Metro Magazine, September/October 2015

Supplier of P assenger Assist Straps and Grab Handles tothe Public Transit Industry 905 844 8539inquiries@ river drive comDOCKET 90 COMPLIANTASSIST STRAPManufactured in co operation with U S Patent D728449Can Reg no 150243Contact us about our many styles and mounting accessoriesFEATUREDPRODUCTwww river drive comCustom Color Matching availableReDblUeyellowgReyblaCk 77 SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2015 mETRO mAGAZINE five questions that was simply too outdated to handle 21st century commuting patterns I asked our planning staff to start from scratch with a totally brand new route structure Through extensive planning and community input they developed what we thought was an optimal system Then the tough work of implementing those changes began What was that process like and what was the end result It was an 18 month process from planning to implementation which involved unprecedented public outreach We made sure the process was transparent and kept the JTA board informed every step of the way It was the first total overhaul of the system in recent history so internal and external communication was critical We also wanted to make sure the new route structure was a net zero cost to the JTA We werent going to increase our budget on an annual basis We were going to have the same number of service hours buses and operators so it had to be a net zero cost operationally The ROI was a mammoth undertaking for a transit authority of any size but the dedicated executives and staff at the JTA pulled it off successfully without any major problems We accomplished a lot with that initiative At a one time cost of 21 million in operating and capital funds the ROI also enabled the JTA to Remove 30 percent of bus stops to reduce travel time between stops Install 128 new ADA compliant stops Increase the number of routes with 30 minute frequency from two to 20 Install 10 routes with 15 minute frequency a first in JTAs history Double routes operating after 11 p m from 11 to 22 Increase routes operating after midnight from three to 16 Speed up weekend service to run more frequently Increase route supervision system branding safety and security and adopted new protocol for naming routes Adopt a new more professional dress code for operators Install nearly 2900 new bus stop signs Implement the Real Time Passenger Information systemwide Install more than 200 community shuttle map kiosks Solidify concept of teamwork among JTA staff Because the ROI represented a total system change we adopted the ROI motto New Routes New System New Way Why do you feel mentoring others is important especially right now with so much change over expected to continue to occur Mentoring is important to me both professionally and personally I would not be in this position today or accomplished a lot of what Ive accomplished in my career if I had not had mentors to provide guidance and advice from my early days as a train conductor for the Metropolitan Transit Authority in New York through my tenure in C Suites Even