HomeMy WebLinkAboutPW Grand Jury Report on Yellow School Bus Service for Traffic ReliefAgenda Item No: 6.d
Meeting Date: August 20, 2018
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Public Works
Prepared by: Bill Guerin, Director City Manager Approval: _______
TOPIC: GRAND JURY REPORT ON YELLOW SCHOOL BUS SERVICE FOR TRAFFIC
RELIEF
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY COUNCIL TO
EXECUTE THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL RESPONSE TO THE 2017-2018
MARIN COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT ENTITLED “YELLOW
SCHOOL BUS SERVICE FOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION RELIEF”
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution
approving the proposed response to the Grand Jury report.
BACKGROUND:
The 2017-2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury has issued its report, dated June 1, 2018 entitled
“Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief.”
The Grand Jury has requested that the governing bodies including Marin County, Transportation
Authority of Marin, Marin Transit District, various school districts, and municipalities, including
the City of San Rafael, respond to recommendations contained within the report. The City of
San Rafael is asked to respond to Recommendations R2, R4, R7, R8 and R10. The Grand
Jury’s findings and recommendations are set out on page 11 and 12 of the 13-page report
(Attachment 1).
ANALYSIS:
The City is required to respond to the Grand Jury Report. Penal Code section 933 states in
part:
“No later than 90 days after the Grand Jury submits a final report…the governing body of
the public agency shall comment to the presiding Judge of the Superior Court on the
findings and recommendations contained in the report.”
To comply with this statute, the City’s response to the Grand Jury report must be approved by
Resolution of the City Council and submitted to the Presiding Judge of the Marin County
Superior Court and the Foreperson of the Grand Jury by September 1, 2018. A proposed
resolution is attached that would approve the City’s response to the Grand Jury (Attachment 2).
The Grand Jury found that:
____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: 08-20-2018
Disposition: Resolution No. 14562
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
F1. Traffic congestion is consistently cited as the number one problem in the County and
school-related traffic is a significant contributor.
F2. School buses have been shown to reduce traffic congestion.
F3. There are school districts with no bus service and others with varying levels of service. The
lack of coordination results in inefficiencies.
F4. Current school bus funding includes bus pass sales and various municipality and county
contributions. The municipal and county contributions are temporary and inconsistent.
F5. There is demand to establish and/or expand yellow school bus (YSB) programs in the
County.
F6. Securing dedicated YSB bus parking and a maintenance facility is essential for expansion of
a countywide YSB program.
F7. The YSB programs in Marin face many challenges, including dependable funding sources,
bus drivers and coordinated school bell times.
F8. Marin Transit is the appropriate entity to efficiently manage a coordinated YSB program.
In response, the Grand Jury recommends that the City do the following, and asks for the City’s
response to these recommendations:
R2. All municipalities should work with Marin Transit to secure ample locations for bus parking
and a location for bus maintenance by the end of 2018.
R4. Marin Transit should facilitate negotiations for a financial arrangement across the full group
of participants that would distribute any tax revenue lost by a municipality or the County for
providing a parking or maintenance facility.
R7. School Districts (with or without existing YSB programs) and municipalities within the
urbanized area of the County should join and actively participate in the YSB committee
providing guidance to Marin Transit on YSB issues, such as cost allocations, bell times, and
routes. The initial meeting should be held by October of 2018.
R8. The YSB committee should work toward the establishment of a coordinated YSB for K-8
program for the urbanized areas of Marin with the goal of beginning the coordinated program by
the 2019-2020 school year.
R10. The County and municipalities of the urbanized corridor should make financial support of
all YSB programs a part of each years’ budgeting process.
Staff agrees with Recommendations R4 – R8. Staff recommends that the City of San Rafael
agree to work with Marin Transit and the other group of participants determine a reasonable
way to offset tax revenue lost due to a municipality or the County providing a parking and
maintenance facility in their jurisdiction. Stall also recommends that San Rafael actively
participate in the YSB committee providing guidance to Marin Transit on YSB issues, such as
cost allocations, bell times, and routes. Staff also recommends that San Rafael work with the
other committee members toward the establishment of a coordinated YSB for K-8 program for
the urbanized areas of Marin with the goal of beginning the coordinated program by the 2019-
2020 school year.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
Staff partially agrees with Recommendation R2. Staff recommends that San Rafael work with
Marin Transit and others to identify a bus parking and maintenance facility, but staff does not
believe that the timeframe to acquire the facility by the end of 2018 is a realistic goal.
Staff does not agree with Recommendation R10. Funding for this consolidated Yellow School
Bus program must be identified from sources other than the City of San Rafael. Should funding
become available through other sources that San Rafael has influence over, the City indicates
that it will make financial support of all YSB programs a part of each years’ budgeting process.
The proposed resolution with attached response incorporates these responses.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider relating to this item:
1.Adopt the resolution as presented. The Grand Jury response would be submitted as
presented.
2.Adopt the resolution with modifications. The City Council may make changes to the
resolution and corresponding Grand Jury response during the City Council meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the proposed response to
the Grand Jury report.
ATTACHMENTS:
1.Grand Jury report entitled “Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief”
2.Resolution
3.Exhibit to resolution: Response to Grand Jury Report
2017–2018 MARIN COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY
Yellow School Bus
for Traffic Congestion Relief
Report Date: June 1, 2018
Public Release Date: June 8, 2018
Marin County Civil Grand Jury
Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief
SUMMARY
Traffic congestion is consistently cited as the number one problem in Marin County and school-
related traffic is a significant contributor. In the past, schools had the resources to provide bus
service to a high proportion of their students. With the funding limitations imposed by
Proposition 13, along with other funding constraints, most school districts are not able to afford
school bus programs.
Marin Transit, the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) and the Marin County Office of
Education (MCOE) produced the Coordinated County Student Transportation Study1 in
December 2015. The focus of the study was to identify options to relieve roadway congestion,
encourage healthy ways to get to school and improve the coordination of resources dedicated to
providing school transportation. The study found significant opportunity for school buses but no
feasible method of funding.
A district-by-district approach to Yellow School Bus (YSB) programs has been undertaken for
traffic relief. These programs were initiated, funded, and managed in different ways. Existing
YSB programs in Marin lack the coordination and consistent funding that could maximize
efficiency. There are some school districts with no YSB service. Other school districts have
limited service, while still others have comprehensive programs. This lack of coordination exists
because no organization has the authority to coordinate and manage a YSB program.
Mill Valley and Tiburon/Belvedere began YSB programs for students in kindergarten through
8th grade (K-8), with the County and those municipalities contributing funds to reduce the cost
of bus passes. These are two examples where cooperation and collaboration between the
cities/County and school districts have created YSB programs that are popular with school
families and have been documented to be effective in reducing traffic during morning and mid-
afternoon commute times.
School districts, transportation agencies, and municipalities should develop a cost-efficient,
coordinated YSB program serving more K-8 schools. Marin Transit is well positioned to manage
such a program. They have the expertise to negotiate contracts and manage operations resulting
in economies of scale and a more efficiently run program. Under this proposed YSB program,
the management would be overseen by a committee representing Marin County, participating
municipalities, the MCOE and those school districts that choose to participate.
A YSB parking and maintenance facility is essential for this program to be fully realized. The
County and municipalities should place a high priority on supporting Marin Transit in their
efforts to locate and acquire a suitable facility.
1 “Coordinated County Student Transportation Study.” Marin Transit, Transportation Authority of Marin & Marin County Office
of Education. Dec. 2015.
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BACKGROUND
When Marin residents are asked about the most pressing problems in the county, traffic
congestion is routinely at the top.2 What, if anything, can be done?
The option of increasing road capacity is limited. Most of the problem areas are bounded on all
sides by natural barriers or prohibitively expensive private property and cannot be physically
widened. Moreover, studies show that increasing road capacity does not decrease congestion
significantly because added traffic fills up the extra space.3
Intelligent management of traffic signals is another option. Unfortunately, optimizing traffic
signals for one direction may result in reducing flow in the competing direction. For this reason,
signal optimization is always a compromise. Traffic engineers are trying various strategies, but
the improvements in traffic flow realizable by signal management are constrained by the
practical necessity of keeping traffic moving.
Changing work and school starting times has been studied and showed some promise. However,
adjusting work hours by enough to make a significant impact on traffic would likely not be
acceptable to most workers — or their employers. The same situation applies to school hours.
These have been adjusted to some extent, with some school districts staggering starting times.
Although this is helpful, the problem of too many cars on Marin’s finite road capacity remains.
Carpooling has been encouraged for years through dedicated lanes, free or reduced tolls, and
employer incentives. Some students get from home to school via carpool, and there is probably
some room for improvement. However, due to differences in individual schedules and routines, it
is difficult to increase carpool use much beyond what it is now. Short of a breakthrough
technology or some unforeseeable change in driving habits, there is only one way to reduce
congestion significantly: remove cars from the road.
The only practical, achievable way to remove cars from the road is mass transportation.4
However, most drivers appear to prefer the convenience of independent transport to using mass
transport. The picture is brighter in the case of school transportation. If school buses were more
widely available and used, it could make a significant, positive impact on congestion. This has
already been demonstrated in Marin in the case of Tiburon.5 Increasing school bus usage seems
to be our best chance at reducing school-associated traffic congestion.
2 Prado, Mark. “Marin poll cites Highway 101 clot as top commuter concern.” Marin Independent Journal. 12 June 2017.
3 Duranton, Gilles and Turner, Matthew. “The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion: Evidence from the US.” American
Economic Review. Vol. 101, No. 6, Oct. 2011, pp. 2616-52.
4 Anderson, Michael L. “Subways, Strikes, and Slowdowns: The Impacts of Public Transit on Highway Congestion.” American
Economic Review. 2014. Vol. 104, No. 9, pp. 2763 –2796.
5 Krawitt, Carl. “Tiburon peninsula school buses are worth the investment.” Marin Independent Journal. 18 July 2016.
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June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 3 of 13
APPROACH / METHODOLOGY
Research for this project included:
■Review of school bus programs and funding sources in Marin and other counties.
■Review of government support for school buses.
■Review of traffic congestion patterns affecting the County.
■Review of several school bus Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs).
■Interviews with various entities associated with traffic and transportation, municipalities and
school districts.
DISCUSSION
History
"I had to walk a mile in the rain and snow to get to school" goes the old saying.
Walking to school was pretty much the way it was until the first school bus was built in 1927.
The body was built to fit over the wooden frame of a Model T Ford. In 1939, Frank W. Cyr,
professor emeritus of rural education at Teachers College, Columbia University, organized a
conference at the school. He gathered transportation officials from all 48 states and specialists
from school bus manufacturing firms to establish the first national school bus construction
standards. It was also decided that the color yellow would represent school buses. Because of his
leadership in the program, Mr. Cyr became known as the “Father of the Yellow School Bus.”6
The 76-passenger, heavy-duty Crown Supercoach7 had the highest capacity at the time and fit the
needs of California school districts that operated in terrain requiring tough vehicles. These
yellow school buses were also a good fit for the hills and valleys of central and southern Marin,
where narrow, winding streets made it difficult for students to walk to school safely.
Initially, the federal government provided funding for the yellow bus programs. This was
especially helpful in Marin where the population was growing and citizens were coping with
post-Depression economic hardships and World War II gas rationing. School buses were the
norm until the 1978 passage of Proposition 13, which rolled back property taxes and capped
annual tax increases. As funding dried up and many yellow school bus programs were cut back,
parents were compelled to drive their children to school. From 2000 through 2015, there was a
further decline in funding, and thus in service, because of the state’s Local Control Funding
Formula and frozen funding levels. No longer was there a stream of funding dedicated to student
transportation; many districts felt newly unrestricted funds could be better used on academic or
enrichment programs. Consequently, several school districts in Marin dropped their yellow bus
program entirely. Major developments in the history of California’s home to school
transportation (HTST) programs are summarized in the table below.
6 “Frank W. Cyr, 95, 'Father of the Yellow School Bus'.” Columbia University Record, Vol. 21, No.1, 8 Sept. 1995.
7 Valentine, J. H. “Crown Coach: California's Specialty Builder.” Tripod.com.
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Major Developments in the History of the HTST Program8
Traffic decreased as a result of job losses during the tech and mortgage economic downturns
from 2000–2010. With the recent economic recovery and resulting job growth within the
County, a tremendous influx of traffic began in Marin, clogging the freeways and side streets and
making it difficult for commuters and parents transporting students. According to a survey
conducted by TAM, Marin County is in an economic growth pattern that is expected to continue.
8 “Review of School Transportation in California.” Legislative Analyst’s Office, Table 6, 25 Feb. 2014.
Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief
June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 5 of 13
The County experienced a job growth rate of 6.5% with 13,500 additional jobs created, while
housing only increased 2.7% between 2010 and 2015.9 Marin’s population and housing has
increased very little in that time. The continued disparity between job and housing growth
contributes to traffic congestion as out-of-county workers fill local jobs.
The growing traffic problem in Marin prompted a study addressing the transport of school
children and its impact on local traffic.
Coordinated Countywide Student Transportation Study
Marin Transit, in partnership with the MCOE and TAM, conducted a study published in
December of 2015 addressing the existing home-to-school transportation programs in the
urbanized areas of Marin County and making suggestions for future improvement and expansion.
The resulting report was guided by multiple stakeholders who formed the Technical Advisory
Committee, composed of representatives from Marin Transit, TAM, MCOE, Caltrans, Marin
cities and towns, Marin County, Marin County school districts located in the urbanized Highway
101 corridor, and the Marin Pupil Transportation JPA.
The study revealed that approximately half of the estimated 40,000 K-12 students travel by car to
and from school during peak-hour traffic.
The report had three main goals: increasing access to schools; encouraging healthy options for
getting to school (walking and biking); and traffic congestion relief. At the time of the study it
was estimated that 21%-27% of the morning commute traffic involved parents taking their
children to school. The study states:
As traffic and enrollment growth in Marin County has increased in recent years and roadway
capacity has remained largely unchanged, the partner agencies recognized the relationship
between peak hour traffic congestion and student access to school. While this concern is common
across many regions, the problem is particularly acute in Marin County due to the transportation
challenges presented by the geography, topography, and demographics of the region. Identifying
innovative ways to address both congestion and access were the core goals of the study.10
The study focused on three modes for achieving the above-stated goals:
1.Supporting the widely-used Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program;
2.Increasing the use of supplemental transit (regular public transport that is adapted for
school needs) for older students;
3.Expanding yellow school bus (YSB) programs, especially for younger students.
9 “GETTING AROUND MARIN DRAFT REPORT.” 2017 STRATEGIC VISION PLAN, Transportation Authority of Marin,
pg. 22, 26 July 2017 (cited 10 April 2010).
10 “Coordinated Countywide Student Transportation Study.” Marin Transit, Transportation Authority of Marin & Marin County
Office of Education. Dec. 2015, pp. 5-6.
Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief
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The SR2S program, launched in Marin County and Arlington, MA and expanded nationwide,
encourages walking and biking to school. Supplemental transit uses existing public transit routes
for home-to-school travel by coordinating schedules to match school bell times.
At the time of the study, there were 59 public schools in 14 districts within or adjacent to urban
areas of Marin. Seven schools in multiple districts in West Marin were not a part of the study.
Five school districts (San Rafael, Dixie, Lagunitas, Reed Union, and Tamalpais Union) had
yellow school bus programs. The Ross Valley Schools had a pre-existing program under the
auspices of the Marin Transit District rather than the school district. Mill Valley added a pilot
program after the completion of the study.
The existing YSB programs are providing significant and measurable traffic congestion relief.11
Management of the programs varies. Some districts provide their own management but contract
for the buses and drivers. Some are managed by Marin Transit, which also contracts for the
actual buses and drivers. Two districts own their own buses. Funding also varies with a mixture
of bus passes, city and county contributions, district funding, legacy state funding, and the 2004
transportation Measure A funds via a half-cent sales tax.
The study delineated areas around schools where walking and biking were appropriate. Areas
farther away or with no safe routes for self-propelled transit were also identified. Based on this
analysis, schools were grouped by their projected demand — high, medium, and low — for
increased service from supplemental transit or yellow school buses.
The report explored current and future operating and capital costs in-depth and concluded that
new funding would be needed to expand beyond existing programs. Essential capital investments
include purchase of buses and acquiring an area for bus parking and maintenance facilities within
the County.
All three modes of home-to-school transportation that were studied greatly increase the number
of “green trips” and get many children out of single family cars. However, the study concluded
that expanding the yellow school bus program offers the greatest chance for traffic congestion
relief. “A comprehensive countywide busing program is estimated to attract nearly 5,000
additional students and to increase countywide bus usage by students from the current 13% to
just over 30% of all trips.”12 In conceiving this yellow school bus program, the report states:
This service model would be used to serve all students K-8 in Marin County. Similar to
current practices, this service is envisioned to operate in one of two ways: contracted or in-
house. Current in-house operations would be encouraged to continue operations and school
districts that do not have this service could participate in a countywide contracted service
with Marin Transit or a new entity.13
11 “Traffic Task Force Subcommittee Meeting.” City of Mill Valley, News 2015.
12 “Coordinated Countywide Student Transportation Study.” Marin Transit, Transportation Authority of Marin & Marin County
Office of Education. Dec. 2015, pg. 51.
13 Ibid pg. 40
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June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 7 of 13
Recommended actions for yellow bus service do not necessarily call for a consolidation of
providers but rather a coordinated plan for focusing resources and supporting school districts that
wish to offer busing services. Aside from the actual service delivery, the study proposed a
countywide data management system, a user-friendly transportation website and bus pass sales
tools, and an equitable cost-sharing agreement that encourages efficiencies and cost savings.14
The study committee’s number one recommendation is to:
“Develop a forum to identify and develop an appropriate organizational structure, a detailed
financial plan, cost-sharing options, and a timeline for the expanded Yellow Bus service.”15
The report frequently states that an expanded yellow bus program must be managed by a lead
agency with formalized input from stakeholders.
The full report can be found at “Coordinated Countywide Student Transportation Study.”
While the 2015 study looked at three “green” and congestion-reducing options for home-to-
school transit (SR2S, Supplemental Transit, Yellow School Buses), the Grand Jury has chosen to
focus on yellow school buses for K-8 since they will have the greatest impact on traffic
congestion relief. As the YSB program expands, Marin Transit may find ways to improve the
supplemental transit for older students.
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
The yellow bus programs in Marin face many problems, including secured bus parking locations,
dependable funding sources, and coordinated school bell times.
Parking and Maintenance Facility
Most existing YSB services in Marin are contracted through transportation companies based
outside the County — no in-county companies exist. The lack of an in-county bus parking area
and maintenance facility significantly impacts the cost and quality of bus service. The additional
expenses of fuel and driver hours traveling to and from remote parking areas are passed on as
increased fees. Pollution and congestion created by buses traveling the extra distance is also
increased.
According to the transit officials interviewed, YSB companies are increasingly unwilling to
expand service in Marin because of the lack of bus parking and maintenance facilities. Securing
a parking and maintenance facility is essential for YSB expansion.
One major obstacle to securing a property for parking and maintenance appears to be local
government’s reluctance to allow a use that would result in the property being exempt from
property tax. The Federal Transit Administration grant cannot be used to support yellow school
14 Ibid pg. 42
15 Ibid pg. 48
Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief
June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 8 of 13
bus parking or maintenance; however, Marin Transit is budgeting reserved local funds for a site
to park yellow buses. A dedicated parking and maintenance facility for school buses would not
generate property tax revenue. A pre-existing, unused parking area would be a good option that
would not involve foregoing of potential tax revenue of new building sites.
Marin Transit has obtained funding and is actively searching for a light industrial property of at
least five acres. All interviewees expressed this issue as a pivotal challenge to advancing YSB
programs.
Drivers
Yellow school bus drivers require special state certifications, background clearances, and
ongoing training. In most cases, drivers need to commute into and out of Marin for only a few
hours of work and this, along with special certification and training requirements, contributes to
driver attrition. Recruiting and retaining drivers is a major problem. Efforts should be made to
find creative solutions.
Funding
School districts that no longer receive state HTST funding find outside funds from cities/towns
and the County with the majority paid by bus pass fees. Some of the current YSB programs
receive limited funds from their towns; the County has also contributed when unincorporated
areas are a part of a district. Cities, towns and the County, which all run on annual budgets, will
not commit to allocating ongoing funds for YSB. Annual budgets can fluctuate depending on the
economy and property tax revenue. Therefore, YSB funding from county and municipalities are
temporary and inconsistent. Many school districts are no longer in the transportation business
and do not consider it an educational priority.
Bell Times
Coordinating school bell times to maximize bus utilization is important to a well-functioning
YSB program. The MCOE has worked with Marin Transit and school districts when developing
schedules. Using buses for more than one route each morning and afternoon can significantly
reduce costs.
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June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 9 of 13
CONCLUSIONS
Existing YSB programs in Marin lack coordination and consistent funding resulting in
inefficiencies. There are school districts with no YSB service. Other school districts have limited
service while still others have comprehensive programs. Funding sources vary between districts
as well. The Grand Jury concludes that school districts, transportation agencies, and
municipalities should develop a cost-efficient, coordinated YSB program serving more K-8
schools.
YSB Programs Managed by Marin Transit 2017/18
School District Mill Valley Reed Union Ross Valley
Oversight by City, Mill Valley School
District
Tiburon Peninsula
Traffic Relief, JPA* Marin Transit
Direct Funding Sources** A, B, C, F A, B, C, F B 2%, C 18%, D 24%, F 56%
Marin Transit Provides
✓Route planning
✓Website development
✓Pass sales
✓Customer service
✓Daily bus monitoring
via GPS technology
✓Route planning
✓Real-time
communications with
“Find My Bus” App
✓Daily bus monitoring
via GPS technology
✓Route planning
✓Contract ownership
✓Website development
✓Pass sales and production
✓Customer service
✓Daily bus monitoring via
GPS technology
Annual Pass ONE WAY $350 ($375 in mid-June) $295 $375
Annual Pass ROUND TRIP $625 ($675 in mid-June) $590 $750
Schools Serviced 3 4 3
Buses 2 Michael's Buses
District Contract
7 First Student Buses
JPA Contract
6 Michael's Buses
Marin Transit Contract
# Routes 2 morning, 2 afternoon 12 morning, 12 afternoon 10 morning, 9 afternoon
Fare payment link transit.mvschools.org/faq buschallenge.org store.marintransit.org/?q=faq
*Also known as the Yellow Bus Challenge
**Funding sources for YSB programs: A - School District Revenue, B - Municipality Assistance,
C - County (General Fund) Assistance, D - Marin Transit, E - California Assistance, F - YSB Pass Sales
YSB Programs NOT Managed by Marin Transit 2017/18
School District San Rafael Elementary Dixie
Oversight by School District School District
Direct Funding Sources* A, E, F A, E, F
Marin Transit Provides
✓Supplemental
✓Procurement Support for YSB
Contract
✓Supplemental
Annual Pass ONE WAY n/a $225
Annual Pass ROUND TRIP $420 (1st Child) or $220 per Semester $399
Schools Serviced 9 K-8 in District 4
Buses 12 by First Student Contract District Owned
# Routes 30 morning, 32 afternoon 10 morning, 10 afternoon
*Funding sources for YSB programs: A - School District Revenue, B - Municipality Assistance,
C - County (General Fund) Assistance, D - Marin Transit, E - California Assistance, F - YSB pass sales
Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief
June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 10 of 13
A coordinated YSB program for K-8 students clearly has benefits for Marin County residents.
Most significantly, traffic congestion at peak times would be reduced. Parents would be relieved
of school pickup and dropoff, which often requires workarounds for jobs and other
responsibilities.
The major argument against buses has always been cost and the fear of those costs crowding out
important school programs. However, the growing demand for bus service is demonstrated by
the fact that several districts have taken up the challenge of starting their own programs in their
areas without compromising education funds. In addition, there are families who are on a bus-
pass waiting list for existing YSB service.
The case-by-case approach to a YSB program has been undertaken by various districts for
similar reasons but were initiated, funded, and managed in different ways because no
organization had the authority to create and manage a YSB program. The Grand Jury strongly
believes that Marin Transit is well-positioned to take on that role. They have the expertise to
negotiate, manage, and use economies of scale to run the program efficiently. Under this
proposed YSB program, the management would be overseen by a committee representing the
County, MCOE, municipalities, and local school districts that choose to participate.
A coordinated YSB program managed by Marin Transit could also help to acquire a bus parking
and maintenance facility which would not only decrease operating costs but is necessary to
expand service. Acquiring a local facility could have additional benefits such as installing solar
panels in partnership with MCE (formerly Marin Clean Energy). This would increase the
potential for acquiring and trading for electric buses contributing to the County’s goal of
sustainability.
The first step in initiating the YSB program is to create and empower a committee whose
members would include a representative from Marin County and each school district and
municipality that is involved in the program. The YSB Committee would be chaired by the
Marin Transit representative in charge of the YSB Program. Any new district that opts into the
program would attain a seat on the committee, so all stakeholders would be represented.
To initiate the program, and not be sidelined by the cost issue, the YSB Committee should
identify the areas that will have the most impact on traffic relief. Marin Transit would determine
costs per district based upon criteria agreed to by the committee, such as distances, number of
buses needed, estimated ridership, etc. Those costs can be offset by any contributions made by
the respective jurisdictions. As happens now, any difference would be paid for by bus passes.
Over time, bus pass prices per student will likely be reduced due to:
■Increased usage.
■Efficiency of a centralized program.
■Increased transportation funds.
■Re-allocation of transit funds to YSB from less efficient routes.
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June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 11 of 13
The main functions to be managed by Marin Transit, with the input from YSB Committee
members, should include the following:
■Route planning: Ensure the most efficient use of buses and routes to maximize traffic reduction,
use of buses, and customer (student/parent) satisfaction. This may include evaluation and
adjustments of existing public transit routes to enhance the YSB program.
■Contract management: Vendor selection and contract negotiations and/or purchase or lease of
buses and labor negotiations with drivers if applicable.
■Facility and maintenance planning: Prioritize efforts to locate and purchase a site for bus
parking and maintenance and encourage the stakeholders to help with this process.
■Financial management: Determine costs and fees to the districts, billing and collection of bus
pass fares.
■Communication: Create and manage online systems to provide real-time information to parents,
operators and school districts.
FINDINGS
F1. Traffic congestion is consistently cited as the number one problem in the county and
school-related traffic is a significant contributor.
F2. School buses have been shown to reduce traffic congestion.
F3. There are school districts with no bus service and others with varying levels of service.
The lack of coordination results in inefficiencies.
F4. Current school bus funding includes bus pass sales and various municipality and county
contributions. The municipal and county contributions are temporary and inconsistent.
F5. There is demand to establish and/or expand YSB programs in the County.
F6. Securing dedicated YSB bus parking and a maintenance facility is essential for expansion
of a countywide YSB program.
F7. The YSB programs in Marin face many challenges, including dependable funding
sources, bus drivers and coordinated school bell times.
F8. Marin Transit is the appropriate entity to efficiently manage a coordinated YSB program.
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June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 12 of 13
RECOMMENDATIONS
In order to establish a coordinated YSB program to relieve associated traffic congestion the
grand jury recommends the following:
R1. The Marin County Board of Supervisors should work with Marin Transit to secure ample
locations for bus parking and a location for bus maintenance by the end of 2018.
R2. All municipalities should work with Marin Transit to secure ample locations for bus
parking and a location for bus maintenance by the end of 2018.
R3. Marin Transit should produce and make public a list of possible sites for bus parking and
maintenance and the barriers to purchasing and utilizing each site by October 2018.
R4. Marin Transit should facilitate negotiations for a financial arrangement across the full
group of participants that would distribute any tax revenue lost by a municipality or the
County for providing a parking or maintenance facility.
R5. The Marin County Board of Supervisors should direct Marin Transit to establish a new
standing YSB committee by September 2018.
R6. Marin Transit should establish a new standing YSB committee that would provide
guidance on YSB issues to include representatives from the County, Marin County Office
of Education, and each school district and municipality in the urbanized areas of Marin.
The initial meeting should be held by October of 2018.
R7. School districts (with or without existing YSB programs) and municipalities within the
urbanized area of the County should join and actively participate in the YSB committee
providing guidance to Marin Transit on YSB issues, such as cost allocations, bell times
and routes. The initial meeting should be held by October of 2018.
R8. The YSB committee should work toward the establishment of a coordinated YSB for K-8
program for the urbanized areas of Marin with the goal of beginning the coordinated
program by the 2019-2020 school year.
R9. Marin Transit should manage the development and operations of the coordinated YSB
program beginning immediately, with the goal of initiating operations by the 2019-2020
school year.
R10. The County and municipalities of the urbanized corridor should make financial support of
all YSB programs a part of each year’s budgeting process.
Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief
June 1, 2018 Marin County Civil Grand Jury Page 13 of 13
REQUEST FOR RESPONSES
Pursuant to Penal code section 933.05, the grand jury requests responses as follows:
From the following governing bodies:
■County of Marin (R1, R4, R5, R8, R10)
■Marin Transit District (R3, R4, R6, R8, R9)
■Transit Authority of Marin (R8)
■Dixie School District (R7, R8)
■Kentfield School District (R7, R8)
■Lagunitas School District (R7, R8)
■Larkspur - Corte Madera School District (R7, R8)
■Mill Valley School District (R7, R8)
■Reed Union School District (R7, R8)
■Ross School District (R7, R8)
■Ross Valley School District (R7, R8)
■San Rafael Elementary School District (R7, R8)
■Sausalito-Marin City School District (R7, R8)
■Novato Unified School District (R7, R8)
■City of Belvedere (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■Town of Corte Madera (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■Town of Fairfax (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■City of Larkspur (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■City of Mill Valley (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■City of Novato (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■Town of Ross (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■Town of San Anselmo (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■City of San Rafael (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■City of Sausalito (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
■Town of Tiburon (R2, R4, R7, R8, R10)
The governing bodies indicated above should be aware that the comment or response of the
governing body must be conducted in accordance with Penal Code section 933 (c) and subject to
the notice, agenda and open meeting requirements of the Brown Act.
From the following individual:
■Marin County Superintendent of Schools (R8)
Note: At the time this report was prepared information was available at the websites listed.
Reports issued by the Civil Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Penal Code Section 929 requires that reports of
the Grand Jury not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to
the Civil Grand Jury. The California State Legislature has stated that it intends the provisions of Penal Code Section 929
prohibiting disclosure of witness identities to encourage full candor in testimony in Grand Jury investigations by protecting the
privacy and confidentiality of those who participate in any Civil Grand Jury investigation.
RESOLUTION NO. 14562
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL
APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE CITY’S
RESPONSE TO THE JUNE 1, 2018 MARIN COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT
ENTITLED "YELLOW SCHOOL BUS FOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION RELIEF”
WHEREAS, pursuant to Penal Code section 933, a public agency which receives a Grand
Jury Report addressing aspects of the public agency’s operations must, within ninety (90) days,
provide a written response to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court with a copy to the
Foreperson of the Grand Jury, responding to the Report’s findings and recommendations; and
WHEREAS, Penal Code section 933 specifically requires that the “governing body” of the
public agency provide said response and, in order to lawfully comply, the governing body must
consider and adopt the response at a noticed public meeting pursuant to the Brown Act; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of San Rafael has received and reviewed the
Marin County Grand Jury Report, dated June 1, 2018, entitled “Yellow School Bus For Traffic
Congestion Relief”, and has agendized it at this meeting for a response.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Rafael
hereby:
1.Approves and authorizes the Mayor to execute the City’s response to the Marin
County Grand Jury’s June 1, 2018 report, entitled “Yellow School Bus For Traffic Congestion
Relief”, copy of which response is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
2.Directs the City Clerk to forward the City’s response forthwith to the Presiding
Judge of the Marin County Superior Court and to the Foreperson of the Marin County Grand Jury.
I, Lindsay Lara, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the San Rafael
City Council held on the 20th day of August 2018, by the following vote to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Bushey, Colin, Gamblin, McCullough & Mayor Phillips
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
_______________________
LINDSAY LARA, City Clerk
Gary O. Phillips, Mayor • John Gamblin, Vice Mayor • Maribeth Bushey, Councilmember • Kate Colin, Councilmember • Andrew Cuyugan McCullough, Councilmember
August 21, 2018
The Honorable Paul M. Haakenson
Presiding Judge
Marin County Superior Court
Mr. Pat Randolph
2018-19 Foreperson,
Marin County Civil Grand Jury
P.O. Box 4988
San Rafael, CA 94913
Re: City of San Rafael response to “Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief”
Marin County Civil Grand Jury report dated June 1, 2018
Dear Judge Haakenson and Foreperson Randolph:
At the regular City Council meeting on August 20, 2018, The City Council reviewed the
report “Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief” and responded to
recommendations R2, R4, R7, R8, and R10 as requested. The response is attached.
Should the members of the Grand Jury require additional information, please contact
Jim Schutz, City Manager at 415 485-3070.
Sincerely,
Gary Phillips
Mayor
1
CITY OF SAN RAFAEL RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
REPORT TITLE: Yellow School Bus for Traffic Congestion Relief
REPORT DATE: June 1, 2018
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: June 8, 2018
RESPONSE BY: Mayor Gary Phillips and City of San Rafael
GRAND JURY FINDINGS
F1. Traffic congestion is consistently cited as the number one problem in the County and school-related
traffic is a significant contributor.
F2. School buses have been shown to reduce traffic congestion.
F3. There are school districts with no bus service and others with varying levels of service. The lack of
coordination results in inefficiencies.
F4. Current school bus funding includes bus pass sales and various municipality and county
contributions. The municipal and county contributions are temporary and inconsistent.
F5. There is demand to establish and/or expand YSB programs in the County.
F6. Securing dedicated YSB bus parking and a maintenance facility is essential for expansion of a
countywide YSB program.
F7. The YSB programs in Marin face many challenges, including dependable funding sources, bus drivers
and coordinated school bell times.
F8. Marin Transit is the appropriate entity to efficiently manage a coordinated YSB program.
Response to Findings
• We agree with Findings F1, F2, F4, F5, F6, F7
• We partially disagree with Findings F3 and F8
F3 Explanation: While we agree that there are school districts with no bus service and others with
varying levels of service, the lack of coordination does not always result in inefficiencies. Some school
districts may operate independently and very efficiently without coordination with other districts.
Therefore, the finding should be that the lack of coordination may result in inefficiencies.
F8 Explanation: Marin Transit is one potential entity to manage a coordinated yellow school bus
program for the County. However, there are other models for governance and management of a
2
coordinated program. An example might include a multi-agency Joint Powers Authority (JPA). In fact,
Marin County already has a JPA to coordinate special needs yellow school bus service that nearly all
Districts participate in. Marin Transit currently serves as a manager of home to school yellow school bus
programs and will continue in that role in the near term. In the meantime, a countywide program may
evolve into another structure. Therefore, the finding should be that Marin Transit is an appropriate
entity to efficiently manage a coordinated YSB program.
GRAND JURY RECOMMENDATIONS
The Grand Jury requested that the City of San Rafael respond to the following recommendations:
R2. All municipalities should work with Marin Transit to secure ample locations for bus parking and a
location for bus maintenance by the end of 2018
R4. Marin Transit should facilitate negotiations for a financial arrangement across the full group of
participants that would distribute any tax revenue lost by a municipality or the County for providing a
parking or maintenance facility.
R7. School Districts (with or without existing YSB programs) and municipalities within the urbanized
area of the County should join and actively participate in the YSB committee providing guidance to
Marin Transit on YSB issues, such as cost allocations, bell times, and routes. The initial meeting should
be held by October of 2018
R8. The YSB committee should work toward the establishment of a coordinated YSB for K-8 program for
the urbanized areas of Marin with the goal of beginning the coordinated program by the 2019-2020
school year.
R10. The County and municipalities of the urbanized corridor should make financial support of all YSB
programs a part of each years’ budgeting process.
Response to Recommendations
• We agree with Recommendations R4, R7, and R8 and will implement them (see below)
• We disagree with Recommendation R2 in part, and will implement it as appropriate (see below)
• Recommendation R10 will not be implemented at this time (see below)
Overview
The City of San Rafael supports the overall direction of the Grand Jury’s recommendations to create
coordinated YSB in Marin County. The City believes there are two issues that must be resolved before a
coordinated program will be successful. The first is securing reliable, ongoing funding for operations and
a funding source for capital purchases such as a parking and maintenance location and potentially for
bus purchases. The second and related issue is securing a site for a permanent or long-term parking
3
with the potential to perform some or all vehicle maintenance. These needs must be considered as a
part of the responses to the specific recommendations below.
Responses to Individual Recommendations
R2. The City disagrees with the timeframe of this recommendation. When Marin Transit identifies
parcels that might serve the purpose of bus parking and maintenance, the City of San Rafael will work
with Marin Transit to secure those facilities. However, light industrial land is in high demand and the
availability of large parcels for this purpose are rare and expensive. It may not be reasonable to assume
that a parcel either within the City of San Rafael, or in the larger County will be identified and secured in
2018.
R4. The City agrees with this recommendation. The City of San Rafael will participate to determine an
equitable cost sharing arrangement for taxes lost due to the acquisition of a new bus parking and
maintenance facility within the County.
R7. The City agrees with this recommendation. The City of San Rafael will actively participate in the YSB
committee providing guidance to Marin Transit on YSB issues, such as cost allocations, bell times, and
routes.
R8. The City agrees with this recommendation. The City of San Rafael will actively participate in the YSB
committee in order to work toward the establishment of a coordinated YSB for K-8 program for the
urbanized areas of Marin with the goal of beginning the coordinated program by the 2019-2020 school
year.
R10. The City will not implement this recommendation at this time. The City of San Rafael does not have
a source of funds available to support YBS in the urbanized corridor of Marin County. Should funding
become available through other sources that San Rafael has influence over, the City will make financial
support of all YSB programs a part of each years’ budgeting process.
Date: ________________ Signed: _________________________________________
Gary O. Phillips, Mayor
Attest: ______________________________
Lindsay Lara, City Clerk
Number of Pages Attached: 0