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<br />/ <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br />Topic Report: Consider Options for the <br />Ramsey Star Express <br />By: Brian Olson, Director of Public Works / <br />Principal City Engineer <br /> <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />The City of Ramsey has successfully operated the Ramsey Star Express Commuter Coach <br />service since January 2007. The purpose of this case is to provide a history of the Ramsey Star <br />Express, its ridership, and costs and give the City Council an opportunity to comment on the <br />continuation of the service after March 31, 2010. <br /> <br />Ridership <br /> <br />A graph for Average Daily Trips is attached to the case. As this graph indicates, there was a <br />change in fare in March of2008 to $2.75 from $4.50 per trip. It is difficult to say that the entire <br />reason for the increased ridership during that rapid increase in ridership was due only to the fare <br />decrease as the gas prices were above $4 per gallon at that time and therefore ridership on the <br />entire corridor increased. However, it is pretty clear that there was an impact on ridership as <br />ridership almost doubled to about 260 rides per day from 133 rides per day. <br /> <br />The ridership fluctuated slightly but remained relatively constant from June 2008 - October 2009 <br />with a peak of280 rides per day (Jan 09) and a low of243 rides per day (Aug 08). As predicted, <br />there was a decrease in ridership when the train started on November 16, 2009 and ridership for <br />December was at a 18 month low of 230 rides per day. The average ridership in December is <br />typically about 10% lower than January due to the holidays and vacation schedules of our <br />patrons. <br /> <br />Costs <br /> <br />The City of Ramsey has been utilizing the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant that we <br />received approval for in 2007. This grant will cover 80% of the operating and capital costs <br />associated with this service from the period of January 22,2007 - January 22, 2010. Staff felt it <br />important to include information about the costs associated with running the service through <br />March of this year (see attached spreadsheet) and also through the next 6 month extension <br />through Sept 30, 2010. <br />