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The Mayor and Council shall hear and discuss a presentation of Community Engagement Survey results pertaining to the Maricopa Senior population and public transportation and proposed new transit service, by David R. Maestas, Transportation/Transit Planner and COMET Manager. Discussion and Action.
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTION
The City of Maricopa Express Transit (COMET) operates today as a Demand Response service. This is a reservation-based system that provides curbside service at points of pickup and delivery. We operate with a fleet of two 21-passenger buses and keep one in operation, with the other held in reserve as a backup in case the primary bus breaks down, so that we have no breaks in service.
The Demand Response type of transit service, while highly desired by travelers, is the least efficient type of transit. In a typical scenario, the bus travels to the point of pickup, often for one or two passengers, then transports them to the point of delivery, which may be across the city. The bus drops off the passenger(s), then drives to the next pickup point and picks up the next passenger(s). There are substantial miles of travel in which the bus travels with no passengers while on its way to the next pickup point. This results in operating costs, without the corresponding ridership count which forms the basis for Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 grant funding. Moreover, this type of service keeps the bus and driver busy throughout the operating day, while only serving a small segment of the overall population. This results in the service operating at or near scheduling capacity on most days. Because the service operates at or near scheduling capacity on most days, it is likely that individuals calling for a reservation cannot get a reservation for the time they desire to travel.
A recent Community Engagement Survey reflects that 39 percent of Seniors who responded (255 individuals, 60+ years old) in Maricopa are either dissatisfied o...
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