Attachment 1: Regional Service Plan
Attachment 2: New Regional Bus Subsidy Allocation Formula
Attachment 3: WMATA Service and Financial Commitment/Metrobus Service and
Productivity Enhancement Program
Attachment 4: Five-Year Transition Plan
Attachment 5: Regional Financial
AgreementPrinciples for Coordinated Bus Service in the Washington Metropolitan Area
1. Regional Bus System
The Regional Mobility Panel has defined an integrated regional bus
system that is to be planned, funded and operated in a manner similar to the approach that
has long existed for the successful Metrorail system. Under the current system, services
operated by Metrobus are only nominally regional, as policy decisions on fares and
services are largely determined by local jurisdictions.
Under the integrated regional bus system proposed by the Panel, for the
first time there will be an ongoing commitment by local jurisdictions to a set of truly
regional bus services planned and operated by WMATA in consultation with local
jurisdictions. These bus services will be coordinated and integrated with a set of
non-regional bus services planned and provided through decisions by local jurisdictions.
II.. Regional Service Plan
In the defined bus system, regional and non-regional bus
routes are distinguished to serve properly markets in the Washington metropolitan
area. The new regional service plan ensures predictability and stability of the existing
bus services and fosters the development of new bus services. This includes
criteria that will generally define regional routes and non-regional routes
for both the present and the future, while acknowledging the bus services
already provided by local jurisdictions.
III. New Regional Bus Subsidy Allocation Formula
A new benefit-based subsidy allocation formula for regional bus routes
will be adopted to address inequities and inefficiencies in the existing formula. The
revised formula is keyed to the existing and regionally accepted formula for the Metrorail
system. It will be updated periodically to remain current and equitable. In
addition, efforts will be made to establish an incentive tier to
reward actions that result in increased ridership.
IV. WMATA Service and Financial Commitment
WMATA commits to maintain constant average regional bus fares and to
maintain bus subsidy levels through aggressive cost controls, and pledges to continue to
deliver quality bus service and to advance service improvement strategies under the
Service and Productivity Enhancement Program for the five year period FY 1998- 2002.
V. Five-Year Transition Plan
A five-year transition period to the regional and non-regional bus
system structure will be adopted, based on staged implementation, which assumes no layoffs
of WMATA unionized operating employees. The transition plan will include strategies to
improve bus service through coordinated service planning and establishment of service
quality standards, to be defined jointly by WMATA and local jurisdictions; fare
simplification and integration; comprehensive marketing and customer information services;
and market-driven service planning. These strategies are designed to make the region's bus
services more 'user friendly' and customer oriented, with the goal of providing incentives
to increase ridership.
Vl. Regional Financial Agreement
Local jurisdictions will enter into an interjurisdictional financial
agreement with WMATA to participate in the regional bus system in accordance with the
regional service plan, new subsidy allocation formula and five-year transition plan.
VII. Long-Term Funding Strategy
The Regional Mobility Panel agrees that there is a need to define the
magnitude of the funding requirements for the WMATA bus and rail Capital Improvement
Program (CIP), and acknowledges its responsibility to address and resolve the issue. It
agrees to reconvene upon receipt of the recommendations of the Transit Funding
Subcommittee, and to meet and confer during a six-month period resulting in a final course
of action designed to ensure a reliable, predictable and adequate amount of funding for
this purpose. The region together will pursue, support and implement necessary actions in
the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and the U.S. Congress during the five-year
transition period to fully fund the annual needs of the CIP as determined by the Panel.
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Criteria for Regional and Non-Regional Routes
Based on principles established by the Regional Mobility Panel,
criteria were developed that recognize the distinction between regional and non regional
bus routes and various service markets. Regional bus routes generally provide
transportation between jurisdictions. Regional bus routes also may include bus routes that
serve major activity centers, that operate on major arterial streets and carry high
volumes of ridership either in one jurisdiction or in multiple jurisdictions.
Existing Metrobus service was evaluated to determine which bus routes
met these criteria; bus routes currently operated by local governments were
'grandfathered' into the non- regional category. The following table shows the result of
the analysis of Metrobus routes. WMATA will have responsibility for operating regional bus
routes. Local jurisdictions will have responsibility for determining how non-regional bus
routes will be provided. WMATA intends to compete aggressively to provide service on
non-regional bus routes under contract to these local jurisdictions.
The following are the specific criteria used by the Regional Mobility
Panel to disaggregrate current Metrobus routes into regional and non-regional categories.
This criteria is also to be used for determining appropriate future route assignments
for the region.
Interjurisdictional - A route is automatically
a regional route if it:
crosses a jurisdictional (independent city, county, state) boundary;
and
penetrates at least two jurisdictions by more than one-half mile in
each; and
operates "open door" (allows boarding and alighting) over
at least a portion of the line in two or more jurisdictions.
If a route does not qualify as regional under the interjurisdictional
definition, then it must meet at least two of the following three criteria to be regional:
Arterial streets
- operates for a considerable distance on an arterial street and a substantial portion
(usually a majority) of riders use stops on the arterial street. Routes which operate for
a short distance on an arterial incidental to their service areas are not included.
Regional activity center
- serves one or more regional activity centers. A conservative definition of regional
activity centers was used, including only those where there is virtually universal
agreement as to their regional character. (Routes which feed Metrorail stations but which
do not directly serve any regional activity center were not considered to be regional).
Cost effectiveness
[A table of routes of regional significance and a profile of regional
bus services are omitted here.]
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Regional Mobility Panel Findings Regarding Current Formula:
Outdated Information:
Business Planning:
Artificial Financial Incentives/Disincentives:
Cost Shifting:
Goals Associated with a Revised Allocation Procedure:
- Develop easy-to-understand formula
- Rely on information that can be periodically updated
- Develop formula that allows WMATA to make rational business decisions
- Develop formula that reduces incentives to eliminate service and increases incentives
for ridership growth
- Develop formula that is similar to regionally accepted Metrorail allocation process
Recommended Changes:
- Allocate Metrobus subsidy regionally
- Use data that can be periodically updated
- Allocate subsidy based on benefits received in each jurisdiction
- Convert to new formula for regional services in FY 1999, with annual transition limits
- Evaluate carefully the mechanisms to implement a ridership incentive factor
Shown on the next page is the new regional bus subsidy allocation formula as endorsed
by the Regional Mobility Panel at its September 9, 1997 meeting.
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Attachment 3: WMATA Service and Financial Commitment/Metrobus Service
and Productivity Program
Metrobus Subsidies:
- No increase in subsidies for regional service or for WMATA-provided non-regional bus
service through FY 2002
- WMATA will strive to provide non-regional services at rates that are competitive with
the local market
- Constraints on subsidies are exclusive of any unfunded federal mandates, reductions in
federal operating assistance or mitigating emergency circumstances
Metrobus Passenger Fares:
- No increase in the average passenger fare through FY 2002
- Propose and implement fare simplification and integration
- Local jurisdictions may continue to maintain fare incentives through buydown programs
Regional Customer Service:
- Maintain baseline level of regional bus service with appropriate changes related to
Metrorail openings
- Develop comprehensive and integrated regional customer service and marketing program
- Plan new service initiatives targeted toward under served and unserved markets
(implementation subject to the availability of funding)
Regional Bus Service Planning:
- WMATA and local governments jointly establish a coordinated service planning process
that addresses:
- quality standards (such as on-time performance, cleanliness.convenience, etc.) for
regional and non-regional bus routes
- regional and non-regional route service modifications
- regional and non-regional transit service needs
- Consistent with these standards:
- WMATA plans and operates the regional bus routes
- consultative process with local governments
- decisions based on need and cost
- Local governments plan non-regional routes
- coordinated with regional routes to the extent practical
Go to tables for Attachment 3
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Five-Year Transition Plan
Schedule of Actions by Fiscal Year
Year One
FY 98 (7/1/97 - 6/30/98)
- Regional Mobility Panel approves Principles for Coordinated Bus Service in the
Washington Metropolitan Area and recommends final report to the WMATA Board for subsequent
approval and submission of the final report to Congress
- Local governments enter into an interjurisdictional financial agreement with WMATA by
March 31, 1998
- WMATA finalizes detailed Five-Year Transition Plan, in coordination with local
jurisdictions
- Service quality standards and guidelines for regional and non-regional bus routes
cooperatively developed between WMATA and local jurisdictions
- Local plans developed for non-regional bus routes, including determinations on use of
WMATA as a contract operator for non-regional bus routes
- New "experimental" regional services examined for possible early
implementation
Year Two
FY 99 (7/1/98 - 6/30/99)
- Conversion to a new subsidy allocation formula with annual transition limits
- All non-regional bus routes funded separately by being moved into a new and distinct
accounting format for subsidy purposes
- Non-regional bus service plans begin (up to 25% of total non-regional bus routes may be
operated by local governments)
- Fare simplification/integration plan developed by WMATA in cooperation with local
jurisdictions
- Service plan developed by WMATA for under served and unserved markets
- Comprehensive and integrated regional customer information and marketing program
developed by WMATA
Year Three
FY 00 (7/1/99 - 6/30/00)
- Non-regional plans continued (up to 50% of total non-regional bus routes may be operated
by local governments)
- New service initiatives implemented (as funding permits)
- New simplified and integrated fare structure implemented
- Initial review of accomplishments toward cost containment goal and updated review of
regional transit service plan
- Implementation of the comprehensive and integrated regional customer information and
marketing program
Year Four
FY 01 (7/1/00 - 6/30/01)
Year Five
FY 02 (7/1/01 - 6/30/02)
- Non-regional service plan complete (up to 100% of total non-regional bus routes may be
operated by local governments)
- Final review of accomplishments toward cost containment goal (end of FY 2002) and
updated review of regional transit service plan
Notes:
1. Decisions on operation of non-regional bus routes may occur beyond the five-year
time frame if required or desired by local jurisdictions
2. The concept of an incentive factor for the subsidy allocation formula will continue to
be refined and pursued during the time frame
3. Updated reviews of the regional transit service plan to occur every two years
Five-Year Transition Plan
Summary of Actions
Bus Service:
- In FY 1999, regional and non-regional bus routes will be separately budgeted
to ensure that neither the regional bus subsidy nor any individual jurisdiction is
affected by any change that might occur on non-regional services except for the
jurisdiction proposing the change
- Any jurisdiction assuming operation of Metrobus non-regional routes must agree to
maintain service standards
- Maximum level of redesignated non-regional service that may be operated by local
governments is not to exceed 25% per year
Regional Subsidy Allocation
New subsidy allocation formula will be implemented in FY 1999, with specified
annual transition limits
- During the transition period (FY 1999-2002) the total subsidy for regional bus service
and the average bus fare levels will not increase
Service Planning:
- Non-regional service planning will be accomplished by local jurisdictions in
consultation with WMATA
- Regional service planning will be conducted by WMATA in consultation with all
jurisdictions
- Regional transit service plan will be re-evaluated every two years, based on market
changes and consistent with the final criteria for regional services
- All bus services in the region will be coordinated by WMATA through a panel of the
region's bus/transit managers
- Regional and non-regional service quality standards will be developed
- Unserved and under served markets will be identified and service initiatives proposed
within funding limits
- New integrated and comprehensive regional customer service and marketing programs will
be developed to promote and enhance bus services
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- The parties will enter into an Interjurisdictional financial agreement with WMATA to
participate in the regional Metrobus system by March 31, 1998. The initial term of the
commitment is for five years. They further agree to review the structure and extent of the
regional bus system every two years to determine its adequacy. Any adjustments to the
regional bus system will be approved by the WMATA Board, subject to funding limits in
agreements with local jurisdictions.
- Subject to appropriation, local jurisdictions commit to funding the costs of operating
the regional bus service at specified levels.
- By May 1 of each year (depending on each jurisdiction's annual budget cycle), local
jurisdictions will notify WMATA of their commitment to fund the operating subsidy for
regional bus services for the following year.
- WMATA commits to continuing operation of regional bus service at or above the
established levels for regional services for the period FY 98 through FY 02. Thereafter,
regional bus service levels are determined by standards established and approved funding
levels. All parties agree to maximize efforts designed to increase ridership.
- WMATA commits to maintaining average bus fares at levels presently in effect for the
period FY 98 through FY 02.
- Agreement is subject to participation by all WMATA member jurisdictions.
- WMATA's ability to fulfill its commitments is subject to continuation of Federal
operating assistance. no new Federal mandates affecting costs or service, and mitigating
emergency circumstances.
- Agreement commits the region to pursue, support and implement necessary actions in the
District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and the U.S. Congress during the five- year
transition period to fully fund the annual needs of the WMATA Capital Improvement Program,
as determined by the Panel.
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