I now declare that the Plano City Council.

That's

nice.

It's convened in open session that all council members are present.

The

council will now recess into executive session and training room A to hold a closed executive meeting pursuant to the provisions of Vernon's Texas Codes, annotated government code, Chapter 551.

The open meetings act in accordance with the authority contained in Section 551.071 to consult with the attorney to receive legal advice and discuss litigation.

Section 551087 to discuss economic development matters.

Thanks.

Good evening, Council.

Mayor, I'm Curtis Howard with the assistant city manager here at City of Plano.

And I'm really pleased tonight to talk start talking to you about the uh the transportation solution that we are bringing for you.

We've already signed a contract with them, and I've got uh two guests here just in case you have any technical questions, they'll be able to provide that information for you.

Thomas DeRitter and uh Aaron Gilbo, uh both from VIA.

So uh just a little bit.

One of the things that uh we've been working on as we've been going through this process with DART and and have come up on a situation the situation now where we are uh we still have Dart uh here in the City of Plano and we are providing a supplemental service to DART.

So we have uh uh signed a six-month agreement with them right now, and basically it's gonna be to provide kind of transportation needs in those areas that the DART does not cover.

Uh we're gonna try and improve mobility throughout the city of Plano, and and the way we're doing it is using a technology based system that VIA offers.

And uh we'll go get into a little bit about that.

So, but the this whole process will be a more flexible, dynamic routing way method of uh picking people up and getting them to where they need to

go.

So the two programs that we are starting off with is first of all a senior rides program.

And uh so that senior rides is going to be for uh our residents, 65 and older.

Uh we're looking at providing them transportation services throughout the city of Plano, including a one and a half mile buffer outside.

Uh so you know, some of these uh folks that need to get to to doctor's appointments or other services that are just outside our city limits.

Uh you know, right now that we got a flexible system, so the uh the the hours and and and rates that we talk about are probably gonna change as we kind of go and and and get more information, but at least especially during the weekdays, we're looking somewhere between about a 6.30 start to about uh 10 p.m.

Uh probably weekends will be a little more limited than that, maybe nine to nine, uh, but again, we're still working on some of that stuff.

We are looking at launching the the uh senior rides program on May 4th, and uh and uh and we'll get going on that that uh program first.

So the second program is going to be a circulator system that includes the shops of legacy, uh, legacy west, and then those corporate campuses in that area.

So right now uh our economic development folks are working with uh those corporate campuses as we try and figure out the best routes and pick up locations and times uh for that circulator route.

So we don't have a start date for that yet, but we are working on that, and once we get that information, uh we will then provide it to

you.

Uh

so just the scope of services when we contract with VIA.

So again, this is gonna be a an app-based system uh that uh both drivers that can use and then riders can use.

Uh if we have people, because it's a senior rides program that do not have the ability to use smartphones, they can also get online or also uh call in and get that set up.

And whether it's uh for for a ride that they need to the grocery store or whether it's for one of those reoccurring medical uh appointments, they can set that up uh via has that technology.

Uh driver recruitment, so one of the things that they do, uh they're very focused on safety, so making sure that they get drivers uh that go through background checks and um and uh provide uh a safe service for our residents.

In addition to the uh the investigative process that they do, one of the things that all these vehicles will have is they'll have cameras inside them so uh to make sure that uh that uh that stuff is is video recorded for safety purposes.

Uh customer service and outreach, they have a uh robust customer service process in addition to what the city of Plano will offer, and then we are going to work closely with them on on uh the marketing aspect and also the data analytics as that becomes important as we move forward.

The initial term for this contract is six months.

Uh we've got a uh another six-month option uh at the same terms, and then up to three 12 months extensions after

that.

Uh the cost overview is uh 3.95 is a not to exceed amount that we have.

Uh the uh estimated total cost of this program right now and and it's gonna change based upon when we start.

The circulator system is about 2.78 uh million and uh 365,000 approximately, that startup cost and the operational costs for this first six-month period will be about 2.41 million.

Uh and you can kind of see the costs here for both the on the uh senior on uh uh senior rides program and then also the legacy west circulator.

And what we'll do is we try and estimate the number of hours, and that's how VIA will bill us is based upon that.

So that could change based upon the data that we receive and kind of figure out what what the uh the patterns

are.

Uh

operational uh information is going to include the fact that uh not only would do uh do they have a um uh a person overseeing this program here, but I'll be the person who will be overseeing it for the city of Plano.

So we'll work closely together to make sure that we resolve any problems and uh and and we have flexibility as needed to uh change things as that data comes in.

Uh,

we're gonna have up to 30 vehicles.

Uh some of them are going to be uh handicap accessible.

Uh and then what we're planning on doing is having those staged over at Haggard Library.

So we'll have about 30 spaces over there that uh so at night when those vehicles are

not uh

being utilized, then they'll be over there at Haggard and providing that uh and and all the vehicles will be wrapped.