Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to execute an agreement, prepared and approved by the Office of the County Attorney, for payment card services with CabConnect, Inc. for the Transit Division’s Paratransit Rider’s Choice Pilot Program, at an estimated cost of $37,250, which includes $5,750 for the design, implementation and project management and a $0.35 cashiering transaction fee for an estimated 90,000 trips; and a potential cashiering pass-thru amount of $1,350,000 to be paid to participating Taxicab and Transportation Network Company (TNC), for a total estimated contract amount of $1,387,250; and to authorize the County Administrator to take any necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the pilot program.

(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)

ACTION:  (T-10:27 AM)  Approved.
 
VOTE: 8-0.  Commissioner Ryan was not present during the vote.

Board approval is required to enter into agreements.

Authorizes the County Administrator to execute an agreement, prepared and approved by the Office of the County Attorney, and to take any necessary administrative and budgetary actions related to the setup, implementation, and ongoing cashiering and payments for lower cost trips taken during the 12 month Paratransit Rider's Choice Pilot Program.

April 4, 2017 meeting, Item No. 45 and November 14, 2017 meeting, Item Nos. 34, 40, 41 and 45.

THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT/TRANSIT DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.

This item supports the Board's values "Cooperatively delivering an efficient and accessible regional intermodal transportation network" and "Consistently delivering responsive, efficient, quality services to the public and internal customers."

At its November 14, 2017, meeting, Item Nos. 34, 40, 41 and 45, Board approved a motion to waive Section 21.6C of the Broward County Procurement code and authorized staff to negotiate with the firm which the Transit Division staff had identified (CabConnect, Inc.), in order to implement the 12 month Paratransit Rider’s Choice Pilot Program beginning January, 2018. CabConnect, Inc, has demonstrated to staff that they have a fare payment card system that provides the functionality BCT requires for the pilot program which will add an additional transportation choice for up to 150 ADA-eligible customers to complement their existing Paratransit services by providing a subsidy to utilize a taxi company or licensed transportation network company (TNC) of their choosing to arrange their trip.

A Sunshine negotiation meeting with CabConnect, Inc. was held on December 5, 2017 to discuss the cost proposal the firm submitted to BCT on November 20, 2017. The terms for an agreement were agreed to by both sides. CabConnect, Inc. will design and implement a payment card solution to meet the security and program needs of the Pilot Program. CabConnect, Inc. will also be responsible for the cashiering and payments to the drivers for the transportation companies. CabConnect, Inc. will receive a total of $37,250. Of that total, $5,750 is for the design, implementation and project management, and a $0.35 transaction fee for each trip taken. The pilot program is estimated to provide 90,000 trips for an estimated transaction fee total of $31,500. If the 90,000 trip estimate is achieved at the maximum $15 per trip subsidy; a potential pass through amount of up to $1,350,000 will be paid to participating Taxi and TNC companies during the pilot program.

The pilot program is designed to mitigate the increasing costs of Paratransit due to the growth in trips. Staff anticipates the 12 month pilot program can be funded within the Paratransit budget based on the assumption that by shifting trips to this lower trip rate, the number of Paratransit trips the customers would take at the higher per trip cost would be reduced.

Staff will conduct a comprehensive review of the pilot program after the first six months to assess the program feasibility in terms of program participation, impact on Paratransit usage, level of administrative effort, customer satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. The evaluation will include an analysis of each Pilot participant’s Paratransit service utilization prior to the Pilot and during the pilot to determine if the participant’s use of higher cost Paratransit service was reduced, stayed level or increased. Once the review is concluded, staff will submit a recommendation to the Board for consideration on whether to end the program or continue it on a permanent basis.

Chris Walton, Director, Transportation Department, (954) 357-8301