2011-06-22-TAC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) Minutes -- June 22, 2011 TAC Members Present: Sara Arnold, Sally Castleman, Elaine Dratch, Bill Levison, Larry Link, Peter Levy Members Absent: Francine Stieglitz Liaisons: Michele Ciccolo (Planning Board), Nancy Adler (Council on Aging) Guests: Marty Cohen, Daniel Cherenson Staff: Pauline Burke 1. Smart Bus Guidance System: addition to being a Lexington Planning Board member, Michelle Ciccolo isthe Community Development Director for the Town of Hudson. In early 2011, The Town of Hudson and the 128 Business Council submitted a "Smart Bus Proposal" to the Massachusetts Planning Organization (MPO). The concept is to develop software for and implement a program that allowsriders to communicate their needs for point -to point services. GPSs will be used to track bus locations, and this information will be loaded into the software program. The MPOaccepted the grant proposal, and Michelle is now asking Lexington to partner with Hudson and the 128 Business Council in a pilot project. Michelle anticipates going out to bid for software development in the fall of 2011 and installing hardware in about one year. Implementation would be in FY13. It was agreed that TAC should inform Hank Manz; and Carl Valente should also be informed.It was noted that if Lexington participates, a Lexington staff member must be involved in the formative discussions. 2. Request for Proposals(RFP)for Transportation Services: current Lexpress contract expires in June 2012; therefore the Town must issue a RFP in the early fall. Any comments from TAC should be submitted to Lexington's Procurement Officer by early September. Bill Levison and Peter Levy have started looking at the basic and backup vehicle specifications. Identified issues are as follows: • Incremental cost of buses seating more than 20; • Demand /advisability of using larger buses; • Cost and ability to quiet the wheelchair lifts; • Cost and value of GPS units; • Cost and value of bike racks; • Availability and type of hand -holds for standees; • Availability, advisability and cost of CNG- powered vehicles; • Pros and cons of gasoline vs. diesel vehicles; • Ensure the specifications require air conditioning for basic and back up vehicles. Bill and Peter will research these items. Marty Cohen will review the certification requirements and will research regulations regarding standees. 3. School Department /LexpressFlexpass: Link proposed some language for a cover letter that might go to parents of High School students who would be eligible for the pilot Flexpass program (a school bus pass that can be used on Lexpress starting at 4:30 p.m. on school days). It was generally agreed that any cover letter should be succinct about the value of the pass; additionally there may need to be a document describing the para mete rs /rulesfor the Flexpass. Sara Arnold had suggestions for revising an