RIPON – The Ripon City Council paved the way for a fixed bus route schedule in the not-so-distant future by unanimously approving the short-range transit plan on Tuesday.
Part of the plan calls for the purchase of a 35-foot trolley bus – City Engineer Kevin Werner indicated that the Classic Presidio model, funded via Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program grant, could take about 12 months to arrive once the order is placed – and possibly a second bus by 2014 based on transit needs.
“The trolley configuration sounds a bit much but it is a bus,” said Councilman Chuck Winn, who noted that the buses could be useful for special events at Mistlin Sports Park. Included are the annual Almond Blossom and Balloon festivals.
The 2010-2020 report was made possible by LSC Consultants. The firm was retained by the City in July 2008 for the purpose of evaluating the needs of a transit service in Ripon while determining the most appropriate strategies in meeting those needs over a 10-year period.
Ripon currently has a limited Dial-A-Ride service consisting of a city-owned van and volunteer drivers from Bethany Homes, accommodating those with medical appointments (Kaiser Hospital) or shopping needs (Vintage Faire Mall) in Modesto. The cost for a scheduled trip is $15.
“We’ll continue to use the van (with the wheelchair lifts for the disabled),” said Werner, who added that Dial-A-Ride was part of the recommendation in the LSC report.
He estimates the start-up cost at $750,000, with plans of using operating and capital funding sources – considered stable, dependable and generally much easier to obtain – rather than federal, state and local revenues.
The latter was considered difficult, particularly in these tough economic times, according to the report.
In order to gain information, LSC Consultants studied the demographics, transit needs, and opinions regarding transit. A survey was mailed to 4,200 Ripon homes with 720 or nearly 20 percent responding in December 2009.
Those in need of public transit included two target groups, seniors and commuters.
“Understanding the projected ridership of each of these target groups allows the transit provider to better evaluate service alternatives,” according to the short-range transit plan.
“Because of the size of Ripon and it being a start-up service, the transit demand analysis considered only public transit demand, which doesn’t include the various target groups.”
While no service can efficiently serve 100 percent of the potential demands, LSC Consultants, as part of the 10-year financial plan, have estimated the percentage of riders would be reasonable to serve.
For starters, Werner said that the fixed service routes could operate twice a week, possibly Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the passenger fare – the suggested $1.50 per trip for each rider is still pending – to help defray a portion of the cost.
Measure K, CMAQ and other sources were listed among the funding opportunities for the start-up service.
Classified as part of the Modesto Urbanized Area, Ripon could also be eligible for Federal Transit Administration funding through the City of Modesto.
Winn was against Ripon using the state Local Transportation Fund for road maintenance for the start-up plan.
“If we dip into the LTC we can’t fix our streets,” he said.
Based on the current transit demand, LSC Consultants came up with a fixed route that starts from Bethany Home Convalescent Hospital / Bethany Manor Apartments / Senior Center, to the Save mart Shopping Center. From there, the bus would travel south on Highway 99 to Salida, taking the Kiernan Avenue off ramp, heading east to Dale Road en route to Kaiser Hospital.
The final stop would be the Vintage Faire Mall.
“The route could be adjusted over time based on transit demands,” Werner said.
Future plans call for installing covered benches at various locations in Ripon equipped with informational kiosks, dispatching equipment, and a bus maintenance facility.
The full report of the City or Ripon Short Range Transit Plan 2010-2020 is available at www.cityofripon.org. Click on to Engineering Department Activities from the home page.
Part of the plan calls for the purchase of a 35-foot trolley bus – City Engineer Kevin Werner indicated that the Classic Presidio model, funded via Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program grant, could take about 12 months to arrive once the order is placed – and possibly a second bus by 2014 based on transit needs.
“The trolley configuration sounds a bit much but it is a bus,” said Councilman Chuck Winn, who noted that the buses could be useful for special events at Mistlin Sports Park. Included are the annual Almond Blossom and Balloon festivals.
The 2010-2020 report was made possible by LSC Consultants. The firm was retained by the City in July 2008 for the purpose of evaluating the needs of a transit service in Ripon while determining the most appropriate strategies in meeting those needs over a 10-year period.
Ripon currently has a limited Dial-A-Ride service consisting of a city-owned van and volunteer drivers from Bethany Homes, accommodating those with medical appointments (Kaiser Hospital) or shopping needs (Vintage Faire Mall) in Modesto. The cost for a scheduled trip is $15.
“We’ll continue to use the van (with the wheelchair lifts for the disabled),” said Werner, who added that Dial-A-Ride was part of the recommendation in the LSC report.
He estimates the start-up cost at $750,000, with plans of using operating and capital funding sources – considered stable, dependable and generally much easier to obtain – rather than federal, state and local revenues.
The latter was considered difficult, particularly in these tough economic times, according to the report.
In order to gain information, LSC Consultants studied the demographics, transit needs, and opinions regarding transit. A survey was mailed to 4,200 Ripon homes with 720 or nearly 20 percent responding in December 2009.
Those in need of public transit included two target groups, seniors and commuters.
“Understanding the projected ridership of each of these target groups allows the transit provider to better evaluate service alternatives,” according to the short-range transit plan.
“Because of the size of Ripon and it being a start-up service, the transit demand analysis considered only public transit demand, which doesn’t include the various target groups.”
While no service can efficiently serve 100 percent of the potential demands, LSC Consultants, as part of the 10-year financial plan, have estimated the percentage of riders would be reasonable to serve.
For starters, Werner said that the fixed service routes could operate twice a week, possibly Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the passenger fare – the suggested $1.50 per trip for each rider is still pending – to help defray a portion of the cost.
Measure K, CMAQ and other sources were listed among the funding opportunities for the start-up service.
Classified as part of the Modesto Urbanized Area, Ripon could also be eligible for Federal Transit Administration funding through the City of Modesto.
Winn was against Ripon using the state Local Transportation Fund for road maintenance for the start-up plan.
“If we dip into the LTC we can’t fix our streets,” he said.
Based on the current transit demand, LSC Consultants came up with a fixed route that starts from Bethany Home Convalescent Hospital / Bethany Manor Apartments / Senior Center, to the Save mart Shopping Center. From there, the bus would travel south on Highway 99 to Salida, taking the Kiernan Avenue off ramp, heading east to Dale Road en route to Kaiser Hospital.
The final stop would be the Vintage Faire Mall.
“The route could be adjusted over time based on transit demands,” Werner said.
Future plans call for installing covered benches at various locations in Ripon equipped with informational kiosks, dispatching equipment, and a bus maintenance facility.
The full report of the City or Ripon Short Range Transit Plan 2010-2020 is available at www.cityofripon.org. Click on to Engineering Department Activities from the home page.
