Thursday, May 27, 2010

TDCHR May 27, 2010

The Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR), the governing board of Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), held it's May meeting this afternoon.

The large order of business was adopting the FY 2011 Budget of $81 million. Speaking of Budgets, for FY 2010 HRT is $1.167 million under Budget with two months left in the fiscal year.

Norfolk's Starter Line is 84% complete, with spending currently $17 million under where HRT expected to be at this point. Much ado has been made about a grade crossing problem discovered late Monday. However, time and materials for correcting it will run no more than $81,000.

An order was placed with Gillig for ten more 30 foot hybrid buses and four more 40 foot low-floors. The 10 hybrids will be split evenly between Virginia Beach Base and the Peninsula Base. (Yes, Shadowrider, the Peninsula will get it's first permanent hybrids about a year from now.)

On June 9 the TDCHR's Executive Committee will meet to nominate candidates to serve as TDCHR Chairman and Vice Chairman for FY 2011.

Don't worry about a fuel price spike due to events in the Gulf Of Mexico: HRT has all it's fuel needs locked in by contract for the next 13 months. Currently HRT is paying about 49 cents a gallon below market price from contracting it's diesel fuel purchases.

Finally, the TDCHR approved the schedule of fare Public Hearings at it's July meeting in Norfolk and August in Hampton. Also, there will be evening public meetings at each location for those who can't make the 1:30 P.M. Public Hearings. The Operations & Oversight Committee recommended that all three fare scenarios ($1.50, $1.75, and $2) be advertised, but a vast majority of Commissioners wanted it clear that $2 is the preferred scenario.

7 comments:

Anonymous Coward said...

I would gladly pay $2 to ride the bus if it meant Nights & Sunday service on all routes

Avenging Archangel said...

$2 would buy:

1. Evening service on the higher performing outlying routes.

2. New, better buses. (Want to get rid of those 500 series Phantoms?)

3. More shelters and benches.

In addition, it would qualify HRT for more Federal and state aid in FY 2013, so service could be boosted again.

Anonymous Coward said...

What would buy Sunday service?

Anonymous said...

"On June 9 the TDCHR's Executive Committee will meet to nominate candidates to serve as TDCHR Chairman and Vice Chairman for FY 2011."

Who will be chair now that Wright is gone? Please tell me it won't be Riddick!!!!

Avenging Archangel said...

Anon 5:58,

Hopefully we'll find out June 9.

Anon 4:31,

That's not how the fare review has been conducted. It was simply looking at agency fiscal viability. In fact, the original figures looked at were $1.65 and $1.75. $2 didn't come into play until April, when it was found that $1.75 only put things off two years.

shadowrider257 said...

I think that the 4 40-footers would go to the Victoria Base since our only 40-footers are the 500s, 1900s and 2029-2039. It's fairly obvious that we need more 40-ft buses because recently the 1800s, meant for Express routes, have been used on the 101, 105, 109, 111, 112, 114, 117 and 120, and one of the 900s from Norfolk was used on the 64 a couple of months ago.

Avenging Archangel said...

Shadowrider,

What piece of first-rate equipment don't you want at Victoria? :)

First of all, the 1800s weren't intended for the MAX. They were originally purchased for the Navy base tours: Norfolk and Oceana. When the FTA reged them out, HRT had to find something to do with them. Eventually they became the backup MAX equipment.

As for the 900s, I'll trade you the 500s we were sent from Victoria bus for bus for the 900s back.

As HRT has reviewed it's fleet, it realizes it has too many 40 footers and not enough 30 and 35 footers. Expect to see more smaller buses ordered.

BTW, I love the 1900s. We haven't seen them on the Southside since the 61 was axed. I've even changed routings on the Peninsula before simply so I could ride a 1900.