Agenda Item #14.3
For Council Meeting of: January 7, 2025
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RACHEL EDE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR - TRANSIT
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS
SUBJECT: AGREEMENT WITH REMIX TECHNOLOGIES LLC FOR TRANSIT SCHEDULING AND PLANNING SOFTWARE AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department that the Council, by resolution, approve a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Remix Technologies LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, for five base years with two one-year extension options, for transit scheduling and planning software in an amount not to exceed $303,867.00.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Transportation and Public Works Department seeks approval to enter into an agreement with Remix Technologies LLC (Remix) for transit planning and scheduling software over a five-year base period with two one-year extension options for an amount not to exceed $303,867. The new software will improve the efficiency of the transit planning and scheduling process resulting in better transit service for the public.
BACKGROUND
Transit Division staff uses scheduling software to build transit schedules, assign vehicles, and create bus operator rosters for CityBus service. The Transit Division creates new schedules at least twice a year. Due to variable vehicle and staff availability, plus ever-changing traffic patterns, staff have needed to create new schedules more often since the COVID-19 pandemic. Transit staff continue to work to restore service reduced during the pandemic. Planning and scheduling software help create more accurate projections of the service levels that the Transit Division can implement and sustain at a given time. Planning software also gives in-depth analytics on how different service changes affect various demographics and travel times within the system. These data points ensure that changes to the system do not inadvertently affect any one segment of the community disproportionately.
The Transit Division has used The Master Scheduler (TMS) for scheduling for the past fifteen years and Remix for planning for the past twelve years. While TMS has worked well overall, the process to create a schedule is time intensive and makes it difficult for a scheduler to determine the most efficient schedule for a specific level of service. Given the lengthy time the Transit Division has been using both vendors and the pending conclusion of the current contracts with The Master Scheduler and Remix, the Transit Division chose to conduct a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for scheduling software.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable.
ANALYSIS
Prior to selecting Remix as a vendor for these services, City staff conducted a joint request for proposals (RFP) for scheduling software with Petaluma Transit. The City posted the RFP to PlanetBids and sent it directly to known parties that provide the services requested in the RFP. The Transit Divisions received three bids. A scoring panel composed of CityBus and Petaluma Transit staff evaluated the three bids. Each proposer provided a written response and gave a practical demonstration of their products.
Prior to the release of the RFP staff was working with Remix to enter into a new contract for their planning software through a cooperative purchasing agreement since the most recent contract had expired. At that time, it was unknown whether the Transit Division would select Remix for the scheduling contract resulting from the RFP or go with a different vendor. The Transit Division was unable to complete the process of entering into the cooperative agreement prior to the scoring of the RFPs. As part of their bid, Optibus (one of the other three proposers) provided pricing and details for their planning module which is needed for their scheduling module to be fully functional. Staff felt it would be the best use of resources to combine the scheduling and planning software into a single agreement. That being the case CityBus asked Remix and The Master Scheduler to provide pricing for their planning software. Remix was able to provide pricing; however, planning software is not a service that The Master Scheduler provides. With this information CityBus was able to evenly evaluate the products based on their scheduling and planning modules.
Remix was selected because its scheduling software is intuitive, it is a more visual product with elements that greatly simplify collaboration between the scheduler and staff not specifically trained on the software, and allows staff easily create multiple iterations of a schedule to determine the most efficient use of resources. It allows a scheduler to directly compare stop timing between multiple agencies. This feature is crucial for creating timed connections with other transit operators in the area. Furthermore, should the Transit Division need to make budgetary cuts it could remove the planning module from Remix without sacrificing the ability to schedule service which is mission critical function of the department. Should further cuts be needed, the Daily Operations module could be removed as it is a feature that is useful for operations staff but could be replaced by pen and paper record keeping. For the overall time of performance for this contract, Remix, was the highest of the bidders when all modules are considered. However, given what Remix offers from a product standpoint, the ability to remove modules if needed, and the time savings to staff, reviewers felt Remix was the best value of the three bidders.
As stated before, CityBus has been using the Remix product for transit planning for twelve years. Given the seamless integration between the two modules of the Remix platform, it made sense from an ease-of-use standpoint to include the Remix planning module with the scheduling module. Staff will be able to easily create multiple service scenarios with accurate cost and capital projections. This will result in better engagement with the public by providing more accurate service plans and scenarios for the public to respond to. Staff believe that using these tools create higher-quality transit service schedules while reducing the time staff spends on scheduling.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund. The Transit Division will draw funds from its annual allocation of state Transportation Development Act Article IV funds to pay for this software.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the proposed action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the proposed action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Request for Proposals
Resolution
Exhibit A – Professional Services Agreement with Santa Rosa Remix Technologies LLC
PRESENTER
Matthew Wilcox – Transit Planner
AGREEMENT WITH REMIX TECHNOLOGIES LLC FOR TRANSIT SCHEDULING AND PLANNING SOFTWARE PAGE 3 OF 3