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Sun Metro - Reprioritized and Reprogram: Two-Phased Approach
During the first and second phase of the recommended plan of action, bus acquisition is given highest priority. Sun Metro is seeking approval from the Mass Transit Board, the Transportation Policy Board, and the Federal Transit Administration to reprogram Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funding. Sun Metro received the Mass Transit Board's approval during their March 27th meeting to reprioritize CIP funding. Sun Metro is looking to address the pressing service need by scheduling for an additional 20 new buses to be delivered by November.
Capital Improvement Projects: Budget prior to Reprioritization
- Mission Valley Transit Terminal & Visitor's Center--------- $4.1 million
- Westside Transit Terminal --------------------------------------- $2.5 million
- Far Eastside Transit Terminal------------------------------------ $2.4 million
- Glory Road Transit Terminal ------------------------------------ $7.0 million
- Camino Real Transit Terminal ---------------------------------- $16.2 million
- Great Streets ------------------------------------------------------- $ 5.3 million
Approved Budget Reprioritization Recommendations
- Bus Acquisition------------------------------------------------------------ $13.8 million
Facilities must be supported by sufficient buses to enable existing transit service and to accommodate for increasing service demand.
- Initiate and complete Administration & Operations Facility.--------$2.3 million
Current Site: Union Depot- no room for growth despite increasing service needs, traffic flow is hindered, and there's an urgent need for expanded fueling facilities.
- Conduct project analysis for Downtown Transfer Site.---------------$1.9 million
Proposed Site: opportunity for service consolidation, enhanced passenger amenities, reduces downtown congestion, includes parking garage for multiple uses, and encourages economic development.
- Complete design and land acquisition for all terminals.
Challenges: site facility changes, land acquisition challenges, increased cost of construction materials, saturated design and construction market, need for additional funding.
- Conduct project analysis for Camino Real Terminal
Size Constraint: Concern that current site cannot accommodate over-the-road bus needs and size is constrained for growth. Alternate site is under consideration.
- Accelerate terminal construction whenever possible.
Recommended CIP Plan of Action-
Phase I (3 Years)
- Mission Valley Terminal & Visitors Center
- No reprogramming is proposed
- Tentative project completion expected in Phase I
- Westside Transit Terminal
- Reprogram $862,880 million for bus acquisitions
- Site acquisition and Design in Phase I
- Construction in Phase II
- Far Eastside Transit Terminal
- Reprogram $1.98 million for downtown transfer site
- Site acquisition, Design and Construction in Phase II
- Glory Road Transit Terminal
- No reprogramming is proposed
- Project completion in Phase I
- Construction in Phase II
- Camino Real Transit Terminal
- Pursue privatization option and complete site analysis. Reprogram funding: $7.6 million (bus acquisitions) and $2.3 million (Administration & Operations Facility)
- Great Streets
- Reprogram $5.39 million for bus acquisitions
- Construction Phase II
Phase II (3 Years)
- Bus Acquisition
- Submittal of new funding requests to offset project shortfalls
- Finalize construction of all capital projects
- Identify new capital needs
Fleet Conditions vs. Service Requirements
- 85 serviceable buses (including 35 recently acquired NABI's)
- 130 buses needed to meet current pull-out requirements
- Need an estimated 180 buses to meet pull-out requirements upon completion of five terminals and neighborhood circulators.
BACK TO BASICS
Last summer, a management audit was conducted by Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and McCollom Management Consulting (MCC) to determine opportunities for improving operational efficiency and effectiveness. In their findings they presented a Terminal/Hubs concept and identified that buses were key, concluding that Sun Metro must develop a long-range operational plan to determine a capital and bus replacement schedule.
The City of El Paso awarded a contractual agreement to First Transit, a leading provider of passenger transportation and management services, to address the operational deficiencies. As part of the operations plan, First Transit will conduct its first major analysis which entails: financial assessment, capital requirements assessment, personnel requirements, route performance, and regional assessment beyond existing transit service.
 Print Version
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