[00:00:01]
EVENING EVERYONE.[ATD 1. Call to Order]
WELCOME.I AM BOARD CHAIR LAURA CABILLA.
IT IS NOW 5:03 PM AND I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE JULY 22ND, A TD BOARD MEETING.
ALL RIGHT, VICE CHAIR GOMEZ PRESENT.
PRESENT ASSISTANT SECRETARY COOPER.
TRUSTEE RENA TRUSTEE TO WILL PRESENT AND TRUSTEE DELEON PRESENT.
[ATD 2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance, Announcements]
WITH THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE AND YOU AND THE TEXAS FLAG.ALL RIGHT, MR. ED, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NOT FOR THE A TD MEETING.
OKAY, THANK YOU, UH, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CITIZENS? THANK YOU MA'AM.
THIS REGULAR BOARD MEETING? OKAY, THAT'LL BE FOR THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING, NOT FOR THE A TD BOARD MEETING.
[ATD 4. Consent Agenda]
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO CONSENT.MAY I, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
ANY OPPOSED? THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.
MS. ELDER, DO YOU HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO, MA'AM.
AND TRUSTEES, WE REACHED THE END OF OUR MEETING, MA'AM, A MOTION TO SECOND TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
THE A TD MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
[1. Call to Order]
THE VIA, UH, BOARD MEETING.IT IS NOW 5:05 PM AND I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE JULY 22ND VIA BOARD MEETING.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY HAD OUR MOMENT OF REFLECTION AND PLEDGE REASONS CITIZENS TO
[3. Citizens to be Heard]
BE HEARD.OUR FIRST CITIZEN TO BE HEARD IS MS. ANGELINA BAINS.
WE'VE NOW COME TO THE SINCE TO BE HEARD PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING.
THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM OUR PATRONS AND CITIZENS IN THE SAN ANTONIO BAYAR COUNTY AREA.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING PUBLIC BUSINESS OR POLICY OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAS SUPERVISION AND CONTROL MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT, CEO AND OR HIS STAFF.
THE PROCESS ASSURES THAT YOU RECEIVE THE MOST ACCURATE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERN.
AND VIA APPRECIATES YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING.
JUST HAD SOME THINGS TO MENTION.
WANTED TO ASK FOR THE FOLLOWING.
COULD YOU PLEASE INSTALL CARD LOADERS ON YOUR BUSES AND THEN PARTNER WITH VENDORS TO ISSUE PASSES AND LOAD CARDS, PEOPLE LIKE GROCERIES, GAS STATIONS, ET CETERA.
ALSO, I BECAME DISABLED IN 2022 AND I DID NOT HAVE A, A DA NEED UNTIL THEN.
AND WHAT I'M FINDING THAT SINCE I'VE BECOME DISABLED, THAT A LOT OF THE STUFFS, UH, WHERE I USED TO BE ABLE TO JUST CROSS OVER CROSS THE STREET, THOSE STOPS HAVE BEEN MOVED TO WHERE I HAVE TO WALK THREE TO FOUR BLOCKS INSTEAD OF ACROSS THE STREET.
SAY FOR INSTANCE, I WANTED TO GO TO THE VETERANS CENTER THAT'S OVER ON THE EAST SIDE.
IT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DRIVING, BUT I HAD TO WALK 12 BLOCKS.
I THINK SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD BE RESOLVED WITH THE CIRCULATORS, EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T RUN ALL DAY, TO SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE THAT, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW INCOME.
ALSO WANTED TO JUST SUGGEST THAT, UH, IF YOU WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT, UH, YOUR A DA ELDERLY PEOPLE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE IS A GOOD PLACE.
UH, IT'S A VERY GOOD, UH, DATA PLACE.
[00:05:01]
FOR THEM ALSO.I, I ALWAYS TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO YOU HIRE THROUGH IC, UH, TO ASK, BUT MAYBE YOU COULD DO A SPECIAL CENSUS FOR THE A DA AND, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND, UM, WHO HAVE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
THERE'S ALSO THE BLS DATA WHO ALSO WANTED TO, UM, UH, MENTION IF YOU COULD CHANGE THE, UH, EOL FOR THE 24 DIETRICH ROAD BUS, UH, DUE TO, UH, HARASSMENT AND CRIME THAT HAPPENS THERE.
UM, THERE'S A BANK OF, UH, APARTMENTS THAT'S AT THE EOL.
AND BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO THEY SERVE AT, AT SERVICE AT ONE OF THE APARTMENTS THEY SERVICE, UM, A LOT OF INDIGENT PEOPLE.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY YOU COULD, UM, UH, CHANGE THAT.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE, THAT 9 2 5 LINE THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA OPEN.
UH, LIKE IT'S, I GUESS THE SILVER LINE.
IF YOU COULD KEEP THE 24 AS IS, AND THEN JUST, AND MAKE THE 9, 2 5 MORE OF A CIRCULATOR.
'CAUSE THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA TAKE SOME, TAKE OUT THE STOPS BETWEEN HACKBERRY AND UH, WALTERS.
UM, AND I JUST REALLY DON'T WANT, UH, THE BUSINESSES AND THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT ARE IN THAT CORRIDOR TO BE HARMED.
UH, BECAUSE I, I'VE, I HAVE SEEN THAT HAPPEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
UM, PLEASE TRY TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU ARE DOING YOUR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT THERE ARE FIVE PILLARS THAT MAKE A COMMUNITY AND THINGS LIKE, UH, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS SLASH CLINICS, YOU KNOW, UH, BANKS, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT, UM, LET'S SEE, THAT WAS FIVE, UH, SIX.
UH, IF YOU GUYS COULD, UH, MAKE BUS SERVICE 24 HOURS.
ALSO WANT TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU TO THE, UH, BUS OPERATOR 2 3 0 7 5, WHO HELPED ME IN 2024 WITH MY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUE.
THANK YOU TO TRANSIT OFFICERS, RUBIO, UH, PALOMA, AND MS. NOLAN AND DETECTIVE LAIA FOR THE HELP WITH MY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUE IN 2022.
PLEASE PUBLISH A, A PERMISSION OF THE NONPROFITS THAT PROVIDE, UH, LOW, UH, I'M SORRY, A DISCOUNTED PASSES OR TO LOW INCOME.
UM, UH, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE WORKING CLASS, UH, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN POVERTY.
AND PLEASE, UH, GET MORE BLACK OWNED AND BLACK FEMALE OWNED VENDORS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. JEFF HULL.
UH, IN 2012, I CRUSHED THE VERTEBRAE INTO MY SPINAL CORD.
I, UH, ALSO HAVE FIBROMYALGIA, SO I SUFFER FROM, FROM NERVE PAIN, PTSD ANXIETY, AND I NEED A KNEE REPLACEMENT AND A HIP REPLACEMENT.
ON JUNE 30TH, UH, I WAS ACROSS THE STREET AND, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T DRIVE AND I HAD MY SNAP BENEFITS STOLEN IN JUNE, UH, I HAD TO USE THE VIA BUS.
I LIVE ON MISTO IN SAN PEDRO, WHICH IS A TWO MINUTE RIDE IF THAT.
FROM HERE I PICKED UP MY DINNER FROM BILL MILLERS, WHICH WAS A TEA AND A THREE PIECE CHICKEN.
UH, THE BUS DRIVER LET ME ON THE BUS.
I PAID MY FARE AND THEN TELLS ME THAT I CAN'T BE ON THE BUS WITH MY TEE.
UH, THAT THE POLICY ON THE BUS IS THAT THERE'S NO EATING OR DRINKING YET.
I HADN'T EATEN OR DRINKING ON THE BUS AT ALL, AND THE BUS HADN'T LEFT TO STOP.
UH, THE VIA POLICY ON THAT IS, UH, DRINKING BEVERAGES IS ALLOWED, BUT ONLY IF THEY ARE IN A SPILL PROOF CUP OR A SCREW TOP CONTAINER.
UH, WHICH, UH, A, A CUP OF THE LID IS KIND OF A FINE LINE THERE.
UH, VIA ASKED PASSENGERS TO REFRAIN FROM EATING OR DRINKING OPEN CONTAINER BEVERAGES TO MAINTAIN CLEANLINESS AND COMFORT ON THE BUS.
UH, AND I HAD NEVER DONE ANY OF THAT.
UH, AND SO I INFORMED THEM THAT I LIVED TWO MINUTES DOWN THE STREET.
A SUPERVISOR WAS CALLED VIA TRANSIT.
POLICE WAS CALLED, AND SAPD WAS CALLED.
I WAS THREATENED WITH ARREST AND TO BE REMOVED FROM THE BUS UNDER THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITY ACT.
ASKING AN INDIVIDUAL TO EXIT A BUS WHEN THEY HAVEN'T COMMITTED A CRIME COULD POTENTIALLY VIOLATE THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS.
ALSO UNDER THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITY ACTS, IT CALLS FOR REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE VIA TRANSPORTATION.
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PROVIDERS MUST MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO ENSURE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES CAN USE THEIR SERVICES.THE POTENTIAL EXCEPTIONS WOULD BE TO POSE A DIRECT THREAT TO, TO HEALTH OR SAFETY TO OTHERS ON THE BUS, WHICH I DID NEITHER.
UM, AND SO I, I I, I FEEL THAT ALLOWING ME TO RIDE TWO MINUTES DOWN THE STREET WITH MY DINNER AND NOT HAVING TO THROW THAT OFF AND NOT BEING, UH, THREATENED TO PHYSICALLY BE REMOVED AND ARRESTED FOR A BILL MILLER'S TEACUP, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, IS A VIOLATION OF MY CIVIL RIGHTS.
UH, I KIND OF FEEL SILLY COMING HERE FOR THAT, BUT I DID FILE A COMPLAINT ON THE PHONE.
I GOT AN EMAIL BACK THAT THEY RECEIVED IT, BUT NOBODY'S FOLLOWED THROUGH ON IT.
UH, I THINK THIS IS A SECOND TIME THAT I'VE HAD TO COME UP AGAINST VIA, FOR ISSUES LIKE THIS WITH DISABLED PEOPLE.
IT'S ACTUALLY SIX MONTHS AND 11 DAYS TO THE LAST TIME.
UH, SO, UH, IT'S JUST A MAJOR ISSUE AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. BARBARA STOCK FORD.
GO TO THE RIGHT JUST A LITTLE.
SORRY, I CAN'T USE MY FINGER DRIVE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS BARBARA STAFFORD.
UH, WE ASKED FOR THIS ONCE BEFORE, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE LARGER PRINT WAS GIVEN TO US TONIGHT FOR THOSE WHO CAN READ IT.
BUT THE FIRST THING THEY ASKED ME, WHERE IS THE BRAILLE? SO CAN WE TRY TO FIND A BRAILLE OR, UH, LAST TIME I REMEMBER IT WAS BEING IN DAVID FROST OFFICE, WHICH IS A FEW YEARS BACKLESS TO SAY, UH, NUMBER TWO IS THE FACT THAT, UM, ON SOME OF THE MEETINGS I GO TO, THEY MAKE A PDF FILE FOR ME SO THAT WHEN I GET IT THROUGH MY EMAIL THAT I KNOW WHAT THE AGENDA IS OR ANYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING.
AND I DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON ANYTHING ELSE THAN MY MACHINE TALKING TO ME, MY, MY PHONE.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD BRING THOSE TWO THINGS UP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, BY THE WAY.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING A WONDERFUL MEETING.
THERE ARE NO OTHER CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
[5. Consent Agenda]
GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO QUESTIONS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED? SO, SO MOVE SECOND MOTION, AND SECOND.
[4. President/CEO Report]
MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO REPORT.IT'LL BE A BRIEF REPORT TONIGHT, BUT AN EXCITING ONE.
WE HAVE A, UM, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MOMENTUM HEADING, HEADING INTO THE SUMMER.
UM, BUT IT IS INDEED A LOT OF ACTIVITY THAT WE WANTED TO GIVE A A SENSE OF, OF, OF THAT LEVEL OF ACTIVITY HERE WITH THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.
AND THEN DO SOME HONORS, UM, AS WE DO AT THE END OF THE REPORT OF SOME, UH, VERY, UM, DISTINGUISHED EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL START OFF WITH THE VIA RAPID GREEN LINE.
UM, IN, IN READING THIS AND THOSE THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS EVENT, UH, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 30 DAYS AGO.
A LOT OF ACTIVITY THAT WE'VE HAPPENED, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT WE HAVE A SHORT LITTLE VIDEO HERE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHOW.
UH, KIND OF BRINGING THAT BACK AROUND IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPE OF EXCITEMENT THAT WE BROUGHT INTO THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR, FOR, UH, THIS VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR OUR AGENCY TO TODAY IS A VERY EXCITING DAY, NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT ENTIRE VIA PROJECT TEAM.
WE ARE CELEBRATING, UH, VIA RAPID GREEN LINES START OF CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY.
SO NOW WE GOTTA BUILD WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DESIGNING, AND WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
THIS IS THAT MOMENT NOW WHERE WE, WE BEGAN CONSTRUCTION.
CONSTRUCTION SHOULD TAKE US, UH, UP TO 2028 WHEN WE ACTUALLY LAUNCHED THE SERVICE.
THE EXCITING PART OF THIS GREEN LINE IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DELIVER WHAT CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, WHICH IS FAST, RELIABLE SERVICE.
MAJOR CITIES, GREAT CITIES HAVE GREAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
[00:15:01]
TODAY, UH, WE'RE THERE TODAY.WE ARE BREAKING GROUND ON SAN ANTONIO'S FIRST EVER BONAFIDE MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND IT'S A WONDERFUL TIME TO BE.
A SAN ANTONIO LINE IS ALSO CALLED ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO FASTER THAN OUR REGULAR BUS ROUTE.
NOT ONLY DOES IT MEAN A CHANGE FOR VIA, BUT IT MEANS A CHANGE FOR THE RIDERS.
NOW WE ARE ABLE TO GET AROUND QUICKER AND WE ARE ABLE TO GET TO OUR JOBS MORE EASILY AND MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.
WE'RE DOING ABOUT 10.35 MILES OF THE SAN PEDRO CORRIDOR, AND WE'LL GO FROM 2 81 DOWN TO STEVE'S ROAD.
THERE'S AREAS WHERE WE'RE WIDENING THE ROAD.
THERE'S AREAS WHERE WE'RE PUTTING IN CENTER RUNNING LANES FOR THE BUSES TO OPERATE THROUGH THE MIDDLE, SO THEY'RE NOT AS, UH, CUMBERSOME TO TRAFFIC.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME BUSINESS ACCESS LANES WHERE THE BUSES AND THE COMMUNITY WILL USE AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THEY'LL HAVE DEDICATED RIGHTS.
THIS PROJECT IS A, IS A HUGE MILESTONE THAT WILL BRING ABOUT THAT CONNECTIVITY THROUGH THESE CORRIDORS.
THIS STARTS THE FIRST ONE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE SECOND ONE WITH THE SILVER LINE.
BUT TODAY'S, TODAY'S CEREMONY IS, IS MOMENTOUS.
AND OUR RESIDENTS SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT USING ANOTHER FORM OF OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE ABOUT OUR CITY.
TODAY MARKS A POWERFUL AND SYMBOLIC MOMENT AS WE BEGIN THE LARGEST CAPITAL PROJECT IN V'S.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT MOVING DIRT, IT'S ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.
ON THE COUNT OF THREE, WE BREAK GROUND ON A NEW ERA OF PUBLIC TRANSIT.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING FROM STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS ALIKE THAT HAVE, UH, HELPED US GET TO THIS POINT.
WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU, AND THERE'S MORE THANKS TO COME AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS, UH, MILESTONE AND GET TO THAT MOMENT OF RIBBON CUTTING FOR THOSE FIRST PASSENGERS TO TAKE, UH, ADVANTAGE OF THE SERVICE.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SUCCESS OF THE GREEN LINE AND THE SILVER LINE TO REALLY EXHIBIT THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND MASS TRANSIT IN SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S THE BACKBONE, BUT IT'S NOT WHERE WE WILL END.
AND SO IN 2028, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ONE OF THE FIRST RIDERS AND CELEBRATING THE MILESTONE THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED TOGETHER, WHICH IS BRINGING MASS TRANSIT TO OUR CITY.
YES, THAT WAS, UH, GREAT, GREAT VIDEO, GREAT SUMMATION VIDEO, GREAT ENERGY, GREAT MESSAGING ALL AROUND.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM THAT THAT PULLED THAT TOGETHER.
I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DO, UM, BUT IN INCREDIBLE, YOU KNOW, LED BY TERRY, UH, TREVINO AND HER TEAM, UH, OF PULLING THIS TOGETHER AND, AND MAKING IT A, A MEMORABLE, A MEMORABLE MOMENT FOR THIS AGENCY.
UH, SO TERRY, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
WE THEN MOVED ON TO STATE OF TRANSIT.
UM, NOT THAT THAT WAS ENOUGH WITH THE, UM, GREEN LINE MAJOR MILESTONE, BUT THEN WE SET OUT SOME AMBITIOUS IDEAS, MOMENTS AND, AND MESSAGING FRANKLY AT THE STATE OF TRANSIT.
AND WE HAVE A LITTLE RECAP VIDEO HERE.
ALSO TO SHARE SOMETHING BIG IS ON THE MOVE.
BIG INVESTMENTS, BIG IMPROVEMENTS, BIG IMPACT.
ONCE A YEAR, THE SAN ANTONIO AREA MOBILITY COALITION HOSTS A STATE OF TRANSIT EVENT WHERE THIS EVENT, THEY LIKE TO HEAR THE STATUS AND UPDATE FROM THE TRANSIT AGENCY ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN THE LAST YEAR AND WHAT IS THE IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SO TODAY WE BROUGHT SOME VERY EXCITING INFORMATION TO THEM.
PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW IN THE INDUSTRY, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, AND OTHER AGENCIES HERE.
AND THEY DIDN'T TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT VIA.
THEY SEE IT GROWING EVERY DAY.
BUT TODAY, JOHN GARY AND HIS, HIS TEAM AND THE BOARD REALLY BROUGHT THE TO THE ATTENTION, THE BIG VISION THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
THE STATE OF TRANSIT IS PROMISING AT VIA, IS POISED TO DELIVER MORE THAN EVER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR INVESTMENT IS HISTORIC, AND OUR FOCUS IS SINGULAR.
WE'RE DELIVERING A TRANSIT SYSTEM WORTHY OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU.
OUR RIDERS COUNT ON VIA EVERY RIDE.
WHETHER IT'S GETTING OUR CUSTOMERS TO WORK OR SCHOOL A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT OR TWO NEW OPPORTUNITY.
EVERY RIDE STRENGTHENS THE FABRIC OF A REGION.
SUCCESS VIA IS MORE THAN A TRANSIT SYSTEM.
[00:20:01]
IT'S PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FOUNDATION FOR OUR REGION'S PROSPERITY.IT'S HOW WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNITY AND TO ONE ANOTHER.
WE ARE DEPLOYING CAPITAL AT AN UNPRECEDENTED RATE, BACKED BY CLEAR MANDATE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A STRATEGIC ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AIMED DIRECTLY AT IMPROVING TRANSIT.
THESE INVESTMENTS ARE FUNDING AT TOP TO BOTTOM TRANSFORMATION OF OUR SERVICES, MAKING THEM FASTER, MORE FREQUENT, MORE DIRECT AND SIMPLER TO USE.
THESE TANGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS WILL DELIVER A SYSTEM THAT WILL ATTRACT MORE RIDERS.
WE SEE A LOT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS.
WE SEE A BOLDNESS, AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE GETTING A GREAT RETURN ON THEIR PUBLIC FINANCE AND THEIR PUBLIC DOLLARS THROUGH VIA.
AND SO I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TOGETHER.
LET'S KEEP TRANSFORMING BOLD VISIONS INTO THE NEXT BIG THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND LET'S ALL VIA, VIA I THINK AGAIN, ANOTHER, ANOTHER ROUND.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EVER GOING TO AN EVENT THAT, UH, HAD SUCH EXPENSIVE, UH, STAGE PROPS, UH, WITH THOSE, UH, VEHICLES THAT WERE IN THERE.
UH, INCREDIBLE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET TWO VEHICLES IN THERE.
OUR WORK WORKHORSES OF, OF, UH, OF OUR AGENCY, UH, MUCH LESS THE VIA LINK VIDEO, UH, VIA LINK VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE ALSO IN THERE.
I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED, EVERYBODY WHO ATTENDED, AND THOSE THAT ARE TAKING MESSAGES OUT THERE, MESSAGING, CONTINUING TO RESONATE FROM INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IN THAT ROOM.
YOU STILL SEE THAT TODAY ON LINKEDIN.
AND, UH, IT WAS INDEED MESSAGING THAT THEY'RE TAKING AND RUNNING WITH.
SO IT IS INDEED, UH, SOMETHING GREAT FOR US TO SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS JUST AS EXCITED AS WE ARE TO BE DELIVERING THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT THAT'S GONNA CHANGE THIS COMMUNITY FOREVER.
SO, UH, THAT WAS BIG MESSAGING THAT WE DELIVERED THEN AND, AND LOTS TO COME FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
SO ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OURSELVES.
SAMCO DID TELL US THAT THAT WAS THE LARGEST STATE OF TRANSIT THAT THEY'VE HAD TO DATE.
NOW WE HAVE TO OUTDO THAT, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO AND, AND, UH, WE RECOGNIZE SOME EMPLOYEES.
UM, WE'RE PLEASED TO SHARE THAT.
BRIANNA GATON, OUR CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SALES PROJECT MANAGER.
BRIANNA, YOU HERE? YES, I SEE YOU BRIANNA.
SHE HAS BEEN A SELECTED FOR THE 2025 AT THE EMERGENCY EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION AND EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A MEMBER, UH, IN A WHILE, AT LEAST IN MY SEVEN YEAR TENURE HERE, THAT WE'VE HAD SOMEBODY PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM BRINGS TOGETHER A COHORT OF RISING PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT PROVIDES TAILORED DEVELOPMENT OF NETWORKING AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY.
RIHANNA'S GONNA BE BRINGING BACK SOME GREAT IDEAS FROM OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES, AS WELL AS TAKING SOME OF OUR GREAT IDEAS AND SHARING THEM WITH OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES AS WELL.
SHE'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN LEADING OUR CUSTOMER FACING IMPROVEMENTS, COORDINATING A COMPLEX SYSTEM-WIDE INITIATIVES ACROSS MANY DEPARTMENTS HERE, UH, FROM THE BIG FAIR BOX PROGRAM THAT WE INSTITUTED AND, AND STILL ARE GAINING A GREAT DEAL OF, OF RECOGNITION FROM OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT.
BRIANNA HAD A GREAT HAND IN, IN FOCUS AND LEADERSHIP FOR THAT.
HER THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH HAS BEEN, UH, HELPED HER STRENGTHEN OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AND OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
I KNOW YOU'RE REPRESENTING US WELL AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU.
NEXT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HONOR OUR STAR WAR HONOREES THIS MONTH.
WE'RE HONORING TWO STANDOUT EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO SAFETY, QUALITY, AND SERVICE.
FRANK MENDOZA BUS OPERATOR WHO ACHIEVED 99% ON TIME PERFORMANCE FOR ROUTE 14 OVER TWO MONTHS.
I HAVE LEARNED THAT IS NO EASY TASK TO BE AT 99%.
UM, THAT IS NEAR PERFECT, OBVIOUSLY, UH, BUT TO DO SO ON A VERY BUSY ROUTE.
AND THE ACTIVITY THAT OPERATORS HAVE TO DO ON BUSY, BUSY ROUTES, YOU CAN IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT IS TYING IN AN, UH, SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS SOME HELP WITH THEIR WHEELCHAIR TO ALSO GUIDING FOLKS AT THE FAIR BOX, BUT ALSO THEN KEEPING THAT VEHICLE ON TIME 99% OF THE TIME.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
FRANK'S 20 YEARS AT VIA CONTINUED TO REFLECT HIS DEEP
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COM, UH, COMMITMENT TO OUR CUSTOMERS.WE ALSO HAVE ERNEST TREVINO, OUR PARATRANSIT OPERATOR AND LINE INSTRUCTOR WHO HAS HELPED TRAIN INCOMING OPERATORS WHILE PIVOTING NEW TECHNOLOGY LIKE OUR UPDATED WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT SYSTEM.
ERNEST LEADERSHIP SETS THE TONE FOR EXCELLENCE IN PARATRANSIT OPERATIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT ERNEST IS HERE.
ERNEST, YOU WANNA STAND UP? AND, UH, THERE HE IS.
ERNEST, IF YOU CAN, UH, COME FORWARD, OUR BOARD WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU IN HONOR OF YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE FOR OUR AGENCY.
THIS IS, UH, THIS IS THE END, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL CLOSE OUT THE PRESIDENT REPORT WHEN WE SIT BACK DOWN.
OH, MADAM CHAIR, THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENCE REPORT.
UH, ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR NOT ONLY OUR STAR EMPLOYEES FOR BRIANNA, BUT THE AMAZING JOB OUR AGENCY HAS BEEN DOING LAST MONTH WAS BUSY, UM, TO SAY THE LEAST, RIGHT? WITH NOT ONLY WITH THE ART, UH, AND THE GREEN LINE, UH, DEBUT, BUT ALSO WITH THE CITY OF TRANSIT.
AND SO I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND OUR OPERATORS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, FOR DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
[6. Mobility On Demand Rideshare Services, Modification No. 6]
TRUSTEES.WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX.
UH, THIS IS THE MO MOBILITY ON DEMAND RIDE SHARE SERVICES MODIFICATION NUMBER SIX, TO REQUEST APPROVAL TO ISSUE CONTRACT MODIFICATION.
NUMBER SIX, TO EXERCISE A TWO REMAINING ONE YEAR OPTIONS.
MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY? YES, SIR.
I'M GONNA RECUSE MYSELF FROM DISCUSSION AND VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
MR. REYES, MR. WOOD AND MR. SIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I'M THE MANAGER OF CONTRACT SERVICES HERE AT VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM THIS EVENING IS TO ISSUE A MODIFICATION SIX TO RIDE CO FOR MOBILITY ON DEMAND RIDE SHARE SERVICES.
THIS MODIFICATION WILL ALLOW US TO FUND AND EXERCISE THE REMAINING TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF 22,798,000, AS WELL AS PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE UPCOMING ZONES LOCATED IN THE SOUTHEAST CORRIDOR OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE AMOUNT, UH, NOT TO EXCEED 4 MILLION,
[00:30:01]
BRINGING THE TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE TO APPROXIMATELY 45 MILLION.THE RIDE CO CONTRACT IS A THREE YEAR BASE WITH TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS.
THIS TURNKEY CONTRACT PROVIDES SOFTWARE AND OPERATION SERVICES FOR VIA LINK MICRO TRANSIT SERVICE.
THE FIRST ZONE, NOT GO PASS WAS IMPLEMENTED IN MAY OF 2019 AND HAS SINCE GROWN TO FIVE ZONES VIA LINK TRANSPORTS NEARLY 50,000 PASSENGERS A MONTH AND MAINTAINS A STEADY 4.8 RATING WITH AN ON-TIME PERFORMANCE OF ABOUT 98%.
CURRENTLY ON AVERAGE, 48 VEHICLES ARE IN USE AT PEAK SERVICE.
EACH ZONE IS MONITORED FOR EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
TO ENSURE WE ARE PROVIDING A SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE, THE CURRENT CONTRACT WILL EXPIRE IN JULY OF 2027.
SO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WILL BE ISSUED BID IN EARLY TO MID 2026.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS ITEM.
TRUSTEES, WE DID HEAR THIS PRESENTED LAST WEEK.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OKAY, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.
DOES ANYONE, UH, WANNA PRESENT A MOTION AND A SECOND? SO MOVED SECOND.
[7. VIA Recruitment Update]
AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO NUMBER SEVEN VIA RECRUITMENT UPDATE.THANKS, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, JOHN CLAMP, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
UH, SEAN KAGAN, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SAFETY TRAINING AND SYSTEM SECURITY, THE LONGEST, UH, TITLE IN THE AGENCY.
SO WE HAVE A QUICK UPDATE FOR YOU.
BOTTOM LINE IS THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL ON THE BUS OPERATOR, UH, RECRUITMENT SIDE.
SO WE STARTED THE YEAR, UH, LAST YEAR WITH THE FULL-TIME BUS OPERATORS AT 7 99.
WE SLIPPED A LITTLE BIT, UH, A COUPLE, UH, FROM 8 42 OF LAST MONTH.
HOWEVER, THROUGH JULY, UH, OF 21ST, WE'RE AT 8 57.
SO WE'RE 17 AWAY FROM HITTING OUR GOAL OF 75 NEW FULL-TIME BUS OPERATORS FOR THE YEAR.
SO THIS CAN'T HAPPEN OBVIOUSLY WITHOUT, UH, GREAT LEADERSHIP FROM SEAN AND SARAH AND TREMMEL AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS COMPANY BECAUSE THE ENERGY LEVEL FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN IS UNBELIEVABLE.
FROM HR TO SEAN'S GROUP, HANK A SLEW OF PEOPLE ARE MAKING THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE, UH, UH, IT'S JUST SUCH A GOOD GOAL TO HAVE AND IT PROVIDES A LOT OF EXTRA THINGS FOR LATER ON.
SO, WITH THAT ONE KIND OF IMPORTANT POINT, UH, WE ARE ALSO OFFERING A RETIREMENT INCENTIVE FOR OUR, OUR FULL-TIME BUS OPERATORS, UH, AS OF, UH, THIS MONTH.
SO WE'RE OFFERING $18,000 FOR FOLKS FOR BUS OPERATORS THAT PLAN TO RETIRE, TO NOT RETIRE FOR 18 MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE THEM FROM AN ADDITIONAL 18 MONTHS.
WE'RE PAYING A THOUSAND BUCKS A MONTH, $18,000 AT THE END OF THAT PERIOD.
SO THAT GIVES US TIME TO RAMP UP EVEN MORE FOR THAT BIG PUSH TO REACH A THOUSAND PLUS FULL-TIME BUS OPERATORS.
IN ADDITION, UH, AND THIS WAS REEL'S, UM, UH, SUGGESTION IS WE'RE ALSO OFFERING THEM 40 HOURS OF VACATION TIME.
'CAUSE THEY'VE HAD A, A FULL LIFE OF, OF, UH, BUS, UH, BUS DRIVING AND, AND LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON WITH THAT.
BUT JUST TO GIVE THEM A BREAK, TO GIVE THEM SOME ADDITIONAL VACATION HOURS TO TAKE A BREAK, SPEND SOME TIME WITH THEIR FAMILY, AND THEN COME BACK TO WORK.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED, UH, THIS MONTH, UM, OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 80 FULL-TIME BUS OPERATORS THAT HAVE DELAYED AND OR DEFERRED THEIR RETIREMENT, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S GONNA HAVE A, A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON WHERE WE LAND UP LAND FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
SO I IMAGINE WE'RE GONNA MAKE THAT 8 74 PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I'M GOING TO, UH, TURN IT OVER TO SARAH AND LET HER UPDATE YOU ON SOME OTHER THINGS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
TODAY I WILL PROVIDE YOU A SHORT UPDATE IN REGARDING THE APPROACH THAT WE TOOK IN LOOKING AT IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFIC TO TRAINING AS WELL AS RETENTION.
AS YOU ALL MAY RECALL, FOR THE RECRUITMENT UPDATES, REALLY IT IS HIRING, TRAINING AND RETENTION IN THIS EFFORT.
BUT IF YOU ACTUALLY BREAK IT DOWN, IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO FOUR PHASES.
SO THE APPLICATION ITSELF, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PULLING IN A LOT OF APPLICANTS TO BE INTERESTED TO APPLY AT VIA.
[00:35:01]
IS A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE MARKETING TEAM AND HR WHERE TERRY AND SATORI'S TEAM WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ATTRACT MORE APPLICANTS, WHETHER IT BE THE FLYERS THAT WE SEE, THE ADVERTISEMENTS THAT YOU SEE ON THE HIGHWAYS AS WELL.UM, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT THE JOB FAIRS THAT WE HAVE AND THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT THAT HR CONTINUOUSLY WORKS ON.
WAYS TO MAKE IT FRICTIONLESS FOR OUR APPLICANTS IN THE HIRING PROCESS AS WELL.
WE'VE HEARD THAT HR IMPLEMENTED THINGS LIKE TALENT CLICK.
THEY'VE IMPROVED THE PROCESSES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
WE'VE ALSO INCORPORATED A LOT OF OUR SUPERVISORS TO BE PART OF THE PANEL IN INTERVIEWING THE CANDIDATES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GETTING QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE GRADUATION RETENTION TO MAKE SURE THAT, HOW DO WE LOOK AT THE COMPONENTS THAT MAKE IT CRITICAL TO HELP OUR APPLICANTS BE ABLE TO GET A CDL PERMIT, UM, ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND OUR PROCEDURES POLICIES, AND THEN RETAIN THE FULL-TIME OPERATORS.
ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU LOOK AT OR FUNNEL BEFORE, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
HOWEVER, WE DEFINITELY WANNA EXPAND THAT FUNNEL SO THAT WE GET MORE APPLICANTS TO THE DOOR WITH THE IMPROVEMENT THAT YOU ALREADY SAW.
BUT THEN TODAY WE'RE REALLY GONNA FOCUS ON THE IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN GRADUATION AND RETENTION.
SO LET'S DIVE INTO RETRAINING.
WHAT WE DID, WE REALLY LOOKED INTO A LOT OF DATA, WHETHER IT BE QUANTITATIVE OR QUALITATIVE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE BASELINE TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY, FOR A TRANSIT AGENCY AS A WHOLE, WHAT DOES THE TYPICAL GRADUATION RATES LOOK LIKE? HOW ARE WE COMPARABLE TO THOSE TRANSIT AGENCIES? BUT THEN ALSO, WHAT ARE SOME LESSONS LEARNED THAT OTHER AGENCIES HAVE HAD IN THAT WE LOOKED AT QUANTITATIVE DATA TO SAY THINGS LIKE, OKAY, IF WE HAVE STUDENTS TODAY, WHAT ARE THE ACTIVE STUDENTS SAYING? WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT SAID IN THE EXIT SURVEYS? WHAT IS THE QUALITATIVE DATA TELLING US? RIGHT? IF WE INTERVIEW OUR STUDENTS, OUR TRAINERS, OTHER SUPERVISORS, WHAT ARE THEY SHARING OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT? WHY ARE PEOPLE POTENTIALLY LEAVING DURING TRAINING? WITH THAT, IT REALLY HELPED US HONE IN TO SAY, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO FOCUS IN CERTAIN AREAS, BUT REALLY WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET TO THE ROOT OF IT, WE MIGHT BE FIXING THE WRONG THINGS.
RIGHT? ONCE WE GOT TO THE ROOT CAUSE AND WE SAID WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY TO SAY CROSS-FUNCTIONAL DEPARTMENTS GET TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND THE END-TO-END WORKFLOW, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE IMPLEMENT A SOLUTION, WE MIGHT HAVE TO GET INPUTS UPSTREAM, BUT ALSO UNDERSTAND POTENTIAL IMPACTS DOWNSTREAM AS WELL.
FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW SEAN WORKED WITH HIS TEAM TO SAY, IF WE HAVE X, Y, Z SOLUTION, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH FLEET AND MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THE BUSES FOR US TOO.
SO WE'VE SHARED THOSE UPDATES AND PROPOSALS TO LEADERSHIP, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE STAGE WHERE SEAN AND HIS TEAM ARE BASICALLY EVALUATING ALL OF THESE PROPOSALS AND THEN SELECTING THE SOLUTIONS THAT, UM, FIT THEIR NEEDS THE MOST.
AND NOT TO BASICALLY LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG, BUT ULTIMATELY NEXT MONTH SEAN WILL COME BACK WITH HIS TEAM AND SHARE THE UPDATES TO SAY, WHAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND WHAT'S THE PROGRESS SO FAR.
OKAY, SO LET'S JUMP INTO RETENTION.
WE TOOK THE SAME APPROACH WITH RETENTION.
THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, IS JUST A FEW, JUST AN EXACT EXAMPLE, RIGHT? IF YOU LOOK AT QUANTITATIVE, WE WERE LOOKING AT THINGS SUCH AS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LEFT VIA VERSUS OUR FULL-TIME OPERATORS TODAY, IS LEAVE REQUESTS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY IMPACTS THEM.
IS OVERTIME HOURS SOMETHING THAT THEY CARE ABOUT MOST? RIGHT? QUALITATIVE DATA.
WE LOOKED AT OPERATORS AND WE INTERVIEWED THEM, HAD FOCUS GROUP SESSIONS ACROSS ALL TENURES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL MATTERS THAT MATTER MOST.
WE INTERVIEWED EVEN THE ECOSYSTEM TO SAY, SUPERVISORS, FIELD STATION FOREMAN, TRANSIT, POLICE, DISPATCHERS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF THE INTERACTION? SO WE'RE REALLY TAKING A HOLISTIC APPROACH BECAUSE WE KNOW FOR RETENTION ALONE, IT IS NOT JUST ONE DEPARTMENT.
THIS TAKES THE WHOLE AGENCY IN ORDER TO DIVE INTO WHAT WILL ACTUALLY IMPACT OUR FULL-TIME OPERATORS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ALL OF US TOUCH, UM, THE IMPACTS TO MAKE AN EXPERIENCE FOR OUR OPERATORS AS A WHOLE.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE REALLY IN THE DATA ANALYSIS PHASE OF RETENTION AT THE MOMENT, AND WE'RE GONNA DIVE FURTHER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL AREAS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON.
FROM THERE, WE'RE GONNA START THE BRAINSTORM SOLUTION SESSIONS, BUT REALLY NEXT MONTH WE'RE GONNA COME BACK.
SEAN WILL SHARE THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT HE IMPLEMENTED, BUT WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT THE FINDING SPECIFIC TRAINING, AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE RETENTION BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY FOUND SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED SOME POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS ON.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION.
WANTED TO ASK IF ANYBODY HAD QUESTIONS.
TRUSTEES, ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE, JUST CLARIFICATION.
SO THE END OF, UH, JULY, WE'LL HAVE 850, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? CURRENTLY? UH, 8 57.
WELL, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT, YES.
LET'S JUST SAY THAT IT'S ON, IT'S ON THE RECORD.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING I DIDN'T DIDN'T REALLY MENTION, BUT, UH, SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF OUR FULL TEAM WHO DOES THE INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR OUR JOB FAIRS.
[00:40:01]
PHENOMENAL COORDINATION WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND TEAMS. UM, WE HIT IN JULY 265, APPLICANTS PRE-REGISTERED FOR THE JOB FAIR, AND OUT OF THAT, I THINK IT WAS 80 PLUS THAT 87 CONTINGENT OFFERS WERE MADE THAT THAT DAY.SO WE ARE GOING FROM AN AVERAGE OF 40, UM, ATTENDEES FOR JOB FAIRS PRIOR TO 25, AND NOW WE'RE AT, UH, AVERAGE OF 195, UH, PER JOB FAIR.
SO THE FORMULA'S WORKING THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE FINE TUNING THAT HR PROCESS AS WE GO, BUT SATORI AND HER TEAM ARE JUST DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED AS WELL.
SO IT'S REALLY A, A, A, A GROUP EFFORT.
SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST AM WONDERING, I KNOW THAT THE DRIVERS MUST RUN INTO, UM, GOSH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND PERSONALITIES AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE VERY DIFFICULT.
IS THERE ANY TRAINING FOR THEM ON HOW TO DEAL WITH, UH, UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS OR HELP DIFFUSE A PROBLEM? YES, THERE IS.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY A REQUIREMENT BY FTA DEESCALATION TRAINING, CUSTOMER SERVICE, PROVIDING THAT TO MINIMIZE AND TO ELIMINATE ANY SITUATION FROM ESCALATING OUTTA HAND.
TRUSTEE REHAM, UH, JU ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, BUT THEN JUST REALLY JUST WANNA COMMENT, COMMENT.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE, THE HOLISTIC AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.
I THINK Y'ALL ARE DOING WONDERFUL THINGS IN TERMS OF JUST GETTING FOLKS INTO THE DOOR TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
AND THEN I CAN SEE THE SUPPORTS BUILT IN TO GET THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
AND THEN I APPRECIATE HEARING THE PIECES ON THE BACK END, UH, REGARDING LONGEVITY AND RETENTION.
AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, TO THE REST OF THE WORK COMING UP.
UH, MY QUESTION WAS, I KNOW WE'RE BASICALLY, UH, NEGATIVE 17, RIGHT? WE HAVE 17 MORE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET.
WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS FROM JUNE TO NOW.
I GUESS THE QUESTION IS MORE THE, UM, THE REVOLVING DOOR.
I I GUESS AS, AS WE'RE BRINGING FOLKS IN, HOW MANY ARE WE LOSING? WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? AND CLEARLY WE'RE STILL ON THE PLUS SIDE OF THAT, BUT ARE WE STILL SEEING WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS EXITING AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE BRINGING THEM IN? AND I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON QUALITATIVE AS WELL, AS WELL AS QUANTITATIVE.
YOU WANNA SHARE THE JUNE? YEAH.
WHERE IS THE JUNE NUMBER? SO, FOR THE JUNE, UM, NUMBERS ALONE, WE ACTUALLY GRADUATED EIGHT.
UM, WE HAD 11 FULL-TIME OPERATORS LEAVE, WHICH TWO OF THE 11 WERE RETIREES.
SO WE DO SEE SOME PEOPLE STILL LEAVING ON THE TAIL END, BUT THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE'RE DIVING INTO THE RETENTION PIECE TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE FULL-TIME OPERATORS UNDERSTAND WHAT IS ACTUALLY MAKING THEM LEAVE OR WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM WANT TO STAY WITH US LONG TERM.
AND THEN LAST QUESTION, JUST CLARIFICATION.
IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT, THEN YOU BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THE 18,000 INCENTIVE AND THE 40 HOURS A WEEK? YES.
ACTUALLY, I'M GLAD THAT YOU, UH, BROUGHT UP THAT LAST PIECE.
TRUSTEE RENA, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WAS IT 18,000 AND THE 40 HOURS OR YES, 18 THOU.
UH, MR. CLAMP, UH, I BELIEVE SEVERAL MONTHS, WELL, NOT SEVERAL, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UH, I BELIEVE TU WILL AND MYSELF BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE DRIVERS THAT HAD LEFT YES.
UM, THAT WERE STILL GOOD, BUT THEY LEFT BECAUSE OF CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
HAVE Y'ALL REACHED OUT TO THOSE TO SEE IF THEY ARE WILLING TO COME BACK? UH, TRUSTEE, WE HAVE NOT AS OF YET, HOWEVER, ARE, WE'RE DOING SO WELL ON THE JOB FAIRS.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A NEED YET TO GO BACK TO THAT BUCKET.
UM, WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT IT STILL ON OUR RADAR.
HOWEVER, WITH, UH, REHIRES IN GENERAL, IF THEY DO COME BACK, THEY, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FULL TRAINING PROGRAM AND THEY TYPICALLY DON'T STAY LONGER THAN A YEAR AS WELL.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, SOUNDS REALLY POSITIVE.
BUT WHEN WE DID A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, IT WASN'T QUITE AS FRUITFUL.
ALTHOUGH THEY'RE STILL ON OUR LIST TO LOOK AT JUST IN CASE WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE NEED THAT HELP TRUST.
OKAY, I SEE WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE, WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
HOWEVER, BACK TO SECRETARY MALONE'S, UM, REMARK AND YES, I DO REMEMBER THAT SPECIFICALLY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS, BUT THEY ALREADY HAVE THAT CDL, SO THEY DON'T NEED TO, THAT'S, THAT'S AN EXPENSE THAT BEA DOES NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON THAT FRONT END.
AND ADDITIONALLY, I THINK USING DATA THAT THEY WOULD LEAVE AFTER A YEAR DOESN'T TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FACT THAT THEY WERE LEAVING BECAUSE OF THE
[00:45:01]
LACK OF FLEXIBILITY WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR SCHEDULE.AND SO BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION FOR THAT ISSUE, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD AT LEAST REACH OUT TO THEM BECAUSE IT'S A, WHILE, IT'S NOT A, UM, YOU KNOW, A REQUIRED THING TO DO.
IT IS A KIND OF A NICE THING TO DO TO SAY, HEY, WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU.
AND THAT MAY EVEN STILL PROVIDE SOME SORT OF, UM, LOYALTY AND CONFIDENCE THAT THEY THOUGHT OF ME, THEY SAW ME AS A VALUED PERSON, AND THEY WANT ME BACK BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO AT LEAST ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, WHICH WAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND THEN THEY HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF THAT LACK OF FLEXIBILITY.
AND SO, SO WHAT WE'LL, WE'LL DO BY NEXT, WHEN, WHEN SEAN GIVES HIS UPDATE, WE WILL, WE WILL HAVE A LETTER THAT IS OUT TO THEM THAT EXPLAINS THE PROGRAM, AND WE WILL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, THAT WE'RE STILL AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THOSE POINTS.
I THINK IT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA REACH YOUR GOAL SOONER LATER.
UH, MAKE SURE WE SHOULD, EVERY OPERATOR COUNTS SHOULD PUSH THAT FOR A HUNDRED NEXT TIME.
WELL, I, I DON'T WANNA LET THE, THE, THE CAT OUTTA THE BAG, AS THEY SAY, FOR WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN OUR BUDGET THAT WE'LL HAVE IN FRONT OF Y'ALL HERE IN TWO WEEKS.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT GONNA BE 75.
YEAH, WELL, IT, IT'LL BE LARGER AND IT'S, THIS IS A TESTAMENT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR GOAL SETTING, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THERE'S GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES, LOOKING AT STA, UH, STAFF CAP CAPABILITIES.
WHAT, UM, YOUR QUALITATIVE DATA IS TELLING YOU.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, FROM THE OPERATORS, THIS IS AN ALL IN, UH, TEAM EFFORT.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE THE MAIN ONES PRESENTING, BUT THIS, THERE'S MANY MORE BEHIND YOU THAT ARE HELP SUPPORTING THAT.
SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS.
UH, I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS IS GONNA LAND AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.
YOU HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT? JUST ONE MORE COMMENT.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, JUST TO PUT THESE IN CONTEXT, Y'ALL KNOW, I'D LOVE TO, TO PUT THESE INTO CONTEXT.
UM, WHEN WE'RE AT 8 57, WHICH WE HEARD TODAY, UM, WE WOULD'VE MADE UP FOUR YEARS OF, OF, OF OPERATOR NUMBERS.
UM, THAT'S HOW LONG AGO WE WERE AT, THAT KIND OF NUMBER WAS OVER FOUR YEARS AGO.
SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S DONE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE MADE THAT HAPPEN AND HAVE FOCUSED ON IT.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON IT BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A WAY TO GO.
UH, BUT THEN THE NEXT STEP IN THIS, AND WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT SANDEEP AND ROD, IS, UH, WE GOTTA GET, WE GOTTA GET THE SERVICE, UH, LEVELS UP FOR THESE, UM, OPERATORS AND THROUGH BETTER BUS AND MAKING THAT CONNECTION THEN TO ACCELERATING THAT BETTER BUS PLAN, AS WELL AS I KNOW OUR CHAIR HAS GRACIOUSLY, UM, GIVEN US THE HINT THAT WE SHOULD ACCELERATE, ACCELERATE, ACCELERATE THAT.
SO THIS IS HOW ALL THAT WORKS TOGETHER.
AND, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO, TO BE IN THIS POSITION IN, UH, JULY OF THIS YEAR.
SO INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
THAT 25%, IT'S GONNA BE THERE, RIGHT? ROD?
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT UPDATE.
[Items 8 & 9]
AND MOVE ON TO AGENDA NUMBER EIGHT.THIS IS, UH, GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. WE HAVE, UM, A FEW ITEMS THERE.
TODAY IS JULY 22ND, 2025, AND THEN TIME NOW IS 5:51 PM THE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL OFFICIALLY GO INTO A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION AS PERMITTED UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT.
THE ITEMS WE WILL, UH, DISCUSS DURING THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION ARE AS FOLLOWS.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT ENTITLED CHIEF AUDIT OFFICER PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, WHICH IS ALLOWED AS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 0.07.
ONE ENTITLED CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 ENTITLED PERSONNEL.
AND ITEM NUMBER NINE, ENTITLED VIA EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM BRIEFING, WHICH IS ALLOWED AS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.07.
ONE ENTITLED CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
AND ITEM 10 ENTITLED LEGAL LEGAL BRIEFING, WHICH IS ALLOWED AS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.07.
ONE ENTITLED CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, ALL PERSONS WHO ARE AUTHORIZED TO ATTEND THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, PLEASE PROCEED TO THE SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT ATTEND OR MONITOR THIS
[00:50:01]
PORTION OF THE MEETING IN ANY MANNER.IT IS NOW 6:26 PM AND WE ARE OFFICIALLY COMING OUT OF THE CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS EIGHT, NINE, AND 10.
NO DELIBERATIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY OR VOTE, UH, VOTE TAKING OCCURRED DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
TRUSTEES, I DO HAVE ITEM EIGHT, CHIEF AUDIT OFFICER PERFORMANCE EVALUATION IN AN ACTION ITEM.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? SO MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION, OR ACTUALLY LET THE CHAIR MAKE IT.
WELL, I WAS GONNA MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CHIEF AUDITOR'S CONTRACT PER OUR CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW ON EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
THIS IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11.
UH, WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF OUR MEETING.
I KNOW IT'S EVERYONE'S FAVORITE.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND PLEASE? SO, ADJOURN THE MEETING.