Free Student Bus Pass Program: Update on Success, Recommendations for SmartTrip and Metrobus Pilots
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This document summarizes the success of Fairfax County's Free Student Bus Pass Program and makes recommendations to improve it. It has provided over 800,000 trips for students in less than three years. It recommends converting from flash passes to SmarTrip cards and implementing a Metrobus pilot program for one high school. The SmarTrip cards would allow administrators to track usage and control lost or stolen cards. The pilot program would help students access after school activities and internships by providing Metrobus access. It outlines costs and logistics needed to implement the recommendations.
Free Student Bus Pass Program: Update on Success, Recommendations for SmartTrip and Metrobus Pilots
- 1. Free Student Bus Pass Program Update on Success, Recommendations for SmarTrip® & Metrobus Pilots Kala Leggett Quintana and Michael Felschow Fairfax Department of Transportation May 8, 2018
- 2. Success • In less than three years, Fairfax Connector has provided more than 800,000 trips to students • Students are now 7% of total Fairfax Connector ridership 2
- 3. Ridership Tells the Story 3 27% Increase March 2017 vs March 2018 Average Daily Trips Weekday: 1,600 Weekend: 1,000
- 4. Benefits Now and into the Future • Students use Fairfax Connector to access: • School and extracurricular activities • After school support and tutoring • After school jobs and internships • Libraries, museums and other recreational activities • The Free Student Bus Pass is helping prepare the future workforce and familiarizing them with public transportation • More comfortable choosing transit when they enter the workforce • Critical to reducing congestion and improving mobility around the region 4
- 5. Suggested Program Improvements SY2018-19 1. Convert to the SmarTrip® card platform • Replace existing Free Student Bus Pass flash card across all participating middle and high schools 2. Implement Metrobus pilot for J.E.B. Stuart (Justice) High School • Allow students to ride Metrobus in Northern Virginia for free with the same accessibility afforded to students eligible for Fairfax Connector Free Student Bus Pass 5
- 6. Recommendation #1: Conversion to SmarTrip Card (SY2018-2019) • Transition from existing flash pass to SmarTrip® • If approved, all Fairfax County middle and high schools will have a custom branded SmarTrip® card to replace the existing flash pass for free rides on Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE 6
- 7. SmarTrip at School – Key Advantages • School representatives to register all SmarTrip cards at WMATA.com • FCPS staff will be able to view the cards in use at any time • FCPS administration can disable cards at any time and replace cards easily • If lost or stolen • To avoid misuse • School administration can monitor use for abuse or inappropriate use during school hours 7
- 8. Recommendation #2: Metrobus Pilot for schools not served by Fairfax Connector • In 2016, at a joint meeting of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board, members asked FCDOT to consider a pilot to offer Metrobus access to J.E.B. Stuart High School students and other schools not served by Fairfax Connector • Four Fairfax County High Schools are served only by Metrobus • Limited participation in the Fairfax Connector Free Bus Pass program, due to lack of Fairfax Connector service in their area 8 Annandale HS
- 9. Proposal • Begin with J.E.B. Stuart (Justice) High School to gauge the efficacy and use of a Metrobus accessible student pass • Cited by members of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board as an appropriate school to use for pilot, based on student population needs • Most isolated from Fairfax Connector access • Only transit accessible via Metrobus 9
- 10. JEB Stuart (Justice) HS Perspective • Stuart Principal Penny Gros is supportive • Students face a variety of challenges due to “transportation insecurity” • Students who miss the school bus do not have alternative transportation • Parents often work multiple jobs and cannot transport their children to school or activities • Could help improve school attendance • Approximately 25% of our Stuart HS students are considered chronically absent, because they miss more than 10% of the school days (18 out of 180) • A target of this program would be to reduce absenteeism by providing another method of transportation for students who do not have a ride to school if they miss the school bus • In SY 18-19 Stuart HS attendance will be monitored through new Virginia Department of Education Standards of Accreditation • School could lose accreditation, if attendance goals are not met • Students unable to take advantage of internship opportunities, due to lack of transportation • Agreed to quarterly progress review; provide reports as needed; and report back on program progress and impacts in May 2019 • If pilot is approved, County must pay for all Metrobus trips taken 10
- 11. Why SmarTrip®? • Metrobus requires the use of cash or SmarTrip® to board their buses • Metro will not accept our existing flash pass, because there’s no way to accurately account for the trip when a student boards • SmarTrip® cards can be uniquely programmed for specific purposes • Can create our own unique custom design 11
- 12. SmarTrip Card Student Pass Design (Metrobus Pilot Version) 12
- 13. How A Customized SmarTrip Card Works WMATA Creates Two New Rider Classes: Rider Class #1 and Rider Class #2 13
- 14. Rider Class #1 (RC1) • Programmed to access Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE only • The RC1 SmarTrip® card is tapped on farecard machine; records a “FREE ride” on Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE • No cash value maintained on cards • Students not allowed to add cash value to cards • Unique card design with Fairfax Connector, City of Fairfax CUE, FCPS and SmarTrip logos on card • Participating middle and high schools to receive SmarTrip® cards with Rider Class 1 preloaded • Replaces existing “non-electronic” pass • Can not be used on Metrobus or Metrorail 14
- 15. Advantages • Improved student bus pass security • SmarTrip® cards are: • Reusable • One-time permission from the parent or guardian • Eliminates need to re-issue annually • Reduces administrative burden on schools • Gives the FCPS administration and parents greater control • Monitor use and disable cards that are misused, abused, lost, or stolen • Programmed to expire on student’s graduation date • More accurate count of student ridership • Flags the student rider class to operator to determine eligibility 15
- 16. Rider Class #2 (RC2) • Programmed to access Fairfax Connector, City of Fairfax CUE and Northern Virginia Metrobus routes • J.E.B. Stuart (Justice) High School to receive SmarTrip® cards with Rider Class 2 preloaded • Metrobus access limited to Northern Virginia routes ONLY • Option to exclude routes that terminate in DC or Maryland, or solely within DC or MD • Cards branded differently than the Rider Class 1 FFX Connector/City of FFX CUE only SmarTrip® cards • Unique card design with Fairfax Connector, City of Fairfax CUE, FCPS, SmarTrip® and Metrobus logos on the card • Students not allowed to add cash value to card • Can not be used on Metrorail 16
- 17. Northern VA Metrobus Route #’s Service Area 1A, 1B, 1C Wilson Blvd to Vienna Line; Fair Oaks Fairfax Blvd Line 2A, 2B Washington Blvd. -- Dunn Loring Line; Fair Oaks -- Jermantown Rd Line 3A, 3T Annandale Road Line; Pimmit Hills Line 4A, 4B Pershing Dr. – Arlington Blvd. Line 7A, 7F, Lincolnia – North Fairlington Line 7C, 7P, 7M, 7W Park Center – Pentagon Line; Mark Center- Pentagon Line; Lincolnia – Pentagon Line 8S, 8W, 8Z Foxchase -- Seminary Valley Line 10A, 10B, 10E, 10N Alexandria – Pentagon Line; Hunting Point – Ballston Line 15K Chain Bridge Road Line 16A, 16B, 16E, 16G, 16H, 16J, 16K, 16L, 16P Columbia Pike Line; Columbia Heights West – Pentagon City Line; Annandale –Skyline City-Pentagon 17B, 17G, 17H, 17K, 17L, 17M Kings Park – North Springfield Line; 18G, 18H, 18J, 18P Orange Hunt Line; Burke Centre Line 21A, 21D Landmark -- Bren Mar Park -- Pentagon Line 22A, 22B, 22C, 22F Barcroft – South Fairlington Line 23A, 23B, 23T McLean Crystal City Line 25B Landmark – Ballston Line 26A Annandale – East Falls Church Line 28A, 28F, 28G Leesburg Pike Line; Skyline City Line 29C, 29G, 29K, 29N, 29W Annandale Line; Alexandria – Fairfax Line; Braeburn Drive – Pentagon Express Line REX Richmond Highway Express S80, S81 TAGS Springfield Circulator: Franconia Springfield Metro, Springfield Town Center, MetroPark/INOVA Healthplex17 Routes in RED serve schools directly
- 18. Production Costs • Annual cost for existing Free Student Bus Pass flash pass and security stickers (12,000 passes in SY17-18): $4,500 (not reusable) • The production cost per SmarTrip® card varies on the quantity purchased (based on the existing contractor for WMATA) • 12,000 SmarTrip® cards : $23,160 (reusable) SmarTrip Card Quantities/Cost 18 FROM TO COST PER CARD 6000 9,999 $2.20 10,000 49,999 $1.93 50,000 99,999 $1.71 100,000 * $1.69
- 19. Suggested SmarTrip® Purchase Quantities for Pilot 19 SmarTrip® Card Type Quantity Cost per Card Total Rider Class 1 12,000 $1.93 $23,160 Rider Class 2 6,000 (min. qty. req.) $2.20 $13,200 TOTAL EST. COSTS $36,360 *Unlike the existing flash pass that must be exchanged annually, SmarTrip® cards can be assigned to a student for multiple years and reassigned
- 20. What’s Different? • Requires FCPS Administrative Staff to register cards on-line for students into WMATA SmarTrip® registration system • Cost of program increases at front end due to SmarTrip®card costs • Requires tighter controls for Administration on the Metrobus enabled cards • Cards have an unlimited cash value • Consider a cap to monthly value to limit abuse potential (if needed) • Strong reporting/audit system within the school is required to ensure cards are not abused 20
- 21. What’s Different? • No direct control over the WMATA operators or their training to assist students • WMATA operators have experience with DC and MD students • Requires a new multi-year permission form and release from FCPS • Requires separate permission forms for middle and high school students • When students transition from 8th grade to 9th grade, they need to re-register their cards with new school or obtain new pass from new school • Applies when a student changes schools within the county 21
- 22. What’s Different? • Requires FCDOT staff to create supplemental outreach materials, guidelines and training materials for FCPS • New procedures • FCPS staff will need to be trained on card registration, securing cards, card replacement, generating simple reports, and maintaining spreadsheets 22
- 23. Fiscal Impacts of Stuart (Justice) HS Metrobus Pilot • County must pay for student trips on Metrobus • Assuming a similar monthly usage rate of ride 10 times a month, on average (120 trips a year at $2.00 a trip – assuming no lower negotiated rate with WMATA) = $240 per student, annual cost • Estimated number of student passes assigned to 1,080 students (50% of student population*) = $260K annually • Propose funding through cost savings in the Fairfax Connector budget. Total cost estimates for SmarTrip card expansion and one year Metrobus pilot not to exceed $300K * Based on our experience with South Lakes HS and Edison HS 23
- 24. Follow Up • If approved, staff to use the Metrobus pilot to track costs and usage and report back to the Board of Supervisors Board Transportation Committee on the findings in May 2019 • Determine feasibility to expand the program in future years to three additional High Schools with Metrobus access only • Annandale • Falls Church • Marshall 24
- 25. It’s never too early to identify our future customers! 25
- 26. Questions? 26