Transit Agencies Receive TOD Grants

Two Ohio public transit agencies are being awarded grants through a Federal Transit Administration program for new services or to restore services suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency said it is awarding $25 million in grants made available by the American Rescue Plan Act.

In Ohio, the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority will receive $210,000 to study and develop an operations plan for new service with bus stop planning, coordination of core service in corridors to facilitate safer transfers between routes.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (GoMetro) will receive $780,100 to plan for and develop new Bus Rapid Transit corridors, which will improve service and reliability, in particular for low-income riders and those living in disadvantaged communities.

Three Pennsylvania public transit agencies also will receive funding.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County will receive $780,100 to perform a bus network study which will evaluate the existing network to determine how to most effectively restore service for low-income and other disadvantaged populations as well as account for new trends in mobility following COVID-19.

The Centre Area Transportation Authority based in State College will receive $205,000 to conduct a study on current operations of existing services and make recommended changes that will increase ridership and overall transit experience for its riders.

The study is intended to determine how CATA can fully integrate its transportation services in order to provide enhanced mobility to seniors, low-income, and working families through efficiencies and enhanced routing.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia, will receive $500,000 to identify, study, and develop transportation improvements for the North Philadelphia West neighborhood between 18th and 33rd Street, and Lehigh and Girard Avenue, an area of roughly two square miles. This area is served by nine bus routes, with service concentrated on seven primary transit corridors.

In Louisville, Kentucky, the Transit Authority of River City will receive $780,100 to conduct a system wide analysis of its post-pandemic transit needs and to identify how resources can be better allocated to serve its riders, especially low income and disadvantaged communities. In Flint, Michigan, the Mass Transportation Authority will receive $260,000 to conduct a route planning restoration study of its 14 fixed, primary routes with the goal of increasing ridership, improving service delivery, and better understanding the changing needs in the post COVID-19 community.

2 Ohio Transit Agencies Receive FTA Grants

Two Ohio public transit agencies are among 35 agencies receiving a share of $2.2 billion being awarded by the Federal Transit Administration through the American Rescue Plan.

The agency said in a news release that the funding will help public transportation agencies pay for day-to-day operations.

The agencies received the funding after demonstrating a need for additional financial support to cover expenses related to day-to-day operations, cleaning and sanitization, combating the spread of pathogens on transit systems, and retaining employees, FTA officials said.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Metro) in Cincinnati will receive $62.3 million to offset an operating deficit and decreased fare and other revenues during the pandemic.

The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority will receive $13,833,483.

Transit agencies in nearby states receiving funding include Indianapolis Public Transportation Company, $51,029,180; Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (Pennsylvania), $12,544,967; and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia),  $96,017,640.

Cincinnati Votes OK Tax Hike to Benefit Transit

Voters in Cincinnati recently approved a tax increase that will benefit Cincinnati Metro, the first such tax increase for public transit in the Queen City since 1972.

Hamilton county voters approved a 0.8 percent sale tax increase 67,698 to 66,718.

Voters had turned down levies to raise sales taxes to improve city bus service in 1971, 1979, 1980 and 2002.

About $100 million of the tax hike will be devoted to the bus system and $30 million a year applied to road and bridge projects.

Cincinnati Metro has said it will create new bus routes, provide longer and more frequent service on existing routes, add more crosstown service, and increase weekend service.

In the long term Metro wants to create Bus Rapid Transit routes in which at least a portion of a road is decided to use by buses.

The levy passage will result in Cincinnati’s 0.3 percent earnings tax that currently supports the bus system being removed so the increased sales tax could end up being a tax cut for some.

Metro board chair Kreg Keesee said the agency, which is part of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, won’t start collecting increased revenue until January.

Keesee said it will take a couple of years to implement all of the proposed changes.

Public transportation ridership in Cincinnati has fallen 75 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic with much of that loss attributed to the closing of schools.

Transit Agencies Seek More Emergency Aid

Leaders of public transit agencies in Cleveland and Cincinnati have joined their peers at 13 other agencies in asking Congress for additional emergency aid for public transportation.

India Birdsong, the general manager of Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority, and Darryl Haley, general manager of Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority signed the letter along with head of agencies in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Newark, Oakland (California), Washington, Miami, Atlanta, and San Carlos (California.).

The letter did not specify a dollar amount but in a news release the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York said its estimates show transit agencies in the United States need $32 billion to enable them to get through the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.

The Rail Passengers Association said on Friday the American Public Transportation Association wrote a similar letter seeking $23.8 billion in emergency assistance.

That funding would be divided into $19 billion provided through the Emergency Relief Program, which would be distributed proportionally to all public transit agencies with a demonstrated need; and $4.75 billion provided through Urbanized Area Formula Grants, Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Formula Grants; and Rural Area Formula Grants.

There would be no required local of state match of the funding.

The letter from the transit agencies said they need the aid to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and would supplement the $25 billion in emergency aid Congress approved for public transportation in March.

The letter said since that aide was approved, “a fuller picture has emerged of  . . . losses from dedicated transportation revenue streams, such as farebox, sales taxes, motor fuel taxes, tolls, mortgage-related taxes and other user fees.”

The letter said the usual funding sources for public transportation have taken “a massive hit.”

The transit heads said their systems will not be able to support the regions they serve without replenishing those losses.

“Our regions cannot recover without public transportation, and the nation cannot recover without resurgent economies in our regions,” the letter said.

Cincinnati Streetcar to Mark 2nd Anniversary

The second anniversary of the Cincinnati Bell Connector street car will be observed on Sept. 9.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority said that through mid-August the 3.6-mile streetcar system had provided 1,221,606 trips since it began service.

“We’ve seen an increase in ridership during the weekday peak periods as service reliability and on-time performance has improved,” said SORTA spokeswoman Brandy Jones. “Weekends and special events continue to yield high ridership as well.”

The system, which is operated by Transdev, charges $1 for a two-hour pass and $2 for an all day pass.

Cincinnati Streetcar Needs Ways to Boost Ridership, Revenue

The Cincinnati streetcar system is in trouble.

Since opening in September 2016, the Cincinnati Bell Connector has been plagued with disappointing ridership, slow service and ticket machine problems.

Ridership in January 2018 was half of what it was in January 2017.

The Cincinnati Enquirer noted that Kansas City, Missouri, opened a streetcar system at about the same time that is similar in structure as the Cincinnati Bell Connector, but has been far more successful.

Whereas the Cincinnati Bell Connector carried 578,641 passengers in 2017, Kansas City had 2,060,425 passengers.

The Enquirer said that although the streetcar has spurred economic development, there’s been no official measure of how much growth it has stimulated in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood or in downtown Cincinnati.

The streetcars themselves have experienced failures with their air compressors, heating, braking, propulsion and power and may need to be rebuilt.

There have been so many problems with the CAF-USA cars that the City of Cincinnati has stopped paying CAF to make repairs.

The Kansas City streetcars were also built by CAF but have had far fewer problems.

Transdev, the operator of the Cincinnati Bell Connector, has had problems staffing the system and its streetcar contract was bid at $3.3 million, which is less than what it’s costing Transdev to operate the system.

Advertising, naming rights and fare revenues have all been below estimates, causing the streetcar to operate at a deficit.

Advertising revenue has been nearly $150,000 short of projections and fare revenue has come up $28,107 short.

The task of reversing the fortunes of the Cincinnati Bell Connector has been given to Cincinnati Councilman Greg Landsman, who has issued a five-point plan to bolster ridership and improve finances and management of the system.

Landsman has proposed that the city hire a new director to provide cohesive leadership, create a nonprofit agency to oversee the project, complete a traffic study, develop a marketing campaign, and resolve issues that continue to block streetcars from moving.

Landsman’s ideas will be reviewed as council goes through the 2019 budget process that must be complete by June 30.

The streetcar was originally designed to link downtown Cincinnati and the University of Cincinnati. But controversy over its development led to it terminating in Over-the-Rhine. As operated today, it runs on a 3.6-mile loop.

An Enquirer story about the performance of the Cincinnati Bell Connector to date noted that another issue facing the system is that it has three bosses.

Issues facing the streetcar network might be resolved by the city, the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority or Transdev.

In speaking to the council recently, Landsman, who was elected last November, said his approach is the result of having fresh eyes.

“A lot of people are understandably exhausted, having been working on this for years. We like solving problems and this particular issue has plenty of problems to solve, he said.

The idea of creating a non-profit agency to run the Cincinnati Bell Connector is being borrowed from Kansas City, where a nonprofit agency that runs the streetcar has a board of directors of 12 people, all of whom live or work along the streetcar route.

The Enquirer said having such a board to oversee the streetcar would provide needed leadership, noting that Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley isn’t a fan of the streetcar and unsuccessfully sought to halt its development in 2013.

“The project needs a leader,” said John Schneider, an activist who backed the streetcar’s development. “It needs somebody at city hall who can design the streetcar for success.”

One way that Kansas City has stimulated ridership of its streetcar line is offering free rides.

Balky ticket machines have hindered ridership on the Cincinnati Bell Connector although the bugs with the machine have been fixed.

Many of the mechanical problems that have plagued the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcars arose last January during harsh winter weather.

The car air compressors experienced problems that meant the cars could not run reliably in the cold and for four days during a particular cold snap no cars ran at all.

Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black has said the mechanical problems are fleet wide and the long-term solution is to redesign certain systems on the cars.

“CAF built these vehicles and must fix them, and we are fully engaging them including through the City Solicitor’s office,” Black said.

Staff turnover at operator Transdev has exacerbated the problems of the Cincinnati streetcar, which is now on its fifth Cincinnati general manager and fifth maintenance manager.

The turnover in top management has been due to such issues as retirements, health issues and firings.

Last December all four maintenance workers were on leave, although the company says they are all back on the job and the workforce has been stabilized.

A consultant’s report estimated it would cost $3.3 million a year to run the streetcar, including having wait times of 10 minutes between trains at peak-use times.

But that project turned out to be in error and more cars have had to be run in order to meet that 10-minute target, which has driven up costs.

“Every streetcar project has a unique set of startup challenges and the Cincinnati Bell Connector is no different,” said Bernie McCall, chief operating officer Transdev’s rail division. “Transdev will continue to deploy the needed resources and work with our partners at the city, SORTA and CAF to ensure the Connector runs effectively and safely.”

SORTA Delays Tax Hike Proposal to 2018

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority has delayed until next year a ballot measure proposing a sales tax that would help fund an expansion of public transportation in Greater Cincinnati.

The delay was has been attributed to the desire of Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley to enhance his re-election prospects this year.

All Board Ohio said Cranley is facing a tough opponent and asked his appointees to the SORTA board of directors to delay the tax increase question in the belief that not having it on the ballot in November will result in a smaller voter turnout at the polls.

AAO, a rail passenger advocacy group that also supports public transportation of various forms, said that the upside to the delay is that SORTA will have more time to mount a better levy campaign.

Cincinnati Metro, which is overseen by SORTA, is facing a funding gap of more than $20 million over the next five years.

Cranley has said his city could cover the 2018 shortfall. About half of Metro bus operations are funded by a 0.3 percent city of Cincinnati’s earnings tax.

Fares account for the next largest source of revenue for Metro.

A consulting firm has reviewed three funding for SORTA’s board to submit to voters:

• A half-cent increase that wouldn’t raise enough money to close the funding gap but would raise enough money to increase service.
• A three-quarter cent increase that would close the budget gap and increase levels of service by 22 percent.
• A 1-cent increase that would close the budget gap and increase service by 55 percent.

Metro has said that under its current funding it can’t offer transit service to reach the growing number of jobs that are outside the city of Cincinnati.

One in five adults in Cincinnati doesn’t have a car and many others share cars with other adults.

Just  4 percent of the Cincinnati region’s jobs are accessible within an hour’s transit commute.

Cincinnati Metro May Seek 1% Sales Tax

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority is considering seeking a sales tax to help fund its operations, known as Cincinnati Metro.

The transit system is currently funded in part by a 0.3 percent earning tax on jobs in Cincinnati. But as many jobs in the city have vanished or moved to the surrounding region, the level of funding provided by the jobs tax has fallen to the point where SORTA is unable to replace aging buses and maintain its existing network.

Cincinnati Metro serves area beyond the city limits, but receives no tax support from those areas.

Cincinnati Metro also would like to expand service to areas where there is job growth, noting that one out of five adults in Cincinnati doesn’t have a car. Just 4 percent of the region’s jobs are accessible within a 1-hour transit commute.

SORTA plans at its June 20 meeting to consider placing on the November ballot a 1 percent sales tax proposal in Hamilton County.

The agency said revenue earned from the tax would be used to buy more efficient buses that use cleaner  fuels or even electricity and expand its network with dozens of new countywide routes.

Rail service is not expected to part of the expanded plan in the short or medium term, but could be discussed once the agency has stabilized its financial situation.

Cincy Streetcar Carried 330,737 Since Opening

The Cincinnati streetcar line carried 330,737 passengers during its first four months of service.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority said the 3.6 mile Cincinnati Bell Connector had ridership of 52,209 in December.

The line opened on Sept. 9 and is owned and funded by the City of Cincinnati. SORTA manages the system while contractor Transdev operates it.

Cincy Streetcar Weekend Service Boosted

Prompted by higher than expected ridership, the operator of the Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar has increased weekend service.

Transdev said weekend ridership has been 300 percent to 500 percent higher than projected by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority.

The increase in service was also in response to threats by city officials to take Transdev to court if it didn’t boost service. The city would argue that the operator wasn’t meeting its contractual obligations.

The city’s contract with Transdev mandates that passengers shouldn’t wait more than 15 minutes for a streetcar to arrive at a stop.