FY 26 Approved Operating Budget

ensuring fixed route service remains on time.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CURRENT PERFORMANCE:

Quality customer service, improved vehicle and system reliability, timed transfer points and replacing older fleet vehicles. Maintaining a professional image through bus washing (exterior and quarterly interior), bus shelter power washing and updating the routing technology to communicate better with our riders.

Performance Measure 2: Number of Passenger Trips completed - FY 25 & FY 26 Forecast (Demand Response / ADA)

ABOUT THIS MEASURE:

The recent implementation of Ecolane software has built capacity without adding more service. Registered passengers this year has increased by 50%, from 917 to more than 1,400. We increased passenger trips in FY 2025 by 5%, even with a difficult winter and fewer operating days (Senior Center Closures). We anticipate an estimated 9% growth in FY 2026.

WHAT IS BEING DONE AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO TRACK:

It is critical to track, grow and report ridership under the new MTA funding methodology. System performance is one metric in the funding allocation methodology. Passenger trips completed equates to stable or increased funding annually.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CURRENT PERFORMANCE:

Performance Measure 3: Total Passenger Trips completed (Fixed Route & Demand Response / ADA) ABOUT THIS MEASURE: Ridership has increased without adding service by adjusting routes as new employers invest in the County. Adding service to major employers and working with our community partners, the college and the hospital has brought additional ridership. Riders return to ride with us due to the quality customer service our associates at Harford Transit LINK are committed to perform each and every day we provide service to the citizens of Harford County. The new Routing and Dispatching software, apps and amenities have brought our riders back time and time again. The Token Transit unlimited all day, week and month passes encourage riders to travel with us more. New routing and dispatching software have demonstrated improved operations, reduction in overtime and overall improved performance measures. We are receiving and processing applications for paratransit service weekly, averaging more than 30 new approved riders monthly. The population served by paratransit include seniors (growing), younger riders with cognitive/developmental/behavioral/mental health diagnosis, and dialysis and cancer patients. These are not choice/recreational riders, but passengers who need the higher level of care when being transported. New scheduling technology has opened same day service. We are addressing these growing populations who are and will be long-tern riders with our March 2024 routing software upgrade to Ecolane. We are utilizing the full capacity , increasing ridership and FY 2026 results are expected to exceed our preliminary estimate of 47,000 riders in this area of our service with minimal impact to our budget.

WHAT IS BEING DONE AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO TRACK:

It is critical to track, grow and report ridership under the new MTA funding methodology. System performance is one metric in the funding allocation methodology. Passenger trips completed equates to stable or increased funding annually.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CURRENT PERFORMANCE:

The performance of the new routing and dispatching hardware and software has benefited the County fiscally by operational improvements, our passengers now have additional opportunities to travel with us, and they stay informed with the new infotainment screens inside the buses. With fleet replacements and hardware updates, new buses will have Wi-Fi, expanding resources for our riders.

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