VTA Advisory Board
Meeting and Public Hearing Minutes
September 10, 2015
The Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority Advisory Board met Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 7:30 PM in the offices of the Transit Authority, 11 A Street, Edgartown. Present were Alice Butler (Oak Bluffs), June Manning (Aquinnah), Lou Paciello (Edgartown) and Jay Grande (Tisbury). Also present were Angela Grant (VTA) and Lois Craine (VTA). Absent were John Alley (West Tisbury), Lenny Jason (Chilmark) and Russell Ashton (Rider Community Representative OB).
The meeting was called to order and the Public Hearing opened at 7:34AM.
RTA Study Plan and Public Hearing
Ms. Grant outlined the recommendations detailed in a spreadsheet in chapter 7 of the draft RTA study as separated into the 3 operating seasons of in season, shoulder and off season.
Consistent headways in the details particularly in the off season would not meet the ferries as well which the VTA does not see as being a positive move. The routes recommended for more service are in line with VTA recommendations based on current ridership and passenger demand.
Route 1 would be 15 minute frequency all day during the peak season and 30 minutes in the shoulder and off seasons. Ms. Grant pointed out that this may need to be 20 minutes in the shoulder season and 30 minutes off season.
Route 2 would be 120 minutes with a possible interline with route 4 and 10A in the off season.
Routes 3 and 5 would interline with 90 minute headways in the off season. In season they would have 30 minute frequency
Route 6 is recommended to be 30 minutes in season, 60 in the shoulder season and 90 minutes off season when interlined with route8.
Routes 7 and 9, 60 to 90 minutes off season as linear routes. Route 9 particularly fell behind this in season due to congestion at the Barnes and West Tisbury Road intersection especially when the large air carriers landed and took off from the airport. Both would have segment changes.
Park and Ride Tisbury would remain the same.
Route 13 would start earlier in the off season and have consistent headways.
The VTA believes there is more demand for off season service than the data collected for the study shows and that adding service would show good results.
Ms Butler asked if the VTA has learned much from the findings and Ms. Grant replied that the demographics presented are interesting but that much of the recommendations are in line with the plans the VTA and the VTA Board envisions as the next logical steps when funding becomes available.
Mr. Paciello asked if the Board could accept or reject the recommendations. Ms. Grant explained that the Legislature asked for the study in order to assess the need for more funding.
Ms. Manning observed that the study so far is informative and well presented and reported that route 12 is successful in its new format and the Chilmark Selectmen would like to continue it through the Labor Day weekend next year.
Ms. Grant said that the most recent comments will be sent back and the full document finished for presentation to the Legislature.
Ms. Manning asked if the fare increase of January 1, 2015 has had any impact and Ms. Grant replied that the money has funded a$1.00 per hour raise for all operators in the hope of helping with increasingly difficult recruitment.
New Business
Ms. Grant advised the Board that there will be a meeting of the Finance and Audit subcommittee at 8:30AM followed by the full Board at 9:00AM on Thursday October 8th when Bruce Norling will present the FY15 Audit to the Board.
The meeting adjourned at 8:10PM
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