Special Recognition – 2017 APTA International Rail Rodeo

Rail Rodeo Operator Team Competition (RTD – 16th Place)

Robert Dennis

Derrick Shaw, Jr.

Maintenance Team Competition (RTD – 8th Place)

Randall Lovegrove

George Sweeney

Civil Rights Committee – Chaired by Director Solano

Executive Committee – Chaired by Chair Hoy

Financial Administration & Audit Committee – Chaired by Director Menten

GM Oversight & Performance Management – Chaired by Director Francone

Government Relations Committee – Chaired by Director Walker

Operations & Customer Services Committee – Chaired by Director Anderson

Planning/Capital Programs & FasTracks Committee – Chaired by Director Lubow

It is recommended by the Planning/Capital Programs & FasTracks Committee that the Board of Directors authorize the General Manager or his designee to award a contract to AD Miller Services in the amount not-to-exceed of $5,627,730 for the New Customer Care Call Center and Treasury Repair Facility project. Funding for this contract is included in the 2017 Amended Budget. It is further recommended that the General Manager or his designee be authorized to issue contract amendments in the total amount not-to-exceed the remaining approved project budget of $845,393 as needed.

It is recommended by the Operations and Customer Service Committee that the Board of Directors authorize the General Manager or his designee to execute all documents necessary to award a contract for computerized Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) and onboard software with RouteMatch Software, Inc. (RouteMatch) (Contract Number 17DH025) for an amount not to exceed $1,800,000.  The price includes MDTs, software, implementation and three years of extended support. 

BACKGROUND

RTD’s Access-a-Ride paratransit service provides transportation in the Denver metro area for people whose disabilities prevent them from using lift-equipped fixed-route bus service. Access-a-Ride service uses vehicles equipped with RouteMatch software and iPilot 8000 computerized Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) and associated onboard equipment that enables dispatching and communications via the RouteMatch paratransit scheduling and central dispatch software (‘RouteMatch central software’). The current MDTs entered service in 2009 and reached end of useful life several years ago. The current MDT’s have very high failure rates and are hard to procure. Consequently, it is imperative that the MDTs be replaced with modern equipment in order to provide Access-a-Ride drivers with the necessary tools to provide this important service.

DISCUSSION

RTD currently utilizes paratransit scheduling software produced by “RouteMatch.” It is necessary that the on-board software loaded on the MDT’s integrate with the backend RouteMatch software in order to allow Access-a-ride drivers to receive accurate information to perform their duties. Onboard software that integrates with the RouteMatch central software is already developed.

RTD conducted an evaluation of the various options to replace the existing Access-a-Ride Mobile Data Terminals. The option with the quickest deployment, least risk and lowest cost is to have RouteMatch deploy new modern versions of the computerized MDTs with onboard software. Requiring RouteMatch to provide the updated hardware and software, perform the integration and thus provide the complete solution to modernize the Access-a-Ride MDT’s will speed the process by providing fewer procurements and result in a single point of contact for RTD to have one vendor responsible for all of the functionality associated with the upgrade of the Access-a-Ride MDT’s.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

Funding for this project is included in the adopted RTD budget.

ALTERNATIVES

1.  Authorize the General Manager or his designee to execute a contract with RouteMatch to provide computerized MDTs and onboard software.  This is the recommended alternative.

2.  Continue to try to provide remedial repairs to extend the system life.  This is not a sustainable option and does not provide the upgrades necessary for Access-a-Ride drivers to perform their duties. This is not recommended.

3.  Proceed with an entirely new procurement for a new paratransit scheduling software package and integrated MDT’s. This would take well over a year to procure and deploy the chosen system and is not budgeted. This is not recommended.

Prepared by:  Eric Farrington

It is recommended by the Operations and Customer Service Committee that the Board of Directors authorize the General Manager or his designee to execute all documents necessary to award a contract for purchase, installation and maintenance of Automatic Passenger Counters (APCs) with INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc. (INIT) (Contract Number 17DH026) for an amount not to exceed $2,400,000 and transfer up to $950,000 from project 10444 (Mobile Data Terminals) to project 10345 (New Automatic Passenger Counter). 

BACKGROUND

RTD uses APC’s on light rail vehicles to monitor on-time performance and to gather ridership information. The data collected by the APCs is ingested into the INIT Computer Aided Dispatch/ Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) system for compilation, presentation, and analysis of ridership numbers and on-time performance calculations. This data is key for required federal reporting, operational considerations and planning.  Currently, only 42 of the 201 vehicle LRV fleet (24%) are equipped with APC’s making it very difficult to provide statistically valid information.

DISCUSSION

RTD recently purchased hardware for the Access-a-Ride Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) Replacement project.  Staff subsequently determined that the equipment could be better utilized on the LRV fleet to expand the number of APC equipped light rail cars to help with passenger count and on-time performance measurement. A less expensive alternative for the Access-a-Ride MDT Replacement Project has been identified and pursued, freeing up some funds that can be transferred to purchase additional APCs for light rail.

RTD currently has an authorized and budgeted project (Project 10345 -New Auto Passenger Counters) to begin to upgrade and expand the number of APC’s on the LRV fleet. Utilizing some of the hardware that had already been purchased for the Access-a-Ride MDT project and transferring the remaining funds from the MDT project will allow RTD to expand the scope of the currently budgeted LRV APC project and further increase the number of Light Rail Vehicles that can be equipped with new APC equipment. By using some of this equipment and transferring these additional funds, the APC coverage on the LRV fleet can be increased to over 70%.  This will allow for easier and more timely compilation of statistically valid data for monitoring on-time performance and for gathering ridership data for internal and external reporting. This equipment will be upgraded for both reliability and for security of data transmissions over Wi-Fi.  This will be a sole source contract to INIT in order to expand the number of APC equipped light rail vehicles with technology similar to and compatible with the technology that is utilized on the existing LRV fleet.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

Funding for this project (Project 10345- New Automatic Passenger Counters) is included in the adopted RTD budget. The transfer of up to $950,000 from project 10444- Mobile Data Terminals, also included in the adopted RTD budget, to project 10345 will fund the requested expansion of this effort. 

ALTERNATIVES

1.  Authorize the General Manager or his designee to execute all documents necessary to award a contract for purchase, installation and maintenance of Automatic Passenger Counters (APCs) with INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc. (INIT) (Contract Number 17DH026) for an amount not to exceed $2,400,000 and transfer up to $950,000 from project 10444 (Mobile Data Terminals) to project 10345 (New Automatic Passenger Counter).  This is the recommended alternative.

2.  Continue to try to utilize existing resources and provide minimal expansion and upgrade to the existing APC’s. This does not leverage the existing hardware purchase and minimizes improvements in data collection and service monitoring and is not the recommended alternative.

It is recommended by the Financial Administration and Audit Committee that the Board of Directors approve the attached Resolution Number __ (the “Resolution”), authorizing the execution and delivery by the RTD of a lease purchase agreement and related documents in connection with the partial refinancing of the 2010A and 2015A Certificates of Participation.

It is recommended by the General Manager Oversight and Performance Management Committee that the Board of Directors approves the General Manager’s goals for 2018 as defined in the attached General Manager’s Performance Evaluation document.