CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Adopt the resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the 2020 Pace Paratransit Local Share Agreement for the operation of the Ride DuPage Program
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Erin Venard, Project Manager - DRT
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The City of Naperville partners with Naperville, Lisle and Wheatland Townships (collectively known as the Lisle/Naperville Transportation Partners) and Pace Suburban Bus to provide Ride DuPage. The Ride DuPage program provides transportation services for seniors and persons with disabilities. The program uses both taxis and Pace lift-equipped buses to provide curb-to-curb transportation services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Ride DuPage program began in August 2004. In March 2008, the Ride DuPage to Work program was added as a sub-program of the Ride DuPage program. The Ride DuPage to Work program is specifically designed to provide a reduced fare for seniors and persons with disabilities to travel to and from work. The Lisle/Naperville Transportation Partners provide the Ride DuPage to Work Program with the Milton Transportation Partners, which includes Milton Township, the City of Wheaton and the Village of Glen Ellyn. Federal grant funding is used to reduce the costs associated with the work trips for the local agencies. The City of Naperville is the grant administrator on behalf of all partners.
DISCUSSION:
The attached 2020 Pace Paratransit Local Share Agreement for the Ride DuPage Program includes an estimate of program costs and contributions to be made by the Lisle/Naperville Transportation Partners. Remaining program costs are contributed to through a Pace subsidy, revenue, call center grant, and grant funding. Naperville has entered into a similar agreement with Pace for the operation of Ride DuPage for several years. The estimates are prepared by Pace’s accounting department and the estimated grant reimbursement is factored into this cost estimate. Therefore, the total amount expended will be beyond the total local share cost estimate prepared by Pace; however, the difference in cost will be captured through reimbursement by the Regional Transportation Authority on eligible trips through the Ride DuPage Section 5310 grant funding.
As noted in the estimate, of the total program cost, 28.3% comes from partnership contributions. Each year the Lisle/Naperville Transportation Partners establish the proportionate shares of the partnership contributions that each agency will provide. For 2020 the City’s estimated total local share estimate accounts for 53.3% of the partnership contributions. In past years, the City’s total local share accounted for 52% of the partners’ share. The increased percentage this year accounts for rider costs from City of Naperville residents also residing in DuPage Township. DuPage Township is not a partner in the Ride DuPage program. The local share for the small number of trips taken by the Naperville/DuPage Township residents was previously distributed amongst the partners; however, the partnership requested that these costs be solely funded by Naperville. The resulting increase is estimated to be approximately $5,500.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The CY20 General Fund budget includes $345,000 for the Ride DuPage Program.