HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-16-041 - Travelwise Transportation Management Association Agreement
REPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: August 8, 2016
SUBMITTED BY: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director, Transportation Services
519-741-2200 ext. 7372
PREPARED BY: Danny Pimentel, Active Transportation Planning Project
Manager, 519-741-2200 ext. 7371
WARD(S) INVOLVED: ALL
DATE OF REPORT: June 27, 2016
REPORT NO.: INS-16-041
SUBJECT:TravelWise Transportation Management Association
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the Travelwise Program
Services Agreement, subject to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, with the
Regional Municipality of Waterloo and other participating organizations for the
provision of transportation demand management services for the year of 2016;
and further,
That the Director of Transportation be authorized to execute renewals and/or
amendments to this Agreement as well as future new Agreements with respect to
the Travelwise Program, subject to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, provided
that any associated costs are within the approved departmental budget.
BACKGROUND:
In consultation with several partners, including the City of Kitchener, The Region of
Waterloo has established a Transportation Management Association (TMA) to assist
large regionally based employers in providing TDM services and programming.
Members include significant regional employers such as Communitech, D2L, House of
Friendship, Kitchener Public Library, Rogers Communciations, Open Text, University of
Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, City of Waterloo and City of Cambridge. Purchasing
a membership to the region-wide Travelwise TMA has allowed the City to offer the
TMA’s services and establish a number of TDM programs as specified in the Council
approved TDM plan at a reduced cost to the City.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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REPORT:
Transportation Management Associations (TMA) are becoming prevalent throughout
North America as a sustainable and cost effective method of offering TDM programming
to both public and private sector employers. The Victoria Transport Policy Institute TDM
encyclopedia states that:
“Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) are non-profit, member-controlled
organizations that provide transportation services in a particular area, such as a commercial
district, mall, medical center or industrial park. They are generally public-private partnerships,
consisting primarily of area businesses with local government support.
TMAs provide an institutional framework for TDM Programs and services. They are usually
more cost effective than programs managed by individual businesses.”
The City of Kitchener has been a member of the Travelwise TMA program since its
inception in 2012. By participating in the Travelwise TMA, full membership in the
carpool ride matching and trip planning software, Guaranteed Ride Home service for
employees and participation in an enhanced Grand River Transit (GRT) monthly
Corporate Bus Pass program are made available at a reduced cost to the City.
The current annual cost to the City for participating in the Travelwise TMA is $4500 and
includes enrolment in Carpool ride matching/trip planning software, guaranteed ride
home, an enhanced GRT corporate Transit Pass program, annual on-site events to
inform staff of this service as well as annual or bi-annual employee travel behaviour
surveys. Although the Region would house these programs the City’s Active
Transportation Planning Project Manager would be responsible for implementing,
promoting and maintaining these programs corporately.
The members of the Travelwise TMA benefit from what is essentially “bulk buying.”
Travelwise is able to purchase and negotiate these services at a very substantial cost
benefit to each employer. As an example, for the City to enrol in Carpool ride matching
as a stand-alone employer, it would cost the Corporation $3000 in start-up fees and an
annual enrolment fee of about $3500. Further, the Guaranteed Ride Home service
would cost $3,500 annually by enrolling in Travelwise, instead of a projected annual
cost of $7000 plus the $3000 start-up fee to provide these two services corporately, the
City would pay $4500 and have access to the enhanced GRT corporate Transit Pass
Program at no cost.
The City’s Active Transportation Planning Project Manager will continue to work closely
with the Region to provide these services to staff. The implementation, promotion and
ultimate success of TDM programming for the Corporation and citywide is ultimately the
responsibility of the City of Kitchener. The Active Transportation Planning Project
Manager is responsible in ensuring the success of these programs at the corporate
level.
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ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic
vision through the delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The current annual cost of $4500 will be taken from the Transportation Demand
Management Initiatives account. Not accounted for in the above dollar figure are costs
related to staff requirements in attending working group meetings, reporting
requirements and promotion of the program.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in
advance of the council / committee meeting.
COLLABORATE – The collaborative approach of TravelWise and its Working Group
provides TMA members, including the Region, the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and
Waterloo, an opportunity to share information and resources on successful TDM
program development. This helps the cities align municipal transportation policies and
programs and closely work with both private and public employers to find solutions to
transportation challenges.
PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER:
Report No. INS-12-017 was presented at Community and Infrastructure Services
Committee on January 30, 2012. The report recommended that the City be authorized
to enter into the Travelwise Program Services Agreement with the Region of Waterloo
and other participating organizations as well as authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to
execute the Employers Acknowledgement regarding the Travelwise program.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Justin Readman, Interim Executive Director
Infrastructure Services Department
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