Meeting Type: BCC Work Session
Meeting Date: 5/14/2019
Item Status: New
From: Joey Nunnally, P.E., County Engineer
Submitted by: Matthew Brown, BRATS Director of Transportation
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ITEM TITLE
Title
Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS) Seasonal Summer Routes
Body
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Discuss the Baldwin Regional Area Transit System Seasonal Summer Routes.
End
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Previous Commission action/date: N/A
Background:
In the summer of 2018, the Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS) offered five (5) special seasonal summer routes. Two of these routes were in coordination with Regal (a staffing agency), one route was in coordination with McDonalds in Gulf Shores, and one route was in coordination with Burger King in Gulf Shores. These entities utilize international student workers with J-1 Visas to meet their employment demands during the tourist season and are required to make sure the students get transported to their individual work places.
Due to the nature of summer hospitality work, BRATS provided additional routes with special early morning and late-night hours. BRATS’s cost to run the summer routes last year was approximately $201,655. BRATS’ revenue from those routes was approximately $38,400. This resulted in a net operating cost (after deduction of fares) of approximately $163,255.
BRATS also provided special seasonal summer routes in 2018 to workers out of Mobile through the Youth Excelling for Success (YES) program. These routes moved students from Mobile County to places of work at Baldwin County beaches. Initially, BRATS was assured a large number of riders, but those numbers did not ultimately come to fruition.
The YES program routes cost BRATS approximately $63,783. BRATS generated fare revenue in the amount of $33,740 from the program. This resulted in a net operating cost of approximately $30,043.
The combined net operating cost for all special seasonal summer routes was approximately $193,298. While at least 50% of this cost was reimbursed through Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants, the Commission was ultimately left with a substantial portion of the remaining costs.
Regal, Burger King, and the Yes Program managers have reached out to BRATS for assistance again for Summer 2019. BRATS has communicated to these entities that it will not be providing specialized summer routes for the 2019 season, but will do its best to leverage already existing routes (Beach Linc and Central Transfer Orange Beach/Gulf Shores) to meet as many of their transportation needs as possible.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Total cost of recommendation: N/A
Budget line item(s) to be used: N/A
If this is not a budgeted expenditure, does the recommendation create a need for funding? N/A
LEGAL IMPACT
Is legal review necessary for this staff recommendation and related documents?
No
Reviewed/approved by: N/A
Additional comments: N/A
ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS
Is advertising required for this recommendation? N/A
If the proof of publication affidavit is not attached, list the reason: N/A
FOLLOW UP IMPLEMENTATION
For time-sensitive follow up, select deadline date for follow up: No
Individual(s) responsible for follow up: N/A
Action required (list contact persons/addresses if documents are to be mailed or emailed): N/A
Additional instructions/notes: N/A