Nancy R. Edmonson

PRINCIPAL AND OWNER

EDUCATION:

Candidate for Doctorate in Finance, University of Houston

Master of Business and Public Management, Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration, Rice University, 1985

Bachelor of Arts in Managerial Studies and German, Rice University, 1981

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY:

Nancy R. Edmonson’s 25-year history in the transit industry has centered on the analytical aspects of transit planning, particularly financial analysis and performance evaluation. She has developed a particular expertise in the application of statistical analysis to important transit planning and operations issues, such as demographic analysis, on-time performance monitoring, and ridership estimation.  She spent six years spent with Houston METRO, where she developed METRO’s current cost allocation and variable cost models for allocating expenses among services. In 1994, she joined LKC Consulting Services, Inc. as a Partner, bringing to the firm a new dimension of transit expertise. She was named as LKC’s President in 1997.  To provide time for new activities, she consulted as a Senior Associate at LKC from 2000 through 2003, continuing to provide analytical expertise to clients across Texas. Most recently, she has been consulting independently.

Ms. Edmonson served on the City Council of the City of Shoreacres from 2000-2002 and as its mayor from 2002-2006.  She currently serves on the Board of the Directors of the Gulf Coast Rail District, which serves Harris, Galveston, Waller, Montgomery, and Fort Bend counties.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Nancy R. Edmonson, Transportation Consulting, Seabrook, Texas, January 2004 to Present.

  • Fort Bend County P&R Lots.  Analyzed various sites for potential ridership for three park and ride lots and related service in Fort Bend County; create operating and financial plan for one site (to date) for service initiation in 2013. Developed funding strategies for future transit expansion in Fort Bend County.
  • Austin Fare Policy Review and Recommendations. Conducted fare policy review for Capital Metro in Austin, TX, including the creation of an elasticity-based spreadsheet model to predict the ridership and revenue impact of various fare changes. Developed a series of recommendations to improve the equity, administration, consistency, and revenue generation potential of Capital Metro’s fare structure.
  • Rosenberg Transit and Pedestrian Plan. Developed transit service recommendations—including new fixed and flexible routes—for the City of Rosenberg as a part of a larger transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access study.
  • Harris County Transit Analysis. Developed recommendations for improvements to fixed-route transit service in eastern Harris County. Conducted a Title VI analysis on service changes implemented in eastern Harris County and analyzed the impact of MAP-21 funding changes on the provision of this service.
  • Ann Arbor Performance Audit. Completed performance and management audit of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, including extensive peer review analysis and recommendations for ways to provide and fund service to new urban and suburban employment concentrations.
  • Houston Financial Analysis and New Starts Support. Developed operating and maintenance cost estimates and conducted financial feasibility and risk assessment for various bus, bus rapid transit, and light rail alternatives in two Houston corridors for METRO’s New Starts Submittal to the Federal Transit Administration.  This project included collection and interpretation of data from METRO’s internal financial model—including various debt scenarios– and capital cost data to fill spreadsheet templates required by the FTA and writing the text of the relevant sections of the New Starts Reports to describe the methodology and results of the operating and maintenance cost estimation and the financial feasibility analysis.
  • DART Performance Audits. Completed two state-mandated audit of Dallas Area Rapid Transit, leading the performance indicator calculations and reporting, including ridership and on-time performance calculations, section for one audit and a review of the Finance Department in the second audit..
  • Houston Fare Structure Analysis. Developed spreadsheet-based elasticity model for Houston METRO to test the effect of various fare level and structure changes on METRO’s annual ridership and revenue.  Developed recommendations for new fare structure and policies.
  • Energy Corridor Transit Needs Assessment. Analyzed the transit need in the Energy Corridor Management District, a major suburban activity center. Scope included establishment of transit objectives for the area, identification of target markets, and development of service alternatives.  Worked with area employers, real estate firms, agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure that the recommended service concepts were implementable and supported.  Final recommendation included estimated costs of the services and next steps for implementation.

LKC Consulting Services, Inc., Houston, Texas, President.  May 1993 to December 2003.

  • General Planning Consultant Services for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Provided transit operations analysis and service planning support for the general planning consultant for DART.  Major tasks included review of the National Transit Database ridership sampling process and DART’s registering farebox ridership estimation process and review of DART’s light rail ridership estimation methodology to determine its stratifications, statistical confidence levels, and statistical accuracy.
  • Fort Lauderdale Airport Activity Shuttles.  Developed and recommended transit shuttle routes in Fort Lauderdale to connect the airport, downtown, the cruise ship terminal, and other destinations.  Estimated ridership, costs, and revenues associated with the services.
  • Sugarland Transit Circulator Feasibility. Determined the feasibility of implementing a transit circulator service in the area surrounding First Colony Mall and the planned Town Square development. Included a peer review, demand estimation, and financial plan that included the use of FTA grant funds.
  • Transportation Planning Support Services for Houston METRO. Provided immediate assistance with operating costs, cash flow analysis, cost effectiveness and performance measures, and application of cost/benefit criteria during Houston METRO=s discussions with the Federal Transit Administration regarding the Regional Bus Plan full funding grant agreement.
  • Capital Metro System Performance Assessment (Austin, TX). Provided general planning support to the regional transit authority in Austin, Texas.  Major tasks included:
  • Conducted a system-wide origin-destination study of transit passengers
  • Prepared cost allocation model for evaluating the investment in different types of transit service
  • Recommended a fixed-route performance evaluation methodology;
  • Developed a Five Year Service and Capital Plan
  • Transit Feasibility Study for Brazoria County.  Analyzed transit need in Brazoria County and evaluated the feasibility for new or expanded transit services.  Recommended expanding existing demand-response services and adding a new commuter bus route into Houston.

Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO), Houston, Texas

December 1988 to July 1992.

  • Planning. Forecasted long‑range operations and maintenance costs, long‑range operating revenue, and short‑range transit ridership.  Performed examination of transit market share in Houston and a comparative analysis of the cost and capacities of a freeway expansion and rail line. Served on team that performed an Alternatives Analysis and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a major Houston corridor.  The analysis included investigating various bus, busway, and rail options.
  • Financial and Cost Analysis. Managed analytical arm of the Office of Management and Budget, which provides in‑depth analyses of issues such as comparative costs of service, revenue levels, and operational efficiency.  Responsible for monthly financial and operating reports to the Board of Directors.  Led research, forecasting, and financial and cost analysis function for METRO.  Analyzed financial cost-effectiveness of various transit technologies.  Developed METRO’s current cost allocation and variable cost models for allocating expenses among services.
  • Fare Policy. Developed and implemented a model to estimate the impact of fare pricing and fare structure changes on ridership.  Estimated fare elasticity of METRO’s ridership following three fare increases.  Served on fare policy task force that evaluated and recommended fare pricing, fare structure, and transfer policy decisions for METRO.

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Austin, Texas

Transportation Planner.  January 1988 to November 1988.

  • Served on task force to estimate the projected impact of a free fare policy on ridership and service requirements.
  • Responsible for compiling and analyzing route level ridership, designing routes, and costing service changes.
  • Conducted study to determine effectiveness of fixed‑route van services.
  • Conducted public meetings on proposed route changes.