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AGENDA REPORT
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| | | | | | | | DATE:
| September 21, 2021
| TO:
| Mayor and City Council
| FROM:
| Stefan T. Chatwin, City Manager
| | SUBJECT: | Resolution 2021-240 of the City Council of the City of Fairfield Approving Fairfield and Suisun Transit’s Continued Participation for an Additional 18 Months in the Regional Clipper START Pilot Program to Provide a 20% Fare Discount to Eligible Low-Income Adult Passengers Using a Clipper Card |
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| | | | | | | | | RECOMMENDED ACTION | | Adopt resolution. |
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| | | | | | | | | STATEMENT OF ISSUE | | The Clipper START pilot program is a means-based transit fare discount program to improve mobility and affordability for low-income residents in the Bay Area. Upon enrollment, eligible low-income passengers receive a 20% discount on Fairfield and Suisun Transit (FAST) services when using a START Clipper Card. The City Council is being asked to approve FAST’s continued participation in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Clipper START Pilot Program for an additional 18-month period, ending June 30, 2023. |
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| | | | | | | | | DISCUSSION | The council approved Resolution 2020-195 allowing FAST to participate in the expanded Clipper START Pilot program from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021.
The goal for the Clipper START Pilot program was 15,000 enrollees. Actual enrollment has fallen short of projections. Approximately 2,800 people are using Clipper START cards since the pilot launched. Given the pandemic, low ridership, and the full roll out of the program with Bay Area operators in January 2021, limited data is available to make significant recommendations on program policy and structure changes as originally anticipated.
An 18-month extension, to June 30, 2023, would allow time for new enrollees to join the program under a “back to transit” scenario as well as coincide with the next-generation Clipper 2.0 system currently in development and scheduled for roll out in 2023. The time extension would also provide for additional data collection and place the program in alignment with the state fiscal year for future budgeting purposes.
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| | | | | | | | | FINANCIAL IMPACT | | The item will have no financial impact to the General Fund. FAST would continue to utilize already budgeted Transportation Development Act (TDA) funding to continue participation in the Clipper START pilot program. MTC will continue to provide half of its pilot program contribution using State Transit Assistance funds. |
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| | | | | | | | | PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION | N/A
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| | | | | | | | | ALTERNATIVE ACTION | | The council could choose to not extend its participation in the Clipper START Pilot Program and terminate it on December 31, 2021. However, the funds already expended would not be returned. |
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| | | | | | | | | STAFF CONTACT | Amber Villarreal, Operations Manager – Transit
(707) 434-3804
avillarreal@fairfield.ca.gov
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| | | | | | | | | COORDINATED WITH | Metropolitan Transportation Commission
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| REVIEWERS: | | Reviewer | Action | Date | | Kaushal, Paul | Approved | 9/7/2021 - 8:48 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 9/9/2021 - 1:26 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 9/9/2021 - 1:26 PM |
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