Sacramento Regional Transit District Board Meeting - September 25, 2023

The Sacramento Regional Transit District Board held a regular meeting on September 25, 2023, with seven directors present (Daniels, Kozlowski, Maple, Cerna, Sing Allen, Valenzuela, Chair Kennedy) and four absent (Budge, Hume, Jennings, Louie). The meeting included a special recognition, public comments, and presentations on fare-free analysis, technology upgrades, and safety initiatives.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar was approved unanimously by a vote of all those present (motion by Director Cerna, second by Director Sing Allen). No items were pulled.

Special Recognition – Lifetime Pass Legacy

• Matthew Augustin shared a video tribute to his grandfather, who held a lifetime RT pass. He expressed deep gratitude for the freedom the pass provided his grandfather to use light rail until his passing four years ago. Chair Kennedy proposed reinstituting the lifetime pass policy and directed staff to return with a report on how to implement it, acknowledging legal and policy considerations.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rick Hodgkins supported elevator maintenance, purchase of additional light rail vehicles, and ATU's position on wages for SACRT Go drivers. He also asked about underground infrastructure at light rail stations and raised a concern about paratransit service (removal from a ride without adequate notice).
• Shaver and Mariah (residents of the river district) reported that bus route #33 is obstructed by construction at the Mirestol Village project, with the bus stop sign inside the construction area, the curb not painted red, and the ADA boarding area misaligned. They requested repairs and relocation. Chair Kennedy and Director Maple confirmed that a light rail station for the area had not lost funding (about $13 million is still in process) and offered to coordinate with city and county partners.
• Written comment from Jim Blank detailed illegal camping, fires, and trash on RT property adjacent to his home at 2211 6th Avenue. He requested removal of campers and flammable materials, and construction of an access road for fire response. Staff committed to responding.
• Dan Allison (Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders) promoted the "Week Without Driving" program (October 2–8) and invited board participation. He also commented later on fare-free and technology items (see Discussion Items).
• Kaden Mitchell (Sac State student) noted trash and spill issues on light rail trains and stations. He was directed to email boardcomments@SACRT.com for further follow-up.
• Another speaker (representing Ava Ridership and Masses) urged retention of lifetime passes and reported sending a two-page letter about bus cancellations that received no response from RT staff; she was advised to copy RT staff when emailing board members.
• Jeffrey (or Jeff) commented on bus cancellations (over 40 cancellations on the previous Monday due to a bus bridge), inadequate signage for bus bridges, and the need for RT to better communicate funding challenges.

Discussion Items

Fare-Free Service Analysis

• Staff presented an analysis of the feasibility of fare-free service. Key points: fares account for 6.9% of total revenue (3.2% from riders, 3.7% subsidized). Two ridership growth scenarios (3 million and 9 million annual additional rides) would yield net annual operating cost increases of $42–$70 million (a 17% increase over the current $250 million budget). Capital costs for infrastructure (e.g., alternative fuel infrastructure) could add $40–$80 million (one-time). Staff concluded that without a permanent, sustainable funding source, fare-free service is not feasible. They noted that Kansas City implemented fare-free but is considering ending it due to costs, and Houston and Washington DC declined to implement. Polling showed low support for fare-free compared to other transit funding elements.
• Directors asked about system elasticity (capacity to absorb ridership without new costs), the 10% administrative savings factored in, and the impact of state/federal farebox recovery requirements. Director Kozlowski requested more detail on how a local sales tax measure could offset revenue loss and which legal barriers remain.

Technology Upgrades to Enhance Customer Experience

• Staff outlined three projects: (1) a new website conforming to WCAG accessibility standards, mobile-friendly, expected within six months of contract start; (2) a unified light rail passenger announcement system to announce train types (high-floor vs. low-floor) for ADA compliance, expected by summer 2024; and (3) a consolidated mobile app replacing the current five separate apps (ZipPass, Alert SACRT, SACRT Bus, Smart Ride, Connect Card) with one umbrella app offering mobile ticketing, real-time tracking (GTFS Realtime), first/last mile integration, and contactless payment. An RFP will be issued later in 2023. Directors expressed strong support for the consolidation.

Safety and Security Enhancements

• Staff reported multiple improvements: 15 light-duty employees stationed at elevators to assist riders and monitor behavior; additional security guards (14 new) riding trains in the evening; two mobile camera trailers deployed; and resumption of police patrols (first day September 13 at Watt/I-80 resulted in 150 contacts and only 2 citations). The "Voice of God" public address system has been used 18,000 times since 2018 with a 70% compliance rate (500–700 times per month). The Security Operations Center (SOC) monitors cameras and dispatches responses. Staff also noted that bus cancellations have been maintained below 1% for three months, and cleaning efforts are ongoing.

Key Outcomes

• Directive to staff: Report back on reinstituting lifetime passes for seniors/disabled.
• Fare-free analysis was informational; no vote taken. Board requested additional details on alternative funding sources and legal implications.
• Public comments on bus stop #33, illegal camping, and bus cancellations were acknowledged and referred to appropriate staff for follow-up.
• App consolidation and technology upgrades were supported; staff directed to proceed with RFP for the umbrella app.
• Closed session was scheduled for item 13.1 (Flynn vs. SACRT litigation) with no report expected.
• General Manager's report noted a $42.51 million federal grant for the Capital Corridor Roosevelt Third Track expansion. Director Daniels suggested exploring moving board meetings to daytime hours to improve attendance and work-life balance.