HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 03 - Jobs Pilot ProgramMEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBER THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ROGER NELSON, CITY MANAGER tT
MEETING DATE: APRIL 3, 2001
SUBJECT: ACCESS TO JOBS PILOT PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION:
City Council is being asked to consider a pilot program to run shuttle service from the
Centerpoint Station on the Trinity Railway Express line to major employers in the City of
Grapevine.
FUNDING SOURCE:
General funds FY2001
BACKGROUND:
In FY2001, Congress provided $100 million for the Job Access and Reverse Commute
Program. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) in coordination
with five Northeast Tarrant County cities has secured approval for $1.5 million for this
program. This proposed project will make available $500,000 per year for three years to
enable persons to access training and employment opportunities in the area. A 50/50
matching fund arrangement is required for the municipalities to participate. Cities may
obtain funding from area businesses to defray the cost in part or in whole. The route
would be serviced with 22 person vans that would begin and terminate at the Trinity
Railway Express Centerpoint Station. Reverse commute opportunities will also be
available for residents in Northeast Tarrant County who work in downtown Dallas or Fort
Worth. Although these are the stated purposes, NTCOG has indicated that anyone will
be allowed to ride the vans.
The NTCOG notified the cities on March 1, 2001 that a commitment was needed by April
1, 2001 to proceed.
Staff has contacted 24 major employers identified by Dunn and Bradstreet, having more
than 100 employees. Of the 24 contacted, 20 responded and 11 of the respondents
expressed an interest in being on the preliminary route. Due to the compressed time
frame placed on the City, all major employers were included on the route map. In
general, the employers expressing the greatest concern over access to jobs were
March 28, 2001 (3:36PM)
medical service providers, restaurants, retail stores and hotel employers. Since the
actual participation and demand for this service has not been comprehensively studied,
staff is approaching it as a pilot program to assess its feasibility.
Potential Benefits
• Businesses will benefit from greater access.
• Matching funds are currently available for three years to offset the overall cost.
• Funds can be recouped from employers benefiting from the program.
• The program can be expanded if it is successful.
• A pilot program will allow the potential success of the program to be assessed.
Potential Concerns
• The service may not be fully utilized.
• The service may be well utilized and matching funds may not continue.
• Employers may be unwilling to participate in costs.
The potential pilot program route is shown on the attached Preliminary Route map. This
route may be amended as the program is implemented and participants are determined.
Based on the route shown, the total annual estimated cost for two morning and three
peak evening shuttles would be $61,100 for weekdays and $24,440for weekends. The
total service at this level would be $85,540 per year with the City share would be
$42,770. To account for the possibility of additional stops and possible route
expansions, it is recommended that the City commit $50,000 per year. If the program is
successful in the first year, expansion to more routes is possible up to the $500
thousand designated per year total matching funds for the committed cities. NTCOG
also calculated the routes based on a second option that includes an hourly rate plus
mileage. However, the flat fee is less costly and therefore would be the option applied.
The NTCOG cost estimate table is attached.
dt
March 28, 2001 (3:36PM)
ON
NOT TO SCALE
_ LEGEND
•� Major Employer
■ Interested Employer
ACCESS TO JOBS
PRELIMINARY
Shuttle Route E
ROUTE PLAN
Trinity Railway Express
TRE CENTRE30RT
CITY OF GRAPEVINE
STATION
Access to Jobs Survey
Name
Number of Employees
DSd; lam
Extgnt
E2 sib
Babbages
150
Computer Software
Large
Yes
Baylor Medical Center
450
Medical Hospital
Large
Yes
Security Manufacturing Corp.
100
Manufacturing
Med.
Yes
Classic Chevrolet
134
Auto Sales
Small
Yes
Target
200
General Retail Sales
N/A
Not Needed
First State Bank of Texas
101
Banking
N/A
Not Needed
Payton Wright Ford
140
Auto Sales
N/A
Not Needed
TGI Fridays
150
Restaurant
Small
Yes
Trencor inc.
168
Manufacturing of construciton equipment
N/A
Not Needed
UPS
950
Parcel service
NR
NR
Exhibit Group Gitispur
100
Manufacturing of exhibit booths
N/A
Not Needed
DFW Lakes Hilton
100
Hotel
Yes
Harland
100-249
Printers
Med.
Yes
Nibco
100-249
Plumbing Fixtures and Supplies Wholesale
NR
NR
Avnet
100-249
Electronics Distribution
NR
NR
Romano's Macaroni Grill
100-249
Restaurant
Med.
Yes
Olive Garden
106-249
Restaurant
Large
Yes
Saltgrass Steakhouse
100-249
Restaurant
Small
Not Needed
Super Shuttle, Inc.
250-499
Airport Transportation Service
Med.
Yes
Wright Construction Co.
100-249
Construction
NR
NR
Eagle USA Air -Freight
100-249
Freight -Forwarding
N/A
Not Needed
CMPA
100-249
Construction Mgmt.
N/A
Not Needed
Tom Thumb
100-249
Grocers -Retail
Small
Not Needed
Grapevine Mills Mali
2,000-3,000
Retail Mail
200-300
Yes
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