Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meeting - September 24, 2018 (Cablecast Sept 26)
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Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meeting Summary
The Sacramento Regional Transit (RT) Board of Directors met on Monday, September 24, 2018, at 5:05 PM (cablecast on September 26 and October 2). The meeting covered approval of electric bus acquisitions, a resolution on Proposition 1A funding for the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar, and informational updates on transit services and marketing. The board approved both action items with 95 votes in favor, after addressing public comments and concerns about accessibility and financial risk.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1 & 2: Electric Bus Acquisition and Microtransit Pilot – The board approved acquiring six 25-foot EV Star electric buses for the UC Davis Medical Center microtransit pilot, funded by Electrify America at no capital cost to RT. The buses will be ADA accessible after conversion, though the first six will load from the rear and carry one wheelchair, which is not ideal per staff. The buses will replace an existing closed-door shuttle service that has run for approximately 50 years between the UC Davis campus and the UC Davis Medical Center. The service will be open to all riders. The motion passed with 95 votes; one board member opposed.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sarah Kerber (SACTRU) expressed concern that the Mobility Advisory Council (MAC) was not consulted before purchasing the electric buses, requesting the board delay action until the MAC reviews the project. She noted the next MAC meeting is November 1.
- Dennis Newfield (ION Sacramento) supported the streetcar resolution but suggested amendments: removing the word 'consider' regarding RT representation on the JPA, and nailing down a firm budget number.
- Stephen Barrass (ION Sacramento) requested adding a contingency that cities reimburse RT if the streetcar project is abandoned, citing ample time before funds are used.
- Coco Cocozella (Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders) urged that RT's funding priorities be maintaining existing service and reserves, and that there be a guarantee from cities to refund Prop 1A money if the streetcar does not obtain a Small Starts grant or is not built.
- Jeffrey Tardigia raised concerns about the streetcar project's viability, lack of RT board representation at JPA meetings, and suggested alternative alignments (e.g., West Sacramento, Broadway bridge). He also urged consideration of contingency plans.
- Mike Barnbaum announced an open house for the proposed Folsom transit annexation on October 10, 2018, from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
- Sarah Kerber (SACTRU) thanked board members for participating in the transit rider challenge and highlighted obstacles faced by riders.
- Enzo Arena (member of the public) proposed phasing out the ZipPass mobile ticketing system in favor of integrating Connect Card with mobile wallets (e.g., Apple Pay) to streamline fare payment.
- Jeffrey Tardigia (continued) expressed concerns about electronic bulletin boards, the new 414 text messaging service, and route optimization efforts, urging improved communication and weekend bus service.
Discussion Items
- Electric Bus Acquisition (Items 1-2): Board members discussed the charging infrastructure (150 kW fast chargers), the potential for public use of the chargers, and the need for the service between UC Davis and the Medical Center. Director Shanier noted the connection to UC Davis's Aggie Square development plans. Staff explained that accessibility on the first six buses is not ideal but will improve in future models. Director Hansen moved the item, seconded by Director Budge.
- Streetcar Proposition 1A Funding (Item 3): Staff introduced a resolution to release $3.5 million of the $25 million in Prop 1A funds previously allocated to the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar. The resolution included three conditions: (1) cities will reimburse RT if the CTC deems expenditures ineligible; (2) the JPA will consider adding direct RT representation; (3) the board will approve fund release after construction bids are reviewed in January 2019. Several public speakers supported the resolution with amendments. Directors debated the timing, risk, and governance issues. Director Hansen moved the item, seconded by Director Harris. The motion passed with 95 votes; Director Shanier voted no, expressing concerns about governance and timing.
Key Outcomes
- Electric Bus Acquisition: Approved (95 votes) – acquisition of six EV Star buses for the microtransit pilot; service to be open to all riders.
- Streetcar Funding: Approved (95 votes) – resolution authorizing staff to request allocation of Prop 1A funds with conditions; the board will revisit before funds are released in January 2019.
- New Business: Announced upcoming public meetings and updates on the Folsom annexation, route optimization, and the 'We Heart You' fare reduction campaign.
- Board Comments: Chair Kennedy suggested adding a dropdown for electronic sign issues to the Alert SAC RT website; staff agreed to implement.
Other Updates
- General Manager's Report: Noted improvements to service disruption notifications via text messaging and the 'We Heart You' marketing campaign, which includes digital ads, radio, TV, and community outreach.
- Public Addresses: Included announcements about the Folsom transit annexation open house and the transit rider challenge awards.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. We will call to order the uh Monday, September 24th, 2018 meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit Board of Directors. Would the clerk please call the role to establish quorum? Director Budge? Director Hansen. Director Harris. Director Hume. Director Miller. Director Moran. Here. Director Natoli. Here. Director Shanier. Here. Director Cerna is marked as being absent. And Chair Kennedy. Here. With that, we have a quorum at 91 votes. Thank you. This meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District will be cable cast without interruption on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel. Tonight's meeting will air on September twenty-sixth at six o'clock PM and on October second at nine a.m. And webcast at WWW SAC Metro Cable dot TV. It is also closed caption. Members of the audience wishing to address the board should fill out a speaker card located at the rear of the room and provide it to me or Adam. And the arrival of Director Hansen. Thank you very much. Mr. Chair. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Okay, we will pull item two. And I believe Ms. Kerber has a card in the case. SACRT's Mobility Advisory Council's purpose is to specifically review and advise RT on system accessibility features and improvements, provide communication between RT and key stakeholders. Bringing them into the decision-making process after procurement or not at all undermines their ability to engage in a meaningful way. Unfortunately, these projects are not being brought before the MAC to ensure their compliance with state and federal laws or best practices and access. Earlier this month, funding was approved for six um EV Star 25-foot electric buses for Usual Transit Smart Ride RT microtransit pilot project that are not ADA accessible. Neither that purchase nor the solutions to make those buses accessible were reviewed by the MAC prior to the completion of that agreement. Likewise, the purchase and design of these buses has not been brought before the MAC to ensure that they are ADA compliant and accessible. In light of the fact that the next MAC meeting will not be until November 1st, we request that this item not be voted on prior to their review and recommendations to the board and staff. Thank you. Thank you. Director Budge. Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. So I had some uh operational kinds of questions. Um personally, I I totally support the uh um acquisition of these buses and the project. I think um uh from my perspective, owning our own fleet of small buses and small EV buses in particular is a is an absolutely attractive idea. Um I appreciate the fact that um if the contract were terminated, then the buses would uh remain the in in the ownership of regional transit as long as they were used in some capacity. Those are things that I think are my really strong points.
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