Citizens Advisory on Transit Meeting - September 23, 2026

The Citizens Advisory on Transit (CAT) of Rochester, Minnesota, met on September 23, 2026, with all seven members present (Michael S. Schnell, Jesse O'Driscoll, Parker M. Acree, Derek S. Aiono, Kenneth D. Baerg, Kristin E. Buchholz, and Jennifer C. Karsner). The committee approved the July 10, 2026 minutes, reviewed the July 2026 Transit Report, voted to move its meetings to the second Thursday of each month from 3:30-4:30 p.m., heard a presentation on polling place changes, and received a financial outlook for Rochester Public Transit (RPT). Note: the agenda and minutes in the record list the meeting as September 11, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.; the official meeting date used here is September 23, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the July 10, 2026 meeting minutes and video as the official record: motion by Kristin E. Buchholz, second by Parker M. Acree; approved unanimously.
• Approval of the agenda as presented with no changes: motion by Parker M. Acree, second by Derek S. Aiono; approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered during the 15-minute open comment period.

Discussion Items

• July 2026 Transit Report (information item): Staff reported ridership at approximately 46%, down slightly due to typical summer reductions; roughly 500 daily trips with missed trips at about 1% of daily trips; and ridership per vehicle hour trending near 6 against a goal of 9. Zips microtransit ridership was consistent at about 4,600-4,800. Riders per vehicle hour came in at 2.1 versus a contractual target of 2.3, above the industry average of 1.5-2; staff cited St. Cloud (about 5) as an outlier serving a broader metro area with a dedicated paratransit facility. Staff noted ridership fell from over 2 million in 2019 partly because a park-and-ride lot was taken offline and privatized, but has increased from 2024 to 2025 and is trending above 2025. Members discussed express routes (550 and 115 run every 15 minutes during peak; the 120 runs north-south every 20 minutes); staff stated express routes cost about $1 million per year to run and that increased frequency means reduced stop coverage. This was the last month of the current report format.
• Meeting Schedule Discussion (7.A): Members reported conflicts with the current Friday noon schedule, including a quarterly Area Transportation Partnership meeting (O'Driscoll) and employment in Austin, Minnesota (Karsner). A member noted that attendance rules do not allow virtual participation except for official CAT business or military service. Members noted the previous 5 p.m. time had low attendance, while the noon time has brought fuller, shorter (about 60-minute) meetings; some members stated evening meetings would be difficult due to family obligations, and one member said they would not attend more than two or three times a year if the schedule did not change. A motion by Jennifer C. Karsner, seconded by Derek S. Aiono, to meet on the second Thursday of each month from 3:30-4:30 p.m. was approved unanimously.
• Review of Current Polling Places (7.B): A City Clerk's office representative explained that Rochester has about 40 active polling places, down from 44, partly because a 2025 state law established chain-of-custody requirements for electronic voting equipment that require secure, locked storage; several churches could not guarantee this. Other relocations included Old Fire Hall #2 (temperature and lighting problems, plus safety concerns for voters walking to cars in the dark) and the Olmsted County Historical Society (which charged about three times other sites), consolidated into the Edison Administrative Building. Consolidation also weighed turnout, facility size, parking, and keeping locations within their wards where possible. Committee members expressed concern that voters in precincts 1.3 and 1.4, described as potentially lower-income and higher-density, were reassigned to Sunset Terrace, creating a risk of disenfranchisement for residents without cars. Transit staff noted that some bus routes run every 30 minutes between affected locations and that fares are free for voters on election days. The Clerk's office will incorporate feedback and return in spring 2027 with a more robust resolution, with an eye to 2028.
• RPT Financial Outlook, Performance, and Strategic Direction (7.C): Staff reviewed the outlook presented to the City Council in January 2026 and at the August 23 council study session. The transit reserve was $5.3 million; without operational changes, it would be exhausted by 2028. After operations reviews, the projected 2026 drawdown improved from $2.3 million to $0.8 million, but 2027-2028 will be heavy due to replacement of 22 vehicles (9 paratransit and 13 big buses). Staff noted RPT is unusual in relying solely on fares and advertising (about $1.30 per ride) rather than tax dollars. Fixed route needs about $350,000 more revenue to break even, and paratransit's goal is roughly double current performance; August ridership was trending toward a 685 mark against a goal of about 1.2. The reserve depletion timeline is now just under four years (around September 2030) after MnDOT local-share assumptions changed. New operator VIA began September 1 (day 11 at the meeting) and increased ridership in Sioux Falls by 23% in its first year. Partnerships include UMR (student fares covered by UMR, effective the prior week) and Rochester Public Schools (about 1,000-1,200 student rides per month, roughly 40 students, plus 60-80 adult rides per month). Upcoming actions include a December service change returning buses to 2nd Street from Central Park (the top complaint in prior surveys at 75-80%), an advertising RFP approved by the City Council (expanding from 16 wrapped buses out of 51 and one shelter ad), Link BRT in August 2027, and a Transit Development Plan in 2028. Staff explained that MnDOT funding requires replacing 40-foot buses with 40-foot buses and that procurement decisions are made three to five years in advance; on-demand/microtransit is a possible future option beyond three years. Members asked staff to add an educational item on express route options to a future agenda.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes and agenda approved unanimously.
• Meeting schedule changed to the second Thursday of each month, 3:30-4:30 p.m. (motion by Jennifer C. Karsner, seconded by Derek S. Aiono; unanimous).
• Staff will add an express route/transit education item to a future agenda.
• City Clerk's office will return in spring 2027 with polling place recommendations incorporating CAT feedback.
• Meeting adjourned unanimously (motion by Jennifer C. Karsner, seconded by Derek S. Aiono).