Executive Summary... 2 TCAT Quick Stats... 3

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2 Contents Executive Summary... 2 TCAT Quick Stats... 3 Service Metrics... 4 Fixed-Route Ridership... 4 Ridership of System, Ridership by Route Type, Ridership by Route, Ridership by Stop, Ridership by Hour, Ridership by Day of Week, Ridership by Month, Ridership by Fare Type, Service Productivity Other Ridership Vanpool Bicycles Half-Fare & Mobility Devices Gadabout & Paratransit Operations Metrics Bus Narratives Fleet Summary Bus Statistics Vehicle Metrics by Series Fuel Efficiency by Series Labor Hours per 1, Miles Driven by Series Parts Cost per 1, Miles Driven by Series Road Calls per 1, Miles Driven by Series Vehicles by Rank Other Maintenance Metrics Road Calls Inspections Preventive Maintenance Other Metrics, Projects, & Challenges Accidents & Incidents Fuel Costs Budget Challenges Marketing & Communications Initiatives Human Resources Prepared by Matt Yarrow Service Analyst March 21, 213 Page 1

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY At TCAT, every year brings the fulfillment of work done in previous years. In 212, TCAT continued to reap the benefits of hard work from previous years. Ridership increased for the sixth straight year to a record 4,128,242 riders. Continued growth in ridership is likely due to, among other things, increasing gas prices, an increase in night service for the two universities and TCAT s flexible approach to adding buses when overcrowding occurs. Green Street Station continued to be TCAT s most popular stop, followed closely by the Seneca Street Station. The maintenance team performed an astonishing 65 preventive services on TCAT vehicles, helping keep TCAT s inspection pass rate above 9%. TCAT bus operators provided 12,265 hours of transit service to the community with an accident rate so low it has to be measured by hundreds of thousands of miles. In 211, the American Public Transit Association recognized TCAT as an industry role model by awarding the organization its highest recognition for systems its size. In 212, TCAT continued to be recognized for its excellent service and management it was among several local organizations honored by Cornell University President David Skorton and Cornell senior leaders at the university s Town-Gown (TOGO) awards ceremony in December 212. In 212, TCAT surpassed the 4 million ride mark and entered into a new APTA size category: 4 million to 3 million rides per year. Although our peer group now contains some much bigger transit systems, the data in this yearbook shows that TCAT can hold its own in terms of service offered and the efficiency of that service. Looking toward future challenges, TCAT staff focused their 212 efforts on identifying ways to balance the organization s $13 million annual budget as diesel and health care prices continued to Our challenge ahead is finding the necessary resources to build a stronger fleet and adopt better technologies to best serve our passengers, who, in turn, deserve the best! Any investment in TCAT is an investment in the entire community. -Joe Turcotte, TCAT General Manager climb. A handful of underperforming or underfunded trips and routes were cut at the beginning of 212. However, with continually increasing ridership, it is clear that strategies are required to fund service enhancements. TCAT worked in 212 with local stakeholders to increase service on specific routes, such as evening service on routes 11 and 9 connecting downtown with the two college campuses. This expanded evening service has been wildly successful registering a threefold increase in ridership since 21. An Information Technology/ Intelligent Transportation Systems (IT/ITS) Study completed in 212 provides a path that will allow TCAT to provide our riders with cutting-edge real-time information, while streamlining many of the administrative and maintenance tasks that we perform daily. TCAT also kicked off the What is a Bus Stop? project which seeks to clearly establish TCAT s bus stops in urban and suburban areas which will clarify our service to riders, improve conditions for drivers and provide a basis for real-time information initiatives. All throughout the year, bus operators provided the customer service that keeps passengers returning to the buses, and the maintenance team provided the vehicle service that keeps the buses running in top condition. 213 and beyond will bring new challenges, but TCAT knows that every successful year builds on the hard work of previous years. TCAT We ll Get You There! Page 2

4 TCAT QUICK STATS In 212, TCAT boarded 4,128,242 riders on fixed routes; operated 1,566,47 revenue miles; operated 119,626 revenue hours. As of December 31, 212, TCAT operated 33 routes (32 fixed routes & 1 hybrid fixed/ demand responsive route); had 54 vehicles (5 transit buses & 4 mini-buses/ vans). According to the US Census Bureau Ithaca had a population of 3,54 in 211; Tompkins County had an estimated population of 12,544 in 212; 6.4% of Tompkins County residents took public transit to work (national average 5.%). Page 3

5 Percent Change SERVICE METRICS FIXED-ROUTE RIDERSHIP Ridership of System, At the close of 212, TCAT completed its sixth straight year of ridership growth, ending with 4.7% more boardings than 211, for a total of 4,128,242 unlinked passenger trips. Ridership took a small dip (-1.7%) in 24 after TCAT raised its base fare from $1. to $1.5 and eliminated several routes in August of 23. In 25, it rebounded sharply as Hurricane Katrina spiked gas prices and consumers looked to public transit to reduce their commuting costs. Beginning in 27, TCAT s ridership resumed its steady TCAT Annual Ridership: increase. The 28 spike in gas prices brought more riders to the bus, as did the Great Recession of the late 2s. 4,5k 4,k 3,944, was a year of significant change for TCAT. TCAT implemented a new, rechargeable, durable plastic fare card and offered premium fare media, such as RFIDenabled stickers. TCAT simplified its fare structure into day-based and ride-based passes that could be purchased in any desired increment. Implementation of the recommendations from the Transit Development Plan of 29 restructured and streamlined the fixed-route system and introduced TCAT s first demand-response services (Rt. 41). Finally, TCAT unveiled the flagship Green Street Station, with an indoor waiting area and food concession area. 3,5k 3,k 2,5k 2,k 1,5k 1,k 16% 14% 2,788,214 2,739,66 3,94,36 3,65,39 3,16,215 3,317,711 3,351,792 3,577,579 4,128, TCAT Ridership: Percent Change In 212, there was a fare increase for trips 12% originating in Zone 2 (rural areas) from $ % 1% to $2.5. However, outbound trips originating 8% 7.4% in Zone 1 are still priced at $1.5. Despite this 6.8% 6.7% fare increase and service cuts on Rts. 14, 52, 6% 54, 68, and 83, TCAT ridership continued to 4% 4.7% increase in 212. Several national and regional 2% 1.3% trends deserve mention as factors that likely % 1.% have contributed to continued ridership -2% -.9% increases. First, the gas prices in Upstate NY -1.7% -4% were at their highest level in many years, up a -6% whopping 54% from 29. Nationally, transit ridership has been increasing. APTA reported that national bus transit ridership had increased by 1.2% in 212 while TCAT s increase was 4.7%, outpacing national trends. Researchers have shown that young people are at the leading edge of a national trend of decreasing vehicle miles; from 21 to 29 the average annual vehicle miles traveled by year-olds dropped 23%. Given that Ithaca is a college town with large numbers of young people, it is likely that this trend toward less car miles is playing out locally, contributing to increased transit ridership. At a more local level, the service and amenities improvements in previous years and TCAT s continued dedication to excellent customer service can only have helped this trend in increasing ridership. 12.9% Page 4

6 Boardings/ Year Ridership by Route Type, Urban Total 2,416,973 2,4,221 2,735,944 2,674,183 2,713,8 2,862,428 2,869,689 3,89,57 3,47,935 3,591,621 Campus 97,879 92,264 1,26, ,575 85, , ,48 1,4,386 1,154,271 1,2,811 Campus Day 813,799 85, ,49 777,38 752, , ,45 93, , ,65 Campus Night 157,8 96, ,852 99,537 97,581 14, , , ,327 25,161 Urban 1,446,94 1,497,957 1,79,683 1,797,69 1,862,571 2,1,748 2,36,641 2,49,121 2,253,664 2,39,81 Rural Total 371, , , , ,27 455, ,13 488,72 536,69 536,621 Rural Large 266, ,298 26, ,983 27,646 3, , , , ,36 Rural Min. 14,713 95,141 97, , , ,459 17, , ,73 22,585 Total 2,788,214 2,739,66 3,94,36 3,65,39 3,16,215 3,317,711 3,351,792 3,577,579 3,944,625 4,128,242 Absolute & Relative Ridership Changes by Route Type, 23 v # Change % Change Urban Total 2,416,973 3,591,621 1,174, % Campus 97,879 1,2, , % Campus Day 813, ,65 181, % Campus Night 157,8 25,161 48,81 3.6% Urban 1,446,94 2,39,81 944, % Rural Total 371, , , % Rural Large 266, ,36 67, % Rural Min. 14,713 22,585 97, % Total 2,788,214 4,128,242 1,34, % Ridership increased in two of three route categories in 212 urban, and campus-specific routes. Rural ridership was essentially unchanged from 211. Between 23 and 212, urban, non-campus routes provided the largest contribution to ridership increases (944,716 additional rides in 211 compared to 23) as well as the greatest increase as a percentage of 22 ridership (65.3% greater in 212 compared to 23). See below for additional information on urban routes. Though ridership from rural routes represents a smaller fraction of overall TCAT ridership, that fraction has grown steadily over the past decade. Rural routes registered an additional 165,38 rides, an increase of 44.5%, compared to 23 ridership. See below for additional information on rural routes. Campus route ridership has grown as well, though not as strongly as other routes. From 22 to 211, rides on campus routes increased 23.7%, representing an additional 229,932 rides. A sub-set of campus routes specifically, campus night and weekend-only routes, formerly known as the Blue Light Routes grew at a faster rate as compared to campus day routes, 3.6% as compared to 22.3%. See below for additional information on campus routes. 4,5, TCAT Ridership: All Routes 4,, 3,5, 3,, 2,5, 2,, 1,5, 1,, 5, Urban 1,446,94 1,497,957 1,79,683 1,797,69 1,862,571 2,1,748 2,36,641 2,49,121 2,253,664 2,39,81 Campus 97,879 92,264 1,26, ,575 85, , ,48 1,4,386 1,154,271 1,2,811 Rural 371, , , , ,27 455, ,13 488,72 536,69 536,621 Total 2,788,214 2,739,66 3,94,36 3,65,39 3,16,215 3,317,711 3,351,792 3,577,579 3,944,625 4,128,242 Page 5

7 Boardings/ Year % Change from Previous Year Boardings/ Year % Change from Previous Year Urban Routes Urban routes include Rts. 1, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 3, 31, 32, 51, 7 and 72. TCAT Ridership: Urban, Non-Campus Routes Urban % Change from Previous Year Ridership on urban routes has steadily increased, without a single decrease in the past decade. Urban routes showed strong increases in 23, 25, and again in 211. It is important to note that the ridership on many of these routes is heavily influenced by the patterns of campus life at Cornell and Ithaca College. Rt.1 in particular provides frequent service between downtown and Cornell and utilized routinely by Cornell students and staff. 14.1% 11.9% 1% 8.% 6.1% 5.1% 1.3% 3.6% 3.6%.6% % 25% 2% 15% 1% 5% % -5% -1% Rural Routes TCAT has traditionally divided rural routes into minimum service and large market routes. Rural minimum service routes have a few peak hour trips and perhaps one mid-day trip. These routes include 2, 22, 36, 37, 4, 53, 65, 74, 75 & 77. Large market routes generally serve outlying villages and may have additional service throughout the day. These routes include 21 (Trumansburg), 41 (Freeville/ Etna), 43 (Dryden), 52 (Caroline), and 67 (Newfield). These divisions are used for analysis and description only and are not meant to imply hierarchy or priority. TCAT Ridership: Rural Routes Rural Min. Rural Large % Change from Previous Year 6, 3% 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1.9% -8.6% 5.6% 9.1%.5% 15.8% 5.9% 1.2% 1.%.% 25% 2% 15% 1% 5% % -5% -1% % Page 6

8 Boardings/ Year % Change from Previous Year Campus Routes Ridership on Cornell TCAT Ridership: Campus Routes campus routes received a Campus Night Campus Day % Change from Previous Year large boost in 25 with the distribution of 1,4, 4% OmniRide passes to all students. It received 1,2, 24.9% 3% another very large boost in 21 with the expansion of 1,, 13.7% 2% Rt. 82 to East Hill Plaza. 8, 1% 4.%.2% -.3% 1.9% During the intervening 6, -3.% % years, ridership on campus -1.8% routes actually decreased. 4, -7.1% -1% At the same time, use of non-campus routes (such as 2, -14.6% -2% the Rts. 1 & 3) by Cornell affiliates increased. Thus, -3% it s likely that the decrease in campus route ridership was not a decrease in actual ridership, but rather a shift to other routes. Night service increased significantly in the last year, lifted by the increase in night service on Rts. 11 and 9 that occurred in the middle of 211. Ridership by Route, From 211 to 212, changes in ridership by route ranged from a high of 42.6% (Rt. 72) to a low of -97.7% (Rt. 54). The average increase in ridership across all routes was 4.7%. Rts. 72 and 32 which link the Airport, Convenient Care and Triphammer Mall with the Commons through Cornell and Collegetown exhibited important increases in 212. During the week, 34% of the boardings on Rt. 32 occurred in Central Campus, between the Thurston Ave and the College Ave bridges, and 13% occurred near the Commons. During the weekends, 13% of boardings on Rt 72 occurred in Central Campus and 27% occurred near the Commons. On the other end of Rts. 32 and 72, the airport recorded only 2.4% of overall boardings on these routes, while the segment between Triphammer Rd and Hanshaw Rd that serves the Gaslight Village, University Park and Warrenwood Apartment complexes recorded 15.2% of all boardings. This is an example of how Cornell-related ridership affects ridership on routes that are not primarily campus-based. 6% 5% 4% 3% % Change in Boardings by Route, % - by route Average Percent Change = 4.7% 2% 1% % % -2% % % Route numbers Page 7

9 Rt. 1 gained the most rides (65,674) between 211 and 212, contributing to the strong gains on urban routes. Rt. 53, serving Ellis Hollow and Brooktondale, added significant ridership despite a limited schedule of four trips daily underlining its importance as a commuter route. Night routes 9, 92, and 93 all had strong ridership gains in 212, as did the night-time trips on Rt. 11. The apparent latent demand for these late-night services indicates the effectiveness of the agreement struck between TCAT and Ithaca College to help pay for night-time service increases on Rts. 9 and 11. In the chart on the previous page, Rts. 68 and 54 were left off given that they were discontinued in mid-january 212 and thus exhibited very high negative percent change. Rt. 52 experienced the largest decrease of currently active routes. This decrease can be explained by the fact that this route ran to Newark Valley in 211 and this service was cut at the Tioga County line in 212. Furthermore, the Zone 2 fare increase may have affected this rural route. Rt. 17 connects the TCAT garage to the Commons and the beginning of other routes. Since the new farebox system was implemented in 21, there have been some problems in the recording of ridership on this route, with passengers being counted as riding Rt. 17, but actually riding other routes. There will be an effort to more accurately record Rt. 17 ridership in 213. Rt. 14 experienced service cuts in 212 which may explain the ridership declines observed on this route. Finally, Rt. 22 is a summer route with relatively small ridership numbers and is thus vulnerable to specific events such as the use of the route by summer day camps. Routes Sorted By Number of Route Routes Sorted by Ridership Gain, Rt Destination # % Rt. Destination # %. 1 CU-Commons 373,82 439,494 65, % 72 Wkend Airport 35,412 5,472 15,6 42.6% 11 IC-Commons 24,448 27,613 3, % 9 C.U. Night 31,924 42,87 1, % 13 Northside-Mall 64,215 56,862-7, % 32 Airport 199,93 254,128 55, % 14 West Hill 128,22 112,592-15, % 53 Ellis Hollow 11,276 13,671 2, % 15 SW Shopping 14,363 12,966-1, % 75 Wkend Dryden 6,398 7,628 1, % 17 TCAT-Fall Creek 64,44 48,924-15, % 1 CU - Commons 373,82 439,494 65, % 2 Enfield 39,154 45,884 6, % 2 Enfield 39,154 45,884 6, % 21 Trumansburg 13,364 16,917 3, % 93 C.U. Night 4,5 46,258 6, % 22 Taughannock 8,53 7, % 51 Eastern Heights 117,21 134,813 17, % 3 Commons-Mall 687,79 77,85 2,15 2.9% 92 C.U. Night 13,8 116,96 13, % 31 NE Ithaca 127, ,426-6,422-5.% 37 North Lansing 24,896 27,687 2, % 32 Airport 199,93 254,128 55, % 41 DR Lansing 17,63 19,445 1, % 36 South Lansing 18,71 19,584 1, % 74 Wkend Groton 4,122 4, % 37 North Lansing 24,896 27,687 2, % 36 South Lansing 18,71 19,584 1, % 4 Groton 34,424 34, % 7 Wkend Mall 142, ,456 11, % 41 DR Freeville 17,63 19,445 1, % 83 C.U. Weekday 48,86 51,894 3,88 7.9% 43 Dryden-TC3 133, ,415 7, % 43 Dryden - TC3 133, ,415 7, % 51 Eastern Hts 117,21 134,813 17, % 82 C.U. Weekday 378, ,849 16, % 52 Caroline 59,211 43,987-15, % 21 Trumansburg 13,364 16,917 3, % 53 Ellis Hollow 11,276 13,671 2, % 3 Commons - Mall 687,79 77,85 2,15 2.9% 54 Turkey Hill 8, , % 11 IC - Commons 24,448 27,613 3, % 65 Danby 23,537 21,318-2, % 4 Groton 34,424 34, % 67 Newfield 43,558 41,717-1, % 81 C.U. Weekday 553, ,97-4, % 68 SW Shopping 3, , % 15 Southside 14,363 12,966-1, % 7 Wkend Mall 142, ,456 11, % 77 Shopping Wkend Warren % 72 Wkend Airport 35,412 5,472 15,6 42.6% 67 Newfield 43,558 41,717-1, % 74 Wkend Groton 4,122 4, % 31 NE Ithaca 127, ,426-6,422-5.% 75 Wkend Dryden 6,398 7,628 1, % 65 Danby 23,537 Ithaca 21,318-2, % 77 Wkend Warren % 22 Taughannock 8,53 7, % 81 C.U. Weekday 553, ,97-4, % 13 Northside - Mall 64,215 56,862-7, % 82 C.U. Weekday 378, ,849 16, % 14 West Hill 128,22 112,592-15, % 83 C.U. Weekday 48,86 51,894 3,88 7.9% 17 TCAT / Fall Creek 64,44 48,924-15, % 9 C.U. Night 31,924 42,87 1, % 52 Caroline 59,211 43,987-15, % 92 C.U. Night 13,8 116,96 13, % 68 SW Shopping 3, , % 93 C.U. Night 4,5 46,258 6, % 54 Turkey Hill % TOTAL 3,944,625 4,128, , % TOTAL 3,944,625 4,128, , % Page 8

10 Ridership by Stop, 212 In TCAT s ridership database, boardings by stop name are tabulated based on the most recent timepoint stop the bus has passed (timepoint stops are stops that have a time on the route s schedule). This basic analysis uses stop names to get a general idea of the most popular boarding locations. This analysis does not provide the exact number of boardings, because the number of boardings at these stops also includes boardings from non-timepoint stops farther down the line. Note that exact boarding locations are also stored as coordinates and are available for detailed ridership analysis. The most popular stop in this analysis is Commons, the location of TCAT s flagship Green Street Station. Nearly every route in TCAT s system passes by Commons. Commons, the stop paired with Green Street Station on the north side of the Commons, has the second largest number of boardings. Together, the downtown stops comprise 21.6% of all TCAT boardings, up from 18.5% in 211. Uris Hall, Statler Hall, and Sage Hall are TCAT s three primary stops on Cornell s Central Campus. These three stops account for 18.2% of TCAT boardings. Sage Hall 187,31 A Lot 181,95 Ithaca Mall 199,118 Statler Hall 254,396 Uris Hall 38,671 Commons 433,13 Annual Ridership at Stops with >5, Boardings Commons 458,594 Schwartz PAC 152,921 Hasbrouck Apts. 151,83 Dryden 149,139 Wyckoff 97,133 Hanshaw 94,43 Vet School 89,594 Baker Flagpole 89,51 East Hill Office Building 82,321 B Lot 73,573 Roy Park School 65,65 Risley Hall 5,415 Other Stops (<5, boardings) 1,13,265 Dryden and Schwartz Performing Arts Center are the 8 th and 1 th most popular stops; together, these Collegetown stops would be the third most popular boarding location, after the Commons and Central Campus. Rounding out the top 1 stops are the Shops at Ithaca Mall (5 th most popular), A-Lot (6 th ), and Hasbrouck Apartments (9 th ). Annual Ridership at Rural Stops Groton Main Street 13,58 Enfield Center 13,359 Trumansburg Central School 11,755 Warren Farrell 9,553 Newfield Central School 9,528 Caroline Town Hall 8,38 Sapsucker Woods 7,754 Campus 41% Suburban 14% Varna 15,529 Rt 21 - Jacksonville to Ithaca 7,82 Rural 5% Aubles Trailer Park 19,917 Rt 43 - Varna to Dryden 7,59 Urban 39% TC3 2,4 Brooktondale Park & Ride 6,75 Dryden Village 21,376 Other Rural 5,566 Page 9

11 Rural stops have lower ridership as compared to the urban and campus stops; nevertheless, these rural routes provide a critical service to Tompkins County residents. The Dryden Village and Tompkins-Cortland Community College (TC3) stops on Rts. 53 and 75 are the most popular rural stops. The remaining rural stops with significant ridership are distributed fairly evenly among the rural routes. The map below provides a spatial representation of the most popular stops in 212. Page 1

12 Avg. Boardings by Day of Week Total Boardings by Day of Week 12 AM - 1 AM 1 AM - 2 AM 2 AM - 3 AM 3 AM - 4 AM 4 AM - 5 AM 5 AM - 6 AM 6 AM - 7 AM 7 AM - 8 AM 8 AM - 9 AM 9 AM - 1 AM 1 AM - 11 AM 11 AM - 12 PM 12 PM - 1 PM 1 PM - 2 PM 2 PM - 3 PM 3 PM - 4 PM 4 PM - 5 PM 5 PM - 6 PM 6 PM - 7 PM 7 PM - 8 PM 8 PM - 9 PM 9 PM - 1 PM 1 PM - 11 PM 11 PM - 12 AM Boardings per Hour Ridership by Hour, 212 Weekday ridership spikes dramatically in the morning hours, reaching its high point between 8 and 9 a.m. with an average of 1,552 boardings in that hour. Ridership drops, and by 1 a.m. plateaus at slightly over 8 boardings per hour until 4 p.m. when boardings spike again to an average of 1,38. Ridership trails off steeply until 7 p.m., at which point the rate of decrease levels off. The early morning hours of Saturday see a small bump between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. as late-night Friday bar-hoppers take their last call and go home for the night. Saturday ridership picks up later in the morning than weekday ridership and shows a single hill rather than two distinct peaks. Boardings reach a maximum between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., but do not decrease sharply. Instead, they trail off slowly, until the average number of Saturday boardings actually exceeds the average weekday boardings at 9 p.m. 1,8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. Sun. Average Boardings per Hour The early morning hours of Sunday see the same bump in ridership as the early morning hours of Saturday. Ridership for the rest of Sunday follows a similar pattern with a smaller magnitude as Saturday until 6 p.m. At this point, most routes stop operating and ridership trails off. Ridership by Day of Week, 212 Total & Average Boardings by Day of Week 16, 14, 12, 1, 8, 6, 4, 2, Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Total 684, , , , , ,374 23,551 Avg. 13,17 14,199 14,14 14,169 14,299 6,315 3,914 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, As shown above, weekdays see higher ridership than weekends. Fridays, which have benefited from night service increases both in the early hours and after 9 p.m., have the highest average ridership, with 14,299 rides. Mondays have the lowest average weekday ridership, with 13,17 rides. Low ridership on Saturdays and Sundays reflects the lack of commuter traffic and TCAT s reduced service levels. Page 11

13 Total Boardings Total Weekday Boardings Avg. Weekday Boardings Ridership by Month, 212 TCAT s annual ridership patterns reflect the collegiate academic year, with ridership peaks in the spring and autumn while classes are in session. Though the annual average boardings per weekday is 14,69 average weekday ridership broken out by month ranges from a high of 18,13 in February to a low of 8,582 in June. After recording more than 4, riders in one month for the first time ever in April 211, TCAT had five months of 4k+ ridership in 212: February, April, September, October and November. Weekday Boardings by Month , 4, 35, 3, 25, 2, 15, 1, 5, Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total 242, , ,614 37, ,257 18, , , ,57 41, ,369 22,16 Avg. 11,25 18,13 15,573 17,661 12,63 8,582 9,494 12,89 17,575 17,449 17,779 1,11 2, 18, 16, 14, 12, 1, 8, 6, 4, 2, The ridership drop from February to March is most likely due to Cornell s spring break. December 212 ridership was especially low for the month. Because Christmas fell on a Tuesday, Cornell gave staff Monday the 24 th off. In addition, TCAT reduced service levels between the 22 nd -24 th of December, which it did not do in 211. Nevertheless, efficiency statistics such as the number of rides per revenue mile actually increased 8% from Dec 11 to Dec 12. 5, 45, 4, Total Boardings by Month , 3, 25, 2, 15, 1, 5, Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total Rides 273, , , ,15 326,52 22, ,31 33, , , ,83 24,4 Total Wkday 242, , ,614 37, ,257 18, , , ,57 41, ,369 22,16 Page 12

14 Boardings/ Year Ridership by Fare Type, As a percentage of total boardings, Cornell fare types remain the most common of all fares, comprising 7.6% of 212 ridership. This is a slight increase from 211, when Cornell rides accounted for 69.1% of TCAT ridership. Cash rides are the second most common fare type, at 12.4% but they, too, have been decreasing from their high of 14.5% in 28. TCAT passes are the third most common fare type. Their use has increased from 8.3% of total rides in 28 to 1.4% of total rides in 212, which represents a 56.1% increase in the number of rides taken with TCAT passes of during this 1.4% period. The simplification of the fare structure in 21, new discounts on bulk ride-based passes, and the convenience of the reusable electronic fare card (TCard) most likely have contributed to the increase in the share of rides taken with a pass and decreased the use of cash at the farebox. Ridership by Fare Type % 12.4% Rides taken with an Ithaca College or TC3 ID card have represented the largest percentage increases from 28 to 212. Ithaca College rides increased 93.6%, from 1.9% of total system ridership to 3.% of total system ridership, or 123,231 rides. TC3-specific passes were introduced in 21; in just one year their use jumped 71% to a total of 17,317 rides. TC3 now registers around.61% of all TCAT rides (25,356 rides), surpassing the long-established employee ride programs for the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County. 2.7% 3.%.6%.3% Cash TCAT Passes Cornell Ithaca College TC3 Student Government Other 4,5, 4,, 3,5, 3,, 2,5, 2,, 1,5, 1,, 5, Ridership by Fare Type, Other Gov't TC3 IC TCAT Cash Cornell In 212, a new rural fare zone (Zone 2) was introduced into the fare structure. In order to keep the categories consistent through time, Zone 2 was not broken out as a separate category in the table on the following page. However, the number of rides that initiated in Zone 2 decreased slightly from 173,331 in 211 to 171,693 in 212. This represents just 4.1% of the total ridership in 212. Overall, the fare increase in Zone 2 had a fairly minor impact on ridership. The table on the following page gives a complete accounting of how fare types have changed from Page 13

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16 SERVICE PRODUCTIVITY Service productivity measures the broad trend of how much ridership is gained per unit of service delivered. The most common units of measure are trips per revenue mile and trips per revenue hour. In 211, system-wide averages were 2.3 riders per revenue mile and 31. riders per revenue hour. In 212, these measures were 2.64 riders per revenue mile and 34.5 riders per revenue hour, representing increases of 14.8% and 11.3% respectively. Unsurprisingly, routes that travel through areas of high density during peak transit use hours, namely urban and campus routes, are the most productive based on these measures. The campus night/ weekend routes are close to the system average in terms of productivity. Though TCAT schedules fewer trips for nights and weekends, there are proportionally fewer riders. Fixed-Route Service Productivity Riders Rev. Miles Riders/ Mi. Rev. Hrs Riders/ Hr. Rev. Speed Urban Total 3,591, , , Campus 1,2, , , Campus Day 995,65 196, , Campus Night 25,161 66, , Urban 2,39,81 665, , Rural Total 536, , , Rural Large 334,36 359, , Rural Min. 22, , , Total/ Avg. 4,128,242 1,566, , Riders per Revenue Mile by Route Category Route Category Average = Rural routes seem highly unproductive based on these measures. Rural routes must travel far distances over longer trips in order to pick up riders. A better measure of rural route productivity would be the utilization of the capacity of the bus i.e. how full the bus is. Because TCAT has the technology to count passengers only as they board, and not as they disembark, there is no easy and standardized way to measure the fullness of buses without actually riding the buses and hand-counting passengers. The average revenue speed is not a productivity measure per se, given that it does not include ridership. However, 212 revenue speed numbers show that rural routes operate at a speedier 22.8 miles per hour, while campus and urban routes average 1.1 MPH Campus Day Campus Night Urban Rural Large Rural Min. Riders per Revenue Hour by Route Category Route Category Average = Campus Day Campus Night Urban Rural Large Rural Min. Page 15

17 Total Rides per Month Rides per Vanpool per Commuting Day OTHER RIDERSHIP Vanpool The discontinuation of service to Schuyler County in January 211 triggered the formation of the first vanpool group in the region. By the end of 211, a second group had formed. Total vanpool ridership in 212 was slightly higher than 211 with 5,425 trips and 5,371 trips respectively. Month Trips Vanpools Service Days Trips/ Vanpools / Day Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct TCAT Vanpool Program Nov Dec TOTAL 5,425 Total Rides per Month Rides/ Vanpool/ Day 4, 35, 3, 25, 2, 15, 1, 5, Bicycles on TCAT Buses Bicycles In 1996, TCAT became the first agency in New York State to install bicycle racks throughout its fleet. Today, all 54 TCAT vehicles are equipped with bicycle racks mounted on the front of the bus. In 21, TCAT carried approximately 3,68 bicycles on its buses. That number increased to 38,116 in 212, an increase of 24.4% over two years. Half-Fare & Mobility Devices TCAT s vehicle fleet is universally accessible to people who use mobility devices such as wheelchairs. In 212, TCAT transported approximately 1,135 wheelchairs. This is a decrease of 34% from the 1,727 wheelchairs transported in 21. The increase in paratransit rides operated by Gadabout may have contributed to this decrease. TCAT offers a 5% discount off cash rides and ride-based passes for seniors ages 6 and older, Medicare recipients, and people with disabilities. In 211, TCAT recorded a total of 11,927 half-fare rides, or 2.6% of total ridership; in 212 there were a total of 13,253 half-fare rides taken, or 2.5% of total ridership. Page 16

18 Rides Gadabout & Paratransit As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 199, TCAT contracts with Gadabout to provide complementary paratransit to people who are unable to take fixed-route transit due to their disability. In addition to TCAT s paratransit service, Gadabout also provides transportation for senior citizens in Tompkins County. Total Gadabout ridership increased 18.9% from 27 to 212, but the majority of the increase has come from increases in ADA trips. ADA trips increased 22.1% from 211 to 212, the highest rate of increase in the past six years. Total Gadabout trips increased 6.2% from 211 to 212. In fact, non-ada trips have decreased in five out of the past six years primarily due to economic factors. People who qualify for ADA service but didn t want to bother with the certification process have become certified to take advantage of the lower TCAT half fare. As seniors and people with disabilities have less disposable income for trips and shopping, they cut back on their use of transportation services. Finally, other consumers of Gadabout s services, such as nursing homes, have cut back on their contracts as their budgets have shrunk. Gadabout Service Statistics, Ridership ADA Trips 18,687 2,221 2,764 22,515 26,578 32,462 % Prev. Year 15.6% 8.2% 2.7% 8.4% 18.% 22.1% Non-ADA Trips 39,185 43,588 41,246 4,113 38,658 36,845 % Prev. Year -6.9% 11.2% -5.4% -2.7% -3.6% -4.7% Total Trips 57,872 63,89 62,1 62,628 65,236 69,37 % Prev. Year -.7% 1.3% -2.8% 1.% 4.2% 6.2% Service & Productivity Rev. Hrs 22,476 21,49 21,864 22,645 23,893 27,416 Rev. Miles 368, ,42 389,58 397, , ,4 Rev. Speed Gadabout Ridership: ADA & Non-ADA Rides , 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, -.7% 1.3% -2.8% 1.% 4.2% 6.2% Non-ADA 39,185 43,588 41,246 4,113 38,658 36,845 ADA 18,687 2,221 2,764 22,515 26,578 32,462 % -.7% 1.3% -2.8% 1.% 4.2% 6.2% 15% 1% 5% % -5% Gadabout Trips v. Revenue Miles Gadabout Trips v. Revenue Hours 8, Total Trips Rev. Miles 6, 8, Total Trips Rev. Hrs 4, 7, 6, 5, 5, 4, 7, 6, 5, 35, 3, 25, 4, 3, 4, 2, 3, 2, 1, , 1, 3, 2, 1, , 1, 5, Gadabout s revenue mileage has steadily increased since 27; anecdotally, Gadabout reports an increase in trips with a rural origin or destination. Their revenue hours decreased from 26 to 28 as they improved their scheduling processes, but increased from 29 to 212, again, reflecting the increasingly rural nature of their clients. Page 17

19 OPERATIONS METRICS Bus Narratives Thanks to federal stimulus funds, TCAT was able to purchase 15 new buses for delivery in 211. Previous to the stimulus funds, TCAT s average fleet age was nearly 1 years, and around 3% of vehicles were still in service well past their retirement date. TCAT s 211 federal stimulus procurements included 2 hybrid diesel/ electric buses from Gillig (vehicles 112 & 113), 6 diesel buses from Gilling (vehicles 114 through 119) and another 7 from Orion of New York State (vehicles 111 through 1116). TCAT retired vehicles 912, 913, 13, 57, 58, 59, 6, 61, 64, 65, 66, 67 and 68. No new vehicles were added in 212. As of December 31, 212, TCAT s inventory included 54 vehicles with an average age of 6.13 years. TCAT anticipates needing to retire 16 vehicles (the 21 Nova and 22 New Flyer series) by 214. As discussed below in Vehicle Metrics by Series, these vehicles are the most costly to maintain in terms of parts cost, labor time, and road calls/ disruptions to service. Though TCAT has identified these vehicles as high priority for retirement in 1-2 years, no funding has been identified to replace these vehicles. This is currently a high-priority task for TCAT s leadership. 212 FLEET SUMMARY As of 12/31/212 Bus Nos. Year Total # Age Replacement Year Type of Vehicle Transit Bus Seats Stands Body Manufacturer Power Length (ft.) Width (in.) 38 2 Orion Diesel Trolley Chance Diesel , Transit Bus Transit Bus Transit Bus Nova Diesel New Flyer Diesel Gillig Diesel Mini-Bus 16 6 Ford Gas Transit Bus Transit Bus Transit Bus Transit Bus Transit Bus Transit Bus Transit Bus Gillig Hybrid Gillig Hybrid International Diesel Gillig Diesel Gillig Hybrid Gillig Diesel Orion Diesel 4 12 Page 18

20 212 BUS STATISTICS 212 Mileage Fuel Maintenance Road Calls Series Bus No. Miles Traveled Gallons of Fuel Used Miles per Gallon Labor Hours Cost of Parts Parts Cost per Mile Minor Road Calls (85) Major Road Calls (84) Rd. Calls/ 1K Mi. Orion ' ,8 5, $7,427. $ Trolley 73 9,389 2, $2,72.6 $ Nova (21) 11 34,352 8, $17, $ ,199 8, $13, $ ,4 7, $17,518.7 $ ,58 3, $21, $ ,237 7, $26,3.48 $ ,787 7, $2,27.75 $ ,492 7, $18, $ ,37 8, $21, $ TOTAL 231,354 58,56 N/A $157,11.93 N/A N/A AVG. 28,919 7, $19, $ New Flyer (22) 21 12,112 2, $7, $ ,87 7, $17, $ ,733 8, $14,7.12 $ ,673 7, $27,379.4 $ ,721 7, $18, $ ,38 9, $13,573.7 $ ,961 6, $19, $ ,495 9, $23, $ TOTAL 222,945 58,54 N/A $142, N/A 5 46 N/A AVG. 27,868 7, $17, $ Gillig (26) 61 42,267 1, $9, $ ,777 1, $11, $ ,579 9, $14, $ ,43 1, $11, $ ,494 9, $14,93.32 $ ,216 1, $13, $ ,354 9, $12, $ ,589 1, $13,937.8 $ TOTAL 315,679 8,992 N/A $11, N/A N/A AVG. 39,46 1, $12,66.21 $ Ford Vans (26) Hybrids (26) 69 15,733 2, $1, $ ,74 1, $7, $ ,789 4, $9,33.7 $ ,67 3, $4,58.38 $ TOTAL 74,293 11,647 N/A $23, N/A 1 7 N/A AVG. 18,573 2, $5,83.49 $ ,32 5, $19,38.3 $ ,698 6, $16, $ ,117 5, $15, $ TOTAL 78,135 18,329 N/A $5, N/A 1 16 N/A AVG. 26,45 6, $16, $ Page 19

21 212 Mileage Fuel Maintenance Road Calls Series Bus No. Miles Traveled Gallons of Fuel Used Miles per Gallon Labor Hours Cost of Parts Parts Cost per Mile Minor Road Calls (85) Major Road Calls (84) Rd. Calls/ 1K Mi. Hybrids (27) 71 27,275 6, $15, $ ,515 6, $11, $ ,125 6, $8,243.6 $ TOTAL 81,915 19,957 N/A $35,43.38 N/A 6 11 N/A AVG. 27,35 6, $11,81.13 $ Int'l 74 16,98 1, $9,184.7 $ Gillig (29) 91 36,371 9, $9,9.48 $ ,15 9, $1, $ TOTAL 72,476 19,121 N/A $19, N/A 3 9 N/A AVG. 36,238 9, $9,637.8 $ Hybrids (211) ,87 7, $3, $ ,629 7, $7, $ TOTAL 68,716 14,777 N/A $11,124.5 N/A 5 4 N/A AVG. 34,358 7, $5,562.3 $ Gilligs (211) ,429 11, $6, $ ,271 1, $4, $ ,425 11, $3, $ ,711 11, $4,82.28 $ ,651 11, $6, $ ,778 1, $7,163. $ TOTAL 247,265 66,54 N/A $32, N/A N/A AVG. 41,211 11, $5, $ Orions (211) ,54 11, $6, $ ,117 1, $5,348.1 $ ,842 1, $5, $ ,237 1, $5,998. $ ,856 1, $2, $ ,1 3, $3, $ ,7 1, $4, $ TOTAL 251,96 68,688 N/A 12.1 $34, N/A 14 9 N/A AVG. 35,987 9, $4, $ Fleet TOTAL 1,696,61 426,855 N/A 14,139.4 $627, N/A N/A AVG. 31,681 8, $11,66.41 $ Diesel TOTAL 1,393,2 362,146 N/A 11,52.7 $56,62.29 N/A N/A AVG. 33,562 8, $12, $ Hybrid TOTAL 228,766 53,62 N/A 1,99.7 $97,37.6 N/A N/A AVG. 28,596 6, $12, $ Ford Vans TOTAL 74,293 11,647 N/A $23, N/A 1 7 N/A AVG. 18,573 2, $5,83.49 $ Page 2

22 VEHICLE METRICS BY SERIES Fuel Efficiency by Series Fuel Efficiency by Vehicle Series Most vehicles in the TCAT fleet got 3.7 to 4.7 miles to the gallon (MPG) over the course of 212. The main outlier is the 27 International which cruised in at an impressive 8.6 MPG. This vehicle has a smaller, efficient engine and a lighter chassis than the other buses. The second most fuel efficient vehicles are the 26 Ford Vans. They are smaller vehicles with a lighter chassis and are the only gasoline-powered vehicles in the fleet. The hybrid series 211, 26, & 27, and two smaller buses - trolley and the 1991 Orion were in the mid-upper efficiency range. A hybrid diesel/ electric engine increases fuel efficiency from the typical 3.85 mpg of a diesel bus to 4.31 mpg, an improvement of about 12%. Though hybrid diesel/ electric buses run quieter than diesel buses, they cost approximately $1, - $2, more than a non-hybrid diesel bus. The fuel cost savings from hybrids do not cover the increased purchase cost. Unfortunately, the new 211 Orions and Gilligs appear to be less efficient than very similar vehicles only a few years older. Labor Hours per 1, Miles Driven by Series Labor Hours per 1, Miles Driven The 21 Novas and 22 New Flyers require a lot of work to maintain. These vehicles are known for their problems with series 4 engines and fuel injectors. The 26 hybrids also necessitate many labor hours. The hybrids have more (electronic) parts than the diesels and replacing these parts when they fail adds to labor hours. Bus 613 also required an engine replacement in 212. Though the trolley is novel and fuel efficient, it is high on the list of vehicles requiring the most work to maintain. The vehicles that take the least work to maintain are the newest vehicles: the 211 hybrids, Gilligs and Orions. Bus 1115 (an Orion) traveled less than half the distance as the other Orions because it was taken to Centro in Syracuse for training and warranty work. Luckily, the cost of labor spent on the warranty work was covered by Orion. Page 21

23 Parts Cost per 1, Miles Driven by Series $8 $7 $6 $5 $4 $3 Parts Cost per 1, Miles Driven $541 $432 $266 $29 $297 $312 $321 $64 $651 $679 Topping the list of the most expensive vehicles to maintain in terms of parts cost are the 21 Novas, the 26 Hybrids and the 22 New Flyers. As previously mentioned, the Novas and New Flyers are known for engine problems, and many of the vehicles had engine replacements or partial in-frame replacements in 211. $2 $1 $ $132 $136 $162 As compared to other buses of their vintage, the 26 Hybrids have a lot more electronic parts that are expensive to replace. An additional factor is that these buses use the first generation of hybrid bus technology. The vehicles requiring the least cost in parts to maintain were the 211 buses, followed by the 29 Gilligs. The Ford Vans use many basic automotive parts that can be acquired very inexpensively directly from a consumer parts supplier, helping to keep their parts cost down. Road Calls per 1, Miles Driven by Series Road Calls per 1, Miles Driven Vehicles with more road calls tend to be older, like the 21 Novas and 22 New Flyers. These vehicles are known to be quirky for example, if they hit a pothole or curb, they will require a road call to reset the bus leveling mechanism The 26 Hybrids also have a significant number of road calls Again, this series is appears to have.1.4 reoccurring problems, especially with.5 electronic components.. The vehicle series that had the fewest road calls were generally the newest vehicles and the vehicles that drive fewer miles. Since vehicles are serviced preventively based on both the number of miles driven and the length of time since their last service, vehicles that are driven less are often serviced on a shorter mileage interval than their counterparts that are used daily. This may account for their solid maintenance performance. Bus 914 (Orion 1991) does appear to be an exception to the rule it is oldest active bus and had the fewest number of road calls (just 1 on 212). Perhaps 212 was just a good year for old 914 in 211 it had 9 road calls Page 22

24 Rank Total (smaller numbers are better) VEHICLES BY RANK Based on the metrics of fuel efficiency, labor hours per 1, miles driven, parts cost per 1, miles driven, and road calls per 1, miles driven, which are TCAT s best vehicles? Each vehicle series was ranked according to the above metrics. The best vehicle series for that metric (e.g. highest fuel efficiency or least parts cost) was assigned 1 point, while the worst vehicle series was awarded 15 points. The points for each metric were summed to determine the total number of points and the series rank. Age Vehicle Series Fuel Efficiency Labor Hours Parts Cost Ranked by Age Road Calls Total Rank Rank Vehicle Series Fuel Efficiency Labor Hours Parts Cost Ranked by Points 22 Orion ('91) Hybrids ('11) Trolley ('1) Orions ('11) Nova ('1) Ford Vans ('6) New Flyer ('2) Orion ('91) Ford Vans ('6) Gilligs ('11) Gillig ('6) Gillig ('9) Hybrids ('6) Int'l ('7) Int'l ('7) Trolley ('1) Hybrids ('7) Gillig ('6) Gillig ('9) Hybrids ('7) Hybrids ('11) Hybrids ('6) Orions ('11) Nova ('1) Gilligs ('11) New Flyer ('2) Road Calls Total Rank According to this analysis, the 211 Gillig hybrids, 211 Orions and Ford Vans are the best vehicles in TCAT s fleet, followed by the 211 Gilligs and the 1991 Orion. The worst vehicles are the 22 New Flyers and the 21 Novas, followed by the 26 Hybrids. This suggests that TCAT should retire the 22 New Flyers and 21 Novas as soon as they reach retirement age and replacement buses have been procured. Vehicles by Series, Ranked Page 23

25 Total Annual Road Calls Road Calls/ 1, Miles OTHER MAINTENANCE METRICS Road Calls Major & Minor Road Calls, Minor Road Calls Major Road Calls Road Calls/ 1k Rev. Miles The number of road calls per 1, miles driven closely mirrors the absolute number of road calls per year. That is, in years where there are fewer road calls, the rate of road calls is correspondingly lower regardless of the number of miles driven. Surprisingly, this seems to suggest that the total number of road calls in any year is not dependent on the total miles driven. Road calls may be more dependent on other variables, such as the average fleet age or rate of on-time maintenance servicing. 212 had both the lowest number of. road calls since Interestingly, the number of major road calls in 212 was actually the highest since 27. This may be partially due to problems with check engine lights on some of the 211 buses. The DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) system, which increases combustion efficiency, would trigger the check engine light and reduce the buses power output. This in turn requires that the buses to be brought back to the garage. This problem decreased towards the end of 212. Inspections TCAT s vehicles are thoroughly inspected by NYSDOT on a regular basis. The TCAT maintenance team has spent considerable effort over the past six years to bring the 18-month average inspection pass rate above 9%, which they have maintained since March 21. The 18-month pass rate as of December 212 was 92.9%. 1% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% % 18-Month Inspection Pass Rate, Page 24

26 Jan. '11 Feb. '11 March '11 April '11 May '11 June '11 July '11 Aug. '11 Sept. '11 Oct. '11 Nov. '11 Dec. '11 Jan. '12 Feb. '12 March '12 April '12 May '12 June '12 July '12 Aug. '12 Sept. '12 Oct. '12 Nov. '12 Dec. '12 Preventive Maintenance Services Completed % Overdue Preventive Maintenance TCAT preventively services its vehicles every 3, miles or 9 days, whichever is sooner. This is far more aggressive than the typical 6, mile public transit schedule. At the beginning of 211, TCAT maintenance struggled to perform maintenance on time (see red line showing percentage overdue at right). By the end of the year, over 9% of services were performed on time. (The jump in overdue services in November 211 was due to a technical failure of tracking software.) In 212, TCAT Maintenance staff was able to stay ahead of the preventative maintenance services. Only in November 212 did the on-time rate fall below 8%. This was due to some personnel not working the expected number of hours. By December 212, the on-time rate began to improve. Overall, 65 preventative maintenance services were completed in 212, up 11% over 211. Only 3% of scheduled preventative maintenance services were over 3 miles overdue. This is a noteworthy trend and may have helped contribute to the low number of road calls in 212. Services Completed vs. Percent Services Overdue Services % Overdue 6 8% % 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% % Page 25

27 Total Annual Accidents and Incidents Accidents and Incidents per 1, Revenue Miles Accidents & Incidents OTHER METRICS, PROJECTS, & CHALLENGES TCAT had a total of 52 accidents and incidents in 212, a decrease of 19% from 64 in 211 and decrease of 33% from 21. Both the absolute number of accidents and incidents and the number per 1, revenue miles was the second lowest in the past seven years (see table below). This is a very positive trend for TCAT. It is important to note that the vast majority of the accidents that occurred in 212 were very minor such as bus mirrors hitting the mirrors of other vehicles on Ithaca s narrow streets or slight bumps or scrapes on buses being moved around in the TCAT garage. It is difficult to pin down the underlying causes of changes in the number of accidents and incidents. Many of these events occur seemingly randomly as several spontaneous and unforeseen factors align. There is a weak correlation between the number of accidents and the number of revenue miles and revenue hours. Other variables that may affect the number of accidents: the length of experience of TCAT bus drivers, the comprehensiveness of driver safety training, the severity of the winter and the total traffic volumes on the roads. In order to reduce the preventable accidents, those that the driver may have been able to avoid, TCAT offers in-depth, comprehensive training for new drivers which exceeds industry requirements. Accidents & Incidents, Accidents Preventable Unpreventable Undetermined Other Incidents Total YTD Revenue Miles 1,338,147 1,625,862 1,729,78 1,73,767 1,712,994 1,79,489 1,566,47 Accidents & Incidents per 1k Miles Accidents & Incidents, Preventable Unpreventable Undetermined Other Incidents Per 1k Miles Page 26

28 $935,359 $1,271,236 $888,817 $1,166,18 $1,478,617 $1,48,759 Annual Diesel Cost Avg. Cost/ Gallon Fuel Costs Annual Total & Average Diesel Costs, Annual Cost Avg. Cost/Gallon $1,8k $3.6 $3.44 $3.49 $1,6k $1,4k $2.68 $1,2k $2.49 $2.15 $1,k $8k $6k $4k $2k $k gas price spike during Hurricane Katrina. $4. $3.5 $3. $2.5 $2. $1.5 $1. $.5 $. In 212, TCAT used approximately 411,5 gallons of fuel, the majority of which was diesel, at a cost of $1,48,759. TCAT purchased around 2.8% less diesel in 212 than it did in 211. At the beginning of 212, the longdistance extension of the Rt. 52 into Tioga County was discontinued, resulting in fewer revenue miles and less fuel needed. In 212, diesel prices were higher than 211. TCAT paid an average of $3.6 per gallon in 212, an increase of 3% over 211 and 67.5% over 29. The average diesel price in 212 was even higher than 28, year of the first Budget Challenges With rising fuel costs and health insurance premiums, and shrinking federal, state, and local funding, TCAT continues to face an extremely challenging budget environment. TCAT s year-end 212 preliminary projected deficit of $115,3 is substantially less than the $529,7 deficit projected in the 212 Operating Budget assumptions. There are a few reasons that explain this positive development: (1) there was an increase in passenger revenue due to increased ridership over budgeted ridership revenue figures; (2) NY Statewide Mass Transportation Operating Assistance (STOA) was greater than the budgeted amount due to increased ridership; (3) fuel and parts costs came in under budget for 212. These deficits have been managed in the short term by drawing down TCAT s fund balance, which is projected to stand at $1.86 million at the beginning of 213. Of this fund balance, however, around $4, is tied up in parts inventory. Although the budget deficit in 212 was significantly less than in 211, TCAT cannot continue to absorb deficits on an annual basis. Currently, TCAT still receives inadequate funding from all levels to provide what was recognized as an outstanding service by American Public Transit Association in 211. Despite the challenging budget environment in 213 and beyond, TCAT is dedicated to pursuing projects that will continue to improve our service. Currently, TCAT is working hard to find funding sources to implement the IT/ITS study that will provide real-time information to passengers. Other budget priorities are the replacement of buses in the fleet that have surpassed their 12-year useful life and improvement/expansion of TCAT s facility. The increasing ridership levels have placed strains on the current facility. Marketing & Communications Initiatives TCAT s communications and marketing department had yet another fruitful year in promoting service, informing customers and reaching out to the community. Kicking off the 212 winter-spring service, the department designed and launched the 7-plus page TCAT Schedule & Service Guide, which includes bus schedules, system map, and general TCAT information. Following the inaugural edition, the team in 212 twice updated the guide in conjunction with system changes in both summer and fall. Page 27

29 In addition to the ride guide, the team created individual schedules per customer demand, posters, fliers and brochures to educate the public about service changes throughout the year. A team highlight for 212: Jenn Jennings, marketing assistant and graphics artist was honored with a first place AdWheel award by the American Public Transportation Association for her creative design of a poster aimed at attracting Ithaca College students to more frequent late-night bus service. The department issued a total of 46 rider alerts and 25 press releases in 212 and continued its management of the tcatbus.com web site to include uploading schedules for its trip planner. In 212, TCAT s customer service representatives handled, on average, between 15 and 2 calls per day to An on-site tour with New Roots students provide trip planning information, respond to general inquiries, process over-the-phone fare purchases and schedule passengers for the demand-and-response Rt. 41. Outreach in 212 included TCAT s participation in the Ithaca Festival parade, new-student and graduate-student check-in orientation at Cornell University to introduce newcomers to the TCAT system and the Streets Alive event, primarily to teach bicyclists how to use TCAT bicycle racks. The team organized TCAT presentations to: the Cornell Graduate Professional Assembly, Tompkins County Council of Governments and Urban 4-H Program at West Village Apartments. The department facilitated a number of on-site tours throughout the year including those for New Roots School students, Leadership Tompkins, Rotary International, Cornell University doctoral students interested in fuel usage and local transit advocate Penny Boynton and her Caroline students who participated in a summer long ride-the-tcat-bus program. In addition, the department continued its role in organizing and facilitating the TCAT Citizens Advisory Committee s and TCAT Transportation Accessibility Committee s monthly meetings. Both groups provide important feedback to TCAT services in general as well as service to persons with disabilities. To stress TCAT s continuing need for adequate and predictable funding sources, the team assisted with advocacy efforts to inform federal, state and local government leaders about the need to maintain and grow public transit in the Tompkins County community. Teaching kids to use the bike rack at Streets Alive In 212, the department processed 194 half-fare applications for seniors, persons with disabilities and others eligible for half fare and 135 ADA applications for those applying to use Gadabout Transportation Services for paratransit service. The team also updated TCAT s Title VI/Civil Rights program with improved signage and information on the TCAT web site. TCAT s Title VI, half fare and ADA programs were all approved by the FTA following TCAT s 212 triennial review. Page 28

30 In addition to its other duties, the team organized employee events to include the annual employee recognition and the annual employee summer picnic to celebrate the professionalism and dedication of TCAT s bus operators, maintenance team and administrative staff! Human Resources Human Resources hired 9 new employees in 212, including 6 Bus Operators, 1 Bus Handler, 1 Part Time Customer Service Representative, and 1 Service Analyst and Grant Research Assistant. Overall annual retention for 212 was 84.2%. Major initiatives for 212 included an annual Bus Operator training session in May, Lead Mechanic training in September, assisted in the implementation of the I Shine We Shine! program, recruitment to fill vacancies, employee total compensation statement project, redesign of the TCAT Website to have a Career s tab and implementation of a flexible schedule policy for administrative employees. Alice Eccleston, Assistant GM & HR Manager, teaching a diversity class to new employees This yearbook shows in almost every measurable category, 212 was a very good year for TCAT. Ridership and service productivity numbers are trending upward and on-time preventive maintenance and inspection pass rates continue to be high. Accidents and road calls are down, which contributes to the quality of our service and bottom line. And although the economic climate remains challenging, TCAT is no longer faced with the prospect of serious service cuts. In fact, TCAT is actively working to secure funding that will allow us to improve our service and efficiency and hopefully stand out even amongst our new peer group of medium-sized transit systems across the country. 213 and beyond will bring new challenges, but TCAT knows that every successful year builds on the hard work of previous years. Page 29