8D Consent 2007 1217 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WEST SAN LEANDRO SHUTTLE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT FY 2007-08 4. The Executive Director shall aggressively pursue grants for the shuttle program to reduce the funding obligation of the business community and the San Leandro Redevelopment Agency. Specifically, the Executive Director shall submit applications to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and all other pertinent granting agencies as grant opportunities are announced. Additionally, the Executive Director shall explore the pros and cons of LINKS becoming a becoming a public transit agency as well as the administrative requirements associated with applying for and receiving other state and/or federal subsidies for operation of the program. 5. As a cost savings measure, the Advisory Board recommends that the LINKS Rider and Employer Survey be conducted once every two years as opposed to annually. Additionally, the Advisory Board recommends that questions to be incorporated in upcoming surveys shall address topics including, the expansion and/or creation of alternative LINKS routes in West San Leandro and other parts of the City, the expansion of daily LINKS service hours, and the number of BID-area employees that ride the LINKS. Prior surveys have determined that approximately 70% of LINKS riders are from assessed-businesses with the BID boundaries. It is recommended that a continued objective of future surveys be to ascertain the approximate number of LINKS riders who are employed at BID area businesses. 6. The Executive Director shall continue to seek out partnerships with community service providers and other entities in the community (i.e. the Davis Street Family Resource Center and the San Leandro Boys and Girls Club) to provide transportation services to these entities as a community benefit and to provide a specialized service to these entities to generate a potential revenue source for operation of the LINKS program. LINKS Shuttle Program History In 2001, in response to a shortage of public transportation in San Leandro and an expressed desire for adequate public transportation by the West San Leandro business community, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Leandro partnered with the Chamber of Commerce and the San Leandro Industrial Roundtable to provide a shuttle service, known locally as the LINKS. The primary purpose of the LINKS is to provide free transportation for employees to the industrial area of western San Leandro. The San Leandro Transportation Management Organization, a 501 C (3) non-profit corporation, was formed to handle the day-to-day operations and to provide operational oversight of the LINKS. The Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Leandro, matched by a Low Income Flexible Transportation (LIFT) Grant from the MTC, provided initial start-up funds for atwo-year trial period to assess the viability of the program. Additionally, the City received a grant from the BAAQMD to provide additional funding for the LINKS. Over the two-year trial period, there was a steady increase in ridership for the LINKS, and the program proved to be a benefit to the community. __ _.._ 2~Page