Update on Dumbarton Express Service
Presented before the Union City City Council
Item 3.b June 11, 2013
Howard Der Interim Contract Service Administrator
AC Transit Service Development
Phone: (510) 891-7208 E-mail: hder@actransit.org
History
• Dumbarton Express (DBX) is a regional
public transit service connecting areas of
Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara
Counties via the Dumbarton Bridge.
• First implemented and operated in 1984 by
AC Transit.
• Service has been operated by either AC
Transit or by private operators under contract.
• As of December 2011, the current operator is
MV Transportation.
Governance &
Administration
• AC Transit administers and governs the
Dumbarton Express.
• Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations
Consortium (DBROC) provides operational
oversight.
• DBROC membership includes AC Transit, Santa
Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA),
BART, SamTrans, and Union City Transit.
Funding
• Previously, service was funded proportionately
by members of DBROC.
• AC Transit funded operating fund shortfall.
• The Dumbarton Rail Policy Action Committee
(PAC) and staff investigated transferring its RM-2
operating funds to an interim bus service.
• Staff from DBROC and Dumbarton Rail
developed an interim bus service plan to build
ridership and compliment the transition to rail
service.
Funding
(continued)
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
approved transfer of Dumbarton Rail RM-2
operating funds to DBX operations.
• MTC allocated $2.2 million in RM-2 funds to
operate the DBX for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.
• RM-2 funding removed need for DBROC
members to fund DBX operations; DBROC
retains operational oversight.
• Dumbarton Rail PAC will petition MTC to
reassign RM-2 funds when rail operations
begins.
Operations
• DBX operates as a hybrid local and
express (Transbay) service weekdays
only.
• In the East Bay, local service is offered
along the entire route between the Union
City BART station and the Ardenwood
Park & Ride Lot.
• On the Peninsula, local service is provided
west of the Dumbarton Bridge.
Route Structure
Route DB
• Continuous service from 5:22 AM to 8:51 PM.
• Operates between Union City BART and the Stanford
Oval via the Dumbarton Bridge.
• Peak frequency is approximately every 30 minutes,
and off-peak frequency is approximately every 45
minutes.
• Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook,
Menlo Park VA Hospital, Downtown Palo Alto, and
Palo Alto Caltrain Station.
• 23 eastbound and 23 westbound trips are operated.
Route DB1
• Peak period service from 5:26 AM to 9:45 AM in the
morning and from 1:35 PM to 8:43 PM in the
afternoon.
• Operates between Union City BART and the Palo
Alto Industrial Park area via the Dumbarton Bridge.
• Peak frequency is approximately every 20 minutes.
• Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook, and
Palo Alto VA Hospital.
• 23 eastbound and 22 westbound trips are operated.
Bus Fleet
• 16 Gillig Phantom high floor transit
buses: 10 ex-AC Transit, 2 ex-
SamTrans, and 4 (leased) ex-LA DOT.
• Suburban commuter layout with high-
back seating and WiFi connectivity.
• Based and maintained at the Union City
Corporation Yard.
Bus Fleet
(continued)
Statistics
• Fiscal Year 2012-2013 ridership was
259,587.
• Ridership almost evenly split between
Route DB and DB1.
• Combined average daily ridership is
almost 1,200.
Statistics
(continued)
Dumbarton Express Monthly Ridership
December 2012-April 2013
18,768 19,842 19,807
21,760
20,489 21,114 20,467
24,013
26,483
22,299
28,646
23,407
19,025
24,771 24,465
26,966 27,360
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
22,000
24,000
26,000
28,000
30,000
32,000
Dec2011
Jan2012
Feb2012
Mar2012
Apr2012
May2012
Jun2012
Jul2012
Aug2012
Sep2012
Oct2012
Nov2012
Dec2012
Jan2013
Feb2013
Mar2013
Apr2013
TotalMonthlyRidership
Monthly Ridership
Service
Enhancements
• Route DB1 frequency increased from every 30
minutes to every 20 minutes in July 2012.
• 11 trips added to Route DB and 32 trips added to
Route DB1 in July 2012.
• Route DB extended to operate to Stanford Oval
with stop near the Stanford Hospital in December
2012.
• Ridership increased from a daily average of 975
passengers to almost 1,200 passengers.
Marketing
Initiatives
• Re-branded buses with side and rear
decals added.
• Dedicated website launch
(www.dumbartonexpress.com).
• Digital billboards near the Dumbarton
Bridge toll plaza.
• Commute fairs at employment sites.
Re-branded Buses
New Website
Digital Billboards
Acknowledgements
• Robert (Bob) Saunders, Operations Manager,
MV Transportation
• David Smith, Vice President Operations, MV
Transportation
• Karen Lynch, Marketing Administrator, AC
Transit
• Tony Divito, former Senior Transportation
Planner, AC Transit

2013_06_11 Union City DB Presentation Revision 04-For Distribution

  • 1.
    Update on DumbartonExpress Service Presented before the Union City City Council Item 3.b June 11, 2013 Howard Der Interim Contract Service Administrator AC Transit Service Development Phone: (510) 891-7208 E-mail: [email protected]
  • 2.
    History • Dumbarton Express(DBX) is a regional public transit service connecting areas of Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties via the Dumbarton Bridge. • First implemented and operated in 1984 by AC Transit. • Service has been operated by either AC Transit or by private operators under contract. • As of December 2011, the current operator is MV Transportation.
  • 3.
    Governance & Administration • ACTransit administers and governs the Dumbarton Express. • Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations Consortium (DBROC) provides operational oversight. • DBROC membership includes AC Transit, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), BART, SamTrans, and Union City Transit.
  • 4.
    Funding • Previously, servicewas funded proportionately by members of DBROC. • AC Transit funded operating fund shortfall. • The Dumbarton Rail Policy Action Committee (PAC) and staff investigated transferring its RM-2 operating funds to an interim bus service. • Staff from DBROC and Dumbarton Rail developed an interim bus service plan to build ridership and compliment the transition to rail service.
  • 5.
    Funding (continued) • Metropolitan TransportationCommission (MTC) approved transfer of Dumbarton Rail RM-2 operating funds to DBX operations. • MTC allocated $2.2 million in RM-2 funds to operate the DBX for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. • RM-2 funding removed need for DBROC members to fund DBX operations; DBROC retains operational oversight. • Dumbarton Rail PAC will petition MTC to reassign RM-2 funds when rail operations begins.
  • 6.
    Operations • DBX operatesas a hybrid local and express (Transbay) service weekdays only. • In the East Bay, local service is offered along the entire route between the Union City BART station and the Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot. • On the Peninsula, local service is provided west of the Dumbarton Bridge.
  • 7.
  • 8.
    Route DB • Continuousservice from 5:22 AM to 8:51 PM. • Operates between Union City BART and the Stanford Oval via the Dumbarton Bridge. • Peak frequency is approximately every 30 minutes, and off-peak frequency is approximately every 45 minutes. • Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook, Menlo Park VA Hospital, Downtown Palo Alto, and Palo Alto Caltrain Station. • 23 eastbound and 23 westbound trips are operated.
  • 9.
    Route DB1 • Peakperiod service from 5:26 AM to 9:45 AM in the morning and from 1:35 PM to 8:43 PM in the afternoon. • Operates between Union City BART and the Palo Alto Industrial Park area via the Dumbarton Bridge. • Peak frequency is approximately every 20 minutes. • Serves Ardenwood Park & Ride Lot, Facebook, and Palo Alto VA Hospital. • 23 eastbound and 22 westbound trips are operated.
  • 10.
    Bus Fleet • 16Gillig Phantom high floor transit buses: 10 ex-AC Transit, 2 ex- SamTrans, and 4 (leased) ex-LA DOT. • Suburban commuter layout with high- back seating and WiFi connectivity. • Based and maintained at the Union City Corporation Yard.
  • 11.
  • 12.
    Statistics • Fiscal Year2012-2013 ridership was 259,587. • Ridership almost evenly split between Route DB and DB1. • Combined average daily ridership is almost 1,200.
  • 13.
    Statistics (continued) Dumbarton Express MonthlyRidership December 2012-April 2013 18,768 19,842 19,807 21,760 20,489 21,114 20,467 24,013 26,483 22,299 28,646 23,407 19,025 24,771 24,465 26,966 27,360 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000 22,000 24,000 26,000 28,000 30,000 32,000 Dec2011 Jan2012 Feb2012 Mar2012 Apr2012 May2012 Jun2012 Jul2012 Aug2012 Sep2012 Oct2012 Nov2012 Dec2012 Jan2013 Feb2013 Mar2013 Apr2013 TotalMonthlyRidership Monthly Ridership
  • 14.
    Service Enhancements • Route DB1frequency increased from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes in July 2012. • 11 trips added to Route DB and 32 trips added to Route DB1 in July 2012. • Route DB extended to operate to Stanford Oval with stop near the Stanford Hospital in December 2012. • Ridership increased from a daily average of 975 passengers to almost 1,200 passengers.
  • 15.
    Marketing Initiatives • Re-branded buseswith side and rear decals added. • Dedicated website launch (www.dumbartonexpress.com). • Digital billboards near the Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza. • Commute fairs at employment sites.
  • 16.
  • 17.
  • 18.
  • 19.
    Acknowledgements • Robert (Bob)Saunders, Operations Manager, MV Transportation • David Smith, Vice President Operations, MV Transportation • Karen Lynch, Marketing Administrator, AC Transit • Tony Divito, former Senior Transportation Planner, AC Transit