SUBJECT: MAINTENANCE OF EL MONTE STATION 
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE

RECOMMENDATION Receive and File report on maintenance of El Monte Station.

ISSUE  Because of concern about the general appearance of El Monte Station bus facility and security at this location, the Board Chair in 2001 requested a report on the MTAs maintenance of this facility.  Staff has been preparing quarterly reports on this issue.  This is the report for the third quarter of 2002. 
 
BACKGROUND  
El Monte Station is a two-level, 23,340 square foot bus terminal, which is maintained by the MTAs Facilities Maintenance Department. On a weekly basis, over 6,200 trips take place between the transportation service providers (MTA, Foothill Transit, El Monte Trolley and Greyhound). There is free parking available at this facility consisting of 2,095 parking stalls.  The public rest rooms, located on the lower level, are open from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekends.  Security is provided by both the LA County Sheriffs and contracted security on a 24-hour basis.

El Monte Station was constructed with 10 bus bays.  With over 125 bus trips per hour during peak service periods, and over 20,000 riders passing through the station, it is exceeding its efficient design capacity.  The Metro San Gabriel Valley Sector has initiated a multi-agency effort to develop a Master Plan for El Monte Station and the adjacent MTA bus Division 9.

Actively participating in this program are the City of El Monte, Foothill Transit, and Caltrans.  The first draft of this work will be issued in October 2002.

Facility Maintenance

The custodial service schedule remains unchanged with coverage 17 hours per day, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. weekends.  Walkways are pressure washed twice weekly.  Custodial personnel remove graffiti, or surfaces are re-painted, if necessary.  Sacrificial material to guard against etching on elevator glass, windows and glass doors is replaced quarterly. 

Facilities Maintenance Department personnel including electricians, plumbers, air conditioning technicians, property maintainers and locksmiths further maintain the facility.  Between May 7, 2002 and September 12, 2002 these personnel made 27 service calls to El Monte Station.  The majority of the calls (55%) were for plumbing problems in the restrooms, which are often the target of vandalism.

In the last report, we apprised the Board of modifications made in an unused portion of the park and ride lot to provide layover space for buses with layovers in excess of 10 minutes.  This modification has ameliorated the bus-overcrowding problem around the station.

Security

The MTA provides substantial security and law enforcement services at the El Monte Terminal through a combination of internal security patrol, fixed post contract security and through contracted law enforcement services from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD).  Additionally, the El Monte Police Department and the California Highway Patrol conduct periodic patrol of the area.  

Contract security provides one 24/7 fixed post assignment at the terminal.  This security guard conducts foot patrol of the terminal area and parking facilities.  MTA's internal security unit conducts periodic patrol of the area.  The LASD has its "East County Bus Team" at the El Monte Bus Division (Division 9) in a small substation. 

The LASD's East County Bus Team is made up of 18 deputies, three bonus deputies and two sergeants.  This unit conducts patrol on all of the MTA's bus lines in the eastern part of Los Angeles County.  The unit has assigned one fixed-post position at the El Monte Terminal on Day Watch and PM Watch, five days per week.  In addition to the fixed post assignment, the LASD team conducts patrol of the El Monte Terminal on a frequent basis.  The team also conducts undercover operations and surveillance of the terminal as necessary.  Other special operations are conducted as necessary.  Over the past few weeks the LASD has conducted very successful undercover operations in the terminal area and have made arrests for lewd conduct and other crimes. 

Staff intends to install a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system to enhance security for the El Monte Terminal in FY 03. This CCTV project was approved and funded. 

As reported previously, although the MTA's use of this facility represents only about 50% of the service, no other agencies provide security at the El Monte Bus Terminal.

Transit Center Update

In early August 2002, MTA San Gabriel Valley Sector General Manager Jack Gabig invited Foothill staff, representatives from Caltrans, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Greyhound Bus, and El Monte city to participate in a master-planning project for El Monte Station and the MTAs Division 9 Metro Bus Operations facility.  The planning activity considered current bus station capacity and long term needs to accommodate future traffic volume, layover zones, circulation patterns, parking lot paving, signage and lighting improvements for El Monte Station.  The preliminary master plan includes proposals for major modifications of the Station.  Consistent with the magnitude of the possible changes for the Station, Foothill staff has downscaled its plans to fully rehabilitate it.  However, since the master plan would require several years to implement, to provide passenger service improvements in the near term, Foothill will pursue remodeling the existing transit store so that it can be made operational, improving the public restroom facilities, and incorporating electronic arrival signage at the station.   

Prepared by:  Don Ott, Director of Facilities Maintenance 
Jon Hillmer, Schedules Manager 
Daniel Cowden, Director of Security/Law Enforcement
John B. Catoe, Jr.   Deputy Chief Executive Officer 
Roger Snoble   Chief Executive Officer