Staff Report #3
January 25, 2023
To All Commissioners
Re: Commission Work Programs – 2022 (status) and 2023 (draft)
Recommendation
The Commission APPROVE IN PRINCIPLE the direction of the Draft 2023 Work Program as set out in Enclosure I.
Background
Enclosure II provides a final status of the 2022 Work Program. A number of items on the program were deferred or delayed as the result of the pandemic and related resource issues. As indicated in the enclosure, these programs have been carried forward onto the 2023 Work Program.
The Annual Work Program identifies the major activities/programs that require significant resource commitment and/or are considered critical to the development, growth and/or direction of London Transit as a business. The work program defines timelines and resources (both internal and external) for the various initiatives. The Draft 2023 Work Program is set out in Enclosure I.
The Program is considered a best-case scenario, noting the extent to which the pandemic and recovery from same continues to impact operations and employee resource availability will impact the number of projects on the plan that can be completed. Given the uncertainties associated with the impacts of the pandemic, the report recommendation calls for the approval in principle of the direction of the plan. Based on the experience over the past three years operating during the pandemic, it is very likely that the Work Program will be altered as the year progresses. Administration will continue to provide quarterly updates, and will prioritize Work Program items to ensure that all mandatory and high priority items are completed as close to the planned timelines as possible.
The following provides an overview of the most significant projects included on the 2023 Work Program.
1. – Service Planning and Development
As indicated on the enclosure, the details with respect to how the service improvements on the conventional and specialized service will be implemented in 2023 are set out in Staff Report #7 dated January 25, 2023.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Integrated, Affordable Mobility | Moderate | High |
1.5 – Alternative Service Delivery Implementation Plan
This initiative began in 2021 and has been extended to 2023 to include the required next steps. In 2023 this initiative will see the award of a contract for the software required for an on-demand service that will serve the Innovation Park industrial area, the determination of the service provider for the area, and the launch of service to the area. This initial launch of on-demand service will be utilized as a model going forward as new areas of the City are targeted for on-demand services.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Integrated, Affordable Mobility | Moderate | High |
2.5 – 5 Year Service Plan – Conventional Service
The use of a Five Year Service Plan for the conventional service has been in place for many years; it provides strategic direction forward while at the same time allowing for flexibility in each year to adapt the plan to respond to current issues. Given the 2023 service plan is focused on implementing the outstanding 2021 and 2022 service improvements, the new Five Year Service Plan will cover the period 2024-2028. This period will be critical for growth of the conventional transit service as it will see the introduction of BRT service along the East and South corridors. In order for these corridors to operate as envisioned, the routes that feed these corridors will need to have adequate frequencies to support seamless travel. The improvements included in the 2023 work will go a long way to addressing the required frequency improvements. Additionally, the city is growing at a rapid rate, and assessment of where the population growth will occur and how best to provide access to public transit in those areas will be critical in order to capture that ridership.
The longer term, and potential permanent impacts of the pandemic on ridership patterns need also to be taken into account when planning service improvements for the next five year period. Migration of office workers away from the downtown core has resulted in shifting rider patterns. Detailed analysis of current travel data will be utilized to determine these new patterns and ensure that future changes are consistent with same. This period will also see the extension of Alternative Service Delivery to other areas of the city that have been determined to be difficult to serve with a traditional conventional transit route.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Integrated, Affordable Mobility | Moderate | High |
4.6 – Specialized Service Booking System Review
In 2023, the software utilized to schedule and deliver trips on the specialized service was purchased by another software company which offers a similar product. At this time it is not known how long the existing system will be supported by the new company, or whether they will entertain any new enhancements going forward. In light of this change, coupled with the planned review of the booking window for specialized services and the desire to add other methods of trip booking (e.g. online), a review of the current system capabilities and expected life will be undertaken. Subsequent to completion of that assessment, the next steps with respect to moving forward on the booking window and options will be determined.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Integrated, Affordable Mobility | Moderate | High |
5.5 – Internal Customer Re-Focus
During the pandemic period, many protocols and procedures were modified to reflect the current realities of trying to maintain service while addressing new daily challenges including reduced employee resource levels, higher same-day absenteeism, shortages of buses due to supply chain issues, etc. The primary focus was to do what was necessary to ensure service was on the road every day. New Operator hiring was undertaken at a rate not experienced in London Transit history, resulting in many more new employees coming on-board who require additional assistance when they first start out. Additionally, many of the operators that were hired during the pandemic period had never experienced the traditional pre-pandemic levels of overcrowding and associated schedule adherence issues that resurfaced in the fall of 2022.
Similarly, during the pandemic period, there was turnover in virtually all departments, and efforts were focussed on getting new employees trained, resulting in some of the traditional internal services being neglected.
The intention of this program is to refocus all departments on the understanding that while the transit rider is a shared customer of all departments, employees in other departments/areas of the organization are also customers that need and deserve support.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Engaged, Diverse, Respectful
Workplace |
Moderate | High |
6.12 – Contract Negotiations
The current collective agreement with the Automated Transit Union Local 741 is set to expire on March 31, 2023, and as such, collective bargaining will commence early in 2023.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Engaged, Diverse, Respectful
Workplace |
High | High |
7.12 – 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget
The 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget will represent the third time the City has debated and approved a multi-year budget. The preparation of the multi-year budget will take place during the same timeframe as the next Business Plan, which will be critical in order to ensure that all strategies and objectives set out in the Business Plan have been addressed in the respective budget year.
The multi year budget will be presented to the Commission for approval at the August 2023 meeting, subsequent to which it will be forwarded to Municipal Council for deliberations that are anticipated to occur in early 2024.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Fiscal Accountability | High | High |
8.1 – 2023-2026 Business Plan Development
Consistent with the Commission’s established practice, the next four year Business Plan, covering the period 2023 through 2026 is scheduled to be developed in early 2023. This process includes a review of progress made on the previous Business Plan, stakeholder feedback, ensuring consistency with other partner plans (i.e. London Transportation Master Plan, The London Plan, etc.). The draft 2023-2026 Business Plan will be shared with the Commission in the same timeframe that the City of London Strategic Plan is shared with Municipal Council. This will ensure the alignment of the plans and priorities relating to public transit services in London.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Fiscal Accountability | High | High |
10.1 Voice of the Customer
The Voice of the Customer program provides for on-board surveying of conventional transit riders in order to gain their perspectives on the elements of the service they value most as well as how they perceive the organization to be responding to those priorities. On the specialized service, surveys are conducted via telephone to ensure a statistically valid sample can be gathered.
These surveys were put on hold during the pandemic period, but are scheduled to recommence in 2023. The information gathered through this program will be critical input for a number of other projects included on the work plan (e.g. Five Year Conventional Service Plan, booking window review for specialized service).
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Integrated, Affordable Mobility | Moderate | High |
11.2 Navigate the Pandemic Response Plan
In early 2020, in response to the declaration of a global pandemic, administration prepared a Pandemic Response Plan that is intended to be iterative in nature, noting the cycle of the plan includes revisiting past procedures and protocols that were implemented in response to pandemic-related issues. This approach has proven to be very effective in providing a roadmap for the organization to navigate through each of the pandemic waves over the past 32 months. Given the system continues to face issues relating to the impacts of the pandemic, this process will continue to be utilized throughout 2023.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Open, Transparent & Understood | Moderate | High |
12.9 – Zero Emission Bus Implementation Strategy
This initiative follows the Commission direction to undertake the development of an implementation plan for the conversion of the London Transit conventional transit service fleet, including timing, costs and charging infrastructure requirements and related impacts on LTC facilities. The program was expanded in 2022 to include the next steps involved with moving the program forward. The final Bus Implementation Strategy Report was approved in principle by the Commission in April 2022. A second piece of this initiative is the participation in the CUTZEB Joint Procurement Initiative for the supply and delivery of both zero emission buses and the supporting charging infrastructure as a turn-key contract. It is anticipated this process will result in a request for proposal and contract award in 2023.
Also in 2023, retrofit work will need to be undertaken at the Wonderland Facility in order to be able to accommodate, service and maintain the new electric bus fleet when it is delivered.
The final item under this initiative is the establishment of a team that will lead the implementation of Zero Emission Bus Technology at London Transit. Administration has already initiated a review of best practices in place at other transit systems that are further along with implementation in an effort to understand the level of resources that will be required to ensure a smooth roll-out. This work will be imperative in 2023 as the resulting requirements will have an impact on operating budgets going forward.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Effectively Utilized Infrastructure | Moderate | High |
12.10 Highbury Facility Reconstruction Project
Details with respect to this project are included in Staff Report #1 dated January 25, 2023. The primary work on this initiative that will take place in 2023 is the confirmation of funding from the Provincial and Federal government partners. Subsequent to funding approval, a request for proposal will be issued for the detailed design of the new facility. The remaining work associated with this project is anticipated to carry forward into future years.
| Strategic Outcome | LTC Resource Requirements | Priority for 2023 |
| Effectively Utilized Infrastructure | Moderate | High |
Updates with respect to progress on the work program initiatives are provided to the Commission as appropriate, noting quarterly update reports are provided on all initiatives scheduled to be completed on or before the end of each quarter.
Enclosures
II – 2022 Work Program – Final Status
Recommended by:
Mike Gregor, Director of Finance
Craig Morneau, Director of Fleet & Facilities
Joanne Galloway, Director of Human Resources
Katie Burns, Director of Planning
Shawn Wilson, Director of Operations
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager