Report to/Rapport au:

Transportation and Transit Committee/

Comité des transports et des services de transport en commun

March 28, 2003/le 28 mars 2003

Submitted by/Soumis par: R.T. Leclair, General Manager/Directrice générale,

Transportation, Utilities and Public Works/Transports, Services et Travaux publics

Contact/Personne-ressource: G. Diamond, Director/Directeur,

Transit Services/Services de transport en commun

842-3636 ext./poste 2271, gordon.diamond@transpo.ottawa.on.ca

SUBJECT:     TRANSIT SERVICE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW 2003

OBJET :         RENDEMENT FINANCIER DES SERVICES DE TRANSPORT EN COMMUN - EXAMEN DE 2003

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Transportation and Transit Committee receive this report for information.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité des transports et des services de transport en commun prenne connaissance du présent rapport à titre d’information.

BACKGROUND

The Service Design Guidelines for OC Transpo service that resulted from the Comprehensive Review of OC Transpo Operations were approved, in May 1999, by the former Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission, and are summarized in Exhibit 1.  The guidelines are used to ensure that the resources available for on-street service are distributed effectively.  They balance basic accessibility with ridership potential, and were developed with full public consultation.  The Commission directed staff to apply the Service Design Guidelines as part of the regular scheduling process and to report each year on the service changes resulting from these guidelines.  This direction has continued within the new City of Ottawa and this is the third annual performance review to be provided to the Transportation and Transit Committee.

A detailed financial performance review of each route in the OC Transpo system is carried out each year.  The review identifies the routes which are not meeting the minimum financial performance targets during individual time periods and determines ways to improve financial performance, usually by reducing the frequency of service, removing service, or making minor route changes.  Resources which are saved from these changes are re-allocated to increase service on routes on which ridership has grown.

DISCUSSION

The annual review of the financial performance of all OC Transpo services for this year has shown that most routes have satisfactory financial performance and meet the Service Design Guidelines.  There are, however, some exceptions where routes are not meeting the minimum acceptable financial performance targets during selected time periods.  Service reductions will be made on these routes in June 2003.  The details of the service reductions are shown in Exhibits 2, 3 and 4.  These exhibits show the route number, the type of route, the trips to be removed (with the revenue/cost ratio and the target level), and the number of passenger trips now made on the trips.

This year’s performance review identified approximately 1,800 hours of poorly performing service per year, from a total annual Transit Services budget of 2,250,000 hours.  This amounts to 0.08% of service.  Most of the service continues to operate with satisfactory financial performance.  The service reductions will affect 10,000 passenger trips annually or 0.01% of transit ridership.

The resources saved by making these service reductions will be re-allocated to routes on which ridership is increasing, to accommodate continued growth by relieving crowding and to stimulate further growth by improving service.  The particular routes on which service will be increased will be chosen based on ridership information from the spring of 2003.  This ridership information is now being analyzed.

CONSULTATION

Staff has advised representatives of JDS Uniphase and the Canadian Forces Station in Leitrim of the changes affecting their respective sites.

TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN

The re-allocation of resources from routes with poor financial performance to routes on which additional capacity is required supports the Transportation Master Plan objective to increase transit ridership.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The service changes described in this report will have no effect on the Transit Services budget for 2003.  The re-allocation of resources from routes with low ridership to routes with growing ridership will ensure that system-wide ridership and fare revenue can continue to grow.

ATTACHMENTS

Exhibit 1 – Service Design Guidelines

Exhibit 2 – Monday-Friday service changes

Exhibit 3 – Saturday service changes

Exhibit 4 – Sunday service changes

DISPOSITION

The service reductions described in this report will take effect on Sunday, June 22.

EXHIBIT 1

Service Design Guidelines

EXHIBIT 2

2003 Financial Performance Review

Monday to Friday Service Changes

EXHIBIT 3

2003 Financial Performance Review

Saturday Service Changes

EXHIBIT 4

2001 Service Performance Review

Sunday Service Changes