D2-1 Firm Experience Discipline 2.pdf

ADOT On Call Transit Consulting Services

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BACKGROUND OF FIRM

LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. has over forty years of firm experience and longevity, and provides consulting services in all phases of multimodal transportation planning, transit planning and operations, traffic engineering, parking analysis, traffic impact studies, access planning and design, and bicycle/pedestrian circulation. LSC specializes in transit planning for rural communities, as well as small to medium-sized urban areas. The firm is an employee-owned C Corporation incorporated in Colorado.

Originally established in 1977 as Leigh, Scott, and Cleary, Inc., the firm has offices in

Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado, as well as Tahoe City, California. Each office is managed by a principal of the corporation. The firm’s strength lies in delivering a personal, innovative, and client-oriented approach that offers sensitivity to local needs, flexibility of approach based on these needs, and innovative perspective on solutions and service delivery. LSC brings:

Over 40 years of transit planning experience in small to medium sized cities and rural areas, as shown on the map to the right, with particular experience developing, evaluating, and analyzing transit systems.

Expertise completing hundreds of transit planning projects, and staff with a depth of experience in rural transit demand and financial analysis.

A reputation for quality plans that result in implementation, are completed on schedule, and have a high degree of flexibility to the client’s needs.

National transit leadership from a team whose subject matter experts are regularly called upon to participate in developing industry best practices, such as through the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) and the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA).

o TCRP Report 154: Developing, Enhancing, and Sustaining Tribal Transit Services o TCRP Report 161: Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural

Passenger Transportation A team that is optimal for a project of this scope and complexity – large enough to provide the staff and backup necessary to successfully complete the study on schedule and small enough to ensure that the project is given the highest priority within our firm.

FIRM EXPERIENCE

LSC has a long history of successfully working with clients through on-call contracts. Some of our current and former on-call clients include:

Colorado DOT Montana DOT

Wyoming DOT Sierra Vista MPO (AZ)

Central Yavapai MPO (AZ) City of DeKalb, IL

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City of Billings, MT (MET Transit) Community Transit (WA) City of Rock Springs, WY (STAR

Transit) North Central Montana Transit

(Opportunity Link)

City of Colorado Springs, CO (Mountain Metro Transit)

Lassen County (CA)

In addition to our current and former on-call contracts, LSC also has a depth of recent experience in the specific areas of expertise listed under Discipline 2: Transit Planning Tasks from the RFP as shown in Table 1.

RANGE OF SERVICES OFFERED

LSC has reviewed the categories of needed services and anticipated projects included in the RFP under Discipline 2: Transit Planning Tasks. We have summarized our abilities in the following sections:

Estimating Transit Needs, Comprehensive Operational Analysis, Marketing Analysis and Branding, and Stakeholder Engagement.

Table 1: Transit Plan Projects

Project Transit Review

Service Alternatives

Financial Analysis

Community Engagement

Alpine County Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Atomic City Transit Short Range Transit Plan (NM) x x x x Amador County Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Aspen Short Range Transit Plan (CO) x x x x Calaveras Intercity Transit Study x x x x Del Norte County Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Eastern Nevada County Transit Development Plan x x x x Eastern Sierra Transit Authority Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Glenn Transit Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Humboldt County Transit Development Plan x x x x Lake County Transit Development Plan x x x x Lassen County Transit Development Plan x x x x City of Lodi Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Mendocino Transit Authority Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Merced County Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Park City/ Summit County Short Range Transit Plan (CO) x x x x Western Placer County Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Plumas County Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Redding Area Bus Authority Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Resort Triangle Transportation Plan (CA) x x x City of Rio Vista Short Range Transit Plan x x x x City of Roseville Short Range Transit Plan x x x x City of Anderson Short Range Transit Plan x x x x San Luis Obispo Joint RTA SLO Transit Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Santa Fe Multimodal Transition Plan (NM) x x x x Siskiyou Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Tehama County Transit Development Plan x x x x Truckee Microtransit Study x x x x Western El Dorado County Short and Long Range Transit Plan x x x x Western Nevada County Short Range Transit Plan x x x x Yosemite Area Regional Transit Service SRTP x x x x Yuba Sutter Short Range Transit Plan x x x x

Areas of Experience

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Transportation Needs and Demand Assessment A key step in developing transit studies is developing a deep understanding of the current community conditions, as well as current and future transit needs and demand. LSC has experienced staff that are well versed in analyzing community demographic data, socioeconomic data, and commuter travel pattern data using the most recent U.S. Census and American Community Survey (ACS) data. LSC staff also use ArcGIS mapping software to help illustrate demographics, travel patterns, service coverage, and ridership characteristics.

LSC has performed research for the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) in the area of transit demand estimation, including TCRP Report 154: Developing, Enhancing, and Sustaining Tribal Transit Services and TCRP Report 161: Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural Passenger Transportation. We have staff who have worked for years with travel demand models and have experience developing quantitative estimates of transportation needs and potential demand. Working with individual agencies, we can develop a fixed-route transit demand model calibrated to the existing service and ridership and use this model in conjunction with ACS data to develop estimates of demand for unserved areas and areas of possible future development. A calibrated transit demand model is needed to determine the level of demand for proposed route changes or service to new areas. We can also develop a transit demand model to evaluate potential changes in the complementary paratransit and demand response service that might result from proposed service changes. LSC believes it is important to combine these quantitative estimates of demand with the more qualitative statements of need obtained through input from riders and the community to gain a comprehensive picture of existing unmet and future transportation needs within a community.

Comprehensive Operational Analysis LSC has completed several COA’s over the last decade. Most recently Genevieve Evans and Acadia Davis were actively involved in the development of the COA for Western Placer County in California. As part of this study, we conducted a detailed evaluation of ridership by hour, day, month, year and stop. This analysis led to revising routes for Placer County Transit.

Marketing Analysis and Branding Strong branding and positive public perception are essential to the success and sustainability of public transportation services within a community. When transit systems are clearly branded with accessible, inclusive, and visually appealing messaging, people are more likely to consider it as an alternative to their personal vehicle, thus, growing ridership amongst residents. LSC believes that a strong marketing strategy builds internal infrastructure for public confidence and continued engagement.

LSC has included marketing plans in many transit planning projects. An overview and analysis of existing marketing techniques is provided followed by recommendations for continued improvement and growth over time. Steps towards implementation and estimated costs for improvement measures are also included.

Public and Stakeholder Engagement Public and stakeholder outreach is an important part of developing any of the transit planning tasks discussed above. Public outreach should be a fluid sharing of information, ideas, concerns, and solutions between the agency and the community throughout the duration of any planning study. LSC employs various innovative communication tools to access a variety of forums providing multiple opportunities for the community to learn and voice opinions. However, we do not just inform the public but rather engage them.

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Our outreach goal is to connect with as many people as possible through a variety of traditional and non-traditional means. Our approach is to provide a complement of events and forums open to all, including:

Public Workshops, Open Houses, and Meetings The LSC team has experience leading a variety of public meetings designed to fit the unique needs of each of our clients, including casual open houses used to gather input on existing transportation needs; interactive workshops discussing the pros and cons of various service options and characteristics, balanced against funding constraints; and, formal presentations on draft and final plans.

Experienced LSC staff have conducted non-traditional outreach efforts that are designed to “meet people where they are” and make planning studies visible to the community at locations they are already visiting, including: senior centers during congregate meals; attending chamber of commerce meetings to meet business leaders in the community; having a presence at community events like farmers’ markets; meeting with transit riders at transit hubs and transfer centers; working with local colleges and universities; and working with health care providers and medical facilities. In Lubbock, TX, we recently held a series of open houses at the downtown transit center to discuss potential routing options with existing riders while also conducting an online questionnaire for Texas Tech students, faculty, and staff. In the most rural communities of northeastern California, we have set up “pop-up” workshops at Walmart and County Faires to obtain input on potential transit changes.

Stakeholder Engagement Stakeholder engagement is a cornerstone of effective transportation planning, ensuring that projects reflect the needs, values, and lived experiences of the communities they serve. By actively involving residents, advocacy groups, local businesses, and public agencies, planners can surface critical insights, build trust, and foster shared ownership of outcomes. LSC acts as an extension of the client in engaging both large and small community groups within the transit service area through phone calls, email blasts, news ads, and social media campaigns. Most recently, LSC has held virtual, in-person, and hybrid engagement meetings to facilitate stakeholder meetings and workshops. All engagement activities are tailored to the size and social environment of the community we’re working with, making for a tailor-made outreach program, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

LSC team members have experience conducting formal and informal, one-on-one and group interviews, held either face-to-face or by telephone, with key transportation stakeholders, including: local elected officials, City and County administrators, University administrators, University student groups and student government, major employers, hospitals and health care providers, human service agencies, transportation advocacy groups, and advocacy groups for older adults, individuals with disabilities, etc.

Online Surveys LSC has used online surveys for a variety of purposes including gauging public perceptions of current and future transportation needs, gaps, and demand, as well as gaining an understanding of the public’s thoughts and opinions of existing services, potential service options, and funding alternatives. To accommodate all residents, the survey questionnaire can be made available through online and paper versions, as well as in English and Spanish. Surveys can include an interactive mapping component which allows respondents to place a pin in areas of desired transit service. An online community survey is extremely beneficial as it allows users to access the questionnaire at their convenience. We have found through our outreach efforts on several recent transit studies that participation rates among the community are much higher for online opportunities than for traditional public meetings. In Logan,

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Utah, we conducted community meetings at three central locations and used a community survey as a public input opportunity. The online survey and community meetings were publicized through the transit system website, social media, community organizations, printed flyers, and by the university. We received over 3,000 responses to the online survey while attendance at the community meetings was low.

Onboard Surveys An onboard survey is the best means of engaging existing transit riders in a planning process. Many passengers are willing to complete a survey questionnaire during their bus trip and provide comments, while the number of passengers who typically attend any type of meeting is much lower. The trip origins and destinations and the level of satisfaction with existing services provide insight into the most appropriate transportation services that will maximize system utilization and operational efficiency. In addition, we understand the importance of having a bilingual questionnaire (English and Spanish) to accommodate all passengers. Each survey is tailored based on discussions with project staff and any advisory groups, as well as from our team’s long experience with constructing onboard survey instruments. LSC led an onboard passenger survey and analysis in Grand Junction, CO that covered 11 fixed routes leaving from three separate transit centers. On-board surveys provide key data elements for transit alternatives analysis.

Presentations In addition to holding meetings to present findings to the public, LSC has deep experience with presentations to transit agency staff, advisory boards and steering committees, and City and County Councils.

Website / Email / Social Media As part of any planning study, we will prepare information about the study to be posted on a study website, including background information about the project, announcements of community meetings or workshops, availability of report documents as they are available, and opportunities to provide input and feedback as part of the planning process. In addition, we can develop and maintain email lists of those interested in learning more about the planning process and send mass emails with project announcements.