GOOD AFTERNOON, THE ASSEMBLY.
TRANSPORTATION AND SENATE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEES ARE
CALLED TO ORDER. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE ON
THIS VERY RAINY DAY AND THANK
YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE. THE
HEARING ROOM IS OPEN TODAY FOR
ATTENDANCE OF THIS INFORMATIONAL
HEARING, AND IT CAN ALSO BE
WATCHED FROM A LIVE STREAM ON
THE ASSEMBLY AND THE SENATE'S
WEBSITE. WE ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC
TO PROVIDE WRITTEN TESTIMONY BY
VISITING THE COMMITTEE WEBSITE.
I NOTE THAT ANY WRITTEN
TESTIMONY SUBMITTED TO THE
COMMITTEE IS CONSIDERED PUBLIC
COMMENT AND MAYBE READ INTO THE
RECORD OR REPRINTED. ALL PUBLIC
COMMENT AT THIS HEARING WILL BE
IN PERSON AND WILL BE LIMITED TO
ONE MINUTE PER PERSON. FINALLY
THE ASSEMBLY HAS EXPERIENCED A
NUMBER OF DISRUPTIONS TO THE
COMMITTEE AND FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. CONDUCT
THAT DISRUPTS, DISTURBS OR OTHER
RIDES IMPEDES THE ORDERLY
CONDUCT OF THE HEARING IS
PROHIBITED. SUCH CONDUCT MAY
INCLUDE TALKING OR MAKING LOUD
NOISES FROM THE AUDIENCE,
UTTERING LOUD THREATENING OR
ABUSIVE LANGUAGE SPEAKING LONGER
THAN THE TIME ALLOTTED, EXTENDED
DISCUSSION OF MATTERS NOT
RELATED TO THE SUBJECT OF THE
HEARING AND OTHER DISRUPTIVE
ACTS. TO ADDRESS ANY DISRUPTIVE
CONDUCT. I WILL TAKE THE
FOLLOWING STEPS. IF AN
INDIVIDUAL DISRUPTS OUR HEARING
PROCESS, I WILL DIRECT THEM TO
STOP AND WARNED THEM THAT
CONTINUED DISRUPTIONS MAY RESULT
IN REMOVAL FROM THE BUILDING. WE
WILL ALSO DOCUMENT ON THE RECORD
, THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED AND
THE NATURE OF THE DISRUPTIVE
CONDUCT MAY TEMPORARILY HAVE TO
RECESS THE HEARING. IF THE
CONDUCT DOESN'T STOP. I'LL
REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE OF THE
SERGEANTS AND ESCORTING THE
INDIVIDUAL FROM THE BUILDING. I
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE
FOR YOUR COOPERATION. TODAY'S
INFORMATIONAL HEARING WILL FOCUS
ON STRATEGIES TO BRING BACK AND
BUILD TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IN
CALIFORNIA. IT'S THE FIRST TIME
THIS COMMITTEE HAS HAD AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING ON PUBLIC
TRANSIT SINCE 2009. TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN ON THE
DECLINE IN CALIFORNIA LONG
BEFORE THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
HIT. ACCORDING TO THE TO THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS
ANGELES INSTITUTE OF
TRANSPORTATION STUDIES. THE SIX
COUNTIES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
REGION LOST 72 MILLION ANNUAL
RIDES BETWEEN 2012 AND 2016.
WHILE THE BAY AREA BUCKED THE
NATIONAL TREND OF DECREASING
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP FOR MUCH OF
THE TWO THOUSANDS IN 2017 AND 18
, THE NINE COUNTY BAY AREA
REGION LOST 27.5 MILLION
BOARDINGS OR 5.2% OF ITS TOTAL
TRIPS. WHEN THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC HIT TRANSIT RIDERSHIP
PLUNGED 50% TO AS MUCH AS 94% IN
CALIFORNIA. THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT PROVIDED BILLIONS OF
RELIEF IN FUNDING TO KEEP
TRANSIT AGENCIES AFLOAT AS
RIDERSHIP HOPEFULLY RECOVERED.
HOWEVER WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE KIND
OF RECOVERY THAT WE WOULD LIKE
TO SEE NATIONALS. RIDERSHIP OF
TRANSIT. IS IT 73% OF WHERE IT
WAS PRE PANDEMIC? THE PACIFIC
REGION OF THE US, HOWEVER, IS
DOING WORSE WITH ONLY A 67%
RETURN OF TRANSIT RIDERS. WELL
MOST AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA WILL
BE FISCALLY SOUND BECAUSE OF
THEIR ABILITY TO ADJUST SERVICE
TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE OPERATING
FUNDING AGENCIES THAT WERE VERY
DEPENDENT ON FARE BOX REVENUES
FOR OPERATING COSTS MAY FACE
FUNDING SHORTFALLS IN THE NEXT
FEW YEARS AS FEDERAL RELIEF RUNS
OUT. SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
OF COURSE, THE STATE CAN'T REACH
ITS CARBON NEUTRALITY GOAL BY
2045 WITHOUT A REDUCTION IN CAR
TRAVEL. ACCORDING TO CARB,
ACCORDING TO THEIR SCOPING PLAN
IN 2022, IN ADDITION TO THE
TRANSITION TO CLEANER VEHICLES,
THE PATH OF CARBON NEUTRALITY
ALSO REQUIRES A 25% REDUCTION IN
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED BY 2030
AND A 30% REDUCTION BY 2045
TRANSIT, OF COURSE, WILL PLAY A
KEY ROLE IN REDUCING VEHICLE
MILES TRAVELED. TRANSIT AGENCIES
NEED TO BE THOUGHT OF AS
MOBILITY SERVICES THAT PROVIDE
ACCESSIBILITY AND RELIABILITY
THROUGHOUT THIS THROUGHOUT THE
DAY, RATHER THAN JUST DURING THE
MORNING AND P COMMUTES BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING DIFFERENTLY
AT THE SAME TIME, CITIES NEED TO
THINK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN
OPERATE, HOW THEY CAN MAKE LAND
USE DECISIONS THAT MAKE TRANSIT
AND ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR CHOICE
WRITERS AND, OF COURSE, BESIDES
OUR CLIMATE GOALS. TRANSIT IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT IN
CALIFORNIA. THEY MAY BE TOO
YOUNG TO DRIVE. IT MAY BE TOO
OLD TO DRIVE SAFELY. THEY MAY
NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE HUGE
BURDEN THAT OWNING AND OPERATING
A CAR, UM, TAKES ON PEOPLE. THEY
MAY JUST CHOOSE TO NOT
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR GREENHOUSE
GUESTS AND CLIMATE CRISIS BY
DRIVING. THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO
PHYSICALLY DRIVE AND WE HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE
AS WELL. AND WE KNOW IN PLACES
LIKE LOS ANGELES AND SAN DIEGO
IN OUR INNER CITIES. THAT IF
EVERYBODY HAD TO DRIVE
EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME, WE'D BE
STUCK IN TRAFFIC. IT'S TRANSIT.
THE LACK OF TRANSIT OPTIONS ARE
OFTEN THE REASON THAT PEOPLE SAY
THEY DON'T WANT HOUSING BUILT IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES. THEY SAY.
WHAT ABOUT THE PARKING? WHAT
ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSIT IS
THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION TO
ALLEVIATING THAT CONCERN?
TRANSIT IS TIED, NOT JUST TO
CLIMATE. IT'S ALSO TIED TO
MOBILITY TO EQUITY TO PUBLIC
HEALTH, AND CERTAINLY TWO THINGS
LIKE HOUSING, SO IT'S VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. TODAY'S HEARING IS
GOING TO HAVE THREE PANELS.
FIRST. WE'RE GOING TO GET A
LARGER PERSPECTIVE ON TRANSIT
AND FOCUS ON WHAT THE STATE IS
CURRENTLY DOING TO IMPROVE THE
TRANSIT EXPERIENCE AND TO HEAR
WHAT STEPS THE STATE SHOULD TAKE
TO REFOCUS TRANSIT FINANCING IN
A MANNER THAT PROMOTES
INNOVATION AND SERVICE, NOT JUST
FAIR BOX RECOVERY. NEXT. WE'LL
HEAR FROM TRANSIT AGENCIES AND
REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS ON THE
STEPS THEY'RE TAKING TO IMPROVE
THEIR SERVICE AND INCREASED
RIDERSHIP. AND FINALLY, WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR FROM STAKEHOLDERS
WHO WILL DISCUSS THE NEEDS OF
RIDERS AND OPERATORS AND WHAT
TRANSIT AGENCIES NEED TO DO TO
IMPROVE AND BRING THOSE WRITERS
BACK. IT'S MY HOPE FROM THIS
HEARING THAT THE STATE CAN GET A
BETTER PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THE
AGENCIES ARE CURRENTLY DOING
ACROSS THE STATE TO INCREASE
THEIR RIDERSHIP AND TO HEAR WHAT
WE CAN DO TO HOLD TRANSIT
AGENCIES ACCOUNTABLE TO THE
CUSTOMERS THEY SERVE, WHILE ALSO
MAKING CHANGES TO ENSURE THAT
TRANSIT IS A GOOD OPTION FOR
PEOPLE WHO RELY ON IT, NOT JUST
WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO, BUT THAT
RIGHT THAT IT PROVIDES THE KIND
OF EXPERIENCE THAT WILL GET
PEOPLE WHO HAVE CARS TO GET OUT
OF THEIR CARS AND USE TRANSIT
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY,
REALLY NEED TO HAVE. I ALSO WANT
TO NOTE THAT SENATOR GONZALEZ
AND I HAVE INTRODUCED A B 7 61
THE TRANSIT TRANSFORMATION TASK
FORCE TO HAVE THE CALIFORNIA
TRANSPORTATION AGENCY CONVENED A
TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE STATE
POLICY ON TRANSIT FINANCING AND
WHAT THE STATE CAN DO TO
ENCOURAGE TRANSIT OPERATIONS
THAT IMPROVE THE TRANSIT
EXPERIENCE AND INCREASED TRANSIT
USE. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WE WANT OUR FINANCING FOR
TRANSIT TO BE TRULY SUSTAINABLE.
NOT TO GO DOWN WHEN THE BUDGET
GOES DOWN AT THE STATE, BUT TO
LIVE ON ITS OWN AND BREATHE ON
ITS OWN AND TO GENERATE THE KIND
OF SUSTAINABLE REVENUE THAT WE
NEED. SO NOW I'D LIKE TO ASK MY
AMAZING PARTNER IN THE SENATE
SENATOR LENA GONZALEZ TO MAKE
HER COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR AND I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS AS WELL. AND I THANK
YOU FOR WORKING WITH OUR TEAM TO
MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND I THINK
OUR TEAM OUR CONSULTANTS AS WELL
, UM, FOR CREATING THIS REALLY
ROBUST PANEL, UM, SO AS
MENTIONED FROM MANY CALIFORNIANS
TRANSIT IS A LIFELINE, PROVIDING
AN AFFORDABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR
TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO FROM
WORK TO SCHOOL, ETCETERA. AND AS
MENTIONED BY MY GOOD COLLEAGUE
FOR SOME TRANSIT IS THE ONLY
TRAVEL OPTION AS THEY HAVE NO
ACCESS TO A CAR. EVEN MORE
REASON WHY TRANSIT SHOULD BE
ELEVATED. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT
ALMOST 60% OF CALIFORNIA
RESIDENTS WHO COMMUTE ON PUBLIC
TRANSIT HAVE A HOUSEHOLD INCOME
BELOW $35,000. IN FACT, IN THE
BAY AREA, SNAPSHOT OF A C
TRANSITS WRITER SHOULD MAKE IT
CLEAR THAT 65% OF THEIR WRITERS
ARE LOW INCOME. 75% ARE PEOPLE
OF COLOR AND 43% DO NOT HAVE
ACCESS TO A CAR IN LOS ANGELES
L. A METRO'S WRITERS HAVE 83%
THAT ARE LIVING ON LESS THAN
$49,000.80 PERCENT ARE PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND 73% HAVE NO REGULAR
ACCESS TO A CAR AND I KNOW
OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN AREAS OF
LOS ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO.
FRIENDS AND THE CENTRAL VALLEY
AND RURAL AREAS AND INLAND AND
BEYOND ACROSS THE STATE. ARE
ALSO FACING SIMILAR CHALLENGES,
ENSURING THAT THEY'RE GETTING
HARD WORKING PEOPLE TO AND FROM
WORK THE DOCTOR TO SCHOOL,
ETCETERA. SO WE KNOW CALIFORNIA
TRANSIT OPERATORS ARE FIGHTING
TO COME BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC,
WITH SOME FACING SERIOUS
OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL
CHALLENGES AS WE WILL DISCUSS
TODAY, WHETHER IT'S TECHNOLOGY
AND COORDINATION TO MAKE IT
EASIER TO PLAN AND RIDE, TRANSIT
OR MAKING SURE WHEN YOU RIDE
IT'S COMFORTABLE, SAFE,
ENJOYABLE IS ALSO PART OF THIS
DISCUSSION, AND I LOOK FORWARD
TO THE WITNESSES TODAY TO SHARE
THEIR EXPERIENCES AND DETAILED
BOTH THE CHALLENGES FACING
TRANSIT. AND OF COURSE, HERE
FROM MY MANY COLLEAGUES WHO THIS
IS THEIR FIRST MEETING THEIR
FIRST MEETING, NOT JUST IN
TRANSPORTATION, BUT THEIR FIRST
HEARINGS FROM ACROSS THE STATE,
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE
DISCUSSIONS. AND I THANK YOU,
MATT. UM, CHAIR THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. AND NOW I'D LIKE TO SEE IF
ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE
ANY COMMENTS THEY WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE. OKAY? SEEING NONE. I'D
LIKE TO INVITE THE FIRST PANEL
TO COME FORWARD. AND JUST A
LITTLE HOUSEKEEPING AS THEY MAKE
THEIR WAY UP TO THE FRONT. I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY
WILL STAY AFTER YOUR COMMENTS.
JUST STAY UP AT THE TABLE
BECAUSE I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
FOR ALL OF YOU. AND MEMBERS. I
WILL ALSO ASK THAT WE ALLOW THEM
TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THE
PRESENTATIONS FROM ALL OF THE
PANELISTS, AND THEN WE CAN ASK
ANY PANELISTS. WE'D LIKE
QUESTIONS. AND THEN FROM THE
PUBLIC, JUST SO, YOU KNOW, AFTER
WE HEAR FROM ALL THREE OF THE
PANELISTS, PRESENTATIONS AT THE
VERY END, WILL TAKE GENERAL
PUBLIC TESTIMONY. OKAY AND WITH
THAT PANEL ONE I THINK WE ARE
GOING TO LEADING WITH PROFESSOR
BRIAN TAYLOR. BUT IF YOU MADAM
CHAIR AND CHAIR FRIEDMAN AND
GONZALES AND THE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE FOR INVITING ME, UM
I'VE BEEN ASKED TO MAKE SOME
OPENING REMARKS AND THE CURRENT
STATE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT IN
CALIFORNIA AND ITS PROSPECTS FOR
THE FUTURE. SO IN MY FIVE
MINUTES, I'D LIKE TO MAKE FIVE
POINTS ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSIT.
FIRST BY PUBLIC TRANSIT. WE ARE
GENERALLY THOUGH NOT EXCLUSIVELY
, REFERRING TO BUSSES. TRAINS
VARIES IN THE LIKE THAT OPERATE
ON FIXED ROUTES AND FIXED
SCHEDULES. AVAILABLE TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC FOR A NOMINAL
FAIR OR IN SOME CASES FOR FREE.
SECOND PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS
EXCEL AT MOVING LARGE NUMBERS OF
PEOPLE IN THE SAME DIRECTION AT
THE SAME TIME. IN PLACES OF
CONCENTRATED ACTIVITY LIKE IN
DOWNTOWN'S AT UNIVERSITIES,
AIRPORTS, WHERE IT CAN BE
DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IN PARK
TRANSIT IS OFTEN A CONVENIENT
AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET AROUND.
BUT IN MOST SUBURBS AND RURAL
AREAS WHERE DEVELOPMENT IS
SPREAD OUT, AND PARKING IS
ABUNDANT. TRADITIONAL TRANSIT
TENDS TO PLAY A MUCH SMALLER
ROLE. SO DEVELOPED DENSITY AND
TRANSIT FIT TOGETHER LIKE HAND
AND GLOVE. AND IN MANY
CALIFORNIA CITIES TODAY, THERE'S
VERY STRONG DEMAND FOR HIGHER
DENSITY HOUSING AND ALREADY
BUILT UP AREAS. IF BUILT, SUCH
HOUSING COULD HELP TO EASE THE
OUR AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND
WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY INCREASE
TRANSIT USE. BUT PERHAPS
IRONICALLY, SUCH PROJECTS ARE
OFTEN OPPOSED BY RESIDENTS IN
THE AREA ON THE GROUNDS THAT
THEY WOULD MAKE IT HARDER TO
DRIVE AND PARK. THE THIRD THING
TO KNOW ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSIT IS
THAT IT SERVES TO PRINCIPAL
MARKETS. THE FIRST TRAVELERS
COMMUTING TO AND FROM DOWNTOWN'S
AND OTHER LARGE ACTIVITY CENTERS
HAVE JUST DESCRIBED AND THE
SECOND OUR MOBILITY
DISADVANTAGED TRAVELERS WHO WERE
DIE ON TRANSIT FOR ALL MANNER OF
TRIPS TEND TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO
ACCESS TO PRIVATE VEHICLES.
MEMBERS OF THE SECOND GROUP OF
TRANSIT RIDERS ARE MORE LIKELY
TO BE LOW INCOME AND AS THE
CHAIR NOTED IMMIGRANTS, PEOPLE
OF COLOR OR HAVE A DISABILITY.
IN ADDITION, THIS GROUP ALSO
CONSTITUTES A MUCH LARGER SHARE
OF ALL TRANSIT RIDERS THAN
DOWNTOWN COMMUTERS. NOW WHEN A
DOWNTOWN COMMUTER AND I'M USING
THAT IN SORT OF IN A GENERAL
TERM UH, WHEN THEY RIDE, IT'S
OFTEN IN LIEU OF WALKING VERY
LONG DISTANCES OR NOT MAKING THE
TRIP AT ALL. EXCUSE ME WHEN THEY
WHEN IT'S IN LIEU OF DRIVING,
WHICH IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFIT, BUT WHEN A TRANSIT
RELIANT TRAVELER RIDES, IT'S
OFTEN IN LIEU OF WALKING OR
MAKING A NOT MAKING THE TRIP AT
ALL, WHICH IS A SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC BENEFITS, SO THEY'RE
IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL AND
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS
THAT ACCRUE FROM TRANSIT. THE
FOURTH POINT IS THAT IN THE 2000
TENS, PUBLIC TRANSIT USE WAS
DECLINING IN SPITE OF STABLE OR
IN MANY PLACES IN CALIFORNIA,
INCREASING SERVICE, LARGELY
BECAUSE VEHICLE ACCESS WAS
INCREASING. THROUGHOUT MUCH OF
CALIFORNIA SINCE 2000 HOUSEHOLDS
OF ALL INCOME LEVELS ACQUIRED
AND DROVE MORE CARS. HOWEVER
INCREASES IN VEHICLE OWNERSHIP
IN LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
AFFECTED TRANSIT THE MOST
BECAUSE THEY CONSTITUTED A VERY
LARGE SHARE OF FORMER WRITERS.
IN ADDITION, HOUSEHOLDS OF ALL
INCOMES WERE ALL ALSO ABLE TO
ACCESS CAR TRIPS, ONE AT A TIME.
THROUGH THE RIDE HEALTH SERVICES
LIKE LYFT AND UBER. RESEARCH
SUGGESTS THAT RIDE HAIL HAD THE
BIGGEST NEGATIVE EFFECT ON
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IN THE SAN
FRANCISCO BAY AREA. WELL,
INCREASED CAR OWNERSHIP WAS THE
PRINCIPAL CULPRIT IN MUCH OF
CALIFORNIA PRIOR TO THE
PANDEMIC. WITHOUT QUESTION THE
BRIGHTEST LIGHT FOR CALIFORNIA
TRANSIT IN THE 2000 TENS WAS
TRANSIT COMMUTING INTO AND OUT
OF DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO ON
BART FRANCIS COMMUNITY AND A FEW
OTHER OPERATORS. HOWEVER THE
SCRIPT FLIPPED IN THE PANDEMIC
IS FORMER DOWNTOWN COMMUTERS
MOVED THEIR OFFICES HOME STOPPED
RIDING TRANSIT, AND IT REMAINED
WORKING AT HOME AT LEAST PART
TIME EVER SINCE. THE SYSTEMS OF
THE LARGEST SHARE OF THOSE
DOWNTOWN COMMUTERS BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC TENDED TO LOSE THE MOST
WRITERS AND HAVE RECOVERED.
FEWER OF THEM IS THE PANDEMIC
HAS BECOME ENDEMIC. THESE
SYSTEMS ALSO TENDED TO HAVE FUN,
TOO MUCH LARGER SHARE OF THEIR
OPERATIONS OUT OF THE FARE BOX
AND ARE AS A RESULT FACING
LARGER FISCAL CLIFFS IN THE
MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD. IN
CONTRAST, SYSTEMS WITH HIGH
SHARES OF TRANSIT RELIANT
WRITERS LOST THE FEWEST WRITERS
EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC AND
INTENDED TO RECOVER MANY MORE OF
THEM SINCE THEN. AND FIFTH AND
FINALLY IF CALIFORNIA AND ITS
MANY REGIONAL COUNTY AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS COMMITTED TO MAKING
IT MUCH EASIER TO BUILD HOUSING
AND CENTRAL AREAS AND COMMITTED
TO SYSTEMATICALLY MANAGING
TRAFFIC GESTION AND PARKING
DRIVING WOULD BE BOTH BETTER AND
RARER. AND TRANSIT USE WOULD NOT
BE IN DECLINE BUT WOULD BE
EXPERIENCING A RENAISSANCE.
SHORT OF SWEEPING CHANGES LIKE
THAT, HOWEVER, THE STATE COULD
STILL DO MUCH TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
TRANSIT ADVANCED STATE GOALS,
PROVIDING MOBILITY FOR THOSE
WITHOUT AND IMPROVING THE
ENVIRONMENT. FOR ONE EXAMPLE,
THE STATE COULD REFORM ITS
FUNDING ALLOCATION PROGRAMS
UNDER THE TRANSLATION
DEVELOPMENT ACT TO INCENTIVIZE
MOVING TRANSIT RIDERS TO
DESTINATIONS RATHER THAN
INCENTIVIZING TRANSIT SYSTEMS TO
COLLECT FARES. AS OTHERS WILL
LIKELY DELVE INTO THESE ISSUES
IN MORE DETAIL. I'LL STOP MY
OVERVIEW HERE. THAT WILL BE
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MUCH NEXT SPEAKER. YES HELLO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAD EDISON
, CHIEF DEPUTY SECRETARY OF RAIL
AND TRANSIT LST A THE QUESTION
OF HOW TO BRING BACK IN BUILD
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IS ONE WE'RE
GRAPPLING WITH HERE IN
CALIFORNIA AND THROUGHOUT THE
UNITED STATES. PROPOSED IDEAS
ARE OFTEN HIGH COST LONG LEAD
TIME AND REQUIRE WISHFUL
THINKING, SUCH AS HOPING WE CAN
FULLY RETURNED TO THE WELL
UNDERSTOOD TRAVEL PATTERNS OF
THE PRE PANDEMIC ERA. WELL THERE
WILL CERTAINLY BE LONG TERM
SIGNIFICANT LONG TERM
INVESTMENTS NEEDED TO GO TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP. TO THE LEVELS WE
ENVISIONED FOR THE FUTURE, LST A
CALTRANS AND OUR TRANSIT AND
RAIL PARTNERS AT THE REGIONAL
AND LOCAL LEVELS. WORK ON A
NUMBER OF KEY ACTIVITIES AND
PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP US GROW
BACK RIDERSHIP AND DO IT AS COST
EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE. I WILL
HIGHLIGHT ACTIVITIES THAT BOTH
LOWER COST AND INCREASED
RIDERSHIP AND DISCUSS THE
FEEDBACK LOOP BETWEEN THESE
EFFORTS. AS WAS ARTICULATED IN
THE END MTC S BLUE RIBBON
TRANSIT RECOVERY TASK FORCE AND
ILLUSTRATED BY AGENCIES SUCH AS
SAN FRANCISCO MONEY THERE IS
TREMENDOUS VALUE IN SUPPORTING
TRANSIT PRIORITY FOR BUSSES ON
LOCAL AND STATE OWNED ROADS AND
HIGHWAYS. AS TRIPS ARE MADE
FASTER AND MORE RELIABLY.
RIDERSHIP DEMAND ON SUCH
CORRIDORS CAN RISE RAPIDLY. BUT
THIS FASTER JOURNEY TIME ALSO
MEANS THAT THE SAME DRIVER CAN
MAKE MORE TRIPS ON THE ROUTE.
ALLOWING A SIMILAR LEVEL OF
RESOURCES TO PROVIDE MORE
SERVICE. WHICH IN TURN ATTRACTS
MORE RIDERS. IN SOME CASES,
MONEY SAW 20 TO 30% REDUCTION IN
TRAVEL TIME UPON IMPLEMENTING
SUCH IMPROVEMENTS, AND THIS
TRANSLATED SPECIFICALLY IN
COMMUNITIES ABILITY TO RESTORE
MORE SERVICE. CALISTA HAS WORKED
WITH CALTRANS TO HIGHLIGHT THE
STATE'S INTENT TO SUPPORT SUCH
EFFORTS STATEWIDE WITH WILLING
PARTNERS. WITH AN EMPHASIS ON
STATE ROADS AND HIGHWAYS, WHERE
WE CAN MAKE TARGETED INVESTMENTS
AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS
THAT PROVIDE TRANSIT PRIORITY.
WE CAN PRIORITIZE OUR EXISTING
STAFFING RESOURCES AS WELL AS
PROJECT FUNDING TO ADVANCE SUCH
EFFORTS IN KEY LOCATIONS AND
IDENTIFY WHERE SMALL AMOUNTS OF
ADDITIONAL FUNDING WOULD ASSIST
IN ADVANCING MORE PROJECTS
SOONER. HEADQUARTERS PLANNERS
AND DATA SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING
WITH DISTRICT PLANNERS AND
ENGINEERS ON THESE EFFORTS. WE
WANT TO TARGET INVESTMENTS AND
SOURCES OF TRANSIT DELAY USING
BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING.
WHERE AGENCIES HAVE IDENTIFIED
KEY TRANSIT PROJECTS. THEY CAN
ALSO BRING ADDITIONAL HOUSING,
INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO
TRANSIT STATIONS AND CENTERS
NEAR NEAR HIGH FREQUENCY TRANSIT
CORRIDORS. LST A HAS MADE A
SPECIFIC PRIORITY OF FUNDING
THESE PROJECTS THROUGH THE
TRANSIT AND INTERCITY RAIL
CAPITAL PROGRAM. WE WERE GLAD TO
FIND TWO OF OUR STRONGEST
APPLICATIONS LAST YEAR THAT
INCLUDED HOUSING AND TRANSIT OR
ANY DEVELOPMENT, BOTH AT THREE
BART STATIONS IN THE EAST BAY AS
WELL AS IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY.
THESE EFFORTS ARE KEY TO GROWING
RIDERSHIP BY MAKING IT EASIER TO
USE TRANSIT. LST IS ALSO WORKING
WITH RAIL OPERATORS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE, THE BETTER INTEGRATE
REGIONAL AND INTERCITY SERVICES
SO THAT WE CAN OPERATE A MORE
EFFICIENT AND BETTER CONNECTED
RAIL NETWORK THAT WILL GIVE
RIDERS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO
CONNECT BETWEEN CITIES THAT ARE
ONLY INFREQUENTLY CONNECTED
TODAY. GROWING RIDERSHIP AT A
LOWER COST OF OPERATIONS.
FINALLY WE WANT TO HELP RAIL AND
TRANSIT AGENCIES LOWER THEIR
COST OF REVENUE COLLECTION AND
ATTRACT MORE RIDERS. FORTUNATELY
FOR CALIFORNIA, WE HAVE A GREAT
SOLUTION BEING PILOTED BY THE
CALIFORNIA INTEGRATED TRAVEL
PROJECT, KNOWN AS CALLE IT, P
THAT IS AVAILABLE TODAY, AND
IT'S ALREADY BEING DEPLOYED BY
LOCAL TRANSIT AGENCIES. CAL I TP
ACHIEVES THREE GOALS IMPROVE.
THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ENSURES
MAXIMUM INCLUSIVITY TO ATTRACT
AND RETAIN RIDERS OF ALL TYPES,
AND IT REDUCES OPERATING COSTS
FOR AGENCIES ME WALK YOU THROUGH
HOW IT ACCOMPLISHES THESE GOALS.
L I T P MAKES ONE FUNDAMENTAL
CHANGE. IT HELPS TRANSIT
AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE SHIFT
FROM A SYSTEM WHERE RIDERS
EITHER BY PREPAID MONTHLY PASSES
OR LOAD PREPAID CARDS WITH MONEY
THAT CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON
TRANSIT TO APPEAR AS YOU GO
SYSTEM WHERE WRITERS USE THEIR
EXISTING DEBIT OR CREDIT CARDS
FOR CONTACT WITH PAYMENT AS THEY
DO FOR ANY OTHER RETAIL
PURCHASE, AND THEY WILL IN THE
END AS THEY WILL FOR ELECTRON
ELECTRIC VEHICLE RECHARGING.
THIS ONE SIMPLE CHANGE. POWERS
OF BROADER TRANSFORMATION,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE
WRITER EXPERIENCE. IT SPEEDS
BOARDING IN REDUCES WAIT TIMES
UTILIZES TECHNOLOGY THAT ENABLES
AGENCIES TO ACCURATELY TRACK
VEHICLE ARRIVAL TIMES SO RIDERS
CAN TRIP PLAN. SIMPLIFIES
INTERAGENCY TRANSFERS AND MOST
NOTABLY, ALLOWS RIDERS TO USE
WHAT'S ALREADY IN THEIR POCKETS
. CONTACT WITH BANK CARDS ARE
SMART DEVICES TO PAY FOR
TRANSIT. BECAUSE RIDING TRANSIT
SHOULD BE AS SIMPLE AS PAYING
FOR A CUP OF COFFEE. THE PROGRAM
ALSO IMPROVES TRANSITS
INCLUSIVITY. FIRST IT ALLOWS
RIDERS TO PAY AS THEY GO SO
PEOPLE ON A TIGHT BUDGET DON'T
HAVE TO PRE PURCHASE RIDES THEY
MAY NOT USE IT ALSO ENABLES
FAIR, CAPPING SO RIDERS WILL
NEVER PAY MORE THAN THE COST OF
A MONTHLY PASS. ESPECIALLY
VALUABLE FOR THOSE ON TIGHT
BUDGETS. IN ADDITION, WE ARE
WORKING WITH THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY TO
PROVIDE AUTOMATIC APPLICATION OF
ELIGIBILITY BASED DISCOUNTS,
SUCH AS THOSE FOR SENIORS. THE
IMPROVED WRITER EXPERIENCE,
COUPLED WITH EXPANDED FINANCIAL
INCLUSIVITY WILL DRIVE SUSTAINED
INCREASED RIDERSHIP. FOR
AGENCIES AS A COST IN TIME SAVER
. THE STANDARDIZED HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE HAS ALREADY BEEN
PROCURED BY CAL. I TP SAVING
MONTHS OF WORK FOR SMALLER
AGENCIES WHO CAN UTILIZE ALREADY
COMPLETED DGS CONTRACTS. THE
PROGRAM ALSO DECREASES FARE
REVENUE COLLECTION COSTS
SIMPLIFIES PAYMENT PROCESSING
THROUGH REGULATED THIRD PARTY
VENDORS AND PROVIDES AGENCIES
WITH A PARTNER TO NEGOTIATE
AGREEMENTS WITH PAYMENT
PROCESSORS AND FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS. FURTHER THE
PLANNING LEVEL DATA CAPTURED
FROM TRIPS CAN HELP OPERATORS
IMPROVE THEIR SERVICE DELIVERY
AND ENHANCE FAIR PRICING
PROGRAMS TO INCREASE REVENUE AND
RIDERSHIP GOING FORWARD. LS TÂM
CALTRANS. WE ARE ENERGIZED BY
THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ALIGN
EXISTING RESOURCES DELIVER
DELIVER MEANINGFUL SUPPORT FOR
TRANSIT AND RAIL SERVICES. OUR
LARGEST HURDLES INCLUDE BOTH
STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL CHALLENGES
AND HIRING FOR KEY POSITIONS.
GIVEN THE TIGHT JOB MARKET. THE
NEED TO DO INNOVATIVE AND
COMPLEX PROCUREMENT AND LEGAL
WORK WITHOUT FULLY STAFFED
DEPARTMENTS AND WITHOUT FULL
ACCESS TO CONTRACT HELP THAT
COULD THAT COULD HANDLE HIGHLY
SPECIALIZED WORK. FILLING IN
THESE GAPS SO THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE SUPPORT AS RAPIDLY AS
POSSIBLE WILL GO A LONG WAY
TOWARDS HELPING AGENCIES SPEND
LESS TIME AND MONEY ON CAPITAL
PURCHASES, REVENUE COLLECTION
AND SLOWER THAN NECESSARY
SERVICE AND MORE ON RUNNING
SERVICES THAT GROW RIDERSHIP.
THE FINAL HURDLE IS THE LACK OF
SUFFICIENT HOUSING AND TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT NEAR HIGH
FREQUENCY TRANSIT SYSTEMS.
ADDRESSING THIS THROUGH
STREAMLINING STATE PROCESSES IN
UTILIZING STATE OWNED LAND AND
BUILDINGS IS ONE WAY WE CAN
HELP. BUT WE NEED TO WORK
COLLECTIVELY TO GIVE
CALIFORNIANS MORE REASONS TO USE
TRANSIT IN PLACES THAT ALREADY
HAVE QUALITY TRANSIT
INFRASTRUCTURE. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR INTEREST IN THIS IMPORTANT
TOPIC TODAY. I'M GLAD TO ADDRESS
ANY QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE TO ASK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH NEXT PANEL.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRWOMAN AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE
IN THIS TIMELY HEARING ON THE
STATE'S STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S
PUBLIC TRANSIT INDUSTRY. I'M
MICHAEL PIMENTEL, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA
TRANSIT ASSOCIATION, A NONPROFIT
TRADE ORGANIZATION THAT
REPRESENTS MORE THAN 200 MEMBER
ORGANIZATIONS FROM ACROSS
CALIFORNIA'S TRANSIT INDUSTRY.
OUR MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES TRANSIT,
RAIL AND FERRY AGENCIES AND POS
R. T P A S AS WELL AS THE
MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS WHO
PROVIDE GOODS TO OUR INDUSTRY.
AS I BEGIN MY REMARKS I WANT TO
FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE AND AFFIRM
THAT TODAY THAT NATIONS TRANSIT
AGENCIES, NOT JUST THOSE IN
CALIFORNIA. FACE SIGNIFICANT
CHALLENGES THAT THREATEN THEIR
SHORT AND LONG TERM FINANCIAL
AND OPERATIONAL VIABILITY. THE
COMMITTEE BACKGROUND DOCUMENT IS
A GREAT JOB OF DETAILING THE
BREATH OF THESE CHALLENGES AND
IN MY REMARKS THAT WILL ELEVATE
SUPPORTING INFORMATION THAT
FURTHER CONTEXTUALIZE IS THESE
CHALLENGES IS SOURCED FROM A
RECENT SURVEY OF OUR MEMBER
AGENCIES. BY CENTRAL MESSAGE
TODAY IS THIS WHILE MANY
CALIFORNIA TRANSIT AGENCIES ARE
STRUGGLING TO REGAIN THEIR
FOOTING IN THIS POST PANDEMIC
ENVIRONMENT, MANY OF THE
CHALLENGES THEY FACE ARE
SYMPTOMATIC OF BROADER SOCIAL
AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT EXTEND
WELL BEYOND OUR INDUSTRY. AND AS
SUCH OVER THE MID TO LONG TERM,
THESE CHALLENGES WILL REQUIRE A
WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO
ADDRESS IN THE SHORT TERM. THESE
CHALLENGES WILL REQUIRE STOPGAP
ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING THROUGH
THE PROVISION OF NEW TRANS
OPERATIONS FUNDING TO CREATE A
RUNWAY FOR POLICY AND FUNDING
CHANGES, AS WELL AS THE
INTRODUCTION OF OPERATIONAL
IMPROVEMENTS. ACCORDING TO DATA
FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION.
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP NATIONWIDE. AS
YOU NOTED, MADAM CHAIR SITS AT
ROUGHLY 73% OF ITS PRE PANDEMIC
LEVELS. AND AS YOU NOTED IN THE
PANDEMIC, OUR NUMBERS ARE A BIT
LOWER. OF COURSE, IT'S
AGGREGATED DATA OBSCURE,
SIGNIFICANT VARIATION IN THE
RIDERSHIP RECOVERY BETWEEN
AGENCIES, AGENCY TYPES AND
GEOGRAPHY. THROUGH OUR SURVEY,
TRANSIT AGENCIES REPORTED
RIDERSHIP RECOVERY RANGING FROM
A LOW OF 26% TO A HIGH OF 90. AS
WE'VE SHARED THIS INFORMATION
WITH STAKEHOLDERS CANDIDLY, WE
ARE OFTEN FACED WITH THE
QUESTION AS TO WHY TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP HAS FAILED TO REBOUND
AND WHY AGENCIES ACROSS THE
STATE OR BROADCASTING
SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SHORTFALLS
BEGINNING FOR MOST IN FISCAL
YEAR 24 25, DESPITE HISTORIC
INFUSIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER THE LAST
FEW YEARS. AND AT TIMES BEHIND
THESE QUESTIONS AS THE
PERSPECTIVE THAT TRANSIT
AGENCIES ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE
FOR THEIR TROUBLES, THE BELIEF
BEING THAT AGENCIES ARE
RESISTANT TO ADAPTING. OR
IRRESPONSIBLE WITH THEIR
EXPENDITURES. NOW AS AN
ASSOCIATION, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ROOM FOR
CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT TO TRANSIT
SERVICES, AND TO THAT END, WE
HAVE CHAMPIONED SOLUTIONS
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, BOTH
STATUTORY AND BUDGETARY,
INCLUDING IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET
REQUEST TO PROVIDE AGENCIES WITH
THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY
NEED TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE. AT
THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO
ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF
EXAMINING AND ACCEPTING THE
EXTERNAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
FACTORS THWARTING OUR
INDUSTRIES, FULL RECOVERY AND
I'LL TOUCH ON JUST A FEW TODAY.
REMOTE WORK ARE IN CHALLENGES
AND SAFETY AND SECURITY. DR
TAYLOR HAD NOTED. AND AS
AFFIRMED BY OUR SURVEY WORK,
WE'VE SEEN THE WIDEST VARIATION
. RIDERSHIP RECOVERY BETWEEN
ONCE COMMUTER FOCUS. TRANSIT
AGENCIES AND AGENCIES HAVE
HISTORICALLY SERVED TRANSIT
DEPENDENT POPULATIONS. FOR
EXAMPLE, CALTRAIN AND METROLINK
COMMUTER RAIL SYSTEMS WITH
HISTORICALLY HIGH INCOME RIDERS
STAND AT 55 41% OF THE PRE
PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP LEVELS
RESPECTIVELY. WELL SYSTEMS LIKE
LONG BEACH TRANSIT. AND SAN
DIEGO MTS AT TRANSPORT. LOWER
INCOME RIDERS HAVE REACHED 85
88% OF THEIR PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS
OF RIDERSHIP, RESPECTIVELY. NOW
THIS SPREAD IS INFLUENCED AS
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT BY REMOTE
WORK, WHICH HAS ELIMINATED OR
SEVERELY CONSTRAINED TRANSIT
TRIPS FOR WHITE COLLAR WORKERS.
AND IN THIS SENSE THE CHALLENGES
FACED BY COMMUTER FOCUS, TRANSIT
AGENCIES MIRROR THOSE FACED BY
DOWNTOWN OFFICE, BUILDING OWNERS
AND THE RESTAURANTS AND SERVICES
THAT ONCE CATERED TO THEIR
TENANTS. NOW WHAT'S MORE
COMMUTER FOCUS TRANSIT AGENCIES
. HISTORIC RELIANCE ON FARE BOX
REVENUE COVER OPERATING EXPENSES
AND HIGH FIXED COSTS OF SERVICE
HAS LEFT THEM WITH GREATER
FINANCIAL EXPOSURE AFTER FEDERAL
RELIEF IS FULLY EXPANDED
RELATIVE TO THEIR BRETHREN IN
THE INDUSTRY. NOW WHAT I'M I
MYSELF HAVE HIGHLIGHTED
RIDERSHIP FIGURES RELATIVE TO
THEIR PRE PENDANT LEVELS. IT IS
ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS
COMPARISON ISN'T PARTICULARLY
USEFUL OR INSTRUCTIVE FOR
ENGAGING TRANSITS PERFORMANCE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE FEW AGENCIES
HAVE FULLY RESTORED THEIR
SERVICE TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS
OR SURVEYS SHOWS, FOR EXAMPLE,
THAT 20% OF RESPONDENTS OR
OPERATING PRE PANDEMIC ONLY 20%
OF RESPONDENTS ARE OPERATING PRE
PANDEMIC SERVICE LEVELS AND IN
DOMINANT REASON FOR THIS IS A
TRENCHANT OPERATOR SHORTAGE. IN
RESPONSE TO OUR SURVEY, NEARLY
60% OF OUR RESPONDENTS
IDENTIFIED HAVING TRANS
OPERATIVE VACANCY RATES OF
BETWEEN 10 AND 30. 20% OF SURVEY
RESPONDENTS NOTED THAT THEIR
VACANCY RATE IS 20% OR MORE, AND
THIS HIGH VACANCY RATE REFLECTS
ON ONE LEVEL A TIGHT LABOR
MARKET, BUT ALSO THE RISEN
RETIREMENTS RESULTING FROM AN
AGING WORKFORCE AND THE
PANDEMIC. AND IN FACT, THE
SURVEY CONDUCTED BY CALTRANS SO
THAT THE TOP FACTORS IMPACTING
AGENCIES, OPERATOR SHORTAGE OR
COMPENSATION COMPETITION WITH
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND
RETIREMENT. FINALLY OUR SURVEY
DID NOT COLLECT INFORMATION ON
WRITERS SAFETY, BUT WE DO
CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM OUR MEMBER
AGENCIES THAT RIDER SAFETY
CONCERNS CONTINUED TO DEPRESS
RIDERSHIP, AND I BELIEVE YOU'LL
HEAR A BIT MORE ABOUT THIS LATER
TODAY. NOW STUDIES CONDUCTED
PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC SHOW THAT
RIDER SAFETY CONCERNS ARE
PARTICULARLY DOMINANT FOR WOMEN
, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND MEMBERS OF
THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY WHO
UNFORTUNATELY FACE
DISPROPORTIONATE LEVELS OF
HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE AND
PUBLIC SETTINGS, INCLUDING AT
TIMES ON PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS.
AND THESE SAFETY CONCERNS ALSO
INTERSECT WITH GROWING LEVELS OF
HOMELESSNESS ON OUR SYSTEM,
WHICH IS INFLUENCED PERCEPTIONS
OF SAFETY AND SYSTEM
CLEANLINESS. SO AS WE TURN TO
THE FOCUS OF THE CONVERSATION,
WHICH IS WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE
MOVE FORWARD. I DO WANT TO NOTE
THAT IN THE SHORT TERM I
ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN CALLING ON
THE STATE TO PROVIDE TRANS
OPERATIONS FUNDS TO ADDRESS
FUNDING SHORTFALLS AND TO
SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
ARRAY OF RIDERSHIP, RETENTION
AND GROWTH STRATEGIES ARE
REQUEST IS TWO PRONGED BECAUSE
WE RECOGNIZE RECOGNIZE THAT EACH
TRANSIT AGENCY HAS DIFFERENT
NEEDS. BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE KNOW
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PUBLIC
EXPECT TRANSIT AGENCIES TO ADAPT
TO AND OVERCOME THE EXTERNAL
FACTORS AND FORCES. I JUST
DISCUSSED WITH NEW FUNDING
SUPPORT, THE STATE COULD
ENCOURAGE TRANSIT AGENCIES
IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR
SERVICES SPECIFICALLY TO DESIGN
DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE WRITER,
EXPERIENCE AND REGROW TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP, MUCH LIKE CHIEF
DEPUTY SECRETARY CHAD ANDERSON
NOTED, AND SOME OF THESE
EXAMPLES INCLUDE SERVICE
RESTRUCTURING THAT ADDRESSES
CHANGED TRAVEL PATTERNS AND
EMERGING COMMUNITY NEEDS. THE
INTRODUCTION OF CONTACT LIST,
FAIR PAYMENT SYSTEMS, REAL TIME
INFORMATION AND GREATER
INTEGRATION BETWEEN SYSTEMS AND
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFETY AND
SECURITY INITIATIVES BENEFITING
WRITERS AND OPERATORS ALIKE. THE
STATE SHOULD ALSO REMOVE
IMPEDIMENTS TO DELIVERY OF MORE
EQUITABLE SERVICE
INFRASTRUCTURES LIKE TDH FARE
BOX RECOVERY REQUIREMENTS AND
COST PER REVENUE OUR
REQUIREMENTS AND REPLACE THEM
WITH REQUIREMENTS THAT MORE
FULLY ALIGNED WITH STATE AND
LOCAL POLICY OBJECTIVES. IN THE
LONG TERM, THE STATE MUST WORK
TOWARD INCREASING AND MAKING
MORE STABLE TRANSIT OPERATIONS
FUNDING. THE STATE MUST ALSO
CONTINUE TO PURSUE POLICIES THAT
SUPPORT TRANSIT RIDERSHIP BY
ENACTING AS WE'VE HEARD LAWS AND
REGULATIONS THAT DELIVER LAND
USE DECISIONS AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING THAT IS SUPPORTIVE OF
PUBLIC TRANSIT. I LOOK FORWARD
TO OUR DISCUSSION TODAY AND
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE NOW TO QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO JUST ASK A FEW
QUESTIONS AND THEN GO TO THE TO
THE COMMITTEE'S, UM, FIRST FOR
MR PIMENTEL. SO GIVEN THE STRESS
RIGHT NOW ON YOUR MEMBER
AGENCIES. HOW MANY OF THEM ARE
LOOKING AT INCREASING FARES? IS
THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE
SEEING, UH, FROM YOUR AGENCIES,
OR IS IT SOME DO THEY FEEL THAT
THAT WOULD HAVE TOO MUCH OF A
DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON THE ALREADY
DIMINISHING RIDERSHIP? AND THEN
SECONDLY, AND I'LL JUST GONNA
ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
NOW AND THEN I'M GOING TO JUST
ASK SOMEBODY ELSE. THE QUESTION
AFTER, UM WHAT PERCENTAGE OF
YOUR MEMBERS EXPECT TO HAVE
UNMANAGEABLE BUDGET DEFICITS IN
THE NEXT FEW YEARS. YOU KNOW, I
UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A LITTLE
BIT UNEVEN ACROSS THE STATE. BUT
DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THAT?
AND IF ANY OF THOSE AGENCIES ARE
THEY ANY OF THEM LOOKING AT
SALES, TAX REVENUE GENERATING,
UM, MEASURES OR ANY OTHER, UH,
WAYS LIKE THAT TO BRING REVENUE
INTO THE SYSTEM, SO THOSE ARE MY
TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. ALL
RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTIONS, MADAM CHAIR, AND I DO
WANT TO JUST NOTE THAT ON THE
FAIR FRONT. WE HAVEN'T AS AN
ASSOCIATION SPECIFICALLY ASKED
INFORMATION FROM OUR AGENCIES
ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FARE
INCREASES, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT CERTAINLY
INDIVIDUAL AGENCY LEVELS. WE
HAVE HEARD REPORTS OF AGENCIES
CONSIDERING AMONGST A VARIETY OF
OPTIONS. THE POTENTIAL FOR
INCREASING FARES. BUT I DO WANT
TO NOTE THAT ON THAT FRONT, MUCH
OF THE CONCERN, AS YOU HAD
ACKNOWLEDGED, IS THE IMPACT OF
THOSE VERY INCREASES ON THE
WRITERS THAT THEY HAVE TODAY. UH
WE DO KNOW THAT ULTIMATELY,
RIDERSHIP IN A PERSON'S DECISION
TO RIDE PUBLIC TRANSIT. IS
FAIRLY ELASTIC, AND PARTICULARLY
FOR THOSE CHOICE WRITERS AS
FARES GO UP THE LIKELIHOOD THAT
THEY'RE GOING TO RIDE TRANSIT
GOES DOWN. THAT DOES ALSO THEN
HAVE IMPACTS ON AN EQUITY FRONT
FOR THE TRANSIT DEPENDENT
POPULATIONS. AND SO I WILL SAY
THAT YOU KNOW, BASED ON OUR ON
OUR READ ON OUR SKIN WELL,
CERTAIN AGENCIES MAY BE
DISCUSSING VERY INCREASES THE
LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
BE FORTHCOMING. IS FAIRLY
LIMITED. THESE ARE OPTIONS THAT
ARE GENERALLY KEPT, UH AS A
SECONDARY OR TERTIARY
CONSIDERATION AFTER THE EXHAUST
FOR THEIR OPTIONS. NOW WITH
REGARDS TO AGENCIES THAT ARE
FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES
HERE. I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR
YOU THAT IN OUR SURVEY, WE ASKED
MEMBERS. WHEN DO THEY EXPECT
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FULLY
EXPAND THE FEDERAL RELIEF THAT
THEY SECURED FROM THE THREE
ROUNDS OF EMERGENCY RELIEF. AND
HERE? WE FOUND THAT IN FISCAL
YEAR 23 24 FULLY 45% OF OUR
RESPONDENTS NOTED THAT THEY
WOULD BE EXHAUSTING THEIR
FEDERAL LEAF IN THAT FISCAL YEAR
23 20 FOR ANOTHER, 10% SAID THAT
THEY WOULD BE EXHAUSTING THEIR
FEDERAL LEAF IN 24 25, SO THAT
WOULD SUGGEST ON THOSE DATA
POINTS ALONE THAT ROUGHLY 55% OF
THE AGENCIES ARE GOING TO SEE
THEMSELVES IN DIRE FINANCIAL
STRAITS. COME THE BEGINNING OF
FISCAL YEAR 25 26. AND SO THAT'S
WHY IT'S AN ASSOCIATION. WE'VE
MOBILIZED AROUND THE NEED FOR
OPERATIONS FUNDS THAT ARE SHORT
TERM THAT CAN BE PROVIDED BY THE
STATE. UH IN THIS FISCAL YEAR
BUDGET TO PROVIDE THAT
ADDITIONAL RUNWAY FOR THE
AGENCIES TO REACH RECOVERY. AND
THEN FINALLY, TO YOUR LAST
QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO LOCAL
MEASURES, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE
HAS BEEN A BIT OF DISCUSSION
AROUND THIS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY
, I THINK, PROBABLY MOST NOTABLY
IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN
CONVERSATIONS BY THE
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSION ABOUT THE TIMING OF A
NEW REGIONAL MEASURE. TO PROVIDE
SUPPORT TO AGENCIES AND TO
PROVIDE THEM WITH ADDITIONAL
RELIEF BEYOND WHAT CAN BE
PROVIDED BY THE STATE. NOW AS WE
EXPAND INTO OTHER AREAS OF THE
STATE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
ADDITIONAL MEASURES HAS NOT BEEN
AS PUBLIC OR FORTHCOMING, BUT
CERTAINLY I THINK, AS WE TURNED
THE CORNER ON THE AVAILABILITY
OF FUNDS HERE AT THE STATE LEVEL
IN HEAVEN, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
CAN BE PROVIDED WE MAY HAVE TO
HAVE SOME FURTHER CONVERSATIONS
WITH OUR MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT CAN
BE PURSUED AT A REGIONAL OR
LOCAL MEASURE TO PROVIDE THE
NECESSARY SUPPORT. THANK YOU. UM
MR EDISON. I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS FOR YOU. AND THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. FIRST OF
ALL. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WE AT
THE STATE? CAN BEST SUPPORT
TRANSIT AGENCIES RIGHT NOW. IN
TERMS OF THEIR EFFORTS TO
INCREASE RIDERSHIP. I MEAN,
OUTSIDE OF THE OBVIOUS OF MORE
FUNDING, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE
THAT WE CAN DO? UM KIND OF
REGULATORY LEE OR LEGISLATIVELY
THAT WOULD HELP. RIGHT UM, WELL
, I MENTIONED A NUMBER OF
EXAMPLES OF WAYS WE COULD HELP
IN MY TESTIMONY, AND I WILL, UM
EMPHASIZED. IN ADDITION TO THOSE
THE VALUE OF REALLY INTEGRATING
THE SERVICES IN OUR REGIONS,
MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE
REDEPLOYED IN WAYS THAT THAT
THAT'S SORT OF THE MARKETS OF
TODAY AND NOT THE MARKETS OF
YESTERDAY. UM AND SO I THINK
THAT YOU KNOW THAT THAT WILL GO
A LONG WAYS IF WE CAN USE THE
DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE AT THE
STATE LEVEL, AS WELL AS THE
REGIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO, UM TO GET
TO SYSTEMS THAT ARE KIND OF
DESIGNED FOR WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO
USE THE SERVICE FOR TODAY. UM DO
YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE
MANDATING THAT GIVEN THAT WE'VE
SEEN SOMEWHAT SPOTTY ADOPTION OF
SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS. WELL, THE
YOU KNOW THE BEST OF THE BEST
WORK HERE THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH
IS ONE WHERE WE COLLABORATE ON
COMING UP WITH THOSE THOSE THOSE
NETWORKS IN SOLUTIONS AND
CHANGES. AND SO I THINK THAT
THERE'S GOOD EXAMPLES OF THAT
THROUGHOUT THE STATE WHERE THE
SYSTEMS ARE STARTING TO TALK TO
EACH OTHER AND IT'S A IT'S. IT'S
HARD TO COME UP WITH ONE WAY TO
MANDATE THAT, BUT I THINK THAT
IT'S A DEFINITELY EFFECTIVE TO
GET THE SYSTEMS TOGETHER TO LOOK
AT THE DATA AND AT THE STATE
LEVEL WE'RE WILLING TO OFFER
WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR RESOURCES
INTO THAT CONVERSATION. YOU
TALKED ABOUT BUILDING HOUSING
AROUND TRANSIT STATIONS AND ON
TRANSIT OWNED LAND AND PUBLIC
LAND, AND CERTAINLY THAT'S A WAY
TO GENERATE MORE NATURAL WRITERS
WHO ARE LIVING VERY CLOSE TO
WHERE THE STATIONS ARE. BUT
THERE ARE OTHER. TYPES OF
PROJECTS THAT COULD BE BUILT
THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BRING
REVENUE INTO THE SYSTEMS AND
WONDERING HOW YOU BALANCE THAT
DESIRE TO, OF COURSE, PROVIDE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ANYWHERE WE
CAN AND PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE MOST
LIKELY TO RIDE THE SYSTEM
AGAINST THE KINDS OF MODELS THAT
WE SEE IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES
THAT HAVE VERY SUCCESSFUL
TRANSIT SYSTEMS OF STATIONS THAT
ARE A DRAW TO PEOPLE FROM ALL
OVER THE REGION THAT HAVE RETAIL
THAT HAVE RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE
ENTERTAINMENT AND THEN USE THAT
DEVELOPMENT AS A WAY TO GENERATE
REVENUE FOR THE SYSTEM. I MEAN,
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE LEFT
A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE
BECAUSE WE DON'T DO VERY MUCH
VALUE CAPTURE WITH THE LAND
AROUND STATIONS AND I'VE, YOU
KNOW, KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER
PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE THEIR
SYSTEMS ARE FINANCED 100% IN
SOME PLACES. NOT THROUGH
FAIRBANKS RECOVERY, BUT THROUGH
THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT, SO I'M
WONDERING WHAT THOUGHT YOU GIVE
TO THAT AND HOW YOU WOULD
BALANCE THOSE. AND ARE WE
THINKING ABOUT THAT ANYWHERE,
AND IF NOT, WHY NOT? YES THOSE
ARE GREAT QUESTIONS, AND I
THINK, UM YOU KNOW THERE, THERE
ARE COMPLEX ANSWERS TO THEM THAT
THERE IS A BALANCE THERE. AS YOU
INDICATED, UM TO BOTH BRINGING
PEOPLE TO LIVE NEAR THE TRANSIT
. THAT'S THERE ALREADY AND
BRINGING IN THE REVENUE STREAMS
THAT COME FROM THE TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. A NUMBER
OF OUR MAJOR CITIES AROUND THE
STATE HAVE THE BEST
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS AT
STATIONS LIKE LIKE, UM LIKE LIKE
THE LIKE, UH, TEAR DOWN STATION
IN SAN JOSE LA UNION STATION.
SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE HIGH
SPEED RAIL WILL WILL WILL WILL
BE BUILDING STATIONS IN THE
FUTURE. THESE ARE ALL GOOD
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BEST
INTERNATIONAL EXAMPLES ARE ONES
THAT THEY HAVE THAT KIND OF
REVENUE STREAM AND PLACES OF
FAIRLY HIGH ACADEMIC ACTIVITY.
UM, THAT THE SMALLER THE SMALLER
STATIONS AROUND THE STATE HAVE
LESS REVENUE POTENTIAL FROM
THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES. AND
SO IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TARGETED
TOWARDS SPECIFIC LOCATIONS WHERE
THEY'RE THE MARKET CONDITIONS
ARE GOOD FOR THAT. UM SO YES,
THERE IS DEFINITELY A BALANCE
HERE BETWEEN THE HOUSING THAT
NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN THE
AREA AROUND KEY TRANSIT ASSETS,
AS WELL AS THE REVENUE
GENERATION ACTIVITIES. AND I'LL
JUST ASK IF ANY OF THE OTHER
PANELISTS HAVE ANY THING TO ADD
ON THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION. THE
TEAMS THAT WE'RE SEEING TRANSIT
AGENCIES REALLY STRUGGLING FOR
FUNDING AND YET I JUST HAVEN'T
SEEN A LOT OF THAT KIND OF
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY, WHICH
COULD BE A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF
NOT JUST REVENUE, BUT ALSO A WAY
TO BRING PEOPLE INTO SYSTEMS
WHERE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
HEAR IS PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GO
INTO TRANSIT SYSTEMS THAT ARE
EMPTY THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
PEOPLE IN THEM. YES, PROFESSOR.
WELL I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT
TIES YOUR QUESTION, AND A COUPLE
OF OTHER COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE
EARLIER IS THAT, UM, WELL, THERE
ARE MUNICIPAL OPERATORS AT THEIR
SANTA MONICA, SAN FRANCISCO.
MANY OF THESE AGENCIES ARE NOT
ARE JOINT POWER AUTHORITIES OR
OTHERS THAT AREN'T PART OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND A HUGE AMOUNT OF
THE POLICY. ISSUES THAT WERE
DISCUSSING HERE ARE CONTROLLED
BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. SO
EVERYTHING FROM THE TRANSIT
LANES THAT WOULD BE OPERATING ON
STREETS THAT ALLOW VEHICLES TO
MOVE THROUGH MUCH MORE QUICKLY
HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER OVER
VEHICLES TO THE DEVELOPMENT
ALONG TRANSIT CORRIDORS ARE
CONTROLLED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
AND NOT TRANSIT AGENCIES SO THEY
CAN. THEY CAN CAJOLE AND
ENCOURAGE AND TRY AND WORK WITH
THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. BUT
ULTIMATELY THEIR LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS HAVE PEOPLE PUSHING
BACK AGAINST A LOT OF THESE
SORTS OF PROPOSALS, YOU KNOW,
WORRIED ABOUT LOSING PARKING IN
PLACE OF A TRANSIT LANE WORRIED
ABOUT INCREASED HOUSING DENSITY
, CAUSING MORE CONGESTION AND,
UH IN MANY CASES, THE TRANSIT
AGENCIES ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO
WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. BUT
IT'S ULTIMATELY LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE MUCH OF
THE CONTROL OVER THESE DECISIONS
AND NOT THE TRANSIT AGENCIES.
YES. I DON'T HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT TO ADD TO THE
CONVERSATION SPECIFICALLY WITH
REGARDS TO HOUSING AND ITS
INTERSECTION WITH PUBLIC TRANSIT
, BUT WHAT I WOULD JUST FLAG FOR
YOU IS THAT AGENCIES ARE VERY
ACTIVELY. LOOKING TO IDENTIFY
AND TO IMPLEMENT NEW
PARTNERSHIPS TO BRING IN NEW
FORMS OF REVENUE. I THINK ONE OF
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ROUTES THAT
AGENCIES HAVE EMPLOYED HAS BEEN
PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS,
WHETHER THAT BE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
, COMMUNITY COLLEGES SEE SUS UCS
TO CREATE A NEW STREAM OF RIDERS
WHO CAN PROVIDE STEADY SERVICE
AND STEADY REVENUE TO THE
AGENCIES. THE OTHER AREA WHERE
WE'VE SEEN STRONG POTENTIAL IN
QUITE A LOT OF MOVEMENT HAS BEEN
IN, UH FORMS OF ANCILLARY
REVENUE DEVELOPMENT THINGS LIKE
ADVERTISEMENTS OR CONSIGNMENTS
WITH, UM SEE UNIVERSITIES SAY
HOSPITALS IN THESE DISTRICTS TO
SERVE AS A MEANS OF GENERATION
REVENUE GENERATION FOR THE
AGENCIES, AND SO THERE IS QUITE
A BIT OF CREATIVITY THAT'S BEING
APPLIED TO HOW IT IS THAT WE ARE
GENERATING REVENUES BEYOND THE
FARE BOX BEYOND WHAT WE PULL
FROM THE STATE. THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENTS AS WELL AS LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS. BUT CERTAINLY
HOUSING IS SOMETHING THAT IT HAS
BECOME OF INCREASED INTEREST TO
OUR MEMBER AGENCIES IN TRYING TO
ESTABLISH ONE. IS THERE A
REVENUE PATH THERE, BUT THEN
ALSO PROBABLY HAD A LOWER ORDER.
IS THERE A RIDERSHIP PATH THERE
THAT CAN SUSTAIN THE SYSTEMS
OVER LONG TERM? THANK YOU. I'M
GOING TO GO NOW TO CHAIR
GONZALES. THANK YOU. THIS HAS
BEEN A VERY, UM GREAT PANEL SO
FAR, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN
THROUGH HALF HALF OF IT. SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND
INCREDIBLE QUESTIONS, AND I
CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE VALUE
CAPTURE POINT, I THINK, HAVING
TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY THINK LIKE
MANY OF THE MEMBERS HERE, SEEING
THAT OPPORTUNITY, I THINK IS
WHERE WE SHOULD CERTAINLY THINK
ABOUT THINKING BIGGER. UM MY
FIRST QUESTION GOES TO MR TAYLOR
. I FIRST WANT TO THANK YOU AND
THE TEAM AT UM U C. I T S FOR
ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU
DO, UM WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT
LONG TERM REFORM. CAN YOU
ELABORATE ON HOW THE STATE CAN
INCENTIVIZE INNOVATION? I KNOW
YOU TALKED A BIT ABOUT THAT. BUT
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND IF
ANYONE ELSE HAS ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS ON THAT, AND THEN
I'LL, UM, JUST MAKE ANOTHER
COMMENT. THANK YOU. WELL, WHEN T
D A WAS PASSED IN 1971. IT WAS
IT WAS ACTUALLY MOTIVATED TO TRY
AND PROVIDE MORE OPERATING
SUPPORT FOR TRANSIT AGENCIES BY
EXTENDING THE SALES TAX TO
GASOLINE AND THEN DEDICATING A
QUARTER CENT TO PUBLIC TRANSIT
IN COUNTIES. UH IT'S SORT OF
BEEN ON AUTOPILOT SINCE THEN,
AND PART OF ONE OF THE
MOTIVATIONS WHEN IT WAS FIRST
PASSED WAS A CONCERN ABOUT
RISING COSTS AT THE TIME IN THE
19 SEVENTIES. AND THE FARE BOX
RECOVERY REQUIREMENT WAS PUT
INTO PLACE TO ENCOURAGE SYSTEMS
TO ATTRACT PAYING WRITERS AND
THE THOUGHT WAS IS BY HAVING
THIS THRESHOLD REQUIREMENT THAT
IT WOULD IT WOULD ENCOURAGE
OPERATORS TO ATTRACT PAYING
WRITERS AND HELPED TO STABILIZE
THEIR FINANCES. NOW OVER TIME.
THAT'S CREATED SOME, UH, SOME
PROBLEMS WITH WITH AS AGENCIES
HAVE STRUGGLED TO MEET THE FARE
BOX REQUIREMENT. NUMEROUS
EXEMPTIONS HAVE BEEN PUT INTO
PLACE TO ALLOW NEW SERVICE DID
NOT TO BE EXEMPT IN A VARIETY OF
OTHER, UH, EXEMPTIONS TO AVOID
THIS AND IN SOME CASES SOME
OPERATORS WILL BE IN A POSITION
OF HAVING TO ACTUALLY CUT
SERVICE THAT THEY PREFER NOT TO
CUT IN ORDER TO, UH, TO MEET THE
FARE BOX REQUIREMENT. SO THE
QUESTION IS, IS THAT IF THE GOAL
IS ACTUALLY TO ENCOURAGE TRANSIT
AGENCIES TO COLLECT ATTRACT MORE
PAYING CUSTOMERS THE FARE BOX
RECOVERY REQUIREMENT NOMINALLY
DOES THAT IN A WAY THAT
MOTIVATES THAT BEHAVIOR IF THE
GOAL IS TO INCREASE TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP OVERALL THAT IT MIGHT
MAKE SENSE TO USE DIFFERENT
KINDS OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES
AND NOT HAVE THIS THRESHOLD
REQUIREMENT THAT ENCOURAGES
THEM. TO TAKE ACTIONS LIKE
CUTTING SERVICE THAT THEY PREFER
NOT TO CUT IN ORDER TO MEET THE
REQUIREMENT. I'M GONNA TELL. SO
ONE THING THAT I WOULD WANT TO
NOTE AND DR TAYLOR TOUCHED ON
THIS OR HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF
EXEMPTIONS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO
WHAT IS COUNTED TOWARDS FARRAH
BOX RECOVERY. FOUR AGENCIES THAT
WERE IMPLEMENTED OVER THESE LAST
FEW YEARS. AND WHILE SOME OF
THOSE EXEMPTIONS SPEAK TO
ADDRESSING COSTS THAT ARE
INORDINATE AND THAT SORT OF TO
CHALLENGE AGENCIES AND THEIR
ABILITY TO MEET SARAH BOX
RECOVERY, THERE HAVE BEEN A
SERIES OF EXEMPTIONS THAT I
WOULD SAY VERY SPECIFICALLY
DRIVE US TOWARD INNOVATION. SO
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LAST ROUND
OF STATUTORY RELIEF THAT WAS
PROVIDED BY THE LEGISLATURE, THE
LEGISLATURE DID PROVIDE AN
EXEMPTION, UM FOR THE MOVEMENT
TOWARDS FAIR, FREE OR DISCOUNTED
FARES AND HOW THAT IS COUNTED
WITHIN FIREBOX RECOVERY, AND SO
HISTORICALLY, AGENCIES HAVE BEEN
AVERSE TO MOVING FORWARD WITH
THEIR FREE OR DISCOUNTED FARE
PROGRAMS BECAUSE IT TOOK A HIT
TO THEIR FARE BOX RECOVERY MADE
IT MORE CHALLENGING FOR THEM TO
MEET THAT TEST. AND AS A RESULT
, AGENCIES WOULD BE FACING
PENALTIES. IF THEY FAIL TO MEET
THAT TEST. AND SO AGAIN, THERE
WAS AN EXEMPTION PROVIDED THERE.
BUT THEN ALSO THERE WERE NEW
EXEMPTIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO
MAKE AS EXCLUDABLE COSTS THINGS
LIKE THE INTRODUCTION OF MICRO
TRANSIT SERVICE AS WELL AS THE
INTRODUCTION OF CONTACT LISTS
THEIR PAYMENT SYSTEMS. THE IDEA
THERE BEING THAT THE COST FOR
THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE GENERALLY
FAIRLY HIGH, THE COST FOR
MAINTAINING THOSE TECHNOLOGIES
OF THE LONG TERM ARE FAIRLY
HIGH. AND THEY TYPICALLY WOULD
UNDERCUT THE AGENCY'S ABILITY TO
MEET VERY BOX RECOVERY. NOW
THOSE EXEMPTIONS AGAIN WHEN I
WENT INTO EFFECT, AND ONLY ONLY
THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND SO WE
HAVE SEEN AGENCIES IN THAT SAME
PERIOD RAPIDLY INTRODUCED NEW
TECHNOLOGIES RAPIDLY CONSIDER
THINGS LIKE FAIR, FREE OR
DISCOUNTED FARE PROGRAMS. I
WOULD SAY PRECISELY BECAUSE NOW
WE'VE GOT THOSE EXEMPTIONS IN
PLACE. NOW THAT IS IN NO WAY
INTENDED TO BE A DEFENSE OF THE
FARE BOX RECOVERY RATIO. AS I
NOTED IN MY TESTIMONY, I BELIEVE
WE NEED TO START A NEW AND
CONSIDER NEW PERFORMANCE
METRICS. BUT THERE ARE WAYS IN
WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO
LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR
IMPROVEMENTS AND INNOVATION
WITHIN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY.
THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. OH GO
AHEAD. ANOTHER OKAY? I JUST WANT
TO TOUCH ON MR PIMENTEL. YOU
MENTIONED THE SCHOOL
PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL. WHICH I
THINK IS GREAT. OBVIOUSLY IT'S
BEEN HAPPENING TO SOME DEGREE. I
KNOW. LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT. LONG BEACH TRANSIT AS
WELL. HAS DONE SOME INCREDIBLE
WORK WITH K THROUGH 12, AND IT
SEEMS TO BE GOING WELL AND
HOPEFULLY WILL BE SOCIALIZED A
BIT MORE ACROSS THE TRANSIT THE
SAME THING. UM SO NOT
NECESSARILY A QUESTION, BUT JUST
HOPEFULLY DOWN THE ROAD. WE CAN
GET THAT DATA BACK AND REALLY
FIGURE OUT HOW THIS SCHOOL
PARTNERSHIPS WORKED AND WHAT WE
CAN DO TO EXPAND THOSE PROGRAMS
THAT I THINK PROVIDE NEW NEW
WRITERS IN THE SYSTEM. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE A LIST OF
MEMBERS. SENATOR WIENER. YOU'RE
NEXT. UH, THANK YOU FIRST. I
WANT TO. I WANT TO THANK CHAIR
GONZALES AND SHARE FRIEDMAN FOR
CONVENING THE HEARING AND FOR
ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY AS
A TRANSIT NERD WHO IS NOT A
MEMBER OF THE TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE, AND I WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIRS FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE
LEADERSHIP ON ALL THINGS
TRANSPORTATION, AND I WANTED TO
BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE BAY
AREA IT IS SO DEPENDENT ON
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND IT'S
SO DEEPLY IMPACTED BY THE
CURRENT FINANCIAL, UM, PENDING
DISASTER, AND I WANNA IT'S NOT
JUST CHALLENGES. IT'S A PENDING
DISASTER FOR PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. STATEWIDE. BUT
PARTICULARLY IN THE BAY AREA, IF
WE IF WE ALLOW THESE AGENCIES TO
GO OVER THE FISCAL CLIFF AND
POTENTIALLY GO INTO A DEATH
SPIRAL, WHERE THEY HAVE TO START
CUTTING SERVICE AND RAISING
FARES, AND THEN THAT LOWERS
RIDERSHIP EVEN MORE, AND THEN
THEY HAVE TO CUT MORE SERVICE
AND RAISE FARES EVEN MORE. WE
HAVE TO PREVENT THAT. WE KNOW
HOW CRITICAL TRANSIT IS FOR OUR
CLIMATE GOALS EQUITY. UM FOR
BECAUSE NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE
IMPACTED EQUALLY. IF TRANSIT
FALLS APART. WE KNOW THAT OUR
TRANSIT FALLS APART. CONGESTION
WILL BE WORSE. SO THIS ISN'T
JUST ABOUT BENEFITING TRANSIT
RIDERS. IT'S BENEFITING DRIVERS
AS WELL. IT'S IN NO ONE'S
INTEREST FOR THESE SYSTEMS TO
DETERIORATE AND WE KNOW IT WILL
BE DEEPLY HARMFUL FOR OUR
ECONOMY. WE HAVE ALREADY MADE
UP. HARD TO IMPOSSIBLE FOR LOW
INCOME AND WORKING CLASS PEOPLE
TO LIVE IN PLACES LIKE SAN
FRANCISCO OR SANTA MONICA OR
PARTS OF L A. AND NOW WE'RE
GOING TO SAY WE'RE NOT EVEN
GOING TO GIVE YOU GOOD BUS
SERVICE TO BE ABLE TO GET TO
WORK. IT'S BAD FOR THEM AND FOR
BAD FOR ANY EVERYONE WHO RELIES
ON THAT ON THAT LABOR. WE KNOW
THAT EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC,
CALIFORNIA WAS NOT DOING ENOUGH.
TO FUND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION,
PRE PANDEMIC WE WERE LETTING
THESE SYSTEMS STRUGGLE, AND NOW
IT'S DRAMATICALLY WORSE. AND THE
QUESTION FOR CALIFORNIA IS, ARE
WE GOING TO HAVE PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION IN THE FUTURE? OR
ARE WE GOING TO JUST WATCH? AS
HE SYSTEMS DECLINE AND IN SOME
CASES BECOME BORDERLINE
NONFUNCTIONAL. UM WE, UH WE JUST
HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE
SYSTEMS ARE NOT OPTIONAL. THIS
ISN'T A LUXURY AND THAT WE HAVE
TO BE THERE FOR IT. AND THAT
MEANS THAT IF NEED BE THAT WE
HAVE TO USE THE CALIFORNIA
GENERAL FUND, UH, TO PROVIDE A
LIFELINE FOR THESE SYSTEMS AS
THE FEDERAL MONEY RUNS OUT, AND
AS RIDERSHIP RECOVERS, AND I'M
NOT SAYING RIDERSHIP IS GOING TO
ALWAYS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE IT WAS
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE KNOW
THE RIDERSHIP IS GOING UP. IT'S
NOT NEARLY AS QUICKLY AS WE
WANT. SOME UNI LINES ARE OVER
100% RIDERSHIP ON THE WEEKENDS,
SO THINGS ARE LOOKING A LITTLE
DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S TAKING TIME.
AND WOULDN'T IT BE TRAGIC IF WE
JUST SAT BY AND LET THESE
SYSTEMS FALL APART? WHEN WE
COULD HAVE SAVED THEM, MAKING
ALL THE REFORMS THAT WE NEED TO
MAKE IN TRANSIT SO THAT THEY
REFLECT WHAT WE NEED IN THE
FUTURE. UH, WE I WANT TO THANK
THE CHAIRS FOR RECOGNIZING THE
LINKAGE BETWEEN PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AND
THAT WE NEED TO STAY ON TRACK BY
FOCUSING HOUSING DENSITY. AND
SUSTAINABLE LOCATIONS, INCLUDING
NEAR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION,
BENEFITS, HOUSING AND BENEFITS
ARE CLIMATE GOALS. IT REDUCES
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED AND
BENEFITS RIDERSHIP ON PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. UM I ALSO JUST
WANNA SAY, UM, WE ARE ALLOWING
SOME OF OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS WERE
THROWING THEM OUT THERE ON THEIR
OWN TO DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS.
AND PARTICULARLY BAR AND I KNOW
L, A METRO AND OTHER SYSTEMS
HAVE BECOME HOMELESS PROVIDERS
THEY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO, AND
WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE
FUNDING TO DO IT. I KNOW BART
HAS HAD TO SPEND TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT OF ITS
OWN BUDGET ON HOMELESS SERVICES
. THEY HAVE TO GO BEGGING CITIES
AND COUNTIES TO GIVE THEM MONEY
OR TO PARTNER WITH THEM. THEY
SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT IF
WE'RE GONNA EXPECT THEM. TO BE
HOMELESS PROVIDERS IN THE STATE
SHOULD BE GIVING THEM FIND THERE
SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE
FUNDING PROGRAMS FOR
HOMELESSNESS, AND WE NEED TO
CONTINUE WITH THE REFORMS. WE
NEED MORE DEDICATED BUS LANES.
WE KNOW THAT THAT WORKS AND
INCREASES. RIDERSHIP WE'VE SEEN
THAT IN SAN FRANCISCO. WE'VE
SEEN IT ELSEWHERE. UM WE SHOULD
BE REQUIRING CALTRANS TO ADD BUS
ONLY LANES WHERE IT MAKES SENSE
. THAT SHOULD BE A MANDATE ON
CALTRANS TO DO THAT. NOT A
PRETTY PLEASED BUT A MANDATE AND
WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARDS OPEN
LOOP PAYMENT SYSTEMS AND AWAY
FROM SYSTEMS THAT ARE MUCH
CLUNKIER AND MORE EXPENSIVE
UNLESS USER FRIENDLY. SO I AM. I
MEAN, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE KNOW
WHAT WE NEED TO DO. NONE OF THIS
IS ROCKET SCIENCE, AND WE HAVE
LEADERSHIP FROM OUR CHAIRS AND
FROM OUR BUDGET LEADERSHIP TO
MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION, AND WE
NEED TO ALL WORK TOGETHER AND
GET IT DONE. AND SO MY QUESTION
UM, MR EDISON, AS I KNOW YOU
DON'T I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO
SPEAK FOR YOU KNOW THE GOVERNOR
ON ALL THINGS BUDGET? I DON'T
WANT TO PUT YOU IN THAT
POSITION, BUT I'M GOING TO A
LITTLE BIT. PUT YOU IN THAT
POSITION. WHAT WHAT? RIGHT NOW
KEEPING IN MIND ALL THE GREAT
THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT
THAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE
FUTURE. HOW ARE WE GOING TO SAVE
THESE SYSTEMS SO THEY DON'T FALL
APART AND SO WE CAN KEEP THEM
ALIVE AND MAKE ALL OF THOSE
GREAT REFORMS. WELL THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. SENATOR WIENER
APPRECIATE IT. UM. YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE MANY OF THESE
SOLUTIONS THAT REQUIRE
CONSULTATION BETWEEN OPERATORS,
THE ADMINISTRATION LEGISLATURE
ON GETTING TO THE RIGHT
SOLUTIONS, AND THOSE ARE BOTH.
THOSE ARE BOTH POLICY LEVEL
SOLUTIONS. THOSE ARE WORKING
WITHIN THE BUDGET AND STATUTORY
PROVISIONS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE
IN PLACE, AND IN THE END, THEY
INCLUDE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW
TO HOW TO BETTER ALIGN RESOURCES
IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE TO MAKE
THE MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS
HAPPEN. WE HAVE A LOT OF
FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE FUNDS
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. AND UM
SOME OF THAT INVOLVES SOME OF
THE NEW FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S
COMING TO CALIFORNIA AND MAKING
SURE IT LANDS IN THE RIGHT
PLACES. AND SO UM NO. WE REALLY
THINK THAT THERE IS A LONG TERM
SOLUTION HERE AND LOOK FORWARD
TO THAT CONSULTATION THAT WILL
HAPPEN IN THESE IN THESE COMING
WEEKS AND ALSO HAS TO DO WITH
THE PROPOSED $2 BILLION CAPITAL
CUT AND THE AND THE GOVERNOR'S
JANUARY BUDGET THAT THAT THAT
NEEDS TO BE REVERSED AS WELL. SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM.
CHEERS. THANK YOU, SENATOR
WAHAB. THANK YOU, UM, YOU KNOW.
I DO NOT USE PUBLIC TRANSIT FOR
SPECIFIC REASONS. ONE IN
PARTICULAR BEING THAT IT'S
SLOWER THAN ME DRIVING ANYWHERE
EVEN IN BAY AREA TRAFFIC, RIGHT
? UM EVEN IF I WERE COME TO COME
FROM THE BAY AREA TO SACRAMENTO
, I DRIVE FASTER THAN WHAT'S
AVAILABLE VIA PUBLIC TRANSIT. UM
AND I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER
REASON WHY SO MANY PEOPLE TURN
AWAY FROM TRANSIT, RIGHT? UM AND
I WANTED TO ASK IF THERE HAS
BEEN ANY CONSIDERATION IN AREAS
FOR EXAMPLE, THE NINE BAY AREA
COUNTIES THERE'S 27 OFFICIAL
TRANSIT AGENCIES. HAVE WE
THOUGHT ABOUT CONSOLIDATION. I'M
HAPPY TO START OFF WITH THAT,
THAT THAT QUESTION I WOULD SAY.
CERTAINLY THERE BEEN
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
CONSOLIDATION IN THE PAST. I
THINK MUCH OF THE CONVERSATION
TODAY IT'S PIVOTED TOWARD THIS
CONCEPT OF A NETWORK MANAGER IN
THE BAY AREA, ONE THAT CAN
COORDINATE THE AGENCIES
COORDINATE THEIR SCHEDULES
COORDINATE THEIR THEIR MEDIA AS
A WAY OF ENSURING THAT THEIR
SEAMLESSNESS BETWEEN THE SYSTEMS
BUT HAVING NOT, YOU KNOW, WORK,
PARTICULARLY CLOSE TO THOSE
REGIONAL CONVERSATIONS WOULDN'T
WANT TO SUGGEST THAT
CONVERSATIONS OR ANYMORE.
ADVANCED THAN THOSE
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT NETWORK
MANAGEMENT THAT ARE AN OUTGROWTH
OF THE SEAMLESS BAY AREA
DISCUSSIONS. YEAH AND I WOULD
ADD THAT WHAT YOU'RE POINTING
OUT HERE ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES
TO USE TRANSIT IS A REALLY
CRITICAL PIECE HERE AS WE'VE
LOOKED THROUGH THE DATA AND
SEEING HOW LONG IT TAKES PEOPLE
TO USE IT. RELATIVELY FEW TRIPS
, OFTEN LESS THAN 10% CAN BE
MADE IN LESS THAN TWICE AS LONG
AS DRIVING AND MANY TRIPS ARE
FOUR OR FIVE TIMES LONGER THAN
DRIVING OR AREN'T EVEN POSSIBLE.
AT THE TIME OF DAY. YOU WANT TO
TAKE THE TRIP. AND THAT REALLY
PUTS A BURDEN ON PEOPLE WHO ARE
WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON THAT
TRANSIT BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG
TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE
LOOK AT, YOU KNOW OPPORTUNITIES
LIKE TRANSIT PRIORITY. DURING
THE AT THE BLUE RIBBON TASK
FORCE IN THE BAY AREA. ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED
WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE
TRIPS IN THE QUARTER LIKE THE 6
80 CORRIDOR AND MAKE THEM
REGIONAL REGIONAL EXPRESS TRIPS
. AND THAT REALLY ADDRESSED THIS
ISSUE OF TAKING, YOU KNOW, FOUR
TIMES LONGER THAN DRIVING NOW
AND GETTING IT TO, YOU KNOW,
SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE
REASONABLE, SOMETHING THAT WAS
NOT NOT QUITE DOUBLE BUT STILL
STILL RELATIVELY EFFICIENT. I
MEAN, SO LIKE THIS IS A REALLY
KEY WAY THAT AGENCIES WORKING
TOGETHER DOESN'T NECESSARILY
TAKE CONSOLIDATION, BUT IT TAKES
GOOD REGIONAL CONVERSATION AND
DATA ANALYSIS. IN REAL REAL
CONCERN ABOUT THE TRIPS PEOPLE
ARE REALLY MAKING RATHER THAN
JUST, YOU KNOW. FOCUSING
PRIMARILY WITHIN YOUR SERVICE
AREA BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE GO
BEYOND YOUR SERVICE AREA, AND SO
I THINK THIS IS KIND OF A LESSON
OF METROPOLITAN REGIONS LIKE THE
BARIAS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO
ENCOURAGE THAT AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. THE WORKING TOGETHER
TO MAKE THE TRIPS BETTER.
DEFINITELY UM I DO THINK THAT A
STUDY NEEDS TO BE DONE. THAT'S
MORE, UM UP TO DATE IN REGARDS
TO CONSOLIDATION EFFORTS. NUMBER
ONE NUMBER TWO IS THAT THE BIG
CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL
CONTINUE TO BE SPEED WHEN YOU
COMPARE US TO, UM D C NEW YORK,
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TWO TRAINS
AT ANY TIME GOING. YOU KNOW, YOU
HAVE ONE THAT GOES TO THE LET'S
SAY DESTINATIONS FROM SAN JOSE
TO SAN FRANCISCO, UH, AND
ANOTHER TRAIN THAT WILL GO TO
EACH STOP WHEN YOU'RE IN NEW
YORK CITY, OR D, C. WE DO NOT
HAVE THAT OPTION HERE IN THE BAY
AREA, AND THEN THE TIME FRAMES
THAT MANY PEOPLE UTILIZE THESE,
UM OPTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH,
THERE IS NO 9 TO 5 IN THE BAY
AREA. PEOPLE ARE WORKING A LOT
EARLIER A LOT LATER AND OFTEN
TIMES THAT'S A LIMITATION IN
ITSELF, ESPECIALLY FOR WORKING
CLASS PEOPLE AND INDIVIDUALS
THAT, UM YOU KNOW, I WANT TO
SAVE A BUCK AND ALSO WANT TO NOT
THINK WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING. UM
DO WE PLAN TO HAVE A STUDY? DO
WE PLAN TO KIND OF HAVE THIS
BECAUSE I WILL SAY IF YOU SPEAK
TO ANY ANY PERSON AS MUCH AS
WE'D LIKE TO COLLABORATE.
SOMETIMES THERE'S TOO MANY CHEFS
IN THE KITCHEN AND THERE'S NOT A
SIGNIFICANT TO MANY SILOS, TOO
MANY TERRITORIAL DISPUTES AND SO
FORTH AND NOT THE BIG PICTURE OF
HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS FASTER,
EFFICIENT, CHEAPER AND BETTER
FOR RESIDENTS. UM I THINK THAT
THAT THE QUESTION ABOUT
CONSOLIDATION HAS BEEN LOOKED AT
OVER THE YEARS AND IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT
THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT TRANSIT
AGENCIES ARE DOING. ONE OF THEM
IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT AGENCIES WITH
DIFFERENT FARE RULES, DIFFERENT
ROUTE STRUCTURES THAT MAKE
THINGS VERY CONFUSING TO THE
CONSUMER OF THE SERVICE. BUT
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME
THING AS BEING EFFICIENT IN
TERMS OF DELIVERING THE SERVICE
, SO VERY LARGE TRANS AGENCIES
TEND TO COST MORE. HER UNIT OF
SERVICE THAN MEDIUM SIZE
AGENCIES, WHICH IS SORT OF THE
SWEET SPOT. SO THERE COULD BE
MODELS WHERE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE
MULTIPLE PROVIDERS OF THE
SERVICE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO
ALL BE BRANDED DIFFERENTLY WITH
DIFFERENT AIR STRUCTURES THAT
COULD BE DONE IN A WAY THAT ON
THE CONSUMER SIDE IS MUCH MORE
SEAMLESS BETWEEN THEM, SO I
THINK THAT WE KIND OF PHRASE IT
AS A 01, EITHER. THEY'RE ALL
CONSOLIDATED TOGETHER IN EVERY
ASPECT OF THEIR OPERATION, OR
THEY'RE ALL SEPARATE. AND THERE
COULD BE WAYS OF DELIVERING YOU
OCCASIONALLY HAVE FLOWN ON A ON
A SERVICE THAT'S NOMINALLY
AMERICAN AIRLINES BUT PROVIDED
BY ANOTHER, UH, PROVIDER. IT WAS
SEAMLESS TO YOU, BUT IT WAS IT
WAS DONE FOR OPERATIONAL
PURPOSES, SO THAT'S ONE THING I
THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO
LOOK AT IN TERMS OF THE BENEFITS
OF CONSOLIDATION. UM THE THING I
WANT TO MENTION ABOUT ABOUT
SPEED, AND I JUST WANT TO TIE IT
TO SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC.
THAT'S COME UP HERE. IS THAT ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO
TRANSIT TRAVELER AFTER SAFETY?
IS SORT OF RELIABILITY OF
SERVICE AND I GOING TO GET TO MY
DESTINATION ON TIME TO
UNDERSTAND WHEN I'M GOING TO GET
THERE. AND OVER TIME AS WE ALLOW
ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO CROWD ONTO
ANY ROAD THEY WANT. IT SLOWS
DOWN THE TRANSIT VEHICLES IT
MAKES IT MAKES THINGS MUCH LESS
RELIABLE. TRANSIT LANES IN
CONGESTED AREAS, SPEED THOSE
VEHICLES RELATIVE TO THE OTHER
LANES. SO NECESSARILY YOU DON'T
HAVE A BIG ADVANTAGE WHEN YOU'RE
DRIVING RELATIVE TO TRAVELING ON
TRANSIT. SO YOU YOU MIGHT BE
ALONE IN YOUR CAR, AND THERE
MIGHT BE 30 PEOPLE ON A BUS OF
LOGICAL TO ALLOW THEM PRIORITY
TO GET THROUGH. WHAT ARE THE
THINGS THAT THAT DOES IS BY
SPEEDING UP THE VEHICLE? IT
ACTUALLY SHORTENS THE TIME
BETWEEN VEHICLES IT STOPS.
THAT'S THE SAME AS ADDING MORE
SERVICE. BUT IT DIDN'T COST YOU
ANYMORE. AND BY DOING THAT, THE
THING THAT REALLY AFFECTS
PEOPLE'S USES HOW LONG THEY HAVE
TO WAIT FOR A VEHICLE AND IF YOU
CAN SHORTEN THOSE WAIT TIMES BY
SPEEDING UP THE VEHICLES, YOU
CAN GET ALL SORTS OF PAYOFF. AT
A RELATIVELY LOW COST. I THINK
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY ON POINT ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMING UP WITH
BETTER WAYS TO MANAGE THE SPEED
AND RELIABILITY OF THE SYSTEM.
WE KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THAT. BUT
OFTEN THAT'S MEETS WITH ENORMOUS
RESISTANCE AGAIN AGAINST FOLKS
WHO DON'T WANT PARKING TAKEN OFF
OF THAT COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR TO
ALLOW FOR THAT THAT TRANSIT LANE
TO GO THROUGH. AND THIS IS THESE
ARE WAYS THAT IF WE CAN GET
THESE IN PLACE WE CAN WE CAN GET
MORE RIDERSHIP BY MAKING THAT
SERVICE FASTER AND MORE RELIABLE
AND MAYBE ATTRACT YOU OUT OF THE
CAR. THANK YOU, SENATOR BLAKE
SPHERE. YES. THANK YOU, UM.
FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE CHAIRS OF THIS COMMITTEE,
BOTH THE ASSEMBLY AND THE
SENATE. THIS IS MY VERY FIRST
COMMITTEE MEETING AS A
LEGISLATOR, SO I'M EXCITED THAT
IT'S AROUND TRANSPORTATION AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU AND EVERYBODY
ELSE WHO IS HERE TODAY, UM AND
JUST ECHO SOME OF THE COMMENTS
THAT HAVE BEEN SAID I'LL BE
BRIEF. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT
TO GET THROUGH. UM BUT I BUT
SENATOR WIENER MENTIONED THAT
TRANSIT NEEDED MORE. INVESTMENT
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND I THINK
THAT'S REALLY WORTH EMPHASIZING
, AND I WAS VERY ALARMED TO SEE
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. UM NOT
LEANING INTO THIS AREA. SO WHEN
IT COMES TO BOTH CAPITAL COSTS
AND OPERATING COSTS, WE CLEARLY
NEED TO BE DOING MORE AT THE
STATE LEVEL. SO THAT'S THE
BACKGROUND PAPER THAT I THOUGHT
WAS VERY USEFUL AND RELEVANT,
AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE HAD IT
PROVIDED TO US. UM SAYS THAT 14%
OF TRANSIT IS FUNDED BY THE
STATE JUST 14% AND THAT, YOU
KNOW, REALLY SHOWS YOU HOW
LITTLE ACTUALLY THAT THE SYSTEMS
ARE GETTING BY WITH STATE
SUPPORT, AND SO THINKING ABOUT
HOW WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE. I JUST WANT TO
MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT
WERE REFERENCED, PARTICULARLY BY
, UM BY CHAIR FRIEDMAN. I MEAN
THIS ISSUE OF. THE WAYS THAT WE
CAN MAKE MONEY FROM ACTUALLY
WITHIN THE TRANSIT SYSTEM. SO
THE BACKGROUND PAPER MENTIONED
THESE THINGS, PARKING FEES,
CONCESSIONS ADVERTISING. THESE
ARE THINGS I WAS ON AN AIRPORT
AUTHORITY AS WELL AS BEING THE
CHAIR OF SANDBAG, WHICH IS THE
TRANSPORTATION AGENCY IN SAN
DIEGO. THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY WAS
VERY EFFECTIVELY CREATING
REVENUE STREAMS FROM PARKING
CONCESSIONS ADVERTISING. IT WAS
A MAJOR PART OF WHAT WE TALKED
ABOUT A BOARD MEETINGS, AND IT
WAS CLEARLY BUILT INTO THE
OPERATION OF THEIR SYSTEMS AND
TRANS OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS. JUST
DO NOT NOT SEEM TO HAVE THAT.
AND SO I WANTED TO THINK ABOUT
WAYS THAT WE COULD EITHER
PROVIDE MORE OVERSIGHT. MORE
INCENTIVES, MORE MANDATES THAT
WOULD MAKE THIS PART OF THE
REVENUE. STREAM THAT WOULD BE
MORE EFFECTIVE FOR TRANSIT
AGENCIES. AND ALSO TO MENTION
ALONG THE SAME LINES OF THE
BARRIERS TO ENTRY TO USING
TRANSIT. MR EDISON REFERENCED
THIS BEING ABLE TO USE A CREDIT
CARD, WHICH SEEMS SO OBVIOUS
THAT YOU WOULD USE A CREDIT CARD
, DO YOU? THIS IS THE WAY IT
OPERATES IN MANY TRANSIT SYSTEMS
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, BUT ALSO
IN NEARLY EVERYTHING ELSE WE BUY
. SO WHAT WAS REFERRED TO AS
FRAGMENTED, FAIR POLICIES? I
THINK THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT
THAT CREATES AS A FEELING OF
DISCOMFORT, A BARRIER TO ENTRY
CONFUSION AROUND AND NO ONE
WANTS TO PRE PAY FOR THESE
THINGS. I MEAN, ALL OF THAT IS
JUST A MAJOR PROBLEM, WHICH IS
ALSO SEEMS TO ME WE SHOULD BE AS
A STATE, EITHER INCENTIVIZING
MANDATING, FOCUSING ON GETTING
TRANSIT AGENCIES TO CHANGE THAT,
BECAUSE CLEARLY THE CURRENT
SYSTEM OF JUST LETTING THE
AGENCY'S DO IT AS THEY WANT TO.
HAS NOT RESULTED IN THESE TWO
AREAS. REVENUE GENERATION OR,
UM, THE FRAGMENTED FAIR POLICIES
RESOLVING THEMSELVES. UM AND SO
AND I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT
WHAT? WHAT? YOU WHAT YOU SHARED
BECAUSE I DID NOT REALIZE THAT
THE MEDIA EXEMPTIONS ACTUALLY
WERE WHAT CREATED THE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FREE PASSES TO
BE SOMETHING THAT TRANSIT
AGENCIES WOULD EMBRACE. AND
UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS REALLY
EXCELLENT BACKGROUND PAPER, THE
CITY OF SAN DIEGO OR THE COUNTY
OF SAN DIEGO WAS NOT MENTIONED
AT ALL. AND THE COUNTY OF SAN
DIEGO IS THE SECOND MOST
POPULOUS IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
THERE ARE 3.3 MILLION PEOPLE WHO
LIVE THERE. AND SO THERE ARE TWO
MAJOR TRANSIT AGENCIES IN THAT
COUNTY. UM AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE DID IN JULY OF 2021 WAS
WE STARTED A PROGRAM A YOUTH
OPPORTUNITY PAST PROGRAM, WHICH
IS FUNDED THROUGH LOCAL TRANSIT
MONEY, ALSO THROUGH THE COUNTY
AND THE YOUTH OPPORTUNITY PAST
PROGRAM. ALLOWS FOR YOUTH
RIDERSHIP FOR ANYBODY 19 AND
UNDER COMPLETELY FREE SO YOU CAN
GO ANYWHERE ON TRANSIT TRAINS
BUSSES ANYTHING. UM INCLUDING
THE TRAIN, SO IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT
JUST THE BUS FOR FREE, AND IT
INCREASED YOUTH RIDERSHIP BY
NEARLY 90% IN ONE YEAR. SO IF
YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATISTIC
90% OF YOUTH, IT WENT UP 90% AND
ONE YEAR AND THOSE, YOU KNOW
YOU'RE BUILDING TRANSIT RIDERS
FOR THE FUTURE. YOU'RE TEACHING
YOUR ALLOWING LOW INCOME
FAMILIES TO BRING THEIR WHOLE
FAMILY TO GET ONTO TRANSIT. I
MEAN THE UNBELIEVABLE BENEFITS
IN EQUITY AND UNDERSTANDING HOW
TO GET AROUND IN A WAY THAT
WORKS FOR THEM. FREEDOM, YOU
KNOW, FOR ANYBODY WHO'S UNDER 16
BUT CAN TAKE CAN TAKE TRANSIT
AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CAR. I
MEAN, IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE WHAT
A YOUTH OPPORTUNITY PASS CAN DO.
SO THE FACT THAT WE'VE ONLY HAD
THOSE EXEMPTIONS AS I JUST
LEARNED TODAY IN THIS HEARING
FOR TWO YEARS MEANS THAT THOSE
REGULATORY CHANGES REALLY CAN
MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. UM AND SO
YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO REALLY
ENCOURAGE US TO THINK ABOUT OUR
REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT SO THAT
WE ARE INCENTIVIZING THOSE
THINGS BETTER. THE OTHER THING
WE'RE DOING IN SAN DIEGO THAT'S
WORTH MENTIONING WHICH WHICH WAS
MENTIONED IS THESE TRANSIT LANES
THAT ARE ON THE EXISTING ROAD
NETWORK BECAUSE THE EXISTING
ROAD NETWORK EXISTS, AND IT GOES
WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO GO, SO THE
IDEA OF BUILDING FIXED RAIL AND
OTHER PLACES YOU KNOW IS
TREMENDOUSLY EXPENSIVE AS WE SEE
. I MEAN, WE OBVIOUSLY SEE ALL
THE HURDLES, CAPITAL AND
OTHERWISE. PARTICULARLY LAND USE
ISSUES, WHICH WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, EMINENT
DOMAIN ALL THE VERY UNPOPULAR
ELEMENTS OF TRYING TO BUILD NEW
TRANSIT. AND SO HOW DO WE? WE RE
RE IMAGINED THE TRANSIT, THE
TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS WE HAVE
AND MAKING IT SO THAT WE THAT WE
CONSIDER OUR ROAD NETWORKS TO BE
TRANSIT ONLY. I THINK THAT'S A
REALLY IMPORTANT THING, AND
WE'RE DOING BUS ON SHOULDER WITH
CALTRANS. IN SAN DIEGO. YOU KNOW
THERE ARE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH
THAT, AND THERE ARE ALSO
OPPONENTS BECAUSE SOMETIMES CARS
DO BREAK DOWN AND THEY HAVE TO
PULL OVER SOMEWHERE. SO TO THE
EXTENT WE CAN BE RE ENVISIONING
THAT PART OF OUR TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK, I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. UM AND SO I GUESS I
WOULD SAY MY QUESTION. YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE A LOT OF STATEMENTS IN
THERE AND JUST THINGS THAT I
THINK ARE IMPORTANT THAT WE
THINK ABOUT BUT BUT THE LOW SAND
CORRIDOR, WHICH IS THE SECOND
BUSIEST RAIL CORRIDOR IN THE
NATION, GOES 350 MILES FROM SAN
LUIS OBISPO ALL THE WAY TO SAN
DIEGO, AND THAT HAS HAD A MAJOR
RELIABILITY PROBLEM WHEN YOU
HAVE TO TAKE A BUS BRIDGE, GET
OFF THE TRAIN AND TAKE A BUS
BRIDGE FOR AN HOUR TO GO AROUND
A SECTION OF THE TRACKS THAT IS
CRUMBLING INTO THE OCEAN AND SAN
CLEMENTE. YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
A MAJOR PROBLEM AND THIS IS WHAT
THIS BACKGROUND PAPER SAID THAT
RELIABILITY IS THE NUMBER ONE
CRITERIA FOR PEOPLE CHOOSING TO
TAKE TRANSIT, RELIABILITY,
PUNCTUALITY, FREQUENCY COMFORT
SECURITY, ALL THOSE THINGS BEING
SO IMPORTANT AND SO THINKING
ABOUT INVESTING IN THAT EXISTING
FIXED RAIL CORRIDOR BUT ALSO
MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN ALLOW
PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO RIDE THE
SYSTEM. THESE ARE ALSO IMPORTANT
AND THERE ARE THESE BARRIERS
THAT I WANTED. THE QUESTION IS,
WHAT CAN WE DO TO DO MORE IN
THIS AREA, AND I AND I GIVE IT
TO ANY OF THE THREE OF YOU TO
REALLY BE FOCUSED ON THE
SOLUTIONS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE TO DO IS TO
TRY TO COME UP WITH THOSE
SOLUTIONS. YEAH GO AHEAD. THANK
YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON A FEW
THINGS AND HERE? I'M GOING TO
LOOK BACKWARDS. BUT IT DOES
SPEAK TO HOW WE MOVE FORWARD,
AND THAT WOULD BE YOU KNOW, AS
AN ASSOCIATION. WE'VE BEEN
BULLISH ABOUT SECURING NEW
STATUTORY RIGHTS FOR OUR
AGENCIES TO PURSUE TRANSIT
PRIORITIES, E PRIORITIZATION
PROJECTS AND JUST A FEW EXAMPLES
OF THIS INCLUDE LAST YEAR'S SB
92 BY SENATOR SCOTT WIENER THAT
PROVIDED TO THE AGENCIES THE
ABILITY TO EXEMPT FROM SEQUA.
THE DELIVERY OF THINGS LIKE BUS
ONLY LANES FOR BUS, RAPID
TRANSIT PROJECTS. AND THE IDEA
HERE IS THAT TOO OFTEN WE HAVE
FOLKS WHO DON'T WANT TO SEE
THESE PRIORITIZATION PROJECTS
TAKE HOLD. TAKE HOLD BECAUSE
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT
THAT MIGHT DO TO THEIR TRAVEL
TIMES IN A SINGLE OCCUPANCY
VEHICLE, OR THEY'RE CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THEIR
PARKING AND THEY STAND TO OBJECT
TO THE PROJECT, OFTEN ON
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUNDS, AND THAT
DRAWS OUT THE PROJECT AND KEEPS
THE AGENCIES FROM DELIVERING IT
AND DELIVERING THE TRAVEL TIME
SAVINGS NOW, THANKS TO SP 9 TO
2, WE'VE GOT A SECRET EXEMPTION
THAT HELPS ACCELERATE THAT. BUT
AS A TWIN MEASURE WE HAD ALSO
PURSUED WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RICHARD BLUM, WHO'S NO LONGER IN
THE ASSEMBLY, A B 9 17 THAT
PROVIDED AGENCIES WITH THE
AUTHORITY TO USE FORWARD FACING
CAMERAS. TO CITE INDIVIDUALS WHO
WERE PARKED AND BUS ONLY LANES.
AND THIS SPEAKS TO THE TRAVEL
TIME SAVINGS. YOU CAN HAVE A
BUSTLING LANE. BUT IF IT'S
ENCUMBERED BY A CAR, AN UBER
LYFT OR ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO JUST
CHOOSES TO PARK THERE THE
EFFICIENCY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THAT OF THAT BUS ONLY LANE
GOES AWAY. AND SO WE HAVE
CREATED A PATHWAY. TOWARD THIS
THIS CITATIONS. BUT THEN I ALSO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WISDOM
ASSOCIATED HAVE LONG PERSON.
THIS PROBABLY GOES BACK TO 2016
OR 2017 BROADER AUTHORITY FOR
BUS ON SHOULDER PILOT PROJECTS
ACROSS THE STATE. WE'VE LOOKED
AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN SAN DAG.
WE'VE READ THE REPORTS THAT
HAPPENED AFTER THE FIRST PILOT
AND SAW THAT WE HAD ON TIME
PERFORMANCE REACHING SOMETHING
LIKE THE 95 TO 97. PERCENT LEVEL
. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN IN
PUBLIC TRANSIT. AND SO WE'VE
BEEN WANTING TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE BEEN FACED
WITH SOME CHALLENGES HERE IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE TO PURSUE
THOSE BUT OUR ENCOURAGEMENT TO
THE ADMINISTRATION HERE. I'M
TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUE CHAD
EDISON. BUT ALSO TO CALTRANS IS
WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO
PRIORITIZE WITHIN THE STATE'S
ASSETS. PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICES
, HIGH CAPACITY THAT ALLOWS US
TO ACHIEVE THESE TRAVEL TIME
SAVINGS THE REAL TIME ON TIME
PERFORMANCE THAT WILL GET FOLKS
ONTO HIGH CAPACITY PUBLIC
TRANSIT. NOW THE VERY FINAL
THING I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS
ON THE FAIR FREE FRONT, THOUGH
IT'S A DEPARTURE OF
PRIORITIZATION IS BEYOND THE
REGULATORY RELIEF THAT WAS
PROVIDED BY THE STATE. THE OTHER
THING THAT HAS PROVIDED STRONG
SUPPORT FOR AGENCIES TO MOVE IN
THAT DIRECTION IS FUNDING. WE
HAVE A PROGRAM TODAY. THE LOW
CARBON TRANSIT OPERATIONS
PROGRAM AND THAT IS SUPPORTED BY
5% OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS
REDUCTION FUND ON A CONTINUOUS
BASIS. THE VARIETY OF PROJECTS
THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDS FROM
THAT PROGRAM INCLUDE THEIR FREE
OR DISCOUNTED FARE PROGRAMS, AND
WE HAVE SEEN THAT AS A DOMINANT
MEANS FOR AGENCIES TO SECURE
THAT STATE DOLLAR. PAIR IT WITH
THE LOCAL DOLLAR, OFTENTIMES IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH A SCHOOL
DISTRICT, A COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR
OR A CSU, OR YOU SEE AND
TOGETHER HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO
SUSTAIN THOSE PROGRAMS OR
DURATION. AND SO MY
ENCOURAGEMENT WOULD BE AS WE
MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS
CONSIDERATION OF THEIR FREE MY
MESSAGE WOULD BE. WE NEED TO
FOCUS ON STATE FUNDING TO BRING
THESE PROJECTS ONLINE. MAKE SURE
THAT THEIR SUSTAINABLE THAT THE
RESILIENT THAT THEY DON'T CHARGE
AGENCIES ARE DOING MORE THAN
THEIR FINANCIAL CAPACITY COULD
ALLOW. AND WITH THAT
SUSTAINABILITY COMES AS YOUR
NOTING LIFETIME WRITERS WHO ARE
SYSTEMS. OKAY. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
CARILLO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. APOLOGIZE FOR MY
BOYS. UH, UNDER THE WEATHER.
THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL FOR BOTH
CHAIRS FOR FACILITATING THIS
MEETING AND THANK YOU TO THE
PANELISTS FOR PROVIDING YOUR
EXPERTISE IN THIS SPACE. COUPLE
OF COMMENTS ON WHAT I'VE HEARD
SO FAR, AND THEN A QUESTION ON
THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE
TO USE DATA THAT IS IMPORTANT TO
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AN INCREASE
USE OF TRANSIT. UM WHEN WE ARE
ONLY, UH FUNDING 14% OF THE
STATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT
. THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN GET
BETTER, FASTER AND CHEAPER
TRANSPORTATION. I HAVE TO AGREE
WITH THE SENATOR WINNER HERE
THAT HOUSING AND PUBLIC TRANSIT
GO HAND IN HAND AS WELL AS THE
JOBS, AVAILABILITY AROUND THESE
TRANSIT AREAS AND HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE IN DIFFERENT RURAL AREAS,
INCLUDING RURAL AREAS. I
REPRESENT AN AREA THAT IS RURAL
IN NATURE. IT'S ABOUT 60 MILES
AWAY FROM L. A. IT'S THE HIGH
DESERT ANTELOPE VALLEY IN THE
VICTOR VALLEY, AND, UH, I HEARD
ALSO A COMMENT ABOUT SUCCESSFUL
AND RELIABLE TRANSIT. IF WE
DON'T INVEST IN SOCIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE NOT GOING
TO GET THERE. YES WRITERS, ONE
RELIABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GET TO
WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND GETTING
TO WORK AND GETTING BACK HOME IN
A TIMELY MANNER. RATHER THAN
SPENDING THREE HOURS TO GET HOME
AFTER A HARD DAY OF WORK, SO I
THINK THAT WE NEED TO START
INVESTING THAT SOCIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE AS FAR AS MAKING
THIS TRANSIT SYSTEMS AND BEING
PROFITABLE. I THINK THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. I
THINK THAT WE NEED TO REALLY
LOOK AT THE SOCIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED TO
INVEST IN THE MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES THAT WE HAVE. WE ALL
DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY. SO WE ALL
GET, UH, SOMETIMES RUNNING LATE
. SOMETIMES WE'RE FIGHTING
TOGETHER, SWITCH LANES AND GET
TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO. AND I
THINK THAT'S A BIG OF AREA THAT
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AS FAR AS
PROVIDING THE MENTAL HEALTH IN
THE SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
WE NEED TO INVEST IN. YES THERE
ARE OTHER NATIONS THAT MAKE
PUBLIC TRANSIT BEING RELIABLE.
BUT THAT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE
DOING BEST IN THE SOCIAL
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THEIR
COUNTRIES. OVER THERE, UH,
CITIZENS. THAT'S MY BELIEF, AND
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START
LOOKING AT THAT, RATHER THAN SHE
IS MAKING A PROFIT ON THE
TRANSIT SYSTEM IN THE MONETARY
AWAY WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT
THE SOCIAL INVESTMENT THAT WE
NEED TO DO SO THAT WE CAN GET
PEOPLE TO WORK AND GET HIM BACK
HOME. UM I DID LEAVE TO ANOTHER
MEETING. APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. MY
QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH
TECHNOLOGY. AND HOW DO YOU USE?
WHAT DO YOU USE NOW TO LOOK AT
THE DATA? THAT IS THERE? UM, A
CITY PLANNER BY PROFESSION. I
REMEMBER USING TRAFFIC MANUALS,
THOSE BIG, THICK BOOKS THAT TOLD
YOU THE TRIPS AND THAT'S HOW YOU
CALCULATE PARKING REQUIREMENTS
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BUT
WITH TECHNOLOGY, YOU KNOW, I
THINK THAT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY
THAT WE CAN HAVE BETTER ACCESS.
AH AND PROVIDED IN A UNIFORM WAY
TO ALL DIFFERENT AGENCIES. WE
TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
AGENCIES THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THE
TEMPERANCE SURVEY AREA. THE L. A
AREA BUT A LOT OF TIMES LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS DO NOT USE THE
SAME THE SAME DATA. SOMETIMES
THEY'RE LOOKING AT ALL DATA, AND
SOMETIMES YOU'RE LOOKING AT
DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA IN A
APOLOGIZED AGAIN, I LEFT HER A
LITTLE BIT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
TALKED ABOUT THE TOP OF THAT,
UH, THAT YOU USE TO SEE WHAT
WRITERS ARE GOING BECAUSE AGAIN
WITH TECHNOLOGY NOW WE HAVE TO
BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE WRITERS ARE
GOING. WHAT TIME THEY'RE GOING.
AND INCREASING THE FREQUENCY OF
BUSSES WHEN WE PROVIDE FREE
BUSSES TO STUDENTS, IF THERE'S
GOING TO BE A BUS AN HOUR AN
HOUR AND A HALF LATER, THAT
REALLY DOESN'T HELP MUCH AS FAR
AS INCREASING THE USAGE OF
PUBLIC TRANSIT IN URBAN AREAS
THAT DOES MAKE SENSE, INCREASING
THE RIDERSHIP BY 90% BUT IN
AREAS THAT I REPRESENT WHERE
THERE'S TWO COMMUNITY COLLEGES,
BUT IF YOU HAVE ONLY ONE BASKET
ROUTE EVERY HOUR THAT DOESN'T
MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
ANOTHER QUICK THING. I ALSO
HEARD THAT WE NEED TO MOTIVATE
LOW INCOME FAMILIES TO USE
TRANSIT. I THINK THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT IT IN THE WRONG WAY.
IF WE WANT TO REALLY MAKE PUBLIC
TRANSIT BE RELIABLE. WHY AREN'T
WE NOT FOCUSING ON EVERYBODY AND
I CHOOSE THE LOW INCOME FAMILIES
TO USE TRANSIT? WE NEED TO LOOK
AT THAT, TOO. WITH THAT. I JUST
WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M
LOOKING AT, UM THE USE OF DATA
THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, MAKING IT
AGAIN AVAILABLE IN A UNIFORM WAY
ACROSS THE STATE. AND FOR THAT I
INTRODUCED A BILL A B 7 49 THAT
WILL ALLOW ALL TRANSIT AGENCIES
AND ALL YOUR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
TO BE ABLE TO USE DATA THAT IS
GOING TO BE UP TO DATE WITH THE
USE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT IS
AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. AGAIN. CAN
YOU TELL US WHAT OR TELL ME WHAT
KIND OF DATA USING TO INCREASE
RIDERSHIP. SURE THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. UM THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT FORMS OF DATA THAT CAN
HELP HERE AND SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT
THIS WHO ARE DATA SCIENTISTS
WITHIN WITHIN, UM CALTRANS AND
OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE
GOVERNMENT. UM BUT, UH,
SPECIFICALLY IN THE CATEGORY OF
KNOWING WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING,
AND WHEN THEY'RE GOING THERE,
THERE'S A LOT OF ANONYMOUS DATA
OUT THERE. A LOT OF IT'S
GENERATED FROM CELL PHONE
ACTIVITY THAT GIVES THAT SENSE
OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING
AND WHEN THEY WANT TO TRAVEL,
AND WHEN WE MATCH THAT'S PART OF
HOW THE DATA THAT I WAS TALKING
ABOUT WHERE WE CAN SAY THAT IN
MANY PLACES ONLY 5% OF TRIPS CAN
BE MADE IN TWICE AS LONG AS
DRIVING. THAT'S FROM MATCHING UP
THAT DATA OF HOW PEOPLE ARE
TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE WITH
THE TRANSIT TIMETABLE IN ITS
FREQUENCY AND KNOWING THAT
THERE'S A HUGE GAP THERE BETWEEN
WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM WHEN
SOMEONE IS MAKING A TRIP TODAY
BY CAR AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE ON
THE TRANSIT SYSTEM AT THE SAME
TIME. LIKEWISE UNDERSTANDING THE
RELIABILITY OF TRANSIT VEHICLES
. MANY OF THE SYSTEMS THAT
EITHER DO CONTACT LESS PAYMENT
OR OTHERWISE REPORTING TO
DISPATCHING SYSTEMS REPORTING TO
SOMETHING CALLED G T. F S REAL
TIME, AND IT PROVIDES A REAL
SENSE OF WHERE THE TRANSIT
VEHICLES ARE ON THE SYSTEM ALL
DAY LONG, AND IT'S A CONSTANT
SOURCE OF DATA. WE? WE DID ONE
INVESTIGATION OF THIS ON PACIFIC
COAST HIGHWAY WITH LONG BEACH
TRANSIT AND SAW EVERY PLACE IN
WHICH THAT BUS SLOWED DOWN, YOU
KNOW, KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE DAY
IN LIKE WHERE THE BOTTLENECKS
WERE AND WORKING WITH STATE
ENGINEERS LOOKING AT TRAFFIC
SIGNAL OPPORTUNITIES, QUEUE
JUMPING OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.
THE IDEA HERE IS TO BE ABLE TO
USE THAT DATA TO IDENTIFY HOW TO
IMPROVE THAT CORRIDOR SO THAT
MORE PEOPLE MOVE THROUGH IT MORE
QUICKLY. AND THERE WAS ONE
PLACE. UM NEAR NEAR CAL STATE
LONG BEACH. WHERE WHERE JUST
GETTING GETTING GETTING A
QUARTER MILE DOWN. THE ROAD ON
AVERAGE, TOOK EIGHT MINUTES FOR
THE BUSSES THAT WERE ON THAT
CORRIDOR, AND THEY WERE CARRYING
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE A
DAY. AND SO IT'S USING THIS
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AND
THEN APPLYING IT TO FIX IS THAT
WE CAN MAKE THAT IS REALLY KEY
TO MAKING SERVICE MORE RELIABLE
, AND, UH AND UNDERSTANDING LIKE
HOW PEOPLE ARE USING THE SYSTEM
NOW AND HOW WE CAN THEN PUT
TRANSIT IN THOSE PLACES AND MAKE
IT RELIABLE AT THE TIMES THAT
PEOPLE WANT TO USE IT. I HAD
JUST ONE QUICK THING ON THAT. I
WANT TO TIE IT TO, UM AN EARLIER
COMMENT. WE'RE DOING SOME WORK
FOR SKAGWAY. WE'RE USING MOBILE
DEVICE DATA AND THE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA REGION AND WE'RE
LOOKING AT POST PANDEMIC TRAVEL.
AND WELL, TRAFFIC LEVELS ARE
SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE
. THEY'VE SHIFTED ENORMOUSLY IN
TIME AND SPACE, AND ONE OF THE
THINGS IS THAT THE PEAK PERIOD
HAS SPREAD IN THE AFTERNOON OVER
A MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
AND NOW THE PEAK OF THE PEAK IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS BETWEEN
THREE AND FOUR P.M. AND NOT
BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX P.M. AND
THE GROWTH IN TRAFFIC THAT WE'RE
OBSERVING IS MOST CLOSELY
RELATED TO WHERE SCHOOLS ARE.
WE'RE SEEING LOTS OF VEHICLE
TRIPS BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE BEING
PICKED UP AND DROPPED OFF, AND
THAT'S A HUGE SHIFT IN THE IN
THE CHANGE IN TRAFFIC LEVELS
RELATED TO PICK UPS AND DROP
OFFS OF SCHOOLS. AND THAT TIES
ME TO SOMETHING THAT'S COMING
QUITE A BIT, UH, NATIONWIDE.
MORE PEOPLE RIDE YELLOW SCHOOL
BUSSES IN A YEAR AND RIDE ALL
THE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS
COMBINED. CALIFORNIA RANKS AT
THE VERY BOTTOM IN TERMS OF PER
PUPIL, YELLOW SCHOOL BUS SERVICE
IN THE STATE. SO THESE THINGS
ARE NOT UNRELATED TO ONE
ANOTHER. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT
WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE HUGE
GROWTH IN TRAFFIC AROUND
SCHOOLS. UM LIMITATIONS, INCOME
, SOME CASES AND WHAT OPERATORS
CAN DO TO PROVIDE. I MEAN
REGULAR TRANSIT OPERATORS TO
PROVIDE EXTRA SERVICE AROUND
SCHOOLS, AND WE DON'T HAVE
YELLOW SCHOOL BUS SERVICE THAT
WE DO AND IN MANY OTHER STATES,
SO THESE THINGS SORT OF TIED
TOGETHER AND ALSO GO AGAIN TO
THAT. DEVELOPING THAT TRANSIT
HABIT. IF PEOPLE RIDE SCHOOL
BUSSES GROWING UP, THEY MAY BE
MORE LIKELY. REGULAR BUSSES WHEN
ADULTS. THANK YOU AND AS A MOM
WHO HAS TO DRIVE HER DAUGHTER TO
AND FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY, YES.
SENATOR CORTEZ. THANK YOU,
MADAM. CHAIR CHAIRS, I SHOULD
SAY PORTAL. I DO APPRECIATE THE
HEARING. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S UM
SENATOR WEINER WAS. INDICATING
WE FEEL GREAT SENSE OF URGENCY,
PARTICULARLY IN THE BAY AREA. ON
THIS ISSUE. IT'S GREAT TO HEAR
MY COLLEAGUE FROM SAN DIEGO
AREA. UM UH, BRINGING ALL OF HER
EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE INTO
THIS DISCUSSION AS A NEW MEMBER
OF THE SENATE. FIRST BEFORE I
FORGET OR FAIL TO MENTION IT, UM
, WE AND WHEN I SAY WE REPORTED
MY OFFICE BUT ALSO CERTAIN
MEMBERS OF OUR CAUCUS, SENATOR
WEINER AND OTHERS FOUGHT VERY,
VERY HARD LAST YEAR IN THE
BUDGET PROCESS TO MAKE SURE UH,
THAT WE HAD, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE
FUNDING THAT WAS COMING OUT OF
THE GENERAL FUND. TO AUGMENT ALL
THE OTHER BUCKETS OF FUNNY THAT
ARE OUT THERE. TO GET US TO
COMPLETION. OR AT LEAST MUCH,
MUCH FURTHER ALONG ON WHAT WE
WERE REFERRING TO. MANY OF US
WERE REFERRING TO HIS LEGACY
PROJECTS WITHIN THE STATE. AND
THEY JUST AREN'T GOING TO GET
DONE IF WE MISS THIS WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY, UM I UNDERSTAND
THAT THE DELAYS OR REDUCTIONS,
DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT
THOSE IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
THIS YEAR. IMPACT BOTH OPERATING
AND IN INFRASTRUCTURE ABOUT
EQUALLY IF I'M WRONG ON THAT,
PLEASE CORRECT ME. UM WHAT? WHEN
YOU RESPOND EITHER WAY, UM WE
CAN'T HAVE THAT. UM. IN AND I
JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AS
A MATTER OF MY OWN OPINION IN MY
AREA IN THE SOUTH BAY, THE
CONNECTIVITY TO THE BART SYSTEM
, OF COURSE, UM, WHICH IS HAS
BEEN A HUGE SELF HEALTH PROJECT
, ALONG WITH FEDERAL AND STATE
DOLLARS IN THE PAST, BUT A HUGE
SELF HELP PROJECT BASED ON VERY
, VERY LARGE SALES TAX
INVESTMENTS OVER THE YEAR AND
OTHER INVESTMENTS. UM YOU KNOW,
IT REALLY HINGES ON AS ONE
EXAMPLE HINGES ON THOSE DOLLARS
AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT,
UM SO CALLED BART TO SAN JOSE,
OR SELF LABOR PROJECT THAT
EXTENSION UM, LET ME JUST VERY
QUICKLY NOTE A COUPLE OF THINGS
AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION OR A
SPECIFIC RESPONSE. I'M LOOKING
FOR UM ON ONE ISSUE, WHICH IS
THE FARE BOX RECOVERY ISSUE,
WHICH YOU SPENT SOME TIME
TALKING ABOUT, AND WHICH IS
HIGHLIGHTED IN THE NOTES THAT I
READ. UM WHEN I LET ME JUST SAY
BY WAY OF BACKGROUND. FOR 22
YEARS, I'VE BEEN AT SOME LEVEL
INVOLVED IN PUBLIC POLICY ON
TRANSPORTATION. 1 2002 V T A R
COG, THE ASSOCIATION OF THE AREA
GOVERNMENTS AT THE SAME TIME,
AND A FEW YEARS LATER. THE
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSION. I CHAIRED THAT FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN I LEFT
THERE, WE HAD JUST LAUNCHED THIS
BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE THAT
YOU'VE REFERENCED SEVERAL TIMES.
UM IRONICALLY, FOR THOSE TALKING
ABOUT THE USE OF TRANSIT, YOU
KNOW, UM, INCLUDING SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES, UM IT WAS ABOUT TWO
HOURS TO GET FROM SAN JOSE TO
SAN FRANCISCO FOR THOSE MEETINGS
ON BART AND TWO HOURS BACK IN
THE ROUND TRIP WAS WAS BASICALLY
A TWO HOUR ADVENTURE. ABOUT THE
SAME IN MY E V, UM SO AT LEAST
THAT ONE WAS KIND OF A WASH. I
MEAN, IT WAS MUCH MORE
EFFICIENT, MUCH MORE
PREDICTABLE, MUCH MORE RELIABLE,
OF COURSE. UM SO I DO WANT TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT THERE. BUT THE
BIG IRONY IS THE FACT THAT WE
WENT TO REMOTE MEETINGS AND I
THINK A WHOLE BUNCH OF US WERE
SAYING WHY THE HELL OF WE
CREATED SUCH AN INDIVIDUAL
CARBON FOOTPRINT OVER THE YEARS
RACING FROM EVERY COUNTY IN THE
REGION TO SAN FRANCISCO? NO
OFFENSE GUY. UH, PRIOR TO THAT
OAKLAND FOR THESE MEETINGS WHEN
WE COULD HAVE BEEN DOING THEM
REMOTE ALL ALONG. I MEAN, THAT'S
AN ISSUE IN AND OF ITSELF. UH,
THAT HAS A LITTLE LESS TO DO
WITH THIS HEARING, EXCEPT FOR
THE FACT THAT ALTHOUGH LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND REGIONAL
AGENCIES CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE,
OR WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT
ANYMORE, ABSENT SOME SORT OF
LEGISLATION THAT WILL ALLOW IT.
WE ALL KNOW THAT INDUSTRY HAS
DONE IT AND IS DOING IT. AND I
THINK THAT ALONE IS GOING TO
MAKE FAIR BOX RECOVERY SORT OF.
MORE OBSOLETE THAN IT ALREADY
WAS. I DON'T BELIEVE IN FAIR BOX
RECOVERY IN TERMS OF HIT BEING
ANY KIND OF TRULY SUSTAINABLE
REVENUE SOURCE FOR TRANSIT
OPERATORS BASED ON MY YEARS AS A
PUBLIC OFFICIAL IN B T. A, FOR
EXAMPLE, WAS ALWAYS LESS THAN
10% OF THE TOTAL COST OF DOING
BUSINESS OR TOTAL BUDGET. AND
YET YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, A LOT OF
LOCAL OFFICIALS WOULD EMPHASIZE
IT AS IF IT WAS THE BE ALL END.
ALL OF MAKING ENDS MEET. IT
ISN'T UM, BUT BUT. IT HAS BEEN A
HUGE, UM, INDICATOR PERFORMANCE
INDICATOR. ESPECIALLY AT THE
REGIONAL LEVEL IN IN MY
OBSERVATION, UM FOR WHOSE.
WORTHY OF CONTINUED SUPPORT BY
STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS. AND WHO
ISN'T UM THE FACT THE MATTER IS
WE HAVE BUS SYSTEMS IN SOME
LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS AREN'T
CARRYING ANY REAL RIDERSHIP. AND
I THINK THERE ARE OTHER WAYS.
YOU KNOW TO GET TO THAT ISSUE.
RATHER THAN JUST POINTING AT
THEIR POOR, FAIR BUCKS RECOVERY
AND THEN YOU KNOW, DOING THE
PUNIC TRYING TO DO THE PUNITIVE
THINGS OR TRYING TO FORCE
CONSOLIDATION AS SENATOR WAHA
WAS TALKING ABOUT WHICH I DO
BELIEVE IS NEEDED IN THE BAY
AREA UP OR SECOND THAT MOTION.
UM BUT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO COME
UP. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO COME UP
WITH. A WAY TO FULLY SUBSIDIZE.
WHAT USED TO BE FAIR BUCKS
RECOVERY NOT DEPEND ON SELF HELP
MEASURES IN THE COUNTIES.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY YOU'RE GOING
TO ADD MORE SALES TAX. WHICH IS
HISTORICALLY, AS YOU KNOW, BEING
THE ONLY WAY WE COULD FIGURE OUT
HOW TO GET MEASURES PASSED IN
OUR COUNTIES WERE MAXED OUT. YOU
CAN'T YOU CAN'T SALES TAX YOUR
WAY OUT OF THIS ANYMORE. SO HOW
DO WE BACKFIELD FARE BOX? IF YOU
WANT TO GET RID OF IT, IF YOU
WANT TO GET RID OF IT. WHAT'S
THE NEW MEASURE EXACTLY FOR
PERFORMANCE? AND THEN HOW DO WE
HOLD OPERATORS ACCOUNTABLE IF
THEY DON'T HIT THOSE PERFORMANCE
MEASURES BECAUSE ALL THAT IS
OTHERS HAVE SAID BEFORE ME
TODAY. YOU KNOW HAVE LED US TO
WHAT. TWO YEARS AGO, I REFERRED
TO AS THE THELMA LOUISE AFFECT,
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THE
ONLY REASON WE HAVEN'T GONE OFF
THE FISCAL CLIFF OF COURSES IS
THE SUBSIDIES THAT HAVE BEEN
RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THE
PANDEMIC. POSTPONED THIS DAY,
BUT THE DAY OF RECKONING IS
HERE, AND I JUST DON'T SEE
WHETHER IT'S BEEN THE BLUE
RIBBON TASK FORCE IN OUR AREA OR
ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S REALLY
FIGURED OUT. THE NEW EQUATION.
AND HOW TO BALANCE IT. AND
CERTAINLY HASN'T FIGURED OUT HOW
TO GET BY IN FROM THE BOARDS OF
27 OR 20, DIFFERENT OPERATORS,
EVEN IN OUR OWN REGION, SO WE
HAVE A BIG PROBLEM. I DON'T
EXPECT THAT THE GENERAL STATE
GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO BE ABLE
TO ANY PERMANENT WAY. BACKFIELD
FARE BOX RECOVERY OVER THE LONG
HAUL. BUT IF NOT, IF THAT'S A
CORRECT STATEMENT THAN THE
QUESTION TO YOU IS, HOW DO WE
GET THERE? AND, UM, I'LL STOP
THERE. THERE'S I THINK EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF US FROM WHAT I'VE
HEARD TODAY COULD UM, COULD GO
ON AND PROBABLY MAKE THIS A 16
HOUR HEARING OR SOMETHING THAT
NONE OF US WOULD WANT TO HAVE.
UM AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY HAPPY
TO SEE ON THE NEXT PANEL. UH
REBECCA WONG, AMONG OTHERS, UM
FROM THE MESH BONE
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER
COMMISSION BECAUSE I KNOW SHE'LL
HAVE SOME MORE INSIGHT INTO THE
IMPACTS IN OUR REGION, BUT BUT
LET ME JUST LEAVE MY QUESTION
THERE ON THE FARE BOX RECOVERY
SIDE. THANK YOU. WELL THANK YOU
FOR THE QUESTION, SENATOR AND I
DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FIRST, A
BIT OF A OF A PROCESS STORY AND
THAT IS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
WE WERE CHARGED BY THEN CHAIRS
OF THE TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEES, SENATOR JIM BELL AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JIM FRAZIER TO
TAKE ON AN EFFORT TO REFORM THE
TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT.
AND EMBEDDED WITHIN THEIR
REQUEST OF MY ASSOCIATION IN OUR
INDUSTRY WAS THAT WE IDENTIFY A
PAST TOWARDS CONTINUING TO
PROVIDE THE STATE WITH
INFORMATION ABOUT HER
PERFORMANCE AS AN INDUSTRY AND
AT AN INDIVIDUAL AGENCY LEVEL.
BUT TO MOVE PAST THE CONCEPT OF
FAIR BOX RECOVERY. NOW THE
UNFORTUNATE THING IS THAT AS WE
WERE MAKING PROGRESS AS AN
ASSOCIATION, THE PANDEMIC HERE
IN MARCH 2020 AND CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THAT REPLACEMENT WERE PUT
ON HOLD. AND IN PLACE WHAT WAS
PRESENTED IN WHAT BECAME LAW. OR
WHAT I'VE REFERRED TO THROUGHOUT
THIS THEORY HEARING STATUTORY
RELIEF, AND THAT WAS FURTHER
EXCLUSIONS FROM WHAT IS COUNTED
TOWARDS FIREBOX RECOVERY AND STS
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. AS WELL AS
A SERIES OF ONE OFF MEASURES TO
SUPPORT AGENCIES AND CONTINUED
TO HOLD ONTO THEIR SHARE OF
STATE REVENUE. WELL WE WERE
SEEING SOME SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS
IN WHAT AGENCIES WERE REPORTING
IN WHAT WE CALL REVENUE BASIS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
ARE TAKING ON THIS THIS YEAR,
AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, ONGOING
CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMITTEE
CONSULTANTS ABOUT PARAMETERS AND
TIMING. IT IS PRECISELY THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT REPLACEMENT
WHAT MORE CAN BE PRESENTED TO
THE STATE. TO ADDRESS YOUR NEED
FOR INFORMATION. I WOULD SAY
YOUR RIFLE IMPERATIVE TO THAT
INFORMATION. WITH THE REALITY
THAT ARE TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE
MEASURE OF FARE BOX RECOVERY. NO
LONGER DEMONSTRATES. WHOLE LOT
ABOUT WHAT AGENCIES ARE DOING.
THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IS SERVICES.
IN THE US, YOU KNOW, REQUIRES A
REPLACEMENT. AND SO MUCH OF OUR
OUR WORK IS GOING TO BE INFORMED
BY THE THINKING THAT HAS COME
OUT OF THE INSTITUTE OF
TRANSPORTATION STUDIES, AND
BRIAN MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH
A BIT MORE SPECIFICITY IN TERMS
OF SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
SO FAR, BUT WE DO WANT TO FIND A
METRIC THAT SPEAKS MORE BROADLY
TO THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF PUBLIC
TRANSIT. BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA
RECOGNIZE THERE ARE CERTAIN
AGENCIES. THAT THE SOLE FOCUS OF
THEIR SERVICES PROVIDING
LIFELINE SERVICE TO
CALIFORNIANS. THOSE SYSTEMS MAY
NEVER BE EFFECTIVE FROM A
FIREBOX RECOVERY PERSPECTIVE.
BUT THE RULE IS STILL ESSENTIAL.
SO HOW DO WE FIND A WAY TO.
COMPREHEND THAT TO AFFIRM THAT,
BUT THEN ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT
FOR CERTAIN OTHER AGENCIES, THEY
ARE GOING TO BE PRODUCTIVE ON
WHAT OUR TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE
METRICS AND THAT MAY BE AN OKAY
ROUTE FOR THEM, AND SO WE ARE
STILL VERY MUCH. I LOOKING TO
IDENTIFY A PATH FORWARD. WHAT I
DO WANT TO KNOW. HIGHLIGHT WITH
REGARDS TO YOUR YOUR SECOND
QUESTION OR THAT THE COROLLARY
TO THAT QUESTION, WHICH WAS HOW
DO WE IDENTIFY REVENUES IF NOT
FAIR BOX REVENUES? I THINK HERE
I WOULD POSIT THAT WE STILL VERY
MUCH SEE A PATH TOWARD CONTINUED
GENERATION OF FARE BOX REVENUES,
BUT WHAT THAT IS GOING TO
REQUIRE IS A CHANGE IN OUR
BUSINESS MODEL. AND SO NO LONGER
YOU KNOW, HAVE WE SEEN THAT
AGENCIES CAN PROVIDE SERVICE TO
COMMUTERS BECAUSE COMMUTERS AND
A LOT OF CONTEXT DON'T EXIST,
BUT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND
SOME NEW GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
I'VE HIGHLIGHTED, FOR EXAMPLE,
PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS THAT
MAYBE ONE PATH FORWARD, BUT
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO SEE HOW
MIGHT WE ENCOURAGE MORE CHOICE
WRITERS FOR THINGS LIKE
RECREATION? AND FOR THAT, I
THINK WE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THE
VALUE PROPOSITION AND TO SENATOR
WAHABS POINTS. WE'VE GOT TO FIND
A WAY TO DEMONSTRATE TRAVEL TIME
SAVINGS. SERVICE RELIABILITY AND
EFFECTIVENESS TO BRING THOSE
PEOPLE IN. AND SO MUCH OF OUR
WORK OVER THESE NEXT FEW YEARS
ARE GOING TO BE ON THAT
PERFORMANCE FRONT, BUT ALSO
ADVISING THE INDUSTRY ON HOW IT
IS THAT WE IDENTIFY THOSE GROWTH
OPPORTUNITIES LEAN INTO THEM IF
THEY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION, WORKING
TO SECURE IT. SO WE CAN BUILD
INTO THAT SUSTAINABILITY. BUT I
THINK AS WE'RE HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS, WE ALSO WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
ESTABLISHING DIVERSITY IN OUR
FUNDING STREAMS. I WOULD NOT
SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THERE MAY
NOT BE ANOTHER PUSH FOR
ADDITIONAL SALES TAX REVENUE. I
THINK REGIONS ACROSS STATE ARE
HAVING SOME INITIAL
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. BUT
THAT MAY NOT BE THE SOLE PATH
FORWARD. AND I THINK TO THE
CONVERSATIONS EARLIER ABOUT
IDENTIFICATION OF AN ANCILLARY
REVENUE. WE WANT TO FIND WHAT
THOSE OPTIONS ARE SO WE CAN COME
CREATE A COMPOSITE OF FUNDING
STREAMS THAT PROVIDE US WITH THE
SAME FUNDING SUPPORT THAT FARE
BOX REVENUE ONCE DID, AND THEN
ALSO ALLOWS US TO HAVE SOME
SUSTAINABILITY OVER THE LONG
TERM, RECOGNIZING THAT OTHER
FORMS OF REVENUE SOURCES THAT WE
HAVE SALES TAX REVENUE FROM
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION FUND DIESEL
SALES TAX REVENUE FROM THE STATE
TRANS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OR
ALSO THINGS THAT ARE VOLATILE
AND CERTAINLY IF WE SEE AN
ECONOMIC RECESSION SALES TAX
REVENUE IS GOING TO GO DOWN. IF
WE SEE THIS CONTINUED DRIVE
TOWARD ELIMINATING DIESEL FUEL,
THE TAXATION THAT HAPPENS ON
DIESEL FEEL THAT PROVIDES
SUPPORT TO THE STATE TRANSIT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS GOING TO
TAKE A HIT. AND SO THESE ARE
BROADER BASED CONVERSATIONS THAT
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING
AS WE HAVE TURNED THE CORNER ON
THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC, AND
THAT WE'RE GONNA WANT TO LEAN
INTO IN CONCERT WITH THESE
COMMITTEES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
. UM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JACKSON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
CHAIR. UM, I HELD FROM THE ELLEN
EMPIRE. UH RAISED IN SUMMER.
DINO NOW REPRESENTING RIVERSIDE,
RIVERSIDE COUNTY. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT AH, WE FORGET ABOUT
THIS. HOW DIVERSE THE GEOGRAPHIC
REGIONS ARE IN CALIFORNIA. UM
AND MY CONCERN AND THE REASON
WHY I EVEN REQUESTED TO BE ON
THIS COMMITTEE IS TO MAKING SURE
THAT A REGION SUCH AS THE ONLY
AN EMPIRE. IS REPRESENTED IN
TERMS OF HOW WE CREATE POLICY.
MANY TIMES WE HAVE A LOT OF
URBAN FOCUSED, UM,
TRANSPORTATION POLICIES. UM BUT
FOLKS LIKE, UH, ME OR USUALLY UM
, LEFT OUT OF THE DISCUSSION. I
SPENT SIX YEARS DRIVING FROM
RIVERSIDE COUNTY TO LOS ANGELES.
RIGHT. AND IF YOU'RE DRIVING 2.5
HOURS, THREE HOURS DRIVE ONE
WAY. RIGHT, UM. MEMBER CARILLO
KNOWS THE PAIN I'M TALKING
ABOUT. HAD ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO
OF WORLD RAGE. NEVER ENDED UP IN
JAIL, THANKFULLY, AH, BUT, UM,
OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE GOT TO DO A
BETTER JOB. AT PLANNING. NOT TOO
MUCH TIME WE KEEP SAYING WE NEED
TO PLAN ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL. I
THINK WE'LL BE MISSING TOO MANY
PEOPLE IF WE DO THAT. HOW DO WE
PLAN BASED UPON THE UNIQUE
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF CALIFORNIA,
RIGHT? AND SO HOW? HOW CAN WE DO
? MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW CAN
WE DO A BETTER JOB WITH
PLANNING? UM WITH NON URBAN
AREAS IN MIND. ANY THOUGHTS
ABOUT THAT? UH ONE OF THE
STRUGGLES WE HAVE WITH THE WITH
THE INDUSTRY, AND I THINK
THERE'S A LOT OF PROMISING WORK
GOING ON IS THAT WE HAVE A BASIC
BUSINESS MODEL, WHICH IS
TYPICALLY A 40 FT BUS OPERATING
ON A FIXED ROUTE ON A FIXED
SCHEDULE, WHICH AGAIN WORKS
REALLY WELL AND BUILT UP PLACES
WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND IN
PARTICULAR CORRIDORS, AND, BUT
THE SERVICE CAN BE FREQUENT. AND
WHEN IT IS IT'S ATTRACTIVE FOR
FOLKS IF YOU KEEP EXTENDING THIS
SERVICE OUT INTO LOWER AND LOWER
DENSITY AREAS, WHERE THE ORIGINS
AND DESTINATION TRIPS ARE MORE
SPREAD OUT. THAT THAT BIG BUS
OPERATING ON THAT FIXED ROUTE
EVENTUALLY BECOMES NOT VERY
VIABLE WAY OF DELIVERING SERVICE
IS A LOT OF, UH, PILOT PROJECTS
AND EXPERIMENTS GOING ON NOW,
WITH DIFFERENT FORMS OF MICRO
TRANSIT, THE ABILITY TO DELIVER
A TRANSIT SERVICE, WHICH IS
GOING TO BE MORE UH, WHERE WHAT
WE CALL AS SORT OF DEMAND DRIVEN
THAT SOMEONE CAN CAN CALL FOR A
VEHICLE. LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY
NEED TO BE PICKED UP IT WOULD
YOU THINK OF IT AS SOMEWHERE OF
A HYBRID BETWEEN SOMETHING LIKE
LIFTER, UBER AND A TRADITIONAL
TRANSIT VEHICLE, OR LIKE A DIAL
A RIDE OR SOMETHING? YEAH IT'S
ACTUALLY A HIGH TECH, MORE
MODERN VERSION OF WHAT DIAL A
RIDE, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IN THE
19 SEVENTIES, UH, TO PROVIDE
THIS KIND OF SERVICE. PARA
TRANSIT MEANT BEYOND TRANSIT
SOMETHING BEING MORE AT THE TIME
. THE TECHNOLOGY WASN'T IN PLACE
IN THE SEVENTIES, WHEN IT WAS
FIRST DEVELOPED, AND NOW NOW IT
IS AND THERE'S SOME REALLY
PROMISING EXPERIMENTS ON HOW WE
CAN DELIVER SOMETHING WHICH IS
HIGHER QUALITY FOR THE FOR THE
USER, WHICH IS LOWER COSTS
BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED TO
OPERATE BIG BUSSES ON FIXED
ROUTES WITH FIXED SCHEDULES IN
OUTLYING AREAS. AND UH AND I
THINK THAT THERE'S A THERE'S
GOING TO BE A LOT OF
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEXT FEW
YEARS AS SOME OF THESE PILOT
PROJECTS PLAY OUT, AND I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST TO DO
IT IN IN THE LARGER CITIES LIKE
WE HAVE SOME PROJECTS LIKE THAT
IN L. A METRO RIGHT NOW, BUT BUT
IN IN PLACES AROUND THE STATE
WHERE WE HAVE DIFFICULT TO SERVE
ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
CARS THAT DO NEED SERVICE. AND
THEY NEED BETTER QUALITY
SERVICE, AND WE'RE ABLE TO
PROVIDE COST EFFECTIVELY WITH
TRADITIONAL SERVICE. SO I I'M.
I'M SANGUINE ABOUT THE FUTURE IN
THIS BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A
LOT OF GOOD EXPERIMENTS GOING.
ANYONE ELSE? YES, SENATOR
ARCHULETTA. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR AND THANK YOU BOTH
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER. AH AND
I THINK WE'RE THESE THINGS THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL
TRANSPORTATION. ACROSS THE STATE
AND, OF COURSE, DIFFERENT
REGIONS HAVE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.
SO ON BUT IN THE LOS ANGELES
AREA, GREATER LOS ANGELES SAN
GABRIEL VALLEY IN THE AREA. SO
IF YOU ASK SOME OF MY
CONSTITUENTS, WHY DON'T YOU GET
ON THAT BUS AND SAID THOSE THAT
DO THEY HAVE NO CHOICE? THAT'S
WHAT I GOTTA DO. GOTTA WAIT IN
THE RAIN. I'VE GOT TO WAIT AN
HOUR. WHATEVER IT IS, THAT'S NO
CHOICE. THEN YOU ASK SOMEBODY
THAT HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE TO
COME. FULL CIRCLE IS SOMEONE
SAYS, I DO HAVE A CHOICE. I
PREFER TO TAKE THE PUBLIC.
TRANSIT BECAUSE I KNOW ABOUT
RELIABILITY. I KNOW ABOUT
DEPENDABILITY I KNOW ABOUT COST.
AND THE FUTURE. SOMEONE IN THAT
SAME CATEGORY WOULD SAY, I KNOW
THEY'RE SAFE. THEY'RE CLEAN AND
IT'S A GOOD WAY TO GO TO TAKE MY
FAMILY FOR A SUNDAY RIDE. NOT IN
THE CAR, BUT ON THE BUS. IMAGINE
IF WE CAN DO THAT. BUT WE'RE NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND
STILL, WE START CLEANING UP THE
GRAFFITI ON SOME OF THESE BUSSES
CLEANED UP THE GRAFFITI ON THE
CORRIDORS THAT ARE DOWN THESE
HIGHWAYS AND FREEWAYS AND TILL
WE ACTUALLY CLEAN UP CALIFORNIA.
BECAUSE OUR STREETS NEED TO BE
CLEANED UP. GRANTED, UH WE'RE
NOT TALKING ABOUT THE HOMELESS
THAT ARE OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S
AN ISSUE. UH WE'RE NOT TALKING
ABOUT SO MUCH HOUSING, BUT
THAT'S AN ISSUE. BUT AS FAR AS
TRANSPORTATION IS CONCERNED, WE
NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN. WE NEED TO
HAVE A BRAND NEW PR PROGRAM THAT
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PROMOTE THAT
IN CALIFORNIA. ANYWHERE YOU GO.
YOU WILL FIND QUICK, RELIABLE,
CLEAN AND SAFE BUSSES.
TRANSPORTATION WILL GET YOU FROM
POINT A TO POINT B AND WE'LL DO
IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THAT YOU CAN TAKE
YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU AND FEEL
SAFE WHEN WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT.
I THINK THE DOORS ARE OPEN. AND
YES, WE'VE GOT TO GIVE YOU MORE
MONEY, BUT I THINK ALSO YOU'VE
GOT TO GIVE US A GOOD PR PROGRAM
SO WE CAN START OPENING THESE
DOORS. YOUR COMMENTS. SO THANK
YOU, SENATOR FOR THE
OBSERVATIONS FOR THE FEEDBACK ON
ON THIS FRONT AND I THINK WHAT I
WOULD IDENTIFY IS THAT FOR US AS
AN INDUSTRY WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT
TO SOME OF THE PERCEPTION ISSUES
THAT SURROUND PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND I THINK SOME OF THE PATHS
FORWARD HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED
FAIRLY RECENTLY THROUGH VARIOUS
STATE PROGRAMS. THERE WAS A
CLEAN CALIFORNIA PROGRAM THAT
WAS BROUGHT ONLINE A YEAR OR TWO
AGO THAT IS PROVIDING AGENCIES
WITH THE ABILITY TO APPLY $4 FOR
MAKING THINGS LIKE STATION AREA
IMPROVEMENTS THAT CLEAN UP
GRAFFITI CLEANUP. DEBRIS AT
THEIR STATIONS AT THEIR BUS
STOPS AS A WAY OF PROVIDING A
CLEANER OUTWARD FACE TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC OF OUR SERVICES.
BUT I DO WANT TO ALSO TOUCH ON
THE HOMELESSNESS. HOMELESSNESS
ISSUE A BIT MORE SOMETHING THAT
I TOUCHED ON IN MY REMARKS,
SOMETHING THAT SENATOR WIENER
BROUGHT UP IN HIS COMMENTS. AND
HERE. PART OF THE SOLUTION IS
NEW FUNDING FROM THE STATE
DIRECTLY TO THE TRANSIT AGENCIES
IN SENATOR WIENERS WORDS,
AGENCIES HAVE TO GO OUT AND A
BIG TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO
SECURE THOSE DOLLARS. AND AS
WE'VE TALKED TO OUR AGENCY
MEMBERS, THEY ARE VERY MUCH
PULLING FROM THEIR OPERATING
BUDGETS TO ADDRESS THE INCIDENTS
OF HOMELESSNESS ON THEIR
SYSTEMS. AND THE AGENCIES ARE
MAKING THE STRIDES IN THIS AREA
ARE NOT MOVING IN A DIRECTION OF
FURTHER CRIMINALIZATION. THEY'RE
MOVING IN A DIRECTION OF
ESTABLISHING AMBASSADOR PROGRAMS
DIRECTING FOLKS TO SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES IN FINDING A PATH
FORWARD FOR ENSURING THAT THOSE
INDIVIDUALS CAN ULTIMATELY FIND
THEMSELVES IN. A POSITION THAT
THEY'RE FINANCIALLY STABLE,
FINANCIALLY HEALTHY. AND IT'S
THERE THAT WE DO NEED SOME
ADDITIONAL HELP. AND PART OF
THAT IS A SOCIAL OR MORAL
IMPERATIVE. THE OTHER INTERSECTS
WITH THIS RIDERSHIP STORY THAT
WE'VE BEEN TELLING. WE'RE WHEN
WE TALKED TO FOLKS THAT WERE
ONCE CHOICE WRITERS, YOU KNOW
THEY HAD THE OPTION TO TAKE
PUBLIC TRANSIT OR TO TAKE THEIR
SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLE IF
THEY'RE NOT WRITING TODAY, THERE
, TOO DOMINANT REASONS FOR THAT
ONE IS REMOTE WORK. THE OTHER.
OUR CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY OR
CLEANLINESS OF THE SYSTEMS AND
SO HAVING A THROUGH LINE TO
DIRECT STATE SUPPORT THERE WOULD
HELP US IMMENSELY IN MAKING SOME
PROGRESS ON THESE FRONTS. THE
COMMENT I'D LIKE TO IF I MAY,
MADAM CHAIR IS CONTINUE ON THIS
NOTE. WE ALL WANT OUR AIR
CLEANER ADMISSIONS. AND I KNOW
THAT FOOTHILL TRANSIT WHERE I
TOOK A LOOK, SEE A TOUR AND
ACTUALLY RODE THE BUSSES
HYDROGEN. THE HYDROGEN BUSSES.
WE'RE FINDING MORE AND MORE
TRANSIT AGENCIES ARE GOING IN
THAT DIRECTION, AND I THINK WE
ALSO NEED TO SUPPORT THEM
BECAUSE THAT'S AN ALTERNATIVE.
AND I THINK THAT THOSE WHO WILL
RIDE THOSE BUSSES IN THE FUTURE
WILL FEEL THAT THEY'RE GIVING
BACK GIVING BACK TO THE CLEAN
AIR THAT WE NEED GIVEN BACK TO
THE CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN,
BECAUSE AN AGENCY IS ACTUALLY
GOING FORWARD WITH CLEAN
HYDROGEN. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS
ON THAT? YEAH YES. YES, SIR. UM
HYDROGEN IS DEFINITELY PART OF
THE PACKAGE HERE IN TERMS OF
CLEAN, CLEAN TRANSPORTATION. AND
ON THE STATE SIDE, WE ARE
LOOKING AT BOTH INTERCITY BUS
AND INTERCITY RAIL SERVICES THAT
WILL USE HYDROGEN AS PART OF THE
PACKAGE. A LOT OF TIMES. THERE'S
ALSO COME WITH BATTERIES IN THE
IN THE SAME VEHICLES THAT CAN
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR
THE SERVICE. BUT I'M DEFINITELY
HYDROGEN IS ONE OF THE
TECHNOLOGIES AND WE'RE WORKING
WITH A NUMBER OF BUS OPERATORS,
BOTH URBAN AND INNER CITY AROUND
THE STATE TO PROVIDE THAT KIND
OF ADVANCED THOSE KINDS OF
PROCUREMENT AND DO THOSE
TOGETHER BECAUSE IN MANY CASES,
AGENCIES, EACH DOING THEIR OWN
PROCUREMENT IN THIS SPACE WOULD
BE WOULD BE WASTEFUL OF
RESOURCES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK
YOU. I WANT TO THANK THE PANEL
OR BEING HERE AND TAKING ALL
THESE QUESTIONS FOR SUCH A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME. I KNOW THAT YOU
CAN SEE THE LEVEL OF INTEREST.
I'M FRAUD, THE LEGISLATORS, SO
THANK YOU. UM I JUST WANT TO LET
YOU KNOW, TOO, THAT WE ARE
WORKING ON A MEASURE ABOUT
HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH ON
TRANSIT. UM AND I DEFINITELY
WANT TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION
ABOUT WHETHER TRANSIT AGENCIES
SHOULD BE DOING THIS WORK AT
ALL. UM NOT THAT YOU DON'T DO IT
WELL, IN MANY CASES, BUT YOU
KNOW OUR OUR LOCAL TRANSIT. UM
HOMELESSNESS AGENCIES STEPPING
UP AND YOU KNOW, DON'T WE NEED
MORE COORDINATION, LESS
FRAGMENTATION? SO WHAT'S
CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION ON
ANOTHER DAY, BUT THANKS AGAIN,
AND WE'LL CALL OUR SECOND PANEL
UP. AND OUR MIND MYSELF AND ALL
OF OUR REMAINING LEGISLATORS
THAT WE STILL HAVE TWO PANELS
LEFT AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE
LOTS OF PLANES TO CATCH,
ETCETERA, SO WE WILL TRY TO DO
OUR BEST TO GET YOU THROUGH THIS
. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU. YOU CAN
SEE THAT THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE
AMOUNT OF INTEREST FROM THE
LEGISLATURE IN TRANSIT AGENCIES
, AND I'M REALLY VERY THRILLED
TO SEE THIS LEVEL OF
PARTICIPATION AS WELL. WE DON'T
GET THAT VERY OFTEN AND FOR
INFORMATIONAL HEARING, SO THAT'S
BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF THE
SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE. SO THANKS
AGAIN FOR BEING HERE AND I'LL
LET WHICHEVER OF YOU WANTS TO
BEGIN. THE BUTTON. HERE WE GO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR
GONZALEZ AND CHAIR FRIEDMAN FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL TURNER. I'M
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT METRO
HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR CEO
STEPHANIE WIGGINS, WHO NEEDED TO
REMAIN IN L A DO TO THE STORM'S
IMPACT ON OUR SYSTEM. METRO IS
THE SECOND BUSIEST TRANSIT
AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE
ARE THE LEAD TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING AND FUNDING AGENCY FOR
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, HOME TO 10
MILLION PEOPLE. I SHOULD NOTE.
OUR GOAL IS AN AGENCY HAS BEEN
TO TRANSFORM TRANSIT IN LOS
ANGELES COUNTY, AND WE'RE DOING
THAT THROUGH THE NATION'S MOST
AMBITIOUS CAPITAL EXPANSION
PROGRAM AND SOME OF THE MOST
INNOVATIVE TRANSIT PROGRAMS IN
THE COUNTRY. LIKE OTHER ASIAN
TRANSIT AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA,
AND INDEED THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE'RE ALSO FACING A
FISCAL CLIFF WITH THE LOSS OF
FEDERAL REVENUE AND THE
INCREASED COST OF AS A
CONSEQUENCE OF THE PANDEMIC.
RIDERSHIP IS DOWN, BUT IT'S
COMING BACK. WE'VE HAD GOOD
PROGRESS TO RESTORE IT WERE
ABOUT 70% OVERALL OF OUR
RIDERSHIP FROM PRE COVID, AND
IT'S GROWING. OUR ANNUAL
RIDERSHIP IS UP 12% A YEAR PRE
COAT POST COVID. SO THOSE ARE
ALL GOOD NEWS. THE RIDERSHIP
INCREASE IS A DIRECT RESULT OF
THE STEPS WE'VE TAKEN TO IMPROVE
QUALITY AND FREQUENCY OF OUR
SERVICE AND MAKE IT MORE
ACCESSIBLE AND MORE TRANSIT USER
FRIENDLY SPECIFICALLY TARGETED.
FOR EXAMPLE, LOW INCOME WRITERS
, WOMEN AND K THROUGH 12 AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS. WE
KNOW THE PANDEMIC HAS DISRUPTED
OUR CUSTOMERS TRAVEL PATTERNS
AND WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SOME NEW
IDEAS THAT ARE PAYING OFF FIRST
IS TO OFFER FAST, FREQUENTLY
RELIABLE BEST SERVICE IF WE WERE
GONNA RECOVER OUR BUS CUSTOMERS
WHO REPRESENT ABOUT 80% OF OUR
RIDERSHIP, UM WE NEED TO THINK
OUTSIDE THE BOX AND DO THINGS
INNOVATIVELY. SO WE'VE
IMPLEMENTED OUR NEXT GEN. JACK.
EXCUSE ME NEXT GENERATION BUS
PROGRAM. COULD USE A BETTER NAME
BE EASIER TO SAY, WHICH IS THE
DATA INFORMED STRATEGY THAT
OPTIMIZES OUR BUS ROUTES AND
PROVIDES GREATER BUS FREQUENCIES
THROUGHOUT THE DAY, PARTICULARLY
IN THE AFTERNOONS. UM ONE OF THE
KEY THINGS WE DID WITH THIS WAS
WE USE BIG DATA. WE USE
ANONYMIZED, UM, CELL PHONE DATA
TO SEE HOW OUR WRITERS ARE
ACTUALLY USING OUR SYSTEM.
BECAUSE OUR BUS SYSTEM HASN'T
BEEN RESTRUCTURED ABOUT 20 YEARS
, SO WE WAS USEFUL TO LOOK AT
WHERE OUR PATRONS WERE ACTUALLY
TRAVELING. THE DATA SHOWED US
THAT SHIFT WORKERS BENEFIT FROM
GREATER AFTERNOON FREQUENCIES.
THE FACILITY, CHANGING WORK
SCHEDULES AND IRREGULAR COMMUTE
HOURS. ALSO WOMEN BENEFIT
BECAUSE THEY MORE OFTEN PERFORM
HOUSEHOLD SUSTAINING ACTIVITIES.
LIKE PICKING UP KIDS FROM
DAYCARE OR GOING TO THE GROCERY
STORE ON THE WAY HOME IN THE
AFTERNOONS. WE'VE ALSO NEEDED TO
BUILD OUR WORKFORCE TO MAKE NEXT
GENERATION WORK. SO WE WENT OUT
AND HIRED HUNDREDS OF NEW BUS
OPERATORS AND 2022. WE RAISED
THE STARTING WAGE FOR OUR
OPERATORS BY $4 AN HOUR WE'RE
SPENDING MORE MONEY, BUT WE'RE
ALSO PROVIDING A MUCH BETTER AND
MORE USEFUL SERVICE. BECAUSE OF
THAT. WE FULLY RESTORED OUR PRE
PANDEMIC LEVEL OF BUS SERVICE
THROUGH NEXT GENERATION. EXCUSE
ME THROUGH NEXT GEN. IN DECEMBER
OF 2022, SO WE'RE BACK AT THE
FULL LEVEL OF BUS SERVICE WE
WERE PROVIDING BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC. IT'S WORKING, AND OUR
RIDERSHIP IS SLOWLY COMING BACK.
THAT INFORMS STRATEGIES ARE NOT
ALL THAT WE'RE DOING. WE'VE
IMPLEMENTED NEW PROGRAMS TO HELP
LOW INCOME PEOPLE AND STUDENTS
AFFORD TRANSIT OR GO PAST
PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH K THROUGH
12 AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICTS AND PROVIDES FREE
ACCESS TO STUDENTS THROUGHOUT
OUR SYSTEM AND DOZENS OF OTHERS
IN THE COUNTY GO PAST RESULTED
IN A NEARLY 300% INCREASE IN
STUDENT PASS HOLDERS. IN 2022.
WE'VE WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH
THE L. A COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES TO HELP
SIGN UP PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY FOR
OUR LOW INCOME IS FAIR. LOW
INCOME IS FAIR. HE'S ONE OF OUR
SUBSIDY PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE
ABLE TO AUTOMATICALLY ENROLL
PEOPLE IN CERTAIN SOCIAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM INTO OUR
REDUCED FARE PROGRAMS. TAKEN
TOGETHER, THESE TWO PROGRAMS
ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 9% OF ALL
BOARDINGS LAST YEAR AND MAY HAVE
CONTRIBUTED A LOT TO THE 12%
INCREASE WE'VE SEEN WHILE THESE
PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ARE
HELPING TO RESTORE RIDERSHIP
THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS, WE ARE
FACED WITH SOME STARK REALITIES
AND SOME BIG HEADWINDS. METRO IS
PROJECTING A $400 MILLION
DEFICIT IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, A
$1 BILLION DEFICIT IN FISCAL
YEAR 2026 LET ME REPEAT THAT
DEFICIT PROJECTED DEFICIT IN
2025 IS $400 MILLION, AND IN
2026 $1 BILLION GO PASS AND LIFE
PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY PAID FOR
BY OPERATING FUNDS GO PAST WILL
COST 13 MILLION IN 2023 LIFE
WILL COST 31 MILLION. YOU'VE
HEARD FROM, UH, MR PIMENTEL TALK
ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND OUR
SYSTEM, AND WE ARE EXPERIENCING
THAT IN AS A VERY SIGNIFICANT
PROBLEM IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
AND IT COMES AT A VERY BIG COST
SINCE 2018 METRO HAS USED ABOUT
24 MILLION IN OPERATING FUNDS TO
PAY FOR EIGHT OUTREACH TEAMS TO
HELP PROVIDE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS TO CONNECT TO
SERVICES THIS YEAR, WE WILL
SPEND ABOUT $255 MILLION ON
ADDITIONAL SYSTEM CLEANING. BIG
CHUNK OF THAT EXTRA CLEANING
BILL IS DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE
SECOND ORDER EFFECTS OF
HOMELESSNESS AND ANYONE WRITING
OUR SYSTEM TODAY CAN TELL YOU
IT'S NOT ENOUGH. SO LIKE TO NOTE
THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT
UNIQUE TO METRO, THEY'RE
IMPACTING ALL TRANSIT AGENCIES
IN CALIFORNIA. WE WORK WITH ALL
THE MUNICIPAL OPERATORS IN L. A
COUNTY WHO ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING
SIMILAR CHALLENGES. WE'VE WHEN
IT COMES TO REAL ESTATE. WE'VE
ALSO DONATED PERSONAL OF METRO
OWNED LAND FOR INTERIM HOUSING,
NOT TO MENTION THE THOUSANDS OF
SUPPORTIVE AND INCOME HOUSING
RESTRICTED UNITS THAT CAN BE
PROVIDED ON OUR PROPERTY AND
THAT CAN BE BUILT THROUGH OUR
JOINT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
UNFORTUNATELY METRO DOESN'T
QUALIFY FOR FUNDS TO ADDRESS THE
HOMELESS CRISIS ON OUR SYSTEM.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
WE CAN'T DELIVER THE TYPE OF
TRANSIT EXPERIENCE THE VOTERS
EXPECT WITHOUT ADDRESSING THAT
CORE ISSUE AND I'LL CLOSE BY
SAYING THIS OUR MOON SHOT.
BULLET METRO IS TO BE ANGELENOS
FIRST CHOICE FOR TRANSPORTATION
TO DO THAT. WE NEED TO TRANSFORM
THE WAY PEOPLE MOVE IN L. A
COUNTY L. A COUNTY'S VOTED 71%
IN 2016 TO TRANSFORM OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM BY VOTING
FOR MEASURE ARE WE STAND READY
TO COLLABORATE WITH ANYONE AND
EVERYONE TO DELIVER ON THAT
VISION. I'M CHAIRING GERALD
CLOSE MY REMARKS. GOOD EVENING
CHAIR GONZALEZ AND CHAIR
FRIEDMAN AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
REBECCA LONG, AND I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATION AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT MTC. THANK YOU
FOR HAVING ME TODAY AND FOR
HOLDING THIS HEARING. I WAS
ASKED TO SHARE WHAT THE BAY AREA
IS DOING TO BRING BACK WRITERS
AND MTC S ROLE IN IT. MTC IS THE
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
AGENCY, OR R T P A. FOR THE NINE
COUNTY BAY AREA, A REGION OF
EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE SERVED BY
27 JUST DISTINCT TRANSIT
OPERATIVES, AS YOU'VE ALREADY
HEARD. DESPITE THIS FRAGMENTED
GOVERNANCE WRITERS CAN NAVIGATE
THE SYSTEM WITH A SINGLE FARE
PAYMENT CARD KNOWN AS CLIPPER.
ALSO AVAILABLE ON YOUR PHONE.
WHICH WAS DEVELOPED BY AND IS
ADMINISTERED BY MTC. AS THE R T
P A. MTC IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR
LONG TERM PLANNING OUR
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGY,
WHICH IS THE REGIONAL PLAN TO
REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
FROM TRANSPORTATION AND PROJECT
PRIORITIZATION, AND WE
DISTRIBUTE BOTH STATE AND
FEDERAL TRANSIT FUNDS. IN
DECEMBER. 2020 22/20 MILLION
TRIPS WERE TAKEN ON PUBLIC
TRANSIT IN OUR REGION, A LARGE
NUMBER BUT ONLY 53% OF 2019
LEVELS. THIS SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTION IN RIDERSHIP, ALONG
WITH STEEP INCREASES IN THE COST
OF OPERATING THESE LAST THREE
YEARS, RESULTS IN A FORECASTED
SHORTFALL IN OUR REGION OF
BETWEEN 2.5 TO $2.9 BILLION OVER
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, TRANSIT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A LIFELINE FOR THE
BAY AREA'S LOW INCOME RESIDENTS
, AS WELL AS MANY PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES AND SENIORS WHO
COUNT ON TRANSIT TO GET TO WORK
SCHOOL MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. AND
OTHER ESSENTIAL TRIPS. BUT TODAY
THESE WRITERS REPRESENT AN EVEN
GREATER SHARE OF BARRY A TRANSIT
CUSTOMERS. TRANSIT WRITERS ARE
ALSO DISPROPORTIONATELY MORE
LIKELY TO BE PEOPLE OF COLOR. AS
SUCH HAVING A HEALTHY TRANSIT
SYSTEM IS TRULY FOUNDATIONAL TO
ADVANCING EQUITY IN OUR REGION
AND OUR STATE. SO WHAT ARE WE
DOING TO BRING BACK WRITERS AND
PRESERVE OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM?
WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT. MTC
RECOGNIZED THE CRISIS WAS ALSO
AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS
LONGSTANDING BARRIERS TO AND
MORE SEAMLESS TRANSIT SYSTEM AND
FORMED A MULTI STAKEHOLDER BLUE
RIBBON TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY
STRATEGIES TO WIN BACK RIDERS.
OUR FIRST INITIATIVE IS FAIR
INTEGRATION. I MENTIONED THE
CLIPPER CARD, WHICH MAKES FAIR
PAYMENT SIMPLE, BUT FAIR
INTEGRATION GOES ONE STEP
FURTHER, CREATING SYNERGY AND
ACCESS WHERE TODAY THERE IS A
LOT OF FRICTION. THE SECOND IS
IMPROVING THE EXPERIENCED
WRITERS HAVE USING MULTIPLE
OPERATORS SO THAT IT FEELS TRULY
LIKE ONE CONNECTED HARMONIOUS
SYSTEM INSTEAD OF A CONFUSING
MAZE OF LOGOS AND SYMBOLS. WE
CALL THIS OUR MAPPING AND WAY
FINDING PROJECT AND WE'VE
RECENTLY BROUGHT ON A CONSULTANT
TO DEVELOP IT ACROSS THE REGION.
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, IT'S
ABOUT SPEED AS WE'VE ALREADY
HEARD TODAY, IF TRANSIT TAKES
MUCH LONGER THAN DRIVING, MOST
PEOPLE WHO HAVE A CHOICE WON'T
TAKE IT. WHEN YOU GIVE BUSSES
PRIORITY AND CUT DOWN TRAVEL
TIME THE WRITERS DO COME AS
HELPFUL AS THESE INITIATIVES
WILL BE. THEY ARE ONE OFFS TO
SUSTAIN THE MOMENTUM GENERATED
BY THE TASK FORCE AND CREATE THE
CUSTOMER FOCUSED, SEAMLESS
SYSTEM WE NEED. JUST LAST WEEK,
M. T C APPROVED A NEW REGIONAL
NETWORK MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE FOR
THE BAY AREA TO DRIVE
TRANSFORMATIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TRANSIT WRITER EXPERIENCE.
THIS WILL ELEVATE THE ROLE MTC
WILL PLAY AND COORDINATING
PUBLIC TRANSIT AND PARTNER WITH
THE TRANSIT AGENCIES. AND ALSO
INCLUDES A NEW TRANSIT CUSTOMER
ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO GIVE AREA
TRANSIT RIDERS A SINGLE FORUM TO
VOICE THEIR CONCERNS. IN CLOSING
. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF
THE KEY CHALLENGES WE FACE IN
BRINGING WRITERS BACK. BY FAR
THE LARGEST BARRIER THE BARRIER
FACES IS THE SHIFT IN HOW WE
WORK. REMOTE WORK HAS TAKEN HOLD
IN THE BAY AREA MORE THAN
ANYWHERE ELSE IN NORTH AMERICA,
AND THERE'S LITTLE TRANSIT
AGENCIES CAN DO ABOUT IT. SO
THOSE THAT WERE FOR FOCUSED ON
SERVING COMMUTERS TRYING TO
AVOID WEEKDAY TRAFFIC DO NEED TO
REINVENT THEMSELVES TO ATTRACT
DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRIPS, LIKE
THE WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT
OPTIONS SHOPPING, SCHOOL TRIPS,
ESSENTIAL SERVICE WORKERS AND
MORE. IMPLEMENTING TRANSIT
PRIORITY IS ALSO A CHALLENGE AS
YOU ALSO HEARD HER IN THE
PREVIOUS PANEL, TRANSIT AGENCIES
TYPICALLY NEED PERMISSION FROM
THEIR CITY OR FROM CALTRANS TO
GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT ON
THE ROADWAY, AND THAT IS NOT
EASY. FINALLY A MAJOR CHALLENGE
IS HIRING MANY AGENCIES DO FACE
OPERATING OPERATOR VACANCIES OF
20% OR MORE AND SAY THE BIGGEST
BARRIER THEY FACE FOR RIDERSHIP
. RECOVERY IS NOT HAVING ENOUGH
DRIVERS TO PROVIDE THE BETTER
SERVICE LEVELS THAT THEIR
CUSTOMERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PREPARED
REMARKS AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
HOLDING THIS HEARING TODAY.
THANK YOU. PANELISTS WELL, GOOD
AFTERNOON, HONORABLE SHARES.
GONZALES AND FRIEDMAN. WE THANK
YOU AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
I'M ALEX CLIFFORD. I'M THE CEO
AT SAN JOAQUIN REGIONAL TRANSIT
DISTRICT. WHAT WE CALL OUR TD.
UM WELL, I'VE ONLY BEEN THE CEO
AT RTD FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR.
I'VE BEEN IN TRANSPORTATION
LEADERSHIP FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
HAVING SERVED AS CEO OF SANTA
CRUZ METRO FOR NINE YEARS PRIOR
TO COMING TO R T. D UH SHE CEO
OF CHICAGO METRA COMMUTER RAIL,
ONE OF THE LARGEST COMMUTER RAIL
SYSTEMS IN THE NATION. GENERAL
MANAGER AND AS AN EXECUTIVE
OFFICER OF HIGH SPEED RAIL AT
LOS ANGELES AND T, A AND ALSO
RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCILMAN FOR
EIGHT YEARS IN WHICH I CUT MY
TEETH ON TRANSIT, REPRESENTING
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ON
VARIOUS TRANSIT AND RAIL
COMMISSION AND BOARDS. I'M ALSO
A MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA
TRANSIT ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE, MET MICHAEL EARLIER.
CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION
FOR COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION,
KNOWN AS KELLOCK, VICE CHAIR OF
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION, APT,
A SMALL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND BOARD MEMBER OF THE BUS
COALITION, ALSO ON VARIOUS OTHER
NATIONAL COMMITTEES, INCLUDING
THE ZERO EMISSION BUS RESOURCE
ALLIANCE, KNOWN AS ZEBRA. SOME
QUICK DEMOGRAPHIC FACTS ABOUT
OUR REGION. RTD IS LOCATED IN
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AIR
POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT, A
NONATTAINMENT DISTRICT UNDER THE
FEDERAL CLEAN AIR ACT, R T. D
PROVIDES SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY. BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020.
THE POPULATION OF SAN JOAQUIN
COUNTY INCREASED NEARLY 14.
HISPANIC LATINO POPULATION
INCREASED BY 3.6% THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN POPULATION REMAINED AT
ABOUT 7.1% AND THE NUMBER OF LOW
INCOME CENSUS TRACTS IN THE CITY
OF STOCKTON. INCREASE FROM 51 TO
61. WE JUST REPEAT THAT. THE
NUMBER OF LOW INCOME CENSUS
TRACTS IN THE CITY OF STOCKTON
INCREASED OVER THAT 10 YEAR
PERIOD FROM 51 TO 61 CENSUS
TRACTS. APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE
CENSUS TRACTS IN STOCKTON ARE
IDENTIFIED AS DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES. 50% OF THE STOCKTON
POPULATION IS CLASSIFIED AS
LOWER INCOME OR BELOW. RTD HAS
BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES IN THE
INDUSTRY. RTD OPERATES 24
ELECTRIC ZERO EMISSION BUSSES
AND WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST
ADOPTERS OF ELECTRIC BUSSES,
HAVING PLACED THE FIRST TWO
BUSSES AND SERVICE BACK IN 2013.
TODAY RTD IS ORDERING FIVE FUEL
CELL ELECTRIC BUSSES FOR THREE
FOR A THREE YEAR PILOT. THE
PILOT WILL WILL HELP RTD
DETERMINE THE ULTIMATE MIX OF
BATTERY ELECTRIC AND FUEL CELL
ELECTRIC BUSSES AS WE WORK
TOWARDS COMPLYING WITH THE CARBS
, INNOVATIVE, CLEAN TRANSIT I C
T REGULATION. RTD IS IN THE
PROCESS OF IMPROVING THE FAIR
PAYMENT SYSTEM TO MIRROR THE
GOALS OF CALIPH TP, NAMELY,
SEAMLESS CONTACT. TRAVEL BETWEEN
TRANSIT AGENCIES. RTD OPERATES
MICRO TRANSIT BRANDED AS VAN
GOGH. THIS PILOT IS CERTAINLY
UNDER REVIEW. WE DO NOT SEE
MICRO TRANSIT AS A SOLUTION TO
OFFSETTING RIDERSHIP LOSSES AND
I'LL BE HAPPY TO DOUBLE BACK TO
THAT. WHEN YOU GET BACK INTO Q
AND A R R T D S RESEARCH
REFLECTS THAT THERE ARE A LARGE
NUMBER OF DISADVANTAGED
NEIGHBORHOODS IN STOCKTON IN
WHICH OVER THE PAST DECADE OR
MORE FIXED ROUTE BUS SERVICE IN
THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AS DEGRADED
TO ONE HOUR SERVICE FREQUENCY
AND A SHRINKING SPAN OF SERVICE,
CLEARLY A FORMULA FOR FAILURE.
SO. AS I BRING THIS TO A CLOSE,
I WANT TO CLOSE WITH HOW CAN THE
STATE HELP US AND BE HAPPY TO
TALK ABOUT THESE TWO AFTERWARDS?
UM, CERTAINLY HAS BEEN HAS BEEN
DISCUSSED TODAY, PROVIDING MORE
FUNDING REDUCED REGULATIONS
AVOID LEGISLATION THAT JUST DOES
NOT HELP RESOLVE THE RIDERSHIP
PROBLEM. OPERATING FUNDING
CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE
NEED IF WE'RE GOING TO MEET OUR
GOAL OF FOCUSING ALL OF OUR
SERVICE, REALIGNING SERVICE AND
FOCUSING ON THOSE DISADVANTAGED
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT'S GOING TO
COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS UNLESS
WE ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL TAKE
FROM SOME OTHER AREA AND
REALLOCATE THAT SERVICE. THAT
INCREASE IN SERVICE WILL ALSO
COST A LOT IN CAPITAL RESOURCES
WILL HAVE TO BUY MORE REVENUE
SERVICE BUSSES. THOSE COSTS OF
THOSE BUSSES ARE GOING UP HIGHER
AND HIGHER, ESPECIALLY IN THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. TD TD, A
REFORM AS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT
SHOULD BE ON THE PLATE. WE NEED
TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO YOU AVOID
TRANSIT AGENCIES, NOT JUST OURS,
BUT OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES
ACROSS THE STATE FROM LOSING TA
FUNDING? UM USE FARE PROGRAMS
HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT. UM I
KNOW THERE'S BEEN LEGISLATION
PROPOSED LAST YEAR. I THINK IT'S
COMING BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR. UM
I WOULD PREFER THAT YOU LET THAT
BE A LOCAL DECISION. A LOT OF
AGENCIES ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT
WE'RE DOING. PARTNERED WITH THE
LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE
PARTNERED WITH THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE WHEN THE PROCESS OF
TRYING TO EXPLORE PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF PACIFIC
THIS CAN BE DONE AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
LEGISLATED. RELATIVE TO THE
TRANSIT RECOVERY TASK FORCE
CHAIRWOMAN, UM I UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU'RE PROPOSING LEGISLATION. UM
I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO SORT OF
MAYBE FLIP THAT MODEL INSTEAD OF
HAVING TRANSIT AND STAKEHOLDERS
AND OTHERS COME TOGETHER.
CONSIDER WHO YOU HAVE ACROSS THE
STATE IN THE WAY OF YOUR TRANSIT
EXPERTS, THE CEOS AND GENERAL
MANAGERS ACROSS THE STATE. THEY
WORKED THIS BUSINESS DAY IN AND
DAY OUT. THEY SQUEEZE EVERY BIT
OUT OF EVERY PENNY THEY POSSIBLY
CAN TO PUT SERVICE ON THE STREET
. THEY KNOW THEY CAN TELL YOU AS
YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, AS YOU'LL
HEAR FROM THIS PANEL TODAY, THEY
KNOW WHAT WE NEED. WHAT WE NEED
IS TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO
YOURSELVES TO A PANEL TO A TASK
FORCE. TO TAKE THAT AND GO DO
SOMETHING WITH IT TO REDUCE
REGULATION TO AVOID LEGISLATION
TO FIND WAYS OF BRINGING MORE
FUNDING TO US. THAT WOULD BE
REALLY HELPFUL FOR US SO I WOULD
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU
CONSIDER FLIPPING THAT MODEL A
BIT. AND THEN FINALLY, UM,
RELATIVE TO THE CALIFORNIA EVERY
SOURCES BOARD I C T. WE NEED
STATE INTERVENTION. PLEASE
DIRECT CARB TO PUT THE PUMP THE
BRAKES ON THE MANDATORY PURCHASE
REQUIREMENTS. YOU HAVE FUEL CELL
BUSSES AN OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH
UP TO THE BATTERY ELECTRIC
BUSSES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
THEY HOLD GREAT HOPE AND WHAT WE
NEED IS WE NEED AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GET MORE FUEL CELL BUSSES OUT
THERE ACROSS THE STATE. SO THAT
WITH VOLUME WE CAN BRING THE
PRICE PER KILOGRAM OF HYDROGEN
FUEL DOWN. UM SO TAKE A LOOK AT
THE 2023 THE 2026 2029. PURCHASE
MANDATES AND CONSIDER ADJUSTING
THOSE A LITTLE NOT SAYING TO
MAKE HIM GO AWAY, BUT TO ADJUST
THEM A LITTLE TO ALLOW FOR FUEL
CELL TO BE EXPERIMENTED WITH. I
TOLD YOU WERE BUYING FIVE. WE'RE
GOING TO EXPERIMENT WITH THEM
SIDE BY SIDE NEXT TO BATTERY
ELECTRIC. WE'RE GONNA LET THE
DATA DRIVE US TO THE RIGHT
SOLUTION. YOU'LL SELL THIS
PROMISING AND CLOSING TRANSIT.
PUBLIC TRANSIT TO BE RESIST
RESILIENT AND TO SURVIVE LONG
TERM. WE NEED YOUR HELP. THE
STATE SHOULD NOT TRY TO PROVIDE
SOLUTIONS BUT INSTEAD TO RECEIVE
INPUT FROM THE TRANSIT EXPERTS
AGAIN CEO AND GENERAL MANAGERS
ACROSS THE STATE AND ACT UPON
THOSE NEEDS TOGETHER, WE WILL
SUCCEED. I THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY AND
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS TO
ALL OF YOU. I DO HAVE TWO
QUESTIONS FIRST FOR MR CLIFFORD.
I AM GOING TO ASK YOU TO CIRCLE
BACK TO THE MICRO TRANSIT.
COMMENT ABOUT WHY YOU FEEL THAT
THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION. I WAS
CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. SO WE HAVE
HAD MICRO TRANSIT BRANDED AS VAN
GOGH AT OUR ORGANIZATION FOR
SEVERAL YEARS NOW UNDER A PILOT
PROGRAM. AND THE PROBLEM WITH IT
IS THE COST PER TRIP IS JUST WAY
TOO MUCH. NOW, THINK ABOUT IT
WITH VAN GOGH. IT'S SORT OF UBER
LIKE THIS WITH MICRO TRANSIT. IF
YOU WILL SORT OF UBER LIKE
TRANSIT AND FOR IT TO BE
SUCCESSFUL FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO
USE IT. YOU CAN YOU HAVE TO
LIMIT HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU PUT ON
ANY VEHICLE ON ANY TRIP.
TYPICALLY, WE ACCEPT THAT THAT'S
SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT
3 TO 4 PEOPLE PER VEHICLE. WHEN
YOU DO THAT, IT JUST CANNOT BE
PRODUCTIVE. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS
IS THE PRICE FOR A TRIP JUMPS UP
TO OVER $100 PER TRIP $107 PER
TRIP. THAT'S NOT THE MOST
EFFICIENT WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS ARE
PATTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACK
AT DIFFERENT TRANSIT AGENCIES
HAVING DONE MICRO CHANGE IT AND
THEY THINK THAT IT'S GREAT, BUT
THEY'RE JUST NOT TALKING ABOUT
THOSE NUMBERS. PUSH THEM TO TELL
TELL YOU ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS
BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN'T GET
BETTER PRODUCTIVITY THAN THAT.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE, NOT A
LOT MORE ART, IN CONTRAST, OR
PARA TRANSIT IS LESS THAN HALF
THAT COST. IT'S A SIMILAR LIKE
SERVICE FIXED ROUTE BUSSES, JUST
UNDER $14 PER TRIP. WHERE WE
NEED TO INVEST IS IN THE FIXED
ROUTE AND MAKE THAT BETTER AND
GET IT TO THE RIGHT PLACES TO
SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
THANK YOU. MR TURNER. I WAS
CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED
THAT YOUR RIDERSHIP. IS ON TRACK
TO RECOVER. DOING BETTER THAN A
LOT OF THE OTHER AGENCIES ACROSS
THE STATE. SO WHY THE BIG FISCAL
CLIFF? WHERE'S THAT COMING FROM?
IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE
INCREASED COSTS WERE
EXPERIENCING. I SHOULD NOTE THAT
ARE FAIR BOX RECOVERY FROM THAT
RIDERSHIP IS ONLY ABOUT 5 TO 8%
WHICH IS WHY WE'VE BEEN NEEDING
THE WAIVERS FROM THE STATE HAS
BEEN GRANTING BY PUSHING OFF THE
FARE BOX RECOVERY REQUIREMENT.
SO IT'S THE EXTRA COSTS WE'VE
BEEN EXPERIENCING. FROM
DIFFERENT THINGS ON OUR SYSTEM,
AS WELL AS THE LOSS OF COVID
FUNDS, AND THEN THE I MENTIONED
THE EXTRA COSTS FOR CLEANING,
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THOSE ARE SOME
AREAS OF THE INCREASED COST
WORKS. THANK YOU. AND MY LAST
QUESTION IS, CAN YOU MAYBE
EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THE
ISSUES THAT YOU'VE BEEN HAVING
COORDINATING HOMELESSNESS
SERVICES WITH THE HOMELESSNESS
PROVIDERS IN LOS ANGELES. SURE
AND, UM, WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON OUR SYSTEMS,
UM I WAS THINKING ABOUT
SOMETHING LIKE COLLEAGUE DESIREE
JONES, WHO IMPLEMENT THESE
PROGRAMS WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THIS THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SOMEBODY'S BROTHER,
SOMEBODY'S SISTER, HIS DAUGHTER.
YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S FATHER,
SOMEBODY'S MOTHER, RIGHT? THAT
IS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM.
AND IT'S NOT. YOU KNOW, YOU
DON'T GO AND JUST ARREST
SOMEBODY FOR YOU KNOW A HOMELESS
PERSON FOR WRITING THE SYSTEM
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY FAIR,
RIGHT? THESE ARE HUMANS THAT ARE
EXPERIENCING A CHALLENGE. AND
THERE'S A NEED TO ADDRESS IT. IT
HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR WRITERS. IT
HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR SYSTEM. BUT
WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF
THE FACT THAT THIS IS SOMEBODY'S
FAMILY MEMBER. THAT IS IN NEED
OF HELP. WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, UM,
WE'RE USING OUR OPERATING
DOLLARS TO FUND OUTREACH TEAMS.
SO WE'RE PAYING FOR EIGHT
OUTREACH TEAMS THROUGH THE PATH
PROGRAM. WE'VE HAD SOME FAIRLY
GOOD SUCCESS WITH THAT WE'VE
PLACED OVER 800 PEOPLE INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING. I'M SORRY. I
JUST BECAUSE TIME IS GETTING
LATE. I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT MY
QUESTION IS ABOUT THE LATIN.
YOUR ISSUES COORDINATING WITH
LHASA AND OTHER AGENCIES. I KNOW
THAT YOU'RE DOING A LOT AND
YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. UM AND
I WOULD NORMALLY ALLOW YOU TO
TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT
IT'S GETTING LATE, AND I REALLY
WANT TO KNOW WHAT WHAT? WHAT?
WHAT'S THE ISSUE? ARE YOU HAVING
ISSUES OR DO YOU FIND THAT THE
COORDINATION IS JUST PERFECT
WITH BOTTOM LINE IS WE DO NOT.
WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE
THE HOMELESS FUNDING PROVIDED BY
THE STATE. UM WE WERE NOT
GETTING SERVICES PROVIDED ON OUR
TRANSIT SYSTEM BY THE AGENCIES
THAT PROVIDE THE HOMELESS
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN OUR
COUNTY. AND SO WE VOLUNTEERED TO
USE OUR MONEY TO PAY FOR THOSE
SERVICES ON OUR SIDE. I
UNDERSTAND. SO LET ME ASK, I'LL
ASK A DIFFERENT WAY. SO WHY
WEREN'T YOU GETTING THAT
COOPERATION WITH THE AGENCIES
THAT ARE TASKED WITH PROVIDING
HOMELESSNESS SERVICES? WHY ARE
THEY NOT ON YOUR SYSTEM?
PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES? UM I
DON'T KNOW THAT IT CAN GIVE YOU
A CLEAR ANSWER. I THINK PART OF
IT IS THAT THEY? IT'S PERCEIVED
ALMOST AS INVISIBLE BECAUSE A
LOT OF OUR SYSTEM IS
UNDERGROUND. UM YOU KNOW,
SOMEBODY IN A TRAIN RIDING A
TRAIN ALL DAY ISN'T AS VISIBLE
AS SOMEBODY ON THE STREET. SO I
THINK THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A
FACTOR. YOU KNOW? UM DID THEY
FEEL THAT THEY HAD DO YOU FEEL
THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY HAD ANY
ACCESS ISSUES OR WERE THERE WAS
THERE WAS THAT WE'VE WORKED
THROUGH THE ACCESS ISSUES,
THOUGH. I MEAN, THERE WERE SOME
ISSUES WITH THE TEAM'S NOT
WANTING TO GO IN OUR STATIONS OR
FEELING LIKE THEY COULDN'T GO
INTO OUR STATIONS, BUT THAT
WE'VE WORKED OUT. UM I THINK
IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH AN
OVERWHELMING PROBLEM, AND THEY
HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES. WE FILL
THE GAP SO DID THAT HELP? I MEAN
, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE NOT
DONE THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST HUMANE
RESPONSE. YOU KNOW, WE COULD
HAVE JUST SAID IT'S NOT OUR
PROBLEM. IT'S THEIR PROBLEM. UM
YEAH. SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,
I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT AND I
COULD BE WRONG. IT SEEMS TO ME
THAT YOU'RE TASKED WITH
OPERATING TRAINS AND OPERATING
BUSSES KEEPING YOUR SYSTEM CLEAN
. BUT YOU'RE NOT EQUIPPED. DID
YOU GET A FULL FLEDGED ALMOST AS
SERVICES AND I DON'T KNOW THAT
STANDING UP A WHOLE OTHER
HOMELESSNESS AGENCY JUST BECAUSE
THEY HAPPEN TO BE IN A TRAIN AND
NOT ON THE STREET. IS THE MOST
EFFECTIVE USE OF RESOURCES. SO
IT'S YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE
AND I RESPECT THE WORK THAT
YOU'VE DONE. AND I THINK THAT
YOU GUYS FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND
OR PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, GIVEN
THE CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU'RE DOING
A REALLY EXCELLENT JOB FILLING
IN THOSE GAPS, BUT I DON'T
BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE TO
DO THAT. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU KNOW. THE
COUNTY. AND THE AGENCIES THAT
ARE TASKED WITH PROVIDING
HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AS THEIR
SPECIFIC TASK. THAT'S WHAT THEY
DO. TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER
BARRIERS THEY FEEL THEY HAVE
REACHING YOUR SYSTEM IF THERE IS
ONE THAT WE ADDRESS THAT THEY
PROVIDE THE SERVICES. THEY'RE
THE ONES THAT HAVE TRAINED
SOCIAL WORKERS. THEY'RE THE ONES
THAT HAVE SHELTERS AND THAT
SHOULD BE THEIR JOB AND NOT
YOURS. THERE THERE IS NOTHING
THAT RIGHT NOW IN CURRENT LAW,
THERE IS NOTHING THAT REQUIRES
THOSE AGENCIES TO EVEN ASSESS.
THE EXISTENCE OR LEVELS OF
HOMELESSNESS ON TRANSIT SYSTEMS
AND THEN ADDRESS IT BASED ON
THOSE ASSESSMENTS. SO THAT'S
THAT'S A KEY PIECE OF IT. THANK
YOU, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO
CHANGE THAT FOR YOU. SENATOR
WIENER THAT MAKE SURE I JUST
WANT TO BACK WHAT YOUR COMMENT,
I THINK WAS READ ON POINT.
BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, BART.
I'M HAVING SPOKEN TO HIM QUITE A
BIT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE
COUNTIES ALRIGHT AND I,
INCLUDING SAN FRANCISCO OR NOT
BEING THE IT'S LIKE SOMEONE
ELSE'S PROBLEM, RIGHT, SO THEY
DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THE
SYSTEMS AS MUCH. I'M NOT SAYING
THEY NEVER DO AND THERE IS SOME
COOPERATION, BUT YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT IT'S A
THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THEY NEED
TO BE FORCED TO DO IT. I JUST
WANT TO THANK THIS PANEL AS WELL
TO GIVE US SORT OF AN ADDITIONAL
INSIGHT ON WHAT IS HAS BEEN
GOING ON AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A
STRUGGLE FOR ALL OF US TO TRY TO
FIGURE OUT THE OPERATION ON, OF
COURSE WITH IT. IT'S JUST THE
SAFETY ISSUES AND THE ISSUE OF
OUR OWN HOUSED RESIDENTS. UM
REAL QUICK QUESTION ON THE
OUTREACH TEAMS TO FOLLOW UP WITH
THAT. HOW ARE WE SELECTING? I
GUESS WITH EACH AGENCY HOW ARE
WE SELECTING? UM WHERE THESE
OUTREACH TEAMS WILL ACTUALLY E.
UM I KNOW FOR L A METRO. WE'VE
SPENT $20 MILLION. I THINK TO
CHAIR FRIEDMAN'S POINT. THAT'S
QUITE A QUITE A BIT OF MONEY TO
SPEND $20 MILLION ON THIS EFFORT
, WHICH I KNOW IS A VALIANT
EFFORT, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
OTHER FUNDING WITHIN LOS ANGELES
, AT LEAST THAT I CAN SPEAK OF
THAT SHOULD BE APPLIED TO HELP
YOU OUT AS WELL. SO I'LL STOP
THERE AND JUST KIND OF GO DOWN
THE LIST ON ON WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE IN EACH OF YOUR WELL FOR US
. WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE WE
HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHERE THE
HOMELESSNESS IS ON OUR SYSTEM,
AND IT'S CERTAIN STATIONS
SEVENTH AND METRO MACARTHUR
PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE
OTHER DOWNTOWN STATIONS HAVE
SEEN HIGHER RATES OF
HOMELESSNESS. SO WE KNOW WHERE
THE PROBLEMS ARE. FOR EXAMPLE,
WE HAVE, UM ONE OF THE ISSUES
WE'VE HAD IS WITH END OF LINE.
UM YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE
LINE IN LONG BEACH, FOR EXAMPLE
, RIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT
THAT BECOMES A PROBLEM. SO WE'VE
CONCENTRATED SERVICES THERE. SO
ON OUR SYSTEM WE KNOW BECAUSE
WE'RE DOING THE COUNTING. THIS
IS WHERE WE WANT TO SEE THE
PROVIDERS, COUNTIES AND THE
CITIES THAT DO THOSE SERVICES.
ASSESS WHERE HOMELESSNESS EXISTS
, AND THEN PROVIDE SERVICES
BASED ON WHERE THAT THOSE COUNTS
SHOW WITH THOSE COUNTS SHOW RED
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR
BECKER. SORRY I WAS GONNA HAVE
THEM ANSWER. SORRY. NO, NO, NO,
IT'S OKAY. I KNOW. WE'RE OKAY. I
KNOW. WE'RE SORRY. I'M SORRY. I
DIDN'T MEAN TO STOP THE PANEL,
PLEASE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO WE
DON'T HAVE OUR OUTREACH TEAMS
THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR
US TO DO. I REALLY APPLAUD THE
EFFORT TO PLACE THAT
RESPONSIBILITY WHERE IT'S BEST
CAN BE CERTAIN. WE DO TRANSIT.
WE DON'T WE DON'T HANDLE MENTAL
MENTAL ILLNESS AND DRUG ADDICTS
. VERY WELL. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU WANT US TO BECOME EXPERTS IN
THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE US DO
SO WE WILL TRY OUR BEST, BUT I
DON'T THINK THAT'S WHERE IT
BELONGS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE
IN RESPONSE TO IT. WE HAVE
INVESTED MORE INSECURITY, SO OUR
OPERATING COSTS HAVE GONE UP AND
BASICALLY WHAT SECURITY DOES IS
THEY'RE THEY'RE TRAINED IN NON
ESCALATION TECHNIQUES TO TRY TO
MOVE FOLKS ALONG. THAT'S THAT'S
BEST HOW WE HANDLE HANDLE IT IF
THEY'RE ON THE BUS, IF THERE TO
STOP IF THERE TERMINAL WE TRY TO
MOVE THEM ALONG AND GET THEM OFF
OUR PROPERTY. WE HAVE COME UP
AGAINST THE WALL A COUPLE OF
TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
MONTHS WHERE WE HAD, UM, SEVERE
MENTAL ILLNESS SITUATIONS IN
WHICH WE NEEDED TO CALL FOR HELP
, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE
POLICE ARRIVED, THEY WERE NOT
ABLE TO PROVIDE US ANY
ASSISTANCE. ANY PHONE NUMBERS
ANYBODY TO CONTACT UM WE NEED
HELP. IT'S HURTING OUR RIDERSHIP
THAT'S CONTRIBUTING. SENATOR
BECKER. SURE, TWO QUICK THINGS
FIRST, UM TO REBECCA LONG. THANK
YOU FOR THE EFFORTS. AS YOU
KNOW, WE TRY WITH THE SEAMLESS
BILL LAST YEAR, AND I APPRECIATE
YOU PICKING UP THOSE TENANTS, UM
, OF THAT LEGISLATION AND REALLY
PUSHING THAT THIS YEAR AND
TALKING ABOUT IT HERE TODAY, SO
I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I'LL JUST
MENTION QUICKLY BECAUSE WE HAVE
AN UNDERLYING ISSUE IN MY
DISTRICT. UM, WE'RE AT MILLBRAE.
THAT'S WHERE BART ENDS AT THE
END OF THE NIGHT. AND SO THAT
COMMUNITY HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH
THAT PROGRAM AND ACTUALLY HAD
SOME PRETTY ASTONISHING RESULTS.
WORKING WITH LIFE MOVES, AND SO
I THINK IT'S A MODEL FOR PEOPLE
TO REALLY LOOK AT. UNFORTUNATELY
IT'S GOT NO SUPPORT FROM BART ON
THAT, AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT ABOUT THAT RECENTLY. UM
BUT IT'S REALLY BEEN LEFT FOR
THE COMMUNITY TO DEAL WITH. AND
YOU KNOW COMMUNITY NORMALLY NOT
BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH BUT HAS
NOW WORKING WITH LIFE MOVES HAS
SOME GOOD RESULTS, SO AGAIN
MIGHT BE A MODEL TO LOOK AT FOR
THE FUTURE. THANK YOU, SENATOR
ARCHULETTA. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIRS AND AGAIN ONCE AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING US
TOGETHER. GREAT PANELISTS. UH
LET ME GO ASK THAT QUESTION AND
I AGREE WITH THE CHAIR THAT YOU
KNOW IT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO HANDLE
THESE HOMELESS AND SO ON. BUT IF
YOU TURN THE SWITCH, YOU CAN'T
IT. IS THERE A TRANSITION TO GET
AWAY FROM THAT THAT YOU'LL GO
THROUGH THERE AND METRO YEAH, I
THINK, UM. IT'S GOING TO TAKE
TIME AND IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT, RIGHT? I MEAN
HOMELESSNESS IS ONE ISSUE WE'RE
FACING, UM, DRUG USE IS ANOTHER
SERIOUS PROBLEM ON OUR SYSTEM.
YOU PROBABLY SAW SOME NEWS ABOUT
THE, UM RIGHT OF DEATHS ON OUR
SYSTEM JUST IN THE LAST TWO
MONTHS AND, UM AND THAT'S FROM
DRUG USE. SO IT'S YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS OR IF
YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH JAN HOUSE
POPULATION WHO ARE MAINLY JUST
SEEKING SHELTER YOU HAVE WE HAVE
ISSUES WITH DRUG USE ON OUR
SYSTEM AND YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S
BROTHER SOMEBODY'S SISTER THAT
GOT HOOKED ON DRUGS AND THEY
NEED HELP. AND THEN THERE ARE
CRIME PROBLEMS RIGHT? AND THEY
ALL NEED DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS,
RIGHT? WE WERE ADDRESSING ALL OF
THEM AND WHAT WE THINK IS THE
APPROPRIATE WAY WITH THE
RESOURCES WE HAVE, BUT IT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE
OVERNIGHT. ON THE WITH THE OTHER
PANELISTS WHO WERE HERE EARLIER
I HAD MENTIONED ABOUT HAVING A
CHOICE. YOU KNOW TO SOME PEOPLE
HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO RIDE THE
TRANSIT SYSTEMS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND OTHERS WOULD LOVE TO. WE'D
ALL LOVE TO SAY I HAVE THE
CHOICE AND I'M GOING TO RIDE
BECAUSE THEY'RE CLEANER, FASTER
, SAFER AND WE HAVE SECURITY AND
WE DON'T HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE
GOING BACK AND FORTH, SO TO
ACHIEVE THAT, TO GET THAT
PENDULUM BACK WHERE IT SHOULD
BE. UM WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT'S
GOING TO TAKE? 11 WHEN WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN THE
ASSOCIATION, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
IT IN TERMS OF, UM A COUPLE OF
YEARS OF EFFORT. THINGS WE NEED
TO DO HERE, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT
WE'RE AWARE OF THE FISCAL CLIFF
THE STATE IS FACING, SO WE WANT
TO LOOK AT WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?
THAT'S NOT A SPECIFIC GIVE US
MONEY RESPONSE. UM YOU KNOW,
CREATING FLEXIBILITY AND SOME OF
THE FUNDS, FOR EXAMPLE, ALLOWING
US TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE
HOMELESS PROVIDERS TO ADDRESS
THAT ON OUR SYSTEM AND THEN
LOOKING AT IN IN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF YEARS. WHAT ARE SOME
PERMANENT LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO
FUNDING OUR SYSTEM THAT CAN BE
PUT IN PLACE? SO WE'RE THINKING
OF THIS AS A MULTIYEAR EFFORT,
YOU KNOW, NOT SPECIFICALLY, YOU
KNOW, GIVE US MONEY NOW BECAUSE
WE KNOW THE STATE IS FACING A
FISCAL CLIFF. BUT WHAT CAN WE DO
TO STABILIZE OUR SYSTEM NOW AND
THEN CREATE THE LONG TERM
TRANSFORMATIVE TRANSITS SYSTEM
THAT THAT THE STATE NEEDS. AND,
SIR, IF I CAN ASK, I FELT YOUR
ENTHUSIASM WITH A FUEL CELL
HYDROGEN AND BECAUSE I KEEP
PROMOTING IT AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. AND AS I MENTIONED I
WAS AT THE FOOTHILL TRANSIT. I
GOT TO SEE THEIR BUSSES YOURSELF
BELL SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY. THAT'S
THERE AND HOW EXCITED THE BUS
DRIVERS ARE. WITH IT, AND, UH,
THE MILEAGE THAT THEY GET AND ON
AND ON IN, AND I UNDERSTOOD YOU
TO SAY YOU'RE GETTING FIVE NEW
BUSSES WERE ORDERING FIVE FUEL
CELL BUSSES. YES AND YOU'RE
GOING TO COMPARE ONE WITH THE
OTHER SIDE BY SIDE BY SIDE AND
SEE WHERE THE DATA TAKES US.
WELL I KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO
TAKE US. YEAH I CAN I CAN TELL
YOU FROM WHAT I HEARD FROM
FOOTHILL. IS THAT THEY HAVE DONE
THE SAME THING THEY COMPARED AND
THEY FELT THAT THE ABILITY TO GO
LONGER, FASTER. UH, LESS
EXPENSIVE ACTUALLY, WITH THE
FUEL SHELL BATTERY VERSUS THE
ELECTRIC. IT'S THERE BECAUSE YOU
KNOW YOU COULD. YOU DON'T HAVE
THAT THAT CHARGING TIME THAT
DOWNTIME, SO THESE ARE ISSUES
AND BRAND NEW BUSSES. THEY LOOK
GREAT, AND I HOPE THAT THAT
THAT'S PART OF OUR EVOLUTION OF
CLEAN AIR DOWN THE ROAD IN
TRANSPORTATION. BUT I THANK YOU
FOR YOUR EFFORTS HOLDS GREAT
HOPE. UM THANK YOU, MANAGER.
JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION. I
APOLOGIZE. I HAD TO STEP OUT
BRIEFLY, AND I THINK IT WAS WHEN
L A METRO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT YOUR FUNDING SHORTFALL,
AND I GOT SOME CONFLICTING
REPORTS. WHAT? WHAT IS YOUR AH
PROJECTED FUNDING SHORTFALL. AS
THE FEDERAL MONEY RUNS OUT $400
MILLION IN 2025 A BILLION
DOLLARS IN 2026, SO THAT YOU
WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A FULL $1
BILLION DEFICIT IN 2026. YES
OKAY. TOTAL BUDGET FOR OUR
AGENCY IS ABOUT $8 BILLION A
YEAR. OKAY BECAUSE I INCLUDES
THAT TOTAL $8 BILLION INCLUDES
CAPITAL BECAUSE OKAY, BECAUSE I
HAD BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION OF
THE BAY AREA WAS IN A MUCH
GREATER WORLD OF HER IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA BECAUSE WE'RE MORE
FAIR INDEPENDENT, BUT THAT'S
PRETTY CATASTROPHIC. UM AH,
DEFICIT. OKAY. THANK YOU. HOW
MUCH OF THAT THAT $1 BILLION IS
CAPITAL AND HOW MUCH OF IT IS
OPERATION OPERATING ITS
OPERATING REVENUES. OKAY SO NONE
OF ITS CAPITAL OR A SMALL
PORTION. WE'RE TAKING SOME MORE
INFORMATION TO OUR BOARD. BUT
THE INFORMATION WE TOOK TO OUR
BOARD MOST RECENTLY IS ABOUT A
BILLION DOLLARS. OKAY. ALRIGHT.
MAYBE, UH AT SOME POINT WE CAN
GET MORE INFORMATION. WE HAVE
SOME MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN SO
THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOUR
OFFICE. OKAY WELL ON THAT VERY
CHEERY NOTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE. THAT WAS AGAIN
AN EXCELLENT PANEL. REALLY,
REALLY INTERESTING. THANK YOU.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR LAST
PANEL. COME ON UP. THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR PATIENTS. IT'S
WONDERFUL TO SEE SO MANY TRANSIT
ENTHUSIASTS STILL HERE IN THE
ROOM WITH US. AND I WILL ASK YOU
TO. AS SOON AS YOU'RE SETTLED IN
TO GO AHEAD AND PUSH THE BUTTON
AND START THANK YOU.
I HAD WRITTEN DOWN HERE. GOOD
AFTERNOON. AH, GOOD. GOOD
EVENING. UM THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITATION. UM MADAM
CHAIRPERSONS AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS COLIN PARENT
AND I'M THE VICE MAYOR OF THE
CITY OF LA MESA. I'M ALSO THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GENERAL
COUNSEL OF THE NONPROFIT THINK
TANK CIRCULATES SAN DIEGO.
CIRCULATE. SAN DIEGO IS A
LEADING VOICE IN OUR REGION
ABOUT TRANSIT, SAFE STREETS AND
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. WE PUBLISHED
NUMEROUS RESEARCH REPORTS ON
PUBLIC TRANSIT AND MOBILITY, AND
WE'VE WAGED AND WON NUMEROUS
CAMPAIGNS TO IMPROVE SERVICE AND
ACCESS FOR TRANSIT RIDERS IN SAN
DIEGO PUBLIC TRANSIT IN
CALIFORNIA SERVES A LOT OF
FUNCTIONS. IT'S A MAJOR
COMPONENT OF THE STATE AND LOCAL
EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE
CHANGE. TRANSIT IS A MAJOR
EMPLOYER WITH LOTS OF BUS
DRIVERS, MECHANICS AND MORE WITH
GOOD UNION JOBS. UH BUT THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING THAT TRANSIT
DOES IS TO SERVE THE INTERESTS
OF TRANSIT RIDERS. AND IF WE'RE
GOING TO LIVE UP TO OUR IDEALS
AS PROGRESSIVES AND HIS
ADVOCATES FOR TRANSIT RIDERS, WE
HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO LISTEN TO
THOSE TRANSIT RIDERS. UM SO THE
NATIONAL NONPROFIT TRANSIT
CENTER CONDUCTS PERIODIC SURVEY
OF CURRENT AND POTENTIAL TRANSIT
WRITERS. THAT DATA ROUTINELY
SHOWS THAT THE TOP PRIORITY OF
TRANSIT RIDERS NATIONWIDE IS FOR
FREQUENCY OF TRANSIT SERVICE AND
THE OVERALL SPEED OF TRANSIT
TRIPS IN MY BACKYARD, THE
SANTIAGO METROPOLITAN TRANSIT
SYSTEM, IT CONDUCTS A SIMILAR
SURVEYS. I'M SURE OTHER OTHER
AGENCIES DO. AND IT FINDS THE
SAME RESULTS. SO TRANSIT WRITERS
SAY THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH
QUALITY SERVICE ABOVE OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS LIKE AVAILABILITY
OF PARKING OR THE OVERALL COST
OF THE TRANSIT FARE. AND I THINK
THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE WHEN
YOU PUT YOURSELF INTO THE SHOES
OF A OF A LOW INCOME TRANSIT
RIDER. YOU KNOW, TELLING A
WORKER WHO GETS PAID BY THE HOUR
YOU'RE GOING TO SAVE THEM THE
COST OF A $2.50 FAIR IS COLD
COMFORT IF THAT FARES FOR A BUS
RIDE THAT TAKES TWO HOURS THEY'D
BE MUCH BE BE ABLE TO LEARN,
EARN A MUCH MORE MONEY IF THEY
WERE OR DO OTHER THINGS WITH
THEIR TIME. UM IF SO MUCH OF
THEIR DAY WASN'T EATEN UP BY A
BURDENSOME LONG BUS COMMUTE. AND
BY ALMOST ANY MEASURE, DRIVING
IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN TAKING
TRANSIT. YET MANY PEOPLE CHOOSE
TO DRIVE. DESPITE THOSE HIGHER
COSTS, AND SO THE WAY TO ATTRACT
NEW TRANSIT RIDERS IS NOT TO
PRIMARILY FOCUS ON LOWERING
FARES, WHICH ARE ALREADY
SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN THE
COST OF DRIVING. INSTEAD THE WAY
TO ATTRACT MORE TRANSIT WRITERS
IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF
SERVICE SO THAT IT IS MORE
COMPETITIVE WITH THE CAR. AND
THAT MEANS RUNNING BUSSES AND
TRAINS MORE FREQUENTLY AND
ACROSS, UM MORE HOURS IN THE
DAY, AND THAT ALSO MEANS FUNDING
BUS ONLY LANES AND OTHER SORTS
OF THINGS THAT LET THE BUS
TRAVEL MORE FAST DROP BUS AND
OTHER THINGS TRAVEL MORE FAST TO
BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH
DRIVING. CIRCULATE SAN DIEGO. WE
ACTUALLY COLLECTED A NUMBER OF
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO A
REPORT THAT WE PUBLISHED LAST
YEAR TITLED FAST BUS. YOU CAN
PROBABLY GUESS WHAT IT'S ABOUT,
UM AND SO AS CALIFORNIA TRANSIT
AGENCIES ARE FACING THIS LOOMING
FISCAL CLIFF, THE LEGISLATURE
SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED LEGISLATURE
TO LOOK AT WAYS TO ENSURE THAT
TRANSIT SERVICES MAINTAINED AND
HOPEFULLY IMPROVED AND INVESTING
IN SERVICE IS WHAT CAN BRING
BACK RIDERS AND REBUILD TRANSIT
AGENCIES. FINANCIAL
SUSTAINABILITY. AND SO THERE'S A
COUPLE OF OPTIONS FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER FOR
HELPING TRANSIT AGENCIES
MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE SERVICE. WE
HEARD ONE JUST SUGGESTED EARLIER
THIS EVENING ABOUT HAVING
GENERAL FUN ALEX ALLOCATIONS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE BRIDGE THOSE
GAPS. I THINK ANOTHER IMPORTANT
ONE IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE
PROVIDED BILLIONS IN NEW CAPITAL
DOLLARS FOR TRANSIT AND LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET, THE LEGISLATURE
SHOULD CONSIDER AMENDING THAT
ALLOCATION TO ALLOW LOCAL
AGENCIES TO USE THAT FUNDING.
FOR OPERATION AND SERVICE. THAT
IS THE PRIORITY OF TRANSIT
RIDERS. CALIFORNIA HAS SOME
INNOVATIVE FUNDING MECHANISMS
FOR TRANSIT, INCLUDING THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
, OR HSC. THE HSC PROGRAM USES
CAP AND TRADE REVENUES, UM, FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
IF THEY'RE PAIRED WITH
IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSIT. BUT THE
MONEY CAN ONLY BE USED TO FUND
NEW TRANSIT CAPITAL COSTS. AND
THIS CAN MAKE TRANSIT AGENCIES
RESISTANT TO PARTICIPATING IN
THESE HSC APPLICATIONS. THEY
DON'T OFTENTIMES THEY DON'T WANT
TO BUILD A NEW TRANSIT LINE. IF
THERE IS NOT GOING TO COME WITH
NEW MONEYS TO PAY FOR THE
OPERATIONS FOR THOSE TRANSIT
LINES, SO THE LEGISLATURE WERE
TO REVISIT AND AMEND THE HSC
PROGRAM TO ALLOW THOSE FUNDS TO
PAY FOR TRANSIT OPERATIONS, NOT
JUST CAPITAL. THAT WOULD ALLOW
THE PROGRAM TO FUND THE
PRIORITIES OF TRANSIT RIDERS
WOULD ALSO HELP TRANSFORM
TRANSIT AGENCIES FROM RELUCTANT
PARTICIPANTS TO THE PROGRAMS
LIKE THIS INTO ENTHUSIASTIC
ONES. UH INFORMATION. YOU WANT
TO INVITE THE LEGISLATURE
LEGISLATORS HERE TODAY AND THE
LEGISLATURE WRIT LARGE TO
PRIORITIZE THE INTERESTS AND
PREFERENCES OF TRANSIT WRITERS.
TRANSIT WRITERS SAY THAT
FREQUENCY AND SPEED ARE THEIR
PRIORITIES. STUDIES SHOW THAT
HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT SERVICE
ATTRACTS TRANSIT RIDERS AND
REVENUES. SO LET'S HELP TRANSIT
AGENCY SUCCEED BY HELPING THE
TRANSIT WRITERS THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
NEXT PANELIST, PLEASE. TO GO
NEXT GOOD EVENING. I AM EMILY
LOPER, VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC
POLICY AT BARRY, A COUNCIL.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
UM AS WE HAVE BACKGROUND THE
BARRY COUNCIL REPRESENTS OVER
300 EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE BAY
AREA, AND WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING
FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS
SINCE OUR FOUNDING OVER 75 YEARS
AGO, INCLUDING ADVOCATING FOR
THE CREATION OF THE BART SYSTEM
, POST WORLD WAR TWO. SO WE
HEARD MANY TIMES TODAY. IN THIS
HEARING. THE PUBLIC TRANSIT IS
ESSENTIAL FOR IT TO MEET OUR
STATE'S EQUITY AND CLIMATE GOALS
. WE KNOW THAT TRANSIT RIDERS
ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY LOWER
INCOME AND DEPEND ON THESE
SERVICES TO GET AROUND AND ON
THE CLIMATE GOALS. WE CAN'T DE
CARBONIZED OUR VEHICLE FLEETS
FAST ENOUGH IN ORDER TO MEET
THESE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
GOALS. WE ALSO NEED MORE PEOPLE
WRITING TRANSIT. PUBLIC TRANSIT
IS ALSO THE BACKBONE OF OUR
REGIONAL ECONOMY IN THE BAY AREA
, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS OF ALL
INCOME LEVELS DEPEND ON TRANSIT
TO GET TO AND FROM THEIR JOBS
AND SO ENSURING THAT TRANSIT
SURVIVES THIS CRISIS AND THRIVES
. MOVING FORWARD IS REALLY
ESSENTIAL TO THE STATE'S
ECONOMIC FUTURE. SO THAT'S WHY
OUR MEMBERS ARE SO FOCUSED ON
SUPPORTING TRANSIT NOW AND
BUILDING IT INTO A BETTER SYSTEM
GOING FORWARD. FOR ALMOST TWO
YEARS NOW, THE BARRY COUNCIL HAS
BEEN, UH, FREQUENTLY SURVEYING
HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE
REGION TO TRACK RETURN TO OFFICE
POLICIES AND IDENTIFY NEW
COMMUTE TRENDS. WE'VE ALSO BEEN
COLLECTING THEIR FEEDBACK ON
THEIR ATTITUDES ABOUT TRANSIT
AND THE DATA SHOWS WE HAVE HIT A
NEW NORMAL YOU'LL SEE ON SLIDE
ONE THAT EMPLOYERS ARE REPORTING
THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE COMMUTING 2
TO 3 DAYS PER WEEK. AND THOSE
DAYS ARE GENERALLY TUESDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY. EMPLOYERS
DON'T ANTICIPATE MUCH OF A
CHANGE IN THE FUTURE, AND THEY
HAVE REPORTED CONSOLIDATING OR
REDUCING OFFICE SPACE. EMPLOYERS
ARE ALSO REPORTING THAT ABOUT
23% OF VARIA EMPLOYEES ARE FULLY
REMOTE, UM, ARE WORKING FULLY
REMOTELY NOW PRE PANDEMIC THAT
NUMBER WAS LESS THAN 6% SO
OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS DRAMATIC
IMPACTS ON TRANSIT RIDERSHIP.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE
STILL COMMUTING AND MOVING
AROUND THE REGION AND THEY MAY
JUST BE CHOOSING TO DRIVE MORE
FREQUENTLY THAN BEFORE. IN
SLIDES TWO AND THREE. YOU'LL SEE
THAT IN THE BAY AREA AND THE
WEEKDAY TRAFFIC ON OUR BRIDGES
HAS HIT PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS AND
IN SOME, AND TRAFFIC ON SOME OF
OUR HIGHWAYS HAS EVEN SURPASSED
PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS. SO WHY
AREN'T THEY RETURNING TO TRANSIT
? IN OUR SURVEY, EMPLOYERS
CONSISTENTLY SITE SAFETY AND
CLEANLINESS. CONCERNS ABOUT THE
REASONS WHY THERE ARE EMPLOYED
EMPLOYEES ARE CHOOSING NOT TO
RIDE. THEY'RE LESS CONCERNED
ABOUT COVID SAFETY THESE DAYS
AND MORE CONCERNED ABOUT
PERSONAL SAFETY ON THE SYSTEMS
YOU'LL SEE ON SLIDE FOUR THAT
71% OF RESPONDENTS. SAID THEY
WERE EITHER SOMEWHAT OR VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT PERSONAL SAFETY
ON TRANSIT. BUT OF COURSE, THE
EXTENT OF THIS PROBLEM AND THE
AND THE SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS VARY
WIDELY BY SYSTEMS BUT MAKING
TRANSIT SAFE AND CLEAN AND
COMFORTABLE FOR RIDERS. NOW, IT
MUST BE A PRIORITY IF WE WANT TO
WIN THEM BACK. AH THE SECOND
MAJOR CONCERN THAT EMPLOYERS
CITE ABOUT WHY EMPLOYEES AREN'T
WRITING AS FREQUENTLY ARE ISSUES
RELATED TO THE FREQUENCY AND
RELIABILITY OF THE SERVICES,
WHICH WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT
TODAY. EMPLOYEES JUST WANT
EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE COMMUTES
, AND I'LL SAY THAT EMPLOYERS
ARE ALSO FOCUSED ON RESTORING
COMMUTER SERVICES, EXPRESS BUS
SERVICES TO OUR DOWNTOWNS AND SO
DESPITE THIS RISE IN REMOTE WORK
, THE EMPLOYERS ARE REALLY
FOCUSED ON, UM, STILL IN FOCUS
FOCUSED ON IMPROVING COMMUTES.
AND SO THE BEYOND THE BASICS OF
A CLEAN, SAFE AND RELIABLE
SYSTEM. WE ALSO NEED A MORE
CUSTOMER SERVICE SERVICE
CUSTOMER FOCUSED SERVICE TO
BRING RIDERS BACK. THE BARRIER,
AS YOU HEARD HAS 27 DIFFERENT
TRANSIT AGENCIES, WHICH CAN MAKE
IT DIFFICULT AND UM AND
CONFUSING TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE
REGION, AND DURING THE DURING
THE PANDEMIC, THE COUNCIL
PARTICIPATED IN THIS BLUE RIBBON
TASK FORCE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT
TODAY AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO
BUILD A MORE ATTRACTIVE TRANSIT
SYSTEM IN THE FUTURE. THEY
CONCLUDED THAT SIMPLE
IMPROVEMENTS THAT MAKE THE
SYSTEMS LOOK AND FEEL MORE
INTEGRATED AND SEAMLESS WILL GO
A LONG WAY IN ATTRACTING BOTH
OLD AND NEW RIDERS, AND THE POPE
PUBLIC OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTS
THESE IMPROVEMENTS. 89%
SUPPORTED IMPROVEMENTS LIKE
COORDINATED SCHEDULES FOR A MORE
RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT TRIP,
SIMPLER FARES AND PAYMENT
SYSTEMS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
TODAY. AND UNIFIED MAPPING AND
SIGNAGE TO MAKE TRANSIT JUST
EASIER TO NAVIGATE ACROSS THE
REGION. SO WILD TRANSIT IS IN
CRISIS. NOW WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TRANSIT
INTO A BETTER SERVICE THAT MEETS
THIS FUTURE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS
ACROSS THE STATE, AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO
HELP GET US THERE. THANK YOU.
WHY DON'T WE GO TO MISLEAD NEXT?
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNIE
LEE AND I'M, THE MANAGING
DIRECTOR OF POLICY AT CHINESE
FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, WHICH IS
ONE OF THE CO FOUNDERS OF STOP
ÁP. I HATE STOP ÁP I HATE WAS
FOUNDED BY CHINESE FOR
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AS WELL AS A
P I EQUITY ALLIANCE IN THE ASIAN
AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY
IN RESPONSE TO THE ALARMING
ESCALATION IN XENOPHOBIA AND
BIGOTRY RESULTING FROM THE COVID
19 PANDEMIC. OUR COALITION
TRACKS AND RESPONSE TO INCIDENTS
OF HATE VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT
AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ASIAN
AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS
. OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE
EQUITY, JUSTICE AND POWER BY
DISMANTLING SYSTEMIC RACISM AND
BUILDING A MULTIRACIAL MOVEMENT
TO END HATE AGAINST OUR
COMMUNITIES. WE RECOGNIZE THAT
IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS
ANTI ASIAN RACISM, WE MUST WORK
TO END ALL FORMS OF STRUCTURAL
RACISM LEVELED AT BLACK,
INDIGENOUS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR. SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN
MARCH 2020 STOP ÁP I HATE HAS
RECEIVED NEARLY 11,500 REPORTS
OF ANTI ÁP. I HATE FROM ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING OVER 4300
IN CALIFORNIA ALONE. 9% OF THE
INCIDENTS REPORTED TO US
DESCRIBE A HATE INCIDENT ON
PUBLIC TRANSIT. TO GIVE YOU A
SENSE OF WHAT THESE INCIDENTS
LOOK LIKE. I WANT TO READ WHAT A
COMMUNITY MEMBER FROM THE BAY
AREA REPORTED TO US, AND I
APOLOGIZE AS THIS ACCOUNT
INCLUDES RACIAL AND HOMOPHOBIC
SLURS. THE DUDE WAS HARASSING ME
AT THE COLMA BART STATION AND
CALLED ME A ASIAN CORONA AND GOT
ON THE SAME TRAIN BUT WASN'T
SATISFIED AND FOLLOWED ME CAR TO
CAR, SO I GOT OFF AT GLEN PARK
AND HOPPED ON ANOTHER TRAIN FOR
MY SAFETY AND OTHERS.
EXPERIENCES LIKE THIS ONE MAKE
THE VICTIM WITNESSES, THEIR
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AVOID
PUBLIC TRANSIT. TOO OFTEN.
PUBLIC TRANSIT IS A HOT SPOT FOR
THIS TYPE OF HARASSMENT, WHICH
SCHOLARS AND ACTIVISTS CALLED
STREET HARASSMENT OR UNWELCOME
COMMENTS ABOUT A PERSON'S
IDENTITY OR APPEARANCE BY A
STRANGER IN A PUBLIC PLACE. IS
AN AMERICAN'S AND PACIFIC
ISLANDERS ARE NOT THE ONLY
VICTIMS OF STREET HARASSMENT ON
TRANSIT, AS THEY DID IN THE
BACKGROUND PAPER FOR TODAY'S
JOINT HEARING 29% OF WOMEN IN
CALIFORNIA REPORT BEING HARASSED
ON MASS TRANSIT WOMEN WHO
IDENTIFY AS LESBIAN OR BISEXUAL
OR MORE LIKELY TO REPORT
EXPERIENCING SEXUAL HARASSMENT
AND STRAIGHT WOMEN AND WOMEN OF
COLOR ALSO REPORT FEELING MORE
UNSAFE ON PUBLIC TRANSIT THAN
WHITE WOMEN. STREET HARASSMENT
DRIVES PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WOMEN
, AWAY FROM PUBLIC TRANSIT.
WOMEN WOULD RATHER DRIVE USE
RIDE SHARES OR EVEN TURNED DOWN
JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO AVOID USING
PUBLIC TRANSIT WHEN THEY DO NOT
FEEL SAFE. FOR THOSE WOMEN WHO
HAVE NO CHOICE BUT PUBLIC
TRANSIT. THE FEAR OF STREET
HARASSMENT COMPELS THEM TO MAKE
BEHAVIORAL ADJUSTMENTS,
INCLUDING LEAVING A BUS OR TRAIN
MID TRIP TO AVOID HARASSMENT.
AVOIDING TRAVEL IN THE EVENING,
AVOIDING CERTAIN SETTINGS SUCH
AS CROWDED BUSSES AND NOT
WALKING ALONE. TO HELP IMPROVE
THE TRANSIT EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
OUR COMMUNITIES LAST YEAR STOP
ÁP I HATE AND L, A METRO
SPONSORED SP 11 61 WITH SENATOR
DAVE MIN. THIS NEW LAW CALLS ON
THE MINETA TRANSPORTATION
INSTITUTE, OR. I TO DEVELOP A
SURVEY TOOL TO UNDERSTAND HOW
STREET HARASSMENT AFFECTS
TRANSIT RIDERS. I WILL DEVELOP
THE SURVEY TOOL IN CONSULTATION
WITH TRANSIT OPERATORS AND
ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING
COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY STREET
HARASSMENT, ONCE COMPLETED UNTIL
I WILL MAKE THE SURVEY TOOL
AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE SO ALL
TRANSIT OPERATORS CAN UTILIZE
IT. THIS YEAR. WE'RE BACK AGAIN
WITH SENATOR MAN ON SB 434,
WHICH WILL REQUIRE CALIFORNIA'S
10 LARGEST TRANSIT OPERATORS TO
GATHER QUALITATIVE AND
QUANTITATIVE RIDERSHIP DATA
REGARDING STREET HARASSMENT AS
WRITERS WAIT AT TRANSIT STOPS OR
RIDE TRANSIT VEHICLES, AND THEY
MAY UTILIZE THE TOOL THAT MTS
DEVELOPING THE BILL ALSO
REQUIRES THESE TRANSIT OPERATORS
TO CONDUCT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
WITH WRITERS WHO ARE
UNDERREPRESENTED IN SURVEYS YET
IMPACTED BY STREET HARASSMENT SO
THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD.
UNDERSTANDING WRITER EXPERIENCES
IS, IS A CRITICAL FIRST STEP IN
ADDRESSING AND PREVENTING STREET
HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AND OTHER
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ON PUBLIC
TRANSIT. STREET HARASSMENT
DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM TAKING
PUBLIC TRANSIT AND TO FIX THIS
PROBLEM. TRANSIT OPERATORS FIRST
HAVE TO MEASURE THE PROBLEM. BY
UNDERSTANDING WRITER EXPERIENCES
. TRANSIT OPERATORS CAN DEVELOP
DATA DRIVEN INITIATIVES TO
PREVENT STREET HARASSMENT ON
PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS. AND WE
KNOW THAT SOME TRANSIT OPERATORS
LIKE L. A. BART L. A. METRO AND
BART HAVE ALREADY CREATED
INNOVATIVE, NON CARCEL RESPONSES
TO DATA THEY PREVIOUSLY
COLLECTED REGARDING SEXUAL
HARASSMENT ON THEIR SYSTEMS. AS
TRANSIT OPERATORS LOOK TO
INCREASE RIDERSHIP. EFFORTS TO
PROTECT WRITERS SAFETY,
INCLUDING THE PREVENTION OF
STREET HARASSMENT ON TRANSIT CAN
BE AT A CRITICAL TOOL AND
REBUILDING WRITER TRUST AND
PATRONAGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
. AND I WANTED TO END WITH MR
LINDSAY BEFORE WE GO TO THE
QUESTIONS BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS
TRANSIT SYSTEM IS BETTER THAN
THE TRANSIT WORKERS. THANKS FOR
BEING HERE. I WILL NOT DISAGREE
WITH YOU. JAMES LINDSAY. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIRS FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE MEMBERS.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.
UM I'VE BEEN IN THE TRANSIT
INDUSTRY FOR 32 YEARS. HIRED AS
A MECHANIC L A METRO 32 YEARS
AGO, AND, UH, IT'S BEEN A GREAT
JOB. I LEARNED A LOT. I WILL
TELL YOU THAT I DON'T DISAGREE
WITH WHAT MOSTLY HAS BEEN SAID
TODAY. THERE ARE A FEW THINGS
THAT I WILL BRING TO LIGHT WHERE
WE'RE AT. WHEN I HIRED IN 32
YEARS AGO. MOST OPERATORS UH THE
ISSUES THEY DEALT WITH WERE
COLLECTING FARES. THEY WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO QUOTE THE FAIR THREE
TIMES AND THAT WOULD USUALLY GET
THEM SPIT UPON OR CURSED OUT.
THEY WE HAD WE LIVE IN A
DIFFERENT WORLD. AND THAT KIND
OF CHANGED AROUND 2010. WHEN 15
YEAR EIGHT EU MEMBER LARRY
KESSLER OF OMNI TRANS WAS
STABBED TO DEATH FOR SAYING GOOD
MORNING TO A PASSENGER THAT WAS
GETTING ON THE BUS. THAT CHANGED
AT A C TRANSIT WERE JUST A FEW
MONTHS BACK. AN OPERATOR WAS
STANDING OUTSIDE OF HIS BUS
TALKING TO ANOTHER OPERATOR, AND
THEY OPERATED WAS ATTACKED BY A
HAMMER. HIT IN THE HEAD. AS HE
WRESTLED THE ASSAILANT TO THE
GROUND AND TRIED TO GET HIMSELF
OUT OF THE SITUATION. HE WAS
FLEEING, AND HE HEARD A CLICK
AND HE TURNED AROUND IN THE
PASSENGER HAD A 22 THAT LUCKILY
JAMMED AND SAVED HIS LIFE. THAT
OPERATOR COMPLAINED TO
MANAGEMENT THREE TIMES ABOUT
THIS PARTICULAR PASSENGER AND
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I SAY
NOTHING WAS DONE. YOU WONDER WHY
YOU DON'T HAVE DRIVER'S WANTING
TO JUST DRIVE YOUR BUS IS I
WOULD TELL YOU. SAFETY IS
PROBABLY THE RESPONSE. AT OMNI
TRANS. I JUST A LITTLE MORE
BACKGROUND. I MEAN, I NEGOTIATE
50 TRANSIT CONTRACTS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA 50 DIFFERENT
TRANSIT AGENCIES. I REPRESENT
13,000 MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. THERE'S PROBABLY 20 TO
25,000. DRIVERS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. IN RESPONSE TO
MEMBER WAHAB. NEW YORK TRANSIT
HAS ABOUT 70,000. SO THERE'S ONE
REASON WHY THERE'S PROBABLY MORE
TRANSIT FASTER IN NEW YORK AND
CALIFORNIA. BUT BESIDES THE FACT
ANY TRENDS WHEN I WAS
NEGOTIATING THEIR CONTRACT? TOLD
ME THAT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS
DRIVER SAFETY ISSUE, THEY MOVED
THE LINE BACK THE YELLOW LINE
THREE FT AND THAT WAS TO PROTECT
THE OPERATORS. MEANWHILE AT
THEIR TAJ MAHAL, BULLETPROOF
GLASS WENT UP EVERYWHERE. SAFETY
DOORS WENT UP EVERYWHERE BUT FOR
THE OPERATORS WILL PUT A YELLOW
YELLOW LINE THREE FT. FURTHER
BACK OF THE BUS. AND THAT THAT'S
YOUR SAFETY. FDA HAS PUT A
SPECIAL DIRECTIVE AGAINST
TRANSIT FOR THE TOP FIVE MOST
DANGEROUS TRANSIT AGENCIES IN
THE NATION. A C TRANSIT IS ONE
OF THEM. AND THEY HAVE THIS
SPECIAL DIRECTIVE TO THEM OF
REPORTING SAFETY ISSUES. THAT'S
ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE
MOST OF THESE TRANSIT AGENCIES
DON'T REPORT. THESE DAILY ISSUES
THAT HAPPEN ON THE BUS DRIVERS
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE. IT'S
A MAJOR PROBLEM. UM ATTACKS ON
DRIVERS. THAT'S ONE THE NEXT
MAJOR PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE IN
GETTING OPERATORS. ISN'T THE
MONEY. I MEAN, YOU HEARD YOU
HEARD THESE OTHERS TALK ABOUT
THEIR SHORTAGES AND THE ABILITY
. I MEAN, AS A NEGOTIATOR. IT'S
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO
GET TONS OF MONEY FROM THESE
TRANSIT AGENCIES. BUT THAT'S NOT
THE PROBLEM. I JUST NEGOTIATED
CONTRACT IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA.
25% PAY INCREASE THE MEMBERS
SHOT IT DOWN. REMEMBER SHOT IT
DOWN. THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE
MONEY. THEY WANTED FAMILY. THEY
WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SPEND TIME
WITH THEIR FAMILIES. MOST OF
THESE OPERATORS SPEND 14 HOUR
DAYS AT THE TRANSIT AGENCY TO
GET A 8 TO 9 HOURS OF PAY. AND
THEN THEY GOT TO DRIVE AN HOUR
TO TWO HOURS HOME FROM THE
TRENDS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD
TO LIVE WHERE THEY'RE WORKING.
SO. FAMILY TIME AT HOME IS WHAT
MY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE. SO
SCHEDULING. IS THE BIGGEST FIGHT
THAT IS GOING ON. I WILL TELL
YOU THAT THERE WILL PROBABLY BE
A STRIKE AT SUN LINE TRANSIT
AGENCY. OVERSCHEDULING. IT HAS
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MONEY.
EVERY ONE OF THESE TRANSIT
DISTRICTS WILL ARGUE AND FIGHT
OVER CONTROL. THIS IS WHY YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN
SAN FRANCISCO TRYING TO MERGE 27
TRANSIT DISTRICTS TOGETHER. IT'S
A CONTROL THING. IT HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH PROVIDING GREAT
SERVICE TO PEOPLE. EVERY ONE OF
THEM TRANSIT DISTRICTS, EVERY
ONE OF THEM CITY COUNCILS, EVERY
ONE OF THOSE COUNTY SUPERVISORS
. IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTROL. IT'S
ALL ABOUT CONTROLLING THEIR
TRANSIT SYSTEM, PUTTING THE
BUSSES WHERE THEY WANT IT,
PUTTING THE ROUTES WHERE THEY
WANT IT. THAT'S ALL THAT IS. IF
YOU CAN ELIMINATE THAT CONTROL
ISSUE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IT
FOR MANY YEARS. IT'S A VERY
TOUGH THING TO DO. I WILL JUST,
UH. I WOULD JUST END WITH ONE
LAST THING I DID SERVE ON THE
BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE THAT WAS
TALKED ABOUT HERE SO MANY TIMES
TODAY. AND, UH, AGAIN CONTROL.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN
REASONS. UH ABOUT MERGING THAT
TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT
TO TOUCH ON ONE MORE THING.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT L. A
METRO. 50% OF THEIR RIDERSHIP
WAS LOST BY THE 17 LINES THAT
THEY ELIMINATED BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T HAVE OPERATORS TO DRIVE
THEM. SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
RIDERSHIP. HE'S 17 LINES. I MEAN
50% OF THE LOSS WOULD BE BACK. I
THINK ONE OF THEM WAS OUT OF
ORANGE COUNTY AS WELL. SO 16
LINES OUT OF L. A METRO. WERE
ATTRIBUTED TO A VAST MAJORITY OF
THE LOSS IN RIDERSHIP BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE DRIVERS TO
DRIVE THEM. WHY DON'T THEY HAVE
THE DRIVERS? I JUST GAVE YOU TWO
REASONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
PERSPECTIVE FOR US TO HEAR. I
REALLY ENJOYED THIS PANEL. I DO
HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM SO FOR MISS LEE, I'M
WONDERING FIRST. WHAT BARRIERS
YOU'VE HAD WHEN YOU'VE GONE TO
TRANSIT AGENCIES OR ANY OF THE
ADVOCACY GROUPS, YOU KNOW WHO
ARE WORKING WITH HARASSMENT. UM
OR, UM, YOU KNOW THESE SORTS OF
RIDERSHIP ISSUES? WHAT SORT OF
WHAT SORT OF BARRIERS HAVE YOU
HAD? UM TO GETTING YOUR CONCERNS
ADDRESSED. THANK YOU. UM, I
THINK THAT THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE
THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. I THINK
THE, UM I THINK FUNDING IS
ALWAYS AN ISSUE AND WANTING TO
GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS. TO MAKE
NEW PROGRAMS, UM TO PROTECT
WRITERS AND DEVELOP AND ROLL OUT
NEW INITIATIVES. AND SO I WOULD
SAY THAT THAT'S THE MAIN ISSUE.
I THINK THEY DO CARE ABOUT
WRITER SAFETY. UM BUT WE JUST
NEED WE JUST NEED MORE. THANK
YOU. UM MR PARENT. I'M WONDERING
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE
TO SEE THE STATE DUE TO HELP
WITH THOSE LAND USE ISSUES THAT
ARE LEADING TO SOME OF THE
DIFFICULTIES OF HAVING TRANSIT
REACH ENOUGH PEOPLE. YEAH
THERE'S I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT TO
STATE CAN AND SHOULD DO RELATED
TO THAT CIRCULATED, SPONSORING A
BILL WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
ALVAREZ, UM ON MIDDLE INCOME
DENSITY BONUS. THAT'S LIKE A
GREAT EXAMPLE. I'M SURE THERE'S
A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER ONES THAT
HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED RELATED TO
HOUSING. I THINK ONE OF THE KEY
THINGS. UM THIS IS NOT. I DON'T
THINK THIS IS A SURPRISE TO
ANYONE IN THE LEGISLATURE. BUT
THE TURNS OUT THERE'S A LOT OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHO DON'T WANT
TO BUILD HOMES, AND THEY DON'T
WANNA DO THAT NEAR TRANSIT. THEY
DON'T WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS.
AND, UM YOU DON'T HEAR THIS,
MAYBE OFTEN ENOUGH FROM LOCAL
ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT LIKE I
THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE THEIR
POWER AWAY FROM THEM TO SAY NO
TO PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE
FOR PEOPLE'S, UM SO THAT PEOPLE
CAN AFFORD TO LIVE WHERE THEY
WANT TO AND TO HELP ADDRESS OUR
CLIMATE CHANGE. CHALLENGES SO
THERE'S UH THERE'S THE
LEGISLATURE SHOULD. UNDERSTAND
THAT, THAT THAT THEY THEY ARE
REALLY IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, UH
, ON THESE SORTS OF THINGS AND
TO NOT DEFER TO LOCAL ELECTED
LOCAL ELECTIVES ARE IN FACT NOT
WILLING TO BE PART OF THE
PROBLEM. SO BE ROBUST. BE STRONG
ON THOSE THINGS WERE GOING TO
SUPPORT A BUNCH OF THOSE BILLS
AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST, AND I
WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO
CONTINUE THE REALLY SUBSTANTIAL
EFFORT THAT THE CALIFORNIA
LEGISLATURE HAS HAD. ON HOUSING
NEAR TRANSIT. THANK YOU, MR
LINDSEY. CLEARLY THE BUS DRIVERS
, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE
HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING.
GET TO REALLY KNOW THOSE ROUTES.
YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE
ROUTES THAT WERE ELIMINATED. I'M
WONDERING IF THERE'S EVER UH,
ANY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN WORKERS, THE DRIVERS WHO
ARE INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC
EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND SORT OF
MANAGEMENT IN TERMS OF BEING THE
ONES TO BRING SOME OF THAT
FEEDBACK. KIND OF UP THE CHAIN.
YOU FIND THAT THERE ARE AGENCIES
THAT ARE RESPONSIVE WHEN YOU GO
IN AND YOU SAY, HEY, WE REALLY
NEED TO MOVE THIS ROUTE OR WE'RE
HEARING THIS FROM THE RIDERS.
YOU. DO YOU EVER HAVE THAT? DO
YOU HAVE THAT SORT OF FORMALIZED
WAY OF COMMUNICATING? OBVIOUSLY
A LOT OF THE DRIVERS TALK WITH
PASSENGERS ALL ALL THE TIME.
THAT IS A GREAT WAY. BUT GETTING
SOMEBODY TO LISTEN TO. IT IS A
TOTAL DIFFERENT. AND I'M NOT
SAYING THAT EVERY AGENCY, BUT IT
IS. VERY TOUGH TO GET, UH,
ANYBODY IN MANAGEMENT TO LISTEN
TO WHAT THE OPERATORS ARE SAYING
TO WHAT THE PASSENGERS THANK
YOU. TECHNOLOGY. YEAH, THIS HAS
BEEN A VERY GOOD PANEL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHOW JUST
SHARING WITH US YOUR RESPECTIVE
INSIGHTS. UM WITH MR LINDSEY,
SINCE YOU WERE JUST TALKING
ABOUT MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE
SORT OF ENGAGEMENT. YOU
SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT THE
PERSONAL SAFETY ISSUE, WHICH I
THINK IS OBVIOUSLY WHAT MISS LEE
WAS TALKING ABOUT AS WELL JUST
ON THE WRITER PERSPECTIVE, BUT
FROM THE OPERATOR PERSPECTIVE.
THE PERSONAL SAFETY IS WHAT
CONCERNS ME, RIGHT? I'M HEARING
THIS, YOU KNOW FROM OTHER
AGENCIES AS WELL OR FROM OTHER
OPERATORS IN VARIOUS AGENCIES,
AS WELL AS TO HELP. IT'S HARD TO
RECRUIT FOLKS BECAUSE THEY'RE
JUST FEELING IN ADDITION TO THE
WAGES THAT THEY'RE FEELING
UNSAFE. SO WHAT SPECIFICS WOULD
YOU ASK THE STATE TO PROVIDE
OUTSIDE OF MANAGEMENT THAT MAYBE
COULD BE NEGOTIATED.
ADDITIONALLY WHAT WOULD YOU ASK
THE STATEMENT FROM THE POLICY
FRONT? IF YOU COULD, AND THE
BUDGET FRONT. GOOD QUESTION. UM
YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT THE SAFETY
ASPECT OF THE DRIVERS I THINK A
LOT OF IT COULD POSSIBLY BE. YOU
KNOW, THE SAME PASSENGER OVER
AND OVER. NOBODY WANTS TO THROW
ANYBODY OFF A BUS. NOBODY WANTS
TO ELIMINATE THEM FROM HAVING
THE TRANSIT EXPERIENCE, AND I
UNDERSTAND WHY, BUT I MEAN, IF
YOU'RE NOT A GOOD ACTOR, WHY
SHOULD YOU BE ON OUR BUSSES? WHY
SHOULD YOU BE? RIDING OUR
SYSTEMS. I KNOW. EARLIER
SOMEBODY ALSO SPOKE ABOUT DRUG
USE. THAT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR
OUR OPERATORS. OUR OPERATORS ARE
DRUG TESTED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SOMEBODY SMOKING FENTANYL ON THE
BUS OR DOING DRUGS ON THE BUS
GETS A CONTACT HIGH GOING ON.
WHAT ARE OUR OPERATORS? Dð? UM
MANAGEMENT JUST GOING TO SEND
YOU DOWN FOR A DRUG TEST, AND
THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE FIRED. I
WAS THERE. THERE'S I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK A LOT OF IT FROM THE
STATE STANDPOINT, I WOULD I
WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK
AT, UH GETTING BAD ACTORS OFF
BUSSES. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE
THAT. AND, UM MISS SLOPER. UM
YOU TALKED ABOUT A BIT OF THE
SORT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUTER
BENEFIT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE. IS
THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN
TALK ABOUT IN THIS SENSE AS
WELL? BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT
THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESSES
THAT ARE TRYING TO LEAN IN A BIT
MORE WITH AGENCIES TO PROVIDE.
UM, OF COURSE. AH! DOLLARS FOR
SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS I'VE EVEN
HEARD OF, YOU KNOW. UH PROPERTY
OWNERS TRYING TO ALSO PROVIDE
FOR THEIR TENANTS, PERHAPS SOME
BENEFIT PROGRAMS FOR TRANSIT AS
WELL. ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU
HAVEN'T THAT COULD BE SHARED.
MAYBE THAT COULD BE CREATIVE
THINKING FOR US. SURE. WELL, ONE
OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASK IN OUR
SURVEY OF THE EMPLOYERS IS
TRACKING. UM THE, UH AND THE
COMMUTER BENEFITS THAT THEY
PROVIDE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. AND
WE'VE TRACKED OVER TIME TO SEE
IF THAT, UH, THE LEVEL OF
COMMUTER BENEFITS OR OTHER
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS HAVE
GONE DOWN AT ALL. AND FOR THE
VAST MAJORITY OF THE EMPLOYERS
LIKE 80 TO 85% THEY HAVE
MAINTAINED THE SAME LEVEL OF
COMMUTER BENEFITS. SO UM, THAT
JUST REINFORCES THIS POINT. THAT
THE THAT THE EMPLOYERS AND THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY REMAINS
COMMITTED TO MAKING IT EASIER
FOR EMPLOYEES TO GET TO AND FROM
WORK ON TRANSIT AND PARTICULAR.
AND UM, DESPITE THE FACT THAT
THERE IS THIS RISE IN REMOTE
WORK AND YOU KNOW, EVEN IF
EMPLOYEES ARE ONLY COMMUTING
THOSE 2 TO 3 DAYS PER WEEK, THEY
ARE THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING
THEY CAN TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR
THEM TO TAKE TRANSIT. GREAT.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU, SENATOR ARCHULETTA.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND I
GUESS I'VE GOT TO SHARE WITH
YOU. THIS PANEL IS REALLY
TOUCHED ME. UH THE OTHERS WERE
VERY TECHNICAL. BUT HERE WE
HEARD FROM LABOR HEARD FROM
PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT, UH.
EVERYDAY PEOPLE GET ON THE BUS
AND LET ME START WITH YOU. MR
LEE. I AM SO VERY, VERY SORRY
THAT YOU OR ANYONE? HAS GOT TO
GO THROUGH HAS TO GO THROUGH
THESE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SO
FEARFUL OF GETTING ON THE
BUSSES. THE, UH THERE'S NO ROOM
IN OUR SOCIETY FOR THAT, AND WE
KNOW IT AND THE SENATE AND THE
ASSEMBLY ARE WITH BEHIND YOU
150. AND UH, I WILL TELL YOU
THAT SAFETY. WE TALKED ABOUT IT
OVER AND OVER, AND IT'S YOUR
SAFETY. CHILDREN'S SAFETY
GRANDMA SAFETY EVERYONE WHO
WRITES THESE BUSSES GOT TO BE
SAFE AND BEAR WITH US. WE'RE
GONNA WORK ON IT IN REFERENCE TO
THE DRIVERS. THAT IS SO
IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED
ABOUT FINDING GOOD QUALITY IN
PEOPLE. AH! BUYERS WHO I'M SORRY
DRIVER TO PAST ALL THE RIGOROUS
TESTS, UH, NOT ONLY DRUG TESTS,
BUT THE PROFICIENCY IS SO
IMPORTANT. AND AS YOUR
REPRESENTATION THAT YOU FIGHT
FOR HIM EVERY SINGLE DAY AS MANY
OF US WHO ARE WITH YOU IN THE
LABOR MOVEMENT. BUT IT IS ALSO
GOES BACK TO SAFETY AND HAVING
MANAGEMENT UNDERSTAND THAT IF
YOU PROTECT THE DRIVERS, YOU
PROTECTING THE WRITERS
PROTECTING THE WRITERS, YOU'RE
PROTECTING THE DRIVERS, FOR
GOD'S SAKES, AND I TALKED
EARLIER ABOUT PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND HOW, UH, YOU KNOW OUR THEME
TODAY IS HOW TO BRING BACK AND
BUILD TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IN
CALIFORNIA. WELL WE JUST HEARD
THAT IF WE HAVE THIS GREAT PR
PROGRAM TO BRING EVERYBODY BACK
SO THEY CAN FEEL SAFE. WELL IT
CAN'T FEEL SAFE. IF WE DON'T
TAKE CARE OF YOU. THEY DON'T
FEEL SAFE OR DRIVERS AREN'T
GOING TO BE THERE. AND IF THE
MANAGEMENT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND
IT, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE
TO DO IT. AND IT'S SO OBVIOUS
THAT WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND IT'S NOT THE DOLLARS AND
CENTS, BUT IT'S BRINGING THE
SAFETY BACK IN THE FOLD. SO I
PERSONALLY WILL BE LOOKING TO
WORK WITH OUR CHAIR IN THE
ASSEMBLY AND OUR CHAIR IN THE
SENATE ON TRANSPORTATION AND DO
WHAT WE CAN IN THE BUDGET. AND
MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND
THAT IF WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF
THE HUMAN ASPECT IT'S NOT GONNA
WORK. WE CAN HAVE THE CLEANEST
BUSSES. THEY COULD BE RUNNING ON
HYDROGEN. BUT IF WE DON'T GET
PEOPLE ON THE BUS IS IT'S NOT
GONNA WORK. AND IF WE DON'T
TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT ONCE YOU'RE
THERE, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK
AND THE PRIDE OF BEING A
PROFESSIONAL DRIVER. IT'S GOT TO
COME BACK, AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE
TIME WITH THEIR FAMILY, TOO. AND
I AGREE WITH THAT. SO I ASK YOU,
SIR. PLEASE LISTEN AND BE THAT
LEADER THAT YOU ARE AND OPEN UP
THE DOORS SO EVERYONE CAN FEEL
SAFE ONCE AGAIN AND I THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. JUST NON CHAIR
STANDING, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE WITH US. AND THANKS TO
EVERYBODY ELSE FOR BEING HERE
WITH US, AND I WANT TO THANK
THIS PANEL. I AGREE. THIS PANEL
HAVING, UM, HEARING DIRECTLY
FROM STAKEHOLDERS IS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. AND I LEARNED A LOT
TODAY FROM ALL OF THE PANELS. SO
THANK YOU. I THINK THAT
EVERYBODY THAT WAS HERE
LISTENING. WE HAVE A LOT TO
THINK ABOUT. WE HAVE A LOT TO
CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION WITH YOU
ABOUT YOU SEE A GROUP OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE VERY UNITED IN WANTING
TO NOT JUST SAVE TRANSIT FROM
THIS FISCAL CLIFF, BUT TO
UPLIFTED TO BRING MORE PEOPLE
INTO THE SYSTEM TO MAKE IT UP,
MORE PLEASANT EXPERIENCE FOR THE
RIDERS PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO
GO AND WORK MY DAUGHTER A FEW
YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT
SEVEN, WANTED TO BE A BUS DRIVER
IN SPACE. NOW, SHE SAYS, THAT
WAS SILLY. SHE JUST WANTS TO BE
A BUS DRIVER BECAUSE SHE
REALIZES THE SPACE PART MAYBE
NOT SO PRACTICAL. SO I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WHEN SHE'S A BUS
DRIVER THAT SHE IS SAFE AND HAS
A GREAT EXPERIENCE AS WELL, SO
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE, AND WE WILL AND TO
CONTINUE. DO YOU HAVE ANY
CLOSING WORDS? MADAM CHAIR SON
WAS A LONG BEACH TRANSIT BUS
DRIVER FOR HIS SECOND HALLOWEEN
. SO WE HAVE A BIG, BIG LOVE FOR
TRANSIT, OF COURSE, AND IN
UNISON WITH UH, CHAIR. FRIEDMAN
WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE PUBLIC
COMMENT, SO WE HAVE NOT
FORGOTTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW IS
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE EVERYONE
WE'RE GOING TO BE LIMITING THE
COMMENTS TO ONE MINUTE AND YOU
DON'T HAVE TO USE YOUR ONE
MINUTE. YOU CAN CERTAINLY USE
LAST. BUT WE WILL BE TIMING YOU
ALL BECAUSE THAT IS JUST HOW WE
DO THINGS IN THE LEGISLATURE. SO
IF YOU WANT TO COME AROUND TO
THE MICROPHONES, LIKE I SAID, WE
WILL BE TIMING AND THEN YOU KNOW
IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF
WITH YOUR NAME, AND ALSO IF YOU
REPRESENT ANY ENTITY, PLEASE DO
LET US KNOW THAT AS WELL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
SHERIFF FRIEDMAN AND GONZALEZ
AND SENATOR ARCHULETTA AND STAFF
MITCH STEIGER WITH THE
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION OF
THE WORKER. PERSPECTIVE WAS
PRETTY PERFECTLY SUMMARIZED BY
MR LINDSAY FROM EIGHT EU AND
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO ADD
OTHER THAN WE WOULD JUST
EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE
THINK WE'VE LEARNED TODAY OF
LISTENING TO THE WORKERS THAT
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ARE
SO CONSISTENTLY STRESSING THE
IMPORTANCE OF WORKERS. BEING IN
A UNION IS THAT IT'S ONE OF THE
FEW INSTITUTIONS OUT THERE THAT
GIVES WORKERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RAISE THESE ISSUES LIKE
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND HOW
IMPORTANT SCHEDULING AS THAT,
WITHOUT ACCESS TO A UNION
WORKERS ARE TYPICALLY TOO AFRAID
OF RETALIATION OR FEEL LIKE THEY
DON'T HAVE THE POWER THAT THEY
NEED TO RAISE THESE ISSUES AND
SO BEING IN A UNION DOES GIVE
THEM THAT STRUCTURE. BUT AS
WE'VE LEARNED TODAY, BEING ABLE
TO RAISE THESE ISSUES TO
MANAGEMENT, EVEN ON A LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD SOMETIMES ISN'T
ENOUGH AND WE STILL HAVE A
SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE THAT NEEDS
TO BE DEALT WITH, AND WE WOULD
JUST URGE THE LEGISLATURE TO
TAKE THOSE COMMENTS TO HEART AND
URGED THE OPERATORS THAT ARE
HERE TO TAKE THOSE COMMENTS TO
HEART AND EXPLORE WAYS TO BRING
THAT PERSPECTIVE MORE IN LINE
CREATE NEW POLICIES THAT CAN
HELP FURTHER THAT PERSPECTIVE,
WHETHER IT'S LOCAL STANDARDS OR
STATE STANDARDS OR SOMETHING TO
DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES SO THAT
WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF
LEARNING FROM WHAT THE WORKERS
HAVE GONE THROUGH TO MAKE THE
SYSTEM BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
GOOD EVENING, MARK JAFFE WITH
THE CATO INSTITUTE. ONE BARRIER
REGAINING TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IS A
LOW FREQUENCY OF TRAIN SERVICE,
UNFORTUNATELY, ACHIEVING FIVE
MINUTE FREQUENCY THROUGHOUT THE
DAY WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE AND
PERHAPS NOT EVEN POSSIBLE DUE TO
THE SHORTAGE OF OPERATORS AS WE
DISCUSSED HERE EARLIER. WE CAN
SOLVE THE QUEST PROBLEM BY USING
AUTOMATED TRAINS LIKE THE ONES
YOU SEE AT. MOST MAJOR AIRPORTS
WERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF
VANCOUVER. WE CAN FIND THIS
UPGRADE AND FREE UP MONEY TO
SUBSIDIZE OPERATIONS BY PAUSING
TRANSIT PROJECTS THAT NO LONGER
MAKES SENSE IN THE POST COVID
ERA, THE MOST OBVIOUS CASE OF A
PROJECT THAT SHOULD BE STOPPED
IS A $29 BILLION SECOND TRANSBAY
BAR TUNNEL WITH DRAMATICALLY
LOWER PEAK HOUR RIDERSHIP. THERE
IS NO PLAUSIBLE SCENARIO UNDER
WHICH THE EXISTING TUNNEL WILL
REACH FOR UTILIZATION IN THE
FORESEEABLE FUTURE. TWO OTHER
BAY AREA PROJECTS THAT NO LONGER
PENCIL OUT ARE THE $9 BILLION
BART EXTENSION TO SANTA CLARA
AND THE $7 BILLION LINK FROM SAN
FRANCISCO CALTRAIN STATION TO
SALESFORCE TRANSIT CENTER.
BEFORE RAISING TAXES TO FURTHER
SUBSIDIZED TRANSIT. PLEASE PASS
LEGISLATION TO ALLOW AREA
TRANSIT AGENCIES TO DIVERT FUNDS
FROM THESE UNNECESSARY PROJECTS
TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS. THANK YOU
. THANK YOU SO MUCH NEXT SPEAKER
AND EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT OVER
A MINUTE, SO JUST KEEP THAT IN
MIND. UM UH, GOOD. GOOD EVENING
. I'M STEVE ROBERTS. I'M
PRESIDENT OF THE RAIL PASSENGER
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA AND I
WANT TO THANK THE CHAIRS
TOGETHER. THIS EXCELLENT MEETING
. I PROVIDED SOME COMMENTS, SOME
WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT THEY GET
TO OKAY. THANK YOU. UM AND I
WILL YIELD MY TIME. AND WE'LL
MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET TO ALL
THE MEMBERS OF EACH COMMITTEE AS
WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
EVENING. I'LL BE BRIEF. STEVE
WELCOME HALF OF THE ALAMEDA
COUNTY ACROSS THE TRANSIT
DISTRICT. YOUR FIRST? YEAH, I'D
LIKE TO ALSO THANK YOU FOR THIS
HEARING. I THINK THAT THE
BACKGROUND PIECE AS WELL DONE,
THE POWERS WERE GREAT. AND I
THINK IT REALLY ILLUSTRATED UM,
WIDE RANGE OF NEEDS THAT ARE
FACING TRANS. AND WE HOPE THIS,
UH, HEARINGS ARE PROMISING FIRST
STEP IN TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT A
C TRANSIT, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT
SERVICES ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR
THE EAST BAY RESIDENTS WERE ALSO
FACING A DEFICIT ABOUT 155
MILLION OVER THE NEXT COMING
YEARS. UM AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO
AVOID HAVING TO DO THE SERVICE
CUTS AND THE IMPACT THAT WOULD
HAVE CROSSED THE SPACE, SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.
WE'RE SO WITH W 2065 58 10, THE
UNIONS OF 48,000 ACADEMIC
WORKERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA THANK YOU TO THE
CHAIRS AND THE MEMBERS. I JUST
WANT TO SAY THAT FULLY FUNDED
AND ACCESSIBLE TRANSIT IS
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO OUR
MEMBERS WHO ARE MAJORITY LOW
INCOME AND CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE
BY THE CAMPUSES WHERE THEY WORK,
SO WE RELY ON TRANSIT IN ORDER
TO COMMUTE TO WORK DAILY. AND AS
ACADEMIC WORKERS ARE MEMBERS ARE
ALSO ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE
CHANGE, RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND
DEEPLY THAT PUBLIC TRANSIT IS A
CRUCIAL PART OF OUR TRANSITION
TO A GREENER FUTURE. THE STATE
IS CURRENTLY NOT ON TRACK TO ME
ITS EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOALS,
PRIMARILY DUE TO INCREASED
EMISSIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION
INTENDS THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS
COMMUTE VIA PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION EVERY DAY. THOSE
WHO CANNOT DO SO GENERATE OVER
ONE MILLION VEHICLE MILES IN
SINGLE OCCUPANCY BECAUSE EVERY
WEEK, WHICH IS UNTENABLE FOR A
STATE IN OUR LATEST CONTRACTS,
THE UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA
COMMITTED TO CREATE A FREE
TRANSIT PASS PROGRAM FOR OUR
MEMBERS. WE FOUGHT FOR THIS
DEMAND SO THAT WORKERS COULD
HAVE A GREEN AND DIGNIFIED WAY
TO GET TO WORK EVERY DAY. ON
BEHALF OF YOU REMEMBER THAT? YOU
SEE, WE ASK THAT THE STATE STOP
ITS PLAN TO CUT CAPITAL FUNDING
FOR TRANSIT AND STEP IN WITH A
LONG TERM SOLUTION TO THE
OPERATIONS FUNDING CRISIS THAT
THREATENS THE SERVICE. WE DEPEND
ON THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING CHAIR
AND MEMBER KIRK BLACKBURN HERE
ON BEHALF OF SAN DIEGO
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS STAND
EGG WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THIS
IMPORTANT HEARING ALSO BRIEFLY
AGAIN TOUTED SUCCESSES OF
SANDBAGS. YOUTH OPPORTUNITY PAST
PILOT PROGRAM. WHICH SENATOR
BLAKE SPARE MENTIONED EARLIER,
SANDBAG LAUNCHED THE YOUTH
OPPORTUNITY PASSED IN MAY 2022
TO OFFER FREE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO
YOUTH 18 AND UNDER THROUGHOUT
SAN DIEGO COUNTY SINCE HIS TIME
YOUTH HAS BEEN WRITING TRANSIT
MORE THAN EVER, THE NUMBER OF
TRANSIT RIDES TAKEN BY YOUTH HAS
MORE THAN DOUBLED COMPARED TO
THE MONTH BEFORE THE PROGRAM
STARTED. AND THE NUMBER OF
UNIQUE YOUTH USERS WHO RIDE
TRANSIT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH
HAS TRIPLED. BASED ON
PRELIMINARY FEEDBACK FROM USERS
OVER 90% REPORT USING TRANSIT
MORE BECAUSE THE PROGRAM WITH
70% INDICATING THEY PLAN ON
USING THE TRANSIT INTO ADULTHOOD
. THIS PILOT PROGRAM IS
UNFORTUNATELY ONLY FUNDED
THROUGH JUNE. 2023 SAN DIEGAN
PARTNER AGENCIES ARE SEEKING A
PERMANENT FUNDING SOURCE TO
CONTINUE THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING
POTENTIALLY EXPANDING THE
PROGRAM TO USE AGES 24 UNDER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
CHAIRS AND SENATOR. MY NAME IS
MORE ATOP. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION
AUTHORITY. WE ALSO GREATLY
APPRECIATE THIS HEARING. THINK
IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE.
WE ALIGN OURSELVES WITH MUCH OF
WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID BY
OUR SISTER AND BROTHER AGENCIES
. UM WE ARE ONE OF THOSE
AGENCIES THAT MANY OF OUR
WRITERS ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT,
SO WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT UM
, REESTABLISHMENT OF OUR
RIDERSHIP SINCE PAN PANDEMIC
WERE OVER 80% OF OUR RIDERSHIP
RETURN, BUT ONE THING I'D LIKE
TO UNDERSCORE AND THAT IS, UM,
WHILE WE MIGHT NOT BE FACING AN
IMMEDIATE FISCAL CLIFF TODAY WE
ARE LOOKING AT THOSE LONG TERM
IMPACTS OF THE I C T THE
MANDATES THAT ARE THAT EXIST. ON
US. WE'RE SEEING A $400 MILLION
REQUIREMENT. UH THAT WE FACE
BECAUSE OF THE I C T. TRANSIT IS
A LIMITED PART OF MONEY. AND SO
IF WE'RE GOING TO SQUEEZE
CAPITAL EXPENDITURES OUT OF THAT
POT, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME
FROM SOMEWHERE. SO WE DO VERY
MUCH APPRECIATE THIS DIALOGUE.
WE HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF
A OF A LONG DIALOGUE WITH YOU
AND BOTH OF YOUR COMMITTEE'S
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
EVENING TERRACE, FRIEDMAN AND
GONZALEZ AND A MEMBER ARCHULETTA
. MY NAME IS LAURA TOLD OFF
TRANSPORTATION POLICY DIRECTOR
FOR SPUR, A NONPROFIT PUBLIC
POLICY ORGANIZATION WORKING TO
MAKE THE BAY AREA MORE
SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE AND
PROSPEROUS. YOU'VE HEARD FROM A
NUMBER OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND
PARTNERS IN THE BAY AREA, SO I
JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON ONE KEY
POINT, WHICH IS THAT THE
FINANCIAL AND OPERATING
CHALLENGES ARE NOT JUST DEBATE
AREA PROBLEM. REMARKABLY 80% OF
ALL OF THE STATES TRANSIT TRIPS
HAPPEN ON JUST FIVE SYSTEMS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND ALL
FIVE ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE
SIGNIFICANT OPERATING SHORTFALLS
IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. IF THE
STATE'S LARGEST OPERATORS FALTER
, IT WILL JEOPARDIZE THE STATE'S
CLIMATE, EQUITY AND ECONOMIC
GOALS. THE STATE, THEREFORE HAS
A STRONG INTEREST IN THEIR
SUCCESS, REGARDLESS OF THE
MARKET THAT THEY SERVE. FIRST
STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE REQUEST
THAT THE STATE TAKE ACTION TO
PROTECT PUBLIC TRANSIT AND IN
THE NEAR TERM THAT REQUIRES
FUNDING TO STAVE OFF DEVASTATING
SERVICE CUTS. AND IT ALSO
REQUIRES EFFORTS TO GROW
RIDERSHIP, WHICH ARE
FOUNDATIONAL FOUNDATIONAL TO THE
BUSINESS MODEL AND PUBLIC VALUE
FOR TRANSIT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE MANY
OTHER STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND
SUPPORTS THAT CAN HELP MAKE
TRANSIT SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME
IS ZAK DICE GROWTH AND THE
POLICY DIRECTOR AT TRANSFORM
TRANSFORM IS A BARRIER BASED
NONPROFIT THAT WORKS REGIONALLY
AND STATEWIDE FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND MOBILITY FOR ALL TO
CREATE COMMUNITIES WHERE
EVERYONE CAN THRIVE. UM I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR THE THOUGHTFUL
COMMENTS AND THINKING ABOUT BOTH
THE SHORT AND LONG TERM
PRIORITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION.
AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND LAND
USE THAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO
ALARM TERM SUCCESS OF OUR
TRANSIT AGENCIES. UM TRANSFORM,
REALLY UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE
NEEDS TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE
VISION. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
THESE THINGS GOING FORWARD AND
HOW WE FUND THE FUTURE OF OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. BUT THIS
CANNOT HAPPEN IF WE DON'T ALSO
KEEP OUR SYSTEMS RUNNING TO
PROVIDE VITAL SERVICES, A
TRANSIT SERVICES THAT FOLKS NEED
ACROSS THE STATE OVER HALF A
MILLION PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR AND
DEPEND ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND
TRANSPORTATION AS A WHOLE IS THE
LARGEST SOURCE OF GHG EMISSIONS
AND GROWING SOURCE IN CALIFORNIA
, SO I HOPE YOU'LL PRIORITIZE
BOTH SHORT TERM FUNDING TO
SUPPORT TRANSIT OPERATIONS WHILE
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE
HARDER A LONG TERM PROBLEM THAT
WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO FIX.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS IAIN
GRIFFITHS, POLICY DIRECTOR OF
SEAMLESS BAY AREA AND ADVOCACY
GROUP IN THIS IN THE BAY AREA,
SEAMLESS BARRY IS STRONGLY
ALLIED WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS
AND TRANSIT AGENCIES ACROSS THE
STATE REQUESTING OPERATIONS
FUNDING IN THE STATE BUDGET. BUT
IN ADDITION TO NEAR TERM FUNDING
, SYSTEMIC INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
ARE NEEDED TO TRANSFORM PUBLIC
TRANSIT IN OUR STATE TO BE MORE
WRITER FOCUSED, EFFECTIVE
SYSTEMS THAT WILL ATTRACT MORE
RIDERS. 2021 PAPER FROM THE
MINETA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE
STUDIED 10 HIGH RIDERSHIP
SYSTEMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AND FOUND THAT THOSE SYSTEMS IN
ADDITION TO HAVING STABLE
FUNDING, THEY ALSO HAVE POLICIES
AND REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS. AND
MANDATES TO DELIVER SEAMLESS,
REGIONALLY, INTEGRATED SYSTEMS
INTEGRATED, AFFORDABLE FARES,
COORDINATED SERVICE AND CAPITAL
PLANNING. UNIFIED CUSTOMER
INFORMATION ARE PILLARS OF
SUCCESS AMONG THESE KEY HIGH
RIDERSHIP REGIONS. BUT THE
POLICIES DEPEND ON STRONGER
FORMS OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
THAT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE
AUTHORITY AND RESOURCES AND
THOSE DON'T YET EXIST IN
CALIFORNIA, SO PLEASED AS YOU
CONSIDER THE TRANSFORMATION OF
TRANSIT IN THE STATE OVER THE
NEXT COMING YEARS AND THROUGH
THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES THAT HAVE
BEEN SET UP, PLEASE PRIORITIZE,
INTRODUCING EFFECTIVE PROVEN
FORMS OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
THAT CAN DELIVER INTEGRATED
WRITER FOCUSED TRANSIT. THANK
YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS
MEETING HERE. MY NAME IS DARLENE
JONES. FORMER A C TRANSIT BUS
DRIVER AT 21 YEARS. I STARTED IN
JUNE 1989. AND I ENDED. MY
CAREER THERE IN JUNE OF 2010.
THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM AS AN
EMPLOYEE. I FELT WAS CHILDCARE.
WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION. AS A
COLLECTIVE. WE HAVE A DRIVER'S
COMMITTEE. BUT A C TRANSIT. TO
BRING THE CHILD CARE WITHIN THE
DIVISIONS FOR EACH DIVISION. FOR
THE MECHANICS. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY
CHILDREN. I WAS WILLING TO PAY.
OUT OF MY SALARY FOR THE CHILD
CARE BECAUSE IT WOULD BENEFIT
THE DRIVER WHO WOULD ALWAYS COME
TO THE BUS LATE. LET'S SAY THAT
I WAS THE FIRST DRIVER OUT OF
THE YARD IN THE MORNING. AND I
WAS WAITING FOR MY RELIEF DRIVER
WOULD ALWAYS SAY THAT SHE HAD
PROBLEMS WITH CHILDCARE. I'M
GONNA PUT THAT ON THE STATE AS A
SOLUTION THAT I FEEL AS THOUGH
IT IS VERY MANDATORY TODAY. AND
THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION I WAS
GOING TO GIVE WAS SINCE I WAS
ONE OF THE BUS DRIVERS ON THE
BAY BRIDGE. THAT ELEMENT CREATED
EARTHQUAKE. IF WE CAN BUILD A
BRAND NEW BRIDGE AND A SHORT
MANNER OF TIME, WE CAN FIX THIS
PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE. TODAY.
THAT CONTROL ISSUE. MY HAT GOES
OFF TO MR LINDSEY. HE IS
CORRECT. PEOPLE NEED TO GET OUT
OF THAT CONTROL SYNDROME IF WE
COME TOGETHER AS A WHOLE STATE
AND THIS TRANSPORTATION WE CAN
MAKE IT. BECAUSE EVERYONE CAN
AFFORD A TV. TODAY. THEY CAN'T
AFFORD THAT LAMBORGHINI. YOU GET
PEOPLE TODAY THEY CAN'T AFFORD
THE BUS RIDE. I LEAVE IT UP TO
YOU. MY FELLOW CALIFORNIANS.
THANK YOU. I GIVE YOU EXTRA TIME
BECAUSE THAT WAS SO GOOD. SO
THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM
CHAIRS AND SENATOR ARCHULETTA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
CONVENING THIS VERY IMPORTANT
HEARING THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS
ROD LI. I AM THE ASSISTANT
GENERAL MANAGER RESPONSIBLE FOR
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AT THE SAN
FRANCISCO BERRY RAPID TRANSIT
DISTRICT, ALSO KNOWN AS BART. AT
BART WERE ONE OF THE AGENCIES
THAT HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST FARE
BOX RECOVERY RECOVERY RATIOS IN
THE COUNTRY. SO THEREFORE
RECOVERING AND REGROWING. OUR
RIDERSHIP IS IMPORTANT TO OUR
SURVIVAL. THEREFORE WE HAVE
LAUNCHED A SERIES OF INITIATIVES
TO FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER. SUCH
AS INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF
SERVICE THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR
SYSTEM AS WELL AS ENHANCING
PERSONAL SAFETY AND SECURITY. WE
HAVE CURRENTLY PRE PANDEMIC
LEVELS OF SERVICE AND WE'RE
WORKING TO IMPROVE OUR WEEKEND
AND EVENING SERVICE AS WELL.
FROM A SAFETY AND SECURITY
STANDPOINT. CURRENTLY WE HAVE
THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF UNIFORM
PERSONNEL IN OUR SYSTEM THAT
INCLUDES POLICE OFFICERS.
TRANSIT AMBASSADORS IN CRISIS
INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS AND
TECHNICIANS THAT ARE THROUGHOUT
OUR SYSTEM, ASSISTING PEOPLE. SO
. IMPROVING RIDERSHIP IS
CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR
AGENCY AND AGENCIES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
AND PARTNERING WITH YOU TO
IMPROVE THAT. THE FINAL THING I
WANT TO SAY IS THAT ARGENTEUIL
MANAGER BOB POWERS IS LEADING A
REGIONAL EFFORT IN REGARDS TO
COORDINATION OF BAY AREA
TRANSIT, GMS AND C. E. O S.
REGARDS TO MAKING CERTAIN THAT
THE WRITER EXPERIENCE WORKS WELL
FOR ALL RIDERS FROM SYSTEM TO
SYSTEM. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH. YOU WERE EAGER TO
WORK WITH YOU, AND IT'S
ESSENTIAL THAT WE WORK WITH YOU
IN REGARDS TO MAKING CERTAIN
THAT ALL THE TRANSIT AGENCIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA SURVIVE AND THRIVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IF THERE'S
NO FINAL WORDS I WANT TO AGAIN.
THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE
AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THE WORK THIS YEAR.