[00:00:01]
[1. Call to Order]
EVERYONE.AS MY TRUSTEES ARE GRABBING A SEAT.
YES, IT IS NOW 5:01 PM AND I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE FEBRUARY 24TH, A TD BOARD MEETING.
ACTUALLY, WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'RE GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE FEBRUARY 24TH VIA BOARD MEETING.
LET'S BEGIN WITH ROLL CALL VICE CHAIR GOMEZ.
PRESENT ASSISTANT SECRETARY COOPER.
TRUSTEE TU WILL, TRUSTEE RENA PRESENT.
TRUSTEE HOWARD PRESENT TRUSTEE FERNANDEZ PRESENT AND TRUSTEE RETE PRESENT WELCOME TRUSTEE.
A TO THE VIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
[2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance]
RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLE AND THE TEXAS FLAG.A PP OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION, UNDERG GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL HONOR, HONORS TEXAS FLAG TO TEXAS.
DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO ANNOUNCEMENTS, MADAM CHAIR.
[3. Swearing in of VIA Transit Chief of Police ]
TO A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR US, UH, SWEARING IN OUR OF OUR VIA TRANSIT CHIEF OF POLICE.UM, PLEASE WELCOME JUDGE WILLIAM K. SHAW, WHO WILL SERVE IN VIAS NEW CHIEF, UH, WHO WAS WARREN VIAS NEW CHIEF OF POLICE AND TRANSIT SECURITY.
JAMAL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE BOTH GENTLEMEN, PLEASE? SURE.
THE HONORABLE JUDGE WILLIAM H. CRUZ SHAW IS A NATIVE OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AS A PASSION FOR HELPING PEOPLE IN HIS COMMUNITY, THE PASTORS REFLECTED IN HIS EDUCATIONAL, PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE PURSUITS.
JUDGE SHAW SERVED HIS COUNTRY AS A YEOMAN, SECOND CLASS UNITED STATES NAVY RESERVES FROM 2003 UNTIL 2011.
WHILE IN RESERVES, SHAW SERVED IN SAN ANTONIO AND IN SINGAPORE.
HE GRADUATED FROM THURGOOD MARSHALL SCHOOL OF LAW AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, HE 2009, AND OPENED HIS OWN LAW PRACTICE IN THE HEART OF THE EAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO IN SEPTEMBER, 2010.
JUDGE SHAW WAS ELECTED AS CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE OF 2017, AND WAS APPOINTED AS ASSOCIATE JUDGE IN THE 436TH DISTRICT COURT IN BEXAR COUNTY IN JANUARY OF 2019, AND WAS ELECTED TO THE 436TH DISTRICT COURT NOVEMBER, 2022.
NEXT UP, IF WE'LL HAVE, UH, YOU STAND THERE, CHIEF ROSE, SOME BACKGROUND ON OUR CHIEF ROSE.
JOSEPH ROSE IS AN ACCOMPLISHED LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVE WITH 20 PLUS YEARS OF PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP IN MUNICIPAL AND TRANS POLICING.
SPECIALIZE IN BUILDING AND MODERNIZING PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS, LEADING COMPLEX OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPING POLICY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PERSONNEL SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT ACCOUNTABLE COMMUNITY-CENTERED POLICING.
SCHULTZ WAS KNOWN FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND TRUST-BASED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HIS LEADERSHIP STYLE BALANCES OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE WITH TRANSPARENCY, PERSONAL MENTORSHIP AND STRATEGIC STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS.
HIS EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND INCLUDES A MASTER'S OF PUBLIC MANAGEMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP FROM JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AND ASSOCIATES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FROM EXCELSIOR UNIVERSITY.
HE'S ALSO ATTENDED FROM PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, THE POLICE EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, FBI, NATIONAL ACADEMY, SESSION 2 81 FBI, NATIONAL ACADEMY GRADUATE.
AND DESPITE THAT, HE'S ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
HE BEGAN HIS TRANSIT CAREER AS A BUS OPERATOR FOR NEW YORK MTA FOR EIGHT YEARS.
UH, THEN HE WENT TO THE WORLD OF TRANSIT POLICING AT ADA IN WASHINGTON, DC.
FROM THAT POINT, HE PROGRESSED TO MUNICIPAL LAW LAW ENFORCEMENT IN, IN, UH, BOY MARYLAND, AND MADE HIS WAY DOWN TO TEXAS TO HELP BEGIN THE START OF THE CAPITOL METRO TRANSIT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE HIM HERE TODAY.
AND SO, AT THIS TIME, I'LL LEAVE YOU CHIEF TO, UH, BE SWORN IN BY THE HONORABLE JUDGE KHAW.
WE GATHER FOR MORE THAN JUST A FORMAL APPOINTMENT.
[00:05:01]
COMMITMENT, A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE, A COMMITMENT TO LEADERSHIP, AND THE COMMITMENT TO THE VALUES THAT DEFINE PUBLIC TRUST.THE ROLE OF THE TRANSIT POLICE CHIEF CARRIES A PROFOUND RESPONSIBILITY.
THE ROLE OF TRANSIT POLICE CHIEF CARRIES A PROFOUND RESPONSIBILITY.
OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM IS MORE THAN BUSES, STATIONS, AND ROUTES.
IT'S A LIFELINE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT PROTECTS PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND ONE ANOTHER.
THE CHIEF ENTRUSTED WITH PROTECTING THIS SYSTEM MUST LEAD NOT ONLY WITH AUTHORITY, BUT WITH INTEGRITY.
CHIEF JOSEPH ROSE, AS YOU PREPARE TO TAKE THIS OATH, YOU ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.
YOU ARE CALLED TO LEAD WITH TRANSPARENCY, ENSURING THAT TRUST BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES AND THE PUBLIC IS EARNED AND MAINTAINED.
EVERY DAY, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO LEAD WITH COMPASSION, RECOGNIZING THAT THOSE WE SERVE INCLUDE OUR WRITERS, OUR EMPLOYEES, AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING VULNERABILITY CRISIS AND HARDSHIP.
NOW, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF TRANSIT POLICE CHIEF, THAT YOU'LL SUPPORT AND UPHOLD THE ORGANIZATIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES, AS WELL AS THE LAWS OF THIS STATE THAT WILL PERFORM YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WITH INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ETHICAL PRACTICE, THAT YOU'LL SERVE OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR COMMUNITY WITH FAIRNESS, COURAGE, AND COMPASSION.
CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF JOSEPH ROSE.
TRUSTEES, UH, IF YOU CAN JOIN ME, WE'RE GONNA GO TAKE A QUICK PHOTO RIGHT HERE AND RECOGNITION OF THIS MOMENTOUS MOMENT HERE.
[00:10:03]
WELL, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF, WELCOME TO THE TEAM.UH, I ALSO, AGAIN, WANNA WELCOME IN JOINING ME TODAY, OUR NEWEST TRUSTEE, MS. CHRIS RETA, UH, STEWARD OF THIS COMMUNITY, LOTS OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM, UH, THAT SHE HAS IMPARTED ON SAN ANTONIO.
SO WE ARE, UH, JUST THRILLED THAT YOU HAVE JOINED OUR BOARD.
I I THINK WE NEED TO SEE THIS EVERY, EVERY MEETING.
[4. Citizens to be Heard ]
NEXT.I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE A FEW CITIZENS WHO SIGNED UP.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE 20 INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK WITH ONE OF THEM.
RELINQUISHING THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER.
WE NOW COME TO ASSISTANCE TO BE HEARD PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING.
THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM OUR PATRONS AND CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO BAYAR COUNTY AREA.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING PUBLIC BUSINESS OR POLICY OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAS SUPERVISION AND THE CONTROL MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT, CEO AND OR HIS STAFF.
THIS 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.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. WILLIAM HERNANDEZ.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CHAIR VIA BOARD, MR. HERRA AND VIA STAFF.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF A TU 6 9 4 RETIREE CHAPTER, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON TWO SUBJECTS.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE 10 99 IRS FORMS THAT WERE MAILED OUT IN 2025.
I WAS NOTIFIED BY A HANDFUL OF MEMBERS THAT THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THEIR FORMS AFTER ADVISING THEM TO CONTACT PAYROLL.
THEY WERE TOLD TO COME IN AND PICK UP A COPY.
THE QUESTION ARISES OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ORIGINAL COPIES.
THEY, UM, THEY'VE TALKED TO, UH, POSTMASTERS AND THEY SAID, WELL, IT WOULD BE SENT BACK TO PAYROLL.
SO IF YOU CAN HAVE PAYROLL DUE, DUE DILIGENCE AND TRACKING DOWN THESE ORIGINAL COPIES BECAUSE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, IDENTITY THEFT.
AND, UM, SO IF YOU CAN GET WITH THEM AND HAVE THEM GET WITH THOSE PEOPLE, WE APPRECIATE IT.
SECONDLY, UM, FREE RIDES FOR ALL.
I WAS A BUS DRIVER FOR 39 YEARS.
I'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU OPEN UP THE GATES AND LET EVERY WEDDING IN TO RIDE FREE AT A FEEL FOR THE HOMELESS.
BUT THESE PEOPLE WILL COME AND THEY'LL JUST CAMP OUT ON THE BUS ALL DAY LONG.
AND IF THEY'RE RIDING FOR FREE, THERE'S, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GET 'EM OFF THE BUS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE DEALING WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE SEEN IT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A MANIC EPISODE AND IT SCARES THE JITTERS OUT OF THE REGULAR PASSENGERS THAT ARE RIDING THE BUS.
A LOT OF THEM, UM, THEY LEAVE THE BUS UN UNSANITARY AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL DEFECATE, THEY'LL URINATE, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE SEEN IT.
SO A DRIVER WILL HAVE TO CALL TRANSIT POLICE.
AND DEPENDING HOW CLOSE THE TRANSIT POLICE OFFICER IS, IS TO THE, THE BUS IS, UH, THE RE THE, THE TIME IT TAKES 'EM TO GET THERE.
UM, IT IS A GOOD POLITICAL TALKING POINT, BUT IT WILL ONLY DE DELAY SERVICE FOR REGULAR RIDER.
I KNOW THEY ALREADY HAVE, UH, FREE FARE FOR, UM, COLLEGE STUDENTS AND, AND ELEMENTARIES AND THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ALL PERFECT.
THAT'S, THAT'S FINE, YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, FREE FOR ALL, FOR EVERYONE.
I MEAN, I HOPE YOU ALL REALLY CONSIDER THAT, OR NOT Y'ALL, BUT CITY COUNCIL.
[00:15:04]
ROGER.MY NAME IS ROGER SIGNS, AND I AM THE PASTOR OF SOUTH CITY CHURCH, AND WE ARE LOCATED AT 34 32 SOUTH FLORIDA STREET ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I MADE A REQUEST TO HAVE A BUS STOP MOVED, AND, UH, THE BUS STOP NUMBER IS 6 6 8 3 6.
AND THE REFERENCE NUMBER FOR MY REQUEST IS 5 5 6 8 4 0.
MY REQUEST WAS DENIED, AND I ASKED IF I COULD APPEAL, AND THEY SAID NO.
AND I SAID, WELL, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMEBODY I COULD TALK TO.
AND THEY SAID, I COULD COME HERE BEFORE Y'ALL, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
THE REASON I MADE MY REQUEST TO HAVE A BUS STOP MOVIE, BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE THERE, AND ON SUNDAY MORNINGS, THERE'S A LOT OF TRASH.
THERE'S EMPTY BEER BOTTLES, EMPTY BEER CANS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND I'M OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, PICKING IT UP.
BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS ONE TIME, ONE SUNDAY MORNING, I WENT OUT THERE AND I WAS LOOKING, THERE WAS A, A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE BUS.
IT WAS ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, THE, THERE'S A BIG CONCRETE BENCH THAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF, UH, THE ENTRANCE INTO OUR BUILDING.
WE HAVE A GATE OUT THERE, RIGHT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, THE, THE ENTRANCE TO THE, TO THE GATE.
THERE'S A BIG CONCRETE BENCH THAT'S PART OF THE, THE BUS STOP, RIGHT? AND, UH, THERE WAS A BIG GROUP OUT THERE, AND OUR PEOPLE, THE CONGREGATION HAD TO WALK AROUND THEM, WALK INTO THE STREET IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE GATE.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT I'M AFRAID SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET HIT BY A CAR OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? SO THAT'S WHY I MADE THE REQUEST.
AND I WANTED TO ASK TO SEE, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL COULD LOOK, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
AND, UH, IF Y'ALL COULD MOVE THE BUS STOP, AND I WOULDN'T EVEN MIND IF Y'ALL COULD JUST MOVE IT TO THE EDGE OF OUR PROPERTY, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE BUS STOP IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF, OF OUR BUILDING, RIGHT WHERE THE MAIN ENTRANCE IS AT THE GATE ENTRANCE.
THERE'S A BIG CONCRETE BENCH RIGHT THERE, AND THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR THE BUS.
AND I JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GET HIT, YOU KNOW, GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK Y'ALL IF Y'ALL COULD TAKE A, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THAT AGAIN, IF THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.
AND I JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR. PAUL BAAL.
A LITTLE WEIRD TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE, THE BOARD TABLE HERE.
UM, MADAM CHAIR BOARD, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
UM, ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
UH, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS PAUL ALUA.
I'M PRESIDENT OF, UH, SERA DEVELOPMENT, AND THIS YEAR I'M SERVING AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE METRO SA CHAMBER.
UM, I'M HERE TO DISCUSS OUR POSITION ON FREE BUS FAIRS.
ONE OF MY PRIORITIES THIS YEAR IS PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE.
INVESTMENT FREE FARES IS NOT PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.
UM, SO I HAVE A LETTER THAT I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE BOARD THAT I THINK HAS BEEN HANDED OUT TO YOU GUYS.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ IT FOR YOU.
UM, SO SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1977, VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT HAS BEEN HOBBLED BY INSUFFICIENT FUNDING, RATHER THAN THE FULL CENT SALES TAX THAT THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR LEG LEGISLATURE MADE AVAILABLE TO MUNICIPALITIES FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
C CITY LEADERS CHOSE TO ONLY UTILIZE A HALF CENT BACK THEN.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PLAYING, PLAYING CATCHUP SINCE.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT DECISION WAS TWOFOLD.
FIRST, VIA, OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIVE DECADES, LACKED LITERALLY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REVENUE THAT ITS PEER CITIES HAVE DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TRANSIT.
SECOND VIA, UH, COULD NOT RECEIVE FEDERAL GRANTS FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
THE TRANSIT AGENCIES ACROSS TEXAS AND ACROSS THE NATION RECEIVED GRANTS PAID FOR BY TAX DOLLARS SPENT BY SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS SENT TO WASHINGTON DC THE RESULT WAS A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM IN SAN ANTONIO THAT HAS STRUGGLED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, VIA HAS STARTED TO CHANGE THIS ENVIRONMENT, MOST NOTABLY WITH THE PASSAGE OF PROP A.
IN 2020, THE DEDICATED AN ADDITIONAL ONE, A SALES TAX TO THE PUBLIC TRANSIT.
THAT ADDITIONAL INCREMENT NOT ONLY PROVIDED VIA WITH DESPERATELY, DESPERATELY NEEDED REVENUE, BUT IT ALSO UNLOCKED THOSE PREVIOUSLY INACCESSIBLE FEDERAL TRANSIT GRANTS.
AS A FORMER VIA TRUSTEE, I KNOW THAT OUR TRANSIT, UH, SYSTEM RUNS A LIEN OPERATION.
CALLING FOR UNIVERSAL FREE FAIRS WITHOUT PROVIDING FUNDING PUTS ALL OF THAT AT RISK.
UM, THE METRO SA CHAMBER HAS BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE SILVER LINE, UH, INCLUDING BACK IN THE POLICY, UH, COMMITMENT TO DEPLOY A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT FUNDS TO PURSUE $300 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS THAT WOULD MAKE THE SILVER LINE A REALITY.
ELIMINATING FAIR REVENUE WITHOUT FUNDING REPLACEMENT COULD PLACE THAT STRATEGY AT RISK BY NOT JUST JEOPARDIZING THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN LOCAL INVESTMENT, BUT THE $300 MILLION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS MATCHING AS PART OF, UH, ITS GRANT MAKING PROCESS.
[00:20:01]
CONFIRM VIAS FINANCIAL CAPACITY TO OPERATE THE GREEN AND SILVER LINES.AND A $20 MILLION REDUCTION IN FAIRBOX REVENUE WITHOUT REPLACEMENT FUNDING WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY PUT NEGATIVE LIGHT ON OUR ABILITY TO OPERATE ECONOMIC MOBILITY, UH, IS DEPENDENT ON PHYSICAL MOBILITY.
AS THE CHAIR OF THE METROS SA CHAMBER, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE MY FORMER COLLEAGUES ON THE VIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THE TRANSFORMATIONAL INVESTMENTS VIAS MAKING IN A RT.
ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE A FELLOW TRUSTEE OVER HERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, REBECCA VRAN.
UM, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MR. PRESIDENT, TRUSTEES.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER SIX, FREE FAIR.
UM, MY NAME IS REBECCA VRAN, AND I SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE SOUTH TEXAS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP.
THE MISSION OF THE SOUTH TEXAS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP IS TO STIMULATE SUSTAINED ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ACROSS SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH TEXAS.
A CRITICAL CHALLENGE IN ACHIEVING THAT MISSION IS MOBILITY.
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY AND BUSINESSES TO THE WORKFORCE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT HAS BEEN A VALUED PARTNER IN ADDRESSING THIS CHALLENGE.
VIAS RAPID TRANSIT GREEN LINE, ALONG WITH THE PLANNED SOUTH TEXAS PARKWAY REPRESENT TRANSFORMATIONAL INVESTMENT IN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO.
THE GREEN LINE WILL CONNECT WITH THE EXISTING BROOKS TRANSIT CENTER, ENABLING SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS TO MORE EFFICIENTLY ACCESS JOBS, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IT WILL ALSO BETTER CONNECT RESIDENTS ACROSS SAN ANTONIO TO THE GROWING EMPLOYMENT CENTERS IN SOUTH SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH BEXAR COUNTY RIDER THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAVE CONSISTENTLY ASKED FOR EXPANDED MOBILITY OPTIONS AND INCREASED FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS.
THE GREEN LINE IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER.
GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROJECT, WE WOULD BE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT ANY SHIFT IN PRIORITIES THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE THE FEDERAL GRANTS ALREADY SECURED FOR THE GREEN LINE.
THESE FUNDS WERE AWARDED BASED ON A CLEAR COMMITMENT AND PLAN, ANY DEPARTURE FROM THAT COMMITMENT RISKS NOT ONLY CRITICAL FUNDING, BUT ALSO THE ECONOMIC MOMENTUM AND PUBLIC TRUST TIED TO THIS INVESTMENT.
ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH TEXAS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP, I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO ADHERE TO ITS EXISTING COMMITMENT TO THE GREEN LINE, MAINTAIN ITS FULL INVESTMENT IN THE PROJECT, AND CONTINUE ADVANCING INCREASED MOBILITY AND FREQUENCY FOR THE SOUTH SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH BEXAR COUNTY REGION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I BELIEVE YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF ON YOUR, ON YOUR DAIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATIE FARRIER.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR, UH, BOARD.
MY NAME IS KATIE FARRIER, AND ON BEHALF OF THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, I CAME TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM SIX.
THE GREATER CHAMBER SUPPORTS A STRONG, RELIABLE AND FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
TRANSIT IS ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE, CONNECTING WORKERS TO JOBS AND SUPPORTS REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS, WHILE FRAMED AS AN AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESS MEASURE.
THE PROPOSED PILOT PROGRAM IS A STRUCTURAL POLICY CHANGE THAT WARRANTS DELIBERATE AND TRANSPARENT EVALUATION.
FIRST, FEDERAL FUNDING IMPLICATIONS SHOULD BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED, EVEN THOUGH FAIR REVENUE IS NOT VIAS PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE, IT CONTRIBUTES TO FINANCIAL STABILITY AND IS PART OF THE METRICS USED IN COMPETITIVE GRANT EVALUATIONS.
AND TODAY'S PERFORMANCE DRIVEN FEDERAL FUNDING ENVIRONMENT, SAN ANTONIO MUST REMAIN STRONG FISCAL METRICS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH PURE CITIES.
SECOND EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT RIDERSHIP CHALLENGES ARE MORE CLOSELY TIED TO SERVICE DESIGN, INCLUDING FREQUENCY, RELIABILITY, TRAVEL TIME CONNECTIVITY,
[00:25:01]
AND SAFETY, RATHER THAN FAIR LEVELS.IF THE GOAL IS INCREASING, RIDERSHIP RESOURCES MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVELY DIRECTED TOWARD IMPROVING SERVICE QUALITY ON HIGH DEMAND CORRIDORS AND STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS TO MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS.
THIRD, OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS MATTER.
VIA MUST REMAIN A MOBILITY FIRST SYSTEM FOCUSED ON CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY.
ANY POLICY CHANGE THAT ALTERS USAGE PATTERNS SHOULD INCLUDE CLEARLY DEFINED METRICS FOR SAFETY, SERVICE QUALITY, OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE, AND FISCAL IMPACT, ALONG WITH TRANSPARENT PUBLIC REPORTING.
FINALLY, FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY MUST REMAIN CENTRAL.
ELIMINATING FARES WITHOUT A DEDICATED REVENUE REPLACEMENT SOURCE INCREASES RELIANCE ON SALES TAX AND PUBLIC SUBSIDY.
ANY FUNDING STRATEGY SHOULD AVOID INCREASING THE COST BURDEN ON RESIDENTS OR EMPLOYERS, PARTICULARLY IN A PERIOD OF RISING ECONOMIC PRESSURES.
LONG-TERM STABILITY IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING AFFORDABILITY, PUBLIC CONFIDENCE, AND BUSINESS SUPPORT.
WE STAND READY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH VIA AND THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT ANY POLICY DECISION STRENGTHENS NOT WINKS SAN ANTONIO'S LONG-TERM ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA PALACIOS.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHO REPRESENTS NEARLY 900 MEMBER BUSINESSES, AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
ON ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS LONG SUPPORTED STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION, IMPROVE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, AND ENHANCE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS.
OUR SUPPORT HAS ALWAYS BEEN GROUNDED IN FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE PROTECTION OF FUNDING STREAMS CRITICAL TO TRANSIT OPERATIONS.
WE UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THAT THE GOAL OF INCREASING ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY, HOWEVER, WE'RE CONCERNED OF THE POTENTIAL RISK TO FEDERAL FUNDING.
IF FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE JEOPARDIZED, THE IMPACT WOULD EXTEND BEYOND THE FIVE ROUTES AND COULD, UM, IMPACT CAPITAL PROJECTS.
OUR MEMBERS RELY ON RELIABLE TRANSIT SYSTEMS TO MOVE EMPLOYEES TO MANUFACTURING PLANTS, HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, HOS AND HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM CORRIDORS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM, SMALL JOB SITES, SMALL AND MICRO BUSINESS JOB SITES.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT DECISIONS OF THIS MAGNITUDE REQUIRE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF FEDERAL IMPLICATIONS, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING.
UM, TO KIND OF REVERSE COURSE JUST A BIT, IN 2020, OUR MEMBERS SUPPORTED A, A FORMALLY ADOPTED RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT PROPOSITION A, WHICH REALLOCATED THE ONE EIGHTH SALES TAX TO, TO VIA, AND OUR POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED.
UM, I WANNA ECHO WHAT, WHAT MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY STOOD UP HERE TO SAY THAT WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT IN COLLABORATION EFFORTS WITH VIA AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. ROBERT GARZA.
I'M ROBERT GARZA, 22 YEAR BUS OPERATOR, CURRENTLY PRESIDENT OF A TU LOCAL 6 9 4.
I'M HERE TO DISCUSS OUR CONCERNS WITH FREE FARE FOR ALL.
REMOVING FARES CAN INCREASE OVERALL RIDERSHIP, INCREASED CONFLICTS, HIGHER RATES OF VERBAL ABUSE, GREATER RISK OF PHYSICAL ASSAULTS, MORE ON BOARD DISTURBANCES, DELAY OF SERVICE, AND WILL AFFECT OUR EMPLOYEE RETENTION.
WHEN THE BUS BECOMES FREE, THE RESPECT FOR THE SERVICE AND THE PERSON'S PROVIDING IT DROPS BY OPENING THE DOORS TO EVERYONE WITHOUT EXCEPTION, WE LOSE THE ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR PASSENGERS FROM THOSE WHO AREN'T THERE TO TRAVEL, BUT ARE ONLY THERE TO CAUSE TROUBLE.
YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON SAFETY, BUT YOU CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T TRADE IT AWAY FOR, FOR A POLITICAL TALKING POINT.
[00:30:01]
FIXING REAL ISSUES IN OUR CITY, LIKE HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH, RATHER THAN TRY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST.BY ELIMINATING FARES, OUR OPERATORS, MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES, AND RIDER DESERVE BETTER.
THIS IS A RARE OCCASION WHERE LABOR AND MANAGEMENT ARE 100% ON THE SAME PAGE BOARD MEMBERS.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU DO NOT ALLOW THIS PROGRAM TO MOVE FORWARD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMALIA SOTO, AND HE HAS HAD TIME, UH, YIELDED TO HIM BY GILBERT LES.
GOOD EVENING VIA TRUSTEES, MR. HERRERA AND MR. BROWN.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE A TWO MEMBERS AND THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
THEY TRULY ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS COMPANY.
I'M THE A TU 6 9 4 TREASURER BUSINESS AGENT.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'VE BEEN A BUS OPERATOR FOR 38 YEARS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ECHO WHAT MR. GARZA JUST MENTIONED CONCERNING FREE FARES.
ELIMINATING FA ELIMINATING FARES IS A BAD IDEA, BAD BUSINESS FROM THE NEGATIVE, BAD BUSINESS FROM THE NEGATIVE EFFECT IT CAN HAVE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, AT THE SAFETY AND TO THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT WILL ARISE FROM THE IMPACT OF FREE FARES.
AS FAR AS THE NEGATIVE EFFECT THAT WILL, THAT WILL HAVE THE, UH, WILL HAVE WITH THE COMPANY.
THAT'S MR. HEDA AND MR. BROWN'S JOB.
BUT AS FAR AS THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS THAT FREE FARES CAN HAVE, I CAN SPEAK ON THIS BECAUSE A FEW YEARS AGO DURING THE PANDEMIC VIA WAS OFFERING FREE FARES.
MANY OF US EXPERIENCED A NEGATIVE EFFECT THAT FREE FARES HAD DURING THAT TIME.
BUS OPERATOR ASSAULTS AND DISTURBANCES INCREASED, AND THAT HAD A SNOWBALL EFFECT AND CAUSED ISSUES WITH DELAY OF SERVICE AND JUST OVERALL QUALITY OF SERVICE IN GENERAL.
OUR PASSENGERS LOST RELIABILITY SERVICE DUE TO ALL OF THIS IN GENERAL.
UH, OUR PASSENGERS LOST RELIABILITY SERVICE DUE TO ALL OF THIS, NOT JUST RELIABLE SERVICE ON THE BUSES, BUT AT THE TRANSIT CENTERS TOO.
THERE WAS OVERCROWDING AND CLEANINGS ISSUES AT THE TRANSIT STATIONS.
THE MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES WERE HAVING A HARD TIME KEEPING THE FACILITIES SAFE AND CLEAN.
THEN CAME THE EMPLOYEE TURNOVER.
OUR WORKFORCE STARTED LOO LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR WORK BECAUSE THEIR SAFETY HAD BEEN COMPROMISED AND THEIR FAMILIES WANTED THEM HOME SAFELY.
BUT VIAS MAKING PROGRESS AND WE'RE IN A BETTER PLACE NOW.
VIA IS INCREASING ITS WORKFORCE TO SATISFY DEMAND, AND OUR RIDERSHIP IS INCREASING.
WE'RE ADDING NEW SERVICE SUCH AS THE NEW RAPID, GREEN AND SILVER LINE.
WE'RE EXCITED THAT THIS WILL CREATE NEW JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION, MORALE IS ALSO GOING UP DUE TO THESE NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE DON'T WANNA GO BACKWARDS.
THE VALUE OF RELIABLE SERVICE ONLY COSTS A DOLLAR 30, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LOWEST FAIRES IN THE NATION FOR A MAJOR CITY.
BUT THAT, THAT DOLLAR 30 FOR A BUS RIDE SHOWS THAT THE PATRON HAS SOME SKIN IN THE GAME AND HOLDS THEM ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY RIDE.
SO TRUSTEES, PLEASE CONSIDER THE SAFETY OF OUR PASSENGERS AND EMPLOYEES WHEN MAKING OUR, WHEN MAKING YOUR DECISION.
AND REMEMBER, RELIABLE SERVES IS MUCH BETTER THAN FREE SERVICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. JD SALINAS, MADAM CHAIR AND TRUSTEES, THANKS FOR HAVING ME AND THANKS FOR WELCOMING ME.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR, FOR A BIT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE A PROPOSAL TO FUND THE FREE PILOT PROGRAM AND USING ANY KIND OF TAX, ANY TYPE OF REVENUE.
LET ME START BY SAYING WE UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THE GOAL, IMPROVING MOBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY FOR RIDERS, BUT PUBLIC TRANSIT IS IMPORTANT FOR WORKFORCE ACCESS AND REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS.
BUT THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU IS NOT ONLY WHETHER FAIR FREE RIDES OR A WORTHWHILE CONCEPT, THE QUESTION IS ALSO WHETHER THE PROPOSED FUNDING MECHANISM IS APPROPRIATE, SUSTAINABLE, AND FAIR TO SAN, ANY CONSUMER TAX IS WORTH IS THE WRONG TOOL BECAUSE IT INCREASES COST ON HOUSEHOLDS SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAXES ALREADY BEING PAID.
ADDING ANOTHER LOCAL TAX EFFECTIVELY CREATES QUADRUPLE TAXATION, AND THE RESULT IS HIGHER.
[00:35:01]
BILLS FROM SAN ANTONIO HOUSEHOLD AND SMALL BUSINESSES, TAXING SAN ANTONIOS IN THE NAME OF INCREASING AFFORDABILITY IS COUNTERINTUITIVE.A SIX MONTH PILOT OFFERING FREE FAIR SERVICE ON FIVE ROUTES MAY BE WELL-INTENTIONED, BUT IF IT IS FUNDED THROUGH CONSUMER TAXES, SHIFTS THE BURDEN TO SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AND HOUSEHOLDS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO MAY NEVER RIDE THE BUS AT ALL.
SIMPLY PUT, THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT ELIMINATE COST FOR SANITARY RESIDENTS.
IT JUST RE RE RELOCATES THEM ONTO MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD BILLS.
AND IF LONG-TERM SUCCESS REQUIRES A PERMANENT TAX STREAM, THEN IT ISN'T TRULY A PILOT.
INSTEAD, IT'S A POLICY CHANGE WITH LASTING COST IMPLICATIONS FOR SAN ANTONIO HOUSEHOLDS WITH SAN WITH.
IF THE CITY AND VIA WANT TO EVALUATE FAIR FREE SERVICES, WE ENCOURAGE FUNDING OPTIONS THAT DO NOT INCREASE THE BURDEN FOR EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN SAN ANTONIO.
FOR THOSE REASONS, WE RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE ADOPTING, EXPANDING ANY CONSUMER FACING TAX AND QUADRUPLE TAXING HARD WORK IN SAN ANTONIO'S TO FUND THIS PILOT PROJECT PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DIANA AMADOR LUNA.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TALK FOR A LITTLE BIT.
SO I HAVE BEEN WITH VIA GOING IN THIS JUNE FOR EIGHT YEARS.
AS MUCH AS I LOVED MY JOB AT GREYHOUND LINES, I SH I TELL MYSELF I SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE YEARS AGO BECAUSE VIA IS A GREAT COMPANY.
I HAVE GREAT COWORKERS, I HAVE MET A LOT OF FRIENDS HERE.
IT HAS GREAT BENEFITS, GREAT INSURANCE, AND OF COURSE THE GOOD 4 0 1.
I COULD TELL YOU STORIES ALL NIGHT LONG, BUT I DON'T HAVE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.
SO I DID PICK MY TOP THREE STORIES TO TELL YOU WHETHER THEY WERE PAYING PASSENGERS OR NOT PAYING PASSENGERS.
I HAVE BEEN THREATENED TO BE CUT UP IN A THOUSAND PIECES.
SAPD HAD TO BE CALLED OUT TO CADILLAC, AND IT IS SPELLED LIKE THIS CADILLAC 'CAUSE IT'S SHORT FOR KELLY AND LACKLAND.
UM, I HAD BEEN ALSO, WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE 26TH ROUTE, WHEN I HAD JUST FINISHED COMING OVER THE BRIDGE, ALAMO JONES, BILL MILLER'S, MY BUS WAS SURROUNDED BY UNMARKED CARS, DOORS OPENED US MARSHALS, CAME OUT WITH ASSAULT WEAPONS.
LITTLE TO, I WAS SCARED TO DEATH.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE THEY WERE COMING AFTER ME 'CAUSE I HAD LIKE MAYBE FIVE PASSENGERS ON MY BUS.
LITTLE DID I KNOW I HAD TWO FUGITIVES ON MY BUS.
THEY SAID THEY HAD BEEN KEEPING IT ON MY BUS.
UM, ANOTHER ONE IS WHERE I WAS DRIVING THE 1 0 2, LATE AT NIGHT.
I WAS ALMOST DONE WITH MY ROUTE.
I WAS AT PLEASANTON, THE MILITARY.
I HAD 15 MINUTES LEFT TO GET TO BROOKS.
WHEN SOMEBODY STARTS BREAKING MY FUR BOX, JUST BREAKING IT, HE WAS ANGRY.
STARTS KICKING THE MIRROR ON THE PORT PRIMO, STARTS KICKING MY DOOR.
I WAS LATE GETTING HOME FOR TWO HOURS.
BUT I CAN SEE MY TIME IS FINISHING.
I HAVE BEEN SPIT ON, YELLED AT, CUSSED AT.
I HAVE BEEN, UM, HAD WINDOWS BROKEN, DOORS BROKEN.
I HAD SOMEBODY PAY FOR SOMEBODY THAT DID NOT HAVE THEIR FARE ON THE 88 ROUTE, ONLY TO START JUMPING UP AND DOWN, HAVING THE BUS VIOLENTLY SHAKE BECAUSE HE SAID HE WAS THE SON OF GOD.
I HAVE HAD PEOPLE TRY TO JU USE THEIR JAIL CARD AS FREE.
YES, WE DO HAVE FREE FAIRS IN HONOR OF MS. ROSA PARKS.
DECEMBER 1ST OF LAST YEAR WAS THE DAY THAT WE HONORED HER FOR FREE.
FAIRES FIA CAME OUT WITH A NEW PROGRAM, FREE FAIRS FOR CHILDREN 12 AND EIGHT.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS MY SCHEDULE, WHICH IS A SCHEDULE FOR THIS.
I TRY TO KEEP IT ON TIME BECAUSE I HAVE MY REGULAR PASSENGERS AND I HAVE MY IRREGULAR PASSENGERS.
SO I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT ALL THE, ALL THE BUS DRIVERS HERE, EXTRA BOARD AND REGULAR PASSENGERS, THEY START COMING AT THREE 15 IN THE MORNING.
SO YOU, YOU DO THE MATH, THEY'RE PROBABLY WAKING UP AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO BE HERE TO GET THE ROUTES RUNNING.
IT CAUSES A LOT OF PROBLEMS. I'M ECHO ECHOING EVERYTHING WHAT ROBERT AND AMALIA SAID.
OH, BY THE WAY, AMALIA 36 YEARS.
ALIA, WHERE ARE YOU? 36 YEARS.
[00:40:04]
THAT'S MY FRIEND, MY COWORKER.THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GEORGINA GALONG OR KALO.
AM I PRONOUNCING THAT RIGHT? SHE WANTED TO SPEAK ON ROUTE NUMBER TWO.
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BARBARA STOCK.
UM, THE REASON WHY I CAME TONIGHT IS TO TELL YOU THAT I APPRECIATE THE SERVICE SO MUCH.
I KNOW ABOUT THE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I HAVE BEEN ON A REGULAR BUS JUST ONCE OR TWICE AND EXPERIENCED THAT FOR MYSELF.
BUT, UM, VIA TRANS IS A WONDERFUL SERVICE.
OKAY? WITHOUT YOU, I DON'T HAVE MY INDEPENDENCE TO GO ANYWHERE OR DO ANYTHING.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE IT AND MY FAMILY OR MY FRIENDS THAT LIVE NOWHERE NEAR ME WHATSOEVER.
WE ALL HAVE ISSUES, BUT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER AND GET THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.
AND SOMETIMES THE BUSES DO RUN EARLY, SOMETIMES THEY RUN LATE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SINA CALVIN, CAN I MAKE IT? GOOD EVENING TRUSTEES.
UM, I HAD A BIG, LONG THING WRITTEN DOWN BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER TWO AND I, BUT I STILL WANTED TO COME AND, UH, THANK BOB CUOMO FOR HELPING ME GET MY CONCERNS.
UM, ELEVATED THANK MR. HERRERA FOR HEARING THOSE CONCERNS, NOT ONLY MINE, BUT OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED AND FOR PULLING THAT FROM THE AGENDA AND GIVING US ANOTHER BIT OF TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
SO I DID WANNA, UH, THANK UH, THOSE PEOPLE.
I ALSO WANTED TO LET STAFF KNOW THAT I EMPATHIZE WITH THEM.
I MYSELF HAVE WORKED ON PROJECTS FOR MULTIPLE MONTHS OR MULTIPLE YEARS, ONLY TO HAVE SOMEONE OR SOMEONE'S COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK AT THE LAST MINUTE AND SAY, WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW, I'M AGAINST THIS.
AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AND TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UM, I HAVE LIVED ON MAGNOLIA BEACON HILL FOR 20 YEARS, AND IN 2022 I DECIDED TO GIVE UP MY VEHICLE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER TWO, BECAUSE I HAVE THAT EASY ACCESS, HALF A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE.
AND THAT GETS ME DOWNTOWN PHIL HARBERGER PARK, ROOSEVELT PARK, LOTS OF PLACES.
SO IT IS AN IMPORTANT ROUTE TO ME.
I'M ALSO, UM, THE PLANNING TEAM REP FOR BEACON HILL AND MULTIMODALITY, AND IMPROVING BIKING, PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND TRANSIT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND SO I THINK IF WE CAN KEEP THE NUMBER TWO, WE CAN REALLY WORK ON BOLSTERING THAT RIDERSHIP, ENCOURAGING FOLKS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LIVE ALONG THE ROUTE TO SEE IT AS A VIABLE WAY TO GET DOWNTOWN.
I DO WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY SINCE I'M HERE.
UM, ON A SEPARATE TOPIC, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE VIA TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO ENGAGE THE UNTAPPED HOUSEHOLDS THAT LIVE ALONG VIA ROUTES.
I KNOW THAT VIA RECENTLY MAILED OUT FREE BUS PASSES FOR FEBRUARY, SINCE A FEW FOLKS POSTED ABOUT THAT ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PAGE.
I ALSO THINK THERE WOULD BE VALUE IN WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER GROUPS ON BUS FIELD TRIPS WHERE A COORDINATED TRIP COULD BE PLANNED WITH A VIA STEWARD.
A FUN TRIP TO PHIL HARBURG OR PARK OR ROOSEVELT PARK KIND OF HELPS GET PEOPLE OVER THAT INTIMIDATION FACTOR.
AND ONCE THEY'VE DONE IT ONCE, BELIEVE YOU ME, THEY'LL DO IT AGAIN.
MY SISTER NOW THINKS SHE'S THIS GREAT TRANSIT WRITER BECAUSE I TAUGHT HER HOW TO DO THAT WHILE SHE WAS HERE.
LASTLY, I DO WANNA REGISTER A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO ABILITY TO
[00:45:01]
LOAD MONEY ONLINE ONTO THE GO-KARTS.IT PRACTICALLY DEFEATS THE PURPOSE AND IS PRETTY DISAPPOINTING IN THE DAY OF AN AGE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.
I HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A PRIORITY.
UM, AS TO THE FREE BUS, UH, THING, I RESPECT THE VIA DRIVERS.
THEY GET ME TO WHERE I NEED TO GO.
I WOULD HOPE THAT A LIMITED PILOT PROGRAM WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH CHENEY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING, UM, US SPEAK.
UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE ALAMO COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, UM, THE BLENDED VETERANS ASSOCIATION, AUXILIARY AND A FEW OTHER, UM, GROUPS THAT HAVE LOST, GOT LOST IN MY MIND AT THIS MOMENT.
UM, WE GO ONCE TO TWICE A MONTH TO THE SAN FERNANDO, UH, CATHOLIC CHURCH DOWNTOWN.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE GET DROPPED OFF AT A SPOT AND WE'RE USED TO BEING DROPPED OFF AND WE GO BACK TO THE SAME SPOT TO GET PICKED UP.
BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME SPOT THAT OUR DRIVER WILL END UP BEING AROUND THE CORNER OR FURTHER UP.
AND MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BOTH VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
WE, UH, MET AT, ACTUALLY AT AUSTIN, UM, AT THE BLIND SCHOOL, CHRIS COLE.
SO WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH CAPITAL METRO.
AND UH, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE THAT WE'RE, UH, THIS, WE JUST NEED IT TO BE CONSISTENT BECAUSE WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE SPOT, WE WERE DROPPED OFF.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE EXPECTING OUR RIDE TO SHOW UP.
NO SHOW, BUT WE'RE WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S POLICE OFFICERS OUTSIDE AND THEY'RE REMEMBER US FROM GETTING DROPPED OFF AND THEY'LL MAKE SURE WE'RE IN THE RIGHT SPOT AND THEY HAVE TO LOOK OUT AND THEY'LL TELL US, OH, IT'S AROUND THE CORNER AND THEY HAVE TO GO GET IT FOR US.
AND, UH, UH, SAME THING WHEN WE GO TO THE, THE MAJESTIC THEATER.
UM, AND OTHER, AND I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, THERE MIGHT BE TRAFFIC OR OTHER THINGS GOING ON WHERE THEY, BUT IT WOULD REALLY HELP, ESPECIALLY IN MAJOR PLACES LIKE THE TOBIN, THEY, UM, MAJESTIC THEATER, THE, UM, CATHOLIC CHURCH THAT WE COULD HAVE ONE CONSISTENT SPOT TO GO TO.
AND I WANNA SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU, AND ESPECIALLY THE DRIVERS BECAUSE OF Y'ALL.
I CAN CONSISTENTLY BE AT WORK EARLY OR ON TIME.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN LATE TO WORK.
MY BOSS REALLY APPRECIATES IT.
I APPRECIATE 'CAUSE I HAVE A PAYCHECK AND IT REALLY COMES IN HANDY WHEN BILLS COME EVERY MONTH,
SO I, BECAUSE OF Y'ALL, YOU'VE GIVEN ME MY MOBILITY BACK, MY ABLE TO, UM, BE ABLE TO GET A PAYCHECK, UM, TO HAVE MY SELF-WORTH AND HAVING MY CHILDREN PROUD OF ME BECAUSE, UM, I'M WORKING.
I AM, UM, ABLE TO CALL IN, MAKE MY RIDES AND I'M VERY INDEPENDENT AT BEST TO MY ABILITIES.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF Y'ALL AND I KNOW HOW HARD THESE BUS DRIVERS WORK, HOW HARD THESE DRIVERS, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I SAFELY GET TO WORK SAFELY, GET TO GROCERY STORE, AND THEY MAKE SURE I GET SAFELY, GET TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND I, UM, WANNA KNOW HOW HEARTFELT I FEEL ABOUT THEM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GREGORY WILLIAMS. YAY.
UM, BOARD TRUSTEES, UH, CEO HERRERA, AND EVERYBODY HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
MY NAME IS GREGORY WILLIAMS. I'VE BEEN HERE AT VIA FOR THREE YEARS, SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2023.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE HERE AT VIA.
BUT I, I HAVE TO PUT MY, UM, PUT MY SAY IN FOR THE NO FAIR FREE TRANSIT, UH, THE NOFA TRANSIT, UM, PROPOSAL.
UM, IT, IT WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR, UM, MANY ISSUES.
I ECHO WITH, UH, WHAT ROBERT GARZA, OUR A
[00:50:01]
TU UNION PRESIDENT SAYS, UH, IT WILL OPEN UP THE DOOR FOR US.I'VE ALREADY LIKE THE WAY IT VIA IS NOW.
I DO FEEL SAFE AND I ENJOY MY, UH, JOB.
I ENJOY TAKING ALL THE PASSENGERS EVERYWHERE, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, BUT THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHERE I'VE BEEN, UH, ASSAULTED VERBALLY.
I'VE BEEN, UM, ALMOST PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED ON THE BUS.
I'VE HAD ROCKS THROWN AT THE WINDOW.
AND OPENING THIS DOOR FOR ANYBODY TO RIDE THIS BUS, UM, DOES PROPOSE, UH, A DANGEROUS RISK FOR EVERYBODY ON THE BUS, INCLUDING THE OPERATORS.
UH, THE, UH, VIA PD RESPONSE IS SLOW.
THE SUPERVISOR RESPONSE IS SLOW.
WE, WE HAVE SO MANY AND THEY CAN ONLY BE SO MANY PLACES AT ONE TIME.
UM, THE, I THERE'S FASTER RESPONSE WITH SAPD.
UM, SOMETIMES I'M ON THE BUS WAITING FOR A SUPERVISOR AND VIA PD FOR 45 MINUTES.
PEOPLE HAVE SOMEWHERE TO BE, THEY HAVE TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING.
THEY HAVE APPOINTMENTS, THEY HAVE, UH, SOME JUST SOMEWHERE VERY IMPORTANT TO BE.
AND WITH THE RELIABILITY OF THE BUS GOING DOWN WITH ALLOWING FREE RIDES TO THE DOOR, THE LINE WILL BE OUT THE DOOR JUST TO GET ON THE BUS.
AND IF SOMEONE JUST UNHAPPY THAT THEY CAN'T GET ON A CERTAIN BUS, WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO TO THAT BUS? IT'S GONNA DELAY IT.
AND THE, SO THERE'S QUESTIONABLE PEOPLE, UNDESIRABLE PEOPLE THAT LINGER AROUND THAT ARE TRANSIT CENTERS.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO RIDE.
EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE THE BUS.
BUT THE PEOPLE THAT THAT MAKE THE BUS UNSAFE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NOT, UH, THE PEOPLE RIDING THE BUS SHOULD FEEL PROTECTED FROM THE BUSES CAN BECOME UNSANITARY ALREADY AS IT IS.
AND THERE'S THE, JUST THE PEOPLE ALONE AROUND CENTRAL PLAZA, THEY'RE JUST UNSANITARY AND EXPOSING PAYING PASSENGERS FOR THEIR SECURITY IS GOING TO RISK DISEASE IN CONTACT WITH, UH, BACTERIA.
AND, AND IT, THAT'S ONE THING THAT VIA STRIVES TO HAVE IS CLEAN SAFE OPERA BUSES ON TIME EFFICIENT.
AND I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF THAT.
I SAY NO TO FAIR TRANS, UH, NO FREE FAIR, OR NO FAIR TRANSIT.
I, I BELIEVE THAT FAIR IS SECURITY FOR PASSENGERS ACROSS THE CITY.
I BELIEVE YOU YIELDED YOUR TIME, SO HE DOES NEED TO SPEAK.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO CHRIS MORALES.
MADAM CHAIR, MY NAME IS CHRIS MORALE.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA IN SAN ANTONIO.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF VIAS TELECOM SALES TAX FOR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
I UNDERSTAND VIAS NEEDS TO SECURE RELIABLE FUNDING TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND I SUPPORT THE GOAL OF BETTER SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, TAXING TELECOM SERVICES PLACES AN UNFAIR BURDEN ON SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME ESSENTIAL FOR EVERYDAY LIFE.
PHONE AND INTERNET ACCESS ARE CRITICAL FOR WORK, FOR SCHOOL, HEALTHCARE, AND STAYING CONNECTED.
FOR EMER EMERGENCIES, MANY RESIDENTS ARE STILL FACING ECONOMIC PRESSURE FROM THE RISING COST OF LIVING.
AND ADDING ADDITIONAL TAXATION WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT ON THE VERY COMMUNITIES THAT PUBLIC TRANSIT IS MEANT TO SUPPORT.
I WANT TO REITERATE MY RESPECT FOR V'S.
MISSION AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE PUBLIC TRANSIT PLAYS IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR CITY.
MY COMMENTS TODAY OFFERED IN THE SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP AND WHAT THE SHARED GOAL OF ENSURING SAN ANTONIO CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT IS FAIR AND SUSTAINABLE FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
I RESPECT, RESPECTFULLY ASK THE VA BOARD TO RECONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL AND TO CONTINUE WORKING TOWARD FUNDING SOLUTIONS THAT ARE FAIR AND MINDFUL OF THE FINANCIAL REALITIES OF MANY SAN ANTONIO'S RESIDENTS ARE FACING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I'M A DRIVER HERE OF OPERATOR HERE AT VIA FOR 12 YEARS.
UM, EXCUSE ME IF I'M NOT FOLLOWING DECORUM.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT THE MAYOR WAS HERE, GONNA BE HERE SINCE SHE WANTED THIS MEETING AND
[00:55:01]
EVERYTHING.UH, MS. HERRERA AND BOARD MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES, I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS SOMEONE BEHIND THE WHEEL EVERY DAY.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR, FREE FAIR IS WHAT MAKE BUSES HARDER TO OPERATE LESS SAFE AND LESS RELIABLE FOR THE RIDERS WHO DEPEND ON OUR SERVICE.
WHEN PASSENGERS PAY EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT, IT CREATES STRUCTURE AND RESPECT.
IT SETS EXPECTATION EXPECTATIONS AND KEEPS BOARDING ORDERLY.
WITHOUT THAT, BUSES QUICKLY BECOME A SPACE FOR LOITERING, REPEATED RIDING WITH NO WHERE TO GO, AND A PLACE FOR UNRULY BEHAVIOR.
RE REMOVING FARES ALSO INCREASES SAFETY PROBLEMS. OPERATORS DEAL WITH MORE CONFRONTATIONS, MORE UNPREDICTABLE RIDERS, AND MORE DELAYS.
AFFAIRS ISN'T JUST REVENUE, IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY TWOS WE HAVE THAT KEEP AND MAINTAIN SAFE, RESPECTFUL, BEHAVIORAL ON BOARD.
AND FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, FREE FARE SLOWS SERVICE DOWN, INCREASES CROWDING AND STRAINS EQUIPMENT AND STAFF.
AS THEY SAID BEFORE, I'VE HAD PEOPLE DEFECATE AND OTHER THINGS ON MY BUS WHO WEREN'T IN THEIR RIGHT MIND OR WHATEVER.
AND BUS CHANGE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT, THAT DELAY SERVICE.
UM, IF THE GOAL IS HELPING LOW INCOME RIDERS, TARGET DISCOUNTS CAN DO THAT WITHOUT, UH, MESSING UP THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
SAN ANTONIO HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST RATES IN THE COUNTRY.
I'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY VIA FARES ARE REALLY LOW.
AS A DRIVER, I WANT A SYSTEM THAT'S SAFE, RELIABLE, AND WORKABLE FOR RIDERS AND OPERATORS.
FREE FAIR IS UNDERMINE ALL OF THAT.
MR. HERRERA AND BOARD MEMBERS.
PLEASE SHOW THE MAYOR, MAYOR THAT THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IN MATTER AND SAY NO TO FREE FARES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SAY THIS, BUT FOR THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, AS AN OPERATOR, I ENJOY MY JOB.
I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH MAKING FAIRES FREE.
FREE SOUNDS NICE AND ALL, BUT IN THE END, SOMEONE HAS TO PAY FOR IT.
MAKING BUSES FREE DOESN'T MAKE TRANSPORTATION FREE.
IT ONLY SHIFTS THE ENTIRE COST ONTO TAXPAYERS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND IF YOU REALLY WANNA HELP OUT PEOPLE, DON'T RAISE THE CPS.
DON'T RAISE SAWS, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATE FARES AT THE AIRPORT, YOU KNOW, CITY MUNICIPAL BUILDING, UH, PARKING LOTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT ON THE BUS.
IT'S JUST GONNA MAKE MORE ISSUES FOR US AS DRIVERS.
AND THANK YOU ALL AND NO TO FREE THANK GEORGE PEREZ.
MADAM CHAIR, ANOTHER MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD.
WELL, YOU SAY YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO PROBABLY LEAVE IT AS IT IS, BUT THAT HASN'T HA THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET.
AND SO I'M NOT CELEBRATING JUST YET.
UM, YOU, MY COMMENT IS THAT YOU NEED TO FIRE, FIRE THE JERK OR JERKS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEBACLE.
I DON'T, I NOTICE THAT, UH,
J JUST OF TWO OR THREE STAFFERS.
LOOK WHERE AND LOOK WHERE THE NOTICE IS ON THIS CHANGE.
BURIED, BURIED DEEP INSIDE THIS PAMPHLET.
TWO THIRDS, HALF, TWO THIRDS DEEP IN THERE.
WHAT IS VIA TRYING TO HIDE? I DON'T LIKE MY TAX DOLLARS.
GOING TO SUCH, YES, DECEPTION.
ROUND NUMBER TWO IS UPON A MAJOR
[01:00:01]
THOROUGHFARE BLANCO ROAD.I REPEAT DECADES YET YOU BURY THIS BAD PROPOSAL.
WHAT DOES IT SAY TO BE REPLACED? REPLACED BY ROUTES 6 49 AND 5 0 6.
WHEN I AN AVERAGE WRITER, SEE THAT I START TO PANIC.
5 0 600 AND 500 ROUTES ARE BEYOND LOOP FOUR 10.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING INDICATING WHERE IT'S BELOW THAT.
SO AND SO NOW, MAYBE MY PANIC WOULD'VE BEEN ASSUAGED IF I'D SEEN SOME MAPS IN THIS THING.
WHERE ARE THE MAPS? AND I WAS TOLD, WELL, WE WANTED TO SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AND NOT, NOT PUT 'EM IN THERE.
WHAT STUPIDITY? YOU'VE HAD 'EM BEFORE.
SO YOU'RE SAVING MONEY THIS TIME, HUH? WE, THE, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO, SIR, YOU STILL BE ABLE TO TRANSFER AT FIVE POINTS AND RIDE DOWNTOWN? EXCUSE ME.
THIS ROUTE NUMBER TWO IS A MAJOR ROUTE.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TRANSFER ANYWHERE.
PLEASE DON'T LET THIS GO FORWARD.
AND ON ANOTHER SUBJECT REGARDING FREE RIDES, UH, DID, DOES IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE AWAY SOMETHING FREE? PEOPLE WILL START DISRESPECTING IT.
THEY START TRASHING IT AND FILTHY, FILTHY.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WILL HAPPEN ON OUR BUSES.
THERE ARE NO OTHER CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S COMMENTS.
[6. Presentation, discussion, and Board direction on requests received from February 11, 2026 "B" Session and subsequent communications from Mayor Jones related to VIA operations and services. ]
AHEAD AND GO OUT OF ORDER AND ADDRESS ITEM SIX FIRST, UM, WHICH IS PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND BOARD DIRECTION ON REQUEST RECEIVED FROM THE FEBRUARY 11TH, 2026 B SESSION AT SUBSEQUENT SUBSEQUENT COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR JONES RELATED TO VIA OPERATIONS AND SERVICES.MRTA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN THE DISCUSSION PLEASE? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
AND AS WE PULL TOGETHER THE AGENDA, I, I SHOULD SAY THE PRESENTATION, UM, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BRING UP A SLIDE HERE THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA WALK US THROUGH THE, UM, THROUGH THE AGENDA.
SO BEFORE WE WALK THROUGH THE ANALYSIS, I WANTED TO BRIEFLY FRAME HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THE FAIR, FREE QUESTION AND WHY THE AGENDA IS STRUCTURED IN SUCH A WAY.
THIS IS NOT A SINGLE POLICY CONVERSATION.
FAIR FREE TOUCHES EVERY DIMENSION OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
IT TOUCHES OUR STRATEGY, OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR WORKFORCE.
WE'RE HEARING THAT TONIGHT, OUR OPERATIONS, FINANCIAL LEGAL FRAMEWORKS AND OUR LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHY TODAY DISCUSSION IS ORGANIZED AROUND THE CORE RESPONSIBILITIES OF NOT ONLY MANAGEMENT, BUT OF OUR BOARD AND THE OPENING AND THE OPERATING REALITIES OF, OF VIA.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT BECAUSE EVERY MAJOR POLICY CHOICE SHOULD BE MEASURED AGAINST HOW THE STRATEGY OF THIS BOARD HAS, THAT THIS BOARD HAS ALREADY ADOPTED IE THAT KEEPS ANTONIO MOVING PLAN, UH, IS OUR GUIDING FRAMEWORK FOR BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE CHOOSE TO USE AND FOR DELIVERING ON COMMITMENTS MADE TO VOTERS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHETHER FAIR FREE ADVANCES OR DISTRACTS FROM THAT NORTH STAR, THAT STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT? NEXT WE'LL GROUND THE CONVERSATION, THE GROUND, THE CONVERSATION AND CUSTOMER PRIORITIES.
WE'RE NOT SPECULATING ABOUT WHAT RIDER WANT.
WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD WHAT THEY HAVE TOLD US THROUGH THOUSANDS OF SURVEYS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS.
THIS SECTION ALSO INTENDED TO ANCHOR OUR DISCUSSION IN RIDER REALITY, NOT ASSUMPTIONS.
WE THEN WILL ADDRESS SAFETY WORKFORCE AND OPERATIONAL ISSUES AND IMPACTS.
THIS IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE SYSTEM AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH SERVICE IS DELIVERED EVERY DAY.
SAFETY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR CUSTOMERS.
SERVICE RELIABILITY AND OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND, AND RETAIN OPERATORS ARE NOT SECONDARY CONSIDERATIONS.
THEY ARE FOUNDATIONAL WHETHER THIS SYSTEM WORKS.
FROM THERE, WE'LL MOVE INTO THE FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND FEDERAL CONSIDERATIONS.
THIS SECTION REFLECTS THE BOARD'S FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.
WE WALK YOU THROUGH THE FINANCIAL REALITIES, OUR FINANCING INSTRUMENTS, OUR REVENUE BONDS, FEDERAL FUNDING POSTURE, AND THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE CONSTRAINTS WITHIN ANY POLICY CHANGE MUST OPERATE.
WE WILL ALSO REVIEW OUR EXISTING FAIR PROGRAM BECAUSE THE AFFORDABILITY IS NOT NEW TO VIA, WE HAVE BEEN DELIVERING AND SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS FOR DECADES.
[01:05:01]
WE WILL SHOW HOW TARGETED RESPONSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS ALREADY REMOVE BARRIERS FOR THOSE WHO NEED SUPPORT THE MOST WITHOUT DESTABILIZING THE SYSTEM.AND FINALLY, WE WILL CLOSE WITH A SUMMARY AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND OF COURSE, SEEK BOARD DIRECTION, UM, ON THAT.
OUR INTENT TODAY AS MANAGEMENT IS TO PROVIDE YOU A COMPREHENSIVE FACT-BASED FRAMEWORK SO THE BOARD CAN EXERCISE ITS GOVERNANCE ROLE WITH CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE.
WITH THAT FRAMING, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE TEAM TO BEGIN WITH THAT AND WE'LL KICK IT OFF WITH STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT.
GARY, UH, ROD SANCHEZ, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PLANNING DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I'VE BEEN WITH VIA FOR, FOR TWO YEARS.
AND, AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE, THE GROUP I CAME TO VIA TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF ALL THE EXCITING, TRANSFORMATIVE THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING HERE.
IT WAS BUILDING THE GREEN LINE.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, ADDING TO OUR VIA LINK SERVICE.
UH, AND IT WAS THE, THE BETTER BEST PLAN THAT ATTRACTED ME TO VIA I WENT THE CITY.
I WAS HAPPY 30, 30 YEARS THERE.
UH, BUT THIS STUFF WAS REALLY THE STUFF THAT I WANTED TO DO.
'CAUSE THIS IS THE STUFF THAT TRANSFORMED THE CITY.
THIS IS WHAT MAKES A CITY, UH, A GREAT CITY TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN THE CITY THAT I WANT MY KIDS TO GROW UP IN.
UH, AS JOHN GARY SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR MISSION HERE, OUR NORTH STAR IS TO BUILD A SYSTEM, UH, THAT OUR WRITERS, UH, WANT TO RIDE.
THAT OUR WRITERS CHOOSE TO RIDE.
AND YOU DON'T DO THAT, UH, BY GOING TO A CONFERENCE ROOM, PUTTING UP A MAP AND DRAWING A BUNCH OF LINES.
UH, YOU BUILD A SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE WANNA RIDE BY ENGAGING THEM IN MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION BY HAVING THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR SERVICES AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN OUR SERVICES, WHERE THEY WANT OUR SERVICES TO GO ABOUT FREQUENCY, ABOUT EXPANDING OUR SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT THEY WANT? THAT'S HOW YOU, YOU GET TO THE SYSTEM, UH, THAT THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THIS AT VIA OVER A DECADE AND, AND IT'S FUNNY.
THE SAME THINGS COME UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, THAT OUR CUSTOMERS TELL US THAT THEY WANT FROM US.
IT'S IMPROVED FREQUENCY, IT'S REDUCED TRAVEL TIME, AND, AND THEY WANNA FEEL SAFE ABOARD OUR BUSES.
YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA KNOW THAT THEY'RE SAFE AT THE BUS STOP.
THEY WANNA KNOW THAT THEY'RE SAFE, YOU KNOW, ON THE BUS.
I MEAN, IT'S FUNNY, I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION TODAY, UH, WITH SOMEBODY THAT SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? MY DAUGHTER ATTENDS UTSA.
I WANT TO, I WANT, I WANNA KNOW THAT SHE'S SAFE WHEN SHE'S ON YOUR BUS.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS OVER THE LAST DECADE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TOLD US.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE FREQUENCY.
WE HAVE TO KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN.
ALL THINGS ARE DESIGNED TO IMPROVE FREQUENCY, REDUCE TRAVEL TIME, IT'S ALL THOSE THINGS.
PLUS WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVING OUR TECHNOLOGY TO, TO IMPROVE THAT TRAVEL TIME AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
IT'S FUNNY, TODAY WE JUST INTRODUCED OUR NEW CHIEF, YOU KNOW, AND HE'S, YOU KNOW, UH, IN CHARGE OF A DEPARTMENT THAT'S GROWING, YOU KNOW, TO FACE THOSE, THOSE ISSUES.
AND HERE ARE THE PLANS THAT, THAT, UH, ARE KIND OF OUR FOUNDING BLOCKS, IF YOU WILL.
AND WE START OUT WITH, WITH, UH, WITH THE MPO PLANS, UH, MOBILITY 2040, MOBILITY 2045, AND THE CITY'S SA TOMORROW.
THESE ARE ALL BUILDING BLOCKS THAT WE BUILD OUR PLANS UPON.
AND ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, KNOW PLANS HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE THING IN COMMON, THEY WEREN'T BUILT IN A CONFERENCE ROOM.
THEY WERE BUILT HAVING THOSE MEANINGFUL, ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WITH VIA, WE STARTED OUT WITH OUR VISION 2040 PLAN, OUR VIA REIMAGINE AND THEN OUR KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN.
THE VISION AND, AND THE REIMAGINE PLAN.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE GOOD VISIONARY PLANS, BUT THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVIE PLAN, THAT'S WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.
THOSE ARE OUR, THAT'S A, A FUNDED PLAN, UH, WHERE WE'RE STARTING TO EXECUTE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT OUR CUSTOMERS WANT.
AND WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM ALL THESE PLANS? WHAT HAVE OUR CUSTOMERS TOLD US THEY WANT FASTER TRAVEL TIME, THEY WANT SHORTER WEIGHTS.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS IN THE BETTER BUS PLAN.
ONCE AGAIN, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE PUT IN THE BETTER, BETTER BUS PLAN WHEN WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM.
THEY WANT NEW EXPRESS ROUTES AND THEY WANT DIRECT SERVICES.
ONCE AGAIN, BETTER BUS PLAN SA TOMORROW.
UH, THESE ARE ALL THINGS IN THOSE PLANS, UH, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR RESIDENT EXPERT ON, UH, KS A TO KINDA WALK YOU THROUGH A FEW SLIDES.
I'M A MAJOR CAPITAL PROGRAM OFFICER.
I HAVE BEEN, UH, WORKING ON THESE PLANS FOR MANY YEARS OR KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN, AS RON MENTIONED, IS CULMINATION OF LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH MID-RANGE LONG RANGE PLAN VIA VISION, UH, 2040.
IT IS ALSO IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH IS BASED ON A TD TWO SALES TAX AND LEVERAGING THAT 82 A T TWO SALES TAX FOR OUR
[01:10:01]
FEDERAL FUNDS.UM, THAT PLAN HAS THREE MAJOR, UM, TRANSFORMATIVE PRO.
UH, THE GUIDING, UH, FOUR PRINCIPLES, UH, FORM THE BASIS OF THESE TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS.
MORE FREQUENCY DIRECT SERVICE, WHICH RESULTS IN FASTER TRIPS, SHORTER WAIT TIMES, MORE SIMPLE AND CONVENIENT MOBILITY OPTIONS THAT RESULT IN IMPROVED SERVICE COVERAGE AND CONNECTIONS.
AND THIS OVERALL RESULTS IN INCREASED FREQUENCY RIDERSHIP AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
THE PLAN IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE EXISTING TRANSIT SYSTEM, EXPAND MOBILITY OPTIONS, AND INVEST IN OUR CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY.
UH, THERE ARE THREE PROJECTS WHICH WE ARE GOING TO SHORTLY GO OVER.
I'M GOING TO DO ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT OR VIA RAPID ROD IS GOING TO TAKE OVER BETTER BUS PLAN AND VIA LINK VIA RAPID DELIVERS, FASTER TRAVEL TIMES, BROADER ACCESS, STRONGER COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC CONNECTIONS THAT WILL TRANSFER OUR URBAN MOBILITY.
THE THESE LINES WILL PROVIDE RELIABLE, HIGH FREQUENCY, FASTER SERVICE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WITH HELP OF DEDICATED BUS LANES AND PRIORITY TRANSIT SIGNALS VIA GREEN LINE, WHICH ON THIS MAP IS NORTH.
CONNECTS THE AIRPORT FROM THE NORTH THROUGH DOWNTOWN TO THE BROOKS ON THE SOUTH, UH, WITH 10.3 MILES OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE CONSTRUCTION ON THIS PROJECT IS UNDERWAY AND HAS AL THIS PROJECT HAS ALREADY RECEIVED FEDERAL FUNDS VIA SILVER LINE, WHICH CONNECTS SAN ANTONIO'S EAST AND WEST COMMUNITIES.
ALSO INTERSECTS THIS NORTH SIDE LINE AND TOGETHER IT FORMS A BASIS OF OUR NETWORK.
VI IS ALSO APPLYING FOR, UH, A CIG CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SMALL STARTS GRANT FOR THE SILVER LINE.
AND I WILL GET INTO FINANCIALS A LITTLE LATER.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA GEEK OUT FOR YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UH, I'M, I'M A PLANNER AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FATHER OF PLANNING IS DANIEL BURNHAM.
AND, AND ONE OF HIS FAMOUS QUOTES IS, MAKE NO LITTLE PLANS.
THEY HAVE NO MAGIC TO STIR MEN'S BLOOD.
WE MAKE BIG PLANS AND, AND I THINK THE BIGGEST PLAN THAT WE HAVE IS A BETTER BUS PLAN.
UH, THIS IS A PLAN AND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PLANS THAT WE DO.
THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE IT'S WHERE IT'S ALL AT.
UH, THIS IS A PLAN THAT WE BUILT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND WHAT DO OUR CUSTOMERS TELL US? THEY WANT MORE FREQUENCY.
THEY WANT US TO EXPAND OUR SERVICE AND THEY WANT MORE DIRECT ROUTES.
THEY WANT TO GO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
AND WHEN WE'RE ALL SAID AND DONE, UH, WE IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN.
WE'LL HAVE THE GREEN LINE, WE'LL HAVE THE SILVER LINE.
UH, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR ROUTES WILL HAVE A FREQUENCY BETTER THAN 30 MINUTES.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO, WE'RE GONNA DIRECT THOSE ROUTES TO WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO GO.
UH, WHEN WE PRESENTED THIS PLAN TO YOU LAST YEAR.
UH, YOU GUYS ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING.
UH, BUT THIS WAS DESIGNED TO BE A SIX YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, AND THAT'S WHEN YOU GUYS FROWNED AND SAID, NO, IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
UH, WE, WE WANT YOU TO PUT THIS GREAT SERVICE ON THE GROUND SOONER THAN THAT.
WE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES, UH, WORKED WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE HIRED A TON OF OPERATORS, UH, AND, AND WE FIGURED OUT HOW, HOW TO DO THAT.
SO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AT THE END OF 25, UH, BEFORE
THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR ALONE, WERE PLANNING TO IMPROVE 41%, 41% OF THE BETTER BUS PLAN.
SO AT THE END OF, AT THE END OF MAY, ACTUALLY 65% OF THE BETTER BUS PLAN WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND ON THE STREETS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S GONNA TAKE US TILL 2031 TO IMPLEMENT THE WHOLE THING.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE GOTTA GET THE SILVER LINE ON BOARD AND WE GOTTA TIE INTO THE SILVER LINE.
BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PLAN WILL BE, UH, IMPLEMENTED BY THAT TIME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HERE, HERE'S THE BETTER PLAN IS JUST A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WE, WE HEARD OUR CUSTOMERS, WE LISTENED TO OUR CUSTOMERS, AND WE'RE DELIVERING TO OUR CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY'VE ASKED FOR.
AND I WANTED TO SHARE THIS, THIS SLIDE WITH YOU.
THIS WAS, UH, THIS WAS KIND OF A REIMAGINED SKI SLOPE SLIDE, UH, WHICH TELLS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION TO POTENTIAL RIDERS.
WE SAID, AT WHAT FREQUENCY WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO TAKE OUR SERVICE? AND, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT, THAT SLOPE REPRESENTS, UH, IS, IS THE INTEREST IN TAKING OUR SERVICE.
[01:15:01]
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE IS, IS THE, THE FREQUENCY IN MINUTES.SO YOU CAN SEE AT 10 MINUTES, 84% OF THOSE FOLKS WE ASKED, THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TAKING OUR SERVICE IF WE'RE DELIVERING A 10 MINUTE FREQUENCY.
AND THEN IT KIND OF FALLS A LITTLE BIT AT 20 MINUTES TO 64%, ABOUT 20% AT 30 MINUTES.
AND THEN THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT.
WHEN YOU'RE BEYOND 30 MINUTES, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO 1% OF THE PEOPLE SAID THEY'RE GONNA TAKE OUR SERVICE.
AND WHAT'S REALLY NOT GOOD, WHAT THE RED REPRESENTS IN 25, 70% OF OUR SERVICE WAS IN THAT 20 TO 60 OR THE 30 TO 60 MINUTE SERVICE.
SO WE WEREN'T DOING VERY WELL.
BUT NOW WITH THE BETTER BUS PLAN, WITH 65% OF IT BEING ON THE GROUND, AFTER MAY WE FLIP THE SCRIPT, WE WILL FLIP THE SCRIPT.
IN MAY, 72% OF OUR ROUTES WILL HAVE SERVICE THAT'S BETTER THAN 30 MINUTES.
SO THE TEAM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB DOING THAT.
AND, AND WHAT'S AMAZING IS WE'RE SEEING THE RESULTS ALREADY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR RIDERSHIP NUMBERS, PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO THIS SERVICE.
OUR RIDERSHIP IS GROWING, ESPECIALLY ON THOSE ROUTES.
UH, WHERE WE'VE IMPROVED THEM ALSO IN THE BETTER BUS PLAN IS, IS VIA LINK.
AND IN VIA LINK THIS, I, I CALL THIS OUR COVERAGE SERVICE.
'CAUSE THIS IS, THE SERVICE IS KIND OF IN THE PERIMETER CITY, UH, WHERE YOU HAVE CUL-DE-SACS, YOU HAVE KIND OF VERLAND STREETS, YOU HAVE TOPOGRAPHY.
UH, IT DOESN'T WORK TO BRING A 40, 60 FOOT BUS OUT TO THESE AREAS.
UH, BUT IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO DO AN ON DAM, ON DEMAND SERVICE, LIKE VIA LINK.
AND IN THE BETTER BUS PLAN, WE CALL FOR 10 10, UH, VIA LINK ZONES.
UH, WE HAVE SIX OF THEM ON THE GROUND TODAY.
THOSE ARE THE ONES IN PURPLE, UH, WITH THE SOUTHEAST, UH, TRUSTEE GOMEZ BEING THE LATEST AND GREATEST AS A COUPLE MONTHS OLD.
AND WE ARE ALREADY SEEING GREAT, UH, UH, NUMBERS AND RIDERSHIP THERE.
UH, SINCE 2019, WE'VE BEEN DELIVERING THIS SERVICE.
OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE USED IT THIS LAST YEAR.
WE'VE SEEN A 35% GROWTH IN THAT, AND ABOUT 500, 500,000 PEOPLE TAKE THIS SERVICE, UH, ON, ON A YEARLY BASIS.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, TALK TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
THEY'VE TOLD US WHAT WE WANTED AND WE'VE DELIVERED, AND THEY'VE RESPONDED BY, BY USING OUR SERVICE.
SO WITH THAT, UH, THAT CONCLUDES MAN JURIES IN MY PRESENTATION.
WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR US.
IF NOT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO LEROY TRUSTEES.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS MOMENT? NONE.
I, I JUST WANT TO, FOR CLARITY, THE 70% FLIP OCCURRED OVER A ONE YEAR PERIOD, ONE AND A HALF YEAR PERIOD.
WHAT WA WHAT WAS THAT TIME AGAIN? IT WAS 25.
AT THE END OF 25, AND IT WILL OCCUR IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, IN MAY OF THIS YEAR WHEN WE PUT 65% OF THE BETTER BUSS PLAN IN EFFECT.
SO AFTER THE MAY SERVICE CHANGE, LITERALLY ROUTES THAT WERE OVER 30 MINUTES COMPRISED 70% OF OUR ROUTES.
AND NOW LITERALLY IT'LL BE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.
THANK YOU THAT THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE DIRECTION THAT YOU GAVE US WHEN WE, I, UH, WHEN WE PRESENT THE PLAN TO YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEROY ALLWAY, CHIEF OF STAFF.
AS WE TRANSITION INTO THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION, WE ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND REALLY REINFORCE FOR EVERYONE THAT WHAT WE'RE DELIVERING ON TODAY WAS ALSO A PROMISE THAT WE MADE TO THE COMMUNITY.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, WHEN THE COMMUNITY OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED REALLOCATING THE ONE EIGHTH CENT SALES TAX TO THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT FOR THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN.
AS YOU HEARD, ROD AND MANGER MENTION WHAT WE'RE DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING WITH THE KEEP.
SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN IS THE BACKBONE OF A REFORM REVITALIZED TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SUCCESS FOR US LOOKS LIKE A SYSTEM WHERE PEOPLE CHOOSE TRANSIT 'CAUSE IT GETS THEM WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, WHERE THEY NEED TO GO ON TIME, SAFELY, AND WITH DIGNITY.
THE PLAN THAT IS ON THE SCREEN BEFORE YOU AT THIS MOMENT ENCAPSULATES THAT THE LAUNCH OF TWO VIA RAPID LINES, MORE VIA LINK AND THE BETTER BUS PLAN.
THAT'S HOW WE GROW RIDERSHIP, HOW WE IMPROVE THE SYSTEM, AND IN LINE WITH THE MISSION, VISION, AND PROMISE THAT THE BOARD HAS PUT IN PLACE AS THE LAST YEAR, HOW WE ARE ALSO THE DRIVING FORCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S GROWTH AND SUCCESS.
I'M GONNA BE JOINED BY TERRY TRAVINO TO WALK THROUGH WHAT OUR COMMUNITY AND CUSTOMERS CONTINUE TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES FOR OUR SYSTEM.
AND AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO REINFORCE THAT WHAT WE'RE DELIVERING TODAY, WE TOLD VOTERS WE WOULD DELIVER IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, EVEN RECOGNIZING
[01:20:01]
THAT THAT SALES TAX DID NOT START COMING OVER TO VIA UNTIL JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR.SO IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY EASY TO WAIT SIX YEARS TO START SEEING THAT PLAN COME TO FRUITION.
THIS AGENCY DIDN'T WAIT, AND AS YOU JUST HEARD FROM ROD AS WELL, WE ARE EVEN ACCELERATING FASTER.
THE PLANS WE'VE PUT IN PLACE TO DELIVER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND TRUSTEES.
TERRY TINO, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MARKETING WITHOUT DATA IS LIKE DRIVING WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED.
I'M HERE TO PROVIDE YOU DATA AND FEEDBACK ON BEHALF OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK IS AT THE CORE OF ALL THINGS WE DO TO DELIVER SERVICE AND PROVIDE VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A DEDICATED STAFF OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF CUSTOMER FEEDBACK AND SURVEYS WHO WORK ON COLLECTING, SYNTHESIZING, AND DELIVERING INSIGHTS ON THE PULSE OF THE REGION, INCLUDING CUSTOMERS, FUTURE CUSTOMERS, AND MEMBERS OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
OUR MAIN, MAIN SURVEYS FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, WHICH MEASURES WHAT EXISTING CUSTOMERS THINK, FEEL, AND EXPERIENCE.
WE ALSO MEASURE NET PROMOTER SCORE.
IT IS THE GOLD STANDARD OF FUTURE GROWTH AND FOCUSES ON BRAND LOYALTY, GAUGES, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, AND WE ADMINISTER COMMUNITY VALUE SURVEYS AND MARKET SURVEYS, WHICH IDENTIFY VALUE DRIVERS CONDUCT GAP ANALYSIS, OPTIMIZING PRICING AND PACKAGING AND IMPROVISING, IMPROVING IN, UH, RETENTION.
HOWEVER, SURVEY VAIL, VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY ARE CRITICAL TO PROVIDING TRUSTWORTHY RESEARCH.
AND OUR SURVEY RESULTS WORK WITHIN NATIONALLY ACCEPTED VALIDITY SCORES EVALUATED BY NEUTRAL THIRD PARTIES.
OUR DATA IS VERY CONSISTENT ACROSS THE MENTIONED SURVEY CHANNELS.
FAIR FREE SERVICE IS NOT A TOP OF MIND REQUEST FROM OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE ASK ABOUT BEARS AND AFFORDABILITY, AND IT SIMPLY DOES NOT RESONATE AS A PRIMARY CONCERN OR BARRIER.
WHAT WRITERS ARE ASKING FOR CONSISTENTLY AND CLEARLY IS MORE FREQUENT SERVICE, BETTER ON TIME PERFORMANCE, SHORTER TRAVEL TIMES, AND A SYSTEM THAT THEY CAN RELY ON.
THESE THEMES SHOW UP AGAIN AND AGAIN IN OUR SURVEYS AND OUR FEEDBACK.
IN FACT, 89% OF NON-CUSTOMERS SURVEYED AGREE THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT USE VIA SERVICES, THEY ARE GLAD THEY, THERE ARE PLANS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSIT BECAUSE EITHER THEY OR SOMEONE CLOSE MAY NEED IT IN THE FUTURE.
THIS OVERWHELMING OVERWHELMINGLY CONCLUDES THAT OUR COMMUNITY SEES THE BENEFIT IN TRANSIT THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE.
SINCE 2021, VIA HAS CONDUCTED SEMI-ANNUAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WRITER SURVEYS, WE DO THIS TO ENSURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVES, PERSPECTIVES OF OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS TO IDENTIFY, ANALYZE, AND IMPROVE CUSTOMER SENTIMENT, TO BOOST RETENTION.
THIS ALLOWS US TO DELIVER ON WHAT MATTERS MOST TO OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS.
OUR MOST RECENT CU CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY SHOWS THAT EXISTING CUSTOMERS ARE LARGELY SATISFIED WITH WHAT THEY PAY TODAY.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DATA POINT.
IT TELLS US THAT FOR MOST WRITERS, THE FAIR LEVEL ITSELF IS NOT A PRIMARY BARRIER IN USING TRANSIT.
THE PRIMARY BARRIER IS WHETHER THE SERVICE WORKS FOR THEIR DAILY LIFE.
OVERALL, OUR CUSTOMER SURVEYS SHOW SIGNIFICANT SATISFACTION WITH THE VIA SYSTEM ON AVERAGE, AND MOST RECENTLY, 87% OF OUR CUSTOMERS SAY THAT THEY'RE SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXPERIENCE ON OUR EXISTING SYSTEM.
THAT'S COMPARED TO A TRANSIT INDUSTRY AVERAGE OF 76%.
AND IMPORTANTLY, MORE THAN HALF OF THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS HAVE SAID THEIR EXPERIENCE HAS IMPROVED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
OUR NET PROMOTER SCORE IS THE HIGHEST IN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY AND FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE OF WORLD CLASS ACROSS ALL BELOVED BRANDS.
NOW WE LOOK AT WHAT ACTUALLY DRIVES RIDERSHIP GROWTH.
[01:25:01]
THE DATA IS CLEAR FREQUENCY, RELIABILITY, AND USEFULNESS OF THE NETWORK.WHEN SERVICE IMPROVES, RIDERSHIP FOLLOWS, WHEN SERVICE IS UNRELIABLE, EVEN FREE FARES DON'T OVERCOME THE INCONVENIENCE.
AS WE CONTINUE EXAMINING CUSTOMER FEEDBACK, WE ROUTINELY ASK WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM ON TIME PERFORMANCE HAS RISEN TO THE TOP OF MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF OUR SYSTEM.
IN EACH OF OUR LAST THREE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS.
IN THE RED SUMMARY BOX, YOU WILL SEE THE TOP THREE IMPORTANT FACTORS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT ON TIME, PERFORMANCE, SERVICE COVERAGE, AND WEATHER PROTECTION.
ONCE AGAIN, WE DO NOT SEE IN OUR SURVEYS THAT THE COST AFFAIRS IS PROHIBITIVE.
IN FACT, 98% SAID THEY ARE SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED WITH OUR CURRENT FAIR STRUCTURE.
ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE, WE SUMMARIZED WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE MOST SATISFIED WITH AND LEAST SATISFIED WITH.
OUR CUSTOMERS SAY THEY LIKE THE EASE OF PURCHASING, FARE, TRIP PLANNING, AND ACCESS TO STOPS.
THEY TELL US THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON WEATHER PROTECTION, WEAK WEEKEND FREQUENCY AND SECURITY AT OUR STOPS.
AND THEY TELL US THEY SEE TREMENDOUS VALUE IN THE COST OF THEIR AFFAIR.
NOT THAT IT ISN'T AN OBSTACLE.
LAST SUMMER IN A COMMUNITY VALUE SURVEY, WHICH MEASURES THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF THE WORTH, BENEFITS, AND PRICE OF QUALITY RATIO OF A PRODUCT AND SERVICE, WE REACHED OUT TO WRITERS AND NON-WRITERS.
WE FOUND BROAD SUPPORT OF V'S.
PLANS TO IMPROVE SERVICES, QUALITY SERVICE AND PRICE IS A KEY DIMENSION OF FEEDBACK.
AND THOSE SURVEYED AGREE THAT OUR PLANNED INVESTMENTS WILL HELP THOSE MOST IN NEED ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT A STRONG TRANSIT NETWORK IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ECONOMICALLY COMPETITIVE CITY TO AN ECONOMICALLY COMPETITIVE CITY.
AND THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AS A RESULT OF THIS FEEDBACK, WE KNOW AND ARE COMMITTED TO OVERSERVING THE UNDERSERVED, WE DO THIS THROUGH WORKING WITH OVER 120 NONPROFITS WHO PURCHASE DISCOUNTED BUS PASSES TO PROVIDE TO THEIR CLIENTELE POPULATION IN THE SAME COMMUNITY VALUE SURVEY.
IN TERMS OF THE QUESTIONS OF HOW DO WE BROADEN OUR CUSTOMER BASE, THE TOP RESPONSES FROM RESIDENTS IN OUR REGION INCLUDE SAFETY, MORE TRANSIT OPTIONS, HIGHER FREQUENCY SERVICE, THE DELIVERY OF OUR ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT PROGRAM, BETTER TECHNOLOGY.
AND THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF VIA LINK ABSENT FROM THIS LIST IS THE COST OF FARES.
AS A AS SURVEY AFTER SURVEY HAS SHOWN US, OUR CUSTOMERS FEEL THEY'RE GETTING A SIGNIFICANT VALUE FOR THE FARES THEY PAY, AND THE COST IS NOT PROHIBITIVE.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS NOT A BARRIER TO RIDE.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GLAD TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS SEGMENT BEFORE MR. BROWN JOINS US AT THE PODIUM.
TRUSTEES, ANY QUESTIONS TRUSTEE? THANK YOU, TERRY.
UH, JUST WANNA GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
SO THIS IS A LOT OF GREAT DATA AND I LIKE THAT YOU PRESENTED NOT ONLY CUSTOMER DATA, BUT UH, DATA FROM NON-WRITERS AS WELL TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, YOU MENTIONED THERE, THERE WASN'T ANY COMMENT ON COST OF BARRIERS BEING, UM, COST AFFAIRS BEING A BARRIER FOR NON-WRITERS? ONLY 2%.
AND THEN WAS 98% SAID OUR, THEY WERE, THEY VALUED OUR FAIR STRUCTURE.
WAS THIS A STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY OR HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE, WE GOT SAMPLE SIZE FROM, UH, MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
[01:30:01]
MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, SURVEY VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY IS IMPORTANT TO US.WE WORK WITH THIRD PARTY VENDORS, UM, TO ADMINISTER THE, UM, TO ADMINISTER THE SURVEY REPORTS.
AND WE ALWAYS WORK WITHIN NATIONALLY ACCEPTED VALIDITY SCORES.
ARE THERE ANY WAYS OF HOW, UM, SO THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, OUTLETS OUTSIDE OF A SURVEY WHERE WE ARE RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM NON-WRITER AND WRITERS TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW TO TURN THEM INTO WRITERS OR HOW TO REMOVE ANY BARRIERS FOR THEM TO BECOME WRITERS? YES.
UM, I COVERED SOME OF OUR SURVEYS, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER, WE GET THE VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER THROUGH MANY OUTLETS, SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, TELE-TOWN HALLS, UM, WRITER INTERCEPTS, SO MEETING PEOPLE AT THE ACTUAL BUS STOPS.
SO VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER IS REALLY A MATTER OF HOW WE GO ABOUT COLLECTING DATA IN A MA IN VARIOUS MANNERS.
TRUSTEES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, I AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING TRUSTEE, UM, UH, FERNANDEZ WAS, UH, WHO CONDUCTED, DO YOU HAVE, UM, THE COMPANY THAT DID CONDUCT THE SURVEYS? YES, WE DO.
SO FOR OUR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SCORE, UH, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED TWICE A YEAR, THAT IS DONE BY TRANS PRO, WHO ALSO DOES OTHER, UM, TRANSIT INDUSTRIES WITHIN, UH, WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR NET PROMOTER SCORE IS ALSO ADMINISTERED BY TRANS PRO.
THAT'S DONE ONCE A YEAR, AND THAT'S AN INDUSTRY-WIDE STANDARD.
UM, I SHOULD SAY THAT THAT IS A, THAT'S A STANDARD AMONGST ALL BRANDS TO SURVEY ONCE A YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY VALUE SURVEY THAT IS ADMINISTERED BY A COMPANY CALLED BASE BASS LEASE.
AND LASTLY, WE DO A MARKET SURVEY, WHICH IS ALSO ADMINISTERED BY MARK, UM, TRANS PRO.
SO WE WORK WITH THIRD PARTY VENDORS TO, UM, TO DEVELOP AND, UM, SYNTHESIZE DATA AND GATHER FEEDBACK.
UM, OUTSIDE OF, UH, OH, ARE THESE SURVEYS ONLY ADMINISTERED DIGITALLY OR ARE THERE ANY NO, MA'AM.
WE, WE COLLECT, UH, WE COLLECT SURVEY FEEDBACK IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE COLLECT IT VIA, UM, BILINGUAL PHONE, TELEPHONE IN PERSON, ELECTRONICALLY, DIGITALLY.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO MEET OUR CUSTOMERS WHERE THEY'RE AT, AND SO THUS THE WAY THAT WE COLLECT DATA IS, UM, REFLECTIVE OF HOW OUR, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY IS, UH, IS STRUCTURED.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND TRUSTEES, PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY.
MY NAME'S TRAMELL BROWN, DEPUTY CEO.
TODAY I'LL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT AND SAFETY IMPACT OF A FAIR FREE SYSTEM AND A FAIR FREE SERVICE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH, OPERATOR SAFETY IS RIDER SAFETY.
A SAFE SYSTEM BEGINS WITH SAFE OPERATING ADDITIONS FOR ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES.
THE BIGGEST THING TO REMEMBER WHEN OPERATING CONDITIONS BECOME MORE VOLATILE, OPERATOR STRESS INCREASES.
WHEN OPERATOR STRESS INCREASES SAFETY RISK ALSO INCREASES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, PROTECTING OPERATOR SAFETY PROTECTS OUR RIDER SAFETY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO STRESS TODAY, IT'S LIKE YOU'LL SEE THEIR SAFETY'S NOT NEGOTIABLE.
IT'S NOT ONLY OUR PRIORITY, IT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.
THERE'S AN INCREASE AFFORDABILITY COST THAT TAKES PLACE.
WE'VE LEARNED THIS FROM NATIONWIDE EXAMPLES AS WELL AS OUR OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE.
MOST OF WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THE WOMEN AND MEN BEHIND US THAT SPOKE, UH, ON THEIR EXPERIENCES HAPPEN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THESE WEREN'T CANVASSED FROM AGENCIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS WAS LIVED EXPERIENCE BY PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DID THIS JOB.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT ALSO, IS THAT LISTENING TO OUR FRONTLINE IS AS IMPORTANT TO US AS LISTENING TO OUR CUSTOMER.
WE CANVAS THEIR THOUGHTS, WE LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
SAY WE HAVE SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS THAT, IS TO BE THERE TO
[01:35:01]
SUPPORT THOSE THAT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY MOVE.SO WE HAVE A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP THAT WORKS WELL.
OPERATORS ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
FOR THOSE THAT WERE HERE, AND REMEMBER THE ERA OF COVID, WE WERE THE ONES TRANSPORTING THOSE THAT WERE ESSENTIAL TO OTHER MOVING PARTS OF THIS, THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN.
SO IF WE WANT MORE SERVICE, WE MUST BE ABLE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN OPERATORS.
WITHOUT THEM, WE DON'T HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL IMPACTS.
FEAR FREE DOES NOT ELIMINATE COSTS.
WE'VE ALREADY LEARNED THE HERD ALREADY THAT IT SHIFTS THEM.
UNIVERSAL FAIR FREE WOULD INCREASE SUPERVISION DEMANDS AND REDUCE OPERATIONAL PREDICTABILITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE COME TO ENJOY.
THEY DON'T ONLY KNOW THE OPERATORS, THEY KNOW THE BUS, THEY KNOW WHAT TIME IT'S GONNA GET THERE.
THEY ARE NORMS THAT WOULD BE DISRUPTED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT RESOURCES THAT ARE REDIRECTED TOWARDS EXPANDED SUPERVISION OR RESPONSE ARE RESOURCES NOT INVESTED IN SERVICE FREQUENCY.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, FLEET RELIABILITY, ROUTE EXPANSION OR ON TIME PERFORMANCE, INCREASED COMPLEXITY, MAKES CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE OR HARDER TO SUSTAIN.
SO I'M GONNA USE SOME, SOME TERMS AND PHRASES.
SO FORGIVE ME, UH, FOR NOT WAXING POETIC, BUT SOME OF THESE ARE VERNACULAR THAT WE USE IN TRANSIT.
AND SO I'LL, I'LL KIND OF DO LIKE A ROCK SCHEME ACROSS THE WATER AND GIVE BRIEF EXAMPLES AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT IS.
BUT I'LL YIELD TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE I, I COMPLETE MY TIME HERE.
SO THE FIRST STEP WE HAVE FOR SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS IS DAILY EFFICIENCY AND SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THAT'S ON TIME PERFORMANCE.
THIS WILL BE GREATLY IMPACTED.
AGAIN, THIS WAS A LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT WE SAW.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ESTIMATED.
THIS IS DUE TO ADDITIONAL SPACE OR BUSES THAT ARE NEEDED DUE TO INCREASED CALLS FOR SERVICE RELATED TO CAPACITY ISSUES.
SPACERS ARE A TERM THAT WE USE LOOSELY THAT WE USE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO REGULATE AND DEAL WITH BUNCHING AND STACKING OF BUSES.
WHEN ONE BUS STARTS TO RUN LATE, IT AFFECTS THE BUS BEHIND IT.
AND SO WE'LL USE OTHER BUSES ALMOST LIKE ACCORDIONS AND DEPLOY THEM FROM DIFFERENT AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT ARE IN THE FIELD.
AND THE DISPATCHERS, MUCH LIKE AN ORCHESTRATED MOVEMENT, WILL KIND OF WAVE THE BATON AND START TO SEND VEHICLES ALL OVER THE CITY TO ALLEVIATE CONGESTION.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HELP US PROVIDE THE DAILY MIRACLE THAT GETS MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING, GOING WITHOUT EVEN UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND THE BEHIND THE SCENES.
SO BACK TO THE CAPACITY ISSUES THAT WILL CREATE STANDING LOADS.
THAT MEANS EVERY SEAT TAKEN THE AISLE ALMOST COMPLETELY FULL.
WE HAVE POLICY, WE HAVE PROCEDURE THAT REQUIRE THE OPERATOR TO CALL AND CONTACT THE DISPATCHER ANYTIME WE PASS UP.
ANYONE THAT AT A SERVICE STOP, THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMER SERVICE OUTREACH AND IMPACT.
AND WHEN THAT CALL HAPPENS, THE DISPATCHER HAS A COUPLE OF OPTIONS THAT HE OR SHE NEEDS TO DO.
FIRST, LET'S GET THAT PERSON PICKED UP AND ADDRESSED.
ALSO, HOW DO I FIND THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO DO THAT? SO THEY START TO WHEEL THEIR MAGIC BATON AND FIND THE SOLUTIONS FOR THIS.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH THAT IS THESE REPEAT PASS UP, BECOME SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS.
PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED, THE SERVICE RELIABILITY IS IMPACTED.
THEY'RE LITERALLY WATCHING THE BUS THEY WOULD NORMALLY GET ON TO GET TO WORK ON TIME.
PASS THEM BY BECAUSE THEY CAN LITERALLY SEE PEOPLE ALMOST STANDING AT THE FAIR BOX.
WE SAW THIS, WE LIVED THIS EXPERIENCE BEFORE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALSO UNDERSTAND IS FOR THE CALLS FOR SERVICE, MOST OFTEN THOSE ARE BUS STOPPAGES.
THOSE ARE SERVICE DISRUPTIONS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AS WE GO ON RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL MOVE INTO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OPERATORS IS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE AND OPERATOR AVAILABILITY AND THE USE OF THAT IS PARAMOUNT TO JUST GETTING SERVICE OUT.
THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY IS UNLIKE MANY WHERE THERE ARE ACTUALLY PLATFORMS OF WORK WHERE WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ON THE READY JUST IN CASE SOMEONE CALLS IN SICK, JUST IN CASE SOMEONE'S NOT ABLE TO COME AND PULL THAT BUS OUT ON TIME.
WE HAVE SOMEONE ALREADY STANDING BY THAT WITHIN SECONDS WILL GET THEIR ASSIGNMENT, GO OUT THERE, JUMP IN THAT VEHICLE, AND GET TO THE START POINT AND PICK UP A CUSTOMER.
AND THEY NEVER KNEW THAT WASN'T THE ONE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PICK THEM UP.
THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE DAILY MIRACLE.
WHENEVER WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE DEALING WITH A FAIR FREE SITUATION LIKE THIS, WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN THOSE OPERATORS, WHAT WE CALL RESERVES OR STANDBYS, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THE READY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THE ONES THAT ARE USED TO FILL SPACES.
SO IF ALL THE OPERATORS PULL OUT FOR THE DAILY PULLOUT THAT MORNING, THEY STAY HERE, THEY GRAB VEHICLES AND THEY GO WAIT IN THE FIELD.
IN SOME AREAS THAT WE CALL THE HOLE, IF I TOLD YOU I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, HIGH TRANSIT IQ STUFF.
BUT THESE ARE JUST AREAS THAT WE DEPLOY FROM THAT ARE REGIONALLY LOCATED THAT HELP US GET THERE
[01:40:01]
IN THE MOST TIMELY MANNER TO SOME OF THESE PLACES WHERE WE, WE SEE A LOT OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING.WE'D HAVE AN INCREASE OF OPERATORS EACH DAY JUST TO STAND BY JUST TO MEET THE ADDITIONAL DEMANDS.
IN ADDITION TO THE STANDARD WORK THAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
IF WE WERE TO GET INVOLVED AND TO MOVE FORWARD INTO EVEN A PILOT PROGRAM THAT BEGAN, ADDITIONAL BUSES WOULD BE NEEDED, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO DIP INTO OUR SPARE RATIO.
THE FTA REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE BACKUP BUSES ON THE READY TO GO OUT AND CALL FOR SERVICE.
IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE BY THE FT A TO HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT SAYS WE'RE ALL OUTTA BUSES.
SORRY, WE, WE WE CAN'T PICK YOU UP.
SO WE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE VEHICLES ALWAYS ON THE READY.
BUT WHAT'S WORSE THAN THAT? YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE OPERATORS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLES.
AND WE HEARD BEFORE FROM THE FAMOUS DREAM TEAM BEFORE I GOT HERE, THAT WE'VE DONE WELL TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT YOU'VE ASKED OF US TO DO.
AND THAT'S MAKE THE PRIORITY THE PEOPLE.
AND IN DOING SO, WE HAVE TO HAVE A SUPPORT GROUP THAT HELPS THAT HAPPEN AS WELL.
THERE'S ALSO ADDITIONAL DAILY BUSES THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED.
SERVICE CLEANED, THE READINESS FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY, THAT'S ON TOP OF WHAT WE NORMALLY DO.
SO TO HAVE A FAIR FREE SYSTEM THAT DEALS WITH SOME OF THESE, AND THESE ARE JUST THE SMALLEST RIPPLES, UH, OF THAT TYPE OF SERVICE TO PROVIDE, WE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE TO STAFF UP, REPROGRAM, RE-STRATEGIZE, AND MOVE FORWARD.
NEXT STEP WE'LL MOVE INTO THE SAFETY AND SECURITY AREA.
CODE OF CONDUCT COMPLIANCE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WOULD BE THE BUCKET OR THE BOX THAT YOU HEARD MOST FROM THE WOMEN AND MEN THAT CAME UP TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT THEY REMEMBER.
WHEN WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD FAIR FREE SERVICE THAT WAS GOING ON.
CODE OF CONDUCT SETS THE SERVICE EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
IT'S BEHAVIOR, THE ACTS, THE RULES, ALL THE SAFE SERVICE MEASURES THAT CREATE KIND OF THE DECORUM, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY'RE USED TO.
THEY CAN TELL WHAT'S NORMAL BY THE ADHERENCE OF THAT.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUTSIDE OF THAT, THEY CAN TELL SOMETHING'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TODAY.
IT'S NOT A REGULAR TRIP TO GET WHERE I'M HEADED TO NOW, OPERATOR ENGAGEMENT OF CODE OF CONDUCT ISSUES HAVE A GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR CONFLICT THAN ENFORCING THE FAIR.
OPERATOR ENGAGEMENT, JUST THEM ENGAGING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PERFORMING OUTSIDE OF THE ACCEPTABLE CODE OF CONDUCT BEHAVIOR HAS A GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR CONFLICT THAN ENFORCING THE FAIR.
BECAUSE MOST OF THEM END UP WITH NOT ONLY A STOPPED BUS, BUT SOME BEING REMOVED FROM THE BUS.
THERE'S ANOTHER IMPACT THAT HAPPENS FROM THERE.
THE CUSTOMERS WHO ROUTINELY RIDE AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET TO THOSE, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE OPPORTUNITIES, GET TO THEIR JOB, UM, GET TO THEIR, THEIR SCHOOL, GET TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, THESE ARE DELAYS.
AND WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT IS WHAT WE SAW IS THEY COULD PREDICT THE DELAYS.
THEY COULD TELL THAT IF SOMEONE WAS AT A BUS STOP AND THEY GOT IN WITH NO SHOES, NO SHIRT, AND SOME FOREIGN SUBSTANCE JUST DRIPPING FROM THEIR BODY, THIS IS NOT DRAMATIC, THIS WAS JUST TUESDAY.
THEY KNEW THAT THEY MAY NOT GET TO WORK.
THEY WOULD MAKE COMMENTS LIKE, KEEP GOING, PASS 'EM UP.
THEY JUST DID NOT WANT RISK, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MISS, TO GET TO THAT UNDISRUPTED TRIP THAT THEY'VE GROWN TO BE USED TO.
AND SO DURING COVID, WE SAW A LOT OF THIS THAT WAS TAKING PLACE.
NOW, THE REASON THAT IT'S AN ISSUE MORE SO THAN THE FAIR IS BECAUSE NOW IT REQUIRES THE OPERATOR TO NOT ONLY STOP THE BUS, THEY NOW HAVE TO CALL AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE DISPATCH, RIGHT? BECAUSE NOW IT'S TIME TO MITIGATE THAT.
SO WE'LL HAVE A SUPERVISOR, SOMEONE THAT WILL COME ON BOARD.
THE OPERATOR WILL EMPLOY DEESCALATION TRAINING AS THEY GET AS PART OF OUR REGULAR DNA.
BUT NOW THEY HAVE TO ENGAGE THIS INDIVIDUAL WHEN THEY SAY, WHY IS THE BUS STOPPED? AND NOW THEY'VE ALSO GOTTA MANAGE THE CROWD OF PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING THAT WAY.
AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IS THE NEXT BUS RIGHT BEHIND US, OR AM I GONNA HAVE TO GET OFF AND JUST TRY TO WALK OR FIND A FRIEND? AND SO PEOPLE WOULD START TO GET THEIR CELL PHONES OUT ALL THE TIME.
THAT LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN A FAIR FREE SITUATION.
BECAUSE IN FAIR FREE SITUATIONS, PEOPLE COME ON BOARD, THEY CAN STATE THE FAIR IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN GO GRAB A SEAT, BUT LITERALLY ANYBODY WHO'S SITTING WATCHING A VEHICLE DRIVE BY CAN JUST JUMP ON BOARD.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE A DESTINATION.
THEY JUST NEED TO HAVE A, A ZEST FOR ADVENTURE.
AND THEY WOULD GET IN THERE AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND THEY CAUSED DIFFERENT TYPES OF ISSUES.
AND IT JUST BECAME A PROBLEM THAT GOT EXACERBATED.
NOW FOR THE PILOT FAIR FREE PROGRAM, EVEN IN THAT SITUATION, THERE'S A NEW LEVEL OF CONFLICT THAT THE OPERATORS NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH.
IF WE WERE TO ENGAGE IN THAT, ANYTIME SOMEONE WHO WAS ON ONE OF THE FREE LINES, AND I'M AIR QUOTING
[01:45:01]
HERE, ONE OF THOSE FREE LINES EVERY TIME THEY TRANSFERRED FROM THAT LINE, RIGHT? BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM IS A WEB OF CONNECTIONS.ONCE THEY GOT OFF OF THAT LINE AND GOT INTO A PAYING LINE, NOW WE GOT THE OLD TRADITIONAL FAIR CONFLICT.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO PAY THE OTHER BUST DIDN'T CHARGE ME.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MARKET SATURATION WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEY HAD A CHANCE TO READ, THEY HAD A CHANCE TO LISTEN.
NOT EVERYONE'S GONNA PLAY BY THOSE RULES.
AND ESPECIALLY PEOPLE THAT AREN'T TRADITIONAL TRAVELERS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER REINTRODUCTION OF A, OF A FAIR CONFLICT THAT HAPPENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NOW, MOST OF THE CODE OF CONDUCTS COMMONLY RESULT IN SERVICE DISRUPTIONS WHERE THERE WILL BE A STOPPED BUS, THERE WILL BE A SUPERVISOR INVOLVED, AND THEY'LL COME AND TRIAGE A SITUATION, DETERMINE DOES TRANSIT POLICE NEED TO GET ENGAGED OR CAN THEY JUST REMOVE THAT PERSON FROM THE VEHICLE, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM, EDUCATE AND INFORM 'EM AND DECIDE IT'S OKAY IF YOU TO JUMP ON THE NEXT VEHICLE BEHIND.
THAT WAY THIS BUS CAN CONTINUE IN SERVICE AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR CONNECTIONS.
THOSE ARE ALL PRECIPITATED BY OPERATOR CALL FOR SERVICE AND OPERATOR DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE TRAINED TO DO.
THEY SEE SOMETHING, THEY SAY SOMETHING AND THEY WANT TO GET THIS MITIGATED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ENVIRONMENT SAFE.
UH, BUS EXCHANGE DUE TO SANITARY ISSUES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED A LOT.
PEOPLE WOULD COME AND BRING DIFFERENT TYPES OF ITEMS ON THE BUS THAT, UH, HAVE LEAKAGE AND SEEPAGE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE SITTING IN FOREIGN FOREIGN LIQUIDS.
THAT MEANS THAT SEED IS UNUSABLE.
WE'D HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE DEPLOY IN THE FIELD JUST TO INTERCEPT THAT BUS, CLEAN THAT BUS SO WE CAN STILL KEEP THE SEATING CAPACITY AS NECESSARY.
OTHERS INCLUDE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE EXITING THE BUS DUE TO ESCALATING SITUATIONS, CUSTOMERS NOT WANTING TO RIDE BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT AND RELIABILITY OF SERVICE HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED.
WE LITERALLY SAW PEOPLE WHO WERE AFRAID TO WAIT AT THE BUS BECAUSE THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE WHO LAWYERED AND CONGREGATED AT THE BUS STOP, THEY WOULD WAIT 20, 30, 50 FEET AWAY AND THEN MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE BUS AFTER THAT GROUP DECIDED TO GET ON OR OFF THE BUS.
THE MOST COMMON ONE THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT TODAY, AND ONE THAT THAT'S MEMORABLE FROM ANY AGENCY THAT HAVE LIVED, UH, THIS EXAMPLE, UH, IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING DAY TRIPPING CUSTOMERS.
THESE ARE DESTINATION LIST CUSTOMERS.
SOME OCCUPY SEATING IN HIGH VOLUME ON BUSES AND ONLY EXIT AFTER ENGAGED BY THE OPERATOR.
WE LITERALLY MEAN THAT THEY ARE RIDING FROM ONE IN THE LINE ALL THE WAY TO THE NEXT WITH NO EXPECTATION OF EXITING AND THEN REPEATING.
AND THEY'LL DO THIS UNTIL SOMEONE ENGAGES THEM.
SOME REMAIN SEATED AT BUS STOPS ALL DAY.
THEY CONGREGATE AND SIGNAL THE OPERATORS THAT THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE NEXT BUS, RARELY EVER BOARDING TO GET ON THE BUS.
RIGHT NOW, TODAY, IN OUR REGULAR SERVICE SWEEPS OUR TRANSIT POLICE, OUR SUPERVISORS, THEY'LL ENGAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING AT BUS STOPS, THAT ARE WATCHING BUSES GO BY.
THEY'VE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO BOARD.
AND THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE AND SAY, SIR, MA'AM, THIS THIS REGION, THIS AREA YOU'RE AT IS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS THAT ARE RIOTING.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO GRAB A SEAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PLEASE SIT ELSEWHERE.
AND NOW WE HAVE SUPERVISORS THAT ARE GETTING INTO CONFLICT.
THIS IS JUST THE LIFE THAT WE'VE LIVED BEFORE.
UM, SO IT'S REMINISCENT OF THAT AREA AND THAT'S WHY YOU HEARD SOME OF THE ENERGY THAT WAS USED BY SOME OF THOSE THAT SPOKE PREVIOUSLY.
SOME RIDE TO STAY IN THE AIR CONDITIONING ENVIRONMENT OR SIMPLY JUST ESCAPE THE WEATHER.
IF IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE, BUSES ARE PACKED.
AND IF THEY GET OFF, THEY'LL GET BACK IN THE NEXT BUS COMPLETELY WET AND JUST REPEAT.
THIS KEEPS GOING ON AND ON AND SOME RIDE JUST TO HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF ASSAULT AND INSTANCE THAT TOOK PLACE FROM OPERATORS WHO ARE MERELY JUST TRYING TO DO A WELFARE CHECK AND JUST ASK, SIR, MA'AM, ARE YOU OKAY? AND THE PERSON WAKES UP AND, AND JUST A DIFFERENT PLACE, UM, THAT DOESN'T FIT THE SURROUNDINGS THAT THEY'RE IN AND HAVE GOTTEN INTO SITUATIONS WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS ON BOARD.
WE ALSO HAVE THIS, IT CREATES CAPACITY ISSUES, STANDING LOWS AND CALLS FOR SERVICE AND BUS STOP LOITERING.
THESE SCENARIOS HAVE PROVEN PROBLEMATIC FOR CUSTOMERS.
WE HAD CALL INS, WE HAD CALFS.
WE HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM WHAT WE LIVED THROUGH BEFORE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THAT'S THE ONE THING YOU HEAR EVEN OUTSIDE OF VIA OUTSIDE OF OUR REGION THIS DAY, TRIPPING OR WHAT INDUSTRY TERM IS USUALLY ROUND TRIPPING.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIPPING OF THE SCALE.
THEN WE HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL SECURITY PRESENCE.
YOU KNOW, AN INCREASE IN SYSTEM SECURITY WILL BE NEEDED JUST TO HANDLE THE HIGHER VOLUME OF ON BUS CONCURRENT CALLS FOR SERVICE.
IF WE CHANGE NOTHING ELSE AND WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE USING THE VEHICLE, THEN MORE AT A TIME AND MORE BUSES
[01:50:01]
ON THE ROAD.IT'S ALMOST A LAW OF AVERAGES.
YOUR, IT WILL INCREASE THE PROBABILITY THAT YOU'LL HAVE MORE CONCURRENT EPISODES THAT YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS.
YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN ISSUE.
UM, BUS STOP SAFETY CALLS FOR SERVICE WILL INCREASE GREATLY.
IT WAS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WERE AFRAID TO EVEN GO TO THE BUS STOP BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SURE IF THE PEOPLE THERE WERE GOING TO RIDE IF THEY WERE NOT.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THERE ARE SOME THAT PREY ON THOSE THAT WAITED BUS STOPS, UH, AND IT USED TO JUST BE A SENIOR CITIZEN THING.
NOW IT'S JUST A CRIME OF AVAILABILITY.
AND SO THEY KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE BUS GENERALLY WILL HAVE A FAIR, DEFINITELY HAVE A CELL PHONE AND JUST OTHER THINGS THAT MOST OF US KEEP CLOSE TO US JUST TO MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE DAY.
AND IT JUST BECAME TARGET ZONES.
WE ACTUALLY PARTNERED WITH SAPD TO TRY TO ADDRESS THESE TYPE OF THINGS IF WE SAW THOSE THINGS.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK AND MAINTAIN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
BUT IT, IT JUST TAKES OUR, OUR OPERATORS BACK TO A LIFE THAT THEY'VE LIVED BEFORE AND IT'S JUST NOT A, A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.
THERE'S ALSO A SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING REPORTING RESPONSE TIMES INCREASE FOR SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR.
UH, SLEEPERS, PEOPLE WHO DID NOT WANNA GET OFF OF THE BUS.
PEOPLE WHO WERE PERFORMING DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRANSACTIONS ON THE BUS.
THIS WAS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE MIXING WITH PEOPLE WHO REMEMBER THAT IT USED TO BE OKAY TO JUST PUT YOUR HEAD DOWN AND TAKE A NAP OR CHECK YOUR PHONE, USE THE WIFI OR WHATEVER.
THERE'S JUST QUALITY OF LIFE INTERACTIONS THAT JUST GOT ENGAGED ON THAT BUS, THAT IT JUST LEFT PEOPLE A A BAD TASTE IN THE MOUTH.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE RISK FACTORS.
WHAT WE HAVE IS SERVICE QUALITY DEFINITELY WILL BE IMPACTED.
SERVICE RELIABILITY WILL BE IMPACTED.
SAFE SERVICE EXPECTATIONS BY OUR CUSTOMERS.
WHAT IS THE NEW NORMAL? NOW, IF WE HAVE A FREE FARE SITUATION AND WE GO BACK TO STANDING LOADS AND WE'RE NOT EVEN GETTING INTO THE SITUATION THAT WOULD HAPPEN FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE WAITING.
WE'VE ONLY GOT TWO WHEELCHAIR LOCATIONS ON THAT BUS AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED WHEELCHAIRS TO GET TO THE BUS STOP AND IT'S NOT THEIRS.
WE WON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT HOW THEY GOT IT, BUT THEY'LL USE IT.
AND WHEN THEY REALIZE THAT THERE'S NO MORE ROOM FOR THE WHEELCHAIR, THEY JUST LEAVE IT AT THE BUS STOP AND GET IN AND WALK IN, AND THEN THEY'LL JUST GET OFF LATER ON.
THIS IS ANOTHER LIVED EXPERIENCE.
UM, VEHICLE AND BUS STOP, CLEANLINESS.
YOU HAVE A LARGER CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE.
THINK OF ANY MAJOR CITY WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVING.
YOU'RE GONNA FIND SOME ISSUES WHERE, WHERE SANITARY CONDITIONS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, WHICH INCLUDES MORE TOUCH POINTS AND THE CUSTOMER SAT SATISFACTION EXPERIENCE.
SO SOME OF THE BUDGET INVESTMENT RECAPS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR SAFETY, UH, THROUGH THE YEARS THAT LED UP TO THIS TIME THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, UH, WAS WORKFORCE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AS FAR AS SECURITY SUPERVISORS, OPERATORS, THINGS TO BUILD A STRONGER INFRASTRUCTURE.
JUST ALLOW US TO DEAL WITH THE VOLUME OF, OF WORK THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST THE BUS THAT'S TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD.
IT'S THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THERE, THE TRANSFERRING AND EVERYTHING THAT TAKES PLACE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
IT WAS THIS ERA THAT I SPOKE OF WHERE WE INTRODUCED THE OPERATOR BARRIER DOORS.
WE DID AN EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS FAST AS WE COULD BECAUSE THE OPERATORS WERE GETTING SPIT ON AT A HIGH RATE, THE HIGHEST RATE WE'D EVER SEEN IN OUR ORGANIZATION'S HISTORY.
NOW, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SAFETY AND A LOT OF THINGS AROUND HERE FOR A LOT OF YEARS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I CANNOT RECALL THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST SPITTING ON OPERATORS.
THEY WERE THROWING DRINKS, THEY WERE THROWING EVERYTHING.
WE LITERALLY HAD TO START WITH A CURTAIN SYSTEM JUST SO THERE'S SOME TYPE OF DIVISION BETWEEN THEM.
IT ACCELERATE ALL THE WAY UP TO, UH, SOME OF THE INDUSTRY'S BEST AND TOP OPERATOR PROTECTIVE BARRIERS.
I MEAN, WE DIDN'T JUST GRAB THE FIRST THING ON THE SHELF.
WE EVEN FOUND THE ONES THAT HAD THE GREATEST AIR CIRCULATION JUST TO DEAL WITH ANY FEELING OF OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THEY LITERALLY GOT TO PICK THE ONES THAT WORKED.
WE TEAMED THEM UP WITH OUR MAINTENANCE TEAMS. WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL.
WE WANTED TO MAKE IT WORK, DECREASE THE SPITTING GREATLY.
BUT THEY STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO THROW PUNCHES.
THEY STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE THROWING THINGS AT THE DOORS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE THAT ERA SPAWNED THAT BEHAVIOR.
AND SO WE STILL MAINTAIN THEM.
AND YOU'LL SEE THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY HAS, HAS DONE THE SAME THING.
EVERYONE'S WORKING IN THAT, IN THAT SAME VEIN, UM, AS FAR AS EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE DISPATCHER CONSOLE AND POLICE TECHNOLOGY.
THERE'S JUST SO MUCH MORE AVAILABLE NOW TO FIND THE ISSUE, FIND THE SOLUTION, AND ALLOW THEM TO CONNECT IN OUR STANDARD MO OUR STANDARD PRACTICE.
IT'S NOT IF WE HAVE A THREAT OR A CRISIS OR SITUATION THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO SEND THE TRANSIT POLICE OFFICER THERE BECAUSE OF OUR JOINT LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER.
WE'LL FIND THE FIRST BADGE AND THE THE FIRST LAW ENFORCEMENT INDIVIDUAL THAT'S CLOSEST AND JUST GET THEM THERE, EVEN IF IT'S JUST TO HOLD THE SITUATION DOWN.
[01:55:01]
GOT THAT VIBRANT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY HERE, AND WE, WE STILL ENJOY THAT.OKAY? UM, FOR EDUCATION AND THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, DEESCALATION TRAINING IS SOMETHING THAT WE CHAMPION.
WE'VE DONE IT FOR A LONG TIME AT A HIGH DEGREE.
SO MUCH SO IT'S BAKED INTO OUR DNA FOR ALL BRAND NEW OPERATORS.
WE HAVE BIANNUAL, UH, REFRESHER CLASSES THAT ARE FOR OPERATORS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
BUT DEESCALATION IS, IS CRITICAL.
WE HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD TO INTRODUCE A FACT, A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN MANY OF US WITHIN THIS ROOM, UH, TO BRING AN AMBASSADORSHIP, AN AMBASSADOR LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE THAT RECEIVES A CHECK THAT SPELLS VIA ON IT HAS SOME DEGREE OF A CUSTOMER CENTRIC FOCUS IN HOW THEY DEAL AND WELCOME AND ASSIST ANY CUSTOMER WHO MIGHT NEED ANYTHING FOR.
IT'S JUST TO BE WAY FINDING OR JUST TO FIND A, A COMFORTING GESTURE OF, HEY, YOU'RE AT THE RIGHT BUS STOP.
THE, THE BUS SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, YOU CAN CALL THIS NUMBER AND READ THAT NUMBER TO 'EM AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHEN THAT BUS IS GONNA COME.
YOU COULD EVEN TEXT THE FOLLOWING.
AND JUST THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE IS SOMETHING THAT'S A PEDIGREE THAT WE WANT TO BE ALL ABOUT OUR CULTURE.
ALSO, UH, WE'RE BRINGING BACK SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, AND, UH, JUST SHOW YOU RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS THE, UH, A FOLDER FROM THE S FOUR TASK FORCE.
THIS WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN ACROSS SECTION GROUP OF ADMINISTRATION, MAINTENANCE, HOURLY EMPLOYEES, THE A TU EXECUTIVE BOARD AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS THAT GOT TOGETHER.
WE'D GET TOGETHER EVERY MONTH AND WE WOULD GO THROUGH AND IDENTIFY HOTSPOTS AND SYSTEMATICALLY GO THROUGH AND CLEAN THINGS UP.
AND YOU, YOU'LL HEAR IN OTHER CONVERSATIONS, I'M SURE IN THE FUTURE, THAT IT WAS PHENOMENAL.
IT WAS BIRTHED, IT WAS SPAWNED DURING THIS LAST SITUATION WHERE WE HAD FREE FARE.
WE REALIZED IT WAS A SERVICE THING THAT WE HAD TO ADD, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMERS FELT WELCOME TO A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO FEAR BEING AT BUS STOPS.
IT LITERALLY HAD OPERATORS WHO WOULD CALL IN FOR SOMEONE THAT THEY'VE PASSED TWICE.
AND THAT INFORMATION WOULD GO FROM THE DISPATCHER TO THE TRANSIT POLICE.
AND THAT WOULD GUIDE OUR, OUR METRICS AS FAR AS STREET SWEEPING AND JUST MAKING CONTEXT SAYING, HEY, LISTEN, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A BIT.
WHICH BUS ARE YOU TRYING TO CATCH WITH THE FREE FAIR SYSTEM? THAT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.
THEY CAN MAKE UP A BUS NUMBER OR MOVE ONE BLOCK DOWN AND JUMP ON THE NEXT BUS.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS THE OTHER SAFETY COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE AND THE, THE EASE OF HAZARD REPORTING IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO INCREASED, AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE PRIORITIZE SAFETY.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
HIRING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE'RE PROUD OF.
YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD CHALLENGED US, UH, IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY TO LET US KNOW WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.
AND SO WE TOOK THAT TO HEART AND A NUMBER OF THE FOLKS BEHIND ME AND EVERYONE ELSE GOT TOGETHER AND FIGURED IT OUT.
WE HAD A CHANCE TO START TO ACCELERATE THE BETTER BUS PLAN.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE IMPACT OF ON TIME PERFORMANCE, THE INCREASING USE OF RESERVE OPERATORS, ALL THE WOMEN AND MEN THAT ARE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT SUPPLEMENTAL BUS SERVICE STILL MAKES US KEEP THE SAME ON TIME, DESIRABLE, UH, HEADWAY THAT PEOPLE WANT IT, IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IN FRONT OF THIS FULL BOARD, THAT IF WE WERE TO GO FOR FAIR FREE, THOSE NET GAINS THAT WE GOT FROM ALL THE HIRING, ALL THE BUSES THAT WE HAVE WOULD THEN ALL BE GIVEN TOWARDS SUPPORTING THAT PILOT.
AND IF WE GO BEYOND THAT, WE WON'T HAVE THOSE SAME ASSETS THAT WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE THE BETTER BUS PROGRAM.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT SHOULD BE SAID.
WE HAVE THE PEOPLE, BUT THEIR USE HAS BEEN DIVERTED.
AND SO I'LL JUST BRIEFLY GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS.
IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF EVERYBODY BEING ASKED TO BE BIGGER AND THINK BIGGER.
AND SO THESE SOLUTIONS, THEY WORKED NOT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
AND SO JUST TO CATCH UP THOSE, WE HAVE NEW TRUSTEES THAT ARE HERE.
UM, WE HAD TO INCREASE JOB FAIR PARTICIPATION BY MOVING EVENTS TO EVENING HOURS.
THEY USED TO BE JUST DURING WORKING HOURS WHEN MOST PEOPLE ARE WORK, RIGHT? WE JUST MISSED A WHOLE DEMOGRAPHIC OF PEOPLE.
UH, WE EXTENDED SAME DAY CONTINGENCY OFFERS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, TEAM SUPPORT, OUTREACH THROUGH MEDIA OUTREACH AND LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE.
YOU CAN WATCH ANY NEWS STATION AND YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A JOB FAIRED VIA ON THIS NIGHT AT THIS TIME.
WE IMPLEMENTED, UH, DEFERRED RETIREMENT COMPENSATION TO RETAIN TENURED FULL-TIME BUS OPERATORS.
[02:00:01]
HUNDRED OPERATORS ENROLLED IN THIS, THIS STRENGTHENED LONG-TERM WORKFORCE ABILITY.IT'S A PROGRAM THAT HR HAD GOT TOGETHER AND PUT THEIR WITS THERE AND FOUND A WAY TO SAY, LISTEN, IF YOU WERE GONNA RETIRE, WE MAY HAVE FOUND A WAY FOR YOU TO STICK AROUND FOR ANOTHER 18 MONTHS.
AND SO THERE'S SOME BONUSES INVOLVED WITH THAT, AND IT'S AN AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM AND IT WORKED GREAT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THIS WHERE WE HAVE ENHANCED INTERVIEW PROTOCOLS AND STRENGTHENED PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS USING TALENT CLICK AND DLT, PHYSICAL AND DRUG SCREENING.
WE JUST CLEANED UP AND STRENGTHENED SOME OF THOSE THRESHOLDS THAT WERE THERE AND JUST MADE THEM MORE EFFICIENT, MADE IT EASIER TO GET THROUGH, BUT IT GAVE US WHAT WE NEEDED TO WHERE WE CAN GET BETTER CANDIDATES THAT ARE MORE CUSTOMER CENTRIC RATHER THAN SOMEONE WHO JUST SAW THE HOURLY PAY.
UM, THIS GREATLY REDUCED THEIR ATTRITION.
AND THEN WE HAD THE RECRUITER INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WHICH HAS DONE WELL, BUT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT YOU'VE JUST HEARD ME MENTION EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM IS IMPACTED BY THIS LAST BULLET AT THIS CURRENT TIME RIGHT NOW, TODAY, LITERALLY AT 7 0 2, I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS.
AND WE'RE HEARING CONCERNS FROM THE NEW HIRE CANDIDATES THAT JUST GOT HERE, CURRENT TRAINEES, EXISTING OPERATORS THAT ARE WORKING.
SOME MAY STILL BE IN THIS ROOM, SOME MAY HAVE BEEN HERE EARLIER ON, WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS THE RIGHT JOB FOR THEM.
THIS IS ALL ANTICIPATION OR INCREASED SAFETY CONCERNS RELATED TO FAIR FREE SERVICE.
AND THAT CONVERSATION HAS ONLY BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS.
IT'S ALREADY REACHING A SATURATION POINT WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IS THIS A PLACE I THOUGHT I WAS WHEN I GOT HERE.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY CHANGING, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU SAW SOME OF THE, THE ENERGY AND THE EFFORT FROM THOSE BEHIND ME.
AND I THINK THAT MAY BE THE LAST SLIDE.
WE'LL PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, MADAM CHAIR ON THIS SECTION.
ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE
YOU HAVE ONE QUESTION, JUSTIN GILLION, I HAVE QUESTION.
I I THINK YOU'RE THE ONE, UM, FOR THE RESERVE OPERATORS.
SO THEY MAY JUST BE HERE WAITING ALL DAY.
DO THEY HAVE LIKE A FULL 40 HOUR WEEK? YEAH.
HOW MANY TIMES ARE ON THE BUS, THAT SORT OF THING? WE, WE DO THAT.
THERE IS AN ENTIRE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, THAT'S IN OUR WORKING CONDITIONS.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF EXAMPLE WHAT IT IS.
UM, THAT OPERATOR, HE OR SHE MAY COME IN IN THE MORNING AND BE ASSIGNED AND BE HERE FROM 4:00 AM AND BE ON WHAT WE CALL RESERVES ARBITRARY, LET'S JUST SAY TILL 8:00 AM.
AND IF THEY DON'T CATCH OUT, IN OTHER WORDS, IF EVERYBODY SHOWS UP FOR WORK AND THEY'RE A NEED FOR THAT, SOME OF THEM MAY BE TOLD TO COME BACK AT A LATER TIME.
OKAY? OR SOME OF THEM MAY ACTUALLY JUST BE GIVEN A BUS AND BE SENT OUT TO ONE OF THE HOLES TO JUST HANG OUT AND WAIT TO BE SENT OUT AND DEPLOYED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE TO AUGMENT THAT IRREGULAR LIFESTYLE AND WORKDAY IS WHAT'S KNOWN AS A GUARANTEED 80.
THAT CLAUSE IS IN OUR WORKING CONDITIONS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT AS LONG AS YOU SHOW UP, AS LONG AS YOU SHOW UP AND BE PREPARED TO WORK, YOU DON'T MISS AND YOU'RE NOT LATE.
YOU'LL GET A PAYCHECK FOR 80 HOURS, EVEN IF THAT DAY YOU WORK SIX AND A HALF OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THE INVESTMENT, KIND OF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS THAT THIS INDUSTRY ACTUALLY DOES TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN GET THAT BUS TO THAT FIRST CUSTOMER ON THE FIRST TRIP OF THE DAY.
AND THAT'S, THAT CAME FROM THE OLD RAILROAD, UH, COMMISSION.
THAT'S WHY THAT TERM IS EXTRA BOARD AND RESERVES.
THEY ALL COME FROM, FROM THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY THAT WE BEGAN FROM.
TRUSTEE HOWARD, JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUE OF WHEN IT WAS FIRST HAPPENING, WHEN THERE WAS FREE RIDING AND THE LOADING OF THE BUSES AND THE UNLOADING.
I'M WANNA GET INTO THE AREA OF OBVIOUSLY THE ISSUES THAT THE DRIVER ARE EXPERIENCING COULD BE MENTALLY DISTURBING, BUT HAS THERE EVER BEEN ONE WITH A PHYSICAL ASSAULT CREATED SOME, SOME, SOME OF, OF AN INJURY INJURY THAT WAS MEDICALLY IN THAT IN NATURE? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS A YES AND NOT IN A, IN ANY SMALL FORM OF THE NATURE, NOT JUST HERE ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
THERE WERE ENTIRE MANDATES THAT CAME FROM, UH, THE FTA, THIS ONE AND IT, YOU KNOW, KINDA GETTING TRANSIT GEEK LANGUAGE.
BUT SMS, WHICH IS SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, UM, THESE PROTOCOLS THAT CAME FROM BIPARTISAN, BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL REQUIRED AGENCIES TO START TO TRACK THOSE, UH, IDENTIFY THOSE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND REPORT THAT THROUGH OUR NATIONAL TRANSIT DATABASE REPORTING.
THAT WAY THEY CAN JUST SYNTHESIZE ALL THE ACTIVITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND JUST TAKE THE PULSE AND FIND OUT DO THEY NEED TO MAKE GREATER MANDATES TO KEEP EVERYONE IN THIS INDUSTRY DOING THAT JOB MUCH SAFER.
SO BY ALL MEANS, THERE WERE SOME THAT, THAT WERE FAR MORE THAN JUST VERBAL AND TOSSING OF CUPS AND COFFEE.
UM, THERE WERE SOME THAT THAT ACTUALLY ATTACKED OPERATORS, UM, SOME THAT EVEN OFF OF THE BUS.
WE'VE GOT CAMERAS AND THINGS EVERYWHERE, AND USUALLY
[02:05:01]
PEOPLE, UH, WHO HAVE, UH, WARRANTS OR A A POLICE INVOLVEMENT BACKGROUND, THEY'LL WAIT TILL THEY GET OFF OF THE BUS.'CAUSE THE BELIEF IS, WELL, NOBODY CAN SEE ME.
WELL, WE'VE GOT CAMERAS OUTSIDE THE BUS TOO.
UH, TRAMELL THE SLIDE THAT LISTED OUT WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS, UM, TIMES WHERE YOU HAD THESE KINDS OF DISRUPTIONS, HAD SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, SAFETY, SECURITY, AND ALL THE RISK FACTORS THAT YOU OUTLINED FOR US.
DID YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND ASSESS WHAT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT WAS OF ALL OF THAT DURING THAT TIME? IN HINDSIGHT, WERE YOU ABLE TO ASSESS A PERCENTAGE COST TO ALL OF THOSE RISK FACTORS BASED ON THAT PRIOR EXPERIENCE? WE, WE DID, AND I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WHAT EVERYONE HAD TO DO WAS TAKE A LOOK BACK ONCE EVERYONE KIND OF SURVIVED COVID AND JUST KIND OF LIKE, WHEW, WE MADE IT.
AND THERE WAS THIS LOOK BACK TO FIND OUT WHAT, WHAT WAS THE DESTRUCTION, WHAT WAS THE IMPACT? UM, AND THE FT A AND ATA, THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANS ASSOCIATION ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO EVERYONE GALVANIZED AT AND AND GRABBED THAT INFORMATION AND MOST OF 'EM GOT SUBMITTED TO, UH, SOME OF THE NATIONAL REPORTING, LIKE TCRP, UH, TRB, THESE AGENCIES THAT SYNTHESIZE ALL THESE THINGS.
AND JUST TO FIND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHERE WAS MOST OF THE COSTS AND HOW WAS IT, HOW WAS IT UTILIZED? REMEMBER THERE WAS ALL TYPES OF PROGRAMS ALSO WHERE YOU COULD, UH, GET ACCESS TO DOLLARS, RIGHT? TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE BURDENS THAT YOU TOOK.
UM, BUT WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS ABOUT IS EXACTLY WHAT LED TO THE ABILITY FOR EVERYONE TO CREATE EMERGENCY PROCUREMENTS, TO GET BARRIER DOORS.
THAT WAS THE FASTEST SOLUTION TO PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OPERATORS TO STILL WANT TO COME TO WORK, UH, AND JUST KEEP THE DOORS OPEN AND KEEP SERVICE MOVING.
BUT I DON'T HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF ME.
THERE, THERE WAS A LOOK BACK TO JUST FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THAT FISCAL HIT, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE SURVIVE IT AND, AND LEARNED AND LIVE WELL FROM IT.
AND MANY OF THOSE STANDARDS ARE STILL THERE 'CAUSE THEY JUST BECAME BEST PRACTICE FOR, BECAUSE DEALING WITH MASSES OF PEOPLE.
TRUSTEE FLORES, OUR NEXT SECTION ACTUALLY IS GOING TO DIVE INTO SOME OF THE POTENTIAL FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON THE AGENCY AS WELL.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I'M JERMAINE CHUBB, VP OF FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND CFO.
I'M GOING TO DISCUSS THE, UH, FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF A FAIR FREE, UH, POLICY HERE.
AS YOU'VE HEARD, UH, MANY, EXCUSE ME, AS YOU'VE HEARD MANY TIMES TONIGHT AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS, A FAIR FREE PROGRAM IS NOT FREE.
THERE ARE COSTS THAT ASSOCIATED CONSEQUENCES THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED.
UM, FINANCIAL IMPACTS ARE VERY REAL AND WE MUST HAVE A FINANCIALLY, UH, STABLE SYSTEM TO DELIVER ON THE TRANSFORMATION THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS TOLD US THAT THEY DESIRE BY THEIR VOTE AND THEIR ONGOING REQUEST TO THIS AGENCY.
IF YOU LOOK HERE, OUR, OUR, OUR FAIR BOX REVENUE IS INTEGRATED INTO OUR FINANCIAL PLANS THAT ARE SUBMITTED TO THE FTA.
OUR FAIRBOX REVENUE IS NEEDED TO SUPPORT OUR FINANCIAL CAPACITY AND STABILITY, UH, DEMAND DIVIDED FTA AND THEIR ONGOING, UH, GRANTS FOR THE, UH, GREEN LINE.
UM, I NOTE ALSO THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SPENDING THESE GRANT DOLLARS FOR OUR GREEN LINE AND WE'RE AWAITING A DECISION ON THE SILVER LINE AS WELL.
AND SO LASTLY HERE, IT HAS TAKEN VIA ALMOST 50 YEARS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN, IN A FINANCIALLY, UH, RESILIENT STATE.
AND VIA MUST CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT ABILITY TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM FOR US TO, UM, FOR, FOR DECADES TO COME FOR US TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
MOVING ON TO THE, UH, NEXT SLIDE HERE.
WHEN MANAGEMENT APPROACHED THE BOARD WITH OUR CAPITAL AND OPERATING PLAN FOR APPROVAL IN, UH, LATE SEPTEMBER OF, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, WE SHOWED A $1.1 BILLION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN HERE.
UH, THIS PLAN INCLUDES $793 MILLION IN SPEND FOR KS A AND INCLUDES SPEND OF COURSE ON THE, UH, GREEN LINE, SILVER LINE AND SECOND O AND M FACILITY, THOSE KS A PROJECTS THERE.
UH, IT ALSO SHOWED, UH, 126 MILLION IN SPEND FOR REVENUE VEHICLES, ANOTHER $58 MILLION FOR PASSENGER AND OPERATING FACILITIES.
AND YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT WE, UH, SET ASIDE $100 MILLION AS CONTINGENCY SPEND TO SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF KSAM AS REQUIRED BY OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AS WE STATED, AND THE COVER FOR THE LACK OF CONTINGENCY THAT WE HAVE IN A MULTITUDE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE WITHIN THIS PORTFOLIO HERE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE BY OUR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS HERE THAT THAT PLAN, AND OF COURSE, THE UM, OPERATING SPEND THAT WE NEEDED TO INCUR WITH THE, UH, NEXT FIVE YEARS HERE ACTUALLY YIELDED, UH, FAVORABLE RESULTS IN
[02:10:01]
TERMS OF ACHIEVING THE BOARDS ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE RATIO, AND DAYS CASH ON HAND.THIS IS HOW WE DETERMINE IF A CAPITAL PLAN IS AFFORDABLE FOR US OR NOT.
AND SO WE SHOW HERE IN THAT GREEN BOX HERE, YOU SEE THAT EACH AND EVERY YEAR WE ACHIEVE AT LEAST A 1.3 TIMES OR BETTER DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE RATIO.
THAT'S MANAGEMENT'S PLANNING THRESHOLD.
THE BOARD'S THRESHOLD IS A SLIGHT BIT LOWER THAN THAT AND WE DIDN'T WANNA PLAN TO THAT LEVEL, OF COURSE, AND THAT THRESHOLD IS 1.15 TIMES.
AND SO, UH, WE WERE DOING GOOD FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT DAVE'S CASH ON HAND, WE ACHIEVED 126, WELL, I'M SORRY, 126 DAYS OR BETTER IN THE FIVE YEAR TIMEFRAME.
THE BOARD'S THRESHOLD IS 120 DAYS OR BETTER.
AND SO WE, WE ACHIEVED THAT AS WELL.
AND SO THE BOARD APPROVED THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING PLAN FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
NOW I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME IMPACT TO OUR FAIRBOX REVENUES.
AND SO WE'LL GO OVER TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE RESULTS OF A FULL, FAIR FREE POLICY ON THE ORGANIZATION.
SO IT AMOUNTS TO THIS, UH, 5% REVENUE LOSS OR SO.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE, UM, CHART HERE THAT A FAIR FREE POLICY WILL RESULT IN THAT FULL $18 MILLION LOSS.
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET, WE PLAN FOR 18 MILLION IN SPEND AND FAIR BOX REVENUES, ALL OF THAT WILL BE WIPED AWAY.
WE MADE AN ASSUMPTION HERE THAT LET'S JUST SAY THAT WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE OUR POLICY BEFORE THE YEAR STARTED, AND WE PLAN TO REMOVE ALL OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FAIR BOX COLLECTIONS.
AND SO YOU SEE THAT AS A SAVINGS HERE IN THE CHART HERE ABOVE.
AND THEN ON THE OPERATING, UM, SIDE OF THE HOUSE, YOU HEARD TREMMEL BROWN'S CONVERSATION AND PRESENTATION ABOUT ALL OF THE IMPACTS THAT THIS FAIR BOX, THIS FREE FAIR POLICY WOULD COST FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
AND IF WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THIS ORGANIZATION DESIRES, THERE WOULD BE QUITE A BIT OF COST.
AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WE PROGRAMMED WHAT WE, WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A MODEST 5% IMPACT TO OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 OPERATING BUDGET HERE.
AND THAT'S THAT $16.3 MILLION THAT YOU SEE HERE.
I NOTE HERE BELOW THAT, THAT I BELIEVE THESE COSTS COULD BE WITHIN A RANGE OF FIVE TO 15%.
AND SO AT THE 5% IMPACT ON OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 OPERATING BUDGET, WE WOULD HAVE A TOTAL FINANCIAL IMPACT OF $33 MILLION AT THAT 15% THAT COULD BE AS HIGH AS $67 MILLION.
AND SO MOVING FORWARD TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE HERE SHOWS, UH, PARTIAL FAIR FREE POLICY HERE, OR 3% REVENUE LOSS.
AND SO IN, IN THIS SITUATION, WE ASSUME THAT, UM, OF COURSE OUR FAIRBOX REVENUES, WE MAINTAIN 40% OF OUR FAIRBOX REVENUES.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE OPERATING IMPACT, WE JUST TOOK A MORE MODEST NUMBER HERE, ASSUMING THAT WE'D HAVE SLIGHT, UM, SLIGHTLY LESS IMPACT HERE.
BUT LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS HERE, YOU COULD SEE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE FAIR BOX REVENUE LOSS OF 10.8 MILLION.
WE WOULD NO LONGER HAVE THE FAIR COLLECTION SAVINGS BECAUSE WE'RE STILL COLLECTING FAIRES.
AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT A $9.8 MILLION OPERATIONAL IMPACT ON THE MODEST END, RESULTING IN A TOTAL FINANCIAL IMPACT OF $20.6 MILLION.
THE NEXT SLIDE ACTUALLY GOES OVER THE IMPACT OF BOTH OF THOSE SCENARIOS.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE, UH, MIDDLE HERE, WE TALK ABOUT THAT 4 0 4 FEE, UH, POLICY HERE, THAT 5% REVENUE LOSS.
AND, UM, YOU LOOK SQUARELY AT THE DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE RATIO.
AND OVER THOSE FIVE YEARS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT FISCAL YEAR 26 THROUGH 30, WHERE WE WERE SHOWING AN ACHIEVEMENT GREATER THAN THE BOARDS REQUIRED 1.15 TIMES, WE NOW HAVE A MINIMUM WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME OF NEGATIVE ONE TIMES, MEANING THAT IF WE HAD DEBT SERVICE IN A PARTICULAR YEAR OF $20 MILLION, OUR NET REVENUES TO PAY DEBT SERVICE THAT YEAR WAS NEGATIVE $20 MILLION.
AND OUR MINIMUM DEBT, UM, I'M SORRY, OUR MINIMUM DAYS CASH ON HAND IN THAT TIMEFRAME WAS 78 AS WELL.
AND SO THE BOARD WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT.
MANAGEMENT WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
AND SO WE TALK ABOUT SOME ACTIONS THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO PURSUE TO, UH, CURE THIS.
WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT STOCKING ALL OF OUR MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE GREEN LINE, THE SILVER LINE, CHECKING ON M FACILITY, BETTER BUS PLAN, AND OR MAKE SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO OUR OPERATION.
AND WHEN WE TALK SIGNIFICANT, IT WOULD BE A MAJOR CUT TO OUR OPERATIONS THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
LOOKING AT THE, UH, 3% REVENUE LOSS SCENARIO, SIMILAR RESULTS.
WE HAVE A NEGATIVE 0.2 TIMES DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE RATIO.
WE HAVE NEGATIVE 71 DAYS CASH ON HAND AND OF COURSE ANOTHER, UM, PROGRAM THAT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE BY MANAGEMENT NOR THE BOARD STANDARDS.
AND WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT STOPPING SILVER LINE SECOND ON M FACILITY, BETTER BUS PLAN AND AGAIN, AND OR MAJOR CUTS TO THE OPERATION.
[02:15:01]
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THESE NUMBERS FALL OFF SO SIGNIFICANTLY IS ONCE WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE NO LONGER FINANCIALLY, UH, RESILIENT, THE FT A IS GONNA LOOK AT THAT AND THEY'RE GONNA PULL ALL OF THE GRANTS THAT THEY'VE PROMISED US THUS FAR AND WHAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR IN TERMS OF SILVER LINING.SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE THOSE OUT AND THEN WE HAVE TO OVERCOME THAT IN SOME MANNER AND WE'RE JUST UNABLE TO DO IT.
AND I WOULD SAY LASTLY HERE, AND SO WE, WE'VE SHOWN HOW IT'S, IT'S REALLY UNAFFORDABLE FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO CONSIDER THIS FAIR FREE POLICY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE LEGAL CHALLENGES AS WELL.
WE'RE ACTUALLY PROHIBITED FROM ALLOWING A TOTAL FAIR FREE, UH, POLICY HERE.
AND SO WITH OUR FAIRBOX REVENUE BOND ISSUANCE ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2020, WE HAVE A SPECIAL COVETED WITHIN THAT, UH, WITHIN THAT BOND AGREEMENT THAT SAYS THAT NO FREE SERVICE OF THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY SHALL BE ALLOWED TO ANY CUSTOMER OR OTHER PERSON EXCEPT FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE WHO RIDE PURSUANT TO V'S.
AND SO AGAIN, WE HAVE AN INABILITY TO AFFORD THE, UH, CHANGES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE A LEGAL RESTRICTION AS WELL.
DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH? OKAY, SO NOW I'M GOING TO GO OVER THREE THINGS.
FIRST, THE FACTORS THAT FDA EVALUATES FOR THE OVERALL AWARD OF THE, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT.
THE SECOND ONE IS GOING TO BE OVERALL RATING FOR VR, RAPID LINES AND INPUTS TO THAT, UH, RATING.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE, I I WILL COVER IMPACTS TO THE CIG GRANT DUE TO FEAR FREE POLICY.
THIS CHART HERE SHOWS, UH, IT'S COMPLEX, BUT IT SHOWS THE TWO AREAS WHERE WE LOOK AT RATING.
UM, TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CIG CONSTRUCTION GRANT, ALL PROPOSED PROJECTS MUST GO THROUGH A MULTI-YEAR MULTI-STATE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OUTLINED IN THE LAW.
FDA IS REQUIRED TO EVALUATE AND RATE CIG PROJECTS ON STATUTORILY DEFINED PROJECT JUSTIFICATION AND LOCAL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT CRITERIA.
BOTH ARE RATED 50% AND A PROJECT MUST RECEIVE AT LEAST MINIMUM OR ABOVE OVERALL RATING TO ADVANCE THROUGH THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS AND RECEIVE CONSTRUCTION GRANT AWARDS.
SO THAT'S THE FRAMEWORK WE USE.
THEN I'M GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT, UH, STEP WHICH DWELLS DEEPER INTO LOCAL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT.
UM, AS PART OF THE 20 YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED FOR THE, UH, GRANT, WE LOOK AT THREE AREAS, THE CURRENT CONDITIONS WITH CAPITAL AND OPERATING, UH, CONDITION.
SECOND ONE, WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S CONTEXT IS COMMITMENT OF FUNDS.
IT INCLUDES FAIRBOX REVENUE, CURRENT AND PROJECTED LOCAL SALES TAX AND CURRENT AND PROJECTED ANY OTHER FUNDS WHICH WE MIGHT RECEIVE.
AND THE THIRD ONE IS REASONABLE OF CAPITAL AND OPERATING COST ESTIMATES, PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS, CAPITAL AND OPERATING FUNDING CAPACITY, INCLUDING TOTAL DEBT CAPACITY.
ALL THIS TOGETHER HELPS US LOOK AT THESE WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THE RAPID GREEN LINE.
WE HAVE, UH, A GRANT AGREEMENT, FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT WITH FDA BASIS OF WHICH INCLUDED FAIRBOX REVENUE AND SOME OF THE FINANCIAL GERMANE EXPLAINED BEFORE.
AND THAT GRANT IS $268 MILLION SILVER LINE.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SUBMITTING OUR FINAL GRANT APPLICATION, AND BOTH PROJECTS CURRENTLY ARE RATED MEDIUM HIGH, WHICH MADE US COMPETITIVE AND ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS GRANT NEXT LINE.
SO A FAIR P POLICY ALSO THREATENS GREENLINE CONSTRUCTION AND EVALUATION OF SILVER LINE GRANTS AS FDA REQUIRES FINANCIAL CAPACITY TO DELIVER PROJECTS AND OPERATE THOSE PROJECTS.
REQUIREMENT TO DEMONSTRATE A SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL PLAN TO FDA IS A KEY REQUIREMENTS OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL PLAN INCLUDES MEETING VIA POLICIES RELATED TO DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE, CASH IN HAND, AND UH, ALSO DEMONSTRATING FUNDING FOR SERVICE AND CAPITAL NEEDS WITHOUT IMPACTING THE SERVICE, THE EXISTING SERVICE FOR NEXT 20 YEARS.
SO WE MUST IDENTIFY REPLACEMENT FUNDING SOURCES OR COST REDUCTION PLAN WITHOUT IMPACTING EXISTING SERVICE.
[02:20:01]
FEAR-FREE POLICY.IN WORST CASE, OUR INABILITY TO SECURE LOCAL FUNDING SOURCES WHETHER TAXES OR FAIR FARES AS PROMISED IN THE FINANCIAL PLAN, CAN ALSO, UH, EXPOSE US TO POTENTIAL PATHS IN THE GRANT FOR, UH, GREEN LINE CONSTRUCTION SO THEY CAN STOP, DRAW DOWN OUR EXISTING GRANT, OR IN THE WORST CASE, TERMINATE GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE GREEN LINE.
IT ALSO, UH, MAY ASK US IF WE CANNOT HAVE LOCAL, UH, SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL PLAN IN THE TWO SCENARIOS THAT JERMAINE MENTIONED, THEY MIGHT ASK US TO REPAY THOSE GRANT UH, AWARDS.
THIS ALSO JEOPARDIZES OUR SILVER LINE GRANT AWARD.
WITH THAT, WE'RE GLAD TO PAUSE AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS.
TRUSTEES, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIALS? NO, WE ARE GOOD.
AND THEN PRISCILLA'S GOING TO JOIN FOR THE LAST SECTION OF THIS PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS PRISCILLA INGLE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER SUPPORT, CUSTOMER CARE AND SUPPORT.
AND WE'RE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE FAIR PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING, UH, ACCESS TO OUR SERVICE.
WE HAVE FOR DECADES PROVIDED AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION WITH NUMEROUS DISCOUNTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT OVER THE DECADES THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE REALLY BEEN VERY PROGRESSIVE IN PROVIDING SERVICES SO THAT NO ONE, UH, DOESN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE A SERVICE TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
SO WE DO HAVE EXISTING DISCOUNTS IN PLACE AND WE ALSO HAVE A VERY ROBUST PROGRAM THAT WE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH AREA NONPROFITS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACC HAVE THEIR CLIENTS ACCESS SERVICE AS WELL.
THE PARTNERSHIPS ARE WELCOMED.
WE'RE GLAD THAT WE ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH PARTNERS AND WITH, BUT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE FUNDING IN PLACE, AND THAT'S WHERE THE FAIR COMES IN AND WE REINVEST IT SO THAT WE CAN PUT OTHER PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.
SO THIS, UH, GIVES YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT OUR FAIRES LOOK LIKE TODAY.
AND WHILE THEY MAY LOOK REASONABLE TO ALL OF US, THERE ARE UNFORTUNATELY SOME COMMUNITIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD FAIR, BUT WE DO HAVE PROGRAMS WHERE WE CAN HELP THEM GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND BE ABLE TO USE A SERVICE.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SCREEN, WE'VE GOT FOUR YEAR CHILDREN.
FOUR YEARS ARE YOUNGER, RIDE FOR FREE CHILDREN, FIVE TO 13 CAN RIDE AT HALF FAIR.
THE VIA TRANS RIDER CAN ALWAYS USE OUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICE FREE, AND THEY CAN ALSO TAKE A PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT WITH THEM FREE AS WELL IF THEY RIDE THE BUS.
AND WE LAST ADJUSTED OUR FARES IN 2015.
SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR FARES, BUT THAT KIND OF HAS BEEN INTENTIONAL.
WE'VE PUT OTHER THINGS IN PLACE TO HELP US, UH, WORK WITH OUR CUSTOMERS TO GET THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO WITH AND WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO FEEL THE, THE PAIN OF HAVING TO SPEND MORE MONEY THAN THEY HAVE.
SO THIS GIVES YOU A SNAPSHOT OF THE, UH, DISCOUNTS THAT WE HAVE.
AND, UH, WE'RE, UH, OUR TEAM SPENDS A LOT OF TIME, UH, GROWING THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
WE HAVE OUR, UM, SEMESTER PASS THAT WE OFFER TO COLLEGE STUDENTS.
ORIGINALLY IT WAS JUST TARGETED TO STUDENTS ATTENDING COLLEGE, BUT THEN, UH, AS WE WORKED WITH THE VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND COLLEGES, THEY SAID, HEY, CAN WE EXTEND THAT TO OUR FACULTY AND STAFF? AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO THE TUITION, THE, THE COLLEGES PAY $2 AND 50 CENTS PER STUDENT FACULTY OR STAFF MEMBER PER SEMESTER, AND THEY HAVE ACCESS TO VIA SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE, THAT SCHOOL SEMESTER.
IN FACT, WE'VE EVEN EXTENDED IT.
SO, UH, THE, WHEN THE SCHOOL STARTS, UH, IN THE FALL, AND REALLY THE PASSES ARE REALLY AVAILABLE TO THEM COME AUGUST THE FIRST, AND THEY RUN THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE'LL START GETTING CALLS FROM THE STUDENTS SAYING, HEY, IS MY SCHOOL ALREADY ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM? 'CAUSE THEY WANNA HAVE ACCESS TO THIS SERVICE.
UM, THE COLLEGES THAT ARE ENGAGED RIGHT NOW WITH US, ALAMO COMMUNITY DISTRICT COLLEGES, UT SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS A AND M, AND WE WERE, UH, JUST ABLE AT THE START OF JANUARY TO ALSO ONBOARD THE UT UH, MEDICAL SCHOOL.
SO THEY'RE NOW, UH, MEMBERS WHERE, AND ALL OF THESE CAMPUSES ALLOW THE FAIRES TO BE AVAILABLE NOT ONLY TO THE STUDENTS, BUT ALSO TO THEIR FACULTY AND STAFF AND THE SAME HOST THROUGH WITH THE MEDICAL SCHOOL.
[02:25:01]
WORKING THERE OR ATTENDING CLASSES IS USING, UM, THE SERVICE AS WELL.AND, UH, WE, WE REALLY CONSIDER WHAT WE'RE DOING AS PARTNERS.
EVERY, UH, WE ARE ENGAGED WITH THE CAMPUSES, BUT WE'RE ALSO ENGAGED WITH THE BUSINESSES THAT WE WORK WITH.
SO FOR OUR AREA EMPLOYERS, ANY BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO PROVIDE, UM, PASSES OR SERVICE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES, THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST 25 EMPLOYEES.
AND IF THEY DO AND THEY PURCHASE PASSES FOR ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, THEY PAY $82 ANNUALLY TO HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEE HAVE ACCESS TO SERVICE.
UM, IF THEY'RE A GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN BOTH BEXAR COUNTY AND, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OUR PART OF THE PROGRAM, THEY PAY $60 PER ANNUAL, UH, PER YEAR PER EMPLOYEE.
WHAT WE ALSO DO WITH THE BUSINESSES, BECAUSE THEY ARE MAKING THAT INVESTMENT INTO THEIR EMPLOYEE, IF AN EMPLOYEE LEAVES THE COMPANY, WE WILL WORK WITH THEM.
AND WHEN THEY, UH, WHEN THEY BACKFILL THAT POSITION, THEN THAT, THAT PASS WILL THEN BE TRANSITIONED OVER TO THE NEW EMPLOYEE.
SO THEY DON'T REALLY EVER LOSE OUT ON ANY FUNDING.
AND, UM, OUR STAFF IS VERY DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH THESE COMPANIES.
ONCE THEY'RE A PARTNER WITH US, WE WANT THEM TO STAY.
AND SO WE MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE, UM, WORK WITH THEM ANY WAY WE CAN TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR THEM WITH THE INVESTMENT THEY'RE MAKING.
SO WE'RE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT ON THE UPAS SIDE, WE HAVE JUST OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND STUDENT FACULTY AND STAFF THAT CAN ACCESS THE PROGRAM.
AND THAT CHANGES DEPENDING ON, UH, WHAT THE ATTENDANCE IS LOOKING LIKE AND THE EMPLOYMENT LOOKS LIKE AT THE START OF THE SEMESTER.
BUT, UH, WE'VE GOT OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN ON OUR, ON OUR EMPLOYER SITE, WE HAVE 156 EMPLOYERS WHO ARE WORKING WITH US ON THE VO WORKS PROGRAM.
AND WE DO HAVE A TEAM THAT IS OUT EVERY DAY WORKING WITH COMPANIES, UH, TO GET THEM ENGAGED WITH US IN SOME WAY.
AND WE WILL ALSO, WE DON'T JUST SIGN 'EM UP AND WALK AWAY, WE'RE THERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.
SO IF THEY NEED FLYERS, IF THEY NEED PASSES, IF THEY'RE HAVING AN EVENT ON THEIR, AT THEIR, UH, FACILITY AND THEY WANT US THERE, WE WILL BE THERE.
AND SOMETIMES WE ALSO, UH, MAKE THE EFFORT TO COME UP WITH THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BE THERE WITH THEM AND BE A GOOD PARTNER.
SO WE ALSO HAVE REDUCED, UH, REDUCED AND DISCOUNTED FARE FOR OUR SENIORS.
UH, THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT WE IN THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS HAVE MADE IT EVEN BETTER FOR THE SENIOR BECAUSE WE USED TO, THEY, YOU WOULD HAVE A HALF FAIR PASS THAT THEY COULD USE TO RIDE.
BUT WHAT WE DID IN RECENT YEARS IS WE'VE OPTED TO ALLOW THEM TO RIDE FREE ON THE WEEKENDS, AND THEY PAY 25 CENTS FROM, UH, 9:00 AM TO, TO 3:00 PM SO IT'S VERY AFFORDABLE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO USE THE SERVICE.
AND, UH, WE TOO, WE VISIT A LOT OF SENIOR FACILITIES.
WE GO TO A LOT OF SENIOR FAIRS WITH THE INTENT OF, UH, PROMOTING THE SERVICE SO THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
AND THEN FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED COMMUNITY, WE STARTED A FEW YEARS BACK WHAT WE CALL A FAIR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
ANY 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY THAT'S WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERSERVED OR HAVE LIVE IN LOW INCOME CAN PURCHASE, UH, PASSES FROM US AT A DISCOUNT OF 25%.
AND THEY CAN DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF FARES THEY WANNA BE, IF THEY WANNA WANNA SELL, IF THEY WANT HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEIR SENIORS, IF THEY WANT IT TO BE A DAY PASS, UM, MONTHLY PASS, WE WILL, UH, SELL THEM TO THEM IN BULK.
AND THEN THEY PROVIDE THEM TO THEIR, UM, THEIR, THEY PROVIDE THEM TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE.
AND WE'VE GOT 126 AGENCIES WHO HAVE PURCHASED, UH, THESE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM.
AND WE'RE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WHEN WE LAUNCHED THIS PROGRAM IN 2019, WE'VE SOLD OVER $3 MILLION IN FAIR TO DATE, JUST WITH THAT PROGRAM ALONE.
AND THERE AGAIN, WE, WE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENGAGED WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
IF THEY NEED US, THEY NEED FLYERS, WE'LL GIVE THAT TO THEM.
IF THEY'RE HAVING AN EVENT, THEY NEED US THERE, UH, WITH THEM, WE WILL DO THAT.
UH, BUT WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME MAKING CERTAIN THAT ALL OF THESE AGENCIES THAT WE SERVE ARE BEING SERVED BY US IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THEIR, UH, CLIENTS AND CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
AND SO THIS LIST HERE, UM, AND I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE KIND OF DISTORTED, BUT, UH, THIS IS A LIST OF THE 126, UH, AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH.
AND WE DO CALL THEM STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.
UH, WE WANNA HELP THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UH, BUT THIS IS THE A HUNDRED TWENTY, A HUNDRED TWENTY SIX THAT WE HAVE TO TODAY.
WE GET CALLS EVERY WEEK FROM AN AGENCY SAYING, CAN YOU HELP US? WE NEED PASSES.
[02:30:01]
IT WITH THE BROOK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH.THEY NEEDED JUST A SMALL NUMBER OF PASSES 'CAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO GET THE HOMELESS OFF THE STREET INTO THEIR CHURCHES TO GET FED.
AND, UH, FROM THAT ONE PERSON THAT CAME TO US, AND SHE WAS VERY PERSISTENT ABOUT GETTING US TO WORK WITH HER, IT'S GROWN INTO WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
BUT EVERY WEEK WE'RE GETTING CALLS FROM NONPROFITS.
WE MAKE IT VERY QUICK AND EASY FOR THEM TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAMS. THEY JUST HAVE TO GIVE US THEIR 5 0 1 C3, FILL OUT A QUICK FORM, AND THEN, UH, WE CONSIDER THEM OUR PARTNER AND WE START WORKING WITH THEM, UM, IN WHATEVER CAPACITY WE CAN TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS FOR THEM AS WELL.
AND WHAT WE CAN ALSO TELL YOU IS THAT 40% OF OUR RIDER ARE, ARE, ARE RIDING ON REDUCED FARE.
AND THAT'S, UH, QUITE A NUMBER.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SERVING, THAT 40% OF THEM ARE RIDING ON A REDUCED FARE.
AND THAT NUMBER COULD GROW BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A COMMUNITY THAT WE KNOW NEEDS ASSISTANCE, BUT WE'RE HERE TO HELP THEM.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN, UH, IF SOMEBODY COMES TO US WITH A CONCEPT FOR A NEW IDEA ON HOW TO, UH, PROCESS FAIR OR DISTRIBUTE FAIR, UH, WE LISTEN AND WE TALK TO PEOPLE.
UM, I WILL GIVE YOU A QUICK STORY.
TOYOTA HAD A FAIR GRANT TO, THEY HAD A GRANT TO PURCHASE FARES FROM US, FROM US, WHICH THEY DID.
AFTER THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM WITH US, THEY FOUND THAT THE END OF, OF THE TERM OF U OF USING THAT GRANT, THAT THEY HAD $15,000 LEFT, THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE PUTTING TOWARDS FAIR.
SO THEY ASKED OUR TEAM, DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD WANT THAT MONEY AND USE IT? AND SO HE SAID, YEAH, WE'LL TAKE THE $15,000 AND WE USE THAT MONEY FOR RANDOM PEOPLE THAT CALL US OR A SMALL AGENCY IN NEED, AND WE WILL GIVE THEM THE PASSES THEY NEED THROUGH THAT $15,000 THAT'S MADE AVAILABLE TO US.
IN FACT, WHEN THE NEW, UM, WHEN WE, UH, LAUNCHED WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN GTO IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE SEMESTER PASS PROGRAM, WE HAD A PARENT CALL US.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAD THREE STUDENTS, BUT THEY WERE OUTSIDE OF THE AGE RANGE.
THE AGES ARE 12 TO 18 FOR THE SEMESTER PASS.
THESE CHILDREN WERE LIKE NINE, 10, AND 11, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE FAIR, AND THEY WERE ASKED, CALLED US AND ASKED US CAN WE SOMEHOW GET PASSES FOR OUR THREE CHILDREN.
AND SO WE JUST DIPPED INTO THAT FUND.
WE SAID, WE WILL GIVE YOU THE SEMESTER PASSES THROUGH A GRANT THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
AND THE PARENT CAME UP, GOT THEIR PASSES, AND THEIR KIDS ARE NOW GOING TO SCHOOL, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO, UM, DO ANYTHING ELSE TO TRY TO GET THAT FAIR AVAILABLE TO THEM.
SO, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES.
WE ALWAYS MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO TALK TO ANYBODY WHO MAY NEED SERVICES FROM US TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THAT'S MY MADAM CHAIR.
WE'RE GLAD TO PAUSE ON FOR ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS SECTION.
HOW OLD DOES A CHILD HAVE TO BE TO BE ABLE TO RIDE BY THEMSELVES? UH, THEY HAVE TO BE, UH, OVER, THEY HAVE TO BE, UH, 10 OR 12, 12 AND ABOVE.
THEY HAVE TO BE WITH A PARENT IF THEY'RE ANY YOUNGER OR OUR GUARDIAN OR AN ADULT HAS TO BE WITH THEM.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER BIG THINGS WE'VE DONE, UM, IS WE GOT RID OF TRANSFER FEES.
AND THAT THAT'S ANOTHER I YES.
YOU KNOW, OF ALL THE THINGS WE DO THAT.
THAT WAS A BIG ONE I FELT MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO NOT RAISING THE FARES SINCE.
COULD YOU JUST GIVE THE ROOM JUST A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT IMPACT THAT HAD? WELL, BECAUSE THE CUSTOMERS WERE HAVING TO PAY FOR ANY TRANSFER THAT THEY GOT, THEY'D HAVE TO PAY FAIR, I THINK IT WAS 15 CENTS AT THE TIME.
AND SO THAT WAS A BURDEN ON SOME PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TO PAY THAT FAIR WHEN THEY, UM, BOARDED THE BUS WHEN THEY WERE JUST MAKING A TRANSFER.
SO WE ELIMINATED THAT AND THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO DO THAT.
ONE THING I, I WILL BRING UP, IT'S, IT'S PREMATURE, BUT I THINK IT AL ALSO FALLS INTO THE CATEGORY AFFAIRS AND, UM, IT'S, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD LATER, BUT WE WILL BE INTRODUCING A CONCEPT CALLED FAIR CAPPING THAT WILL HAPPEN, UH, DOWN THE ROAD AS WE GET, UH, FINALIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR, UH, FAIR, OUR FAIR BOXES.
AND WHAT THAT'LL DO IS IT'LL CAP A CUSTOMER'S FAIR.
SO IF SOMEBODY BOARDS THE BUS AND THEY PAY A DOLLAR 30 AND THEY'RE MAKING AN, UH, THEY'RE TRANSITIONING TO ANOTHER BUS, THEY'RE PAYING ANOTHER ANOTHER DOLLAR 30, AND THEY MAKE ANOTHER TRIP THAT DAY, THEY'RE ALREADY MA THEY ALREADY HAVE HIT THE CO THE PRICE OF A DAY PASS.
SO THEN THEIR, THEIR, UM, THEIR FARE WILL TURN INTO A DAY PASS AND THEY CAN CONTINUE RIDING THE FARES CAP FOR THAT DAY.
AND IT'LL DO THE SAME THING IF SOMEBODY RIDES MULTIPLE TIMES ON A MONTHLY OR A WEEKLY PASS.
UH, WE'RE STILL, UH, GETTING ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, BUT
[02:35:01]
WE'LL BRING THAT BACK IN THE FUTURE TO LET YOU KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER INCENTIVE TO GET PEOPLE TO RIDE AND NOT TO FEEL THE STRESS OF HAVING TO PAY PER TRIP.
JUST FOR A MATTER OF EMPHASIS, ACTUALLY, UM, WE'VE NOT HAD FAIR INCREASES IN OVER 10 YEARS.
UH, AND SECONDLY, WE HAVE OVER 126 NONPROFIT PARTNERS MM-HMM
FOR DISCOUNT PROGRAMS AND IN SOME CASES FAIR FEE PROGRAMS. RIGHT.
BECAUSE THOSE FAIR, THE WHILE THE AGENCY BUYS THE FAIR, THE THE PERSON THEY'RE HELPING IS GETTING THE FAIR FOR FREE.
SO VIA IS GETTING COMPENSATED FOR THE SERVICE YES.
BUT THE NONPROFIT IS FACILITATING THE FREE SERVICE FOR THEIR CLIENT.
OF THE 120 PLUS PARTNERS, CAN WE GET A LIST OF YOUR, YOUR TOP FIVE, TYPE 10? YES, WE CAN DO THAT.
AGENCIES JUST CURIOUS TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE.
IS IT THE HOUSING, IS IT THE, UH, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND CATEGORIZE THAT AGAINST, UM, CRITICAL ISSUES, UM, THAT THE CITY FACES? EXACTLY.
MADAM CHAIR, ONE THING WE DID ALSO WANNA POINT OUT ON THIS SLIDE, UH, DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN FOR THE BOARD, WHILE PRISCILLA DID MENTIONED THAT 40% OF OUR CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING THAT ALREADY REDUCED FAIR PRICE, THAT EQUATES TO 61 CENTS TO RIDE THE BUS OFF OF OUR NORMAL DOLLAR 30 FARE.
SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA BRING THIS BACK AROUND AS WE ARE INDICATING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF POLICY CONSIDERATION HAD A GREAT DEAL OF COMPLEXITIES AND IMPACTS THROUGHOUT OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND TO THAT, WE HAVE A SUMMARY HERE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHOW THE BOARD THAT BRINGS US ALL BACK TOGETHER.
SO ANY ORGANIZATION YOU CAN BREAK INTO THREE MAJOR CATEGORIES, UM, YOU, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THE CULTURE, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE STRATEGY, AND YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF IN ANY ORGANIZATION.
SO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS A HIGH RISK ON OUR CULTURE.
WE KEEP HEARING THAT, UH, OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, AND OUR SAFETY FOUNDATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE ASSIGNING THAT AS A HIGH RISK, UH, TO OUR CULTURE.
WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS TO ESTABLISH A CULTURE THAT BELIEVES IN THE BUILDING OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE EFFORTS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, UH, FOR OUR AGENCY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT MATTERS.
AND WE DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY AS MANAGEMENT.
I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK THE OPERATORS THAT ARE STILL HERE AND THE OPERATORS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM FOR SHOWING UP TODAY AND LETTING US KNOW THEIR THOUGHTS ON THIS MATTER.
STRATEGY IS INDEED SOMETHING THAT'S DRIVING ANY ORGANIZATION AND IDENTIFYING THOSE PRIORITIES AND THE SYSTEM PRIORITIES WE HAVE.
WE HAVE SET THAT AS TO DELIVER FAST, SAFER, MORE RELIABLE SYSTEM.
WE SEE THIS POLICY AS A HIGH RISK A AGAINST THAT, AGAINST OUR STRATEGY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE SAW A FINANCIAL HEALTH MOMENT, UH, CHECK IN, UH, OUR SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM STABILITY.
WE ALSO ARE ASSIGNING THAT AS A HIGH RISK, UH, FOR THIS POLICY.
WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE AND WE'LL, WE'LL EMPHASIZE THAT THOSE THREE AREAS, THOSE THREE FOUNDATIONS DO NOT OPERATE BY THEMSELVES.
IT IS INDEED AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL SYSTEM.
AND WEAKENING ANY OF THOSE WOULD WEAKEN THE OTHER TWO.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE FEEL THAT ALL THREE WOULD BE WEAKENED AND THE ACCELERATION OF THAT DECLINE FOR ORGANIZATION, UH, WOULD BE REAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HEARD HERE TODAY.
SO AS A RESULT, OUR LAST SLIDE THAT WE HAVE ON THIS IS WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO PROTECT THE FOUNDATIONS THAT WE'RE BUILDING.
WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER TO PROTECT THE CULTURE, CONTINUE TO EXECUTE OUR STRATEGY, AND SECURE OUR LONG-TERM STABILITY.
AFTER REVIEWING FAIR FREE CONCEPT TO OUR LEGAL, FINANCIAL, REGULATORY, SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL AND CUSTOMER LENSES STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND PURSUING A FAIR FREE PILOT OR SYSTEM-WIDE FAIR FREE PROGRAM.
STAFF RECOMMENDS MAINTAINING FOCUS ON VIAS ADOPTIVE STRATEGY TO BUILD A TRANSIT SYSTEM PEOPLE CHOOSE TO USE BY CONTINUING TO INVEST FREQUENCY, RELIABILITY, SAFETY, AND LONG-TERM STABILITY.
A MOMENT OF COMMENT HERE ALSO IS IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING NO TO.
[02:40:01]
INSTEAD, IT'S ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SAYING YES TO BY SAYING YES, TO INVEST IN SERVICE, QUALITY, SAFETY, AND FINANCIAL STABILITY.WE ARE CREATING A REINFORCING CYCLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHERE WE WILL HAVE AND CONTINUE TO BUILD A STRONG CULTURE, WE WILL HAVE A STRONG STRATEGY DELIVERY, WHICH WE ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING, AND WE ARE GONNA MAINTAIN OUR STRONG FINANCIAL HEALTH.
THIS IS HOW WE BUILD A SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE CHOOSE.
GARY AND STAFF APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THOROUGH PRESENTATION, UH, LED WITH A LOT OF, UH, DATA FOR US TO CONSIDER.
UH, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO TRUSTEE COOPER WHO WAS ASKED FOR THE FLOOR.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE THOROUGH FACT-BASED ANALYSIS THAT THEY BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY.
UM, I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION AMONG MY FELLOW TRUSTEES AS WELL.
WE ALL SHARE THE SAME GOAL, IMPROVING OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM BY MAKING OUR SERVICE FASTER, MORE RELIABLE AND SAFER.
THAT SAID, THE BOARD HAS A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO GOVERN THIS AGENCY IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, NOT JUST FOR TODAY, BUT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF WRITERS.
AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, I BELIEVE IT'S CLEAR THAT PURSUING A FAIR FREE MODEL UNDER V'S CURRENT LEGAL FINANCIALS, REGULATORY AND SAFETY FRAMEWORK WOULD INTRODUCE RISK THAT WE SHOULD NOT ASSUME WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE LEGAL CONSTRAINTS TIED TO OUR REVENUE STRUCTURE.
WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE FINANCIAL RISK AND THE PRESSURE THIS WOULD PLACE ON OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL PLANS.
WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE REGULATORY AND FEDERAL FUNDING IMPLICATIONS AT A MOMENT WHEN OUR COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON US TO DELIVER TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS.
AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY OUR OPERATORS, ABOUT THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT, UH, FAIR FREE ENVIRONMENTS CAN CREATE FOR THEM AND FOR OUR RIDERS TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE RISK OUTWEIGH THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A FAIR FREE UNDER OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS.
FOR THOSE REASONS, I BELIEVE THIS BOARD SHOULD PROVIDE CLEAR DIRECTION TO OUR STAFF.
WE SHOULD DIRECT VIA MANAGEMENT TO NOT FURTHER PURSUE OR ANALYZE A FREE FAIR PROPOSAL.
I'M SORRY, FAIR FREE PROPOSAL AT THIS TIME.
UM, INSTEAD WE SHOULD REMAIN FOCUSED ON WHAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS ASKED US TO DELIVER A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT IS FASTER, MORE RELIABLE, SAFER AND MORE USEFUL IN CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY.
THAT'S HOW WE HONOR THE TRUST OF OUR RIDER.
THE COMMITMENTS MADE TO OUR VOTES, MADE TO OUR VOTERS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE GIVEN AS STEWARDS OF THIS PUBLIC SYSTEM.
WE CAN AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TARGETED AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT HELP THE MOST IN NEED, BUT SHOULD NOT COMPROMISE THE LONG-TERM STABILITY OF THE SYSTEM THAT THEIR ENTIRE COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON.
THEREFORE, I MOVE THAT VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES, HAVING REVIEWED THE ANALYST PRESENTED BY MANAGEMENT AND HAVING CONSIDERED THE LEGAL FINANCIAL, REGULATORY, SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF FAIR FREE TRANSIT MODEL, HEREBY DETERMINES THAT PURSUING A FAIR FREE PILOT OR SYSTEM-WIDE FAIR FREE PROGRAM IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT.
FURTHER, I MOVE THE BOARD DIRECT VIA STAFF TO DISCONTINUE ANY FURTHER ANALYSIS, DEVELOPMENT, OR PURSUIT OF FAIR FREE PROPOSALS UNDER VIAS OPERATING AUTHORITY.
AND INSTEAD TO CONTINUE FOCUS ON ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES ON DELIVERING THE VOTER APPROVED AND BOARD ADOPTED SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING ENHANCED FREQUENCY, RELIABILITY, SAFETY, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSFORMATIVE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS THAT BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THIS AS A WRITER OF VIA I RIDE VIA I DO NOT BELIEVE IN FEAR FREE.
SO I SECOND THIS MOTION A, UH, VICE CHAIR GOMEZ.
I, UM, AS I REFLECT ON ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED HERE FOR US TODAY, I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF A PHRASE THAT WE ALL PROBABLY ARE SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH OR HAVE HEARD BEFORE.
AND THAT IS THE PHRASE, A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED
[02:45:01]
BY OUR MAYOR AND A COUPLE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.AND I SAY WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THEM THAT THAT'S WHAT THEIR PROPOSAL IS.
IT'S A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM, A PROBLEM THAT WE DO NOT HAVE.
MADAM CHAIR AND TRUSTEES AFFORDABILITY IS NOT AN ISSUE REGARDING OUR FARES AT VIA.
TERRY MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR WITH HER DATA AS TO WHAT OUR WRITERS THINK, AND THAT IS NOWHERE NEAR THE TOP OF THEIR CONSIDER THEIR CONCERNS FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, UH, ON THAT ALONE.
WHAT OUR WRITERS WANT, UH, IS ALL I NEED TO KNOW TO SUPPORT THE MOTION THAT IS ON THE TABLE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SO.
UM, I THINK THANK YOU STAFF FOR BRINGING A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION AND FOR, UH, CONTINUE ON WITH THE MOMENTUM THAT VIA HAS BEEN, UH, EXECUTING IN THE LAST YEAR OR YEARS AND KEEPING, UH, REACHING AND EXCEEDING, UH, THE GOALS SET.
UM, IT'S DEFINITELY AN EXCITING TIME FOR VIA, FOR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS.
UM, I DO, I THINK HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IS A GREAT CONVERSATION TO LOOK AT.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AND VIA WRITERS FACE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS? UM, UNDERSTANDING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND REACHING A QUALITY OF LIFE IS INCREASING ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, CONNECTION TO JOBS, HEALTH, AND TO THRIVE.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR SOME, A FAIR MIGHT BE A, UH, A BARRIER, BUT I THINK AFTER HEARING OUR CONVERSATION TODAY, IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT THE PRIORITY FOR VIA NOW IS TO CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM OF PROVIDING A BETTER SERVICE, OF PROVIDING, UH, ACCESS TO A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT IS CLOSER AND BETTER TO OUR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS SO THAT WE CAN INVITE MORE NON RIDERS.
UM, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE LEARNING HOW WE CAN GET MORE, UM, SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS TO, TO RIDE VIA AND TO BETTER OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND DATA THAT STAFF PRESENTED, THE GOAL IS CLEAR.
THAT IS TO PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE TO, TO WRITERS AND TO INVITE MORE SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS, UH, TO USE IT BECAUSE IT IS A BETTER SERVICE, BECAUSE IT FEELS FREE AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE ACCESS, UH, TO INCREASE THEIR CONNECTIVITY.
UM, THANK YOU STAFF, UH, ALL OF THE HARD WORK YOU PUT IN TO HELP, UH, NOT JUST US, BUT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND, UH, KIND OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES PART OF, OF THE IMPACT OF A DECISION LIKE THIS.
AND, UH, I WILL SAY, I THINK IT IS A WORTHY CONVERSATION TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN MORE EQUITABLY, UH, PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION AND REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD SUPPORT MEASURES TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO TRANSPORTATION.
UM, HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW IF A CONSUMER FACING TAX IS, IS THE ANSWER TO PROVIDE IT.
AND, UM, THE OTHER THING I WILL SAY IS THAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS COME WITH GOOD FAITH.
UH, BUT I DO WANT US TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE TALK ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS, SPECIFICALLY OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS.
UM, EVERYONE DESERVES DIGNITY.
AND SO, UM, I DO THINK EVERYBODY COMES WITH THAT.
BUT AS I HEAR THIS CONVERSATION, AND TO YOUR POINT, UH, VICE CHAIR, IT SEEMS LIKE OUR CITY ISN'T NECESSARILY DEALING WITH AN ISSUE OF ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
IT IS DEALING WITH AN INVESTMENT, A ROBUST ENOUGH INVESTMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AND ACCESS TO HOUSING IN ACCESS AND SUPPORT FOR OUR HOUSELESS POPULATION.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND OF THE MAYOR AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO DIRECT MORE OF THEIR BUDGET TO SUPPORTING THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SEEMS TO BE CAUSING THE SAFETY ISSUES FOR OUR DRIVERS, FOR OUR, FOR OUR SYSTEM.
AND I WILL SAY, UM, AS SOMEBODY WHO FREQUENTLY GOES TO SCHOOL BOARDS AND SAYS, OUR WORKING CONDITIONS, OUR STUDENTS' LEARNING CONDITIONS, I FIRMLY AGREE THAT THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF OUR OPERATORS ARE THE CONDITIONS OF OUR OTHER RIDERS.
AND SO, AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO A MORE ROBUST INVESTMENT IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, THOSE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES THAT WILL THEN MAKE A FREE FAIR SYSTEM, UH, I THINK MORE PALATABLE, UH, AND, AND SUSTAINABLE TO, TO FOLKS THAT OPERATE, BUT ALSO FOLKS THAT RIDE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN EXPAND SOME OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS.
UH, AGAIN, WORKING IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, AND MY PARTNER, SHE IS A SOCIAL WORKER FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SHE IS FREQUENTLY ASKING FOR THOSE PASSES FOR STUDENTS.
AND SO MAKING SURE EVERY MCKINNEY-VENTO PERSON, UH, STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS ACCESS TO THIS, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, READY TO WORK, RIGHT.
IF YOU APPLY FOR READY TO WORK AND YOU ARE NOW ENROLLED
[02:50:01]
AND READY TO WORK, WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS? I THINK IT'S ALSO EASY IF WE WANTED TO PILOT FREE FARE TO JUST LOOK AT MEDICAID, LOOK AT WHO'S RECEIVING SNAP BENEFITS, WE CAN TARGET THIS SUPPORT IN A MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL WAY TO, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT I THINK THE CITY AND THE MAYOR IS LOOKING TO ADDRESS.BUT IT SEEMS LIKE, AGAIN, FROM OPERATORS, FROM MANAGEMENT, FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD, THAT THIS IS NOT THE, THE, THE BEST APPROACH.
AND IT SEEMS SOMEWHAT RUSHED IN THAT SENSE, BUT AGAIN, I, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN, IN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ROBUST CONVERSATION FROM THE CITY ABOUT HOW TO INVEST IN OUR HOUSELESS POPULATION AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
YOU DID HIT ON SOMETHING THAT I, THAT I THINK IS ABSOLUTE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AND WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THOSE, TO THE ISSUES OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE CHALLENGES IS THAT TO SOME DEGREE, MAYBE NOT, THEY'RE NOT HAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH CONTROL OVER IT.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A BOARD MEMBER IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES THAT WE HAVE IS FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR VIA, WE WANT THEM TO ARRIVE AND TO RETURN TO THEIR FAMILIES THE SAME WAY THAT THEY GOT HERE WITH NO DISPAR, NO DISPARAGING OF, OF ANYONE ELSE.
UH, BUT WITH THAT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, GETTING BACK TO YOUR, YOUR THREE CIRCULAR POINTS, JOHN, THAT IS A HIGH KEY TO ME AND I, BUT I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO SPECIFICALLY GET DOWN TO OTHER AREAS OF NEED AND ACCESS TO VIA, AT A REDUCED RATE THAT ACTUALLY BENEFITS BOTH VIA AND THE RIGHT CLIENT.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEE HOWARD? UH, TRUSTEE
THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING, BUT BOY DID I LEARN A LOT.
FIRST OF ALL, I NEED TO APPLAUD THE AUDIENCE AND ALL OF THOSE WHO STAYED LATE.
AND WHAT IT REFLECTS TO ME IS IT'S A TEAM EFFORT FROM YOUR TRANSIT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE, UH, THE TEAM THAT PRESENTED SO ELOQUENTLY AND SO COMPLETELY, I LEARNED A LOT.
SO I NEED TOLO, UH, APPLAUD ALL OF YOU BECAUSE IT'S TRULY A TEAM EFFORT.
AND I THINK GOING FORWARD, IT'S NOTHING.
WE'RE GOING UP AND WE LEARNED A LOT OF WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO, BUT WE'RE IN UNISON IN DOING THAT, AND IT'S A TEAM EFFORT.
NO OTHER COMMENTS, TRUSTEES? OKAY.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN A, A GREAT CONVERSATION.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA THANK STAFF AND MANAGEMENT FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, PRIORITIZE, QUITE FRANKLY, THE RESPONSE THAT, UM, HAS BEEN ASKED OF US.
UH, AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T GO, UM, WITHOUT SAYING THAT THIS IS THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS, UM, IN THIS REGION ARE IMPORTANT TO US.
WITHOUT THOSE KEY STAKEHOLDERS, WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR ROBUST, UM, AND SWIFTLY, UH, SWIFT ACTION IN BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD AND SCRUBBING SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, PRIORITIES THAT WE WERE GONNA CONSIDER TODAY.
UH, BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT, RIGHT, THAT WE WANNA TAKE AND CONSIDER.
AND SO FOR THAT MOMENT, I, I JUST KIND OF RE WANNA REFRAME THIS MOMENT AGAIN, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT I SHARE WITH, UM, OUR CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND THE CITY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AT B SESSION.
UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST IN RESPONSE TO THE POLICY REQUEST, UH, THAT IS BEFORE US, BUT IT'S IN RESPONSE TO A ONCE IN A GENERATION MOMENT FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT IN OUR REGION.
WHAT WE HAVE BUILT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND WHAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO BUILD IS NOT AN UPGRADE, IT'S A TRANSFORMATION.
AND THIS BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROTECT IT.
AND THE LAST YEAR ALONE, VIA HAS DELIVERED MORE THAN 31.6 MILLION PASSENGER TRIPS.
THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF MOVING THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF TEXAS.
WE LAUNCHED THE LARGEST SET, SINGLE SET OF SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS IN AGENCY HISTORY ON A SINGLE DAY, RIGHT? SANDEEP, WE HIRED 107 NEW BUS OPERATORS, RIGHT? TRAMELL, WE ACHIEVED THE TOP CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATING AMONG US TRANSIT AGENCIES VIA TRANS GREW RIDERSHIP BY 28% VIA LINK GREW 35% PARK, AND RIGHT.
THE BETTER BUS PLAN, A FULL NETWORK DESIGN IS RUNNING TWO TO THREE YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
THE GREEN LINE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
IT IS PROOF WE ARE DELIVERING AND WE ARE NOT SLOWING DOWN.
LATER ON THIS YEAR, VIA WILL LAUNCH AN INTEGRATED APP, A SINGLE PLATFORM FOR EVERY VIA SERVICE, EVERY ROUTE, EVERY TRIP.
EQUALLY, PUTTING TOGETHER THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AS A TOP PRIORITY.
THAT IS WHAT A MODERN COMPETITIVE TRANSIT SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE.
THAT IS WHAT OUR RIDERS ASK FOR A BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE BUILT ON A RELIABLE, SAFE, AND
[02:55:01]
EFFECTIVE SERVICE.AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DELIVERING ALL THIS PROGRESS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN DISCIPLINED AND THAT DISCIPLINE IS EXACTLY WHAT IS NOW BEING TESTED.
EVERY DOLLAR OF THE VOTER APPROVED ONE 8 CENT SALES TAXES COMMITTED TO THE SAN ANTONIO KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN.
OUR FAIR REVENUE IS LEVERAGED AGAINST BONDS AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS AND MAKE THE GREEN AND SILVER LINES POSSIBLE.
THESE ARE NOT LINE ITEMS, THESE ARE PROMISES TO THE PEOPLE OF OUR SERVICE AREA, TO SAN ANTONIO AND TO BEAR COUNTY.
THERE IS NO SURPLUS CAPACITY FOR NEW UNFUNDED PROGRAMS WITHOUT IMPACTING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES ARE RIDER DEPEND ON TODAY, THE BOARD'S DUTY IS TO PROTECT THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGENCY.
WE SHARE THE MAYOR'S GOAL FOR EQUITY AND ACCESS.
AND WE ARE OPEN TO PARTNERSHIP MODELS WHERE THE CITY FUNDS AND DISTRIBUTES FAIR PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WHO MEET, UH, WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
IT ALREADY DOES THIS WITH CITY EMPLOYEES.
THAT IS A PATH WE CAN WALK TOGETHER WITHOUT PUTTING THE SYSTEM AT RISK.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH OVER THE LAST YEAR A CULTURE CHANGE.
THANKS IN PART TO ALL OF Y'ALL IN THIS ROOM TODAY.
IN PART TO OUR OPERATORS, AGAIN, IT WAS SAID EARLIER TODAY BY OUR ETU TRANSIT UNION.
THIS IS A ONE TIME THAT THEY'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN BROUGHT UP? UH, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT THAT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO, UH, BRIDGE SOME OF THE GAPS THAT WE HAD IN THE PAST.
AND I, AGAIN, ITEST THIS TO THE LEADERSHIP, UH, BOTH, UH, THE UNION AND OF MANAGEMENT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DELIBERATE, UM, EXPERTISE IN BRINGING THIS, UM, UH, PRESENTATION TO US TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE RESEARCH AND CALLING US AS TRUSTEES, ASKING US QUESTIONS, UM, ENSURING THAT ALL OUR QUESTIONS ARE, ARE ANSWERED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS, UH, CONSIDERING WHAT OUR RIDERSHIP NEEDS, UH, WITH THE EYE TOWARDS THE FUTURE.
UM, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION, ALL RIGHT.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
WE STILL HAVE, UH, AGENDA ITEMS TO THAT ARE REMAINING
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE BACK TO CONSENT.
[5. Consent Agenda ]
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UH, WHICH IS AN ACTION ITEM.TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ANY OF THESE ITEMS? AND DO WE NEED A PRESENTATION FOR THIS? NO PRESENTATION, NO MOVE.
WE HAVE A MOTION SIGN UNLESS Y'ALL WANT SECOND.
CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED FINANCIAL UPDATE.
[7. Financial Updates – Monthly / Quarterly Financial Reports. ]
I KNOW, UH, JERMAINE, WE, WE WENT THROUGH A, A ROBUST PRESENTATION THERE, BUT, UH, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE FLOOR AGAIN TO PROVIDE US A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH ON WHERE WE ARE HERE TO DATE.SO YEAH, JUST USE THE, UH, KEYBOARD.
I'LL BE PRESENTING THE, UH, MONTHLY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
MOVING FORWARD TO OUR, UH, BALANCE SHEET HERE.
UH, WE ENDED THE, UH, MONTH OF JANUARY WITH 1.226 AND, UM, TOTAL ASSETS AND DEFERRED, UM, OUTFLOW OF RESOURCES HERE.
I NOTE HERE THAT WE DO HAVE CHARTS IN THE BACK OF THE, UH, DECK HERE.
I WON'T FLIP TO THEM THIS PARTICULAR TIME, BUT I'LL GIVE SOME EXPLANATION OF THE VARIANCES HERE.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE DOWN 86.1 MILLION VERSUS A YEAR AGO.
CURRENT ASSETS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOWN BY 14.4 MILLION.
THIS IS, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH AN, ACTUALLY AN INCREASE IN CASH OF 14.5 AND OTHER RECEIVABLES OF 15.2.
BUT THESE ARE OFFSET BY, UH, DECREASES IN SALES TAX RECEIVABLES OF 1.7 MILLION, FEDERAL GRANTS RECEIVABLE OF 7.7, RESTRICTED CASH AND DEBT SERVICE OF 4.8 AND INVENTORY OF 1.1.
UH, WE HAVE A LARGE, UH, DECLINE IN NON-CURRENT ASSETS AT DOWN 77.3 MILLION.
AND THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DEBT THAT WAS PAID OFF IN AUGUST OF FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, AND IN, UM, JANUARY OF FISCAL YEAR 26 AS WELL.
AND THEN USE OF TEXT GRANT FUNDS OF 10.4, DECREASE IN, UH, RESTRICTED CASH FOR CONSTRUCTION OF, UH, 63.3 MILLION, AND, UM, DECREASE IN OUR BOND RESERVE OF 2.9 MILLION.
AND THESE WERE ALL PARTIALLY OFFSET BY INCREASED, UM, UM, I'M SORRY, INTEREST EARNED ON CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BEXAR COUNTY, A TD OF, UH, 5.7 MILLION.
CAPITAL ASSETS ARE UP 9.3, UH, MILLION.
THIS IS DUE TO ASSETS, PLACE AND SERVICE AND, UM, CONSTRUCTION AND
[03:00:01]
PROGRESS OF, UM, INCREASE HERE OF 76 MILLION.AND THESE WERE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY NORMAL DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION OF 66.7 MILLION.
AND THEN OUR DEFERRED OUTFLOWS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOWN 32.5 MILLION.
AND THIS IS JUST NORMAL AMORTIZATION OF, UH, PENSION AND OA.
LOOKING AT OUR TOTAL LIABILITIES AND DEFERRED INFLOW OF, UH, RESOURCES HERE.
WE ENDED THE MONTH WITH, UH, 530 MILLION.
THE, UH, DECLINE HERE IS, UH, LARGELY ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, DECLINE IN NON-CURRENT ASSETS OF 77.3 MILLION DUE TO DEBT PAID IN AUGUST, UH, FISCAL YEAR 25.
I'M SORRY, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA FLIP HERE BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY NOTES FOR TRANSPARENCY HERE.
AND SO THIS, UH, DECLINE HERE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING TO HERE.
IT'S, UH, LONG-TERM LIABILITIES ARE ACTUALLY DOWN 57.1 MILLION DUE TO DECREASES IN BONDS PAYABLE AND BONDS PREMIUM 16 MILLION, UH, PENSION AND OPE LIABILITIES ARE DOWN 44.7 MILLION.
LEASE LIABILITIES IN VEHICLES DOWN 19.6.
THESE ARE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY THE ADDITION OF COMPENSATED ABSENCES, UH, LIABILITY, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, IMPLEMENTED, WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GA SB 1 0 1, WHICH REQUIRED US TO, UM, TO ACTUALLY RECORD THE LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH ABSENCES THAT WE EXPECT OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO TAKE.
AND, UH, THAT RESULTED IN ANOTHER 22.2 MILLION IN LIABILITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE A ARBITRAGE LIABILITY OF $1 MILLION DEFERRED INFLOWS ACTUALLY UP 15.8 MILLION DUE TO MONTHLY AMORTIZATION OF INFLOWS AND PENSION OF, UH, 14.2 OPEP 1.5, AND THEN LEASES 0.1 MILLION THERE.
SO, FLIPPING BACK HERE, MOVING OVER TO OUR TREASURY OVERVIEW HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ENDED THE MONTH WITH 631.2 MILLION IN TOTAL CASH RESERVES.
THESE WERE DOWN 13 MILLION MONTH OVER MONTH.
IF WE LOOK AT THE ACTUAL DAYS, CASH ON HAND, WE'RE STILL STRONG.
WE'RE DOWN 12 DAYS, BUT ACTUAL DAYS CASH ON HAND, 496 DAYS, WELL ABOVE THE 120 REQUIREMENT, UH, THAT THE BOARD REQUIRES.
WE CAN SEE HERE THIS NUMBER LOOKS VERY STRONG, BUT WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS ONCE WE START SPINNING DOWN ON OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, THAT NUMBER WON'T BE, UM, WON'T HELP US IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE, UH, ISSUES WITH OUR FAIR BOX REVENUES.
WE DON'T HAVE TO RECAP THAT, BUT PEOPLE LOOK AT THAT NUMBER TODAY.
BUT THAT NUMBER IS GONNA BE SPENT DOWN AS WE SPEND ON OUR GREEN LINE CIVIL LINE, UM, CAPITAL PROGRAMS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, INTEREST EARNED IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER HERE, WE, UM, ENDED JANUARY YEAR TO DATE, WE HAD 8.5 MILLION IN INTEREST EARNED.
AND SO 3.3 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE BUDGET YEAR TO DATE OF 5.2 MILLION.
WE EXPECT TO END THE YEAR WITH $23.8 MILLION.
AND THIS IS, UH, THE YEAR TO DATE PERFORMANCE IS DUE TO HIGHER CASH RESERVES THAN WE BUDGETED FOR.
AND THEN HIGHER INTEREST EARNINGS ON THOSE RESERVES AS WELL.
LOOKING HERE AT OUR INCOME STATEMENT HERE, YOU COULD SEE THAT WE ENDED JANUARY WITH 123.6 MILLION IN REVENUES.
UH, THIS IS FAIRLY ALIGNED WITH OUR BUDGET.
I WON'T, I WON'T EXPLAIN THAT VARIANCE SINCE IT'S ALIGNED WITH THE BUDGET.
AND ALSO FROM AN EXPENSES PERSPECTIVE, WE COULD SEE THAT, UH, WE ENDED THE MONTH WITH 114.6 MILLION.
THAT'S, UH, JUST 0.1 DIFFERENCE FROM THE, UH, BUDGET THERE.
I WILL MENTION HERE, UM, MADAM CHAIR, THAT YOU QUESTIONED THE VARIANCE ON FAIRBOX REVENUES LAST MONTH.
I THINK WE HAD A 0.8 MILLION VARIANCE TO THE BUDGET.
YOU SEE IT'S ABOUT $1 MILLION NOW THERE.
AND THEN WE NOTICED THAT WE HAD AN UNFAVORABLE SALES MIX, MEANING THAT WE SOLD MORE DISCOUNTED FARES THAN WE HAD INTENDED TO, UH, WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
AND SO IT RESULTED IN LESS, UH, FAIR BOX REVENUES.
THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE LOOKS AT OUR, UM, SALES TAX TREND ON A ROLLING 12 MONTH BASIS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT TREND ON A 12 MONTH BASIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY UP 3.3, I'M SORRY, 3.2% YEAR OVER YEAR.
IF WE LOOK AT THE STATE OF TEXAS HERE, UH, JUST LOOKING AT THE MONTH OF JANUARY, UH, STATE OF TEXAS SAW A 7.1% INCREASE JANUARY 26 OVER 25.
UM, ALL SECTORS SEEM TO BE PERFORMING, UH, PRETTY WELL THERE AND THEIR REPORTING AS WELL.
AND THEN IF WE LOOK AT THE THREE MONTHS ENDING JANUARY, 2026, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS WAS UP 6.1 MILLION COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD FOR THE, UM, PRIOR YEAR.
AND GOING TO THE, UH, PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD HERE, PERFORMANCE FOR BUS HERE ARE WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP COMPLAINTS, MECHANICAL RELIABILITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
THEY'RE ALL BETTER THAN TARGET COLLISIONS.
THEY'RE BETTER THAN TARGET THROUGH, UH, JANUARY, 2026.
WE HAD TWO NON-PREVENTABLE AND TWO PREVENTABLE
[03:05:01]
BUS COLLISIONS REPORTED THROUGH JANUARY.HOWEVER, THOSE OCCURRED PRIOR TO DECEMBER BECAUSE FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS THERE WERE NO COLLISIONS.
THE, UM, ON TIME PERFORMANCE AND COST EFFECTIVENESS THAT WITHIN THE TARGET RANGE THROUGH, UH, JANUARY, 2026 FOR BUS.
IF WE MOVE ON TO, UH, VIA TRENDS HERE, OUR WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP COLLISIONS, MECHANICAL RELIABILITY, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, AND COST EFFECTIVENESS, THERE ARE BETTER THAN, UH, TARGET.
OUR ON TIME PERFORMANCE IS WITHIN THE TARGET RANGE.
UM, HOWEVER, WE'VE SEEN SOME IMPROVEMENT OVER THE, UH, PRIOR PERIOD OF, UH, 0.8%.
AND SO, WHICH IS A POSITIVE, UH, COMPLAINTS ARE WORSE THAN TARGET, BUT SHOWING CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT WITH A 12.4% DECREASE FROM THE PRIOR PERIOD.
AND FINALLY, MOVING ON TO, UH, VIA LINK HERE, OUR AVERAGE MONTHLY, UH, RIDERSHIP AND ON TIME PERFORMANCE RATHER THAN TARGET COST EFFECTIVENESS IS WITHIN TARGET RANGE THROUGH JANUARY.
AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATING FOR VE SERVICES THROUGH JANUARY IS 4.84.
AND SO MADAM CHAIR, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTATION TRUSTEES.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, TRUSTEE FLOTIS, UH, ANY ECONOMIC HEADWINDS OR ANY ISSUES THAT YOU'RE TRACKING OR CONCERNED ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO SALES TAX OR ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, YEAH.
AND SO OF COURSE, UH, WE WOULD SAY TARIFFS, RIGHT? OF COURSE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CAPITAL PROGRAM IS MAJOR 1.1 BILLION IN SPEND.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THE LARGEST CONCERN.
AND SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THIS, UH, CONTINGENCY FUND THAT WE SET ASIDE OF $100 MILLION.
WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT CAN GO AWAY RATHER QUICKLY, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT.
WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME, TAKING A LOOK AT OUR, UM, PROJECT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND OUR ABILITY TO, UM, ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE SUFFICIENT LEVEL OF CONTINGENCY WITHIN OUR, UM, BUDGETS FOR EACH AND EVERY PROJECT.
AND SO THAT'S A MAJOR CONCERN FOR US.
I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW WE SEE THAT OUR FUEL COSTS ARE, UH, RATHER HIGH.
UH, WE, WE NEED TO REACH BACK OUT TO CPS ENERGY AND SEE WHY THESE, UM, SURTAX, I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE BEING CHARGED.
THEY CAN'T EXPLAIN IT VERY WELL TO US WHY IT'S, WHY IT'S, UM, BEEN SO VOLATILE.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA, UM, PAY ATTENTION TO IN THE FUTURE AS OUR CNG COSTS, OF COURSE, WITH INCREASING OUR OPERATION AS WELL.
AND SO I THINK THERE, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW CONCERNS THERE.
I WILL REITERATE HERE AS IT RELATES TO SALES TAXES, WE, WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT SALES TAXES EVERY SINGLE MONTH BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A HUGE REVENUE SOURCE FORCE.
AND SO THIS YEAR WE ACTUALLY BUDGETED FOR A 0% INCREASE IF YOU EXCLUDE THE A ED TWO, UH, REVENUES THAT BEGAN IN JANUARY.
AND SO TO SEE THE POSITIVE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE NOW IS A REALLY GOOD THING FOR US.
AND SO IT'S GONNA HELP US IN TERMS OF JUST THE PLAN FOR 26.
UM, 'CAUSE I CHUCKLED WHEN YOU ASKED THAT, 'CAUSE THAT'S SIMILAR TO WHERE I WAS GONNA GO.
JUST GOING INTO THE SALES TAX AND LOOKING, UM, MONTH OVER MONTH AND THE TREND THAT YOU HAVE THERE, UM, WE SEE A DECREASE FROM LAST MONTH.
AND I'M JUST, UM, ARE WE TRACKING, UH, THE FORECAST, UH, AHEAD OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID? UM, BASED ON THE ECONOMIC, UH, IMPACT OF TARIFFS, UH, OF FUEL INCREASE, UM, WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE, WE'RE IN THE TOP, UH, PROVIDERS OR, UH, CUSTOMERS FOR CPS MM-HMM
RIGHT? AND SO LARGEST, LARGEST GAS USER FOR CPS, LARGEST GAS USER FOR CPS.
SO JUST, YOU KNOW, THOSE CONSIDERATIONS ALSO, UM, GO INTO, UH, HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE, RIGHT? UM, AS OPPOSED TO HOW MUCH WE RECEIVE, UM, FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE A CONCERN OF MINE.
UM, AND SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, CURIOUS, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS, I THINK YOU ALREADY ANSWERED TRUSTEE FLORES, BUT I'M, I'M, UH, I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE STILL MONITORING THAT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF QUARTERS AS WE CLOSE OUT OUR FISCAL YEAR? YEAH, CERTAINLY.
AND LIKE I SAID, SALES TAX, EVERY SINGLE, WE STARTED TO SHOW THIS EVERY SINGLE MONTH, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR.
BUT YEAH, EVERY SINGLE COST ELEMENT, YOU TALK ABOUT THE COST OF OUR, UH, FUEL, THAT'S A HUGE COST FOR US.
AND THEN WE HAVE THOSE SER UH, SURTAX THAT I MENTIONED OF AS WELL THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE, WE'RE PAYING.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND LOOK FOR WAYS TO DECREASE THAT COST.
WE TALKED ABOUT FUEL HEDGING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE NEED TO EXPLORE IT FULLY TO SEE IF IT'S A POSSIBILITY.
BUT WE ALSO WANNA HAVE SOME DISCUSSION WITH CPS ENERGY TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN MINIMIZE OUR COSTS.
UH, DRA, JUST FOR CLARITY, UM, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE NEWS ONE EIGHTH FLUSH THROUGH YET ON A REPORT, RIGHT? NOT YET.
SO WHAT WE SAW IN JANUARY STILL DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CASH IS GONNA COME IN IN MARCH.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO AGENDA.
[8. Proposed May 2026 Service Changes - For information, discussion, and action on the proposed service changes to be implemented in May 2026. ]
UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.THIS IS A PROPOSED MAY, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES AS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY VIA, HAS POSTPONED TO VOTE ON PROPOSED MAY SERVICE CHANGE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE DELAY FOLLOWS CUSTOMER FEEDBACK REGARDING, UM, VIA RECONSIDERATION
[03:10:01]
TO PLAN TO RETIRE.ROUTE TWO, COMMUNITY INPUT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR SERVICE PLANNING PROCESS, AND WE APPRECIATE THE CUSTOMERS WHO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS EARLIER AND THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
UH, THIS ITEM IS NOW SCHEDULED TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE MARCH MEETING.
[9. VIA Recruitment Update – For information and discussion regarding recruitment strategies. ]
WE'LL MOVE, UH, INTO THE VIA RECRUITMENT UPDATE, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.SATORI SAMITA, VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND I'M WITH ANGELICA MARTIN, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
AND TOGETHER WE'LL PROVIDE THE FEBRUARY UPDATE, UH, FOR OUR BUS OPERATOR, OUR RECRUITMENT AND STRATEGY.
SO RELIABLE FREQUENT SERVICE ATTRACTS RIDERS, IT BUILDS TRUST WITH COMMUNITY, IT POSITIONS VIA TO IMPLEMENT SERVICE CHANGES, INCREASE FREQUENCY, AND RESPOND TO GROWTH.
AND NONE OF THAT IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT A ROBUST FULL-TIME BUS OPERATOR POOL.
SO WITH THAT CONTEXT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANGELICA, WHO'S GONNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE.
SO AS OF JANUARY 31ST, WE'VE REACHED A TOTAL OF 953 FULL-TIME OPERATORS, A NET INCREASE OF 47 OVER THE PRIOR MONTH.
UM, THE LAST TIME THAT VIA EMPLOYED 953 FULL-TIME OPERATORS WAS IN JUNE OF 2020.
IN JANUARY, 2020, UM, IN JANUARY OF 2025, WE ENDED THE MONTH WITH 815 OPERATORS.
THIS REPRESENTS A YEAR OVER YEAR GROWTH OF 138 OPERATORS.
OPERATOR RETENTION HAS ALSO INCREASED BY 3% OVER THE LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE 71 OPERATORS REMAINING TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OF 1024 OPERATORS BY DECEMBER OF 2026.
OVERALL, WE'RE 93% TOWARDS THE GOAL OF 1024 OPERATORS.
AT OUR MOST RECENT JOB FAIR, 88 OUT OF 178 ATTENDEES INTERVIEWED FOR A BUS OPERATOR POSITION.
OF THOSE 88 ATTENDEES, 43 WERE EXTENDED JOB OFFERS ON SITE.
FAST TRACK FRIDAYS HAVE ALSO OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED AND ARE GAINING MORE TRACTION.
WE, WE ARE HEAVILY TRAFFICKED EVERY FRIDAY.
'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOLKS THAT COME IN VERSUS FOLKS THAT END UP BEHIND A WHEEL.
BUT THAT NUMBER HAS INCREASED AS WELL, CORRECT? THAT IS, YES.
AND, AND RETAINAGE OF THOSE, ONCE THEY START IS ALSO INCREASING.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE A BIT OF A PERFECT STORM HERE.
UM, JERMAINE WAS NICE TO US 'CAUSE HE DID NOT REALLY SHOW THAT OUR EXPENSES ARE A LITTLE AHEAD OF WHERE WE WERE EXPECTING THEM.
AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE TWO LADIES HERE, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE ACCELERATED THE RATE OF OUR HIRING FURTHER BEYOND THAN WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING AT THIS STAGE IN OUR BUDGET.
IT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE AND WE LIKE THAT, BUT THAT'S ALSO WHERE IT'S FLUSHING OUT INTO OUR BUDGET AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GONNA COME GIVE YOU ALL A MIDYEAR LOOK AT THAT.
UH, BUT THE GREAT WORK THAT WE HAVE HERE, UH, WITH, UH, WITH THE RECRUITING, JUST TO CONNECT US ONE MORE IDEA, 'CAUSE IT, UM, OR MOMENT ON RECRUITING.
HOW SHOULD WE PUT THE MESSAGE OUT THAT THE BOARD JUST TOOK ABOUT, UH, FREE FARES IN FRONT OF THOSE POTENTIAL, UH, RECRUITINGS OR RECRUIT TENSE? SO SOMETHING TO TALK, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
BUT LET'S, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
LET'S BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT, SINCE WE'VE ALREADY HEARD MESSAGING, UM, FROM THEM ALREADY THAT THEY WERE WORRIED, UM, ABOUT THIS IDEA.
ELL, WE'RE GOOD TO GO RIGHT ON, ON THE NUMBER.
I, I JUST KEEP ON LOOKING AT HIM BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE THAT INCREASED AND UPPED THE ANY TO ONE 50.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE BRIEFING.
[10. *Legal Briefing ]
10.DID WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO, MA'AM.
YOU TONIGHT? NO LEGAL BRIEFING.
[11. President & CEO Report ]
REPORT.BUT WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE IF, IF THIS IS, UH, THE LONGEST BOARD MEETING, UH, IN
[03:15:01]
RECENT MEMORY.UH, MAYBE THE SCOBY ITEM WAS MAYBE ON S THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, I'M GONNA NOT DRAG MY FEET TO GO TO ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN PLEASE? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ANY OPPOSED? YOU SEE A ONE OPPOSED? IS THAT WHAT YOU DID, TRUSTEE HOWARD? NO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIVE MINUTES, FIVE MORE MINUTES.
WE'RE MOVING ON TO A TD, MEANING A TD.
WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT FIRST.
[ATD 1. Call to Order]
AND I'D LIKE TO CALL IT, OR THE FEBRUARY 24TH.UH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE OUR MOMENTARY OF REFLECTION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[ATD 4. Consent Agenda ]
AGENDA ITEM THAT IS FOR ACTION.MS. ELDER, ANY BRIEFING? NO, MA'AM.
THAT WAS, THAT MAY BE THE FASTEST AGENCY.