THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
BAY AREA, PUBLIC TRANSIT WILL
COME TO ORDER WELCOME EVERYONE.
SCOTT WIENER HAVE THE HONOR OF
CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE. I'M
JOINED TODAY BY MY COLLEAGUES,
SENATOR BECKER AND SENATOR LAIRD
. WE ANTICIPATE A FEW ADDITIONAL
SENATORS WILL BE ARRIVING
SHORTLY. UH THE SENATE CONTINUES
, AS ALWAYS, TO WELCOME THE
PUBLIC TO ALL OF OUR HEARINGS.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD
LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT
LATER IN THE HEARING WILL NEED
TO DO SO IN PERSON. THIS HEARING
IS BEING LIVESTREAMED. HOWEVER
WE ARE NOT TAKING REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY TO WATCH IT LIVE
STREAMED. EXCUSE ME, YOU CAN GO
TO THE SENATE EVENT WEB PAGE AND
THE LIVESTREAM LINK IS THERE WE
WILL BE HEARING FROM OUR PANELS,
AND THEN AFTER ALL, THE PANELS
ARE DONE. WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC
COMMENT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA
THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR JOINING
US TODAY AND FOR THE CONTINUED
DEEP ENGAGEMENT OF OUR ENTIRE
BAY AREA LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS
CAUCUS IS VERY, VERY FOCUSED ON
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND I
WANT TO THANK PARTICULAR CENTER
BECKER FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN OUR
CAUCUS. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
VARIOUS PANELISTS WHO WILL BE
TESTIFYING TODAY. IN TODAY'S
OVERSIGHT HEARING WE'RE GOING TO
HEAR FROM PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
AGENCIES. EXPERTS STAKEHOLDERS
ABOUT CURRENT FISCAL PROJECTIONS
AND ONGOING FUNDING NEEDS FOR
BAY AREA. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEMS WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSING
HOW TO IMPROVE CONFIDENCE,
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. THROUGH REFORM
AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT
IMPROVE CUSTOMER FOCUSED SAFETY,
CLEANLINESS AND RELIABILITY.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE BAY
AREA SIMILAR TO OTHER MAJOR
METROPOLITAN AREAS LIKE NEW YORK
CITY AND WASHINGTON, D. C IS AT
A CROSSROADS EVEN BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC. OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS ON
ALL TOO OFTEN HAD SOME FINANCIAL
CHALLENGES WITH INADEQUATE
PUBLIC FINANCIAL SUPPORT. WHICH
IS SYSTEMIC THROUGHOUT THIS
COUNTRY, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF
MAJOR SYSTEMS THAT WERE OVERLY
RELIANT ON FAIR REVENUE. THE
PANDEMIC BROUGHT THESE SYSTEMS
TO THEIR KNEES WITH EARLY
PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP DOWN 95. HAD
CONGRESS NOT STEPPED IN WITH
MULTIPLE RESCUE PACKAGES DURING
THE PANDEMIC, OUR TRANSIT
SYSTEMS AROUND THE COUNTRY
LARGELY WOULD HAVE COLLAPSED.
WE'RE ALL VERY GRATEFUL FOR
CONGRESS'S DECISION TO STABILIZE
OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS. THESE
SYSTEMS ARE NOW RECOVERING FROM
THE PANDEMIC, FOR EXAMPLE, UM
UNI AND TRANSIT OR AT
APPROXIMATELY 70% OF PRE
PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP, WHICH IS
SIMILAR TO NEW YORK CITY'S
RIDERSHIP, RECOVERY AND BAR IS
CLOSING IN ON 50% BUT CHANGES
AND WORK AND TRANSPORTATION
PATTERNS HAVE LED TO THE
RECOVERY BEING SLOW AND GRADUAL.
AS FEDERAL PANDEMIC RELIEF FOR
TRANSIT SYSTEMS RUNS OUT, AND I
DO WANT TO STRESS THAT ARE BAY
AREA TRANSIT SYSTEMS HAVE DONE,
I THINK A REMARKABLE JOB
STRETCHING OUT THAT FUNDING.
THEY DIDN'T JUST SPEND IT ALL UP
FRONT. THEY HELD ON TO IT AND
HAVE REALLY STRETCH IT OUT. UM
BUT AS THESE FUNDS ARE RUNNING
OUT, AND SO WE SEE A FISCAL
CLIFF, WHERE RIDERSHIP HASN'T
FULLY RECOVERED AND THERE ARE
NOT OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE TO
COMPENSATE FOR THAT CONTINUED
LOSS. UM SO RECOVERY FROM THE
PANDEMIC HAS ALSO LED TO
CONCERNS AROUND SAFETY,
CLEANLINESS AND FAIR EVASIONS
AND OUR TRANSIT SYSTEMS. THE
PUBLIC IS FRUSTRATED BY THESE
CHALLENGES, AND A LOT OF WORK IS
HAPPENING TO ADDRESS THEM. AS
YOU WILL HEAR. TODAY THE PUBLIC
ALSO IS DEMANDING BETTER AND
MORE SEAMLESS PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION SERVICE. AND THIS
TRANSITION PERIOD THAT WE'RE IN
AS DIFFICULT AS IT IS, PROVIDES
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MUCH
NEEDED REFORMS TO THE WAY OUR
SYSTEMS OPERATE AND INTERACT
WITH ONE ANOTHER. ULTIMATELY UM,
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RIDERS
REALLY DON'T CARE WHO WAS
MANAGING THE BUS OR THE TRAIN
THAT THEY'RE RIDING. ALL THEY
CARE IS THAT THAT BUS OR TRAIN
IS SAFE AND CLEAN AND THAT IF
THEY HAVE TO SWITCH MODES SWITCH
FROM ONE BUS OR TRAIN TO ANOTHER
THAT IT HAPPENED SEAMLESSLY AND
WITHOUT TOO MUCH AGGRAVATION,
AND SO WE NEED TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HOW WE
STRUCTURE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
IN THE BAY AREA TO ADDRESS THE
VERY REAL POSSIBILITY THAT BAY
AREA TRANSIT SYSTEMS WOULD HAVE
TO START CUTTING SERVICE SOON,
AND THAT'S THE LAST THING WE
NEED SERVICE CUTS. WE WORKED
EXTREMELY HARD IN THE BUDGET
THIS YEAR AND WERE ABLE TO
OBTAIN $400 MILLION FOR BAY AREA
TRANSIT SYSTEMS OPERATIONAL
SUPPORT TO HELP STABILIZE THE
SYSTEMS BUDGETS, GETTING THE
STATE TO STEP UP IN A TIME OF
NEED FOR TRANSIT AGENCIES WAS A
MAJOR WIN, AND I REALLY WANT TO
THANK THE COALITION OF
LEGISLATORS, INCLUDING MY
COLLEAGUES HERE TODAY, OUR
LEADERSHIP IN THE SENATE AND
ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR AND
ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO WORKED
TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION
, THE METROPOLITAN
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION I
REALLY WANT TO THANK THE MTC FOR
HOSTING US TODAY WAS ABLE TO
REALLOCATE APPROXIMATELY $300
MILLION AND READ AN EXISTING
REGIONAL FUNDS. TO SUPPORT
TRANSIT OPERATIONS AND AVOID
SERVICE CUTS. SO JUST COMBINED
APPROXIMATELY $700 MILLION WILL
AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL, PREVENT
MAJOR BAY AREA TRANSIT SERVICE
CUTS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF 2026.
DESPITE THIS MAJOR FUNDING
ACHIEVEMENT, WE NEED TO BE CLEAR
THAT THIS IS A MULTIYEAR
STABILIZATION. IT IS NOT
PERMANENT. STARTING IN 2026.
ABSENT ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WE
WILL BEGIN TO SEE SIGNIFICANT
SHORTFALLS AND SERVICE CUTS. WE
NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS
PROBLEM NOW IT'S WE SHOULD NOT
BE WAITING UNTIL SIX MONTHS
BEFORE THE CLIFF TO ACT. WE NEED
TO BE PLANNING NOW. LET'S NOT
KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. SO
WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO
SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM. AND WE
NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT OPTIONAL.
THIS ISN'T LIKE A THRILL THAT WE
HAVE IN THE BAY AREA TRANSIT IS
PART OF THE LIFEBLOOD OF THIS
REGION AND PARTICULARLY OF THE
CITY. MY CITY THAT WE'RE IN
RIGHT NOW SAN FRANCISCO AND IF
WE START SEEING THE UNRAVELING
OF MAJOR TRANSIT SYSTEMS, WE
WILL ALL PAY THE PRICE AND
REDUCE MOBILITY, INCREASED
TRAFFIC. WORKING CLASS AND LOW
INCOME PEOPLE BEING TRAPPED AND
HAVING NO WAY TO GET AROUND AND
COMPLETELY TANKING OUR CLIMATE
GOALS. UM SO THIS YEAR AS I
THINK FOLKS KNOW I HAD
INTRODUCED A BILL SB 532 TO
TEMPORARILY RAISE RAISED BRIDGE
TOLLS TO DEAL WITH THE FISCAL
CLIFF. I HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON ON
THAT BILL. THIS PAST SUMMER TO
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR
LEGISLATIVE BURIAL LEGISLATIVE
CAUCUS AND THE MTC AND OPERATORS
AND EVERYONE ELSE TO REALLY PUT
OUR HEADS TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT
A PLAN FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO
DO. OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, I
HOPE LEADING TO A 2026 BALLOT
MEASURE TO PROVIDE LONG TERM
FINANCIAL STABILITY. THE PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. SO AGAIN THANK
YOU, EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING
TODAY BEFORE WE GO TO THE FIRST
PANEL. I WANT TO GIVE MY
COLLEAGUE SENATOR BECKER SENATOR
LET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY
COMMENTS THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANKS
FOR HAVING ME HEARING JUST MAKE
A VERY BRIEF COMMENT, AND THAT
IS THAT I WAS CHAIR OF THE
ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE FOR
MOST OF MY RUN IN THE ASSEMBLY
AT A TIME THAT WE HAD BUDGETS
THAT WERE RETRENCHED WHERE WE
WERE CUTTING OR RUNNING A
DEFICIT EVERY YEAR AND ONE OF
THE DYNAMICS. THAT I OBSERVED IS
EVERYBODY WAS JUST FIGHTING FOR
WHAT WAS THERE AND IT WAS SO
HARD TO ADDRESS AN EMERGING NEED
, AND THIS YEAR WE HAD AN OVER
$30 BILLION BUDGET PROBLEM, AND
WE HAD TWO SIGNIFICANT EMERGING
NEEDS. UH THE TRANSIT ONE JUST
OUTLINED ABOUT WHICH THIS
HEARING IS AND HOSPITALS GOING
UNDER AND WE HAD TO FIGHT AND
FIGHT AND FIGHT TO GET BOTH
THOSE ITEMS INTO THE BUDGET, AND
I REALLY SALUTE. UM THE EFFORTS
OF SENATOR WINNER BECAUSE HE
MADE A FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IN
DOING THAT. AND IT'S WHY IT'S
IMPORTANT. WE'RE DOING THIS
HEARING BECAUSE EVEN IF THE DATA
IS 2026, WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE
WOODS AND IT IS GOING TO
COMPETE. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE
MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET. THAT
IS A LITTLE DOWN IN THE YEAR.
THAT'S COMING. SO THAT MAKES
THIS DISCUSSION AND ALL YOUR
EFFORTS TO OTHER LEGISLATORS AND
IN PUBLIC FORUMS VERY IMPORTANT,
SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THIS IN A
WAY. THAT THERE'S SOME BACKING.
WHEN WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR
THIS, SO I APPRECIATE THE
HEARING TO MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SENATOR.
OKAY GREAT. SO WE WILL NOW GO TO
OUR FIRST PANEL. THAT PANEL, UM
WILL BE TWO LEADERS IN BAY AREA
TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND THE
PREMIER WHO IS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE METROPOLITAN
TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND
THEN TISCHLER, PRINCIPAL
TRANSPORTATION MODELER. AT THE
SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, WHICH
I USED TO HAVE THE HONOR OF
CARING SO, GENTLEMEN, YOU MAY
PROCEED. AND I THINK WE'RE GOING
TO WANT DO WE WANT? THESE IS
THAT FOR? HMM IT'S OPERATED.
OKAY, GREAT. GREAT WELL, GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR WEINER AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M
ANDREW, PREMIER EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF MTC, AND I'M HONORED
TO BE TESTIFYING BEFORE YOU
TODAY AND TO BE HOSTING YOU ALL
IN THE BAY AREA METRO CENTER, SO
WELCOME. IN THIS PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE
ON THE REGION'S TRANSIT RECOVERY
, INCLUDING HOW MTC IS PROPOSING
TO ALLOCATE FUNDING THAT THE
LEGISLATURE APPROVED LAST YEAR.
HIGHLIGHT SOME PROGRESS MTC AND
THE REGION'S OPERATORS ARE
MAKING ON THE CUSTOMER FOCUSED
TRANSIT TRANSFORMATION ACTION
PLAN AND THEN LASTLY, PROVIDE A
PREVIEW OF OUR THINKING
REGARDING A FUTURE REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION MEASURE. AS
SENATOR WIDER MENTIONED, UM AND
SINCE WE LAST PRESENTED TO THE
MTC ON THE RIDERSHIP RECOVERY,
IT HAS IMPROVED QUITE A BIT. AND
IT STANDS AT ABOUT 66% OVERALL
OF PRE COVID LEVELS UP ABOUT 10%
FROM THE LAST NINE MONTHS.
INCREASINGLY BAY AREA EMPLOYERS
ARE ASKING THEIR WORKFORCE TO
COME INTO THE OFFICE, WHICH IS
HELPING THE CHALLENGE IS GETTING
MORE OF THOSE COMMUTERS TO
CHOOSE TRANSIT AS WELL AS
LEARNING A AREA RESIDENTS TO
TAKE TRANSIT FOR NON COMMUTE
TRIPS, WHICH ACTUALLY COMPROMISE
COMPRISE A MAJORITY OF ALL
TRAVEL. PIVOTING TO THE
FINANCIALS. THIS. THIS SLIDE
RECAPS THE SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES
THAT YOU PROVIDED IN LAST YEAR'S
BUDGET, AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO
RECOGNIZE CHAIR WIENERS
LEADERSHIP IN THAT EFFORT. THE
BAY AREA. RECEIVED. $770 MILLION
IN TRANSIT AND INTERCITY RAIL
CAPITAL FUNDS. AND ABOUT $400
MILLION IN NEW ZERO EMISSION
FUNDING. BOTH OF WHICH YOU
ALLOWED US TO BE USED FOR BOTH
TRANSIT, OPERATING AND CAPITAL.
AS YOU RECALL, MTC HAD BEEN A
STRONG CHAMPION FOR THIS GENERAL
FUND INFUSION OF TOUR STEP
FUNDS. TO BUDGET CYCLES AGO. TO
HELP CLOSE THE GAP IN THE
FUNDING GAPS FOR THE BAR TO
SILICON VALLEY, PHASE TWO AND
THE BARK OR CAPACITY PROJECTS.
THE COMMISSION IS MAINTAINING
ITS COMMITMENT TO THE USE OF THE
TERM FIT FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE
BECAUSE IT WILL LEVERAGE OVER $6
BILLION IN FEDERAL MATCHING
FUNDS. AFTER TAKING CARE OF
THESE TWO REGIONAL PRIORITIES,
THERE IS SOME FUNDING REMAINING
IN THE CATEGORY, WHICH THE
COMMISSION IS RESERVING FOR
OPERATING NEEDS THAT I'LL COVER
SHORTLY. MTC IS APPROVED USING
100% OF THE NEAR ZERO NEW ZERO
EMISSION PROGRAM TO HELP SUSTAIN
TRANSIT SERVICE OVER THE NEXT
THREE YEARS. SO HOW DOES THIS
COMPARE TO THE NEED? OVER THE
NEXT FIVE YEARS. OPERATORS
CONTINUE TO ESTIMATE CUMULATIVE
DEFICITS TOTALING ABOUT $2.7
BILLION HAVE SHOWN IN THE BOTTOM
RIGHT OF THE CHART. OR $1.1
BILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE
FISCAL YEARS. IN SP 125, THE
LEGISLATURE ENTRUSTED MTC WITH
THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
DISTRIBUTING FUNDS ACROSS THE
BAY AREA'S OPERATORS TO HELP
SUSTAIN TRANSIT SERVICE. TO
ENSURE THAT WE DID SO EQUITABLY
AND IN LINE WITH THE PRIORITIES
THAT YOU SET, MY STAFF DEVELOPED
A STANDARDIZED NEED FRAMEWORK
USING COMMON ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT
INFLATION. THEY CAN SEE RATES
COST ESCALATION AND SO ON. THIS
APPLES TO APPLES ANALYSIS
IDENTIFIED A THREE YEAR GAP OF
ABOUT $776 MILLION ABOUT 300
MILLION LESS THAN THE NON
STANDARDIZED VERSION. BUT THERE
IS STILL A MAJOR FUNDING GAP.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS HOW WE
PROPOSE TO CLOSE IT. ON THE TOP
PORTION THE TABLE YOU WILL SEE
THE STATE FUNDS TOTAL ABOUT $447
MILLION, LEAVING THE $320
MILLION GAP SHOWN IN RED. TO
ADDRESS THIS. THE COMMISSION
APPROVED DIRECTING AN ADDITIONAL
$300 MILLION IN FUTURE REGIONAL
FUNDS, INCLUDING FUTURE FEDERAL
HIGHWAY AND FEDERAL TRANSIT
FUNDS, AS WELL AS REGIONAL
MEASURE TO BRIDGE TOLLS. PLUS
$29 MILLION IN ANTICIPATED
INTEREST EARNINGS ON THE TER
SHIP FUNDING. THIS ACTION
INVOLVES HARD CHOICES. BUT HONOR
THE COMMITMENT OF OUR COMMISSION
LEADERSHIP TO PARTNER WITH THE
STATE IN STABILIZING AREA
TRANSPORTATION. SO THAT'S THE
MONEY PART. BUT WHAT IS MTC
DOING TO HELP MAKE SURE
OPERATORS ARE DELIVERING ON
IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE CUSTOMER?
MTC TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY THE
TRUST THE LEGISLATURE HAS PUT IN
US TO MANAGE THESE FUNDS AND TO
HELP STEER TRANSIT THROUGH THESE
TURBULENT TIMES. YOU ASKED US TO
ADOPT ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS
TO ENSURE AGENCIES ARE
PRIORITIZING ACTIONS THAT WILL
HELP BRING BACK RIDERS. I WANT
TO EMPHASIZE THE DEBATE AREAS.
TRANSIT OPERATORS ARE THEMSELVES
VERY EAGER TO MAKE THESE
IMPROVEMENTS AND INDEED ARE
ALREADY MAKING PROGRESS ON MANY
OF THEM, BUT THE COMMISSION HAS
ADOPTED SPECIFIC CONDITIONS
ATTACHED TO THESE FUNDS. SOME
APPLY TO ALL OPERATORS, SOME TO
INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES. AND WE PLAN
TO REQUIRE DEMONSTRATED PROGRESS
ON THEM PRIOR TO ALLOCATING
FUNDS IN FUTURE YEARS. THIS IS A
GOOD SEGUE TO THE BARRIER
TRANSIT TRANSFORMATION ACTION
PLAN. SO THIS PLAN, WHICH YOU'VE
HEARD ABOUT BEFORE WAS DEVELOPED
IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OPERATORS
IN KEY STAKEHOLDERS, MANY OF
WHOM YOU WILL HEAR FROM TODAY.
IT WAS DRIVEN BY ROBUST
RESEARCH, INCLUDING FOCUS GROUPS
AND POLLING OF BAY AREA
RESIDENTS TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY
WANT TO SEE AN IMPROVED TRANSIT
SYSTEM. THE PLAN IDENTIFIED FIVE
PRIORITY AREAS TO IMPROVE THE
TRANSIT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND
ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO USE
TRANSIT. FARES AND PAYMENTS,
CUSTOMER INFORMATION TRANSIT
NETWORKING ACCESSIBILITY. AND
FUNDING. TODAY I'M JUST GOING TO
HIGHLIGHT TWO AREAS. FAIR
COORDINATION. AND REGIONAL
MAPPING AND WAY FINDING. THE
FIRST SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS CLIPPER
BAY PASS, WHICH IS AN ALL AGENCY
TRANSIT PASS THAT PROVIDES
UNLIMITED RIDES ON BUS, RAIL AND
FERRY SERVICES IN THE BAY AREA.
MTC AND THE OPERATORS LAUNCHED
PHASE ONE OF THE PILOT IN 2022.
WITH FOUR UNIVERSITIES AND 12
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. PROJECT
STAFF ARE NOW WORKING ON PHASE
TWO, WHICH INCLUDES EMPLOYERS,
TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATIONS AND PROPERTY
MANAGERS. WE ANTICIPATE
LAUNCHING PHASE TWO EARLY NEXT
YEAR. THE EARLY RESULTS FROM
PHASE ONE ARE VERY PROMISING
PASS HOLDERS. TOOK 40% MORE
TRANSIT TRIPS COMPARED TO THEIR
PEERS WITH JUST A SINGLE AGENCY
PASS. UNDERSCORING ITS STRONG
POTENTIAL TO GROW TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP REGIONALLY. A SECOND
HIGH PRIORITY ITEM OF THE
TRANSFORMATION ACTION PLAN IS
THE REGIONAL MAPPING AND WAY
FINDING PROJECT WHOSE PURPOSE IS
TO RETAIN AND ATTRACT NEW RIDERS
BY MAKING TRANSIT JOURNEYS
EASIER TO UNDERSTAND. THE CORE
GOALS ARE PROVIDING BETTER
INFORMATION FOR RIDERS THAT IS
DEPENDABLE AND FAMILIAR AND
IMPORTANTLY, ALSO MAKING IT EASY
FOR OPERATORS TO FOLLOW NEW WAVE
FINDING STANDARDS. THROUGHOUT
2023. THE PROJECT TEAM HAS BEEN
WORKING TO DEVELOP THESE
STANDARDS FOR WAY FINDING
SIGNAGE AND OTHER INFORMATIONAL
ELEMENTS. WE ANTICIPATE HAVING
SIGNED PROTOTYPES IN THE FIELD
AT THE SANTA ROSA TRANSIT MALL,
THE SMART SMART STATION AND EL
CERRITO DEL NORTE BART STATION
NEXT SPRING TOGETHER REAL WORLD
FEEDBACK THAT WILL HELP US
REFINE THE STANDARDS AND CAN
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP. GOOD WAY OF
FINDING TOOLS. WE ARE CURRENTLY
AIMING TO HAVE THE FIRST VERSION
OF THE STANDARDS ADOPTED NEXT
FALL. MOVING ON TO THE FINAL
PART OF MY PRESENTATION. I WANT
TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR EFFORTS TO
HELP BRING ABOUT LONG TERM
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FOR OUR
REGIONS TRANSFER TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AS WE MADE CLEAR IN OUR STATE
BUDGET ADVOCACY LAST YEAR, WE
BELIEVE A REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION MEASURE IS AN
ESSENTIAL PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE,
GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE NEED EARLY
RESULTS FROM PHASE ONE AND
PROMISING. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THE
CORE GOAL OF THE VISION, IN THE
MEANTIME, IS A IS A CLIMATE
FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
THAT IS SAFE, ACCESSIBLE AND
CONVENIENT. YOU'RE ALL FOR ALL.
WITH FOCUS AREAS. HIGHLIGHTED IN
BLUE. WE WANT TO RETURN IN BOLD
WE WANT TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE
THE TRANSIT SYSTEM. WE WANT TO
MAKE TRANSIT SAFER, FASTER AND
EASIER TO USE AND ENHANCED
MOBILITY AND ACCESS FOR ALL. OUR
STAFF HAS DONE BOTH IN PERSON
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AS
POLLING. AND WHAT WE ARE HEARING
FROM THE VOTERS. IS THAT
IMPROVING LOCAL STREETS IS A TOP
PRIORITY, FOLLOWED BY TRANSIT
TRANSFORMATION AND TRANSIT
OPERATIONS. WE'VE TAKEN THIS
FEEDBACK AND DEVELOP SOME DRAFT
FUNDING CATEGORIES FOR THE
ENABLING LEGISLATION, AND WE
ANTICIPATE SPONSORING. NEXT YEAR
WITH THE GOAL. OF PLACING A
MEASURE ON THE BALLOT IN 2026.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
THE ENTIRE BAY AREA DELEGATION
ON THE BILL NEXT YEAR. IN
CLOSING. I WANT TO PROVIDE ONE
ENCOURAGING DATA POINT FROM OUR
MOST RECENT POLL, AND THAT IS A
STRONG BELIEF AMONG BAY AREA
VOTERS THAT TRANSIT IS
IMPORTANT. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT
BOTH LAST MARCH AND LAST MONTH
ABOUT 80% OF THE BAY AREA VOTERS
SAY THAT TRANSIT IS IMPORTANT
WITH ABOUT HALF CONSIDERING IT
VERY IMPORTANT. EVEN 69% OF THE
VOTERS WHO RARELY OR NEVER RIDE
TRANSIT. RECOGNIZE THIS AND THIS
GIVES ME HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
REGIONAL MEASURE THAT CONCLUDES
MY TESTIMONY, AND I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY
HAVE. UH THANK YOU WILL NEXT GO
TO MR TISCHLER. UM ACTUALLY, I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SENATOR
SKINNER AND SENATOR CORTEZ HERE
HERE. THANK YOU. AND YOU CAN ASK
QUESTIONS WHENEVER YOU LIKE.
SENATOR SKINNER. THANK YOU. UM,
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, IT'S YOU WEREN'T ASKED TO DO
THIS. AND SO PERHAPS IT'S NOT
APPROPRIATE RIGHT AT THIS, UM,
HEARING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE AN UPDATE ON HOW THE
EXPENDITURES FOR RM. THREE THEY
THEY. THE BRIDGE TOLD THAT THE
VOTERS ALREADY INCREASED. AND,
UM, YOU KNOW, SPEND IN COURT AND
SUCH, BUT, UH, GIVEN THAT WE
HAVE RIDERSHIP DOWN AND GIVEN
THAT THAT UH, TOLD MEASURE WAS
PRIMARILY FOR EXPANDING CAPITAL
PROJECTS, WHICH WERE IN SOME
CASES WERE UPDATES OR REPAIRS,
BUT IN GENERAL WAS EXPANDING.
UH, CAPACITY AND EXPANDING. UH
HUH. IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT
THERE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A
RELOOK AT WHAT WAS VIEWED AS
PRIORITY AT THE POINT THAT THAT
WAS PASSED AND WHAT IS PRIORITY
TODAY? ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT WE
HAVE NOT MADE WE'VE NOT DONE
THAT MUCH OF THE WORK YET SINCE
IT WAS HUNG UP IN COURT. UM BUT
WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING THAT TOOL
FOR SOME TIME. SO I WOULD VERY
MUCH LIKE AN UPDATE ON THAT. AND
ALSO I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP IN
NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH MTC. WHY
THERE SEEMS TO BE SUCH GREAT
RESISTANCE TO PUTTING THAT. THE
ALLOCATIONS OF THAT BACK ON THE
BALLOT, SINCE IT IS A TOLL. THAT
THE VOTERS THAT THE PUBLIC IS
ALREADY PAYING AND THAT THE
VOTERS HAVE ALREADY APPROVED
VERSUS GOING TO A NEW SOURCE OF
FUNDS. THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND I
CAN GIVE YOU JUST SORT OF A
BRIEF OUT UPDATE. WE BELIEVE
WE'VE ALLOCATED ABOUT $800
MILLION ALREADY. YOU KNOW, A
GOOD PORTION OF THE EARLY
PROJECTS WERE FUNDED BY AGENCIES
THAT HAD SOME CASH AT THE TIME
AND SO WE'VE BEEN FILLING. THEIR
ORIGINAL INVESTMENT. MANY OF THE
OTHER PROJECTS ARE PROGRAMS THAT
WE THINK ARE STILL IMPORTANT,
AND IT WAS ALSO DEFINED IN
LEGISLATION HOW TO PROCEED. SO
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I THINK
WE'RE STILL VERY COMFORTABLE
WITH THE INVESTMENTS IN THE RM
THREE PROGRAM. THERE WAS ALSO
QUITE A BIT OF OPERATING REVENUE
THAT'S IN THAT THAT IS DESIGNED
TO KEEP INVESTING IN THE VERY
FACILITIES IN PARTICULAR IN
THEIR OPERATIONS. HOW MUCH HAS
BEEN COLLECTED TO DATE? I DON'T
HAVE THAT ANSWER OFF THE TOP OF
MY HEAD. UM. SELECT COMMITTEE
CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE A FULL
UPDATE ON WHAT HAS BEEN
EXPENDED. AND WHAT IS STILL
PLANNED. AND WHY. WHAT THE THIS
RATIONALE FOR WHY THIS IS STILL
THE ABSOLUTE SMARTEST WAY TO USE
THOSE FUNDS. ESPECIALLY GIVEN
THAT TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IS DOWN,
AND ESPECIALLY DOWN IN A VARIETY
OF THE SERVICES FOR WHICH THE
MONEY WAS PRIORITIZED. WE'D BE
HAPPY TO DO SO. WELL WELL, I
THINK WE ARE ALREADY STARTED
THAT WORK AND WE'LL PUT THAT
HELPED PUT THAT TOGETHER. UM I
DO I DO MY UNDERSTANDING OR
RECOLLECTION OF OUR UM, THREE IS
IT IS LARGELY CAPITAL IN THE, UM
I DON'T THINK VERY MUCH OF IT
GOES TO LIKE BARTON, UNI
ETCETERA OPERATIONS. UH SO I
MEAN, AND IT'S ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD. IS BECAUSE
CAPITAL IS ALWAYS CONSIDERED
MUCH MORE. AH EASY TO SELL TO
THE PUBLIC. YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY
TANGIBLE FOR PEOPLE THAT WE TEND
TO HAVE ALWAYS ERRED ON THE SIDE
OF MORE MONEY FOR CAPITAL, WHICH
IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND NOT SO
MUCH FOR OPERATIONS. SO HOWEVER,
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A MEASURE
NOW THAT WOULD BE FOR
OPERATIONS, SO RIGHT GIVEN. IT
WAS VIEWED TO DO IT IS CAPITAL.
PREVIOUSLY FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS AS YOU DESCRIBED, BUT IT
MAY NOT BE THE MOTIVATION NOW
AND CERTAINLY IF WE'RE
CONSIDERING GOING BACK TO VOTERS
WITH ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S A
BOND AND FURTHER INCREASE IN A
TOLL OR SOME OTHER REVENUE, I
NOTICED THAT YOU DID NOT RAISE
WHAT REVENUES POSSIBILITIES YOU
ARE LOOKING AT. AH YOU SKIP THAT
IN THE PRESENTATION. UM, SO
ANYWAY. WE ARE REQUIRED TO
SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE AND THAT SHOULD BE
HEADING TO YOU SHORTLY, SO WE'RE
HAPPY TO PROVIDE A LOT MORE
INFORMATION ON THE REGIONAL
MEASURE THREE WORK AS YOU
REQUEST. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU, SENATOR. OKAY, MR TISCHLER.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR WEINER AND GOOD
AFTERNOON MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. ALL RIGHT. THOSE ARE
MY SLIDES. SO HELLO. I'M DAN
TISCHLER TRAVEL MODELER AT THE
SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AT THE
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. WE
MANAGE AND MAINTAIN OUR ACTIVITY
BASED TRAVEL DEMAND MODEL CALLED
SF CHAMP. IT IS THE OFFICIAL
TRAVEL MAN MODEL OF THE CITY OF
SAN FRANCISCO, AND WE USE IT AND
APPLY IT FOR ANALYZING POLICIES
AND PROJECTS RELATED TO
TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE
THROUGHOUT THE REGION. RECENTLY
WE HAVE BEEN APPLYING IT TO TRY
TO INVESTIGATE SOME HYPOTHETICAL
SCENARIOS AROUND WHAT COULD
HAPPEN TO THE TRANSPORTATION
LANDSCAPE UNDER A FISCAL CLIFF
SCENARIO, WE WE'VE ALSO BEEN
APPLYING IT TO SEE WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN WITH THE TOLL SURCHARGE
IS PROPOSED WITH SB 532. THAT WE
SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT FOUR
SCENARIOS THAT WE MODELED. ONE
OF THEM IS A BASELINE, WHICH
PRETTY MUCH REPRESENTS 2023
CONDITIONS, SO IT HAS CURRENT
TRANSIT. SERVICE IT HAS CURRENT
PRICES AND LAND USE THROUGHOUT
THE REGION. AND THEN WE HAVE
THAT IS FOR THE OTHER POLICY
SCENARIOS TO BE COMPARED AGAINST
. WE LOOKED AT ALSO A TOLL
SURCHARGE SCENARIO THAT, LIKE
WHAT WAS OUTLINED IN SP 532
WOULD ADD A $1.50 TOLL SURCHARGE
ON THE BABY BEAR TREND. UM TOTAL
AUTHORITY TOLD CROSSINGS SO ALL
THE BRIDGES EXCEPT GOLDEN GATE.
AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE
FISCAL CLIFF SCENARIOS AND WE
APPROACH THIS WITH TWO DIFFERENT
SCENARIOS, BOTH OF MEN, BOTH OF
WHICH ARE MEANT TO BE
ILLUSTRATIVE, INDICATIVE
SCENARIOS THAT ROUGHLY CAPTURE
THE LEVEL OF MAGNITUDE OF
SERVICE CUTS THAT COULD BE
REQUIRED OF SOME OF THE KEY
TRANSIT OPERATORS IN THE FISCAL
CLIFF SCENARIO, SO THE
ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE USED WERE
FROM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, SO
THEY'RE NOT UP TO DATE WITH THE
EXACT CURRENT UM, STATE, A STATE
OF THE STATE OF WHERE WE ARE IN
TERMS OF THE EXPECTED BUDGET
SHORTFALLS, BUT THEY'RE ROUGHLY
SITUATION THAT WE WOULD LIKELY
ENCOUNTER OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
YEARS IF WE DO NOT FIND A WAY TO
INCREASE TRANSIT FUNDING AND
CLOSE THE GAP, IT'S ALSO THESE
ARE ALSO NOT MEANT TO REPRESENT
EXACTLY WHAT THE TRANSIT
OPERATORS WOULD DO THEIR
HYPOTHETICAL STATUES SCENARIOS
THAT REPRESENT HOW TRANSIT
SERVICE COULD BE CUT AND WHAT
THE KIND OF ORDER OF MAGNITUDE
OF IMPACT WOULD LIKELY BE. SO WE
LOOKED AT TWO DIFFERENT
SCENARIOS THAT ARE KIND OF
BOOKENDS FOR THIS, AND ONE OF
THEM, WHICH CALLED ACROSS THE
BOARD SERVICE CUTS. WE DID A
FLAT PERCENTAGE CUT FOR SEVERAL
OF THE MAJOR OPERATORS ACROSS
ALL THEIR FREQUENCIES, SO EVERY
SINGLE ROUTE WOULD GET THE SAME
AMOUNT OF SERVICE FREQUENCY
REDUCTION. THE OTHER SCENARIO,
WHICH WE CALL THE TARGETED
SERVICE CUTS SCENARIO. FROM
UNION BART. WE HAVE VERY
SPECIFIC ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE
MADE ABOUT WHICH LINES TO CUT
AGAIN. THESE ARE NOT MEANT TO
REFLECT WHAT THE OPERATORS WOULD
ACTUALLY DO, BUT THEY ARE JUST A
DIFFERENT WAY TO APPROACH SOME
OF THE HARD CHOICES THAT
OPERATORS WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO
MAKE UNDER A FISCAL CLIFF
SCENARIO. ALRIGHT SO A COUPLE OF
HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE FOUND SO
FIRST OF ALL TRANSIT FISCAL
CLIFF WOULD BE DISASTROUS FOR
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP. WE WOULD
LIKELY SEE AT LEAST 100,000
FEWER DAILY TRANSIT BOARDINGS
THROUGHOUT THE REGION, PROBABLY
DOUBLING OF TRANSIT CROWDING AND
ABOUT A 20% DROP IN THE AMOUNT
OF JOBS THAT ARE TRANSIT
ACCESSIBLE REGION WIDE, AND THAT
VARIES A LOT BY LOCATION, SO IN
SOME LOCATIONS, PEOPLE WOULD
LOSE MORE THAN 60% OF THEIR
TRANSIT JOB ACCESS. IF YOU HAVE
THE TYPE OF TRENDS THAT SERVICE
CUTS THAT WE'RE SIMULATING HERE
THESE, THESE IMPACTS ARE
ACTUALLY WORSE, ON AVERAGE FOR
LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND FOR
HOUSEHOLDS WHO LIVE IN EQUITY
PRIORITY COMMUNITIES, AND FOR
THEM, IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE EVEN
MORE OF A LOSS OF JOB ACCESS.
AND THOSE ARE OFTEN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST
DEPENDENT ON TRANSIT. AH THE
OTHER SCENARIO THAT MODELED THE
TOLL SURCHARGE SCENARIO HAS
FAIRLY MODEST IMPACTS ON TRAVEL.
THERE ARE PRETTY MINIMAL CHANGES
IN TRAVEL PATTERNS ACROSS THE
BOARD, THE BIGGEST THE BIGGEST,
MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WHERE 1
TO 3% DROP IN BRIDGE TRAFFIC,
WITH THE BAY BRIDGE ITSELF,
BEING THE LEAST SENSITIVE AND
THE OTHER BRIDGES HAVING A
LITTLE BIT MORE SENSITIVITY. ALL
OF THESE SCENARIOS, THE HIGHLY
TRAVELED AND VERY CONGESTED
CARTER'S THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA
, ESPECIALLY THE BAY BRIDGE.
CARTER REMAINED HEAVILY
CONGESTED, SO THOSE CONDITIONS
DO NOT CHANGE. I WANT TO GO INTO
A COUPLE IMPORTANT NOTES BEFORE
I SHARE A FEW MORE OF THE, UM
THE FINDINGS. SO THESE ARE
MOSTLY JUST CAVEATS. SO WORK
FROM HOME AND TRANSIT HESITANCY.
WE USED A VERSION OF OUR MODEL
WHERE WE'RE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS
ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF WORK
FROM HOME AND TRANSIT HESITANCY
THAT ALLOWS THE MODEL TO PRETTY
ACCURATELY REFLECT 2023
CONDITIONS. BUT AS TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP CONTINUES TO RECOVER
BY THE TIME OF FISCAL CLIFF
MIGHT ACTUALLY COME INTO EFFECT
AND SERVICE CUTS WOULD HAVE TO
BE MADE. THOSE ASSUMPTIONS MIGHT
BE OUT OF DATE AND THEREFORE THE
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IMPACT WOULD
BE EVEN MORE SEVERE. ANOTHER
POINT IS THAT THIS VERSION OF
OUR MODEL DOES NOT INCLUDE HARD
TRANSIT CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS. SO
AGAIN, THERE'S THERE ARE PEOPLE
THAT WHEN BART SERVICES CUTS
WHICH STACY TRANSIT, BUT THOSE
TRANSIT ROUTES COULD BE VERY
OVERCROWDED, AND PEOPLE WOULDN'T
ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE
CHOICES. SO AGAIN, IT MIGHT BE
UNDERESTIMATING THE IMPACT OF
THE TRANSIT SERVICE CUTS. WE'RE
ALSO NOT EVALUATING HERE.
SECONDARY EFFECTS SO LOWER
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP WOULD LEAD TO
EVEN LESS REVENUE FOR MANY OF
THE TRANSIT OPERATORS AND THE
SECONDARY IMPACTS OF THAT LOWER
REVENUE ARE ALSO NOT BEING
INCLUDED HERE. AND THEN FINALLY,
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT
WE'RE BASING TRANSIT SERVICE
LEVELS OFF CURRENT 2023 FALL
TRANSIT SERVICE. WHERE THE
BUDGET SHORTFALL FIGURES ARE
BASED OFF OF A STANDARDIZED
FISCAL YEAR, 2122 LEVEL AND
GENERALLY FOR MANY EVAPORATOR
SERVICE LEVELS CURRENTLY ARE A
LITTLE BIT HIGHER. IN TERMS OF
ASSUMPTIONS YOU'RE MAKING JUST
TO BE CLEAR. YOU DIDN'T MAKE
LIKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT SPECIFIC
SERVICE CUTS. IT'S MORE OF THOSE
WHAT THE RANGE MIGHT BE. YEAH
WELL, SO WE LOOKED AT THESE TWO
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT I
BROUGHT BACK UP ON SCREEN. SO
FOR THE ACROSS THE BOARD SERVICE
CUTS, IT'S 20% REDUCTION IN
MUNICH FREQUENCY OF TWO THIRDS
REDUCTION IN BART, A ONE THIRD
REDUCTION IN CALTRAIN 20% IN
TRANSIT. WE DID NOT INCLUDE
SERVICE CUTS FROM ANY OF THE
OTHER OPERATORS THAT ARE
SMALLER, EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD
ALSO BE AFFECTED BY BY FISCAL
CLIFF SCENARIO, RIGHT AND BUT
ALSO TO BE CLEAR THESE
REDUCTIONS OR IT'S NOT LIKE
THESE ARE OFFICIALLY PROPOSED
REDUCTIONS. YOU JUST ASSUMPTION
OF THESE. THESE ARE COULD WHAT
COULD HAPPEN AND WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN IF THAT LEVEL OF
REDUCTION OCCURRED. EXACTLY AND
THIS IS MORE OR LESS REFLECTS
THE STATE OF THE BUDGET
SHORTFALL EXPECTATIONS AROUND
TWO MONTHS AGO. THE CONDITIONS
HAVE KIND OF EVOLVED SINCE THEN.
BUT ALSO THERE WERE SOMETHING
THAT THAT COULD LIKELY HAPPEN IN
A FEW YEARS WITHOUT WITHOUT
ADDITIONAL FUNDING. UM AND THEN
FOR THE BART AND CALTRAIN, THE
RAIL OPERATORS, THE RATIO OF
SERVICE CUTS TO THE BUDGET
SHORTFALL. PERCENTAGE OF
OPERATING BUDGET IS A LITTLE BIT
HIGHER BECAUSE THE RAIL
OPERATORS HAVE HAVE A LOT OF A
LOT MORE FIXED COSTS AND SO
SMALLER DECLINE. A SMALLER
PERCENTAGE BUDGET SHORTFALL
LEADS TO A LARGER TRANSIT
SERVICE IMPACT. AND THEN, IN THE
OTHER SCENARIO, WE TOOK 20
MILLION LINES THAT WERE NOT
OPERATING DURING EARLY COVID
STAGES AND THAT CURRENTLY HAVE
THE LOWER LOWEST RIDERSHIP AND
LOWEST SERVICE FREQUENCY, AND WE
JUST CUT THOSE LINES ENTIRELY
WHILE PRESERVING SERVICE ON THE
ON THE MORE TRAFFIC LINES, SO
THAT'S IN THE TARGETED SERVICE
CUTS IN ERROR VERSUS THE SUPPORT
SERVICES, EVEN THOUGH THAT IS
NOT A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL. I WILL
JUST NOTE THAT, UM THAT S F M T.
A ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF
THIS YEAR, WHEN IT WAS UNCLEAR
IF WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET
ANY MONEY IN THE BUDGET DID
INDICATE THAT AS MANY AS 15, OR
20 BUS LINES COULD BE ELIMINATED
, AND I, I AND I WOULD
ANTICIPATE THAT THE FIRST TO GO
WOULD BE THOSE SMALLER
NEIGHBORHOOD LINES, AND THAT IS
TRAGIC. BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF
TIMES YOU LOOK AT OKAY, WELL, WE
HAVE THE WORKHORSE BUS LINES
THAT HAVE HUGE RIDERSHIP. 14
MISSION 30 STOCKED AND 49 BAND
ASSET CETERA, BUT THESE SMALLER
LINES AND MIGHT HAVE MUCH LOWER
RIDERSHIP. THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE
THOSE BUSSES ARE VERY OFTEN VERY
RELIANT ON A LOT OF TIMES,
THEY'RE GOING INTO HILLY AREAS,
AND SO IT'S STILL DEVASTATING.
SO I KNOW YOU. I KNOW I'M
PREACHING THE CHOIR HERE. THERE
ARE NO EASY CHOICES HERE, AND
THIS REALLY IS A COVERAGE VERSUS
UM VERSUS SERVICE COMPARISON. SO
THEY'RE REALLY MEANT TO BE
BOOKENDS OF WHAT TRANSIT
AGENCIES MIGHT HAVE TO GRAPPLE.
OKAY SO, UM, MOVING ON TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP. WE FOUND IN OUR MODEL
ESTIMATED SOMETHING LIKE 100,000
DAILY REDUCTION IN TRIPS ACROSS
THE REGION FOR PASSENGER MILES
WILL BE EVEN MORE SEVERE WITH 16
, OR 17% OF TOTAL TRANSIT.
PASSENGER MILES LOST. BART WOULD
BE OF THE AGENCIES THAT WE
REMODELED. HAVING SERVICE CUTS
PART WAS THE MOST SEVERELY
IMPACTED. WITH ABOUT 50% DROP IN
A BART RIDERSHIP AND A SIMILAR
DECLINE IN TRANSLATED BAR
CROSSINGS. AND OF THE LOST
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP. WE FOUND THAT
FOR ALL THE TRANSIT TRIPS THAT
WERE LOST, ALMOST HALF OF THOSE
REAPPEARED WHEN WE DRIVING
TRIPS. SO THEY'RE NOT
NECESSARILY THE SAME DRIVING
TRIP, SO A TRANSIT TRIP THAT AT
PEAK PERIODS ACROSS THE BAY
BRIDGE MIGHT NOT STILL MAKE THAT
SAME TRIP. BUT THERE ARE ABOUT
50% AS MANY NEW DRIVING TRIPS
WITH THIS DIFFERENT TIMES OF
DAY, DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS,
DIFFERENT PURPOSES, MAKING UP
FOR THE LOST TRANSIT. BUT KIND
OF EVEN MORE SURPRISING TO SOME
DEGREE IS THAT ALMOST 40% OF THE
TRANSIT TRIPS THAT DISAPPEAR
JUST DISAPPEAR ENTIRELY AND ARE
NOT REPLACED BY THEIR TRIPS, SO
THAT'S JUST LOSS OF MOBILITY
ENTIRELY. I THINK THIS THIS SIDE
IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF
THE TRANSIT TRIPS REPLACED BY
DRIVING, I THINK AND THIS I
THINK I BARELY RESIDENTS GET IT,
AND WE SAW IT FROM THE POLLING
THAT EVEN PEOPLE WHO NEVER TAKE
TRANSIT AGREE THAT TRANSIT IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT
IF EVEN IF THEY NEVER IN THEIR
LIFE, TAKE A BUS OR A TRAIN IF
TRANSIT DETERIORATES, THAT'S A
HECK OF A LOT MORE CARS ON THE
ROAD ON HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES ROADS
AND WILL JUST SPIKE CONGESTION
AND MAKE EVERYONE'S DRIVING
TRIPS LONGER AND HARDER. SO JOB
ACCESSIBILITY BY TRANSIT TAKES A
BREAK. PRETTY BIG HIT UNDER THIS
SCENARIOS, UH, WITH THE TOLL
SURCHARGE. WE DON'T SEE WELL IN
ANY OF THE SCENARIOS. WE DON'T
SEE MUCH OF AN IMPACT AUTO JOB
ACCESS. BUT FOR UNDER THE TOLSON
AREA, THERE'S VERY LITTLE
IMPACT, NOT NOTHING SIGNIFICANT
FOR TRANSIT JOB ACCESS UNDER THE
FISCAL CLIFF SCENARIOS. WE'RE
LOOKING AT REGION WIDE SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN 16 18% TOTAL OVERALL JOB
ACCESSIBILITY REDUCTION. NOW
THAT'S LARGELY CONCENTRATED
AREAS OUTSIDE SAN FRANCISCO,
WHERE THE YOU KNOW THE
ACCESSIBILITY TO TRANSIT
ACCESSIBLE JOBS IS MOST
SIGNIFICANT, AND NON SAN
FRANCISCO RESIDENTS WOULD LOSE
OVER A QUARTER OF THEIR JOB.
ACCESSIBILITY THESE IMPACTS ARE
EVEN A LITTLE BIT GREATER FOR
LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND EPC
HOUSEHOLDS. AND IN FACT AS AN
INDICATION OF THE AMOUNT OF LOSS
OF ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY. WE
FOUND THAT LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
WOULD REDUCE THEIR OVERALL
WORKING SCHOOL TRIPS UNDER THE
FISCAL CLIFFS AND ARROWS BY
ABOUT 1% NOW IN MODELING. WE
CALL THESE MANDATORY TRIPS
BECAUSE PEOPLE GENERALLY DON'T
HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT WORK TRIPS
OR SCHOOL TRIPS. THERE ARE
THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO SCHEDULE
AND TO LOSE 1% OF THOSE MEANS A
PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION AND
ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. HERE'S
A MAP OF HOW THAT LOOKS REGION
WIDE. WE SAY THAT A LOT OF THE
AREAS OF THE KIND OF INNER EAST
BAY AND NORTHERN TOMATO COUNTY
HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF
JOB ACCESS. THIS IS THE NUMBER
OF JOBS THAT SOMEONE THAT LIVES
IN ONE OF THESE AREAS CAN ACCESS
WITHIN 60 MINUTES BY TRANSIT. UM
THE DARK RED COLOR INDICATES
THAT JOB ACCESSES DECLINED BY
MORE THAN 60. YEAH AND I THIS
HAPPENS ALSO. SO I MEAN, WE HAD
A BIG WHEN WE DEBATED THE TOLL
PROPOSAL. TOP BRIDGE WHOLE
PROPOSAL THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A
LOT OF DISCUSSION. AROUND EQUITY
AND LOWER INCOME DRIVERS. YOU
HAVE TO DRIVE AND I KNOW THAT
YOU'RE MODELING ON TOLLS DID NOT
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A TOLL EQUITY
PROPOSAL BECAUSE THERE IS NO
SUCH PROPOSAL THAT'S IN PROCESS
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAD TALKED ABOUT, BUT PUTTING
THAT ASIDE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TRANSIT
DETERIORATES AND THIS MAP. IS
VERY POWERFUL WHEN YOU JUST LOOK
AT WHAT THE DARKEST COLORS ARE
ON THIS MAP. UM IT IS NOT, UM
SOME OF OUR WEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS OVERWHELMINGLY WORKING
CLASS AND LOWER INCOME
COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR. WE LOOK AT NORTHERN
CEMETERY COUNTY, WHICH ALREADY
GETS THE SHORT END OF THE STICK
AND TRANSPORTATION ON ON
EDUCATION FUNDING IS ALSO NOW
GOING TO BE DEEPLY IMPACTED. BY
LACK OF ACCESS TO TRANSIT IN
OAKLAND AND ASSEMBLY. ANDREW AND
RICHMOND, ETCETERA. THIS IS IT'S
HARD TO OVERSTATE HOW
INEQUITABLE IT WILL BE. IF WE
MAKE A POLICY CHOICE TO LET
TRANSIT UNRAVEL. THANK YOU. UM
WE ALSO FOUND OF COURSE, THAT
TRANSIT CROWDING WOULD INCREASE
WOULD BE LESS TRANSIT RIDERSHIP.
BUT OF THE REMAINING TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP WRITERS WOULD
EXPERIENCE FAR MORE, UM CROWDED
PASSENGER MILES, DOUBLING BY
ABOUT ROUGHLY DOUBLING AND THE
SHARE OF PASSENGER MILES THAT IT
WOULD BE IN CREDIT CONDITIONS
WOULD INCREASE FROM ABOUT 4%
REGIONALLY TO HIS EYES ABOUT 10%
WE FOUND THE AREAS WITH THE MOST
CROWDING WOULD BE SOME OF THE
TRANSBAY CROSSINGS, SUCH AS A C
TRANSIT TRANSPORT BUSSES THAT
PEOPLE WOULD TRY TO USE AS AN
ALTERNATIVE TO BART SERVICE
CUTS, BUT THEN FIND THAT THEIR
THEIR WAY OVERCROWDED AND THEY
WOULDN'T ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO
ACCOMMODATE DEMANDS. MANY OF THE
CORE MEUNIER LINES WOULD ALSO BE
SEVERELY CONSTRAINED. WE FOUND
THAT BRIDGE TRAFFIC? UM SOMEWHAT
INTUITIVELY ACTUALLY HAD VERY
LITTLE CHANGE UNDER THE FISCAL
CLIFFS. UH SCENARIOS AND THE
REASON FOR THIS IS BASICALLY THE
BAY BRIDGE IS ALREADY ALMOST UP
TO PRE PANDEMIC TRAFFIC HIGHS
DURING THE MP PERIOD. SO
THROUGHOUT THE DAY, IT'S STILL
DOWN BY UH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
FIVE AND 10, BUT AT THE PEAK
PERIOD IS VERY CLOSE TO PRE
PANDEMIC. UM TRAFFIC HIGHS, AND
THERE'S JUST NOT THAT MUCH MORE
CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE MORE
DRIVERS AT THE TIMES OF DAY AND
THE LOCATIONS THAT TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP WOULD BE LOST. OH WE
SO WE'RE SEEING PRETTY FLAT
IMPACTS FROM THE FISCAL CLIFFS
ON THE ON THE BRIDGE TRAFFIC,
BUT INSTEAD WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS
JUST PEOPLE HAVING LESS ACCESS
TO OPPORTUNITIES. IN THE TOLL
SURCHARGE SCENARIO, WE SEE A
FAIRLY MODEST DECLINE IN BRIDGE
TRAFFIC ABOUT 1% IN THE BAY
BRIDGE, A COUPLE MORE IN THE
OTHER BRIDGES. IT SEEMS TO BE
SOMEWHAT IN ELASTIC DEMAND. BUT
THE COST OF THE TOLL IS WHAT
ONLY ONE PORTION OF THE COST OF
A DRIVING TRIP THAT TYPICALLY
CROSSES THE BAY BRIDGE. THERE'S
ALSO PARKING AND OTHER COSTS AS
WELL THAT MAKE IT A SMALLER
PERCENTAGE CHANGE. WHAT WAS THE
$1.50 AWAY? MODELED? AND THEN
OVERALL REGIONAL DELAY IN
TRAFFIC. UNDER THE TOLL
SURCHARGE, WE SEE A LITTLE BIT
LESS DELAY 7000 FEWER HOURS OF
VEHICLE TRAFFIC DELAY PER DAY.
170,000 FEWER VEHICLE MILES
TRAVELED UNDER THE FISCAL CLIFF
SCENARIOS WE SEE MORE SO ABOUT 1
TO 3000 MORE VEHICLE HOURS OF
DELAY AND ONE OR 2001 OF 100 TO
200,000 MORE. UM UH, V AND T.
AND OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED AT
THE TOP THE BAY BRIDGE, CARTER
AND THE OTHER HEAVILY TRAFFICKED
CARTER'S, THEY REMAINED
CONGESTED, SO UM, EITHER THE
TOLL OR THE FISCAL CLIFF,
CONGESTED PLACES REMAINED
CONGESTED. AND THOSE THE KEY
HIGHLIGHTS FOR NOW. I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
COLLEAGUES. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY,
SEEING NONE. OH, YES, SENATOR
SKINNER. JUST TO COMMENT ON THE
MODELING. UM LONDON, FOR
EXAMPLE, HAS CONGESTION PRICING,
WHICH IN EFFECT, ONE COULD THINK
OF THIS, AS LIKE THAT, UM, AND
YET THERE. TRIPS INTO BOTH THEIR
CAR OWNERSHIP IN THE AREA
AFFECTED AND THEIR TRIPS INTO
THE AREA WAS GREATLY REDUCED AS
A RESULT. BUT WHAT YOU'RE
SHOWING IS THAT THERE WOULDN'T
BE MUCH IMPACT. ON THE AUTO
TRAFFIC OR A NUMBER OF VEHICLES
PICKED CROSSING THE BRIDGE. ANY
EXPLANATION. UM YEAH, SO THE
DURING THE PEAK PERIOD, THE
MODEL. UM BECAUSE THE BRIDGE IS
ALREADY VERY CLOSE TO CAPACITY
AND THE MP PERIOD IN THE
WESTBOUND DIRECTION THAT THE BAY
BRIDGE OH, THERE. THERE'S ANY
ANY ADDITIONAL VEHICLE TRIPS
OVER THE BRIDGE ARE GOING TO BE,
UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, CAUSE CAUSE
OF TRAVEL TIME TO EXPAND VERY
QUICKLY AND SO THAT QUICKLY
DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM MAKING
THOSE TRIPS AND THE WAY THAT THE
ACTIVITY BASED MODEL WORKS. IS
THAT THE LOSS AND JOB
ACCESSIBILITY OR THE WORK OF
GENERAL TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY
TO CENTRAL SAN FRANCISCO
NEIGHBORHOODS IS SO SEVERE THAT
IT REDUCES THE DEMAND FOR THOSE
TYPES OF TRIPS, SO WE ACTUALLY
SEE JUST A LOT LESS TRIPS,
CROSSING CROSSING THE BRIDGE AND
GOING INTO THAT MARKET. BECAUSE
OF HOW MUCH HARDER HOW MUCH
WORSE THE OVERALL ACCESS
ABILITIES. BUT I WAS ASKING
ABOUT WHY YOU THOUGHT. DID NOT.
WE DON'T PROJECT MUCH REDUCTION.
IN VEHICLES CROSSING THE BRIDGE
WITH A DOLLAR 50 INCREASE ON TOP
OF THAT TALK. I'M SORRY I
MISUNDERSTOOD APOLOGIES. UM YES.
SO THE 1% IS SOMEWHAT IN ELASTIC
, AND I THINK I THINK THAT'S WHY
WHY. WHY IS IT FAIRLY AND
ELASTIC GENERALLY BECAUSE THOSE
ARE THOSE ARE HIGH VALUE TRIPS
THAT, UM THAT THAT PEOPLE ARE
MAKING FOR REASONS THAT ARE NOT
VERY MUCH AFFECTED BY $1.50 TOLL
INCREASE, IN FACT, ON THE WAY
HERE NOT TO BE ANECDOTAL, BUT
THERE'S A SIGN IN THE BART
STATION THAT SAYS, COMPARING
BART TRIPS TO DRIVE INTO THE
CITY. AND THEY SAY THAT PARTS
355 AND THE TOLL ACROSS THE
BRIDGE IS $7. BUT THERE'S ALSO
AN ADDITIONAL $20 OF PARKING AND
ADDITIONAL COST FOR GAS. AND I
THINK IT PUTS INTO PERSPECTIVE
THAT THE COST OF THE TOLL IS
JUST ONE PORTION OF THE OVERALL
COST OF A DRIVING TRIP ACROSS
THE BAY BRIDGE CORRIDOR. YES BUT
YOU CAN'T COUNT. YOU CAN'T SAY
THAT PART IS THREE. WHICHEVER
DOLLAR AMOUNT BECAUSE YOU STILL
GET BACK. AND THAT'S ONLY FROM I
THINK, WEST OAKLAND, NOT FOR
MOST OF THE LOCATIONS PEOPLE
WOULD BE TAKING PART FROM
AGREED. OKAY GENTLEMEN. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL NOW GO TO
OUR SECOND PANEL. UM ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION, ACCOUNTABILITY
AND REFORM. WE HAVE FOUR
PANELISTS. SEBASTIAN PETTY, THE
TRANSPORTATION APOLOGY MAN
MANAGER THAT SPUR GRIFFITHS,
POLICY DIRECTOR AT SAMOS BAY
AREA, EMILY LOPER, THE VICE
PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC POLICY AT
THE BAY AREA COUNCIL, AND DYLAN,
FABRICE COMMUNITY AND POLICY
MANAGER, SAN FRANCISCO TRANSIT
RIDERS. SO WELCOME AND THANK YOU
AND, UH IF YOU COULD EACH KEEP
YOUR COMMENTS TO ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC
. SO WE'LL START WITH SEBASTIAN
PETTY FROM SPUR. GREAT UH, GOOD
AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU. CHAIR
WEINER AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS SEBASTIAN
PETTY TRANSPORTATION POLICY
MANAGER WITH SPUR THE SAN
FRANCISCO BAY AREA PLANNING AND
URBAN RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
TODAY, I'D LIKE TO SPEND A FEW
MINUTES FRAMING THE BIG PICTURE
AND TALKING ABOUT WHY TRANSIT IS
IMPORTANT IN THE BAY AREA. WHAT
IT MEANS FOR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM
TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
MODEL AND WHAT THE REGION IS
DOING AND CAN DO TO GET THERE.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT TRANSIT,
HAVING A BUSINESS MODEL. I WANT
TO EMPHASIZE THAT I'M NOT JUST
REFERRING NARROWLY TO FISCAL
OUTCOMES ARE BEING ABLE TO
BALANCE THE BUDGET, ALTHOUGH
THAT IS PART OF IT. INSTEAD
LOOKING AT TRANSITS BUSINESS
MODEL IS A WAY TO THINK
HOLISTICALLY ABOUT THE SYSTEM.
WHAT TRANSIT DOES WHY WE VALUE
AND NEEDED AND HOW WE CAN
RESOURCE AND SUPPORT ITS SUCCESS
OVER TIME. TRANSITS BUSINESS
MODEL STARTS WITH THE VALUE
PROPOSITION FOR BOTH TRANSIT
WRITERS AND THE PUBLIC AS A
WHOLE STATED SIMPLY WHEN PEOPLE
CHOOSE TO RIDE TRANSIT EVERYONE
BENEFITS LATER THIS AFTERNOON,
YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM A NUMBER
OF TRANSIT OPERATORS REGARDING
THE FOUNDATIONAL FIRST PART OF
THIS VALUE PROPOSITION. GETTING
CUSTOMERS TO RIDE YOU WILL HEAR
ABOUT CHANGES THEY ARE MAKING TO
IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND
MAKE TRANSIT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND
USEFUL TO NEW MARKETS. I'D LIKE
TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT
THE OTHER HALF OF THE VALUE
PROPOSITION. HOW THIS INDIVIDUAL
USE OF TRANSIT GENERATES PUBLIC
VALUE AND BENEFITS AND WHAT THAT
MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR
SYSTEM. TRANSIT SHAPES. THE
REASON WE LIVE IN TODAY, THE BAY
AREA ACCOMMODATES NEARLY 8
MILLION PEOPLE AND AN ECONOMY
LARGER THAN MOST COUNTRIES BE A
DIVERSE URBAN FORM THAT INCLUDES
BIG CITIES, SMALL TOWNS,
FARMLANDS AND PROTECTED NATURE.
THE LANDSCAPE WE ENJOY IN THE
BAY AREA TODAY HAS BEEN SHAPED
BY TRANSIT GOING BACK WELL OVER
A CENTURY, AND THAT INFLUENCE
CONTINUES TODAY AS THE PRIOR
PRESENTATION FROM SFC TA
DEMONSTRATED ONE OF THE MOST
FOUNDATIONAL WAYS THAT TRANSIT
BENEFITS EVERYONE IN THE REGION
IS BY CREATING ACCESS IN A
MANNER THAT SUPPORTS DENSE
COMPACT DEVELOPMENT AND A
VIBRANT ECONOMY. OUR DOWNTOWNS,
PARTICULARLY DOWNTOWN SAN
FRANCISCO SIMPLY DON'T WORK
WITHOUT TRANSIT, BRINGING TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS TO THEM
EVERY DAY FROM ACROSS THE REGION
ARE FREEWAYS DON'T WORK WITHOUT
SYSTEMS LIKE BART AND CALTRAIN,
PROVIDING LANES WORTH OF
CAPACITY DURING PEAK COMMUTE
HOURS ALONG SOME OF OUR MOST
CONGESTED CORRIDORS. MAJOR
CULTURAL AND SPORTING EVENTS.
DON'T WORK WITHOUT TRANSIT.
THINK FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT BAR
CARRYING AN ESTIMATED 80,000
PEOPLE TO THE WARRIORS
CHAMPIONSHIP PARADE AND 2022.
CALIFORNIA AND THE BARRIER
COUNTING ON TRANSIT TO DO THIS,
NOT JUST TODAY, BUT FAR END OF
THE FUTURE. REGIONAL PLANS AND
STATE LAWS INCREASINGLY
CONCENTRATE DEVELOPMENT AND
REDUCED PARKING AROUND HIGH
QUALITY TRANSIT. A NECESSITY TO
BUILD THE HOUSING WE NEED WHILE
AVOIDING EXCESSIVE INCREASES IN
TRAFFIC AND SPRAWLING
DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS THE RIGHT
STRATEGY, BUT IT ONLY WORKS WHEN
THE TRANSIT IS THERE. TRANSIT
ALSO PROVIDES IMMENSE SOCIAL
VALUE IN A REGION AND STATE
WHERE INCOME INEQUALITY IS AMONG
THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION.
PEOPLE OF COLOR AND PEOPLE WITH
LOWER INCOMES ARE MORE LIKELY TO
USE AND RELY ON TRANSIT, A TREND
THAT HAS BECOME EVEN MORE
PRONOUNCED SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
THE GRAPH ON THE SCREEN WAS
DEVELOPED AS PART OF A SPUR
ANALYSIS RELATED TO SP 532 AND
SHOWS THE RELATIVE INCOMES OF
ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN THE REGION
DRIVERS CROSSING THE BAY AREA'S
BRIDGES AND BART RIDERS AS YOU
CAN SEE PEOPLE OF ALL INCOMES
USE BARRED, BUT THE SYSTEM HAS A
RELATIVELY HIGHER PROPORTION OF
WRITERS COMING FROM HOUSEHOLDS
WITH INCOME OF UNDER 50,000 A
YEAR. A RECENT ANALYSIS BY MY
COLLEAGUES THAT TRANSFORM
LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF
POTENTIAL SERVICE CUTS FOUND
THAT 80% OF CAR FREE HOUSEHOLDS
TO USE TRANSIT EARN INCOMES OF
LESS THAN 75,000 A YEAR. THE
SAME ANALYSIS FOUND THAT IF
SERVICE CUTS CAME TO PASS MORE
THAN 100,000 OF THESE SAME
HOUSEHOLDS IN THE BAY AREA WOULD
NEED TO PURCHASE VEHICLES TO GET
AROUND THE COST OF BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS THAT WOULD
DISPROPORTIONATELY DRAIN WEALTH
AND RESOURCES FROM THE REGION'S
LOWEST INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
FINALLY TRANSIT IS ALSO CRITICAL
TO OUR ENVIRONMENT. CALIFORNIA
IN THE BAY AREA HAVE BEEN
LEADERS IN CLIMATE POLICY AND
CONSERVATION WITH TRANSIT
PLAYING A CENTRAL ROLE. AS OF
2020, SOME 38% OF GHG EMISSIONS
IN THE STATE WERE GENERATED BY
THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR.
REDUCING THESE EMISSIONS IN A
TIMELY MANNER WILL REQUIRE MORE
THAN JUST ELECTRIFYING VEHICLES
AND THE LATEST SCOPING PLAN. THE
CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD
ESTIMATES THE VEHICLE MILES
TRAVELED IN THE STATE ALSO NEED
TO BE REDUCED BY MORE THAN 25%
IN LESS THAN 10 YEARS, AND MORE
THAN 30% BY 2045. THIS IS AN
AMBITIOUS AND DAUNTING GOAL, AND
WE CANNOT ACHIEVE IT WITHOUT A
TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT IS NOT JUST
HEALTHY BUT GROWING. SO WHAT IS
THE BUSINESS MODEL THAT GETS US
TO THESE GOALS IN 2019? THE BAY
AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM HAD A
BUSINESS MODEL THAT COST ABOUT 3
BILLION TO OPERATE, RECOVERED A
THIRD OF ITS COSTS THROUGH FAIRS
AND TWO THIRDS THROUGH SUBSIDIES
AND MOVED 500 MILLION PEOPLE A
YEAR. THAT WAS AT ITS MOST BASIC
, OUR REGION'S BUSINESS MODEL
FOR TRANSIT. BY 2021. THAT MODEL
HAD COLLAPSED, A SYSTEM THAT WAS
ROUGHLY THE SAME OPERATIONAL
SIZE WAS NOW RELYING ALMOST
ENTIRELY ON PUBLIC SUBSIDY AND
WAS MOVING JUST 100 AND 27
MILLION PEOPLE PER YEAR. THE
SYSTEM IS NOW PARTIALLY
RECOVERED FROM THESE THOSE BUT
WE NEED TO ASK. HOW WILL THIS
MODEL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE? THIS
IS A CRITICAL PRACTICAL QUESTION
TO GUIDE HOW WE REFORM THE
SYSTEM. IF WE WANT TRANSIT TO
HELP ENABLE DENSITY SUPPORT
EQUITY AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE
GASSES THAN IT IS VERY CLEAR. WE
NEED MORE TRANSIT, NOT LESS. BUT
THERE'S SOME BASIC PRACTICAL
QUESTIONS. WE NEED TO ANSWER TO
OPERATIONALIZE THOSE GOALS. JUST
HOW TOO BIG A SYSTEM DO WE NEED
AND BY WHEN MANY WRITERS DO WE
NEED TO ATTRACT HOW MUCH SERVICE
WILL WE NEED TO RUN? AND HOW
MUCH WILL IT COST? HOW MUCH
PUBLIC SUBSIDY ARE WE WILLING TO
PROVIDE COST? DO WE EXPECT
WRITERS TO BEAR DIRECTLY? HOW
CAN WE GROW OUR OPERATIONAL
CAPACITY TO DELIVER SERVICES AT
SCALE AND WITH EFFICIENCY? AND
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET
THERE? ANSWERS TO THESE
QUESTIONS ARE BEING WORKED ON IN
VARIOUS WAYS BY OPERATORS MTC IN
THE STATE THROUGH THE FINANCIAL
UPDATES YOU'VE SEEN TODAY
THROUGH THE PLAN, BAY AREA
UPDATE PROCESS AND THROUGH THE
STATE TRANSIT TRANSFORMATION
TASK FORCE BEING SET UP FOR NEXT
YEAR. WHAT WE DON'T YET HAVE ALL
THE DETAILS. THE GENERAL PATH
TOWARDS THE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
MODEL FOR TRANSIT IS CLEAR. AND
THE GOOD NEWS TODAY IS THAT
WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS. FIRST
THANKS TO THE ACTIONS OF THE
LEGISLATURE TO THIS YEAR, WE
HAVE AVOIDED NEAR TERM SERVICE
CUTS AND PUSH TRANSITS FISCAL
CLIFF INTO THE FUTURE. SECOND AS
YOU'VE HEARD, AND WE'LL HEAR
LATER TODAY, TRANSIT OPERATORS
ARE FOCUSED ON SUSTAINING
IMPROVING THEIR CORE SERVICES
AND ADDRESSING THE KEY SAFETY
AND CLEANLINESS ISSUES ON THEIR
SYSTEMS THAT WE KNOW ARE
FOUNDATIONAL TO MAINTAINING
RIDERSHIP. THIRD OPERATORS AND
MTC HAVE LAUNCHED A NUMBER OF
KEY INITIATIVES, IMPROVE THE
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND BUILD
AND GROW RIDERSHIP PROGRAMS LIKE
COORDINATED WAY FINDING TRANSIT
PRIORITY INVESTMENTS IN THE
CLIPPER BAY PASS PROGRAM THAT
MTC DISCUSSED. THESE EFFORTS
WILL TAKE TIME TO FULLY BEAR
FRUIT, BUT WE ARE MOVING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION AND MAKING
PROGRESS. FOURTH WE ARE
BEGINNING CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS
REGARDING NEW REVENUE SOURCES
FOR TRANSIT BOTH IN THE SHORT
AND LONGER TERM. NOTABLY AT THE
REGIONAL LEVEL AS WE DISCUSS THE
POTENTIAL 2026 FUNDING MEASURE
AND STATEWIDE THROUGH THE COMING
TASK FORCE. WHAT REMAINS IS THE
LONG, HARD WORK TO ENSURE THAT
OUR SYSTEM IS ORGANIZED.
EFFICIENTLY DELIVER THE TRANSIT
WE NEED AT SCALE. THERE IS NO
SILVER BULLET TO MAKE THIS
HAPPEN. IT WILL BE THE RESULT OF
ITERATIVE WORK AT THE STATE,
REGIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL FOR
YEARS TO COME. WE WILL NEED TO
CONTINUE REFINING AND CLARIFYING
OUR GOALS FOR WHAT WE WANT
TRANSIT TO DO, AND WE WILL NEED
TO CONTINUE BUILDING AND
RATIONALIZING THE CAPACITY OF
OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM TO DELIVER
RESULTS. FINALLY WE WILL REACH
OUR GOALS FASTER IF WE CONTINUE
TO PASS LAWS AND ENACT POLICIES
THAT HELPED BUILD THE MARKET FOR
TRANSIT BY CONCENTRATING
DEVELOPMENT AROUND TRANSIT AND
DISCOURAGING AUTO USE. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO
THIS CRITICAL ISSUE AND HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTION. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. NEXT GO TO YOU AND
GRIFFITHS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME IS IAIN GRIFFITHS AND I'M
THE POLICY DIRECTOR OF SEAMLESS
BAY AREA, AN ORGANIZATION THAT
ADVOCATES FOR SEAMLESSLY
INTEGRATED TRANSIT SYSTEM ACROSS
OUR REGION. AND I'LL BE
PRESENTING A ABOUT A SPECIFIC
PROPOSAL FOR REFORMS THAT WE
BELIEVE SHOULD BE CONNECTED WITH
A FUTURE REGIONAL BALLOT MEASURE
TO ENSURE THAT NEW FUNDING IS
CONNECTED TO AN IMPROVED
SEAMLESS SYSTEM. SO YES. IF YOU
CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM
SORRY. I DON'T HAVE THAT. SO
WORLD CLASS PUBLIC TRANSIT
SYSTEMS ACROSS THE WORLD, WHICH
HAVE SEEN STEADILY INCREASING
TRANSIT USE OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL DECADES AND MANY OF
WHICH HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN NEAR
FULL RIDERSHIP. RECOVERIES IN
SPITE OF ALSO, YOU KNOW, HIGH
DEGREE OF REMOTE WORK. THESE ARE
REGIONS ACROSS MANY PARTS OF
EUROPE. VANCOUVER IS THAT 90% OF
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP RECOVERY. THEY
SHARE IN COMMON, A NUMBER OF
COMMON SUCCESSFACTORS PLENTIFUL,
FALSE FREQUENT SERVICE
CONNECTING MAJOR DESTINATION
CORRIDORS THROUGHOUT ENTIRE
REGIONS THAT SERVE A WIDE
VARIETY OF TRIP PURPOSES.
COMPETITIVE RELIABLE TRANSIT
TRAVEL SPEEDS AND AN EXCELLENT
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THAT MAKES
USING TRANSIT, EASY, CONNECTED
AND COORDINATED SERVICE ACROSS
ALL MODES AND OPERATORS WITH
INTEGRATED FARES, AND THIS IS
POSSIBLE. BECAUSE OF AN
EMPOWERED REGIONAL AUTHORITY
THAT OVERSEES REGIONAL
COORDINATION AND IS ABLE TO
DEVELOP KEY STANDARDS AND PLANS
AND HOLD ALL TRANSIT OPERATORS
WITHIN A REGION ACCOUNTABLE TO
DELIVERING THAT SEAMLESS
CUSTOMER FOCUS SYSTEM AND
NETWORK MANAGER AND TITTY. TO
LOOK AT THE BAY AREA PRIOR TO
THE PANDEMIC. IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER THAT WE HAD DECLINING
RATES OF PUBLIC TRANSIT USE. UH,
HERE WE ARE. UM IN MOST PARTS OF
THE REGION. OBVIOUSLY TRANSIT
WAS GETTING STUCK IN TRAFFIC,
BUT THE FRAGMENTED EXPERIENCE
FOR THE WRITER IS IT WAS A REAL
BARRIER TO PREVENTING MORE
PEOPLE FROM CHOOSING TRANSIT.
LONG TRAVEL TIMES UNCERTAIN
TRAVEL TIMES DUE TO UNCERTAINTY
AROUND TRANSIT TRANSFERS. POOR
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. THESE HAVE
SUPPRESSED TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IN
THE PAST AND THEIR CRITICAL THAT
WE FIX THOSE ISSUES IF WE WANT
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP TO GET ON A
GROWTH TRAJECTORY. UM, THE LACK
OF OUR REGIONAL AUTHORITY IN THE
BAY AREA THAT TO OVERSEE
INTEGRATION HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE
AND THE LACK OF REGIONAL
CAPACITY THAT EXISTS INHIBITS
OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS SOME
COMMON SHARED CHALLENGES THAT
ARE ACROSS ALL OPERATORS LIKE
THE CHALLENGES IN RECRUITING A
TALENTED WORKFORCE, ESCALATING
COSTS AND RECENTLY SAFETY AND
QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
THEREFORE TO THRIVE. IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT THE BAY AREA
TRANSIT NETWORK CREATES A
NETWORK MANAGER THAT IS
ACCOUNTABLE AND HAS THE CAPACITY
AND AUTHORITY TO DELIVER
INTEGRATION WITH NEW FUNDING.
THIS IS THE NORM AND HIGH
PERFORMING HIGH RIDERSHIP
REGIONS, EVEN WHERE THERE ARE
MANY LOCAL FUND SOURCES LIKE WE
HAVE HERE, AND THE NETWORK
MANAGER SHOULD CENTRALIZE AND
OVERSEE KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE
TRANSIT NETWORK AS A WHOLE,
INCLUDING NETWORK PLANNING FAIR
POLICY SCHEDULE COORDINATION
SERVICE STANDARDS, CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE. THE NETWORK
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE THAT'S BEEN
PUT IN PLACE OVER THE PAST SIX
MONTHS. THAT HAS COME OUT OF THE
BLUE ROOM TRAP TASK FORCE THAT
YOU WERE HEARING ABOUT EARLIER
IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION, BUT IT LACKS
SUFFICIENT AUTHORITY AND
CAPACITY IN THESE OTHER REGIONS
THAT HAVE SUCCEEDED IN MAKING
THIS PIVOT LEGISLATION HAS BEEN
ESSENTIAL INTO TWO IN TERMS OF
FORMALIZING THE ROLES THAT OCCUR
AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL AND HOW
OPERATORS ARE ALL HELD
ACCOUNTABLE TO MATING, MAKING
THOSE COMMON AH AH! GOALS SO THE
OPPORTUNITY HERE IS REALLY
LINKING A REGIONAL FUNDING
MEASURE WITH THE CREATION OF A
OF AN EMPOWERED NETWORK MANAGER
THAT CAN FOCUS ON DELIVERING
OUTCOMES TO WRITERS ACROSS ALL
TRANSIT OPERATORS, AND WE HAVE
DEVELOPED THIS PROPOSAL IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH A NUMBER OF
STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE REGION,
INCLUDING ADVOCACY GROUPS ON
THIS PANEL, TRANSIT AGENCIES AND
MTC. SEAMLESS TRANSIT ISN'T JUST
GOOD POLICY. IT'S ACTUALLY
ESSENTIAL TO WINNING THE
CONFIDENCE OF THE PUBLIC AND
POLL AFTER POLL HAS INDICATED
THAT SEAMLESS INTEGRATED TRANSIT
IS GOT 90% SUPPORT. IT'S ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT MOTIVATING
FACTORS TO GET PEOPLE TO SHOW UP
AND VOTE FOR NEW TAXES, AND
PEOPLE DO SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF
LINKING THE REFORMS TO DELIVER
THAT SEAMLESS OUTCOME WITH WITH
THOSE PROMISES SO OUR SPECIFIC
PROPOSAL THAT WILL ONLY GO
THROUGH BRIEFLY RIGHT NOW. HAPPY
TO ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT
IS THAT A REGIONAL MEASURE AND
THE ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT
CREATES THE FORUM FOR THAT
REGIONAL MEASURE, FIRST OF ALL
NEEDS TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
AUTHORIZED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
OPERATIONS FUNDING 1 TO 2
BILLION A YEAR IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS THE NEED AND TO FUND
TRANSFORMATION, BUT IT NEEDS TO
BE CONNECTED WITH THE CREATION
OF A NETWORK MANAGER THAT CAN
TIE NEW FUNDING AND ALLOCATIONS
TO ALL OPERATORS. IN THE REGION
WITH THE OUTCOMES OF AN
INTEGRATED SYSTEM. AND THAT
MEANS INTEGRATED FARES,
SCHEDULES, ROUTES AND
INFORMATION. SPECIFICALLY. WE
PROPOSE ESTABLISHING A DEDICATED
DIVISION OF MTC AS THE NETWORK
MANAGER AND EXPENDITURE
AUTHORITY THAT HAS THE CLEAR
MANDATE AND AUTHORITY TO OVERSEE
THAT INTEGRATION WITH A
DEDICATED BOARD THAT IS MADE UP
OF A COMBINATION OF EXPERTS AND
ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HAS
DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITY FOR
TRANSIT POLICY MAKING, DRIVEN BY
SYSTEM OUTCOMES AND A DEDICATED
CENTRALIZED STAFF GROUP. BROUGHT
TOGETHER FROM MANY OF THE STAFF
WORKING AT EXISTING AGENCIES, AS
WELL AS EXISTING STAFF FROM MTC
THAT FOCUSES REALLY ON THIS
REGION WIDE PROJECT OF TRANSIT
INTEGRATION. WE HAVE BEGUN TO
MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION. BUT IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT THE ENABLING
LEGISLATION CREATE A CLEAR, MORE
ROBUST FRAMEWORK FOR THIS MOVING
FORWARD. SO JUST TO VISUALIZE
THIS. CURRENTLY THE ELECTED
OFFICIALS ARE NOT EXPERTS. OKAY
YOU DON'T NOT MEANT TO BE
MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE CATEGORIES.
UH UM. THE SO THE CURRENT
GOVERNANCE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW. THIS DIAGRAM SHOWS THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSION WITH ITS 21 MEMBER
BOARD AND TRANSIT AGENCIES AND
IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS, FUNDING
ABOUT 25% OF THE OPERATIONS
FUNDING THAT GOES TOWARDS
FUNDING BAY AREA TRANSIT FLOWS
THROUGH NTC, WITH THE REMAINDER
COMING FROM FARES AND A NUMBER
OF LOCAL SOURCES THAT FUNDING
THAT COMES THROUGH MTC IS
TYPICALLY NOT TIED TO STANDARDS
AND PLANS AROUND INTEGRATION. SO
THE PROPOSAL HERE THAT WE HOPE
TO SEE INCORPORATED WITH A
REGIONAL MEASURE IS ESTABLISHING
DISTINCT DIVISION WITHIN MTC
WITH THE CLEAR INSTITUTIONAL
MANDATE AND CAPACITY TO OVERSEE
INTEGRATION WITH THE REGIONAL
FUNDING MEASURE, SOMETHING LIKE
50% OF THE FUNDING FOR
OPERATIONS WOULD BE FLOWING
THROUGH THE REGION. SO IT'S
IMPORTANT. SO WE HAVE THIS
EXPANDED LEVERAGE TO BE
OVERSEEING COMMON REGIONAL
STANDARDS, BUT WE NEED THE STAFF
GROUP AND THE APPROPRIATE
DECISION MAKING THAT CAN
DEVELOP. YOU KNOW THOSE
STANDARDS AROUND COORDINATION
AND INTEGRATION AND THAT THOSE
CAN BE TIED TO FUTURE ANNUAL
ALLOCATIONS EVERY YEAR, SEEING
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN IN
IMPLEMENTING THIS INTEGRATION
ACROSS ALL OF OUR AGENCIES? UM
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL
HERE ON THAT SPECIFIC PROPOSAL,
WHERE THIS NETWORK MANAGER AND
EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY BOARD OR
IT COULD BE NAMED SOMETHING LIKE
A METRO, FOR SHORT WOULD HAVE
ABOARD MIXING MIXING QUALIFIED
EXPERTS AND EC COMMISSIONERS AND
HAVE A DISTINCT STAFF DIVISION
THAT CAN OVERSEE THIS PROJECT. I
THINK JUST LASTLY ON THE
IMPORTANCE OF EXPERTS GUIDING
THIS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS
WE BUILD OUT A FUNCTION OF
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE
BEFORE IN THE REGION. THIS IS
NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW. WE
NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE GUIDING THIS
PROJECT CLOSELY THAT HAVE
EXPERIENCE IN TRANSPORTATION
OPERATIONS. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
KNOWLEDGE OF GLOBAL BEST
PRACTICES. PEOPLE THAT CAN ALSO
REPRESENT THE ENTIRE REGION
AREN'T JUST HAILING FROM WHAT
AREN'T JUST THERE TO REPRESENT
ONE COUNTY AND CAN REALLY BE
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE AVERAGE
TRANSIT RIDER. NOT A TRANSIT
RIDER IN ANY SPECIFIC PART OF
THE REGION, OR WHO USES JUST ONE
OPERATOR. AND THIS IMPORTANTLY,
BUILDS OFF OF THE CURRENT
STRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN
PUT INTO PLACE THAT WE'VE DONE
VOLUNTARILY, BUT IT REALLY
STRENGTHENS THAT, UM AND MAKES
IT SUITED FOR A MAJOR NEW
FUNDING SOURCE AND ANNUAL
ALLOCATIONS THAT WOULD BE COMING
FROM A REGIONAL FUNDING MEASURE.
SO FINALLY IN CLOSING WHILE THE
BAY AREA FACES MANY CHALLENGES
THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT. WE CAN
TAKE INSPIRATION FROM OTHER
REGIONS THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
PIVOTED FROM DECLINING RIDERSHIP
AND FRAGMENTATION TO AN
INCREASING, VIRTUOUS CYCLE OF
RIDERSHIP IMPROVEMENTS. THIS
THIS IS AN IMAGE FROM THE
OPENING OF THE INTEGRATED
REGIONAL RAIL SERVICE IN ZURICH
IN 1990, WHICH OCCURRED
SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMON FARE
STRUCTURE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE NETWORK MANAGER FOR THE
ZURICH REGION, CALLED CVV
OVERSEES THE 20 SOMETHING
AERATORS THAT OPERATE IN THAT IN
THAT REGION. THIS WAS APPROVED
OVERWHELMINGLY BY VOTERS. THEY
ALSO HAVE A BALLOT MEASURE
SYSTEM. THERE. THIS THIS
POSITIVE VISION THAT COMES WITH
THE REFORMS AND THE FUNDING WAS
THE SUCCESSFUL, YOU KNOW RECIPE
FOR A SUCCESSFUL BALLOT MEASURE
IN THE ZURICH REGION AND SINCE
THE NINETIES. SWITZERLAND AND
ZURICH HAS SEEN SUSTAINED AND
CONSTANT INCREASES IN TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP AND SUCCESSIVE FUTURE
BALLOT MEASURES. SO THIS IS THE
PIVOT WE HOPE TO UNDERTAKE HERE,
AND THIS IS THE MOMENT IN TIME
WHERE WE THINK WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS SLOPER
. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR. WEINER
AND MEMBERS OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE. I'M EMILY LOPER WITH
BARRY, A COUNCIL. KIDS GRAB THAT
, UM, SO THE BERRY COUNCIL HAS
BEEN ADVOCATING TO IMPROVE OUR
PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM AROUND THE
BAY AREA SINCE OUR FOUNDING OVER
75 YEARS AGO, AND TODAY TRANSIT
REMAINS ESSENTIAL TO OUR
REGIONAL ECONOMY. IN FACT, WE
BELIEVE THAT OUR ECONOMIC
RECOVERY DEPENDS ON OUR ABILITY
TO RUN SAFE, CLEAN AND RELIABLE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. DESPITE
THE RISE OF REMOTE WORK, WE KNOW
THAT RESIDENTS ARE STILL
COMMUTING AROUND THE REGION.
MANY ARE JUST CHOOSING TO DRIVE
MORE FREQUENTLY THAN BEFORE. SO
WE KNOW THAT TRAFFIC ON MANY OF
OUR HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES HAS
RETURNED TO OR IN SOME CASES
SURPASSED PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS,
WHILE TRANSIT RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN
SLOWER TO RECOVER OF ALL OF
THESE SYSTEMS WE WERE MOST
CONCERNED ABOUT BART. THIS IS A
SYSTEM THAT CARRIED TWO THIRDS
OF ALL TRANSBAY MORNING COMMUTE
TRIPS IN THE BAY BRIDGE CORRIDOR
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND PEOPLE
RELIED ON BART TO GET TO THEIR
JOBS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
AND YET, THIS AS OF THIS SPRING,
THE RIDERSHIP WAS STILL HOVERING
BELOW 40% OF PRE PANDEMIC
LEVELS. SO WE CONDUCTED A POLL
IN THE SPRING TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WEREN'T
RIDING BART AS FREQUENTLY AS
THEY WERE AND IDENTIFY
STRATEGIES TO DRAW THEM BACK TO
THE SYSTEM. THE RESULTS SHOWED
THAT CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY AND
CLEANLINESS WHERE THE TOP
REASONS WHY PEOPLE WERE CHOOSING
NOT TO RIDE. THOSE CONCERNS, FAR
OUTNUMBERED THOSE WHO CITED THE
LACK OF COMMUTE, SO WE KNOW IT
WASN'T JUST REMOTE WORK AS A
BARRIER TO RE GROWING RIDERSHIP.
THIS IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH
WHAT BART RIDERS WERE SAYING IN
IN THE BARK CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION SURVEY, WHICH ALSO
SHOWED SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS IS
THE TOP PRIORITIES, BUT WE'RE
GETTING SOME OF THE LOWEST
RATINGS, BUT FORTUNATELY OUR
POLLS SHOWED THAT IF BART
FOCUSES ON THESE IMPROVEMENTS, A
LOT MORE PEOPLE WOULD RETURN TO
THE SYSTEM AND HELP BRING FARE
REVENUE BACK. 78% OF RESIDENTS
SAID THEY WOULD RIDE MORE OFTEN
IF BART WERE SIGNIFICANTLY
CLEANER AND SAFER SO HOW DO WE
GET TO A CLEAN AND SAFE SYSTEM?
ACCORDING TO OUR POLL RIDERS
WANT MORE CLEANING OF STATIONS
AND TRAINS BETTER ENFORCEMENT OF
THE PASSENGER CODE OF CONDUCT
MORE UNIFORM, PART OFFICERS, AND
SO WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR
THESE IMPROVEMENTS, AND BART HAS
RESPONDED THEIR NEW SAFE AND
CLEAN PLAN INCLUDES, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, REDEPLOYING THEIR
EXISTING POLICE FORCE. TO HAVE A
MORE VISIBLE PRESENCE AND
STATIONS AND ON TRAINS, DOUBLING
THE CLEANING OF THEIR TRAINS AND
STATIONS AND RUNNING EXCLUSIVELY
NEW TRAIN CARS, WHICH ARE MUCH
CLEANER AND FEEL SAFER AND ARE
MORE COMFORTABLE. I'M SURE WE'LL
HEAR MORE FROM BARD ON THE NEXT
PANEL ABOUT THESE IMPROVEMENTS,
BUT THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN
IMPRESSIVE. POLICE INCIDENTS ON
TRAINS HAVE DECLINED BY 60% AND
IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING TO DRAW
RIDERS BACK. UM AVERAGE WEEKDAY
RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN STEADILY
INCREASING SINCE THEY ANNOUNCED
THESE IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEY
JUST HIT THEIR HIGHEST POST
PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP LAST MONTH,
SO WE'RE CERTAINLY ON THE RIGHT
TRACK NOW AND MORE. BUT WE DO
THINK MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE
TO ENSURE THAT ALL RIDERS FEEL
SAFE RIDING THE SYSTEM AT ALL
TIMES. FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE POLICE
VISIBILITY HAS SUBSTANTIALLY
INCREASED RECENTLY, STILL ONLY
17% OF RIDERS HAVE CITED SEEN
POLICE ON TRAINS AND IN OUR OWN
RETURN TO OFFICE SURVEY OF
EMPLOYERS AROUND THE BAY AREA.
THERE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE
GREAT PROGRESS THE PART HAS MADE
BUT ARE ASKING BAR TO CONTINUE
TO FOCUS ON THESE IMPROVEMENTS
GOING FORWARD. SO ADDRESSING
THESE CONCERNS IS ESSENTIAL TO
NOT ONLY REGROW RIDERSHIP BUT
ALSO REBUILD VOTER CONFIDENCE.
AS WE WORK TOWARDS FUTURE
FUNDING MEASURES. WE NEED TO
MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THESE TRANSIT
SYSTEMS ARE WORTH INVESTING IN,
SO WE WERE PROUD TO HELP SECURE
THE STATE BUDGET OPERATING
RELIEF THIS YEAR, AND NOW WE
HOPE THE AGENCIES CONTINUE TO
USE THIS AID TO CONTINUE TO
FOCUS ON RIGHT OR IMPROVEMENTS.
BEYOND THE ESSENTIALS OF A SAFE
AND CLEAN SYSTEM. WE ALSO WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUTE
SERVICES NOT SACRIFICE, BECAUSE
THERE'S GREAT RIDERSHIP GROWTH
POTENTIAL IN THAT AREA. IT'S
ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE A
COMMITMENT FROM THE 27 OPERATORS
THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK TO
LIVE TOGETHER TO DELIVER A MORE
CONNECTED, EFFICIENT AND USER
FRIENDLY SYSTEM. WE KNOW THE
PUBLIC WANTS THESE IMPROVEMENTS
AS IAN JUST SHOWED IN HIS SLIDES
, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE GREAT
PROGRESS ON THAT BEFORE GOING TO
THE BALLOT. AND LASTLY, WE URGED
THE AGENCIES TO DO EVERYTHING
THEY CAN TO TRY TO CUT COSTS
INTERNALLY AND HELP EXTEND THAT
FISCAL CLIFF FUNDING AND AS LONG
AS POSSIBLE, DEMONSTRATING COST
EFFICIENT OPERATIONS WILL HELP.
UM PASS A FUTURE BALLOT MEASURES
WITH THE VOTERS. SO WE MUST BE
WILLING TO PRIORITIZE THESE
IMPROVEMENTS TO DEMONSTRATE TO
VOTERS THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT
CREATING A BETTER TRANSIT SYSTEM
FOR THE BARRIER. IF WE DON'T WE
RISK FAILING AT THE BALLOT AND
FAILING OUR REGION BY LETTING
THESE TRANSIT SYSTEMS FALL APART
. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU TO HELP DELIVER THAT
BETTER SYSTEM. THANKS VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEN
FINALLY, WE'LL HEAR FROM DYLAN
FABRICS FROM SAN FRANCISCO
TRANSIT RIDERS. THANK YOU, CHAIR
WEINER AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
STILL IN FAVOR OF THE COMMUNITY
AND POLICY MANAGER AT SAN
FRANCISCO TRANSIT RIDERS. SAN
FRANCISCO TRANSIT RIDERS, OR SF
TR IS A NONPROFIT WORKING TO
CENTER. THE VOICES OF THE
TRANSIT RIDERS AND ADVOCATES WHO
HAVE LONG DESIRED AND AFFORDABLE
, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND
ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSIT
NETWORK FOR RESIDENTS, COMMUTERS
AND VISITORS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
ESSENTIALLY WE REPRESENT THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WHO RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT IN
THE CITY EACH DAY. BUT WHILE MY
ORGANIZATION USUALLY FOCUSES
SPECIFICALLY ON SAN FRANCISCO,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE
CHALLENGES AND SENTIMENT SOLVING
COVERING TODAY ARE BEING FELT BY
TRANSIT RIDERS ALL OVER THE BAY
AREA. THE IMPACT OF THE FISCAL
CLIFF ARE NOT EXCLUSIVE TO SAN
FRANCISCO. THE TRANSIT
IMPROVEMENTS AND FUNDING. WE ARE
FIGHTING FOR IMPROVED SPEED AND
RELIABILITY FOR WRITERS, BUT IN
THE PROCESS, THEY ALSO PROVIDE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DAILY.
UH THEY AREA TRANSIT RIDERS WITH
THE FREEDOM TO LIVE THEIR LIVES
ON THEIR OWN TERMS. AS PROFESSOR
AND WRITER. CAFU YET AT OH
ARGUES, WE KNOW THAT THE FIGHT
FOR TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE IS
NEVER A FIGHT OVER TRANSIT
ALONE. GOOD ACCESSIBLE AND
AFFORDABLE. PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDES ACCESS
TO SO MANY OF THE THINGS WE
VALUE. VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS,
CLEAN AIR AND WATER,
PARTICIPATORY POLITICS, ACCESS
TO HEALTHCARE, FOOD, COMMUNITY,
NATURE AND PUBLIC SPACES WHERE
WE ARE FREE TO SPEAK, GATHER,
PLAY, CREATE AND ORGANIZE. THE
MULTIFACETED NATURE OF TRANSITS
IMPACT MEANS IT'S SOMETHING THAT
INFLUENCES EVERYONE IN OUR
REGION, WHETHER THEY ARE REGULAR
TRANSIT WRITERS OR NOT. THIS
MEANS THE LOOMING TRANSIT FISCAL
CLIFF SHOULD BE TOP OF MIND FOR
EVERYONE WORKING IN GOVERNMENT
RIGHT NOW. SO WHAT EXACTLY IS AT
STAKE IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THE
FISCAL CLIFF? WHILE FAILING TO
ADEQUATELY FUND TRANSIT
OPERATIONS WILL HARM EVERYBODY
WHO RELIES ON PUBLIC TRANSIT OR
INDEED, ANYBODY WHO DRIVES IN
THE DAY AREA. BUT MOST BUT THE
MOST TRANSIT DEPENDENT AND LOW
INCOME TRANSIT RIDERS WILL BE
IMPACTED FIRST AND FOREMOST.
WE'VE HEARD FROM AGENCIES AND
WE'LL HEAR LATER THAT LACK OF
FUNDING COULD LEAD TO SERVICE
CUTS VERY INCREASES, SERVICE
DISRUPTIONS AND CUTBACKS TO
STAFFING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO
NEGATIVE CHANGES TO CLEANLINESS,
SAFETY AND COMFORT. THIS IS ALL
UNACCEPTABLE TO BAY AREA TRANSIT
WRITERS WHO STILL DON'T HAVE
FULLY RESTORED SERVICE SINCE THE
START OF THE PANDEMIC. OVER THE
PAST SEVERAL MONTHS WE'VE HEARD
FROM HUNDREDS OF TRANSIT RIDERS
ABOUT WHY TRANSIT FUNDING IS
IMPORTANT FOR THEM. BARBARA S
LIVES IN THE RICHMOND AND LIKE
MANY SENIORS, DOESN'T OWN A CAR
AND RELIES EXCLUSIVELY ON PUBLIC
TRANSIT TO GET AROUND. BRUCE M.
FROM THE TENDERLOIN IS DISABLED
AND CAN'T GET AROUND WITHOUT
FREQUENT AND RELIABLE MONEY
SERVICE AND ALEX K FROM THE
MISSION SERVES THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS, SAVED THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS PER YEAR BY OPTING TO
TAKE TRANSIT RATHER THAN BE
WEIGHED DOWN BY COSTLY MONTHLY
CAR PAYMENTS. SEVERAL ADDITIONAL
TESTIMONIALS ARE ON THE SCREEN
NOW, AND WE HAVE HUNDREDS MORE.
FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIKE
BARBARA, BRUCE AND ALEX. ACROSS
THE BAY AREA TRANSIT IS A
LIFELINE STATUS QUO SIMPLY ISN'T
ENOUGH. NEVER MIND THE CUTS THAT
WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN OVER THE
NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. TRANSIT
AGENCIES AREN'T FUNDED. SINCE
2022 S F T. R HAS BEEN CONVENING
REPRESENTATIVES FROM A RANGE OF
COMMUNITY GROUPS AS PART OF THE
TRANSIT JUSTICE COALITION TO
BUILD A WRITER LED MOVEMENT TO
INVEST IN TRANSIT AND DEFINE
WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY MEANS FROM
THE TRANSIT WRITER'S
PERSPECTIVE. AS PART OF THIS
COALITION. WE'VE CONDUCTED
OUTREACH WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEARN HOW
TRANSIT COULD BETTER MEET THEIR
NEEDS. SEVERAL OF THE
IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH HAD BROUGHT
SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITIES
ACROSS FROM COMMUNITIES ACROSS
THE CITY ARE ON SCREEN. NOW WE
HEARD FROM COALITION MEMBERS.
THAT SERVICE SHOULD BE IMPROVED
ALONG MULTIPLE CRITERIA,
INCLUDING RANGE FREQUENCY, SPEED
AND OTHERS. WE ALSO HEARD THAT
TRANSIT SHOULD BE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE. SEVERAL GROUPS WE
TALKED TO HAD A LOT OF GREAT
SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW WE CAN
INCREASE SAFETY BEYOND JUST
INCREASING POLICING. FOR
EXAMPLE. UH AND PROBLEMS WITH
CURRENT DISCOUNT PROGRAMS FOR
LOW INCOME RIDERS WERE ALSO
BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION
FRIENDLY. WE GOT A LOT OF
SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TRANSIT CAN
BE MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR
WRITERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO
DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH OR WHO HAVE
DISABILITIES. THE OVERALL
TAKEAWAY FROM ALL THIS OUTREACH
IS THAT IN ORDER TO THRIVE, OUR
COMMUNITIES WANT AND NEED BETTER
. PUBLIC TRANSIT COMMUNITY
MEMBERS HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS
ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE ALL
ASPECTS OF PUBLIC TRANSIT. BUT
IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THOSE
IDEAS, TRANSIT AGENCIES NEED
ENOUGH MONEY FROM THE STATE AND
REGION TO NOT ONLY SURVIVE THE
FISCAL CLIFF BUT ALSO TO IMPROVE
BEYOND THE PRE PANDEMIC STATUS
QUO. TO GET THERE. IT'S ALSO
CRUCIAL THAT EVERYDAY WRITERS BE
INCLUDED AS KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN
ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT
ACCOUNTABILITY MEANS FOR PUBLIC
TRANSIT AGENCIES, AS WRITERS
KNOW BEST, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE
NEEDED AND CAN OFFER KEY
INSIGHTS. ALL RIGHT INTO WHETHER
AGENCIES ARE LIVING UP TO THEIR
PROMISES. AS WE SAW DURING THE
MOST RECENT STATE BUDGET PROCESS
IN WHICH TRANSIT WRITERS ACROSS
THE STATE WERE MOBILIZED TO MAKE
OVER 10,000 CALLS TO THEIR
LEGISLATORS. TRANSIT WRITERS ARE
EAGER TO GET ENGAGED, ESPECIALLY
WHEN SERVICE CUTS OR BUDGET CUTS
ARE ON THE LINE. ANY CHANGES TO
OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM FROM
CATASTROPHIC CUTS. TWO MOMENTOUS
IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE FELT BY
TRANSIT RIDERS FIRST, AND IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THEM IN
MIND AS HE WORKED TO MAKE A MORE
CONDUCTED A MORE CONNECTED BAY
AREA FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU
FOR CONSIDERING THE RIGHT OF
PERSPECTIVE TODAY AND IN THE
FUTURE AS YOU CONTINUED TO WORK
ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES. GREAT
THANK YOU VERY MUCH CODES ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATING
TO THIS PANEL? FIRST OF ALL I
WANNA REGARDING THE SEAMLESS, UH
, PROPOSAL WANTED JUST
ACKNOWLEDGE SENATOR BECKER FOR
HIS LEADERSHIP IN THAT REALM. SO
YOU HAVE A QUESTION COMING? A
COMMENT, UM. I WANNA THANK ALL
OF YOU FOR DOING THIS. AND
AGAIN, WE WILL HEAR FROM BART.
BUT GOOD TO HEAR ABOUT THIS
IMPROVEMENTS AND TAKING THE
FEEDBACK IN AND IN MY RECENT
RIDERSHIP, IT'S BEEN, UM I'VE
SEEN POSITIVE RESULTS THERE. UM
I WANT TO THANK YOU, IAN AND
SEAMLESS FOR LOOKING AT OTHER.
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND ANOTHER
PART OF THE WORLD WHERE WE CAN
LOOK TO FOR INSPIRATION AND
WHERE SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN DONE
AND WHERE WE'VE SEEN POSITIVE
RESULTS BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UM
THAT'S PART OF THAT POSITIVE
VISION RIGHT? AND THAT PROVIDES
SORT OF THE HOPEFULNESS OF HAY
HAPPENED. OTHER AREAS IT CAN
HAPPEN HERE, TOO. IF WE DO TAKE
ACTION AND UM, AGREE THAT NOW IS
A IMPORTANT TIME. YOU KNOW, WE
TRIED TO PASS BILL FOR A FEW
YEARS, UM, ALREADY SEEN ACTION.
BUT NOW WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY
HERE, WITH SOME THE POSSIBILITY
OF A MEASURE TO REALLY BRING A
LOT OF THIS ALL TOGETHER, SO
WHEN I APPRECIATE THAT GREAT.
THANK YOU AND SENATOR LARK. YEAH
I WAS JUST GONNA ASK A FOLLOW UP
QUESTION ON THE BARRIER COUNCILS
SURVEY. AND IF I REMEMBER THE
NUMBER RIGHT BECAUSE YOU WENT BY
QUICKLY. I THINK THERE WERE 19.
THAT SAID THEY A AH POST
PANDEMIC. DON'T RIDE OR WORK
FROM HOME. WAS THAT IT WAS 17%
OF RESPONDENTS CITED LACK OF
COMMUTE OR REMOTE WORK AS THE
REASON WHY THEY WEREN'T WRITING
BART AS OFTEN AND 45% CITED.
ISSUES RELATED TO SAFETY AND
FEAR AND CLEANLINESS. AND I
WONDER, UH, I HAVE A SPRAWLING
DISTRICT TO WHERE YES, I'M SANTA
CLARA COUNTY, BUT IT GOES TO THE
SAME LUIS OBISPO. SANTA BARBARA
COUNTY LINE, AND I HAVE MORE
LESS URBAN ONES, AND THAT IS A
REAL ISSUE THAT WE ARE WORKING
ON. THIS IS DEALING WITH PEOPLE
THAT DON'T USE TRANSIT BECAUSE
THEY DON'T COMMUTE THE WAY THEY
DID BEFORE AND TRYING TO
COMPENSATE IN THE PLANNING
BECAUSE, AS WAS ABLY
DEMONSTRATED EARLIER IN THE
HEARING, PEOPLE JUST CAN'T LIVE
WITHOUT THIS. AND SO THAT WAS
JUST SORT OF A SURFACE SURVEY OF
WHAT IT IS. IT WAS. IT DIDN'T GO
INTO IT MORE LIKE THAT'S GOING
TO CHANGE OR HEAR REACTIONS TO
IT. YEAH WE DO. WE ARE STILL
SURVEYING EMPLOYERS. WE'VE BEEN
DOING THIS RETURN TO OFFICE
SURVEY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW
TO TRACK COMMUTE PATTERNS AND
TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS INTO THE
FUTURE, AND RECENT DATA DOES
SHOW THAT THE IN IN OFFICE
ATTENDANCE IS INCREASING AS OF
THIS FALL, SO THERE IS, UM, A
SLIGHT UPTICK AND IN PERSON. UH
WORK AND I THINK AS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR FOR MAYOR SAID ON THE
FIRST PANEL, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE THOSE WHO ARE
RETURNING TO COMMUTE MORE
FREQUENTLY OR CHOOSING TO TAKE
TRANSIT. OVER OTHER MILK. I KNOW
THAT WE HAVE THE NEXT PANEL, AND
THAT MAY WELL BE SOMETHING THAT
COMES UP THERE, BUT I APPRECIATE
THAT RESPONSE. OKAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME. WELL NOW GO TO WE NOW HAVE
A NEXT PANEL IS A STAR STUDDED
CAST. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE
SENIOR LEADERS FROM A NUMBER OF
OUR TRANSIT AGENCIES WILL BE
HEARING FROM BOB POWERS, THE
GENERAL MANAGER OF BART MICHELLE
BOUCHARD, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF CALTRAIN. JEFF TUMBLIN, THE
DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AT
THE SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL
TRANSPORTATION AGENCY. BEVERLY
GREEN, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
INTERNAL EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AT
TRANSIT. CAROLINE GANNETT, WHO
THE GENERAL MANAGER AND CEO AT
SANTA CLARA VALLEY
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY OF E T.
A DENNIS MULLIGAN, THE GENERAL
MANAGER AND CEO OF THE GOLDEN
GATE, BRIDGE, HIGHWAY AND
TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT. SEAMUS
MURPHY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF WEED, A THE WATER EMERGENCY
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND
BUILD CHURCHILL, THE GENERAL
MANAGER OF COUNTY CONNECTION.
WHO WILL BE SPEAKING. I THINK ON
BEHALF OF THE NUMBER OF THE
SMALL OPERATORS IN THE REGION,
SO WELCOME, THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE. UH AND WE HAVE
EVERYONE HERE. YES EVERYONE HERE
. OKAY, GREAT. SO IF YOU COULD
EAT CHECK, MAYBE IT'S JUST LIKE
FIVE MINUTES OR SO, AND I'M SURE
THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS SO WE
WILL START WITH MR POWERS WHO
IS, UH, ALWAYS ON THE HOT SEAT
THESE DAYS. UM BUT YOU KNOW IF
THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE TALKING
ABOUT YOU. THAT'S A GOOD THING,
RIGHT? ALWAYS A GOOD THING.
SENATOR. ARENA YES. TAKE CARE.
YES MR POWERS. WELL FIRST
SENATOR WEINER, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, UM, LOOKED ON BEHALF.
I THINK OF ALL THE OPERATORS. UM
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED AND
WITHOUT YOU, UM, LEADING THE WAY
AND ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO DELIVER FOR THE BAY
AREA, SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT AND NOW AND YOUR
CONTINUED SUPPORT MOVING
FORWARD. UM YOU KNOW, THIS FIRST
SLIDE IS JUST TO RECOGNIZE THAT
YOU KNOW FROM SOME OF THE
OPERATORS HERE THAT WE'RE VERY
MUCH DO APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL
YOU DO FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT. UM.
LOOK, WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT
THE STATE FUNDING CAME WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES. THERE'S
NO COMPLETELY WE UNDERSTAND THAT
, UM, THE OPERATOR SITTING IN
FRONT OF YOU TODAY AND MANY OF
THEM AND SOME OF THEM WHO ARE
NOT HERE, UM AND LET ME JUST
SPEAK FOR THE ONES THAT ARE HERE
TODAY. RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE
CONVENE A MONDAY MORNING CALL
EVERY MONDAY MORNING AT 9 A.M.
UM AND MANY OF THE TOPICS THAT
WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE HAVE BEEN
TOPICS AT THAT MEETING AND WE
COMMUNICATE. WE NAVIGATE. WE
COORDINATE AND I WOULD PUT TO
SENATOR WEINER TO YOU AND TO THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE THAT
PUBLIC TRANSIT HAS NEVER BEEN
BETTER COORDINATED AND BETTER
COMMUNICATED IN THE BAY AREA
THAN RIGHT NOW, AT THIS MOMENT
IN TIME, UM AND WE'RE VERY PROUD
OF THAT, UM THE NEXT SLIDE HERE
IS, UH, THIS IS A SLIDE OF
BART'S RIDERSHIP RECOVERY TRENDS
. THE BLUE LET ME JUST
ORCHESTRATE YOU. IT'S FIVE. IT'S
SEVEN DAYS ON THE BOTTOM, THE
RIDERSHIP ON THE VERTICAL AXIS
THERE. THE BLUE IS OCTOBER OF
2023 AND THE YELLOW. THERE ARE
ORANGE, WHATEVER COLOR UM IS PRE
PANDEMIC. OCTOBER OF 2019. AND
SO WHAT? THAT SHOWS YOU IS A
SENATOR WEINER. YOU MENTIONED
THE NUMBERS EARLIER THAT WE'RE
YOU KNOW, WE'RE RUNNING ABOUT
42% DURING THE WEEK OF PRE COVID
, BUT ON THE WEEKENDS MUCH
BETTER, UM, AND WE HAVE WE HAVE
JUST IMPLEMENTED A NEW SERVICE
CHANGE. UM AND I'LL GET TO THAT
IN A MINUTE OF SENATOR LAIRD.
YOU MENTIONED IT, AND EMILY FROM
THE BAY AREA COUNCIL MENTIONED
IT AS WELL. SO I'LL GET TO THAT
SLIDE IN A SECOND. BUT, UM WE
REALLY HAVE OVERHAULED THE RIDER
EXPERIENCE FROM OUR SERVICE.
FROM THE MOMENT YOU GET INTO THE
BART SYSTEM TO WHEN YOU EXIT, UM
, AND TO COMPLEMENT THAT THE
CLIPPER BAY PASS HAS REALLY, UM
WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR WHICH
THE OPERATORS AND IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH MTC AND OUR EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR THERE, ANDY FROM EAR
AND HIS LEADERSHIP THERE. THE
CLIPPER BAY PASSES ENCOURAGED
THOUSANDS MORE TRIPS BY STUDENTS
AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING RESIDENTS
, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND
THAT. SO THIS SLIDE HERE AND
FRONT OF YOU GETS TO WHAT MISS
SLOPER FROM THE BAY AREA COUNCIL
SAID, UM LOOK IT AT BART. IT
STARTS AND ENDS WITH SAFETY AND
SECURITY AND WE RE LAUNCHED AND,
UM, PUT A NEW SERVICE PLAN IN
JUST A FEW MONTHS BACK, UM,
WHERE WE'RE RUNNING. SHORTER
TRAINS WERE IMPROVING THE
HEADWAYS ON THE NIGHTS AND
WEEKENDS AND WE'RE IMPROVING THE
HEADWAYS ON OUR MOST BUSY LINE,
THE C LINE COMING INTO THE INTO
THE INTO THE IN AND OUT OF THE
CITY HERE. UM BUT FROM A SAFETY
AND SECURITY PRESENCE. UM WE'VE
DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS
IN THE SYSTEM. SO SENATOR BECKER
WHEN YOU AND I ARE TAKING THE
TRAIN TO A MEETING OR SOMETHING
LIKELY YOU AND I WILL SEE MAYBE
SOME SWORN OFFICERS, SOME
AMBASSADORS. SOME CRISIS
INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS WALKING
THE TRAINS OR ON THE PLATFORMS
WHEN YOU WERE WHEN WE'RE OUT IN
THE SYSTEM, IT'S WE'VE DOUBLED
THAT. AND YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, WHY
RUN SHORTER TRAINS? WHY IS THAT?
SUCH A CLEVER IDEA? WELL YOU
KNOW WHEN YOU'RE COMING BACK
FROM A MEETING, YOU KNOW WHEN
IT'S A 10 CAR TRAIN AND YOU KNOW
THE FIRST TWO CARS THAN 10 CAR
NINE CAR, THE ONE CAR TO CAR.
THERE'S NOBODY THERE, YOU KNOW
THE CONCEPT OF STRENGTH AND
NUMBER AND HAVING A PRESENCE IN
THE SYSTEM. IT REALLY HAS MADE A
DIFFERENCE. UM AND IT'S ALLOWED
OUR FRONT LINE EMPLOYEES. OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH LABOR CAPITAL
L. TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM IN A
HIGHER STATE OF QUALITY, AND I
JUST WANTED TO THANK LABOR FOR
THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS AND
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHER
IMPROVEMENTS, THEIR STAFFING OF
THE RESTROOMS, NEW LIGHTING, NEW
ESCALATORS, UM, JUST REALLY
FOCUSING ON THE CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE IN 2024 HERE. HERE'S
SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UM, ONE
OF THE ONE OF THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS MENTIONED EARLIER. THIS
IS THE NEW FARE GATE PROGRAM AND
IT AND IT WAS PART OF THE
PERFORMANCE METRICS AND
ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS THAT MR
FOR MERE CEO OF MTC MENTIONED
THAT WERE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE
FOR PART AND THESE NEW FITS OF
RENDERING OF THE NEW FARE GATES
THERE. THERE'S 700 PLUS FARE
GATES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN PLACE
BY THE END OF 2025 WEST OAKLAND.
IN THE NEXT BY THE END OF THIS
MONTH BY THE END OF DECEMBER,
WEST OAKLAND IS THE PROTOTYPE
AND THEY WILL BE IN AT WEST
OAKLAND. THEY'RE UP AND RUNNING
RIGHT NOW AT OUR AT OUR FACILITY
. UM LAB, UM, KIND OF A MARKUP
OF THAT WE'VE HAD PEOPLE IN
THEIR TESTING THEM OUT. I'VE
BEEN IN THERE MY CHIEF
OPERATIONS OFFICER, PUSHING THEM
, PULLING THEM TRYING TO SEE IF
IT CAN WITHSTAND THE IMPACTS OF
THE OF THE PUBLIC. UM SENATOR
LAIRD. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO JUMP OVER HIM. YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO
UNDERNEATH THEM. YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO PIGGYBACK.
UM THEY'RE GOING TO BE YOU KNOW,
FOLKS ARE GONNA BE PAYING THEIR
FAIR SHARE IN AND OUT OF THE
SYSTEM. THIS PROGRAM IS THE
NUMBER ONE PROJECT AT BART. IT'S
ON SCHEDULE, AND IT'S BUDGETED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, SCOPE SCHEDULE
BUDGET. THIS IS ALL ABOUT
SCHEDULE. UM AGAIN. THIS GETS
BACK TO A LITTLE BIT WHAT THE
BAY AREA COUNCIL PRESENTED. AND,
UM REALLY IT IS. YOU'RE YOU
ASKED ME ABOUT, UM WHAT CAN BART
DUE TO EXTEND OUR RUNWAY? THE
BEST THING I CAN DO IS TO
IMPROVE THE RIDER EXPERIENCE.
RIGHT DRAWBACK. RIDERS AND OUR
ON TIME PERFORMANCE WERE AT 92%
ARE RIDERSHIP IS UP ABOUT 11%
COMPARED TO THE SAME QUARTER
YEAR AGO. OUR CUSTOMERS
SATISFACTION RATING IS IMPROVED
A FEW POINTS TO 74. UM. THE
OTHER PART THAT I DIDN'T MENTION
HERE THAT, UM, IS WHAT WE'RE
DOING ON PROGRESSIVE POLICING
AND NOT EVERY QUALITY OF LIFE
INSTANCE ON BART. SHOULD OR IS
BEING ADDRESSED BY SWORN
OFFICERS CRISIS INTERVENTION
SPECIALISTS ES ES. UM UM,
AMBASSADORS THEY'RE DEPLOYED AND
WHAT IT'S ALLOWED TO DO IS TO
TRY TO MATCH THOSE INDIVIDUALS
UP WITH SERVICES AND IT'S
ALLOWED THE BART POLICE OFFICERS
TO REALLY ADDRESS AND FOCUS ON
SOME OF THE BAD ACTORS THAT ARE
OUT IN THE SYSTEM, AND YOU CAN
SEE THE BPD INCIDENTS FELT FROM
374. 295 AND OCTOBER AND THE
OTHER PART THAT GOES UNSPOKEN IS
, UM, THE REDUCTION AND TRAIN
DELAYS WHEN WE DO A BART POLICE
HOLD, I GOTTA HOLD THE TRAIN AT
WHEREVER. PICK A STATION
EMBARCADERO, UM, AND THEN IT
RIPPLES THROUGH THE SYSTEM
THAT'S REAL NEARLY DROPPED BY
OVER 40% AND SO THE DECISIONS
THAT WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST 30
MONTHS ARE ALL STARTING TO
INTERSECT HERE. THE POINT OF
THIS SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU
SENATORS IS PRIMARILY THAT, UM,
THE LIGHT BLUE BAR THERE. UM,
THAT'S OUR OPERATING REVENUE AND
IT WAS IT WAS BROUGHT UP. I
THINK SENATOR WEINER AND YOU'RE
OPENING MARKS USED THE TERM
UNFORTUNATE FARE BOX RECOVERY,
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT A
SECOND. I'M LIKE, WELL, I'M NOT
SO SURE. I AGREE WITH THAT WORD,
BUT BECAUSE BART WAS SO VERY,
VERY PROUD OF OUR FAIR BOX
RECOVERED. WE WERE, YOU KNOW,
PUSHING 70 75% WE WERE KIND OF
THE NBA, THE INDUSTRY AND, YOU
KNOW, COULDN'T FORESEE, UH,
COVID AND THE RIDERSHIP AND
REMOTE WORK AND ALL THAT, YOU
KNOW, AND WHAT WAS MY STRENGTH
IS NOW MY ACHILLES HEEL, RIGHT?
AND WE HAVE TO. COLLECTIVELY WE
HAVE TO GO AND REPLACE THAT
LIGHT BLUE. I GOT TO INVERT MY
FUNDING MODEL, RIGHT? AND SO
THAT'S THAT LIGHT BLUE THERE AND
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR THE FOR THE SUPPORT AND
PUBLIC TRANSIT THERE. THAT'S THE
INTENT OF THIS SLIDE. AND THEN
THIS ONE, SENATOR WEINER AND
SENATORS WITH UM, THE HELP FROM
ANDY FROM EAR AND ALEX BACHMANN
AND MTC. UM THE FUNDING COMING
OUT OF THE STATE AND OUT OF MTC.
OUR BART BUDGET IS FUNDAMENTALLY
WILL BE WILL BE, UM, BALANCE FOR
THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS. UM
AND WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT
, UM, WE'RE COMMITTED TO THE TO
THE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT
HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH SENATOR
WEINER. YOU AND THE COMMITTEE
HERE AND WITH THE EMPTY SEE
COMMISSION AND ARE WILLING AND
ABLE TO REPORT BACK ON THOSE
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE
FUNDING, AND SO WITH THAT, I'M
GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO
MICHELLE BOUCHARD. THANK YOU.
JUST COMING. I YOU KNOW, FAIR
BOX RECOVERY. IT'S AN
INTERESTING THING, YOU KNOW,
OBVIOUSLY PART AND CALTRAIN IN
PARTICULAR, VERY RELIANT ON ON
FARES, AND I WILL SAY THAT I'M
SORT OF OLD SCHOOL HERE EVEN
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. I'M HAD
SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH CALTRAIN
THAT I DO NOT PERSONALLY BELIEVE
THAT HIGH FARE BOX RECOVERED. I
THINK, MR MURPHY, I THINK,
REMEMBER THIS. I DO NOT. I
DON'T. I DO NOT THINK THAT HIGH
FARE BOX RECOVERY IS EVER A GOOD
THING. IT WAS GOOD FOR BARTLING
BECAUSE YOU WERE FORCED TO DO
THAT. BECAUSE WE FORCED THESE
SYSTEMS, NOT ALL OF THEM. BUT
SOME OF THEM PARTICULARLY BURN
CULTURE, AND WE HAVE FORCED YOU
TO BE VERY RELIANT ON FARES, AND
THAT'S BECAUSE THE US UNLIKE SO
MANY COUNTRIES, AND WE DON'T PUT
ENOUGH TAX DOLLARS. IT'S THERE'S
A PUBLIC GOOD. IT SHOULD BE
SUPPORTED BY TAX DOLLARS. I WILL
NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT IN NEW
YORK AND IN MINNESOTA, THEY
SAVED THE MINNEAPOLIS AND YOUR
TRANSIT SYSTEMS. BY PASSING A
STATE BY HAVING THE STATE STEP
IN AND FIXING IT WITH PUBLIC TAX
DOLLARS, AND THAT'S HOW IT
SHOULD BE. AND WHEN WE ARE
OVERLY REAL. WHEN A SYSTEM IS
OVERLY RELIANT ON FARES, IT
MEANS THAT WHEN YOU NEED MORE
MONEY, YOU RAISE FARES AND I
KNOW IT'S ALWAYS A PUSH AND PULL
IT. BART AND IT'S THIS ISN'T A
CRITICISM. BART. SOME OF THESE
SYSTEMS ARE SHOULD NOT BE. THE
FARES SHOULD BE LOWER THAN THEY
ARE. BUT YOU HAVE NO OTHER
CHOICE THAN TO DO THAT. THAT'S
THE POSITION THAT WE PUT. YOU
KNOW, THAT'S GOOD. NO THAT'S
FAIR ENOUGH. YEP YEAH, YES, I'M
MR CURTIS. THANK YOU. I JUST
WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS RIGHT
HERE. UM, UM RATHER THAN WAIT
TILL THE END IN AND I THOUGHT IT
WOULD BE A GOOD TIME. UM IN YOUR
PRESENTATION, YOU YOU TALKED
ABOUT CONVENING EVERYONE AT NINE
O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING EVERY
WEEK, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT AND
APPRECIATED HEARING THAT. UM.
THE QUESTION I'M GONNA ASK IS
THIS TO WHAT DEGREE IS
ACCOUNTABILITY ADDRESSED FROM A
PURE IN EFFECT, A PURE REVIEW
APPEAR. YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT KIND
OF LATERAL NEGOTIATIONS ARE
GOING ON IN THOSE MEETINGS IN
TERMS OF HOLDING PEOPLE
ACCOUNTABLE WITHIN THE SYSTEM OF
OPERATORS? UM I APPRECIATE VERY
MUCH THAT YOU SEEM TO BE ALMOST
THE FIRST ONE THAT'S COME UP.
WITH YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES HERE WHETHER WE AGREE
100% WITH FAIR BUCKS RECOVERY OR
NOT, BUT ARE ARE ARE REALLY
AIMED AT TRYING TO REVERSE, UH,
SOMETHING THAT WAS FOUGHT IN THE
SYSTEM IN TERMS OF COLLECTIONS
OR WHATEVER I MEAN THE FARE THE
FARE GATES. UH UM. YOU KNOW,
IT'S SOMETHING I THINK CERTAIN
PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR. UM, BUT I
ASKED THE QUESTION AND I'LL LET
YOU ANSWER IT. BUT ASK THE
QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK IN IN
THE BAY AREA CAUCUS ITSELF
WITHOUT YOU KNOW, DIVULGING ANY
CONFIDENTIAL CONVERSATIONS THAT
THERE'S FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T
NECESSARILY SPEND A LOT OF TIME
SERVING. EITHER HERE OR IN THE
WORLD OF TRANSIT OPERATORS WHO
BELIEVED THAT PRE PANDEMIC UM
THERE WASN'T JUST A NEED TO GROW
BUSINESS. I DON'T THINK IT WAS
WITH BART AT ALL WAS PRETTY MUCH
A FREQUENT FLYER BEFORE I WENT
TO THE SENATE. BUT AMONGST ASIDE
FROM CALTRAIN AND BAR PRE PRE
PANDEMIC, THERE'S A CONCERN OUT
THERE THAT THERE WERE FOLKS
RUNNING ROUTES THAT WERE KIND OF
USELESS. AND THEN IT'S STILL
LOOKING FOR STATE AND FEDERAL
PASS THROUGH FUNDING TO SUPPORT
THOSE, UM, THERE. UM YEAH, YOU
KNOW, IN IN MY OWN COUNTY, VT,
OBVIOUSLY A BIG KIND OF SINGULAR
OPERATOR DOWN THERE REGULARLY,
UH, SEEMS TO RUN COMPREHENSIVE
OPERATING ANALYSIS, YOU KNOW TO,
UM, DIVE DEEPLY GET INVOLVED
WITH WITH WRITERS GET INVOLVED
WITH LABOR. GET INVOLVED WITH
EVERYBODY AND SAY, WHERE CAN WE
MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO TRY
SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE TO SEE
IF WE CAN PRODUCE A DIFFERENT
RESULT. UM IS THAT KIND OF
ACCOUNTABILITY DISCUSSED AGAIN?
I JUST THINK THERE'S A FEELING
OF PROBABLY RIGHT. I GOTTA SAY,
I FEEL I'VE ALWAYS FELT FOR MTC
HAD HAVING SERVED HERE FOR A
NUMBER OF YEARS IS KIND OF LIKE
THE UNITED NATIONS IN THERE'S A
FEW MORE COUNTRIES AND THERE ARE
CITIES HERE IN THE BAY AREA
RIGHT IN THE WORLD, BUT IT'S A
TOUGH JOB TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY
AND TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WITH
THE LIMITED POWER THAT THAT THAT
MTC REALLY HAS. TO FORCE
ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT'S THE
QUESTION TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE
INDUSTRY IF YOU WILL OF
OPERATORS. UM TRYING TO HOLD
EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE. ON ON
WHAT THE PUBLIC SEES. SOMETIMES
AS YOU KNOW, TWO PEOPLE RIDING
ON THE SAME BUS ROUTE THE SAME
TWO PEOPLE FOR SEVEN DAYS IN A
ROW AND NOBODY ELSE WE SAW THOSE
NUMBERS HERE. PRE PANDEMIC AND
WE WERE TRYING TO EFFECTUATE
CHANGE, BUT WITH VERY LIMITED
POWER TO DO SO, AND I WANT TO BE
ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE BAY AREA
CAUCUS TO BRING THIS FULL CIRCLE
IN TERMS OF MY COMMENTS. AND
TELL FOLKS WE HAVE THIS HEARING
AND WHAT WE HEARD WAS NOT JUST A
BUNCH OF STUFF ABOUT IMPROVING.
UM YOU KNOW, GROWING THE SYSTEM.
MAKING IT UM. YOU KNOW MORE
ATTRACTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO RIDE.
UM BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SYSTEMIC
THAT THE ACTUAL MANAGEMENT
ISSUES THAT THAT SOME OF THE
OPERATORS YOU KNOW, HAVE HAVE
HISTORICALLY TURNED A BLIND EYE
TO, FRANKLY AND CAN THAT BE
RESOLVED? YEAH. UH SENATOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. UM I
CAN TELL YOU I'LL GIVE YOU MY
ANSWER THAT QUESTION. IF A GROUP
OF PEOPLE I WAS THINKING ABOUT
IT WHEN YOU ASKED IT, YOU KNOW,
MEET EVERY MONDAY FOR THREE
YEARS AT NINE O'CLOCK, YOU
DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS, YOU KNOW
WHETHER IT'S JEFF AND I ARE OR
CAROLINE AND I IT DOESN'T PICK
ANY TWO YOU WANT. UM AND BECAUSE
OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WERE ABLE
TO HAVE SOME PRETTY, UH, TOUGH
CONVERSATIONS THERE. AND HOLD
EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE IN A
FASHION, YOU KNOW, THAT ALLOWS
THAT DIALOGUE TO HAPPEN AND YOU
KNOW COMMON GROUND TO BE FOUND,
WHETHER IT'S ON, YOU KNOW, UM,
SCHEDULE COORDINATIONS AND
SIGNING UP. YOU KNOW WHEN I DO A
BID WHEN PART DOES THE BID? YOU
KNOW MANY, MANY OF THE OTHER
OPERATORS FEED INTO THE BART
SYSTEM, RIGHT? SO WHEN I BIT OUT
A NEW SCHEDULE, I HAVE TO
COORDINATE WITH MICHELLE. I HAVE
TO COORDINATE WITH WITH CAROLINE
WITH WITH BEV GREEN. FROM
TRANSIT WITH JEFF. YOU KNOW, WE
DON'T ALWAYS AGREE TO I AND I
HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO MICHELLE OR
TO CAROLINE OR TO JEFF. YOU
KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE
FIVE COUNTIES, YOU KNOW, AND
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PROVIDE ANY
ONE BIT OF SERVICE BETTER, TOO.
YOU KNOW ANYONE AGENCY, BUT IT'S
BECAUSE OF WE'VE BEEN MEETING
EVERY MONDAY MORNING, SENATOR AT
NINE O'CLOCK. WE'VE HAD SOME
VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND THE
RELATIONSHIPS ARE THERE THAT
ALLOW US TO HOLD EACH OTHER
ACCOUNTABLE. IF FOLKS IF JEFF
DOESN'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW.
HEY BOB, YOU KNOW, I'M SEEING A
LOT OF STUFF IN THE PRESS ABOUT
BART, YOU KNOW, AND THE SAFETY
AND SECURITY WHAT WHAT'S GOING
ON THERE? HE'LL CALL ME UPHILL.
TEXT ME ABOUT THAT. UM CAROLYN'S
IN THE SYSTEM. SHE DOESN'T SEE
SOMEBODY IN THE OFFICE ON THE
PLATFORM AT V TH HEY, BOB. I'M
NOT SEEING ANYBODY DOWN THERE.
THAT'S THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS
THAT ARE THERE RIGHT NOW THAT
ALLOW THAT, AND I'M TELLING YOU,
UM, WE DO HOLD EACH OTHER
ACCOUNTABLE, SIR. I APPRECIATE
IT VERY MUCH THROUGH THE CHAIRS.
LET ME SAY IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I THINK TO HEAR MORE OF THAT.
GOING FORWARD IN IN SPECIFICS
THAT ARE COMING OUT, YOU KNOW
NOT TO SAY THAT YOU WOULD I'M
NOT SUGGESTING THAT IT'S BEEN
QUITE STIRRED OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT. WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS
THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO
THE PANDEMIC? UM THIS FISCAL
CLIFF SITUATION CAME ALONG THE
LEGISLATURE'S APPROACH
APPROACHED. UM YOU KNOW, I THINK
WITH A LOT OF FOLKS HEARD, IS
WE, THE OPERATORS AND WE BARK
CULTURE AND EVERYBODY ELSE ARE
IN IT TOGETHER. WE'RE ALL
LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER. WE
ALL GOT EACH OTHER'S BACK ON
THIS. WE'RE ALL GOING TO GO THE
LEGISLATURE. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE
SURE EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, GET
SOME HELP HERE. UM AND I JUST
THINK IT PROVOKED A QUESTION OF
WOMEN BESIDES HAVING EACH
OTHER'S BACKS. UH DO YOU HAVE
OUR BAGS? OKAY YOU HAVE AN YOU
KNOW, DO YOU HAVE THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA IS BACK IF IT COMES
IN AND HELPS OUT AND WHAT THAT
MEANS TO SOME PEOPLE, NOT NOT
NECESSARILY ME. I CAN'T SAY
COLLEAGUES HERE. WHAT ABOUT THE
FACT THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN VERY
VOCAL MET REGARD BUT I SERVED
HERE ON M T C FOR A LONG TIME,
BUT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR IN THE
LEGISLATURE. THE NUTS AND BOLTS
OF WHAT'S GOING ON, I THINK, AND
I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU SAY
THAT SOME OF THAT IS ACTUALLY
HAPPENING. IT IS A LOT IS
HAPPENING. AND IF I COULD JUST
ADD SENATOR JUST PRIOR TO COMING
INTO THIS MEETING, THE REGION
STOOD UP. THE NETWORK COUNCIL
NETWORK MANAGEMENT JUST HAPPENED
OVER HERE AND I WOULD SAY, AND I
WAS ELECTED CHAIR IN APRIL, CHAN
WAS ELECTED AS VICE CHAIR, BUT I
WOULD SAY UM, A THIRD OF THAT
MEETING EVERYBODY AT THIS WHEN
THEY WENT AROUND, AND WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT NEXT STEPS IT WAS
ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IT WAS
ABOUT PERFORMANCE METRICS AND
HOW WE'RE GOING TO REPORT OUT TO
YOU AND OTHER ELECTED BODIES
ABOUT WHAT'S BEING DONE ON
SCHEDULE AND HOLDING EACH OTHER
ACCOUNTABLE. THAT WAS A THIRD OF
THE MEETING, AND THAT WAS THE
FIRST MEETING. WE JUST STOOD UP.
IT JUST HAPPENED, YOU KNOW?
LASTLY NO. NO OFFENSE, UM, YOU
KNOW, TO ANDY AND THE OPENING
WHICH WAS REALLY THE ONLY SIDE
REALLY IDENTIFY. AS AN
ACCOUNTABILITY SLIDE DECK. IT
JUST FELT MUCH MORE COLLEGIAL
AND SUPPORTIVE ABOUT GROWTH AND
IT DID ABOUT YOU KNOW, SORT OF
NUTS AND BOLTS. AND AGAIN. I
APPRECIATE YOUR SLIDES REALLY
WENT IN IN YOUR PRESENTATION
REALLY WENT INTO MORE. UM I
THINK WHAT THE PUBLIC HEARS AS
MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE CONCRETE
MEASURES TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
SENATOR. OKAY WE WILL NOW GO TO
MICHEL BOUCHARD, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF CULTURE. WE WANT A
LITTLE LONG ON BART AND PART
DESERVES EXTRA TIME BECAUSE IT'S
BEEN THE CENTER OF A LOT OF
DISCUSSIONS SO IF FOLKS COULD
KEEP IT AT ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OR
SO. THAT'D BE GREAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND SO MUCH
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT TODAY AND REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES. JUST
REALLY TO DELAY THE LAND HERE.
CAL TRAINS THE REGIONAL RAILROAD
THAT SERVES SAN FRANCISCO
THROUGH SAN JOSE DOWN TO GILROY.
SO WE OPERATE ON OUR OWN RIGHT
OF WAY. WE OPERATE ON OTHERS
RIGHTS OF WAY. WE HAVE TENANTS
ON OUR RIGHT OF WAY. AND THIS IS
ALL JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT
THAT WE AS AN ORGANIZATION NEED
TO PARTNER NOT ONLY WITH OTHER
TRANSIT ENTITIES BUT ALSO WITH
THE COMMUNITIES THROUGH WHICH WE
OPERATE, AND IT'S NOT ONLY WITH
OPERATIONS, BUT IT'S ALSO WITH
THE KEY PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE
GOING ON. I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON
ELECTRIFICATION BUT ALSO WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE'VE
GOT 21 GRADE SEPARATION PROJECTS
UP AND DOWN THE PENINSULA THAT
ARE ARE IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR
FORM HAPPENING, WHETHER IT'S
PLANNING THROUGH TO DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION, UM AND REALLY WANT
TO FOCUS ON UM YOU KNOW THE FACT
THAT WE FULLY SUPPORT AND ARE
REALLY DOUBLING DOWN ON THE RAIL
NETWORK MANAGEMENT AND I HAVE TO
AGREE WITH WHAT BOB SAID. IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MEASURE
OURSELVES AND WE DO A BETTER JOB
OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE
. UM AND SO IN THAT VEIN, JUST
WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT CALTRAIN HAS DONE
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, AND
THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO NOW. SOME
GENERAL CATEGORIES ARE ALONG THE
LINES OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. UM
AS WELL AS COST CONTAINMENT AND
BOB TO SOME DEGREES, STOLE A
LITTLE BIT OF MY THUNDER IN
TERMS OF WE COMPLETELY
REDESIGNED THE SCHEDULE TO BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE RIDES FOR
MORE TYPES OF CUSTOMERS SO NOT
TOTALLY JAMMED INTO THE PEAK
PERIOD. AND THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU CAN SECURE
COST SAVINGS BY OPERATING MORE
EFFICIENTLY THAT WAY, IN
ADDITION TO REDUCING CONCERTS,
SIZES, SO UM IT REALLY HAS
PROVIDED SOME COST CONTAINMENT.
BUT REALLY, WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN
ON LAUNCHING ELECTRIFICATION.
THIS SAYS PLANNED IN 2024. IT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN IN 2024. BEFORE
I JUMP TO THAT IF I COULD JUST
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CALTRANS
VERSION OF THE FISCAL CLIFF. UM
YOU KNOW, WE, TOO HAD A 75% FARE
BOX RECOVERY RATIO. I AGREE.
IT'S BECAUSE WE HAD TO DO THAT
PRE PANDEMIC. WE BENEFITED SO
MUCH FROM THE FEDERAL FUNDS BUT
ALSO FROM THE PASSAGE OF MEASURE
ARE ARE AND THAT REALLY HAS BEEN
THE LIFEBLOOD OF CALTRAIN
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. UM WE
HAVE A WELL WE'VE ESTIMATED A
$33 MILLION FISCAL CLIFF NUMBER
FOR 2026. BUT AGAIN, THANKS TO
THE STATE AND MTC THAT WILL
LARGELY BE COVERED. UM AND SO WE
ARE STILL LOOKING AT UM, AVERAGE
WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP INCREASING AND
THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THAT
WE'VE BEEN SHUTTING DOWN ON THE
WEEKEND, SO I THINK THERE IS
SOME REASON TO HAVE, UM, YOU
KNOW, SOME OPTIMISTIC
PERSPECTIVE, AND I TRULY BELIEVE
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT
BECAUSE WE HAVE DIVERSIFIED THE
TYPES OF TRIPS THAT THAT FOLKS
TAKE ON CAL TRAIN. BUT MOVING
FORWARD. WE ARE ON THE PRECIPICE
OF TRANSFORMATION. THE
ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAM HAS BEEN
30 YEARS IN THE MAKING, AND WE
HAVE BEEN HITTING MAJOR
MILESTONES. YOU SEE THEM HERE WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE THE FULL
CORRIDOR ENERGIZED IN EARLY 2024
. WE'VE GOT SIX OF THESE TRAIN
SETS ON PROPERTY. WE'VE BEEN
TESTING THEM AND SO ALL THINGS
ARE GOING WELL. SO AGAIN. WE'RE
LOOKING AT PASSENGER SERVICE TO
THE RIDING PUBLIC IN SEPTEMBER,
2024 AND THERE ARE SOME AMAZING
BENEFITS THAT I'M GOING TO TALK
ABOUT THAT CORRESPOND WITH
ELECTRIFICATION. BUT HERE'S SOME
PICTURES OF A COUPLE OF EVENTS
THAT WE HAD THAT EACH OF THEM
DREW OVER 4000 FOLKS TO COME SEE
THE M U. S. PEOPLE ARE REALLY
STARTING TO TOUCH AND FEEL WHAT
ELECTRIFICATION IS GOING TO DO
FOR THE RIDING PUBLIC. SO I'M
NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF
THIS. BUT THIS JUST DEMONSTRATES
HOW? HOW BENEFICIAL THIS $2.5
BILLION INVESTMENT IS GOING TO
BE, UM FOR JOB CREATION OR HAS
BEEN FOR JOB CREATION. AH
TRAFFIC RELIEF, ALL SORTS OF
THINGS. I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON
THREE PARTICULAR BENEFITS. THE
FIRST IS WE WILL HAVE THE
CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE FASTER
TRIPS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE
TECHNOLOGY AND THE PERFORMANCE
OF ELECTRIFIED TRAINS. AND SO
YOU'LL SEE SERIOUS TIME SAVINGS
AND WE KNOW THAT REDUCTION IN
TRAVEL TIMES IS SOMETHING THAT
IS VERY ATTRACTIVE AND WILL GET
CUSTOMERS OUT OF THEIR CARS AND
BACK ONTO TRANSIT. ALSO WE'RE
ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICE TO
MORE STATIONS. WE ARE PLANNING
TO HAVE MORE SERVICE PROVIDED TO
EQUITY PRIORITY STATIONS, AND
WHAT WE THINK IS REALLY GOING TO
BE BENEFICIAL IS ON THE WEEKEND
WILL BE GOING TO 30 MINUTES
SERVICE. WE CAN DO THAT WITHIN
EXISTING BUDGET DOLLARS BECAUSE
OF THE EFFICIENCY AGAIN. THAT
ELECTRIFICATION BRINGS US. AND
WHEN, UM WHEN RIDERSHIP WARRANTS
IT, ELECTRIFICATION WILL, UM,
BRING MORE CAPACITY TO THE
SYSTEM. AND THEN FINALLY, IT
SUPPORTS ZERO EMISSIONS FUTURE
AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO SAY
THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE THAT ZERO EMISSIONS
FUTURE BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND
SAN JOSE COMMENSURATE WITH THE
REVENUE SERVICE IN 2024, AND
WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE
STATE TO PLOT OUT WHAT COULD BE
ZERO EMISSION SERVICE SOUTH OF
SAN JOSE ON THE GILROY SEGMENT.
BY USING BATTERY HYBRID E M US
AND WE'LL BE TESTING THOSE IN
THE COMING YEARS. SO WITH THAT,
UM WE REALLY ARE EXPECTING A
HUGE HUGE BENEFIT FROM
ELECTRIFICATION. UM AND SO I
WILL, UH, AND MY PRESENTATION
THERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, SENATOR BECKER. THANK
YOU. UM ALL OF THESE ARE
EXCITING. I WANTED TO SAY, UM
PARTICULARLY PRESENTATION IS
TREMENDOUSLY EXCITING FOR ME
SINCE CATCHING RIGHT GOES UP
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF MY
DISTRICT. BUT EVERYTHING YOU
SAID ABOUT, UM ALL THE
TREMENDOUS WORK HAS BEEN DONE
NOW OVER THE LAST YEARS HERE TO
LEAD TO THIS POINT WHERE WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT
ON LOCAL AIR QUALITY, POSITIVE
IMPACT ON QUIETER TRAINS GOING
THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK AND
OBVIOUSLY THE POTENTIAL DREAM OF
MORE SERVICE, UM LONGER TRAINS
FASTER TRAINS. ALL THAT'S
INCREDIBLY EXCITING. JUST I
GUESS TOO QUICK NOTES. ONE IS
AND YOU MENTIONED GREAT
SEPARATIONS AND HOW IMPORTANT IS
GREAT SEPARATIONS TO THAT VISION
OF MORE FREQUENT SERVICE? UM AND
I NOTE THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY,
I'VE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE OF
GETTING MORE FUNDING FOR THESE.
WE KNOW THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE.
UM BUT IT SEEMS TO BE IMPORTANT
PART OF THE VISION GOING
FORWARD. YEAH I THINK THAT'S
CORRECT. I MEAN, IT IS GOING TO
BE A HEAVY LIFT. AS YOU POINTED
OUT, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 40 OF THESE
TWO GRADE SEPARATE AND THEY ARE
VERY EXPENSIVE. WE ARE WORKING
ON A PLAN RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE CAN BUILD THEM MORE
CHEAPLY AND BUILD SEVERAL OF
THEM TOGETHER. AND THAT WILL
HELP US PUT TOGETHER
MEGAPROJECTS THAT WE COULD
REALLY SEEK FUNDING FOR. UM BUT
YOU KNOW FEWER CARS IDLING AS
SERVICE INCREASES THAT'S GOING
TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. IT'S
ALSO GOING TO HELP THE OVERALL
SAFETY OF THESE GRADE CROSSING,
UH, GRADE CROSSINGS, WHETHER
IT'S CAR TO TRAIN ANYTIME YOU
GET CARS AND TRAINS AT DIFFERENT
LEVELS. IT'S ALWAYS A SAFER
TRAVELING ENVIRONMENT. YEAH WE
CERTAINLY HAVE SOME OF THE MANY
OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CROSSINGS
IN MY DISTRICT, AND WE'VE HAD
YOU KNOW, CONSTANT FATAL. I MEAN
, YOU KNOW, UM YOU KNOW, I THINK
I WANT ON EVERY YEAR BASIS.
ESSENTIALLY, WE'VE HAD
FATALITIES AND, UM SO IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT AND SO HE'S LOOKED
TOGETHER AS WE LOOK TO CREATE
THIS VISION ACROSS THE BAY AREA.
JUST DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE I
TAKE THE TIME TO HIDE THE
IMPORTANCE OF I THINK OF THIS
GREAT SEPARATIONS TO OUR AREA.
UM BUT, YEAH, OVERALL, JUST
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
DIVISION AND THEY JUST SORT OF
FOR THE RECORD. I KNOW. WELL I'M
CERTAINLY VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE
SEAMLESS VISION CARRYING THE
THAT THIS SEAMLESS BILL AND
LOOKING ACROSS, UM, THE ALL OF
OUR NETWORKS, I THINK SAY, JUST
LOOKING INTO THIS, BUT SOME
RUMORS OR SOME THOUGHTS, YOU
KNOW, JUST LOOKING AT A MERGER
OR SAY, ACCOUNT TRAIN, BART
MERGE OR SOMETHING, UM, SPECIFIC
THIS TIME. UM I DON'T THINK THAT
MAKES SENSE. I THINK WE HAVE TO
LOOK AT OBVIOUSLY THE TOTALITY
OF ALL THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT. I JUST WANTED TO
ADDRESS THAT QUICKLY BECAUSE I
KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S COME
UP. UM BUT I JUST WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION
HERE TODAY. YEAH I ALSO JUST
WANT TO SAY FIRST OF ALL, I
MEAN, THIS THIS PRESENTATION
ENCAPSULATED A LOT OF THINGS
THAT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT
CALTRAIN IS REALLY BEEN MAKING
HUGE STRIDES IN MODERNIZING AND
IMPROVING IN ALL THE WAYS THAT
YOU DESCRIBE THEM. I THINK THIS
IS REALLY ANOTHER EXAMPLE. AND
WE STARTED SEEING IT WITH BART,
TOO. AND UNI AND OTHER SYSTEMS
THAT YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT
THE NEED FOR REFORM OF OUR
SYSTEMS AND TRANSFORMATION, AND
THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, BUT
I THINK I THINK SOMETIMES THAT
DISCUSSION OCCURS BASED ON SOME
SORT OF IMPLICIT ASSUMPTION THAT
THAT IS NOT ALREADY HAPPENING.
AND WE KNOW CALTRAIN IS
MODERNIZING BAR IS DOING GREAT
WORK WITH THE FARE GATES AND
SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND THE
TRAIN TRANSFORMATION AND YOU
KNOW, AND SO FORTH, AND YOU
KNOW, AS A REGULAR IMMUNITY BUS
RIDER, I CAN SAY THAT MUNIZ BUS
SYSTEM IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN IT
WAS 10 YEARS AGO, JUST LIKE
NIGHT AND DAY, AND I KNOW IT'S
THIS IS TRUE OF THE OTHER
SYSTEMS AS WELL. SO I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC
TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS WE OF
COURSE, WANT TO HOLD ALL OF OUR
SYSTEMS ACCOUNTABLE AND HAVE
CHANGE AND REFORM. UM, AND
TRANSFORMATION AND IMPROVE
SERVICE. THERE IS ALREADY REALLY
GOOD WORK HAPPENING, AND WE TOOK
ME TO BUILD ON THAT WORK. YES,
SENATOR LAIRD. JUST BRIEFLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR YOUR
FOCUS, EVEN THOUGH YOU BRUSHED
BY IT ON MORGEN, HYLAND GILROY
AND, UH, I GET MORE QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TRAINS
THROUGH THERE AND IN OUR MEMBERS
ASKS, UH, I GOT MONEY IN FOR THE
GREAT SEPARATION AND MORGAN HILL
TO TRY TO ADD IN THE FACT THAT
YOU MIGHT BE BUMPING UP AT A
LITTLE THERE. IS REALLY POPULAR.
SO JUST THANK YOU. I NEVER HAVE
A HALF AT TWO CALTRAIN, SO THIS
IS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO BUY ALL
MEANS. I DID NOT MEAN TO RUSH
THROUGH IT. THAT'S OKAY. I'LL
TELL HIM YOU WERE VERY
ARTICULATE. THANK YOU. OKAY UM,
WE WILL NEXT GO TO MISS GREEN
FROM A C TRANSIT. WHAT DID I
SORRY I SKIPPED OVER MY OWN
HOMETOWN. SORRY, JEFF. AH! WELL,
NOW GO TO JEFF TUMBLIN FROM SFM.
TA. SORRY THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
SENATOR WEINER AND OTHER MEMBERS
OF THE DELEGATION. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS
JEFFREY TUMBLIN. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAN
FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL
TRANSPORTATION AGENCY. AND WE'RE
A STRANGE CREATURE AND THAT WE
ARE A MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT. WE
RUN THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION FOR SAN
FRANCISCO, ALL THE STREETS AND
EVERYTHING THAT MOVES ON THE
STREETS. AND WE RUN MUNICH,
WHICH AT 470 ODD 1000 WRITERS
PER DAY CARRIES NEARLY HALF OF
ALL TRANSIT RIDERS IN THE NINTH
COUNTY BAY AREA. UH WE KNEW
EARLY IN COVID THAT THE IMPACTS
OF COVID. WE'RE GOING TO BE BIG
AND LONG LASTING AND WE MADE
DRASTIC CHANGES. WE RETREATED TO
A PLACE OF RADICAL RESILIENCY,
TAKING OUR 80 ODD TRANSIT LINES
AND STRIPPING THEM DOWN TO THE
15 LINES THAT WERE MOST NEEDED
FOR WRITERS AND SERVED ESSENTIAL
INSTITUTIONS ABOUT EVERY QUARTER
. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE REBUILT
THE ENTIRE IMMUNE SYSTEM FROM
THE GROUND UP RESPONDING TO
DRAMATICALLY CHANGE TRAVEL
PATTERNS AS WELL AS OUR CHANGED
FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. SO PRE
COVID ARE FUNDING WAS ROUGHLY
EQUAL QUARTERS. TRANSIT FARES,
PARKING FEES, STATE AND FEDERAL
GRANTS AND A FIXED CHUNK FROM
THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND AS A
RESULT OF COVID, THREE OF OUR
FOUR SOURCES OF REVENUE HAVE
DECLINED. SOME OF THEM ARE BACK
UP, BUT OUR TRANSIT FARE REVENUE
IS STILL 56% LOWER THAN IT WAS
PRE COVID AND OUR PARKING
REVENUE IS 12% LOWER THAN IT WAS
PRE COVID. UM AND THANK YOU TO
THE INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY OF THE
STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUSH OFF OUR
FISCAL CLIFF. SUSTAINED
ESSENTIAL SERVICES, BUT WE'RE
LEFT WITH A ABOUT A $270 MILLION
ANNUAL GAP ABOUT TWO YEARS FROM
NOW. WE ALSO KNEW FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING THAT WE NEEDED TO
FOCUS ON QUALITY RATHER THAN
QUANTITY TO SURVIVE. WE KNEW
THAT THE IMPACTS WE'RE GOING TO
BE LONG LASTING AND WE NEEDED TO
GO TO THE VOTERS IN ORDER TO GET
ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO KEEP OUR
SYSTEM AFLOAT. SO WE HEARD A LOT
FROM OUR CUSTOMERS, AND WE
INCORPORATED ALL OF THAT
FEEDBACK INTO OUR COVID ERA
RECOVERY PLANTS. THAT WAS REALLY
FOCUSING ON MAKING MONEY FASTER,
MORE FREQUENT AND MORE RELIABLE
THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN DURING THE
COURSE OF COVID. JUST OVER THE
LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE BUILT
MORE THAN 21 MILES OF NEW
TRANSIT ONLY LANES AND THAT 70
MILES OF TRANSIT ONLY LANES. I
BELIEVE SAN FRANCISCO NOW HAS
THE DENSEST NETWORK. OF TRANSIT
PRIORITY FACILITIES IN ALL OF
THE UNITED STATES. THIS HAS
RESULTED IN MASSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
IN SPEED ON OUR KEY LINES UP TO
35% IMPROVEMENT IN SPEED THAT WE
WERE THEN ABLE TO REINVEST IN
BETTER FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY
, BECAUSE IF I CAN MAKE THE
BUSSES 20% FASTER, I GET 20%
MORE SERVICE FOR FREE. WE ALSO
KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO NOT PAPER
OVER OUR DEFICIT BY WORSENING
ARE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
AND INSTEAD WE DID THE OPPOSITE.
WE USED THE OPPORTUNITY OF
HAVING SHUT DOWN OUR ENTIRE RAIL
SYSTEM FOR TWO YEARS TO PUT OUR
MAINTENANCE CREWS IN THE SUBWAY
ON REBUILDING THE SUBWAY, TO THE
EXTENT THAT WE COULD, WITH NO
REAL RESOURCES. RESULT OF THAT
IS THAT SIGNIFICANT DELAYS IN
THE SUBWAY HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY
70% SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NEVER
DREAMT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE. BUT IT
DEMONSTRATED JUST HOW IMPORTANT
DEALING WITH DIFFERENT
MAINTENANCE IS FOR DELIVERING ON
RELIABILITY AND HOW IMPORTANT
DELIVERING ON RELIABILITY IS FOR
IMPROVING THE CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE. UM WE MADE ANOTHER
HARD DECISION TO NOT GUT OUR
CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM
BUDGET IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN
OPERATIONS AND INSTEAD CONTINUED
WITH THE PRE COVID PROGRAM
INVESTING IN IMPROVED REAL TIME
INFORMATION, SIGNAGE AND OTHER
SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
CUSTOMERS RELIABLY KNEW WHEN THE
NEXT BUS WAS COMING. WE LIKE ALL
AGENCIES ARE ALSO HEARING
CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY. SO THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
INVESTIGATED VERY DEEPLY WHEN
YOU LOOK AT REPORTED CRIME DATA
REPORTED CRIMES ON UNI ARE AT
HISTORIC LOADS. THEY ARE A
QUARTER OF WHAT THEY WERE IN
2015. THAT SAID, AS WE TALK TO
OUR CUSTOMERS IN MORE DETAIL, WE
REALIZE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE
CONCERNED NOT JUST ABOUT CRIME
BUT ABOUT SOCIAL CONDITIONS ON
OUR VEHICLES AND SPECIFICALLY
THE UNPRECEDENTED INCREASE IN
UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH AND
ADDICTION ISSUES ON ALL OF OUR
STREETS, A SITUATION THAT FINDS
ITS WAY ONTO PUBLIC TRANSIT. BUT
IN WHICH POLICING IS NOT
NECESSARILY THE RIGHT SOLUTION,
BUT RATHER DIRECTING PEOPLE INTO
SERVICES AND COLLABORATING WITH
OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN
ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
IN CRISIS ON TRANSIT GET FIRST
PRIORITY FOR BEING DIRECTED INTO
TREATMENT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT
THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN HARASSMENT. BASED
UPON RACE OR GENDER AND HAVE
RESPONDED ACCORDINGLY. WE HAVE
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED OUR
TRANSIT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AS
WELL AS OUR TRANSIT FARE
INSPECTORS. ALL OF THOSE TEAMS
ARE TRAINED IN HOW TO DEAL WITH
SOCIAL RESPONSE AS WELL AS THE
ESCALATION WE HAVE INVESTED IN
OUR VIDEO CAMERAS. EVERY SINGLE
MINIBUS HAS AT LEAST 11 CAMERAS
ON IT, AND AUDIO RECORDING. OUR
STATIONS HAVE AS MANY AS 100 WE
FINALLY FULLY STAFFED ARE FOLKS
WHO ARE USING THAT DATA NOT ONLY
TO STOP CRIME FROM HAPPENING.
BUT TO ALSO ENSURE THAT OUR
POLICE PRIORITIZED DEALING WITH
CRIME. I'M UNI AND, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY PRIORITIZES PROSECUTING
CRIMES ON TRANSIT BECAUSE WE
HAVE BETTER DATA THAT ALLOWS
COURTS TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS
ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS WHO
ARE COMMITTING CRIMES ARE NO
LONGER ON THE STREETS. WE'VE
ALSO HEARD A LOT ABOUT
CLEANLINESS BOTH ON OUR VEHICLES
AND OUR STATIONS. AND DESPITE
OUR FINANCIAL CRISIS, WE TOOK
THE BUS STERILIZATION PROGRAM
THAT WE DEVELOPED IN THE WORST
DAYS OF COVID AND SIMPLY
RETRAINED OUR FOLKS, UH, KNOWING
THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED
TO STERILIZE ALL OF OUR SERVICES
FOUR TIMES A DAY, BUT WE DO NEED
TO KEEP OUR VEHICLES CLEAN. AND
THE SUM TOTAL OF ALL THESE
INVESTMENTS ARE BEING NOTICED BY
OUR WRITERS. IN FACT, MONEY HAS
THE HIGHEST RATING BY SAN
FRANCISCANS SINCE 2013 OVER A
DECADE. OUR PUBLIC APPROVAL
RATINGS ARE UP. 9% POINTS WITH
66% OF RIDERS RATING OUR SERVICE
AS GOOD OR EXCELLENT. WHICH IS
NOT TO SAY THAT THERE'S NOT
STILL A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT THAT
WE NEED TO MAKE. THE RESULT IS
ALSO THAT OUR RIDERSHIP IS
GROWING, BUT ALSO WHEN WE PARSE
THE DATA IN A LOT MORE DETAIL,
WE SEE THAT TRAVEL PATTERNS HAVE
CHANGED DRAMATICALLY WITH OUR
WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP BEING AT ABOUT
65% OF PRE COVID LEVELS, BUT OUR
WEEKEND RIDERSHIP BEING AT 78%
OF PRE COVID WRITERS, AND WHEN
WE LOOK IN EVEN MORE DETAIL WE
SEE IN THE CITY IN THE UNITED
STATES THAT ARGUABLY HAS THE
GREATEST NUMBER. OF FORMER
COMMUTERS NOW WORKING FROM HOME
AND WHERE OUR RAIL STATION
RIDERSHIP MATCHES, BART. WE HAVE
TWO OF THE TWO OF THE LINES WITH
PERHAPS THE HIGHEST RATE OF PRE
COVID RIDERSHIP IN THE COUNTRY,
THE 22 FILLMORE AND THE 49
VENICE, BOTH OF WHICH ARE
OPERATING A NEW TRANSIT ONLY
LANDS AND BOTH OF WHICH WE'VE
HAD TO INVEST IN IMPROVEMENTS
AND FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY
THAT IS RETURNED. THAT IS, IN
TURN GENERATED ADDITIONAL
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP. UM AND
FINALLY UH, AS BOB SAID, WE ALL
HAVE BEEN MEETING EVERY MONDAY
MORNING FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS,
ALL TOGETHER AS A GROUP, AND
TODAY WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING
OF THE REGIONAL TRANSIT NETWORK
MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. UM WE ARE
ALL UM, NOT ONLY WORKING
TOGETHER WITH THE COUNCIL AND
WITH THE NEW, UH, TRANSIT
NETWORK MANAGER MELANIE TROY.
WHO MAY BE HERE BUT ALSO
CONTINUING TO LEND STAFF TO MPC
IN ORDER TO DRIVE DELIVERY OF
THE KEY THINGS THAT ARE WRITERS
WANT IN THE REGION, INCLUDING
FARE INTEGRATION. THE DELIVERY
OF THE BAY PASS IMPROVED WAY
FINDING SIGNAGE, TIME TRANSFERS
AND FINALLY, REGIONAL SPEED AND
RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL GO TO
MISS GREEN FROM TRANSIT. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BEVERLY
GREEN. AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS,
AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
MICHAEL HURST, WHO IS THE
GENERAL MANAGER AND COULD NOT BE
WITH US TODAY. I'M HERE
REPRESENTING A C TRANSIT. WE ARE
THE EAST BAY'S LARGEST MOBILITY
PROVIDER. WE PROVIDE SERVICE TO
13 CITIES AND EIGHT
UNINCORPORATED AREAS, INCLUDING
THE CITIES OF OAKLAND. FREMONT
BERKELEY, RICHMOND, ELSA, BRANT
AND OTHERS. WE ARE PROVIDING
ABOUT 140,000 RIDES PER DAY 60
65% OF OUR WRITERS ARE LOW
INCOME 75% ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR
43% DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR
AND WE TRANSPORT STUDENTS.
THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT EVERY
DAY. THANK YOU. SO I DO WANT YOU
TO KNOW THAT WE ARE OPERATING
87% OF OUR SERVICE AND WE HAVE
RECOVERED 72% OF OUR PRE
PANDEMIC SERVICE. UM WE FOR THIS
FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE ACTUALLY
INCREASED OUR RIDERSHIP 16.6%
FROM THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. UM WE
UNDERSTAND THAT REMOTE WORK IS
CHANGING TRANSIT PATTERNS AND WE
ARE TRYING TO MAKE CHANGE
CHANGES THAT REFLECT THAT. AND
JUST TO PUT YOUR ATTENTION TO IF
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE BROWN BAR
FROM FY 1819 THAT'S 53 MILLION
AND THEN GO TO THE FY 2223 BAR,
WHICH IS GREEN. WE HAVE COVERED
RECOVERED. WE ARE AT 35 MILLION.
UH, AVERAGE WEEKDAY RIDES. AS A
RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, AND
DESPITE CONTINUED RIDERSHIP
GROWTH, WE ARE NONETHELESS
PROJECTING A FIVE YEAR OPERATING
DEFICIT. OUR DEFICITS ARE
RELATIVELY MODEST THROUGH FY
2425, BUT THEY INCREASED
DRAMATICALLY IN FY 2526 AS WE
WILL FULLY EXHAUST FEDERAL
EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING. AT
THAT POINT, WE WILL NEED TO
BALANCE EXPENSES WITH OUR
REGULAR REVENUES WITHOUT
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM EITHER
THE STATE OR REGIONAL MEASURE OF
SOME OTHER CHOICE OF SOME OTHER
SOURCE. A C TRANSIT WILL BE
FORCED TO CONSIDER CUTS IN
SERVICE. A DIMINISHED PUBLIC
CHANCES SYSTEM WILL WORSEN THE
INEQUITIES AND IT QUITE
INEQUALITIES THAT ARE ALREADY
FACED BY THOSE WHO RELY ON A C
TRANSIT TO CONNECT THEM TO THEIR
COMMUNITIES. WE LIKE OTHER
OPERATORS HAVE HEARD HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS THAT OUR BUSSES
ARE BOTH CLEAN AND SAFE. WE KNOW
THIS IS THE BEDROCK OF ANY PLAN
TO INCREASE RIDERSHIP AND
SUSTAIN OUR SERVICE. TO THIS END
, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE MASKS AND
HAND SANITIZER AVAILABLE ON
BOARD FOR USE BY A WRITER'S FREE
OF CHARGE. WE ARE KEEPING OUR
OPERATORS SAFE AND SECURE. THIS
REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY. BECAUSE
SIMPLY PUT, WE CANNOT PROVIDE
SERVICE. WITHOUT THEM. WE ARE
ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO
OPERATING SERVICE THAT OUR
WRITERS CAN DEPEND ON. AND WE
KNOW THAT RELIABILITY IS THE KEY
TO INCREASING RIDERSHIP AS A AT
THIS COMMITTEE'S LAST HEARING IN
MAY, WE SHARED THAT WE WERE
ADDRESSING RELIABILITY CONCERNS
AND RUN RUNNING CANCELATIONS.
DUE TO OPERATOR UNAVAILABILITY
DESPITE ONGOING CHALLENGES AND
EACH MONTH DURING THE FIRST
QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, WE
EXCEEDED OUR ON TIME PERFORMANCE
GOALS WERE CONFIDENT THAT THE
COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONS
ANALYSIS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY
MOVING THROUGH AND UNDERWAY OF
OUR SERVICE NETWORK WILL IMPROVE
RELIABILITY AND ENCOURAGE MORE
PEOPLE TO USE OUR SERVICE. WE
CALL THIS TOP TO BOTTOM ANALYSIS
AND UPDATE OF OUR SERVICE
NETWORK. A C TRANSIT REALIGN WE
REVIEWING WHERE OUR ROUTES GO.
HOW OFTEN BUSSES ARE RUNNING AND
WHAT DAYS OF THE WEEK AND WHEN
THEY ARE OPERATING, WE'RE DOING
THIS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE
PANDEMIC DRAMATICALLY SIFTED HOW
WRITERS USE OUR SYSTEM TO GET
AROUND. AND TO THAT EFFECT, WE
ARE IN A FIVE PHASE REALIGN AND
IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE REAL
LINE, WE SURVEYED MORE THAN
15,000 PEOPLE TO LEARN HOW THEY
CURRENTLY USE OUR SERVICE AND
WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE MOVING
FORWARD IN PHASE TWO. WE TOOK
THAT FEEDBACK AND IDENTIFIED
THREE CORE PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE
OUR WORK. EQUITY RELIABILITY AND
FREQUENCY AND WITH THESE
PRINCIPLES AS OUR GOD AND BASED
ON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, WE
DRAFTED NEW SERVICE NETWORK
PROPOSALS NOW IN PHASE THREE, OR
WE ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO TELL
US WHAT THEY THINK OF THE
PROPOSED CHANGES. AND IF WE'RE
ON THE RIGHT TRACK. COMMUNITY
INPUT IS ESSENTIAL TO CREATING A
SYSTEM THAT IS EQUITABLE AND
MEETS THE NEEDS OF TRANSIT
WRITERS. WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE
COMMUNITIES WE SERVE TO REVIEW
THE PROPOSALS AND PROVIDE
COMMENT BY DECEMBER. 13TH WE ARE
CURRENTLY IN THIS PROCESS RIGHT
NOW ON THE WEBSITE. YOU CAN ALSO
FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DECEMBER 7TH ONLINE
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP. ONE OF THE
GREATEST CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW IS RECRUITING AND
RETAINING BUS OPERATORS. THIS IS
THE GREATEST BARRIER TO
DELIVERING OUR SERVICE. WE ARE
INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ON GETTING
NEW OPERATORS. WE HAVE ONE BUS
OPERATOR TRAINING CLASS PER
MONTH WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING
BETWEEN 50 TO 60 NEW OPERATORS
FOR QUARTER. WE HAVE A $2000
HIRING BONUS AND A $500 REFERRAL
BONUS AND WE ARE HOSTING IN
PERSON RECRUITING EVENTS AND
WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE
CONDITIONAL ON SITE OFFERS, AND
I WILL SAY A C TRANSIT HAS
CONTINUED TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT
SERVICE AND WE WERE REWARDED
WITH AN APP TO OUTSTANDING
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
THIS YEAR FOR OUR CATEGORY
BETWEEN 15 AND 50 MILLION
AVERAGE WEEKDAY RIDES. THAT
LITTLE SLIDER. AH! I THINK THERE
IS ONE MORE BUT WE WILL GO TO
THE NEXT ONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION TO A C TRANSIT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. SENATOR SKINNER
TYPE BEVERLY. HELLO ON THE, UH,
ON YOUR SECOND SLIDE WHERE YOU
SHOW THE PRE PANDEMIC VERSUS
PANDEMIC TRENDS. UM. SO YOU'RE
2324. UH HUH. WHAT'S YOUR FISCAL
YEAR FROM WHEN TO WIN A FISCAL
YEARS FROM JULY 1ST. SO THAT IS
A PARTIAL PERIOD. THAT'S JUST
FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS
FISCAL YEAR. JULY 1ST, RIGHT, SO
IT DOESN'T SHOW US THAT OKAY,
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE A
PROJECTION YET OF WHETHER IT
WILL BE BETTER THAN THE BASED ON
THE NUMBER OF MONTHS YOU SHOW SO
FAR WHETHER IT WILL BE BETTER
THAN THE 2223. WE BELIEVE THAT
IT WILL BE. WE ARE JUST ABOUT
17% HIGHER THAN THIS THAN LAST
YEAR, SO RIGHT NOW AS OF THE
SAME MONTH PERIOD OR 17% HIGHER
THAN YOU WERE AT THAT TIME LAST
YEAR OR NO, ACTUALLY, IT'S THE
WHOLE FISCAL YEAR THAT WERE
SEVENTH WERE 16.6% HIGHER. OKAY
WE ARE AT 72% OF OUR PRE
PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP. OKAY OKAY.
YEAH. IT WAS HARD TO TELL THAT
FROM LOOKING AT THIS GRAPH THAT
IT WOULD, BECAUSE YEAH. OKAY?
GREAT THANK YOU. OKAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. WE WILL NOW GO TO THE
T. A CAROLINE KENNEDY. GOOD
AFTERNOON. I'M CAROLINE. GO, NOT
GENERAL MANAGER AND CEO. SORRY
FOR MISPRONOUNCING. THAT'S
ALRIGHT, UM OF THE SENATE CLARE
VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
UM I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD A LOT
ABOUT THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF
THE STATE FUNDING WAS FOR
OPERATIONS. TOO MANY OF OUR
PEERS AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK
THE BAY AREA DELEGATION. UM AND
MTC FOR STATE FUNDS THAT WERE
ALLOCATED TO THE REGION, UM,
ALSO TO THE PART EXTENSION,
SILICON VALLEY FACE TO PROJECTS,
SO THERE WERE CAPITAL FUNDS
AVAILABLE AS WELL. AND THE 375
MILLION WE RECEIVED ACTUALLY
DOES COMPLETE THE FUNDING PLAN
FOR THE PROJECT. I DIDN'T GO ON
NOW, UM, VT IS NOT MENTIONED A
WHOLE LOT TODAY IN SOME SENSES
BECAUSE WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE A
FISCAL CLIFF. RIGHT THIS MOMENT.
UM WE PRETTY MUCH FACED OUR
FISCAL CLIFFS IN THE EARLY TWO
THOUSANDS AND MADE A LOT OF
SERVICE CUTS THAT WERE CURRENTLY
RUNNING SLIGHTLY LESS THAN WHAT
WE RAN IN 1990. AND THAT WAS
BEFORE THE DOT COM BOOM, SO WE
HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH THE
POPULATION GROWTH THAT'S IN
SANTA CLARA COUNTY AND THE
AMOUNT OF SERVICE THAT WE
PROVIDE, BUT WE HAVE SLOWLY
RESTORED THE SERVICE THAT WE
HAVE, BUT JUST TO THE PRE
PANDEMIC LEVELS, AND MOST OF
THAT WAS JUST, UM, DUE TO THE,
UM JUST FOR OPERATING STAFFING,
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY FULLY AT 96%
RIGHT NOW OF OUR OPERATORS.
STAFF TODAY IS THAT SERVICE THAT
SERVICE REDUCTION FROM 1990 IS
THAT MORE ON THE BUS SIDE OR THE
RAIL SIDE. NOT ALL THE RAILWAYS
RUNNING IN 1990. SO SOME OF THE
SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RAIL
EXTENSIONS SINCE THEN. SO IT'S
PRIMARILY THE NUMBERS SERVICE
HOURS. TOTAL THAT WE'RE SERVING
THE PASSENGERS, SO I MEAN, THAT
HAS A LOT TO DO. SO WE DID QUITE
A BIT. I THINK I THINK SENATOR
CORTEZ MIGHT HAVE EVEN BEEN ON
OUR BOARD DURING SOME OF THOSE
HARD TIMES AS WELL. SO IT'S BEEN
ROUGH. UM WE'RE NOW COMMITTED TO
THE 400% SERVICE, AND WE ARE
CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD ON
THAT. AND AS PART OF THAT, I DO
WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT,
UM THE JUST WHAT WE DO WHAT SOME
OF OUR POLICIES ARE WE? WE ARE
BORED, JUST RECENTLY ADOPTED THE
VISIONARY TRANSIT NETWORK.
THAT'S OUR TRANSFORMATIONAL PLAN
FOR SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER SERVICE
. THIS ALLOWS US TO REALLY START
TO RUN SERVICES THAT MEET WHAT
WE HAD, UM PRIMARILY THE ACTUAL
ACTUALLY AT THE LEVELS OF
TRANSIT IS PER CAPITA, THE
AMOUNT OF SERVICE LEVELS THAT
WOULD BE PER CAPITA BECAUSE WE
ARE NOT RUNNING THOSE WHICH
MAKES IT DIFFICULT WHEN WE MEET
UP WITH CAL TRAINER MEET UP WITH
BARTERING, MEET UP WITH A C
TRANSIT, OUR SERVICE HOURS AND
FREQUENCIES ARE MUCH LESS SO
IT'S A LOT HARDER ON OUR RIDERS
AND MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS, SO
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
START TO MOVE INTO MAKING THOSE
CONNECTIONS STRONGER. IN JANUARY
. 2020 WE DID DO AS UM, PUT IN A
WHOLE NEW SERVICE PLAN BASED ON
A COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL
ANALYSIS, IT WAS HEAVILY FOCUSED
ON WHAT YOU WOULD NOW CALL THE
ESSENTIAL WRITERS THAT RAN
DURING THE PIT THAT, UM, USED IT
DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT WE ALSO
HAD A LOT OF MIDDAY SERVICE AND
WEAK DATE WEEKEND SERVICE AS
WELL. THAT IS GROWN WERE UP A
LITTLE OVER. WE'RE CLOSE TO 75%
OF OUR OUR OUR RIDERSHIP HAS
BEEN RESTORED. BUT IN THOSE
FIRST THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, WE JUMPED UP
SIGNIFICANTLY ON OUR RIDERSHIP
JUST WITHIN THREE MONTHS BY
PUTTING THAT SERVICE OUT THERE,
BUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND MANY
HAVE SEEN THIS IS THAT THAT
MIDDAY SERVICE IS ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL. WE'RE NOT SERVING PEAK
MARKETS AS MUCH AND WHAT WE
REALLY NEED TO DO IS ALSO SERVE
WEEKEND SERVICE. WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE GROCERY STORE WORKER.
OR THE FOOD SERVICE WORKER WHO
DOESN'T HAVE ANY 25 SHIFT BUT IS
WORKING WEEKENDS AND WORKING
LATE AT NIGHT AND TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY CAN USE TRANSIT THAT'S
SO IMPORTANT TO US AND THEN ALSO
LOOKING AT INNOVATIVE SERVICE
MODELS, NOT JUST FOR FIRST AND
LAST MILE, BUT ACTUALLY,
POTENTIALLY FOR THE WHOLE TRIP.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE
ARE STARTING TO TEND TO LOOK AT
GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE. UM
JUST RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN SEE THIS
HAS A LOT TO DO WITH PROVIDING
EVERY MORE SERVICE ON EVERY
TRANSIT ROUTE. I'M NOT GOING TO
READ ALL THESE IDEAS, BUT THIS
IS PRIMARILY THE VISIONARY PLAN.
WE DO HAVE IT PHASE SO WE'RE
ACTUALLY LOOKING AT FIRST PHASE
PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON BRINGING UP
OUR RAPID AND FREQUENT, DOUBLING
A RAPID AND FREQUENT ROUTES FOR
WEEKENDS WERE TO IMPROVE THOSE
BOTH THE WEEKDAYS AND THE
WEEKENDS, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY
THE FIRST PHASE AND SOME OF OUR
LOCAL ROUTES AS WELL. WE REALLY
DID IN THAT CONFERENCE OF
ANNOUNCED OPERATION ANALYSIS
FOCUSED ON CUSTOMER I MEAN, ON
THE RIDERSHIP FACTOR AND LESS ON
COVERAGE, SO THERE WERE SOME
HARD DECISIONS ARE BOARD MADE
MANY, MANY MONTHS TOOK ALMOST
NINE MONTHS OF, YOU KNOW, EAT
MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS TO
ACTUALLY GET TO THAT POINT OF
BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION
AND PUT A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE
RIDERSHIP, AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT MANY OF THESE AGENCIES HAVE
DONE HERE AS WELL, BUT WE'RE
CONTINUING TO DO THAT, AS WE
MOVE FORWARD. I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS IS PRIMARILY GETTING UP
TO THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE
NEED THAT PEOPLE COULD RELIABLY
TAKE ON TRANSIT. IN A COUNTY
LIKE SANTA CLARA COUNTY AND TO
MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS WE'VE
INVESTED A LOT INTO PART. WE'VE
INVESTED A LOT INTO CALTRAIN. WE
INVESTED A LOT INTO OUR
CONNECTION POINTS. WE REALLY,
REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE WORK THE LAST THING THAT
WE'VE ACTUALLY STARTED TO DO,
WHICH IS MINOR. BUT IT'S AMAZING
HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO PEOPLE,
WHICH IS A BETTER BUS STOPS
PROGRAM AND WE ACTUALLY TAKE OUR
PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, WHICH STARTED
IN 2020 AS AN ANNUAL PROGRAM TO
IMPROVE ALL OF OUR BUS STOP
SYSTEM WIDE. IT'S VERY
ANALYTICAL. WE HAVE IT RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVER. FORGET
HOW OVER 2000 STOPS, I THINK
OVER 3000 STOPS IN OUR COUNTY.
WE'RE GOING FORWARD WITH ALL OF
THEM AND TAKING A LOOK AT HOW DO
WE UPGRADE THEM, PARTICULARLY
LOOKING AT TERMS OF EQUITY
RIDERSHIP AREAS? WHAT THE WE'RE
LOOKING EVERYTHING FROM LIGHTING
TO ACTUALLY COULD SEE A PICTURE
THERE WITH JUST VERY BASIC BENCH
ON POLES THAT ALLOWS FOR TWO
SEATS FOR SOMEBODY SIT DOWN. SO
WE'RE LOOKING THAT WHOLE THING.
WE'RE ACTUALLY COMPLETELY MAKING
SURE THAT WE HAVE MONEY FOR THAT
PROGRAM EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S
ACTUALLY FUNDED FROM OUR 2016
SALES TAX MEASURE AS OTHER
MATCHING GRANTS AS WELL AND
ELEMENTS FROM THE CITY'S HELPED
FUND A LOT OF THOSE AS WELL. SO
RECENTLY. JUST THIS YEAR HE'S
INSTALLED 100 SHELTERS, 225
BENCHES AND TRASH CAN SPEAK TO
KEEP THEM CLEANER. SO THERE IS A
NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE ARE
DOING. YOU KNOW WHAT'S NEXT FOR
US IS THAT YOU KNOW, THIS
VISIONARY NETWORK IS ESTIMATED
TO COST QUITE A BIT MORE ABOUT
$180 MILLION ANNUALLY. IF YOU
DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT VITA,
WE'RE MORE THAN JUST A TRANSIT
OPERATOR, ALSO THE CONGESTION
MAJIN AGENCY. WE DO LAND USE AND
TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION.
WE'RE FUNDING PARTNER IN
CALTRAIN, BUT WE ALSO ARE UM, A
MAJOR BUILDER OF HIGHWAYS, AS
WELL AS THE TOLL OPERATOR FOR
SANTA CLARA COUNTY. AND WE ARE
THIS YEAR GOING TO BE LOOKING
AT, UM, PUTTING REVENUES FROM
THOSE TOLLS BACK INTO TRANSIT,
AND WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE TO
BUILD UP THAT SYSTEM TO HELP
SUPPORT OUR TRANSIT OPERATIONS
GOING FORWARD. UM THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING FOR US IS TO
ALSO BE ABLE TO BE PREPARED FOR
THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING
UP. FIFA AND SUPER BOWL 60,
WHICH WILL BE HAPPENING IN 2026
1 OF THE THINGS WE ARE LOOKING
AT, IS A PILOT PROJECT TO
ACTUALLY WE ARE ACTUALLY TALKING
TO ALL THE VENDORS RIGHT NOW IN
THE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO
ACTUALLY LOOK AT BRINGING LIGHT
RAIL VEHICLES ON THAT CAN RUN ON
BATTERY FOR YOURSELVES AS WELL
AS UM, ON CATENARY SO WE COULD
TAKE THEM OFF AND RUN THEM ON
THE RAILS WITHOUT CATENARY
OVERHEAD, WHICH ALLOWS US TO
POTENTIALLY INCREASED OUR SPEEDS
REALIGNED SOME OF THE AREAS THAT
WERE REALLY SLOW. UM AND ALSO
ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL EXTENSIONS
TO HELP SUPPORT THE PROJECT.
BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT VARIOUS PIECES OF
JUST THE TRACK WORK AT THAT
POINT, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO
LOOK AT THAT. THAT WOULD
ACTUALLY BE A BIG SAVINGS AS
WE'RE DEEP WERE THE ONE THE
HIGHEST COST. LIGHT RAIL
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COUNTRY IN
TERMS OF OUR COSTS, AND WE'RE
CONTINUING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN
SAVE THERE BY LOOKING INTO EACH
EACH AREA OF OUR MAJOR COSTS,
WHICH ARE PARTS AND IN NON
LABOR. UM AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST
. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE
CONTINUING TO WORK ON. OOPS I'M
SORRY. ENHANCED SAFETY MEASURES.
FOR OUR UM, OUR EMPLOYEES AND
OUR WRITERS AND I DO WANT TO SAY
HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE SENATOR COURTESY FOR
SENATE BILL 129 AFTER THE
TRAGEDY ON MAY 26 2021 YOU SAID
THAT FUNDING HAS HAD BEEN ABLE
TO STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIP
WITH LABOR WHERE WE ARE ALL
FOCUSING ON THE WELL BEING OF
OUR WORKFORCE, WHICH IS REALLY
HELPING US. ALSO WORKING WITH UM
, ARE WRITERS AS WELL AND WHAT'S
SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE WORKFORCE
? AND HAVING THAT PROGRAM IS
WE'RE NOW SEEING THANK YOU VERY
MUCH EASY HAS A PRETTY MUCH A
MODEL, UM, AGENCY IN TERMS OF
BUILDING AN EMPLOYEE MENTAL
HEALTH CARE WELLNESS PROGRAM FOR
OUR EMPLOYEES, AND WE'RE, UM AS
MANY PEOPLE AS A DRIVER SALTS
ARE GOING UP. OTHER UM, THERE'S
A LOT MORE SAFETY CONCERNS BY
EVEN THE FAMILIES OF THESE
DRIVERS. THEY ARE OFFERED THOSE
SUPPORT SERVICES AS WELL THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND
THAT ACTUALLY IS A BIG DRAW AS
WELL AS OUR WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO VT. A AND
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER LOW ALSO ALLOWED US TO
AUTHORIZE VETO TO ESTABLISH A
PROHIBITION ORDER. PROGRAM TO
KEEP OUR FRONT LINE WORKERS SAFE
AND OUR RIDERS BY BEING ABLE TO
FULLY PROSECUTE. OH AS V TA TO
PROSECUTE THOSE WHO WOULD BAD
BEHAVIOR ON THE SYSTEM, BUT ALSO
ANY KINDS OF ASSAULTS OR ANY
OTHER TYPES OF CRIME ACTIVITY.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU. THAT'S
JUST MY MINOR COMMENTS FOR
TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. UM YES, SENATOR COURTESY.
YEAH I THINK SENATOR SKINNER WAS
SPEAKING KNOWLEDGE, BUT I JUST
WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR THE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ON THE LAST
MINUTE AS IT WERE RELATIVE, THE
STATE BUDGET TIMING DOLLARS THAT
WERE ABLE TO COME IN. UM FOR THE
MENTAL HEALTH WORK AND SO FORTH,
BUT I REALLY NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE
CENTER SKINNER AS A SENATE
BUDGET SHARE FOR MAKING THAT
ACTUALLY HAPPEN, UM, ON HER,
AND, OF COURSE, MY COLLEAGUES
FROM THE BAY AREA WHO WHO CHIMED
IN, UM WITH WITH VOTES AND
SUPPORT FOR THAT. SO UM, BUT
ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
THE OVERALL PRESENTATION. THANK
YOU. OKAY UM, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH WILL NOW MOVE TO DENNIS
MULLIGAN WITH GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION
DISTRICT. MR MULLIGAN. THANK YOU
. CHAIR WEINER. SENATORS MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC. MY NAME IS DENNIS
MULLIGAN HAD THE PLEASURE OF
SERVING AS THE GENERAL MANAGER
FOR THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE,
HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION
DISTRICT, WHERE REGIONAL TRANSIT
OPERATOR PROVIDING SERVICE TO
FOUR COUNTIES WERE PRIMARILY
FOCUSED ON THE 11 CORRIDOR
CONNECTING SAN FRANCISCO TO THE
NORTH BAY. SO IF YOU LEAVE HERE
TODAY, AND YOU WANT TO GO NORTH
YOUR CUSTOMER REGARDLESS OF THE
MODE, WHETHER YOU TRAVEL BY
AUTOMOBILE, BICYCLE, BUS OR
FERRY, IT'S ALL COORDINATED
UNDER ONE AGENCY AND FROM A
CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE, THAT MAKES
SENSE BECAUSE MOST CUSTOMERS
DON'T EXCLUSIVELY USE ONE MODE.
MOST PEOPLE MAY DRIVE ONE DAY,
TAKE THE BUS A COUPLE OF DAYS
AND TAKE THE FERRY ON THE
WEEKEND AND SO BECAUSE OUR
CUSTOMERS USE A VARIETY OF MODES
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT
THEY HAVE ONE AGENCY AND ONE
PERSON THEY CAN REACH OUT TO
TALK TO IF THEY'RE UNHAPPY WITH
THEIR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, AND
TODAY I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT
ON THAT PERSON SO WE'RE
PROVIDING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN
SAN FRANCISCO AND MARIN AND
SONOMA, PRIMARILY AND DOWNTOWN
OFFICES IN SAN FRANCISCO HAVE
NOT BOUNCED BACK. AND BECAUSE WE
CONTROL THE ENTIRE QUARTER, WE
CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE
COME IN BY THE MINUTE. SO I'M
HERE TO TELL YOU THAT NORTH BAY
COMMUTERS ARE NOT BACK IN FORTH
TO SAN FRANCISCO. BRIDGE TRAFFIC
FROM FIVE AM TO NINE AM ON
WEEKENDS. EXCUSE ME. WEEKDAYS IS
DOWN OVER 25% THE GOOD NEWS IS
SIX MONTHS AGO. I WOULD HAVE
TOLD YOU IT WAS DOWN OVER 30%
THAT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THAT'S
HOW I PAY MY BILLS. BUT WE ARE
SEEING A SLOW, GRADUAL RETURN OF
COMMUTERS ON BRIDGE, BUS AND
FERRY AND WE ARE ADDING BACK BUS
AND FERRY SERVICE INCREMENTALLY
AS WE SEE OUR CUSTOMERS RETURN
IN THE CORRIDOR. NEXT SLIDE. UM.
HAVING MORE THAN 25% FEWER
COMMUTERS ON THE BRIDGE AFFECTS
OUR FINANCES BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
TOLLS WERE THE LARGEST SOURCE OF
FUNDING WE HAD FOR BOSTON FERRY
SYSTEM, THE SECOND LARGEST
SOURCE. I APOLOGIZE. SENATOR
WEINER WAS FARES. SO WE ARE A
FEE BASED AGENCY AND TODAY OUR
REVENUES FROM TOLLS IN TRANSIT
FARES ARE DOWN OVER $900,000.
EACH WEEK COMPARED TO THE SAME
WEEK PRE PANDEMIC. FORTUNATELY
WE RECEIVED FEDERAL AND NOW
STATE FUNDS, AND FORTUNATELY
WE'VE REDUCED OUR COSTS SO THAT
WE'RE SURVIVING TO LIVE TO SEE
ANOTHER DAY. WHILE THE COMPUTER
IS NOT BACK, WE ARE BEING
CREATIVE ABOUT HOW WE WELCOME
CUSTOMERS TO THE CORRIDOR. AND
WHILE THE COMMUTE IS NOT BACK
ARE WEAK AND FERRY RIDERSHIP
TODAY IS 20% ABOVE PRE PANDEMIC
RIDERSHIP LEVELS SO PEOPLE ARE
NOT SCARED TO WRITE OUR SERVICE.
THEY WANT TO WRITE OUR SERVICE
WHEN THEY HAVE A REASON TO GO
INTO SAN FRANCISCO AND MY DAD
THAT THIS 20% INCREASE ABOVE PRE
PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP DOES NOT
INCLUDE OUR BALLPARK SERVICE BAR
PARK SERVICE THIS LAST SUMMER.
HAD THE HIGHEST RIDERSHIP SINCE
2017 FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR TO
THE PANDEMIC, AND I DARE SAY
WITHOUT MUCH HELP FROM THE
GIANTS NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM
TODAY ARE BUSSES ARE CARRYING
MUCH LESS PASSENGERS ALSO
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT COMMUTING
IN, BUT TODAY OVER A THIRD OF
OUR BUS CUSTOMERS ARE NEW
CUSTOMERS. PEOPLE THAT NEVER
WROTE OUR BUS BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, SO ARE BEING CREATIVE.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO
USE OUR BUSSES TO USE OUR
FERRIES TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS AND IMPROVE THE
QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE
COMMUNITY. OUR PAST MOMENTARILY
TO THANK SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES
DURING THE PANDEMIC. IN THE
DARKEST DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC,
SFM TA SPED UP OUR BUS SERVICE,
SO OUR BUSSES OPERATED FOUR
COUNTIES, BUT THEY'RE FASTER
TODAY IN SAN FRANCISCO THAN THEY
EVER HAVE BEEN, AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE OTHER THREE
COUNTIES WITH THEM TCS
ASSISTANCE ACHIEVING THAT SAME
OUTCOME. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO
THANK MARINE TRANSIT IN THE
DARKEST, DARKEST DAYS. THE
PANDEMIC OVERCROWDING WAS A
PROBLEM. IT'S HARDER MEMBER OF
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND 6 FT APART
. BUT WHEN WE ARE STRUGGLING
WITH OVERCROWDING AND 11 QUARTER
, MARINE TRANSIT WAS ABLE TO
ADDICTS FOR SERVICE THAT
OVERLAPS WITH OURS TO HELP BAIL
US OUT. SO I'D BE REMISS IF I
DIDN'T THANK THEM AND I'D LIKE
TO THANK BART FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP ON MONDAY MORNING
MEETINGS. MR POWERS IS A
FABULOUS JOB CHEERING THEM. AND
MANY OF THE AGENCY'S RECENTLY
DID A TRANSIT SIGN UP WHERE WE
ADJUST OUR SERVICE TO MEET THE
BART SCHEDULED TO DELL NORTON
STATION TO BETTER COORDINATE
WITH OUR CUSTOMERS. UM, NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. AND FINALLY I
WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU BECAUSE
ABSENT SENATE BILL 125 WOULD BE
HAVING A MUCH MORE DIARIST
SPEECH IN FRONT OF YOU. AND WITH
THAT, I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT
HAVE. THANK YOU, MR MULLIGAN.
OKAY UM YES, SENATOR SKINNER. UM
IT WAS I. FOUND IT CURIOUS THAT
YOUR THAT THE. AUTOS CROSSING
THE BRIDGE IS 25% BELOW. THE
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. COMPARED TO
IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS KIND OF
ONLY A MINOR DROP IN AUTOS NOW
IN AUTOS CROSSING EAST PAPER,
IT'S I REMEMBER FROM THE YEAH,
UM. NOT SURE WHAT? UH, THAT'S
QUITE INDICATIVE OF AND I'M
WONDERING IF WE HAVE DATA. NOT
THIS WOULDN'T BE SO MUCH FOR
YOU. BUT ON THE EAST BAY BRIDGE
DO WE HAVE DATA ON HOW MANY OF
THE VEHICLES ARE SAFE DELIVERY
VEHICLES? UM JUST TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHY THE, UH. YOU KNOW
OFF THE ISSUE OF VACANCIES AND
ARE NOT VACANCIES, BUT RATHER
PEOPLE NOT WORKING IN THEIR
DOWNTOWN OFFICE IS THE SAME.
REGARDLESS YOU KNOW WHERE YOU
LIVE? AH! MAYBE IT'S THAT WERE
IN HIGHER PERCENT OF THOSE
WORKERS WOULD HAVE BEEN OFFICE
WORKERS VERSUS SERVICE WORKERS.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S JUST
INTERESTING TO ME THAT THE
NUMBER OF AUTOS ON IT. GO ON,
GET REGISTERED NT 5% BELOW AND
ON THE EAST PAPER SO MUCH SUCH A
BIG DIFFERENCE. THAT CERTAIN
COMMUTE HOURS OVERALL, IT'S DOWN
ABOUT 15% AT FIVE AM TO NINE AM
WEEKDAYS IS DOWN OVER 25% AND
IT'S TIGHT. I THINK PRIMARILY TO
THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF MARIN COUNTY
AND SONOMA COUNTY, HAVING A
HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS WHO
CAN WORK REMOTELY FROM HOME
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT UNLESS
YOU'RE SWIMMING ACROSS. WE KNOW
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING IN.
AND SO WE'VE ADDED BUS AND FERRY
SERVICE HERE AND THERE, AND
WE'VE WATCHED THE CAR TRAFFIC.
TICK UP. PEOPLE ARE OUT AND
ABOUT MIDDAY. THEY'RE GOING TO
BALLGAMES CONCERTS. THEY'RE
GOING TO STREET FAIRS, BUT
THEY'RE NOT GOING INTO THE
OFFICE, AT LEAST IN OUR
DEMOGRAPHIC FROM OUR GEOGRAPHIC
AREA. RIGHT? GREAT. OKAY, THANK
YOU. UM, NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO
SHEAMUS MURPHY WITH WETA. THANK
YOU. CHAIR. WEINER THANKS.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE JOINED
THE CHORUS HERE AND JUST THANK
YOU ALL FOR THE CONTINUED FOCUS
ON THIS ISSUE. I KNOW THE
DIALOGUE THAT HAPPENED AT THIS
COMMITTEE WAS REALLY
INSTRUMENTAL TO THE SUCCESS WE
SAW OUT OF THE STATE BUDGET.
IT'S BROUGHT US ALL WHOLE LOT OF
TIME TO BE ABLE TO PURSUE OTHER
ALTERNATIVES AND OTHER SOLUTIONS
TO THIS REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AH WE TO OPERATES THE REGION'S
LARGEST FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN
ALL COUNTIES NOT KNOWN AS MARIN.
WE OPERATE SIX ROUTES CARRIED
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. 3.5 MILLION
RIDERS WERE THE FASTEST GROWING
TRANSIT SYSTEM IN THE BAY AREA
ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS. WE'VE
BEEN ONE OF THE FASTEST TO
RECOVER. WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT
80% OF PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS RIGHT
NOW WE'VE HIT AS HIGH AS 90%
JUST THE WEEK BEFORE APEC SO
CONTINUING TO SEE JUST GRADUAL
INCREASES IN RIDERSHIP, WHICH IS
ENCOURAGING AND THAT DIDN'T
HAPPEN IN A VACUUM. WE WERE SORT
OF EARLY ADOPTERS OF SOME OF THE
CONCEPTS THAT SEAMLESS BAY AREA
HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE
INCLUDED IN THE TRANSFORMATION
ACTION PLAN. ONE OF THE FIRST
THINGS WE DID WHEN WE BROUGHT
SERVICE BACK AS WE ALIGNED OUR
FARES WITH OTHER TRAVEL MODES.
IN THE SAME CORRIDOR, PEOPLE
USED TO PAY A PREMIUM FOR FERRY
SERVICE, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE WERE ALIGNING OUR
FEARS SO THAT WE CAN TAKE COSTS
OUT OF THE EQUATION AND WRITERS
CUSTOMERS. TRAVELERS COULD JUST
CHOOSE THE SYSTEM THAT WORKS
BEST FOR THEM, AND WE'RE HAPPY
TO SEE THAT THE FERRY SERVICE
WORKS BEST FOR A LOT OF WRITERS,
AND THEY RETURNED OUR SYSTEM,
SOME OF THEM COMING FROM OTHER
MODES, SOMETHING SOME OF THEM
CHOOSING TO RIDE THE FERRY
BECAUSE IT WAS NOW AFFORDABLE
AND LEAVING THEIR CAR AT HOME.
WE ALSO ADJUSTED OUR SERVICE. WE
SAW THAT RECREATIONAL TRIPS AND
OFF PEAK TRIPS WERE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH MORE THAN
COMMUTE BASED TRIPS FOR OBVIOUS
REASONS. SO WE ADDED IN SERVICE
IN THE OFF PEAK AND SERVICE ON
WEEKENDS, I THINK WE'RE SEEING A
TREND HERE WITH SOME OF THE
OTHER OPERATORS AND WHAT THEY'RE
REPORTING, BUT OUR WEEKENDS ARE
BACK TO 111% OF PRE PANDEMIC
LEVELS. IT JUST SHOWS THAT
PEOPLE ARE BACK TO DOING WHAT
THEY USED TO DO ON THE WEEKEND
OR JUST NOT BACK TO DOING WHAT
THEY USED TO DO DURING THE WEEK.
WE'VE MADE OTHER CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE ENHANCEMENTS. WE'VE
UPGRADED OUR MOBILE APPLICATIONS
CHANGED OUR BOARDING PROCESS TO
BE ABLE TO ADD IN MORE FREQUENCY
TO THE SYSTEM AND MAKE THE
OVERALL EXPERIENCE BETTER. WE'VE
SET SOME RECORDS FOR CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION DURING THE PANDEMIC
, WHICH I THINK IS ENCOURAGING.
THE ONE THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF
IS WE'VE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF
WRITERS WHO ARE VERY SATISFIED
WITH OUR SERVICE FROM 40% BEFORE
THE PANDEMIC TO OVER 75% NOW. IN
TERMS OF REGIONAL NETWORK
INTEGRATION. PROGRESS IS BEING
MADE. OTHERS TALKED ABOUT THE
REGIONAL NETWORK MANAGEMENT
COUNCIL AND HOW THAT'S FINALLY
BEEN PUT TOGETHER. THERE'S SOME
REALLY IMPORTANT WORK THAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN THERE, AND I
THINK IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN A
REALLY PUBLIC WAY. IT'S
ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT THAT IS
UNFOLDING. WE ALSO KNOW THAT
WHEN IT COMES TO FISCAL
SUSTAINABILITY, WE HAVE TO JUST
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RETURNING TO
PRE PANDEMIC RIDERSHIP LEVELS IS
NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
UH LOW RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN
ACCOMPANIED BY SOME PRETTY
EXTREME INFLATIONARY PRESSURES
THAT HAVE TOUCHED EVERY
OPERATOR, UM, BACK TO THE FARE
BOX ISSUE. WE KNOW THAT WEATHER
WAS ONE OF THOSE FAIR DEPENDENT
SYSTEMS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WE
WERE AT ABOUT 60% FARE BOX
RECOVERY. AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE
BACK TO 80% OF WHAT WE WERE PRE
PANDEMIC ARE FAIR BOX RECOVERY
IS STILL AROUND 30. SO OPERATING
COSTS HAVE REALLY CONTINUED TO
INCREASE AND WE NEED TO DO MORE
THAN JUST BRING RIDERSHIP BACK.
WE'VE UNDERFUNDED OUR SYSTEMS IN
THE BAY AREA OF THE BAY AREA WAS
AN OUTLIER WHEN IT COMES TO FARE
BOX BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, OTHER
REGIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND
OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD
IS SENATOR WEINER POINT POINTED
OUT. HAVE INVESTED MORE IN THE
IN OPERATING INVESTMENT FOR
THEIR SYSTEMS, AND WE NEED TO DO
THE SAME THING. WE OFTEN THINK
ABOUT THE BAY AREA IS A
BELLWETHER FOR THE REST OF THE
NATION. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO
FUNDING TRANSIT OPERATIONS IN AN
EQUITABLE AND FINANCIALLY
SUSTAINABLE WAY, WE'RE JUST WAY
BEHIND. STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS
HAVE BOUGHT US TIME. IF WE VALUE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? YES. WE
NEED TO IMPROVE IT. YES WE NEED
TO GET WRITERS BACK, BUT WE ALSO
NEED TO URGENTLY FIND WAYS TO
INVEST IN PUBLIC TRANSIT THE WAY
OTHER STATES THE WAY OTHER
REGIONS HAVE THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. MR MURPHY
QUESTION, SENATOR SKINNER. I MAY
NOT HAVE CAUGHT IT. BUT DID YOU
SAY WHAT IS VERY RIDERSHIP NOW
COMPARED TO PRE PANDEMIC WE ARE
AT ABOUT 80% OF PRE PANDEMIC
RIDERSHIP. UM AND THAT'S KIND.
YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY COUNTING
THE FERRIES THAT ARE IN THE
GOLDEN GATE SYSTEM OR YOU
COUNTING ALL WE'RE NOT COUNTING
THE GOLDEN GATE FERRIES JUST THE
ONES THAT WE OPERATE. OKAY AND
JUST REMIND ME THAT INCLUDES THE
ONES FROM THE LEÓN MOND, OAKLAND
, ALAMEDA, SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO.
OKAY AND WHAT WAS THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF TRIPS PER DAY? PRE
PANDEMIC AND NOW CURRENTLY WERE
I WOULD NEED TO GET YOU THE
EXACT NUMBER WERE OPERATING A
LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE
RUNNING PRE PANDEMIC, MOSTLY
BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO FIND
SOME EFFICIENCIES. IN OUR SYSTEM
AND INCREASE FREQUENCIES WITHOUT
INCREASING THE CREWING THAT'S
REQUIRED TO OPERATE THOSE TRIPS.
OKAY, BUT THE BUT THE RIDERSHIP.
TOTAL NUMBERS WERE A LITTLE MORE
THAN 3 MILLION WRITERS A YEAR
COMPARED TO ABOUT 3.5 MILLION
WRITERS A YEAR BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, OKAY. THIS IS ABOUT.
WHAT IS IT? 10,000 DAY? A LITTLE
LESS THAN 10,000 A DAY. THANK
YOU. OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH
WILL NOW GET TO OUR FINAL
SPEAKER. MR CHURCHILL WITH
COUNTY CONNECTION WHO I THINK IS
HERE TO REPRESENT, UM ALL THE
SMALL OPERATORS, RIGHT? LUCKY
YOU. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME IS BILL CHURCHILL AND THE
GENERAL MANAGER OF COUNTY
CONNECTION. BUT UNLIKE ALL MY
COLLEAGUES, I WILL PROBABLY BE
THE ONLY ONE NOT TALKING ABOUT
MY SYSTEM. I WILL REFERENCE IT,
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT MY FOCUS
BECAUSE I DO REPRESENT ALL THE
SMALL OPERATORS AND I WANTED TO
TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
MAYBE A BRIEF HIGH LEVEL
OVERVIEW OF ALL THE DIFFERENT
TRANSFORMATIVE THINGS THAT THE
SMALL OPERATORS HAVE BEEN
ENGAGED IN SINCE THE PANDEMIC.
UM SO I THINK I WILL BEGIN IN MY
BACKYARD, SO TO SPEAK AND TRY TO
LOOK AT EACH REGION OF THE BAY
AREA, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, KIND
OF CLUMP IT TOGETHER TO TRY TO
PROVIDE A SENSE OF, UM
UNDERSTANDING AS I WORK THROUGH
IT. SO FOR THE EAST BAY
OPERATORS REPRESENTED BY COUNTY
CONNECTION, LAFTA TRADE, DELTA
AND WESTCOTT. IMPLEMENTED A FAIR
INTEGRATION PROGRAM ALLOWING
PASSENGERS TO TRAVEL ACROSS ALL
FOR TRANSIT AGENCIES WITH ONE
FAIR. THAT INCLUDED A UNIFIED
DAILY FARE CAP AND FREE
TRANSFERS. ONCE A WRITER HAS
TAKEN THREE TRIPS AND ANY OF THE
FOUR PARTICIPATING SYSTEMS THAN
THE REST OF THE DAY IS FREE FOR
THAT PASSENGER, REGARDLESS OF
WHICH SYSTEM THEY ARE WRITING IN
THIS FAIR INTEGRATION PROGRAM
ALLOWS PASSENGERS TO TRAVEL
ACROSS MULTIPLE TRANSIT AGENCIES
WITHOUT BARRIERS, AND IT'S
SEAMLESS WAY MAKING PUBLIC
TRANSIT AND MUCH MORE VIABLE
TRAVEL OPTION. AS A GROUP. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO THE REGIONAL
FARE INTEGRATION TASK FORCE
EFFORTS AND HOW OUR PROGRAM WILL
BECOME A COMPONENT OF A MUCH
LARGER EFFORT AS WE CONTINUE TO
KNIT THE ENTIRE BAY AREA
TOGETHER. WITH FAIR INTEGRATION.
ANOTHER PROJECT, PERHAPS EVEN
GREATER SIGNIFICANCE. THE SAME
FOR EAST BAY OPERATORS CREATED A
ONE SEAT RIDE FOR PARATRANSIT
USERS, ESSENTIALLY CONSOLIDATING
ALL FOUR OPERATOR SERVICE AREAS
INTO ONE. OUR MOST VULNERABLE
WRITERS. NO LONGER TRANSFER FROM
BUS TO BUS IS A TRAVERSE ACROSS
DIFFERENT TRANSIT SYSTEMS.
RATHER THEY TAKE ONE RIDE IN ONE
VEHICLE FROM DOOR TO DOOR. THESE
TRIPS ARE SHORTER, FASTER, MORE
EFFICIENT, RESULTING IN A TRULY
LIFE ALTERING TRANSPORTATION
EXPERIENCE FOR OUR PARA TRANSIT
PASSENGERS. THIS PILOT PROJECT
HAS RECEIVED NATIONAL ATTENTION
FOR ITS BENEFITS TO OUR WRITERS,
AND TO THAT POINT, THE EAST BAY
OPERATORS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING
WITH THE GREATER CINCINNATI,
OHIO REGION TO HELP THEM
IMPLEMENT A SIMILAR PROGRAM.
THIS ONE SEAT RIDE HAS ALSO
RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION
FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT
ADMINISTRATION. AND THEY HAVE
INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE
TO SEE ITERATIONS OF THIS
CONCEPT DUPLICATED ACROSS OUR
NATION. SIMILARLY IN THE NORTH
BAY REGION, SONOMA COUNTY
TRANSIT, PETALUMA TRANSIT AND
SANTA ROSA CITY BUS IN
COORDINATION WITH SONOMA COUNTY
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ARE
DEVELOPING A UNIFIED BRAND. FOR
TRANSIT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A
MORE USER FRIENDLY, UM, SYSTEM
FOR TRANSIT RIDERS AND THEIR
REGION. THIS INITIATIVE IS A
MULTIFACETED ONE. IT INCLUDES
SEVERAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE
BEING WORKED ON AT THE REGIONAL
LEVEL AS WELL. FOR EXAMPLE,
HARMONIZATION AFFAIR STRUCTURES,
DEVELOPMENT OF COORDINATED
MARKETING AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
MATERIALS. INTEGRATED SERVICE
PLANNING AND A UNIFIED CUSTOMER
SERVICE APPROACH. RECOGNIZING
THE HEAVY LIFT TO COMPLETE THIS
PROJECT IN ITS ENTIRETY, THEY'VE
BEGUN IMPLEMENTING COMPONENTS OF
THE PROJECT NOW. THEY HAVE
ALREADY IMPLEMENTED A UNIFIED
BASE FARE AMONG THE
COLLABORATING OPERATORS. SIMILAR
TO THE EAST BAY OPERATORS. THEY
HAVE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A
PARATRANSIT ONE SEAT RIDE
PROGRAM. AND ADDITIONALLY,
THEY'VE DEVELOPED A CROSS
TRAINING PROGRAM OF CUSTOMER
SERVICE STAFF SO THAT EACH
AGENCY STAFF ARE BETTER EVIL.
AND EQUIPPED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
RELATED TO THE OTHER OPERATORS
SERVICE AREA. THEY HAVE
CONNECTED THEIR PHONE SYSTEMS
TOGETHER, ENABLING DIRECT
TRANSFERS OF COLORS BETWEEN
CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAMS. ALSO IN
THE NORTH BAY. THE SMART RAIL
SYSTEM, WHICH ALONG WITH GOLDEN
GATE TRANSIT CONNECTS ALL THE
NORTH BAY TRANSIT SYSTEMS
TOGETHER, PROVIDING A GREAT
VENUE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO TRAVEL
THROUGH THE REGION IN AN
EFFICIENT WAY. THEY HAD A
PROBLEM. ONE CONNECTION WAS NOT
WORKING WELL FOR THEM, AND
PASSENGERS WERE STRUGGLING TO
GET FROM THE REAL SYSTEM TO THE
SONOMA COUNTY AIRPORT. SO SMART
IMPLEMENTED A HYBRID MICRO
TRANSIT SOLUTION THAT HAS FIXED
STOPS AT BOTH ENDS WANTED TO
TRAIN AND ONE AT THE AIRPORT,
BUT IT ALSO INCORPORATED AND ON
DEMAND COMPONENT. IN THE AIRPORT
AREA LINKING PASSENGERS WITH THE
TRAIN PASSENGERS USE AN APP ON
THEIR PHONE TO SCHEDULE THEIR
TRIPS, MAKING IT SIMPLE AND EASY
TO USE. THIS PROJECT WENT LIVE
IN JUNE AND HAS PROVEN TO BE A
VERY UNIQUE AND EFFECTIVE
SOLUTION CONNECTING THE RAIL
SYSTEM WITH THE AIRPORT,
REALIZING RIDERSHIP GROWTH EVERY
SINGLE MONTH SINCE ITS
IMPLEMENTATION. IN THE NORTH
EAST BAY REGION REPRESENTED BY
SOLANO AND NAPA COUNTIES. I
THINK THEY HAD ONE OF THE MOST
UNIQUE, UM, AND PERHAPS CREATIVE
APPROACHES THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN
. UM DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE
PANDEMIC, WHEN RIDERSHIP WAS AT
ITS LOWEST, THEY PUT EIGHT FIXED
ROUTES ON PAUSE, SERVING THE
CITY OF NAPA AND TRANSITION THEM
INTO AN ON DEMAND. SERVICE
ALLOWING PASSENGERS TO TRAVEL
FROM ANY BUS STOP TO ANY OTHER
BUS STOP WITHIN THE CITY. THIS
ALLOWED THE AGENCY TO GAIN AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF DATA
REGARDING PASSENGER TRAVEL
PATTERNS, AND HIS RIDERSHIP
BEGAN TO RETURN. THEY WERE ABLE
TO USE THAT DATA TO REINSTATE
FIXED ROUTES IN A WAY THAT
BETTER REFLECTED THEIR
PASSENGERS TRAVEL NEEDS. AS A
RESULT OF THIS EXPERIMENT, THEY
HAVE ALSO CREATED A PERMANENT ON
DEMAND ZONE WITHIN THE CITY,
ISN'T IT AS THEY HAVE RECOGNIZED
SOME AREAS WITHIN THE CITY JUST
REQUIRE MORE FLEXIBILITY? MOVING
A BIT TO THE SOUTH SEOUL TRANS
IS REALLY THE SYSTEM THAT PLAYS
A KEY ROLE IN CONNECTING
RESIDENTS OF THE NORTHEAST
REGION WITH THE REST OF THE BAY
AREA BY CONNECTING THEM WITH THE
FERRY SYSTEM, OR BART, EITHER IN
WALNUT CREEK OR RICHMOND. THEY
FOUND THAT MANY OF THEIR
CUSTOMERS COULD NOT PURCHASE
MONTHLY PASSES OR MANY OF THEIR
CUSTOMERS ACTUALLY CAME FROM OUT
OF AREA AND WE'RE NOT INTERESTED
IN BUYING. WHOLE PASS. THEY THEN
IMPLEMENTED AN OPEN PAYMENT
SYSTEM, ALLOWING CREDIT CARDS
AND DEBIT CARDS TO BE ABLE TO
BUY SINGLE RIDE PASSES IN THAT
DAY. THIS IS MADE PUBLIC TRANSIT
MORE ACCESSIBLE. CUSTOMERS HAVE
INDICATED THAT THEY CAN BE MORE
SPONTANEOUS WHEN CHOOSING TO USE
PUBLIC TRANSIT. STEPPING BACK
AND LOOKING AT ALL THE SMALL
OPERATORS AS A WHOLE. THEY'VE
IMPLEMENTED MORE THAN A HALF
DOZEN MICRO TRANSIT PROGRAMS AND
A SIMILAR NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS
WITH T. N C S, SUCH AS UBER AND
LYFT TO CREATE FLEXIBLE COST
EFFECTIVE TRANSPORTATION
SOLUTIONS TO MEET OUR PASSENGERS
NEEDS. THEY'VE CREATED FREE FARE
ROUTES THROUGH COMMUNITIES OF
CONCERN. DEVELOPMENT ANONYMOUS,
NON EMERGENCY MEDICAL
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS AND ONE
SEAT RIDES FOR OUR VULNERABLE
PASSENGERS. THEY HAVE
COLLABORATED WITH EACH OTHER IN
PROFOUND WAYS. INTEGRATING FARE
STRUCTURES, CONSOLIDATING PARA
TRANSIT OPERATIONS,
RATIONALIZING ROUTES THROUGH
EACH OTHER'S SERVICE AREAS AND
CENTRALIZING 80 A CERTIFICATION
DATA AND THIS IS BY NO MEANS A
COMPLETE LIST. IT HAS BEEN AN
HONOR FOR ME TO WORK WITH AND
REPRESENT THE SMALL OPERATORS IN
THE BAY AREA AS THEY STRIVE AND
SUCCEED IN RESHAPING PUBLIC
TRANSIT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
WRITING PUBLIC, AND THAT
CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS AND I'M
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY
COLLEAGUES. ANY QUESTIONS FOR,
UM FOR MR CHURCHILL FOR THE
PANEL GENERALLY. NOPE. OKAY I
REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR PARTICIPATING TODAY. UM AND
THAT WAS OUR FINAL PANEL. WE ARE
NOW GOING TO GO TO PUBLIC
COMMENT. I WOULD ASK FOR ANYONE
WHO WANTS TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT
TO PLEASE LINE UP ON THE, UM TO
MY RIGHT BY THE MICROPHONE
THERE. LET'S SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE
WE HAVE. OKAY UM, I THINK THAT
ONE RIGHT THERE. THE ELEVATED
ONE? YES. AND YOU MAY PROCEED.
GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PUBLIC
TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HERE
IN THE BAY AREA. MY NAME IS
CYRUS HALL. I'M A RESIDENT OF
SAN FRANCISCO. I'M SUSTAINABLE
TRANSPORTATION ADVOCATE AND I
WRITE TRANSPORTATION AND BIKE MY
WAY AROUND THE BAY AREA. I WANT
TO THANK YOU FIRST OFF FOR YOUR
EFFORTS AND RESTORING BOTH $2
BILLION INTERCEPT FUNDING AND
ALSO ALLOCATING ONE POINT
1,000,000,400 MILLION OF WHICH
IS COMING TO THE BAY AREA. UM I
WANT TO NOTE THAT TRANSPORTATION
IS ACTUALLY DOING WELL, YOU
KNOW, WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT
TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS, BUT AS
EVERY AGENCY TALKED ABOUT TODAY,
RIDERSHIP ON WEEKENDS IS
RECOVERING VERY WELL. CROSSTOWN
ROUTE TO RECOVERING VERY WELL.
SOME OF THEM LIKE THE 49 HERE IN
THE CITY ARE THRIVING. BUT
UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE PLANNING FOR
TRANSIT MEDIOCRITY. SORRY, MEDIA
MEDIOCRE TRANSIT EXPERIENCE.
WE'RE ESTIMATING OUR BUDGET
DEFICITS FOR FISCAL YEAR 22
SERVICE LEVELS. THIS IS VERY
CONCERNING AS A TRANSIT RIDER.
WE'RE ALREADY SEEING BUSSES AND
TRAINS CROWDED. WE'RE SEEING
PEOPLE HAVE MISSED RIDES AS
BUSSES PASSED THEM BY HERE IN
THE CITY LAST WEEK AT THE S F M
T A BOARD MEETING. UH MULTIPLE
SCHOOLS SHOWED UP TO DISCUSS MR
TRIPS WRITER SHOWED UP TO
DISCUSS MISS BUSSES AND OUR
AGENCIES ARE STUCK IN A COST
NEUTRAL PLANNING MODE. SHIFTING
SERVICE HOURS AROUND TO SQUEEZE
EVERY BIT OF CAPACITY OUT OF THE
SYSTEM. THIS IS GREAT FOR
EFFICIENCY, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD
FOR GROWTH, AND IT WILL
INEVITABLY START TO SLOW DOWN
RECOVERY. THE STATE HAS THE
MONEY. WE'RE PLOWING $20 BILLION
A YEAR INTO CALTRANS, MUCH OF
WHICH IS GOING TO HIGHWAYS. IT'S
GOING INTO ROADS, MOVING JUST 10
TO 20% OF THAT BUDGET AND
ALIGNING THAT MONEY WITH OUR OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS WITH CARBS,
GOALS OF REDUCING CAR USED BY
25% BY 2030 WOULD BE
TRANSFORMATIVE FOR TRANSIT. WE
HEAR ABOUT THE NEED FOR TOUGH
DECISIONS FOR TRANSIT. YET WHEN
ROADS ARE IN DANGER WHEN I 10
HAD A FIRE. WE SPARE NO EXPENSE
AND EFFORT. WE NEED TO HAVE THAT
SAME ENERGY FOR PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. THE BAY AREA.
YES NEEDS TO HOLD THE REGIONAL
MEASURE AND FIND OVER A BILLION
DOLLARS A YEAR. BUT THE STATE
ALSO NEEDS TO RETHINK ITS
HISTORICAL RELUCTANCE TO FUND
OPERATIONS. THE FUTURE IS NOT
HIGHWAYS IT SEAMLESS, ABUNDANT,
SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC TRANSFER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. EX SPEAKER. UH THANK
YOU VERY MUCH TO SENATOR WEINER
AND THIS COMMITTEE FOR LOOKING
AT THE FUTURE OF BAY AREA PUBLIC
TRANSIT. AND, UM, WITH THANKS SO
MUCH TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE
FOR PROVIDING FUNDING TO PROVIDE
A BIT OF BREATHING ROOM TO LOOK
AT WHAT'S NEEDED FOR A LONGER
TERM SOLUTION FOR PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. BOTH HERE AT THE
REGIONAL LEVEL WITH SELF HELP,
AS WELL AS LOOKING IN THE TASK
FORCE REQUIRED BY THE BUDGET
BILL AT WHAT THE STATE CAN BE
DOING IN THE LONGER TERM, UM,
RIDERS THROUGH JUST MANY SOURCES
, INCLUDING POLLING, AND THE
PUBLIC SAY THAT THEY WANT TO SEE
THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
TO TRANSFORM AND IMPROVE AND SO
IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HEAR THE
STORIES FROM THE TRANSIT
AGENCIES ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE
DOING TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND
CLEANLINESS AND INTEGRATION WITH
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO KEEP THAT
GOING. UM AND HOPEFULLY WITH
THAT CONFIDENCE AND IMPROVED
WRITER, EXPERIENCE AND
EFFICIENCY. UM, WE CAN UH, MOVE
FORWARD AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL
AND AT THE STATE LEVEL TO HAVE
THAT ABUNDANT AND SEAMLESS
SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
NEXT SPEAKER. HI THERE. MY NAME
IS ZAK DUTCH GIRLS AND THE
POLICY DIRECTOR WITH TRANSFORM
WERE ONE OF THE CO SPONSORS SP
532. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF
YOU FOR TAKING AFTERNOON TO
LISTEN TO TRANSIT AGENCIES IN
AFRICA. IT'S AROUND THIS VITAL
ISSUE. IT IS CLEAR WE ARE STILL
IN A NEAR TERM AND LONG TERM
CRISIS FOR TRANSIT AND THAT
TRANSIT IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR
CLIMATE, OUR JOBS, OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY AND HOUSING,
HOMELESSNESS CRISIS. UM AND SO
I'M JUST HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF
OF TRANSFORM AND OTHER ADVOCATES
OF THE VOICES FOR PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION COALITION,
THANKING YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND
LETTING YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
ALLIES. YOU HAVE COMMUNITY WHO
ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING ON
SOLVING THIS ISSUE WITH YOU IN
THE NEAR TERM AND IN THE LONG
TERM. HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
COMMENT? OKAY, COME FORWARD,
PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, SENATOR
WEINER AND OTHER PANEL MEMBERS.
I'M BRIAN LARKIN. I HAVE LIVED
IN THE OUTER RICHMOND DISTRICTS
AND 1985. I'M A REGULAR WALKER,
BIKE RIDER AND TRANSIT USER. I
SELDOM DRIVE AND I WOULD DO IT
EVEN LESS FREQUENTLY, IF
CONNECTIVITY AMONG THE DIFFERENT
AGENCIES WERE BETTER. UM AMONG
THE THINGS THAT. THE AGENCY OF
PART MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH
I AM HERE, ADVOCATING FOR WOULD
LIKE TO SEE WOULD BE A REGIONAL
COORDINATOR. AND OVERALL, I
GUESS THEY DETERMINE YOU. HERE
IS OUR, UM TO IMPROVE.
INTERCONNECTIVITY AND
EFFICIENCY. AMONG THE DIFFERENT
AGENCIES THAT FIRST AND LAST
MILE BUSINESS FOR ME IS A
CONSIDERATION. UNRELATED BUT
PERIPHERAL NOTE. I HAVE BEEN AN
ADVOCATE FOR IMMUNITY, METRO
RAIL EXTENSION OUT TO MY
NEIGHBORHOOD, THE OUTER RICHMOND
SINCE I MOVED THERE AND 1985,
AND IT'S 38 YEARS AGO. WITH
LIMITED SUCCESS. WE ARE THE. THE
BUS ROUTES IN MY AREA, ALONG
WITH THE RECORDER AMONG THE MOST
HEAVILY TRAVELED PATRONIZED IN
NORTH AMERICA. AND FOR REASONS
KNOWN ONLY TO GOD, WE DON'T HAVE
IMMUNITY METRO SERVICE OUT THERE
AS YOU PEOPLE TOGETHER. IF
THERE'S ANYTHING YOU COULD DO TO
IMPROVE THAT SITUATION TO ACT
ADVOCATE FOR IN ADDITION,
ADDITIONAL SERVICE TO US I'D BE
FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT. THANKS A
LOT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH ANY
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY
SEEING NONE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC
COMMENT. UM, SENATOR SKINNER. UM
SENATOR WEINER. THANK YOU FOR,
UH, ORGANIZING THIS. UM. I
WANTED TO FOR COUCH. MY COMMENTS
THAT IN MY QUESTIONS TO A NUMBER
OF THE OPERATORS AROUND,
ESPECIALLY MTC. AROUND LOOKING
FOR A NEW FUNDING MEASURE. I DID
NOT WANT TO CONVEY BEING, UH.
NOT SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING SURE
THAT WE FULLY FUND OUR TRANSIT
SYSTEMS SO THAT THEY ARE
OPERATING IN THE WAY THAT WE
HOPE. THE THING THAT I HAVE FELT
FRUSTRATED BY IS I FEEL THAT WE
ARE WE HAVE NOT EVALUATED. WHAT
THAT THE MEASURE WE DID SO FAR
AND WHETHER THE RM THREE MEASURE
AS CONCEIVED, IS STILL THE
DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO GO IN.
BUT I WOULD SAY FURTHER AND
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SOME OF THE
PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE IN THIS
FADE, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO, UM
OUR SEAMLESS PRESENTATION. IT
WAS REALLY THE ONLY
PRESENTATION. THAT CAVE THE KIND
OF VISION I LET ME BACK UP. IS
THAT WHAT WHAT REALLY IS
FRUSTRATING TO ME IS THIS THAT
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE PURELY
TRYING TO DOG PADDLE AND THAT
RATHER THAN TRYING TO ENVISION A
TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR THE BAY AREA
THAT WOULD IN FACT, ACHIEVE THE
TYPE OF CLIMATE GOALS THAT WERE
BEING TALKED ABOUT. OR THE TYPE
OF UM COORDINATION AND
SEAMLESSNESS SO THAT ANYBODY
WOULD WRITE IT WITHOUT QUESTION
THAT THERE WOULD BE THE LAST
THING THEY WANT TO DO IS TURN TO
THEIR CAR. THAT THAT KIND OF
VISION WAS LACKING. ON MOST OF
THE PRESENTATIONS. ESPECIALLY
FROM MTC, WHOSE ROLE I THINK IT
IS TO DO THAT. AND AH, I HAVE I
PERSONALLY AM A TRANSIT USER AND
I WANT TO GIVE BART KUDOS THE
TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS THEY
DESCRIBED. I HAVE EXPERIENCED.
THEY IS AN IMPROVED EXPERIENCE
AS PART UM, CLEANER. I SEE THE,
UM. YOU CALLED LIAISONS THAT THE
FOLKS WHO ARE NON SWORN OFFICERS
, BUT WHO ARE THERE TO HELP AND
ASSIST PATRONS IF THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING CIRCUMSTANCES WITH,
UM WITH THE OTHER PATRONS WHO
MAY BE HAVING ISSUES. I'VE ALSO
SEEN THE SWORN OFFICERS MORE
WHICH, DEPENDING ON WHICH
STATION URINE IS SOMETHING YOU
WILL WELCOME AT TIMES. UM BUT
THAT KIND OF VISION IF WE'RE
GOING TO GO TO THE RESIDENTS OF
THE BAY AREA. TWO AND ASK THEM
TO ADD MORE FUNDING. THEN IT
SEEMS TO ME WE NEED TO HAVE THE
TYPE OF VISION THAT UH, IN THE
TYPE OF PLAN THAT REALLY
EMBRACES THAT KIND OF EXPANSION.
AND THAT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST
GO BACK TO, UH WELL, WE MAY
NEVER GO BACK TO THE RIDERSHIP
PATTERNS WE HAD BEFORE BECAUSE
WE MAY NEVER GO BACK TO THAT
TYPE OF OFFICE PATTERN. BUT WE
CERTAINLY WANT TO GET IF OUR
GOAL IS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BMT
REDUCTION AND THE CLIMATE TYPE
OF GOALS THAT WERE BEING
DESCRIBED THEN OTHER THAN
SEAMLESS, THERE WAS NO
DESCRIPTION THAT COULD HELP US
ACHIEVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO
CERTAINLY IF I'M GOING TO BE
HAVING BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON
SOMETHING TO ASK MY CONSTITUENTS
TO INCREASE WHATEVER THE REVENUE
IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
LOOKING AT. UM. THEN I'M GONNA
WANT SOMETHING THAT'S MORE
INSPIRING. THANK YOU, SENATOR
SKINNER. UM SO, UH AND I FULLY
AGREE. I THINK AS WE MOVE
FORWARD, AND I THINK WE REALLY
AS WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH OUR
BARRIER COLLEAGUES. IT'S BECOME
VERY IT'S VERY, VERY CLEAR. AND
I THINK THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS
US TO THAT. WE NEED TO STABILIZE
THE FUNDING AND ENVISION A
BETTER AND BETTER AND MORE
COMPREHENSIVE AND MORE
INTEGRATED REGIONAL TRANSIT
SYSTEM AND THE U. I THINK REALLY
NEED TO TRAVEL. TOGETHER AND AS
AND AS WE GO TO THE PUBLIC TO
SAY, WOULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE
MORE FUNDING FOR THE SYSTEMS? WE
NEED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS
WHAT WE ARE DOING. AH TO IMPROVE
SERVICE RELIABILITY, SAFETY,
ETCETERA AND INTEGRATION, AND
THIS IS WHAT WE WILL DO IN THE
FUTURE TO DO THAT. AND I KNOW UM
, YOU KNOW, HAVING I THINK WE
ALL VISITED VARIOUS
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AROUND
THE WORLD. AND I THINK THAT THE
SEAMLESS PRESENTATION TALKED
ABOUT THIS. THE THAT THEY HAVE
THESE. YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE
VARIOUS OPERATORS, SOME PUBLIC,
SOME PRIVATE AND ALL UNDER ONE
UMBRELLA. ALL UNDER ONE UMBRELLA
AND FOR THE RIDER. YOU KNOW YOU
GO TO PARIS OR LONDON. AND YOU
DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THERE
ARE MULTIPLE SYSTEMS. IT SEEMS
LIKE JUST ONE SYSTEM, BUT IT'S
NOT ONE SYSTEM INTEGRATED, BUT
IT'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT
OPERATORS AND WE HAVE NOT DONE
THAT IN THE BAY AREA, AND WE
NEED TO DO THAT. I THINK IF WE
GIVE THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE THAT
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IN A BETTER
DIRECTION THAT WE ARE MOVING IN
BOTH DIRECTIONS. I KNOW THAT
BARRIER RESIDENTS WANT GOOD
TRANSIT, AND I THINK BIG PICTURE
HERE FOR ANY GREAT FUTURE FOR
THE BAY AREA. IT'S NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN WITHOUT STRONG PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. OUR HOUSING
GOALS ARE MOBILITY GOALS OR
ECONOMICAL CZAR EQUITY GOALS OR
ALL RELIANT ON HAVING ROBUST
TRANSIT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS
IS ABOUT, AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS
A GREAT HEARING AND I FEEL I'M
OPTIMISTIC THAN THAT. WE WILL IN
THE NEXT FEW YEARS REALLY COME
TOGETHER AS A AS A REGION AND
SET OURSELVES ON A STRONGER
PATH. SO, SENATOR LAB THANK YOU
IS THIS HEARING WAS VERY
INTERESTING TO ME AND I HAD THE
MAYBE THE MISFORTUNE, UH, TO BE
CHAIR OF THE SANTA CRUZ TRANSIT
SYSTEM AT THE TIME THAT THE
EARTHQUAKE HAPPENED IN 1989. I
WAS ALSO A TRANSPORTATION
COMMISSIONER. AND WE HAD
SOMETHING LIKE 17,000 CAR TRIPS
OVER HIGHWAY 17 A DAY. AND
SUDDENLY IT WAS CLOSED FOR NINE
WEEKS AND. YEAH WE NEVER COULD
GET AN OVER THE HILL SERVICE
BECAUSE SANTA CLARA COUNTY
DIDN'T WANT TO PRIORITIZE THEIR
PART IN THEIR TRANSPORTATION
PLAN, AND NEITHER DID SANTA
CRUZ. IT WAS A REGIONAL THING.
AND SO A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER
THE EARTHQUAKE. THE HIGHWAY
PATROL ESCORTED ME AND THE
TRANSIT GENERAL MANAGER UP ON
THE SANTA CRUZ SIDE AND ZOLOFT
GRIN AND ROD DEAR DONNA, THERE'S
UP ON THE SANTA CLARA SIDE AND
ON A HANDSHAKE. WE STARTED OVER
THE HILL BUS SERVICE. WE BROUGHT
THE BUSSES AND THE INSURANCE.
THEY BROUGHT CASH AND DIFFERENT
PARKING THINGS. AND NOW THERE
ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT RIDE THAT
SERVICE, THEN WROTE IT WHEN, UH
THE HIGHWAY WAS OUT AND THE
INTERESTING THING TO ME ABOUT
THIS HEARING AS SOMEBODY THAT
HAS IT BEEN AS INTIMATE AS SOME
OF THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
TO WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IS IT
SEEMS TO ME THAT OUT OF THE
PANDEMIC, THERE'S BEEN A SIMILAR
SHIFT TO DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT
NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN DONE OVER
TIME. THAT WAS REALLY
INTERESTING IN THE DIFFERENT
REPORTS, WHETHER IT'S THE BAREA
WIDE REGIONAL CLIPPER CARD OR
MANY OTHER THINGS, AND MAYBE
MORE THINGS NEED TO BE DONE
ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WAS JUST
SAID BY THE PREVIOUS TWO, BUT I
ALSO SERVED EIGHT YEARS AS A
CABINET SECRETARY FOR JERRY
BROWN AND HIS STRATEGY WHENEVER
HE WAS GOING TO THE VOTERS. WAS
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WOULD
EITHER DONE CUTS EXHIBITED PAIN
DONE ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS YOU
COULD, AND THEN YOU MADE THE
CASE FOR GOING TO THE VOTERS.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE
FIRST MAJOR STEPS OF THAT HAVE
BEEN DONE. AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS
OUTLINED BY THE DIFFERENT
SPEAKERS AND A AND IT'S REALLY
HARD. BECAUSE YOUR INDUSTRY
TRIAGE MODE OF MAKING SURE THAT
THE SYSTEMS DON'T COLLAPSE. BUT
IT REQUIRES THIS VISION OF WHERE
WE'RE GOING TO BE. I DID A BILL
THIS YEAR FOR THE SANTA CRUZ
TRANSIT SYSTEM TO ALLOW THEM TO
GO ABOVE THE SALES TAX LIMIT.
AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT
UNTIL THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT
THERE WILL BE ADDITIONS TO THE
SERVICE AND WHAT PEOPLE WILL GET
IN A WAY THAT IT IS A VISION FOR
THE FUTURE THAT PEOPLE ARE
VOTING FOR, AND I THINK THAT IS
A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WAS BEING
CALLED HERE AND YOU ALSO NEED UM
TO GO BACK. I MEAN, IN THAT CASE
, THE ANALOGY IS, IS THAT THE
SAME ELECTION THE VOTERS WERE
PROVING PROPOSITION 13. THEY
WERE PROVEN PERMANENT HALF CENT
SALES TAX FOR TRANSIT, SAME
ELECTION AND YOU HAVE TO
DEMONSTRATE WHAT THAT HALF CENT
OF SALES TAX IS DOING FOR
TRANSIT BEFORE YOU CAN ASK FOR
MORE AS WELL. AND BEFORE YOU
HAVE THAT VISION, AND SO THAT IS
NOT A DISS ON WHAT HAPPENED
TODAY BECAUSE I AM IMPRESSED AT
WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING AND HOW
THE STATE MONEY IS MAKING A
DIFFERENCE UNTIL 2026 AND SO
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT LAYING
GROUNDWORK FOR ALL THOSE NEXT
STEPS AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU
COULD TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS IN
A CLEAR WAY TO THE PUBLIC THAT
THEY UNDERSTAND AND THEY GET THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SO UM, I THINK
THE CHAIR FOR DOING THE HEARING.
AND I THINK THE FACT THAT, UH,
THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW
RESIDENTS OF THE BAY AREA THAT
WE'RE NOT WITNESSES AT THIS
HEARING, AND, UH AND YOU MANAGED
TO BE SUCCINCT AND GET IT ALL
WIN, SO I'M APPRECIATIVE. I
THINK THIS IS A VERY USEFUL
HEARING. CETERA CETERA. JUST TO
THANK YOU, MR CHARLES. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR CONVENING US. AND
THANKS TO THE MTC AIRBAG
LEGISLATIVE TEAM FOR ALL THE
SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU.
YOU PUT SOME THANK YOU'S OUT
THERE ALREADY. CLEARLY THANK YOU
TO ALL THE PANELISTS FOR COMING
HERE PREPARED, AND I THINK GIVEN
US SOME NEW INFORMATION THAT WE
HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE THAT WE CAN
GO BACK TO SACRAMENTO WITH AND
UM YOU KNOW, REALLY KIND OF ARMS
US FOR THE NEXT CONVERSATION WE
NEED TO HAVE WITH OUR
COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU COLLEAGUES. THANK
YOU AGAIN TO THE MTC FOR HOSTING
US OF SENATOR SKINNER.
APOLOGIES. I ONE OF THE YOU
KNOW, WE, UM, SENATOR CORTEZ. HE
REFERENCED THIS, BUT I THINK YOU
DID ALSO SENATOR WEINER THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S UH
DISCUSSION BOTH IN THE CAPITAL
AND ELSEWHERE AROUND THE THIS
NOTION OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND I
JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT. I THINK
ONE OF OUR ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE MAY BE GRAPPLING WITH.
IS THAT WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY
MEANS TO ONE PERSON MAY MEAN
DIFFERENT TO ANOTHER AND THAT WE
MAY WANT WELL, I INVITE OUR
OPERATORS SINCE THEIR MEETING
UNDERSTAND NOW, EVERY MONDAY
THAT THEY MIGHT THINK ABOUT
WHAT? WHAT? UM A SET OF, UH
INDICATORS OR WHATEVER THAT THEY
MIGHT RECOMMEND TO BE USED AS
THE ACCOUNTABILITY YARDSTICK. UH
HUH. BUT WE INTERNALLY THIS
SELECT COMMITTEE MAY MAY WANT TO
THINK ABOUT IT ALSO BECAUSE SOME
PEOPLE THINK WELL, OKAY,
INCREASING DEMONSTRATION OF HOW
MUCH RIDERSHIP YOU'VE INCREASED.
WOULD BE LIKE AN APPROPRIATE
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE, BUT
DEPENDING ON WHAT THE NATURE OF
YOUR WRITERS ARE. IF YOU'RE IF
YOU'RE TYPE OF SYSTEM THAT'S
PRIMARILY BASED, SAY ON A
COMMUTER TYPE WRITER SHIP. AND
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A RETURN
TO THE OFFICE, AND THAT'S NOT
REALLY A FAIR ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURE. UM IF INTEGRATION WITH
OTHER SYSTEMS THEN YOU KNOW THAT
MIGHT BE, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT.
IT WOULD BE VERY WORTH IT TO
HAVE NOT ONLY YOU ALL BUT US.
START TO GET CLEAR ON WHAT WE
MEAN BY ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE,
FOR EXAMPLE IN THE DISCUSSIONS
IN TRYING TO DEVELOP THAT BUDGET
LANGUAGE. THE, UH. THE THERE. IT
WAS DONE IN CLOSE TO CLOSE TO
THE END OF SO THERE WEREN'T
WHILE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF I
THINK AT LEAST ONE SUBCOMMITTEE
HEARING ON IT. THERE WASN'T
REALLY A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT
WHAT THOSE ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES WOULD BE. AND SO THE
DISCUSSIONS INTERNALLY WERE, YOU
KNOW FOR A LITTLE BIT CRAZY,
BECAUSE THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT
THE TABLE ALL HAD A DIFFERENT
VERSION OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT
SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE LIKE WE
WANT ACCOUNTABILITY TO BE THAT
THIS ENTITY CUTS ITS COSTS OR WE
WANT ACCOUNTABILITY TO BE THIS
ENTITY CUTS ITS STAFFING LEVEL
OR WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY TO BE
THIS ENTITY CUTS INCREASES
RIDERSHIP OR WE WANT TO COUNT
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE
WHO'VE US BECAUSE THIS WILL COME
UP AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND IT'LL
SPECIALLY COME UP. IF WHEN IT
COMES TO TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER
REVENUE MEASURE. SO GETTING A
CLEAR DEFINITION OF AGREEMENT ON
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, AS OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES WOULD BE
GOOD. THAT IS THE DEVIL'S IN THE
DETAILS, AND I AGREE PEOPLE HAVE
DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS. UM SO
COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
, THE MTC FOR HOSTING US INTO
ALL THE PANELISTS. I WANT TO
THANK MY STAFF AS WELL FOR
WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS
HEARING, AND WITH THAT THIS
HEARING IS ADJOURNED.