LTC 530-2016 Uber Pilot Program MIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# 530-2016 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Philip Levine and Members if the City .mmission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager I
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DATE: December 9, 2016 �I
SUBJECT: UBER PILOT PROGRAM
This Letter to Commission is to provide updated information regarding the Uber Pilot
Program implemented during Art Basel/Design Miami events. During event days, the City
traditionally experiences increased parking demand with overflow parking conditions
throughout the day. This year, parking inventory shortages were exacerbated by the loss of
the Preferred Parking Lot (P-32) to support construction activity at the Miami Beach
Convention Center. Consequently, the City put in place a comprehensive plan to increase
parking availability, enhance valet parking operational efficiencies, and alleviate traffic
congestion in the Convention Center area. The plan ran between November 30 and
December 2, 2016 and it included the following directives to departments reporting to the
City Manager during show dates:
• No in-person meetings in the City Hall Complex (1700 Convention Center Drive,
1701 Meridian Avenue, 1755 Meridian Avenue, and 555-17th Street).
• Allowing staff to take home assigned marked City vehicles (125).
• Uber Pilot Program to transport City employees who work in the City Hall Complex.
The Uber Pilot Program provided the City multiple opportunities that rendered impressive
results. To reduce the number of Uber trips,the Program included the staff use of flex time,
telecommuting, and carpooling. The result was an increase in parking space availability in
the City Hall (CHG) and 17th Street garages. At least 100 of the parking spaces in the CHG
were assigned to the City's valet parking concessionaire, First Class Parking. The benefits
of moving "valet" parking storage from the Pennsylvania Avenue Garage to the CHG were:
Reduced travel distance: Valet travel distance was reduced by one-half(50%), amounting
to a reduction of approximately 170 miles of travel time in only two days (Thursday and
Friday, 12/1 and 12/2/16).
Improved customer service: The proximity of CHG to the Convention Center allowed the
timely delivery of valet vehicles. Also, in past years, during high demand periods, First Class
Parking had to close the valet ramp due to capacity issues. This year, there were no ramp
closures, resulting in more valet vehicles being parked (close to 400 valet vehicles were
parked in CHG on 12/1 and 12/2).
Reduced traffic on major roadways: Placing valet parking vehicle storage at the CHG
reduced the number of valet vehicles crossing the very congested 17th Street intersection
and reduced the number of valet vehicles traveling on Pennsylvania, Washington and
Meridian Avenues.
Reduced Emissions: From a resiliency perspective, reducing the number of miles traveled,
had a positive impact on the environment. According to our Environmental Department,
"This reduction in miles accounted for the same amount of emissions released from burning
about 76 pounds of coal...These curbed emissions are equivalent to what 2,918 square feet
of U.S. forests can absorb in one year. While these impacts seem small, employing
measures like this strategically can greatly improve the visitor and resident experience in our
City...."
Other benefits of the Pilot Plan included:
• Introduction of employee commuting alternatives: The Program caused employees
to "think outside the box": some shared Uber trips, others carpooled with relatives
and friends who dropped them off, and others used alternative transportation modes
such as bicycling, walking and public transportation. Employees' participation and
response to the Pilot Program was very positive and supportive. Many employees
expressed their appreciation for the City providing this amenity to them.
• Increased availability of public parking spaces at CHG and 17th Street: In
comparison to the Thursday and Friday of event week in 2015, when there were no
valet transactions and a limited number of public parking transactions at CHG, on
Thursday (12/1/16), we processed 296 valet transactions and 714 public parking
transactions (vs. 215 in 2015) in this garage. On Friday 12/2/16, valet transactions
amounted to 186, while public parking transactions were 786 (vs. 221 in 2015).
• Improved pedestrian safety and convenience: Parking patrons at the CHG did not
have to cross 17th Street and had quicker access to event sites. At a conservative
estimate of two passengers per vehicle, on Thursday and Friday(12/1 and 12/2/16),
approximately 1,800 pedestrians were removed from pedestrian traffic at the 17th
Street intersection.
These are only some of the benefits of the Uber Pilot Program. The added parking space
inventory from 11/30 and 12/4/16,which included added spaces in the Pennsylvania Avenue
Garage due to the relocation of valet vehicle storage to the CHG; added spaces at CHG due
to removal of personally owned employee vehicles;, and added spaces at 17th Street Garage
due to the removal of assigned marked City vehicles taken home by employees, resulted in
increased parking revenues of approximately $30,000. This exceeded the approximate
$25,000 the City spent on the Uber Pilot Program.
While many departments worked together in deploying this innovative pilot program
(Parking, Tourism Culture and Economic Development, City Attorney, Procurement,
Finance, Human Resources, Fleet), I would like to give special recognition to Monica
Beltran,Assistant Director Parking Department,who spearheaded the implementation of the
program.
JLM/K /SF/MB
C: Kathie G. Brooks, Assistant City Manager
Mark Taxis, Assistant City Manager
Eric Carpenter, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director
Susanne Torriente, Assistant City Manager
Saul Frances, Parking Director