A change in one long-time contract fits into improvements outlined in a new master plan for Lawton’s mass transit system.
The City Council formally accepted that new master plan this week, action LATS General Manager Ryan Landers called a formality because city officials already have been part of the process that Hendrickson Transportation Group launched in 2021. That process by LATS operators was designed to analyze the system and pinpoint changes to improve the quality of service while expanding ridership.
The document was formally put into place by a unanimous vote of the City Transit Trust, a function of the City Council. Trust members also agreed with a recommendation to let its contract with Pin High Investments expire July 15, meaning Hendrickson Transportation Group will become responsible for 48 bus stops/shelters along LATS fixed routes. The benefit: Pin High has advertising on those sites, under a contract it has held for more than 20 years, and LATS now will collect the money.
Those revenues will help LATS with plans to create even more bus stops, Landers said.
Landers said the agreement initially was crafted to allow Pin High to set and maintain bus bench facilities along LATS fixed routes, in exchange for paying the City of Lawton $25 per site per year then keeping the revenue generated by selling advertising at the sites. There are 48 bus bench/shelter locations, and LATS will assume operation and maintenance for all, Landers said, adding LATS already handles day-to-day lawn care at those sites.
“The money we bring in will pay for repairs,” he said of the advertising revenue, adding money also could be applied to capital costs associated with the transit system.
The contract specifies the facilities placed by Pin High become the property of LATS at the expiration of the contract, unless they are less than 10 years old. Only one site fits that description, and the contract specifies the city will buy it at its depreciated value (in this case, $3,054). That total is less than what LATS said Pin High owes in the $4,800 in annual payments the firm has not made since 2020.
Ward 2 Councilman Kelly Harris said business owners say they have not been notified of the amount of money owed, even after asking. Harris said one of the business partners also said they are not interested in extending the contract beyond its expiration date.
Assuming control and continuing to sell ad space will let LATS to do something Hendrickson Transportation Group already has suggested and the master plan has confirmed: add more bus stops.
The new master plan has recommendations for changes in fixed routes, which is linked to a recommendation to add more bus stops/shelters. The plan identifies 83 new sites and estimates that equates to $208,000 worth of improvements: $1,000 each for 83 new bus stops (pole, signage and minor concrete work); $50,000 for shelter at five of those sites; and $75,000 for 15 new benches. LATS’ analysis said there are 15 to 20 locations that would benefit from “additional passenger amenities.”
Landers said advertising revenue can support what has been estimated as $6,500 in annual maintenance costs, as well as the cost of adding new shelters.
LATS riders surveyed during the analysis process support the idea of new shelters: 23 percent want more added.
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