CityBus Temporary Transit Service
Modification To Address Staffing
Shortage
Santa Rosa City Council
January 25, 2022
Background
Current Issue:
• In August 2021 CityBus service increased to 85% of pre-pandemic level • Subsequently Bus Operator recruitment has not kept pace with attrition, resulting in net reduction in available drivers • Carrying 15 vacancies; currently have just 74% of budgeted positions filled • Currently maintaining service with unsustainable level of overtime • Highly precarious situation in light of ongoing pandemic impacts • Service reliability in danger—notice given to the public during holiday period
2 Staff Evaluation of Needs and Options
• Goals:
1) Reduce scheduled service by 2 weekly driver rosters to ensure all scheduled service can be covered
2) Minimize impacts on riders by preserving span of service and avoiding reductions on routes that are already operating at lower service levels
• Multiple scheduling options evaluated, with modest reduction of Route 1 (Mendocino Avenue) weekday frequency identified as least detrimental to transit access
• Weekday frequency would be reduced from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes
• However, frequency would increase on Route 1 on Sundays 3 Route 1—Mendocino Avenue
• Travels between Transit Mall and
Coddingtown Transit Hub via Mendocino
Avenue, Bicentennial Way, and Range
Avenue
• Serves Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa
High School, County Center, and Kaiser
Medical Center
• Highest frequency in CityBus system, along
with Route 2/2B (Sebastopol Road)
• Defined as one of Santa Rosa’s “high
frequency transit corridors”
4 Proposed Temporary Service Reduction
5 Route Weekday Saturday Sunday Route Weekday Saturday Sunday Route 1 57 30 11 Route 1 41 29 20
Route 2 29 ~ ~ Route 2 29 ~ ~
Route 2B 28 27 10 Route 2B 28 27 10
Route 3 14 14 7 Route 3 14 14 7
Route 4 14 14 7 Route 4 14 14 7
Route 4B 14 ~ ~ Route 4B 14 ~ ~
Route 5 14 14 7 Route 5 15 14 7
Route 6 28 11 7 Route 6 29 11 7
Route 8 27 14 7 Route 8 27 14 7
Route 9 15 14 7 Route 9 15 14 7
Route 10 14 10 7 Route 10 14 10 7
Route 12 26 14 7 Route 12 28 14 7
Route 15 14 8 7 Route 15 14 8 7
Route 18 7 7 7 Route 18 7 7 7
Total 301 177 91 Total 289 176 100
Current Service Proposed Service
Comparison of
Number of
Trips/Day—
Current and
Proposed Service
Public and stakeholder outreach conducted*
• Rider survey
• Social media engagement
• Notices onboard buses and in facilities
• In person (outdoor) engagement with riders at Transit Mall, Coddingtown, and SRJC
• Outreach to stakeholders including SRJC and SRCS
• Internal outreach to City colleagues
• Discussion and coordination with SEIU leadership
6 * All public outreach activities conducted in English and Spanish Temporary Service Reduction
Public Feedback on Proposed Change:
TO BE UPDATED WHEN OUTREACH IS COMPLETE
7 Staff Proposal
• Staff recommend implementation of service change as soon as possible, likely in March 2022
• Outreach to riders will occur in advance of the change to minimize disruptions to travel
• 15-minute service will be restored to Route 1 as soon as staffing levels increase and stabilize (Target: Summer 2022)
• Transit Division working with Human Resources to expand and diversify marketing/outreach efforts related to Bus Operator recruitment
8 Recommendation
• It is recommended by the Transportation and Public
Works Department that the Council, by resolution,
approve a temporary minor reduction of weekday
frequency on Santa Rosa CityBus Route 1 to ensure
service reliability during the current staffing shortage. • Questions?
9