A recent Service Level Agreement (SLA) between Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) and Cornell University, enacted in Fall 2023, has put additional pressure on local public transportation, leading to a reduction in routes that provide service to areas of the County that aren’t affiliated with Cornell. The agreement spans from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2027, with a contract year running from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.
The agreement provides TCAT with $3,332,522 in funding to facilitate Cornell student transit but tethers that funding to stringent service hour metrics on 7 routes that have been prioritized by Cornell. The prioritized routes include routes 10, 30, 81, 82, 83, 90, and 92.
TCAT’s new General Manager, Matthew Rosenbloom-Jones, said the agreement requires TCAT to maintain 1,100 weekly service hours during the school year and 800 hours during the summer. If TCAT fails to provide the agreed-upon levels of service, Cornell's funding will be substantially reduced. However, if they’re able to exceed service levels the amount of funding could be increased.
Rosenbloom-Jones said, "If we fall below those thresholds, then that contribution of $3 million is substantially reduced in proportion to the rate at which we fall below those metrics." As a result, the agreement's terms pose significant operational challenges, forcing TCAT to make difficult decisions regarding service prioritization and exacerbating existing staffing and vehicle shortages.
According to Rosenbloom-Jones, “Our current service output, which is maxed out on both vehicles and staff, is approximately 750 hours a week on the routes in the SLA, or a service deviation factor of -0.318 during the Fall and Spring periods and -0.063 during the Summer period.” He continued saying, “Assuming we are unable to increase service output beyond current levels and run an average of 750 weekly hours for the entire year, the penalty would be a reduction in the base payment of approximately $863,000.”
Rosenbloom-Jones added that since the entire TCAT budget is approximately $20 million, “The concern is that the loss of that amount from the base payment means less resources TCAT can put towards repairing vehicles and hiring/training operators, which ultimately places us farther away from reaching our goals—both under the SLA and as providing a public service to the community.”
One of the agreement's most striking impacts is TCAT's necessity to cancel routes other than those serving Cornell's interests, notably Route 51.
Rosenbloom-Jones highlighted the agreement's unintended consequences, stating, "The penalties for canceling trips on those routes become so large and impact the fiscal health of TCAT long term, we have to look at canceling outside of those routes and prioritize service on those routes." This prioritization results in communities like Dryden, Newfield, and Groton facing disruptions due to canceled routes, significantly impacting their accessibility and connectivity to the rest of the community.
The challenges faced by TCAT extend beyond route cancellations, encompassing acute staffing and vehicle shortages. TCAT currently operates with around 55 drivers, whereas pre-COVID operations necessitated over 80 drivers. Similarly, while pre-COVID service required 42 vehicles daily, TCAT now operates with only 25 vehicles, compounded by the unavailability of electric buses due to safety concerns. Rosenbloom-Jones elaborated, "Our electric vehicles...are not running at all due to safety reasons."
Moreover, TCAT's current fleet comprises 53 vehicles, but many are undergoing extensive rehabilitation, further straining operational capacities. Rosenbloom-Jones emphasized the implications of this, stating, "These older vehicles and short staffing...raise our operating costs significantly...It's really our only option right now as far as vehicles go." These challenges not only hinder TCAT's ability to meet the service hour metrics but also elevate operating costs, intensifying the financial strain on the organization.
Criticism surrounding the service agreement has surfaced, with some questioning the fairness of leveraging specific service levels to secure funding from Cornell. Rosenbloom-Jones expressed his view, advocating for a broader perspective on TCAT's role as a network serving both Cornell and the wider community. He asserted, “TCAT is a network, and the agreement [with Cornell] allows their students to utilize TCAT as a network as well...it would probably work best if it looked at TCAT or Cornell's contribution to TCAT as a whole."
Looking ahead, Rosenbloom-Jones remains hopeful for constructive dialogue with Cornell to address the agreement's challenges and explore potential modifications. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and understanding, stating, "I am very optimistic that we'll be able to reach a compromise with a service level agreement that benefits everyone."
In response to questions regarding if Cornell was aware of the negative impact this agreement is having on TCAT and the overall availability of public transportation in Tompkins County, Cornell’s Vice President for University Relations Joel M. Malina said, “Cornell always offers assistance and expertise to help TCAT improve its operations, but Cornell does not control TCAT operational decisions.” Malina added, “We recognize the impact that the current service levels have on Cornell community members and are continuing to work with TCAT to understand why it is failing to meet service levels it agreed to less than one year ago.”
