -2016
59
X.
Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan (OCBRIP) Update
60
XI.
Conference updates
61
62 OUTBoard /Transit Services Action: Receive and review information, provide comments.
63
64 Peter Murphy Presented
65
66 Heidi Perry inquired about the customer call back system. Peter explained that right now the calls are being made
67 manually and it takes a lot of time but with the call back system it will be an automated call informing people of the
68 pick up time and also offers a secondary reminder.
69
70 Peter Murphy continued presentation.
71
72 Heidi Perry asked about the purpose of the Efland- Hillsborough Commuter Route. Peter Murphy explained the
73 original design was to connect to the ODX and it would run earlier in the morning between 6 -8 AM to supplement the
74 bus that Go Triangle is running because they weren't serving Efland to go right to Durham. This bus would shorten
75 that commute. Heidi asked if there was a study done before the route was decided. Peter informed that there was a
76 lot of discussion on it and surveys about it.
77
78 Alex Castro asked if the new buses and mini -van can handle wheelchairs. Peter Murphy said that the buses can, but
79 the mini -van cannot. Peter Murphy described the buses and seating and accommodations available on them, as well
80 as the prices for the different buses. Peter explained that a lot of time is being lost due to how long it takes to lift the
81 wheelchairs onto the bus. There was discussion of the low floor buses being more cost effective due to the
82 operational efficiency and being able to fit more passengers.
83
84 MOTION by Art Menius that OPT purchase the 28 foot low floor bus due to the documented operational efficiencies
85 and the ability to purchase and provide service much sooner than through other options. Seconded by Alex Castro.
86 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
87
88 Peter Murphy continued with section VI under item 4a
89
90 Heidi Perry asked how the new bus routes are being advertised. Peter Murphy acknowledged they need to advertise
91 better, and that UNC doesn't advertise it because OPT is not in the Go Pass system. Heidi suggested using TV slots,
92 or having it advertised in buildings. Erie Smith suggested finding out what other peer organizations do in terms of
93 advertising. Alex Castro suggested posting it at various community centers, or creating an OPT newsletter of some
94 sort. Alex also suggested adding a map of all the transit system routes on the bus. It was also suggested to put
95 something in the News of Orange.
96
97 Heidi Perry suggested putting this on the agenda for a future meeting.
98
99 Peter murphy continued presentation.
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101 Jeff Charles was concerned about the amount of time that it's going to take to implement the extension on Martin
102 Luther King. Peter Murphy replied that it's still undecided whether they want to feed into that service or be
103 intermingling with that service.
104
2
Approved 9/21/2016
105 Peter Murphy finished presentation.
106
107 AGENDA ITEM 413: NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (NCDOT) SUCCESS PLAN - (Peter
108 Murphy) OUTBoard /Transit Services Action: Receive and review information, discuss and
109 provide feedback, and adopt plan.
110
111 Peter Murphy Presented.
112
113 Amy Cole spoke about how the new buses that they put in a motion for would increase their score. Heidi Perry
114 suggested a call back if a person left a bad score to ask what could be better. There was confusion about the Board's
115 part in the surveys and Peter Murphy confirmed the analysis next year, along with the goals, the vision, and the score
116 card will be done by the Board.
117
118 Peter Murphy continued.
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120 Ted Triebel asked if this was going to be worth all the time and work that was going to be required to put into it. Max
121 Bushell explained that it's very helpful to keep track of that work that's been done so they can see a difference in
122 what's been accomplished and see what can be improved in the future.
123
124 Erle Smith asked about how much funding was put into this. Peter answered that the CPT grant is paying for 90
125 percent of the buses that are out there and that it's also about $300,000 between the ROAP grant and the CPT grant
126 because they go hand in hand. It's several hundred thousand dollars in operating and then the replacement buses
127 are about $100,000 that they're putting out the money for.
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129 Alex Castro was concerned about the amount of work that's needed to be done with such a small department and the
130 ones working on it being over tasked.
131
132 MOTION by Art Menius to adopt the success plan. Seconded by Erie Smith.
133 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
134
135 AGENDA ITEM 4C: TRANSIT ADVISORY SERVICES (TAS) COMMENTS /QUESTIONS (PETER MURPHY): Opportunity for
136 TSB members to offer transit related comments and ask questions regarding issues not on the
137 agenda.
138 OUTBoard /Transit Services Action: Provide comments and questions; receive feedback.
139
140 Peter Murphy mentioned a recent complaint about adding stops to the Hill to Hill route; there's one stop in Orange
141 County, outside of Chapel Hill, that we don't stop at right now right in front of the Standback Middle School. A
142 request was made to add that stop and staff's opinion is that we add that stop.
143
144 Lisa Berley requested a called stop at Homestead Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard because the Seymour
145 Center is up that hill and they don't stop in that direction. Peter added that staff would actually agree to that because
146 it would be a good location to add an additional stop in Chapel Hill.
147
148 There was a question about whether there was open communication among the three service providers and if they're
149 working together. Peter replied that there was a lot more discussion that's opened up about it. Vince Hines, a
150 representative from Go Triangle confirmed as much and also said they have an agreement with the Raleigh and
151 Durham to provide regional trips.
152
153 Lisa Berley asked if the new buses that have the bike racks will be going on the Hill -to -Hill route and requested an
154 approximate timeline of when. Peter advised her that they're not buying any new buses without the racks but cannot
155 guarantee a timeline.
156
Approved 9/21/2016
157
158 AGENDA ITEM 5: REGULAR OUTBOARD AGENDA: NO ITEMS
159
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161 AGENDA ITEM 6: STAFF UPDATES
162
163 6.A. NCDOT DIVISION 7 TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE DURHAM - CHAPEL HILL - CARRBORO
164 METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (DCHC MPO) PLANNING AREA. (MAX BUSHELL)
165
166 6.8. ADDITION OF WAKE COUNTY TO THE RENAMED TRIANGLE TAX DISTRICT AND APPROVAL OF THE WAKE COUNTY
167 TRANSIT PLAN AND MULTIPARTY INTERLOCAL TRANSIT AGREEMENT (ABIGAILE PITTMAN)
168
169 6.C. 07/11/2016,08/01/2016, AND 08/092016 MEETINGS OF THE BICYCLE SAFETY TASK FORCE (HEIDI PERRY, JEFF
170 CHARLES)
171
172 6.D. 07/12/2016 ORANGE COUNTY / NCDOT MEETING (ABIGAILE PITTMAN)
173
174 Max Bushell reviewed item 6a.
175
176 Abigaile Pittman reviewed item 6b.
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178 Heidi Perry asked if they had passed the transit tax. She was informed the voting would be in November. Abigaile
179 Pittman advised that their focus is primarily on commuter rail and rapid bus. There was discussion back and forth
180 about this and some confusion so Abigaile offered to send out a power point presentation that was given yesterday at
181 the Burlington /Graham meeting.
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183 Jeff Charles was concerned about this being pushed back further and further to the future instead of working on it
184 now. Max Bushell that the plan is saying that it's the looking forward plan and once it's passed and funding is secured
185 they'll do the projects that are feasible and begin conversation about the other projects that require regional
186 coordination. Abigaile Pittman added that simply put, the jurisdictional agreement is we govern ourselves and they
187 govern themselves and we don't mix funds.
188
189 Abigaile Pittman spoke about item 6c.
190
191 Jeff Charles suggested that they may need an additional meeting or two to accomplish everything. Heidi Perry would
192 like to get something to the Board of County Commissions (BOCC) before they begin their budget work for the next
193 fiscal cycle in February 2017. Abigaile Pittman advised the Board of the new funding request form.
194
195 Abigaile Pittman spoke briefly about item 6d.
196
197 Jeff Charles asked about the funding on bicycle infrastructure. Abigaile Pittman explained that there are funds out
198 there but because of current funding criteria, they are targeted to urban settings and highway projects. She also
199 mentioned a recent request from Nancy Baker and from Amy Cole to Craig Benedict for an update on the Safe
200 Routes to School Plan, specifically, a project that the Walkable Hillsborough group could do. She informed the Board
201 that that an information item is going to be on the September 6 BOCC agenda and that she can send it out to them
202 once it clears pre- agenda review process.
203
204 Alex Castro was still very concerned about the Safe Routes to School Plan and how it doesn't seem to have enough
205 importance to get it implemented. He said the Orange Grove Road over 1 -40 doesn't have a pedestrian bridge and
206 there are kids walking along it. There was a lot of discussion regarding the Safe Routes to School Plan and how to
207 get the issues addressed and resolved.
208
I
Approved 9/21/2016
209 MOTION by Alex Castro to add Safe Routes to School Plan on the next meeting agenda. Seconded by Art Menius.
210 VOTE: UNANIMOUS
211
212 AGENDA ITEM 10: ADJOURNMENT
213
214 OUTBoard meeting was adjourned by consensus.
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216
Heidi Perry, Chair