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File Number: 19-611 <br />2019 the Advisory Board met to complete the annual review of the LINKS Shuttle. The FY <br />2019-20 Annual Report is attached to the Resolution for your information. <br />Analysis <br />The Annual Report includes a review of the LINKS performance, planned operations, budget and <br />a recommendation for the 2020 BID assessment. Following is a summary of the Annual Report. <br />Current Operations <br />The free LINKS shuttle operates Monday - Friday during peak commute hours (5:45 - 9:45 am <br />and 3:00 - 7:00 pm). LINKS provides critical “first and last mile” connection between BART and <br />employers in West San Leandro, serving major employers including Coca Cola Bottling <br />Company, Walmart, and Costco, as well as small employers. There are over 1000 employers <br />and 18,000 employees in the LINKS service area. LINKS also provides transportation to retail <br />centers and the Davis Street Family Resource Center, which services 10,000 low-income people <br />each year. Links provides approximately 200,000 rides per year with an average of 770 rides per <br />day. <br />Participation in the BID helps businesses comply with the BAAQMD Commuter Benefits <br />program. In 2014, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) implemented the <br />Commuter Benefits Program that requires all employers with 50 or more full-time employees to <br />provide commuter benefits to their employees. To comply with the Program, employers must <br />select one (or more) of four commuter benefit options and register with BAAQMD. Participation <br />in the LINKS BID satisfies Option 3 (“Employer Provided Transit”) under the requirements, <br />allowing businesses to save time and money when compared to creating their own in-house <br />program. <br />The SLTMO conducts a rider survey approximately every three years to assess rider satisfaction <br />and as a grant requirement. The last survey was conducted in 2016 and the SLTMO plans to <br />conduct a new survey this year. The 2016 survey showed significant improvement in rider <br />satisfaction most likely due to the expanded service. Overall satisfaction with the service <br />increased with 90% of riders rating the service good to excellent. Schedule satisfaction improved <br />significantly moving from a 64% good to excellent rating to 81%. If LINKS were not available, <br />23% of the LINKS riders surveyed indicated that they would drive alone demonstrating that LINKS <br />significantly reduces single occupancy vehicle trips. Rider comments included “Great Service, <br />“Drivers are always so kind” and “Thank you!” <br />Budget <br />Funding for LINKS comes from the BID, grants, the City of San Leandro and advertising. The BID <br />funds approximately one-half of the LINKS service. <br />The most significant budget impact was higher transportation costs as a result of negotiating a <br />new transportation contract and putting new vehicles in service. Over the last year, the service <br />was significantly impacted by ongoing vehicle problems and replacing the old vehicles was <br />critical. <br />Page 2 City of San Leandro Printed on 11/27/2019 <br />26