ITEM 1 attachment Trailblazer TransitTrailblazer Transit refers to all the service provided
within the MnDOT 5311 service plan and is funded
by federal, state, and local county dollars.
Trailblazer
Transit
(MnDOT Managed Programs)
5311
Bus
Service
(21 Schedules)
Trailblazer Joint Powers Board
Service Design — CY2014
Volunteer
Driver
Service
Trailblazer
Joint Powers
Board
Volunteer
Driver
Service
DAR These are the same volunteer drivers,
but the programs are administered
and funded separately,
Contract
SMART -RIDE refers to all the service provided
outside the MnDOT 5311 service plan and is funded
by local county dollars.
SMART
RIDE
(Non-MnDOT Programs)
Van & Bus
Service
(3 Vehicles)
DAR
Contract
Trailblazer Joint Powers Board
5311 Service Plan — CY2014
Description of 5311 Service Plan:
Trailblazer Transit provides general public transportation with a bus system and a volunteer driver
program within Sibley, McLeod, and Wright Counties and up to one mile beyond the county borders.
The contiguous service area includes 32 cities within the borders of the three counties plus the rural
areas between cities. If any part of a city is located within one mile of the border of any of the three
counties, then Trailblazer Transit will provide service to locations throughout the entire city.
The Trailblazer Transit service area also includes the following corridors: 1) between Plato and
Norwood Young America, 2) between Winsted and the western edge of Waconia including the towns
of Mayer and Watertown, 3) between Rockford and Medina including the cities of Loretto and
Corcoran, and 4) between Cokato and Dassel.
General public transportation service is available to almost anyone for almost any reason on weekdays
between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. except on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving, and December 25tH
The two types of general public transportation provided are demand response (also called dial -a -ride
service) and contract service. Trailblazer Transit does not provide route, flexible route, subscription,
package delivery, or charter service within the 5311 service plan. However, as an extension of demand
response service, Trailblazer Transit provides all customers with the opportunity to make standing
order requests and the ability to pay for their rides through a billing system. Trailblazer Transit is not a
Special Transportation Service (STS) provider and does not provide emergency medical transportation.
Parameters for Demand Response Service:
A. Customers must schedule rides with a dispatcher. The service provided is door-to-door.
B. Bus ride requests will not be accepted more than seven days in advance except for standing
orders, which are accepted up to two weeks in advance. Volunteer driver ride requests will not
be accepted more than 30 days in advance. Same day requests are accepted for both services.
C. Rides are provided subject to the availability of resources including employees, volunteers,
vehicles, and finances. Resources are shared among all those wanting to access the service.
D. Due to the limited number of buses and volunteer drivers that are available to provide service
relative to the demand that exists, the criteria listed below have been established to determine
how the buses and volunteer drivers are utilized.
In order of priority, the buses and volunteer drivers that provide demand response service are
given to:
1. The pickups or series of pickups that yield the most number of rides.
2. The pickups or series of pickups that yield the best efficiency as determined by the
following performance measures in priority order:
A) Rides per service hour C) Cost per ride
B) Service miles per ride D) Cost per service mile
Please note that Trailblazer does not allocate its resources for demand response service based
on the reason for the transportation or the order of the ride request except 1) if the criteria listed
above offer no definitive priority or 2) if there are emergency or unusual circumstances.
Page 1 of 2
E. Trailblazer may reschedule or cancel previously scheduled rides to achieve better system
performance provided that advance notification is made to the affected customers within a
reasonable time period. Reasonable notice shall not be less than 24 hours, unless shorter notice
is acceptable to the customers inconvenienced by any changes. Performance can be measured
over varying time periods up to one year in length including hours, days, weeks, or months.
F. Customers may submit standing order ride requests, but such requests do not guarantee service.
Standing orders are subject to the same criteria for distributing resources as standard requests.
G. Bus customers may pay when boarding the bus or by means of a billing system. However, all
volunteer driver customers must pay using the billing system. The billing system is available to
the general public without the need for credit checks or contracts.
H. Customers must comply with general operating policies and procedures including
cancellations, passenger assistance, behavior, ability to communicate, and payment for rides.
Failure to adhere to such procedures may result in the denial of service.
Parameters for Contract Service:
A. MnDOT and the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board must approve contracts prior to execution.
B. Only open-door contract service is permitted. Although times and locations for pickups and
drop-offs may be guaranteed, the buses shall remain open for the general public or customers
from other contracts on a space available basis.
C. Contract customers must comply with all standard operating policies and procedures with the
exception of the policies outlined below.
D. The operating policies that may be waived or modified for contract service include the
requirement to schedule bus rides with a dispatcher, the seven-day limitation on scheduling bus
rides, the pickup window, cancellations, and no-shows. If any of these policies are not
specifically addressed by the approved contract, then the standard operating policy shall apply.
E. Fares for contract service are generally higher than general public fares and may be customized
to meet the needs of the customer or the transit system. Fares may vary between contracts.
F. All contract fares must be billed.
G. In general, contract service shall take precedence over demand response service. In the event
there is a shortage of resources, such as buses or drivers, Trailblazer shall reallocate its
resources, within reason, to insure the continued operation of contract service.
H. Trailblazer makes no guarantee to the availability of contract service in the event of
extraordinary or emergency circumstances.
Productivity Performance Standards
All 5311 bus service is governed by the Productivity Performance Standards policy established by the
Trailblazer Joint Powers Board on October 16, 2003. The policy states that each bus schedule must
maintain a minimum average of 3.0 rides per service hour per day over any three-month period. The
inability of a bus schedule to meet this performance standard means that the service being provided by
that specific bus schedule may be discontinued if its productivity does not increase above the minimum
threshold within three to six months.
Page 2 of 2
-- ----- - Cokato
.Watertown
CeWinsted
Cedar
Mills
Silver Lake Lester Mayer
Prairie
Hutchinson j
Biscay
Norwood
" Young America
Glencoe
Plato
Brownton
New
Auburn Green Isle
Belle
Plaine
Arlington
Gaylord
Winthrop
Gibbon Rubb A(^@mt
Henderson
Le Sueur
Lafayette
Trailblazer Joint Powers Board
2014 Operations Plan
(5311 - Wright County Implementation)
5311
Bus
05:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 06:30
Employee
Employee
Program
Sched
Hours of Service
Shift #1
Shift #2
5311
A
07:00 - 05:00
06:30 - 10:30
10:30 - 05:30
5311
B
07:00 - 05:00
06:30 - 01:30
01:30 - 05:30
5311
C
07:00 - 05:00
06:30 - 10:30
10:30 - 05:30
5311
D
07:00 - 05:00
06:30 - 01:30
01:30 - 05:30
5311
E
06:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 06:00
5311
F
06:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 01:00
02:00 - 06:00
5311
G
06:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 06:00
5311
H
06:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 01:00
02:00 - 06:00
5311
1
06:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 06:00
5311
J
06:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 01:00
02:00 - 06:00
5311
K
06:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 06:00
5311
L
06:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 01:00
02:00 - 06:00
5311
M
06:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 06:00
5311
N
06:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 01:00
027573-706-7351
5311
O
05:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 06:30
05:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 07:00
5311
P
05:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 06:30
05:00 - 01:00
02:00 - 07:00
5311
Q
05:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 06:30
05:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 07:00
5311
R
06:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 01:00
02:00 - 06:00
5311
S
06:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 06:00
5311
T
06:30 - 01:00 / 02:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 01:00
02:00 - 06:00
5311
U
06:30 - 10:00 / 11:00 - 05:30
06:00 - 10:00
11:00 - 06:00
Unmet need: Sibley County AM and McLeod County PM (May 19, 2014)
FII Contract (June 30, 2014) Albertville, St. Michael
FII Contract (June 16, 2014) Delano, Montrose, Waverly
FII Contract (June 23, 2014) Rockford, Loretto, Hamel, Corcoran
FII Contract (ASAP - est. Aug 11, 2014) Monticello, Buffalo
FII Contract (ASAP - est. Aug 25, 2014) Monticello, Clearwater, Annandale, Maple Lake
FII Contract (ASAP - est. Sep 15, 2014) Buffalo, St. Michael
Non -contract (ASAP - est. Sep 29, 2014)
Structure of a Trailblazer Joint Powers Board Budget
6/30/2014
Scenario A
Step 1 Trailblazer Makes Budget Request
$1,500,000
Budgeted Revenue
$350,000
Step 2 MnDOT Establishes Budget Cap
$1,000,000
MnDOT pays 85% of this amount
Step 3 Trailblazer Decides Final Operating Budget
$1,000,000
Projected Revenue (reduced service)
$250,000
MnDOT Funding
$850,000
Local Share
-$100,000
Effective MnDOT Percent of Budget 85.0%
* Excess Operating Revenue, not profit. Goes into reserve account.
Scenario B
Step 1 Trailblazer Makes Budget Request
Budgeted Revenue
Step 2 MnDOT Establishes Budget Cap
MnDOT pays 85% of this amount
Step 3 Trailblazer Decides Final Operating Budget
Projected Revenue
MnDOT Funding
Local Share
Sibley County Share (1/3)
McLeod County Share (2/3)
Effective MnDOT Percent of Budget
$1,500,000
$350,000
$1,000,000
1$1,500,00
$350,000
$850,000
$300,000
$100,000
$200,000
56.7
1
2
3
4
0
Trailblazer Joint Powers Board
Local Share Distribution Options
3/20/2014 = Original Date
Revised on 612612014 (highlighted data on #6)
2015 Estimated Budget (26 service vehicles) = $3,600,000
Monthly Operating Expenses = $300,000
2015 Local Share Target (Operating Expenses) = $600,000
$600,000
$600,000 $900,000
Target
2 Months 3 Months
for Annual
Operating
Working Working
Capital OR Capital
Percent
Local Share
Balance Balance
Sibley County 20% $120,000 $120,000 $180,000
McLeod County 35% $210,000 $210,000 OR $315,000
Wright County 45% $270,000 $270,000 $405,000
Sibley County 20% $120,000 $120,000 $180,000
McLeod County 40% $240,000 $240,000 OR $360,000
Wright County 40% $240,000 $240,000 $360,000
Sibley County 15% $90,000 $90,000 $135,000
McLeod County 30% $180,000 $180,000 OR $270,000
Wright County 55% $330,000 $330,000 $495,000
Sibley County 15% $90,000 $90,000 $135,000
McLeod County 35% $210,000 $210,000 OR $315,000
Wright County 50% $300,000 $300,000 $450,000
Sibley County 20% $120,000 $120,000 $180,000
McLeod County 45% $270,000 $270,000 OR $405,000
Wright County 35% $210,000 $210,000 $315,000
Sibley County 25% $150,000
$150,000
$225,000
McLeod County 50% $300,000
$300,000
OR $450,000
Wright County 25% $150,000
$150,000
$225,000
AISAI0.100?a/azer
100, Transk+
Serving Sibley, Mcleod, and Wright Counties
207 West 11th Street • Glencoe, MN 55336
Phone (320) 864-1000 • Fax (320) 864-1910
System Overview
What is Trailblazer Transit?
Trailblazer is a general public transportation system consisting of a bus system and a volunteer driver
program. Professional drivers employed by the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board utilize elevator -equipped
buses to provide Dial -A -Ride service throughout Sibley, McLeod, and Wright Counties. Volunteer drivers
use their own personal vehicles to provide transportation to support the buses when schedules are full
or to help people with some transportation requests that cannot be accommodated by a bus.
Who Can Use Trailblazer Transit and for What Purpose?
Trailblazer provides general public transportation, which means that almost anyone can use the service
for almost any reason. There are no qualifications or requirements to use the transit system. Children,
youth, adults, and seniors can all access the buses or volunteer drivers. Some common destinations
include medical facilities, restaurants, banks, drug and grocery stores, beauty salons, barbers, and
government offices. People also use Trailblazer to get to work, school, day care, recreational activities,
and social events. If you need to get around for just about any reason, Trailblazer can get you there.
When Does Trailblazer Operate?
The buses and volunteer drivers operate Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Office
hours are Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
How Do You Get a Ride?
Customers should call the Trailblazer office and talk to a dispatcher to schedule their rides. The toll-free
number is 1-888-743-3828, and the local number is (320) 864-1000. A dispatcher will ask the customer
or caretaker a series of questions to facilitate the scheduling process. Bus rides may be scheduled up to
one week in advance, and volunteer drivers may be scheduled up to one month in advance. Same-day
bus ride requests may be accommodated, but it is best to call at least 24 hours in advance or as early as
possible. It is recommended that volunteer driver rides be scheduled at least one week in advance, or
five business days. Standing orders for bus rides may be scheduled up to two weeks in advance.
How Much Does It Cost and How Do You Pay?
The bus fares listed below are for a one-way ride for one individual. Please seethe Fare Structure
Handout for a more detailed explanation and a list of special promotions. Bus fares maybe paid when
boarding the bus with cash, checks, or tokens, or the bus fares may be billed.
$4.00 = Rides less than 25 miles.
$8.00 = Rides 25 miles or more.
$2.00 = DISCOUNT RATE for rides beginning and ending entirely within the same city limits.
The charge for a volunteer driver is based on round-trip mileage from the driver's home or starting
point. The cost is 56.0 cents per mile plus parking expenses and meal reimbursements, which may not
exceed $10.00 per meal for every four hours the driver volunteers.
For more information, please call 1-888-743-3828 or see our website at www.TrailblazerTransit.com.
6/16/2014
Trai% /azer
Transk+
Serving Sibley, Mcleod, and Wright Counties
207 West 11th Street • Glencoe, MN 55336
Phone (320) 864-1000 • Fax (320) 864-1910
Trailblazer Transit Fare Structure
Trailblazer Transit is part of the 5311 Public Transportation Participation Program administered by the MnDOT
Office of Transit. Trailblazer Transit currently has bus service and volunteer driver service.
BUS Service — (Bus fares may be billed or paid on the bus.)
The bus fare is $4.00 per ride per person if the total distance for the ride is less than 25 road miles. The bus fare
increases to $8.00 per ride per person if the customer travels 25 or more road miles. Fares are determined based
on the assumption that the bus would travel directly to the customer's destination. Additional miles driven to
transport other customers are not included. The bus fare is discounted to $2.00 per ride per person if the origin
and destination are located entirely within the same corporate city limits of any city within the service area. In
general, the service area includes Sibley, McLeod, and Wright Counties and one mile around the county borders.
A ride is defined as transportation in one direction from point A to point B.
Please Note: Bus tokens represent $2.00 each and are non-refundable. In addition, tokens are valid as
payment only when boarding the bus and may not be used as payment for billed rides.
Special Bus System Pricing & Promotions
A) Promotional Rides—Trailblazer will pay the fare the first time a customer uses the bus! The customer may ride
round-trip (or up to two rides) anywhere in the service area under this promotion. Additional stops on the
same trip and will -calls are excluded, as are organizations with registered billing codes.
B) Children Under 2 —Trailblazer will pay the bus fare for children under the age of two who are accompanied by
a paying caretaker traveling to the same destination.
C) Monthly Passes — The following monthly passes allow a customer to ride an unlimited number of times in a
month for a specific purpose. Passes are available for purchase only by calendar month.
• Dining Card ($16) — Unlimited rides to and from any establishment where you can purchase and eat food on
site. (Includes restaurants, cafes, bakeries, coffee shops, and senior nutrition centers.)
• Combo Card ($24) —This is an upgraded dining card that allows you to go shopping, as well. (Includes
grocery stores, beauty salons, banks, post offices, discount stores, malls, and pretty much anywhere else
you can buy a product or service! Day care and medical appointments are excluded.)
• Summer Recreation Card ($16) — Unlimited rides to and from any summer -related recreational activity or
destination. (Includes swimming pools, parks, festivals, county fairs, libraries, summer school, driver's ed,
and day care.) This monthly pass is available only in June, July, and August.
• Day Care Provider Card ($60) — This pass allows a day care provider, either home or center -based, to
transport children under the age of 12 to and from any destination except for the purpose of transferring
caretaking responsibilities between the day care and the child's parents or guardians. Any caretakers from
the day care who accompany the children are also covered by this pass.
D) Hourly Rates — Any number of customers may ride the bus to unlimited destinations for $65 per hour per bus
based on the actual bus arrival time (prior to loading) and departure time (after unloading). Hourly rates are
charged out in fifteen -minute increments with a one-hour minimum per bus per day. Loading/unloading time
plus any time spent in stand-by status shall be included in the cost calculation. Hourly rate pricing is excellent
for group outings and shuttle service! Please note that Trailblazer does not provide private charter service
and that the general public may ride at the same time on a space -available basis. Any additional time spent
transporting other customers while providing service based on an hourly rate is not included in the overall
cost. The pickup window policy does not apply for hourly rate service.
6/16/2014
Trailblazer Transit Fare Structure — Continued
Volunteer Driver Service — (Volunteer driver fares will be billed.)
The fare for a Trailblazer Transit volunteer driver is based on round-trip mileage from the driver's home or starting
point. The cost is 56.0 cents per mile for the total number of miles the volunteer must drive to accommodate the
ride request plus parking expenses and meal reimbursements, which may not exceed $10.00 for every four hours
the driver volunteers. The total cost for a volunteer driver is divided by the number of parties being transported
on each trip. Volunteer drivers are not permitted to accept tips or gifts, but customers should bring enough
money to pay for their own meal expenses should the volunteer need to stop and eat.
S -MART Sibley/McLeod Auxiliary Regional Transit
Premium Dial -A -Ride Service to Complement
a�)?IDE Trailblazer Transit
SMART -RIDE Fare Structure
SMART is an acronym for Sibley/McLeod Auxiliary Regional Transit and refers to all the service provided by the
Trailblazer Joint Powers Board that is not part of the 5311 Public Transportation Participation Program
administered by the MnDOT Office of Transit. SMART -RIDE currently has van service, bus service, and volunteer
driver service. SMART -RIDE service may be provided anywhere in the State of Minnesota but must begin or end
within Sibley, McLeod, or Wright Counties. Service is available any time (24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365
days per year) provided the resources are available to deliver the service and weather conditions permit travel.
Van or Bus Service — (SMART -RIDE van or bus service will be billed.)
The fare for SMART -RIDE van or bus service is $2.50 per loaded mile, with a $45 minimum charge for any trip less
than 18 loaded miles total. Trips may be one-way, round-trip, or multiple legs. The total fare for the bus or van
service is divided by the number of parties being transported on each trip. There is no charge for waiting time,
but the transit system reserves the right to provide two separate trips for extended wait times. For shuttle service
and other special requests approved by the transit system, a SMART -RIDE van may be used for $45 per hour and a
SMART -RIDE bus can be used for $65 per hour, each with a one hour minimum and billed out in 15 minute
increments thereafter. Loading, unloading, and waiting time is charged out at the hourly rate. Travel time to the
starting location and back from the ending location may be charged out at the discretion of the transit system.
Volunteer Driver Service — (SMART -RIDE volunteer driver fares will be billed.)
The fare for a SMART -RIDE volunteer driver is based on round-trip mileage from the driver's home or starting
point. The cost is 66.0 cents per mile for the total number of miles the volunteer must drive to accommodate the
ride request plus parking expenses and meal reimbursements, which may not exceed $10.00 for every four hours
the driver volunteers. The total cost for a volunteer driver is divided by the number of parties being transported
on each trip. Volunteer drivers are not permitted to accept tips or gifts, but customers should bring enough
money to pay for their own meal expenses should the volunteer need to stop and eat. If a customer is billed for
500 or more miles in a single month for SMART -RIDE volunteer driver transportation, all the miles will be
discounted to 56.0 cents per mile.
All fares are established by the Trailblazer Joint Powers Board and are subject to change.
For more information, please call 1-888-743-3828 or see our website at www.TrailblazerTransit.com.
6/16/2014