15 Desk Item with attachments
PREPARED BY: Ying Smith
Transportation and Mobility Manager
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Finance Director, and Director
of Parks and Public Works
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 06/16/2020
ITEM NO: 15
DESK ITEM
DATE: June 16, 2020
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Postpone the Extension of School Bus Service with Santa Barbara
Transportation Corporation Doing Business as Student Transportation of
America for the 2020/21 School Year
REMARKS:
Attachment 4 contains public comment received between 11:01 a.m. Thursday, June 11, 2020
and 11:01 a.m. Monday, June 15, 2020.
Attachment 5 contains the preliminary draft of Survey 4 Report.
Attachments Previously Received with Staff Report:
1. Draft Second Amendment to the Agreement with STA
2. Agreement with STA
3. First Amendment to the Agreement with STA
Attachments with Desk Item:
4. Public comments received between 11:01 a.m. Thursday, June 11, 2020 and 11:01 a.m.
Monday, June 15, 2020.
5. School Bus Pilot Program Survey 4 Preliminary Report
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
ATTACHMENT 4
From: Carolina Olavarria Jackson
Date: June 13, 2020 at 3:53:58 PM PDT
To: Marcia Jensen <MJensen@losgatosca.gov>, BSpector <BSpector@losgatosca.gov>, Rob Rennie
<RRennie@losgatosca.gov>, Marico Sayoc <MSayoc@losgatosca.gov>
Cc: David Jackson
Subject: Our support to the School Bus Service
Dear Council Members of Los Gatos,
This is to express ou support for the continuation of the school bus service for the next school year. Both
our kids (one in Fisher and one at the High School) have used this service since it started and it has made
a huge positive impact in our lives.
The recent survey sent has caused some serious concerns. It seems to be written in such a way to get
parents to worry and answer NO to our children riding the bus. Of course we will alway put our
children's safety first. If the COVID situation does not show signs of improvement, then schools will
remain closed and our kids will not be taking the bus.
When or if schools reopen, we will all have to take the necessary measures to maintain a
safe environment. Here are some ideas:
* Our kids will wear their masks on the bus, stay in their assigned seats and bring a book to minimize
conversations.
* I don't see why the busses cannot be wiped before and after the service. Kids can bring their own
wipes and clean their seats themselves if necessary.
* Most days, there are enough seats open so that each kid can ride in their own seat, by a window. Even
more so if schools reopen on a hybrid basis.
There are measures that can be taken to safely ride the bus in this new reality that all of us are forced to
live in. Without a bus service, parents will have to carpool, so there will be absolutely no social distance
there!
Our Town Council has already approved this service. Please, continue to support the school bus service.
Sincerely,
Carolina and David Jackson
ATTACHMENT 4
From: Holly Bins
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2020 3:23 PM
To: Council <Council@losgatosca.gov>
Subject: Support for the School Bus Service
Dear Council Members of Los Gatos,
I am writing to express my continued support for the school bus service for the upcoming 2020-21
school year. Our three children have ridden the school bus since the service’s inception. The ease of use,
decreased traffic congestion, and independence building in our children prompts me to write this letter
of support.
The Town Staff sent out another survey to determine the community’s desire and willingness to
continue the bus service in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The survey questions were written
to determine how willing we were to risk the lives of our children and households if the school bus
service does not practice common COVID-19 safety parameters.
The bias of these queries leads our community to question the Town staff’s intent and desire to quash a
service that our Town Council already approved.
I strongly believe that our Town Council can both keep its promise to provide this valuable service to the
families as well as practice COVID-19 safety parameters.
Please continue to support the school bus service.
Respectfully,
Holly Bins
June 2020 1 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
School Bus Pilot Program Survey 4
Preliminary Report
A. Background
In light of COVID-19, school districts in Los Gatos are evaluating school reopening scenarios. At
this time, there isn’t sufficient information on the school reopening scenarios. We also do not
know the details on school bus cleaning and social distancing requirements.
Purpose
The Town is soliciting feedback from existing customers and other parents to help better
understand customer needs for the upcoming school year, in light of the COVID-19
conditions.
The survey included 11 questions with the targeted subjects being both the current school
bus riders and non-riders. These two groups were directed to different questions per the
flow chart (Appendix A). The questions were prepared to:
• Solicit feedback from existing and potential customers
• Assess demand in light of COVID-19 conditions
• Understand concerns with social distancing and vehicle cleaning expectations
Survey Period
June 9-June 14, 2020
Survey Mechanism
The survey was administered online through SurveyMonkey. The link was sent to the
current customers via emails and to the larger Los Gatos Union School District community.
The survey was also posted on the School Bus Pilot page on the Town’s website. A total of
85 responds were received. The survey questions can be found in Appendix B.
June 2020 2 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
B. Survey Responses
Q1. Do you have one or more students using the TLG school bus service in the past year?
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
Yes 71.76% 61
No 28.24% 24
Answered 85
Q2. Do you plan on continuing to use the service in the next school year? (Current customers
only)
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
Yes 86.67% 52
Maybe 6.67% 4
No 6.67% 4
Answered 60
June 2020 3 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
Q3. If we are not able to provide six-foot social distance on the bus, will this affect your
decision?
Answer Choices Response
Percent
Responses
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 5.88% 3
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 94.12% 48
Answered 51
June 2020 4 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
Q4. We do not know if the contractor can provide enhanced cleaning on the buses. Will this
affect your decision?
Answer Choices Response
Percent
Responses
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 13.46% 7
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 86.54% 45
Answered 52
Q5. What are your concerns?
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
Depends on how well you will handle social
distancing and vehicle cleaning
0.00% 0
Depends on what the school bell schedule looks like 75.00% 3
I don’t have enough information to make a decision 25.00% 1
We can’t commit to an annual subscription 0.00% 0
Answered 4
Q6. If not, what are the reasons?
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
We no longer need the service because our child(ren)
has(ve) graduated from the previous school
50.00% 2
June 2020 5 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
We used the service in the past but it was not convenient
or did not meet our needs
0.00% 0
I am not comfortable having my child(ren) to ride the bus
due to COVID-19
50.00% 2
We don’t need the service due to the changes with
school reopening
0.00% 0
I don’t have enough information to make a decision 0.00% 0
Other, please specify 0.00% 0
Answered 4
Q7. Do you plan on having your child(ren) ride the bus in the next school year? (Potential
customers)
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
Yes 20.00% 5
Maybe 44.00% 11
No 36.00% 9
Answered 25
Q8. If we are not able to provide six-foot social distance on the bus, will this affect your
decision?
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 0.00% 0
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 100.00% 4
Answered 4
June 2020 6 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
Q9. We do not know if the contractor can provide enhanced cleaning on the buses. Will this
affect your decision?
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 0.00% 0
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year. 100.00% 4
Answered 4
Q10. What are your concerns?
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
Depends on social distancing and vehicle cleaning 0.00% 0
Depends on the school bell schedule 10.00% 1
I don’t have enough information 90.00% 9
We can’t commit to an annual subscription 0.00% 0
Answered 10
Q11. If not, what are the reasons?
Answer Choices Response Percent Responses
We don’t need the service 33.00% 3
I don’t think it is convenient or meet our needs 44.00% 4
Not comfortable due to COVID-19. 11.11% 1
I don’t have enough information 11.11% 1
June 2020 7 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
Other, please specify 11.11% 1
Answered 9
June 2020 8 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
Appendix A – Flow Chart
June 2020 9 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
Appendix B - Survey Questions
1. Do you have one or more students using the TLG school bus service in the past year?
Y – Q2
N – Q7
2. Do you plan on continuing to use the service in the next school year?
Y – Q3
Maybe, it depends – Q5
N – Q6
3. If we are not able to provide six-foot social distance on the bus, will this affect your
decision?
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
4. We do not know if the contractor can provide enhanced cleaning on the buses.
Will this affect your decision?
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
5. What are your concerns?
Depends on how well you will handle social distancing and vehicle cleaning
Depends on what the school bell schedule looks like
I don’t have enough information to make a decision
We can’t commit to an annual subscription
6. If not, what are the reasons?
We no longer need the service because our child(ren) has(ve) graduated from the previous
school
We used the service in the past but it was not convenient or did not meet our needs
I am not comfortable having my child(ren) to ride the bus due to COVID-19
We don’t need the service due to the changes with school reopening
I don’t have enough information to make a decision
Other, please specify
7. Do you plan on having your child(ren) ride the bus in the next school year?
Y – Q8
Maybe, it depends – Q10
N – Q11
June 2020 10 | Page
ATTACHMENT 5
8. If we are not able to provide six-foot social distance on the bus, will this affect your
decision?
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
9. We do not know if the contractor can provide enhanced cleaning on the buses.
Will this affect your decision?
I will not have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
I will still have my child(ren) ride the bus next year.
10. What are your concerns?
We could use the service but it depends on how well you will handle social distancing and
vehicle cleaning
We could use the service but it depends on what the school bell schedule looks like
I don’t have enough information to make a decision
We can’t commit to an annual subscription
11. If not, what are the reasons?
We don’t need the service
We could use the service but I don’t think it is convenient or meet our needs
We could use the service but I am not comfortable having my child(ren) to ride the bus due
to COVID-19.
I don’t have enough information to make a decision
Other, please specify