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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
October 8, 2004 | |
Author: |
Carolyn Drugge/ Tom Timm | |
Phone No.: |
604-871-6543/ | |
RTS No.: |
3238 | |
CC File No.: |
5561 | |
Meeting Date: |
November 2, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the General Managers of Corporate Services and Human Resources |
SUBJECT: |
City Employee Trip Reduction Strategies - Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Report Back |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the City participate in TransLink's Employer Transit Pass Program as described in the June 25, 2004 report titled "Transportation Demand Management Measures at the City of Vancouver", beginning April 1, 2005, at an estimated cost of $51,000, with funding to be provided in the 2005 operating budget without offset, and that staff report back one year after the implementation date on participation levels and ongoing costs and resources required to continue the program. This program would apply to all regular full time, and regular part time employees of the City and funding is also included for Park Board, Police Board, and Library Board.
B. THAT the Park Board, Police Board, and Library Board be encouraged to adopt TDM proposals for their worksites similar to those described in the June 25th report.
CONSIDERATION
The Choice between C and D is submitted for Council's CONSIDERATION
C. THAT staff prepare for the implementation of employee pay parking in accordance with Council's previous motion, concentrating initially on the City Hall campus and downtown core, subject to a report back to Council on the details of implementation, and that the City serve notice to all Civic unions, prior to the next round of collective bargaining, that it intends to introduce employee pay parking at all City work sites, as well as providing appropriate notice to exempt employees.
OR
D. THAT staff not pursue an employee pay parking program at this time, but that the City serve notice to all Civic unions prior to the next round of collective bargaining, that it intends to introduce employee pay parking at all City work sites, as well as providing appropriate notice to exempt employees.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council has supported Transportation Demand Management through a number of measures such as approval of bicycle facility improvements, the Corporate Climate Change Action Plan, City Transportation Plan, Clouds of Change, etc.
On February 13, 2003, Council directed:
"....that staff, in consultation with their employees, and without prejudice to existent contracts, come back with a report on the best way to reduce vehicle traffic to and from all municipal locations and worksites, subject to the following conditions:
· there be no net extra cost to the City of Vancouver;
· staff expected to use their cars for work on a regular basis should be exempt;
· any allowances for transportation or parking should be equitable to all employees;
· special consideration may be given to car pool vehicles;
· that all employees provided with a City of Vancouver owned vehicle be required to reimburse the City for all mileage of a personal nature, including the commute to and from work;
Be it further resolved that City Council request staff to enter into discussions with TransLink's On Board Program for volume discounts, such as the Upass, on transit passes for the City's 8,000 employees and do so in conjunction with the Cambie Corridor Working Group and other municipalities in the GVRD for increased volume discounts."
PURPOSE
On July 6, 2004, the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic was presented with an administrative report that presented a summary of the On-Board study and its recommendations, along with a number of recommendations and considerations regarding implementation of transportation demand management measures. Some items from that report were deferred until consultation with employee unions had taken place. This report provides a brief summary of the consultation with the appropriate unions, and seeks authorization to proceed with the Employer Transit Pass Program. This report also seeks direction on implementing employee pay parking.
A subsequent report will deal with other aspects of a comprehensive TDM program.
BACKGROUND
On July 6th, 2004 two staff recommendations were adopted by Council:
1. "THAT improvements to employee bicycle facilities be implemented using $10,000 as provided in the 2004 Budget..." - Several improvements to the City Hall cycling facilities have been made including creating more, secure storage space for bicycles and improving the lighting in those facilities. Figure 1 attached illustrates some of these improvements.
2. "THAT the Sustainability Coordinator created under the Corporate Climate Change Action Plan be designated as the City Hall Sustainable Transportation Co-ordinator." The City Hall Sustainable Transportation Coordinator was appointed and work has begun on creating a comprehensive Transportation Management Demand strategy for reducing single occupancy vehicle trips to and from civic work sites. Staff expect to report back to Council shortly with a framework for this strategy.
DISCUSSION
Consideration of several other recommendations in the July report was deferred by Council until the fall, pending consultation with the employee unions, as noted above. Since then staff have met with representatives from the unions to discuss a number of proposed transportation demand measures designed to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips to and from civic work sites. These discussions were positive and produced ideas for reduction of travel to City worksites, as well as outlining some areas where the unions have concerns.
It is clear that while the unions are generally in favour of supporting staff to travel in more sustainable ways, they do not support pay parking, nor any other programs that would result in additional costs to their members.
The August 30, 2004 meeting with the civic unions and representatives from the exempt staff group was productive and staff anticipate further consultation to facilitate the development and implementation of a number of other TDM measures.
Employer Transit Pass Program
The specifics of the Employer Transit Pass Program were referenced in the July report. This voluntary program has the strong support both of staff and the unions, as well as the On-Board program. Implementing this program is a clear step toward supporting alternatives to single occupant vehicle trips to and from civic work sites, and continues to be recommended as motion A. The bargaining units represented at the August 30 meeting were supportive of this voluntary program.
The program will be implemented effective April 1, 2005. The lead time is required in order to complete a number of administrative tasks including formalizing the policies and procedures for the program, marketing of the program, employee enrolment, etc. In addition, consideration has been given to the fact that senior management staff in Corporate Services will be occupied with the year end work to meet the tight statutory deadline and will therefore be unable to be dedicated to the project on a full time basis during the remainder of 2004 and early 2005.
Employee Pay Parking
Parking management measures are a significant part of many Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs. Applying a fee to parking can be a way of discouraging single-occupant-vehicle (SOV) commuting by transferring the real cost of operating SOV's to the users.
As noted in the earlier report, the City has up to 9000 employees reporting to Council and several Boards. They report to 150 worksites each having a unique setting, commuting provisions, hours of operation, and degree of access by the public. Implementing pay-parking on a system-wide basis, raises considerable issues of consistency, neighbourhood impacts, access to alternatives, treatment of shift workers, etc.
In addition to the complexities described above the City is not in a position to implement a pay parking program at all work sites against the wishes of our Unions. The provision of free parking to employees, where it exists, is considered a "condition not mentioned" under most of our existing collective agreements. In the absence of specific contract language, the City cannot alter such conditions unilaterally during the term of the agreement. To make a change, the City must give notice coinciding with a period of collective bargaining. The only exception is the agreement with CUPE 15 which does allow the City to implement pay parking if any revenues generated go back into enhanced employee transportation programs.
For most City unions and worksites, this means that pay-parking could not be implemented until after the current contracts expire (i.e. 2006). However it would be possible to begin implementing a pay-parking system now, in the downtown and City Hall campus area:
- CUPE Local 15, the only union with contractual language that allows for the implementation of an employee pay parking system, is the predominant union for City Hall employees.
- Exempt staff could also be included in a pay parking program following the appropriate notice period.
Reasons why Council may wish to consider doing this include:
- Employee pay parking is an accepted form of Transportation Demand Management which was recommended by the OnBoard program. It is consistent with the Corporate Climate Change Action Plan, the Transportaion Plan and other Council Policies.
- City Hall and the downtown core are areas where pay parking is the norm, and charging a parking fee would be consistent with other nearby employers.
- The City Hall area also provides excellent alternatives including bus service, bicycle routes, a strong carpool/vanpool program, and nearby housing. Since the intent of TDM is to encourage the use of such alternatives, it is important that they be available.
- Beginning with a partial program in advance of the next round of bargaining would signal Council's serious intent to follow through with a more complete program in the future.
Consideration C would instruct staff to report on the details of such a partial program. The program that could be implemented under this recommendation would not apply to any employees covered by other collective agreements, (including IBEW employees at City Hall).
CUPE local 15 is strongly opposed to this approach. They have indicated that they believe it would be unfair for the City to single out their members simply because they have a provision in the Collective Agreement.
If Council does not wish to proceed based on Consideration item C, then Consideration item D is presented as an alternative. If D is approved, the City would give notice to all unions that at the end of the current contract, the City intends to begin to charge for parking. This notice could apply to all 150 worksites, based on a comprehensive plan for all sites and affecting all employees.
Exempt employees would also be entitled to notice of a change in the terms of their employment. An adequate period of notice could be provided to coincide with the union bargaining process.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Neither of these programs is consistent with Council's original direction that there be no additional cost to the City.
TransLink's Employer Pass program provides an opportunity for employers to give employees a reduced cost annual transit pass, paid through payroll deductions. TransLink bears the cost of the discounted fares, but considers the administrative efforts of the employer to be their financial contribution to the program. As this is a new program that impacts payroll process, it is difficult at this point in time to judge the amount of administrative effort that will be associated with the program. The workload will ultimately depend on the number of employees participating and the number of changes experienced (eg. number of employees opting out of the program, additions, zone changes, etc.).
Existing staff resources are fully utilized in producing the biweekly payroll for the City and this is not an initiative that can be absorbed within their regular duties. Extra effort is also required to ensure that implementation of this initiative will not compromise the regular payroll production. It is therefore recommended that Council approve creation of a temporary full-time position in Corporate Services - Payroll for up to the first year of the program to assist with the implementation and ongoing administration of the program. Staff will monitor the workload of the program and report back at the end of the year as to whether there is an ongoing need for additional resources. If this position is required for the full year, the cost would be $42,000.
It is also recommended that the City pay the $15 initiation fee required by Translink to enrol employees in the program and provide photo identification. Based on an estimate that 600 employees (approximately 10% of eligible employees) will enrol, the cost to the City would be $9000.
It is recommended that funding be provided in the 2005 operating budget for the costs without offset. The ongoing costs of maintaining the program will be monitored during the first year of the program.
The financial impact of a pay parking program has not been fully assessed, however it is not clear that this program can be achieved on a cost neutral basis.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
Earlier this year City Council adopted a Corporate Climate Change Action Plan that sets our target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent below 1990 levels. Reaching this ambitious target requires immediate action. The TDM measures recommended in this report will have a positive impact on our environment by helping reduce reliance on single occupant vehicles and therefore reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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